Wafer processing apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a wafer processing device that can appropriately reduce a load gas in an exhaust gas by means of an abatement device. The wafer processing device comprises: a wafer processing unit that supplies a processing gas to a container and performs processing on a wafer which is a processing target placed inside the container, the wafer processing unit being connected to an abatement device that performs abatement processing to reduce a load gas in an exhaust gas discharged from the container; and a control device that controls the wafer processing unit and the abatement device. The abatement device has a function of executing an operation while an amount of reducing the load gas is increased or reduced through the abatement processing according to a received command signal or a signal indicating a different amount of the load gas. The control device transmits, in advance on the basis of a wafer processing condition in the wafer processing unit acquired in advance, abatement operation information directed to the abatement device for changing the operation state of the abatement device so as to be able to execute the abatement processing of the exhaust gas.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wafer processing apparatus including at least one wafer processor for processing a substrate-like sample such as a semiconductor wafer disposed in a processing chamber inside a container in the processing chamber. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a wafer processing apparatus connected to a decontamination apparatus having a function of reducing a predetermined gas contained in the exhaust gas discharged from the wafer processor and having a large environmental load.

Background Art

[0002] As a representative example of a wafer processing apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer, for example, there is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device (element). Some semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses have at least one wafer processor for processing a semiconductor wafer.

[0003] Each wafer processor includes a container having a processing chamber in which a semiconductor wafer is disposed. In each wafer processor, a processing gas is supplied to the semiconductor wafer in the processing chamber, and the gas is excited or dissociated into a state such as plasma, and a film layer to be processed formed in advance on the semiconductor wafer is formed into a predetermined shape using a physical or chemical reaction.

[0004] In such a wafer processing apparatus such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a plurality of types of gases suitable for processing a film layer to be processed are used. The gas used for the processing is exhausted to the outside of the container by an exhaust device, and finally discharged to the outside of the building where the wafer processing apparatus is installed.

[0005] By the way, the exhaust gas discharged from the wafer processing apparatus may contain a predetermined gas such as a gas having a high load on the human body and the environment or a harmful gas. Hereinafter, these gases having a high load on the human body and the environment and a predetermined gas containing a harmful gas are also referred to as "load gases".

[0006] Therefore, it has been considered to connect a decontamination device having a function of reducing or removing the load gas contained in the exhaust gas to the wafer processing apparatus. As a result, the load gas contained in the exhaust gas discharged from the wafer processing apparatus is discharged to the outside of the building after being reduced or removed by the decontamination device.

[0007] As a technology of the decontamination device connected to the wafer processing apparatus, for example, the one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-080226 (Patent Document 1) is known. Patent Document 1 describes that the exhaust gas is burned using a combustible fuel in an internal combustion chamber, heated and pyrolyzed to be rendered harmless. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-120918 (Patent Document 2) discloses a technology in which a combustion gas (combustion gas) for burning a processing gas to be decontaminated is supplied to the decontamination device according to the amount of the processing gas.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0008]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0009] In the processing of semiconductor wafers performed in the semiconductor manufacturing process, a plurality of processing steps are performed in one wafer processing apparatus. In each step, it is common for the type and amount of the gas used to vary according to the processing conditions. For this reason, in the decontamination device, for example, it is desired to burn the load gas in the exhaust gas whose type and amount change according to time, time, etc. so that it can be sufficiently reduced.

[0010] However, Patent Document 1 does not describe anything about performing operation according to fluctuations in the amount of exhaust gas supplied to the decontamination device. Further, although Patent Document 2 describes adjusting the supply amount of combustion gas according to the flow rate of the exhaust gas which is the process gas, it does not describe means for adjusting the operation of the decontamination device so as to sufficiently reduce the load gas following the change in the type and amount of the load gas contained in the exhaust gas.

[0011] Therefore, in the technologies described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when processes under different conditions are repeated in each of a plurality of wafer processors and the amount of the load gas fluctuates over time, there is a possibility that the load gas cannot be sufficiently decontaminated.

[0012] Also, it is conceivable to solve the above problem by continuously applying and burning a thermal energy amount sufficient to sufficiently decontaminate the maximum amount of load gas assumed to be used in the processing of wafers during a predetermined period. However, in this case, a high thermal energy amount is constantly applied during the predetermined period to burn the load gas, resulting in an increase in the operation cost of the wafer processing apparatus.

[0013] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a wafer processing apparatus capable of appropriately reducing the load gas in the exhaust gas by a decontamination device.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0014] The wafer processing apparatus of the present disclosure is a wafer processing unit that supplies a processing gas to a container and processes a wafer to be processed disposed in the container, and is connected to a decontamination device that performs a decontamination process for reducing a load gas in the exhaust gas discharged from the container. The wafer processing unit includes a control device that controls the wafer processing unit and the decontamination device. The decontamination device has a function of operating by increasing or decreasing the amount of reduction of the load gas by the decontamination process according to a received command signal or a signal indicating the amount of the different load gas. The control device transmits in advance decontamination operation information for changing the operating state of the decontamination device to enable decontamination of the exhaust gas to the decontamination device based on the processing conditions of the wafer in the wafer processing unit acquired in advance.

Advantages of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a wafer processing apparatus capable of more appropriately reducing the load gas in the exhaust gas. In addition, the operating cost of the wafer processing apparatus can be reduced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are generally denoted by the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted. In the drawings, the representation of the components may be schematically shown with respect to the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part compared to the actual aspect in order to facilitate the understanding of the invention, but this is merely an example and does not limit the interpretation of the present disclosure.

[0018] <Overall Configuration of Wafer Processing Apparatus> First, the overall configuration of the wafer processing apparatus will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the overall configuration of a wafer processing apparatus according to an embodiment.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the wafer processing apparatus 10 includes a wafer processing unit 20 that performs wafer processing, and a host computer 100 for controlling the operation of the wafer processing unit 20. As an example, the wafer processing apparatus 10 includes one wafer processing unit 20, but may include a plurality of wafer processing units 20. In that case, the operations of the plurality of wafer processing units 20 may be controlled by a single host computer 100.

[0020] The wafer processing unit 20 includes an atmospheric side block 30 and a vacuum side block 40. The atmospheric side block 30 is a part that transports, stores, and positions a substrate-like sample such as a semiconductor wafer to be processed under atmospheric pressure. The vacuum side block 40 is a block that transports a substrate-like sample such as a wafer under a pressure reduced from atmospheric pressure and performs processing in a predetermined vacuum processing chamber.

[0021] <Atmospheric Side Block> The atmospheric-side block 30 has an atmospheric transfer container 31, which is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing equipped with an atmospheric-side transfer robot (not shown) inside the standby transfer chamber. Further, the atmospheric-side block 30 includes a plurality of FOUP stands 32 on the front side of the atmospheric transfer container 31. A FOUP (Front Opening Unify Pod) in which a substrate-like sample such as a semiconductor wafer to be processed or cleaned (hereinafter referred to as a wafer) is stored is placed on the FOUP stand 32.

[0022] <Vacuum-side block> The vacuum-side block 40 is a block in which a container that can be maintained at a high vacuum pressure is connected, and the entire inside is a space maintained in a decompressed state. The vacuum-side block 40 of the present disclosure is arranged behind the atmospheric-side block 30 and is connected to the atmospheric-side block 30. The vacuum-side block 40 includes a plurality of vacuum transfer containers 41A to 41C, which are a plurality of vacuum containers each having a vacuum transfer chamber inside which a wafer is transferred. These plurality of vacuum transfer containers 41A to 41C may be collectively referred to as the vacuum transfer container 41.

[0023] Each vacuum transfer container 41 has a plurality of (two in the present embodiment) intermediate chambers 42A and 42B in which wafers are stored, and their interiors are communicated with each other with the intermediate chambers 42A and 42B interposed therebetween, and are connected in the front-rear direction of the wafer processing unit 20. The plurality of intermediate chambers 42A and 42B may be collectively referred to as the intermediate chamber 42. Note that the front-rear direction of the wafer processing unit 20 is the direction in which the plurality of vacuum transfer containers 41 are arranged in parallel, and is shown as the X direction in FIG. 1. Also, the side of the atmospheric-side block 30 is referred to as the front direction, and the side of the vacuum-side block 40 is referred to as the rear direction. Further, the direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction of the wafer processing unit 20 is referred to as the left-right direction, and is shown as the Y direction in FIG. 1.

[0024] The vacuum transfer container 41 having a vacuum transfer chamber inside is a box-shaped vacuum container with a rectangular or approximately rectangular planar shape. On the side wall surfaces of the vacuum transfer container 41 in the front-rear direction (X direction) and the left-right direction (Y direction) of the wafer processing unit 20, in addition to the intermediate chamber 42, a lock chamber 43 which is another vacuum container or a plurality of wafer processors 44 are connected. In other words, to the two surfaces of each of the plurality of vacuum transfer containers 41 to which neither the lock chamber 43 nor the intermediate chamber 42 is connected, a plurality (two in this embodiment) of wafer processors 44 are respectively connected.

[0025] More specifically, two wafer processors 44A and 44B are connected to the left-right side wall surface of the vacuum transfer container 41A. Two wafer processors 44C and 44D are connected to the left-right side wall surface of the vacuum transfer container 41B. Also, wafer processors 44E and 44F are connected to the left-right side wall surface of the vacuum transfer container 41C. Incidentally, these plurality of wafer processors 44A to 44E may be collectively referred to as the wafer processor 44. Each wafer processor 44 has its interior depressurized, and processes the wafers carried in through the vacuum transfer container 41 in this depressurized interior.

[0026] Also, each vacuum transfer container 41 is a unit including a vacuum container having a substantially rectangular planar shape. In each vacuum transfer container 41, a vacuum transfer chamber is respectively arranged inside. In the vacuum transfer chambers of the vacuum transfer containers 41A to 41C, vacuum transfer robots 45A to 45C are respectively arranged.

[0027] The vacuum transfer robots 45A to 45C hold wafers in the vacuum transfer chambers of the respective vacuum transfer containers 41A to 41C, and transfer the held wafers to the wafer processors 44A to 44E and the like. Incidentally, these vacuum transfer robots 45A to 45C may be collectively referred to as the vacuum transfer robot 45.

[0028] The vacuum transfer robot 45, more specifically, places the wafer on the tip of its arm and transfers the wafer in and out between the vacuum transfer chamber and either the wafer processor 44, the lock chamber 43, or the intermediate chamber 42. Although not shown in the figure, between the wafer processor 44, the lock chamber 43, the intermediate chamber 42, and the vacuum transfer container 41, there are gates, which are passages through which the wafer is transferred while being placed on and held at the tip of the arm of the vacuum transfer robot 45, and gate valves that can airtightly close and open the openings of each passage.

[0029] The intermediate chamber 42 functions as a relay chamber where the wafer is temporarily stored when the wafer is transferred between adjacent vacuum transfer containers 41. For example, assume that the wafer placed in the lock chamber 43 is transferred by the vacuum transfer robot 45A placed in the vacuum transfer container 41A and stored in the intermediate chamber 42A. The wafer stored in the intermediate chamber 42A is carried out from the intermediate chamber 42B by the vacuum transfer robot 45B placed in the vacuum transfer container 41B and transferred to the wafer processors 44A, 44B connected to the vacuum transfer container 41B or the intermediate chamber 42B.

[0030] The lock chamber 43 is arranged at the foremost side of the vacuum side block 40, that is, at a position closest to the atmospheric side block 30. More specifically, the lock chamber 43 is a sealed vacuum container arranged between the vacuum transfer container 41A and the atmospheric transfer container 31 of the atmospheric side block 30.

[0031] The lock chamber 43 enables the exchange of wafers by changing the pressure between atmospheric pressure and vacuum pressure while having the wafer inside, between the inside of the atmospheric transfer container 31 at approximately atmospheric pressure and the inside of the vacuum transfer container 41A depressurized to a predetermined vacuum level. Note that at least one lock chamber 43 may be provided, and a plurality of lock chambers 43 may be provided as needed.

[0032] Each wafer processor 44 includes, as an example which will be described in detail later, a vacuum chamber, an electric field and magnetic field generating mechanism outside the chamber surrounding the upper and peripheral parts thereof, and an exhaust mechanism including a vacuum pump for exhausting the evacuated processing chamber inside the chamber. Then, etching, ashing, or other processing is performed on the wafer in the processing chamber inside the vacuum chamber. Further, each of these wafer processors 44 is communicably connected to a host computer 100 included in the wafer processing apparatus 10 via a communication path 101.

[0033] <An example of a wafer processor> Next, an example of the configuration of the wafer processor 44 will be described. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an example of the configuration of a plasma etching apparatus included in the wafer processor.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 2, the wafer processor 44 according to the present embodiment includes a plasma etching apparatus 440. The plasma etching apparatus 440 uses a microwave electric field as an electric field for forming plasma, generates ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) of the microwave electric field and the magnetic field to form plasma, and etches a substrate-like sample such as a semiconductor wafer using the plasma.

[0035] The plasma etching apparatus 440 has a container, for example, a vacuum chamber 442, which includes a processing chamber 441 in which plasma is formed inside. The processing chamber 441 having a cylindrical shape at the upper part is closed by, for example, a disk-shaped dielectric window 443 made of quartz. That is, the dielectric window 443 is provided as a lid member closing the upper part of the processing chamber 441 and constitutes a part of the vacuum chamber 442. A seal member is disposed between the vacuum chamber 442 and the dielectric window 443 to ensure the airtightness inside the vacuum chamber 442 or the processing chamber 441.

[0036] Below the dielectric window 443, a shower plate 444 that constitutes the circular ceiling surface of the processing chamber 441 is provided. The shower plate 444 has a disk shape with a plurality of gas introduction holes 444a penetrating through the central portion, and a gas for etching processing is introduced into the processing chamber 441 through the gas introduction holes 444a. The shower plate 444 is made of a dielectric material such as quartz.

[0037] An exhaust port 445 connected to the processing chamber 441 is provided at the lower part of the vacuum vessel 442. Below the processing chamber 441, a vacuum pump 446 such as a turbo molecular pump for exhausting the gas in the processing chamber 441 to reduce the pressure and an exhaust volume adjustment valve 447 for adjusting the exhaust flow rate or speed by increasing or decreasing the area of the flow path are provided. The exhaust port 445 of the vacuum vessel 442 is connected to the inlet of the vacuum pump 446 via the exhaust volume adjustment valve 447. The outlet of the vacuum pump 446 is connected to the end of the exhaust pipe 50 shown in FIG. 1. The exhaust gas discharged from the outlet of the vacuum pump 446 is supplied to a decontamination device 60 described later via the exhaust pipe 50.

[0038] Above the vacuum vessel 442, an electric field and magnetic field forming unit 448 for forming an electric field and a magnetic field for generating plasma in the processing chamber 441 is arranged. The electric field and magnetic field forming unit 448 includes a waveguide 449 and an electric field generating power source 450, and a high-frequency electric field oscillated from the electric field generating power source 450 is transmitted through the inside of the waveguide 449 and introduced into the processing chamber 441. As an example, the electric field generating power source 450 is a microwave power source, and for example, microwaves with a frequency of the formed electric field of 2.45 GHz are used.

[0039] Magnetic field generating coils 451 are arranged around the lower end of the waveguide 449 and around the vacuum vessel 442, respectively. The magnetic field generating coil 451 is composed of an electromagnet and a yoke to which a direct current is supplied to form a magnetic field.

[0040] In the processing chamber 441, a wafer placement electrode 460 is disposed below the space where plasma is formed. The wafer placement electrode 460 includes a cylindrical protrusion at the upper central portion, the upper surface of which is higher than the outer peripheral portion, and has a placement surface 460a on which a wafer Wf as a sample (object to be processed) is placed. The wafer placement electrode 460 is arranged such that its placement surface 460a faces the shower plate 444 or the dielectric window 443.

[0041] As an example, the wafer placement electrode 460 includes an electrode substrate 461, a dielectric film 462 provided on the electrode substrate 461, and susceptoring 463. The electrode substrate 461 includes a protrusion 461a and a recessed portion 461b surrounding the periphery thereof at the upper central portion. Although not shown, the protrusion 461a of the electrode substrate 461 has a circular shape in plan view and is located at the central portion of the electrode substrate 461. The recessed portion 461b is provided in a ring shape around the protrusion 461a in plan view. And the upper surface of this protrusion 461a constitutes the placement surface 460a of the wafer placement electrode 460. Note that the surface of the protrusion 461a is covered with the dielectric film 462.

[0042] Inside the dielectric film 462, a conductor film 464, which is a film made of a plurality of conductors, is disposed. The conductor film 464 is connected to a DC power source 466 via a high-frequency filter 465. When DC power is supplied to the conductor film 464, the wafer Wf is adsorbed onto the placement surface 460a through the dielectric film 462 on the conductor film 464. The conductor film 464 is an electrostatic adsorption electrode.

[0043] The electrode substrate 461 is connected to a high-frequency power source 468 via a matcher 467. These high-frequency power source 468 and matcher 467 are arranged at a location closer than the distance between the high-frequency filter 465 and the conductor film 464. Further, the high-frequency power source (RF power source) 468 is grounded.

[0044] During the processing of the wafer Wf, high-frequency power of a predetermined frequency is supplied to the electrode substrate 461 (i.e., the sample stage) from at least one high-frequency power source (RF power source) 468 or a plurality of high-frequency power sources 468. Then, a bias potential having a distribution corresponding to the difference between the potential of the plasma and the potential of the electrode substrate 461 is formed above the wafer Wf adsorbed and held on the mounting surface 460a via the dielectric film 462.

[0045] Although not shown in the figure, inside the electrode substrate 461, in order to cool the wafer mounting electrode 460, a refrigerant flow path is provided that is arranged in multiple layers in a spiral or concentric shape around the central axis in the vertical direction of the electrode substrate 461. The inlet and outlet of the refrigerant flow path provided in the electrode substrate 461 are connected by a temperature regulator for adjusting the temperature of the refrigerant and a pipeline. The refrigerant whose temperature has changed through heat exchange while flowing through the refrigerant flow path provided in the electrode substrate 461 passes through the flow path inside the temperature regulator and is brought to a predetermined temperature range, and then is supplied again to the refrigerant flow path of the electrode substrate 461.

[0046] A ring-shaped susceptor ring 463 surrounding the protrusion 461a is placed in the recess 461b of the electrode substrate 461. The susceptor ring 463 is composed of at least one member made of a dielectric material such as ceramics such as quartz or alumina. Since the side surface of the protrusion 461a of the electrode substrate 461 and the bottom surface of the recess 461b are covered at least by the susceptor ring 463, it is possible to prevent the electrode substrate 461 from being damaged by the plasma.

[0047] In the plasma etching apparatus 440 configured as described above, microwaves are oscillated from the microwave generating power supply 450 while the processing gas is introduced into the processing chamber 441 through the gas introduction holes 444a of the shower plate 444. The electric field of the microwaves is transmitted through the dielectric window 443 and the shower plate 444 and supplied to the processing chamber 441 from above downward. Further, a magnetic field generated by a direct current supplied to the magnetic field generating coil 451 is supplied into the processing chamber 441, causing an interaction with the electric field of the microwaves and generating ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance). Due to ECR, atoms or molecules of the processing gas are excited, dissociated or ionized, and a high-density plasma is generated in the processing chamber 441.

[0048] Note that the processing gas is supplied to the plasma etching apparatus 440 through the pipe 470 from a gas supply source disposed below the floor surface of the building in which the plasma etching apparatus 440 is installed. The gas supply source is provided for each gas type. The pipe 470 extends from the gas supply source for each gas type. An integrated gas box 471 is disposed in the middle of the pipe 470. Inside the integrated gas box 471, a plurality of pipes 470, a mass flow controller (MFC) 472 for adjusting the flow rate or velocity of various types of gases, etc. are disposed. The plurality of pipes 470 are gathered into a plurality of gas supply pipes 474 inside the integrated gas box 471 and extend outside the integrated gas box 471.

[0049] Then, the processing gas is introduced through this gas supply pipe 474 (pipe 470) into the gap between the dielectric window 443 and the shower plate 444 and diffused into the processing chamber 441. The flow of the processing gas supplied into the processing chamber 441 through the gas introduction holes 444a is adjusted by an opening / closing valve 475 disposed in the gas supply pipe 474.

[0050] Note that, as the processing gas, for example, a reactive gas having reactivity with the film to be processed on the upper surface of the wafer, or a reactive gas whose reactivity is generated inside the plasma is used. Further, as the processing gas, for example, a mixed gas containing the above-described reactive gas and an inert gas for diluting the reactive gas is used. The processing of the wafer in each wafer processor 44 including the plasma etching apparatus 440 has a plurality of steps in which the processing gas is used under different conditions. And, as described above, the load gas is included in the processing gas used in each step.

[0051] In addition, the wafer processor 44 includes a controller 480 for controlling the plasma etching apparatus 440. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of devices constituting the plasma etching apparatus 440, such as an electric field generating power source 450, a magnetic field generating coil 451, a high-frequency power source 468, a high-frequency filter 465, a DC power source 466, and a matcher 467, are communicably connected to this controller 480 by wire or wirelessly. The operation of each device constituting the plasma etching apparatus 440 is appropriately controlled via this controller 480.

[0052] The controller 480 includes an arithmetic unit such as a CPU, a storage unit having an HDD, a memory, etc., and an interface with an external communication means by wire or wirelessly, and these are communicably connected by wiring or wirelessly. This controller 480 is communicably connected to the host computer 100 provided in the wafer processing apparatus 10 via a communication path 101, and transmits operation state information indicating the operation state of each device constituting the plasma etching apparatus 440 to the host computer 100. In other words, the wafer processor 44 transmits operation state information indicating the operation state of the wafer processor 44, such as the operation of each device and the presence or absence of an error, to the host computer 100.

[0053] Further, as will be described in detail later, the host computer 100 transmits processing information (processing recipe) including the processing conditions of the wafer, command signals, etc. to the wafer processor 44 (controller 480). The controller 480 appropriately controls the operations of the respective devices of the plasma etching apparatus 440 based on the received processing information and command signals. In other words, the respective devices of each wafer processor 44 are appropriately controlled according to, for example, the processing information and command signals transmitted from the host computer 100.

[0054] <Exhaust gas treatment device and exhaust pipe> Each wafer processor 44 included in the wafer processing unit 20 is connected to the exhaust gas treatment device 60 via the exhaust pipe 50 as described above (see FIG. 1). As an example, the wafer processor 44 includes a plasma etching apparatus 440, and the exhaust pipe 50 is connected to the exhaust mechanism of the plasma etching apparatus 440. More specifically, the exhaust pipe 50 is connected to the outlet of the vacuum pump 446 disposed at the lower part of the plasma etching apparatus 440 and constitutes the exhaust path of the wafer processing unit 20.

[0055] The exhaust gas exhausted from the plasma etching apparatus 440 passes through the inside of this exhaust pipe 50 and is transferred to the outside of the wafer processing unit 20. The exhaust gas includes the processing gas supplied to the processing chamber 441 of the vacuum chamber 442 of the plasma etching apparatus 440 and used for wafer processing, and the waste gas exhausted without being supplied to the processing chamber.

[0056] In the present embodiment, the downstream end of the exhaust gas flow direction of the exhaust pipe 50 is connected to the exhaust gas treatment device 60. The exhaust gas discharged from the wafer processing unit 20 is supplied to the exhaust gas treatment device 60 via the exhaust pipe 50. The exhaust gas treatment device 60 has a function of heating the load gas contained in the exhaust gas, applying thermal energy to decompose it, and reducing or removing the load and harmfulness to the environment.

[0057] As an example, the decontamination device 60 includes a combustion container inside, and introduces exhaust gas containing load gas into the combustion chamber inside the combustion container to ignite it, or introduces combustible gas together with the exhaust gas into the combustion chamber to ignite it. Note that, as described above, the load gas refers to a predetermined gas among the types of gases contained in the exhaust gas that has a high environmental load or is regarded as harmful to the human body and the environment.

[0058] By heating and decomposing the load gas in this way, the amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas is reduced. In other words, by heating and decomposing the load gas, the load or harmfulness of the exhaust gas is reduced. Note that the process of decomposing the load gas in the exhaust gas until the impact on the environment or the harmfulness to the human body and the environment is sufficiently small is referred to as decontamination treatment. Further, the operation of the decontamination device 60 that performs the decontamination treatment is referred to as decontamination operation.

[0059] The exhaust pipe 50 is disposed below the floor surface of the building where the wafer processing unit 20 is installed. One end thereof is connected to the exhaust mechanism of the plasma etching apparatus 440, and the other end is connected to the decontamination device 60. The decontamination device 60 is disposed in another space below the floor surface of the building where the wafer processing unit 20 is installed. Then, the exhaust gas discharged from the wafer processing unit 20 is supplied to the decontamination device 60 through the exhaust pipe 50, the load gas is heated and decomposed in the combustion container, and is exhausted to the outside of the building through an exhaust path (not shown).

[0060] Here, the decontamination device 60 according to the present embodiment has a function of increasing or decreasing the amount of reduction of the load gas in the exhaust gas by decontamination treatment according to the received command signal or a signal indicating the amount of different load gases, and operating. More specifically, the decontamination device 60 has the following functions according to the received command signal or a signal indicating the amount of different load gases.

[0061] When the amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas increases as the processing conditions of the wafers in each wafer processor 44 change, the decontamination device 60 operates to increase the amount of reduction of the load gas in the exhaust gas by decontamination processing so that the exhaust gas can be decontaminated. Specifically, the decontamination device 60 operates by increasing the amount of heat energy (heating amount) applied to the load gas compared to the current state. In other words, the decontamination device 60 changes the operating state to a state where the heating or the amount of heat energy applied to the load gas is increased compared to the current state.

[0062] On the other hand, when the amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas decreases as the processing conditions of the wafers in each wafer processor 44 change, the decontamination device 60 decreases the amount of reduction of the load gas in the exhaust gas by decontamination processing so that the exhaust gas can be decontaminated. As an example, the decontamination device 60 operates by decreasing the amount of heat energy (heating amount) applied to the load gas compared to the current state. In other words, the decontamination device 60 changes the operating state to a state where the amount of heat energy applied to the load gas is decreased within the range where the exhaust gas can be decontaminated.

[0063] In this way, the decontamination device 60 has a function of operating by increasing or decreasing the amount of reduction of the load gas in the exhaust gas by decontamination processing. Thereby, the operating state of the decontamination device 60 is appropriately changed according to the amount of the load gas. Therefore, the load gas in the exhaust gas can be sufficiently reduced by the decontamination processing, and the operating cost of the decontamination device 60 can be reduced. As a result, the operating cost of the wafer processing apparatus 10 can be reduced. Although details will be described later, the adjustment of the operating state of the decontamination device 60 is performed based on, for example, decontamination operation information (also referred to as a signal indicating the decontamination operation information) transmitted from the host computer 100 which is a control device.

[0064] <Host computer> As described above, the wafer processing apparatus 10 includes a host computer 100 which is a control device for controlling the operations of the devices of the wafer processing unit 20. The host computer 100 is connected via a communication path 101 so as to be able to transmit and receive data and signals held by each of the host computer 100, for example, each wafer processor 44 and each part of the wafer processing unit 20 including the devices constituting the same. The plasma etching apparatus 440 included in each wafer processor 44 is controlled based on a command signal or the like transmitted from the host computer 100.

[0065] Also, the host computer 100 is connected to the decontamination device 60 via the communication path 101. The host computer 100 is configured to be able to exchange data and signals held by each of the wafer processing unit 20 and the decontamination device 60 via the communication path 101. The operation of the decontamination device 60 is also controlled based on a command signal or the like transmitted from the host computer 100.

[0066] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a host computer which is a control device according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the host computer 100 has a wafer processing control unit 110 and a decontamination processing control unit 120.

[0067] The wafer processing control unit 110 controls the operations of the devices of the wafer processing unit 20. More specifically, the wafer processing control unit 110 acquires processing information (processing recipe) including the processing conditions of the wafers in the wafer processing unit 20 and the operating conditions of the devices constituting the wafer processing unit 20, and transmits this processing information to the wafer processing unit 20. Further, the wafer processing control unit 110 receives information indicating the operating state such as the presence or absence of operations and errors transmitted from the devices of the wafer processing unit 20. Furthermore, the wafer processing control unit 110 transmits a command signal or the like for adjusting the processing conditions and the operating conditions to the wafer processing unit 20 as necessary.

[0068] The wafer processing control unit 110, as an example, acquires the above-described processing information pre-stored in the host computer 100, and transmits the acquired processing information and the above command signal to the controller 480 of each plasma etching apparatus 440 included in each wafer processor 44. The controller 480 appropriately controls the operation of the plasma etching apparatus 440 based on the received processing information and command signal.

[0069] Here, the above processing information may include information on the processing gas and the exhaust gas supplied to the processing chamber 441 of the plasma etching apparatus 440 (hereinafter also referred to as gas information). Further, this gas information may include information such as the flow rate per unit time of the processing gas or the exhaust gas supplied to the processing chamber 441 during the processing of the wafer performed in the plasma etching apparatus 440, and the supply amount throughout the wafer processing step. Furthermore, the gas information may include physical information of the load gas such as the flow rate per unit time of the load gas in the exhaust gas, the composition of the load gas, the molecular weight and density of the components, the activation energy and reaction heat of each component of the load gas.

[0070] In addition, the above processing information may include condition information of the decontamination operation based on the gas information. Examples of the condition information of the decontamination operation include, for example, the amount of thermal energy that needs to be applied to the exhaust gas for the decontamination device 60 to realize the decontamination process of the load gas. Furthermore, examples of the condition information of the decontamination process include, for example, the time of the decontamination operation, and the ratio of the value of the thermal energy amount input by the decontamination process to the maximum value of the thermal energy amount that can be input by the decontamination device 60.

[0071] On the other hand, the decontamination processing control unit 120 controls the operation state of the decontamination device 60. As an example, the decontamination processing control unit 120 transmits decontamination operation information including the conditions of the decontamination process to be performed for a predetermined period from a predetermined time to the decontamination device 60 at a predetermined timing.

[0072] More specifically, the decontamination process control unit 120 acquires in advance the above-described process information including the process conditions of the wafers in each wafer processor 44 before the process under those conditions is started. Further, the decontamination process control unit 120 calculates decontamination operation information including the conditions of the decontamination process from the process information and the gas information related to the load gas. Note that the gas information may be acquired separately from the process information or may be included in the process information as described above.

[0073] Then, the decontamination process control unit 120 transmits the calculated decontamination operation information to the decontamination device 60 at a predetermined time or timing. Note that the decontamination operation information refers to information for realizing a decontamination process in which the decontamination device 60 sufficiently decontaminates the load gas in the exhaust gas, or information contributing to the execution of the decontamination process.

[0074] When the decontamination operation information transmitted from the decontamination process control unit 120 is received by the decontamination device 60, for example, a controller included in the decontamination device 60 calculates an operation command (a signal indicating the operation command) based on the decontamination operation information and outputs this operation command to each device of the decontamination device 60. Thereby, the decontamination operation state (that is, the operation state) of the decontamination device 60 is appropriately adjusted so that the load gas in the exhaust gas can be sufficiently reduced. In other words, the controller included in the decontamination device 60 appropriately controls the operation state of the decontamination device 60 based on the decontamination operation information so that the load gas in the exhaust gas can be sufficiently reduced.

[0075] Note that, in this embodiment, the case where the above-described process information is stored in advance in the host computer 100 is described, but the process information may be stored in advance in the wafer processing unit 20, for example.

[0076] In this case, the pest control unit 120 receives the above-mentioned processing information transmitted from the wafer processing unit 20, and calculates pest control operation information based on this processing information. Then, the pest control unit 120 transmits the pest control operation information to the pest control device 60 at a predetermined time or timing. Alternatively, when the pest control unit 120 receives a permission command (a signal indicating a permission command) or the like transmitted from the wafer processing unit 20 at a predetermined time or timing, the pest control unit 120 may transmit the pest control operation information to the pest control device 60.

[0077] Furthermore, the wafer processing unit 20 may directly transmit the above-mentioned processing information to the pest control device 60, and a controller including an arithmetic unit provided in the pest control device 60 may calculate pest control operation information based on this processing information to adjust the operation state of the pest control device 60.

[0078] Also, the wafer processing unit 20 may calculate pest control operation information based on the above-mentioned processing information using a controller including an arithmetic unit provided therein, and directly transmit this pest control operation information to the pest control device 60. In this case, the controller 480 provided in each wafer processor 44 may calculate the pest control operation information. For example, the wafer processing unit 20 may be provided with an overall controller communicably connected to a plurality of wafer processors 44 (controllers 480). Then, this overall control unit may calculate pest control operation information based on the processing information as described above and transmit the pest control processing information to the pest control device 60.

[0079] When the controller of the wafer processing unit 20 calculates the pest control operation information, the pest control operation information may also be transmitted to the pest control device 60 via the host computer 100. In this case, the host computer 100 may transmit the pest control operation information to the pest control device 60 at a predetermined time or timing, or may transmit it when receiving a permission signal or the like transmitted from the wafer processing unit 20.

[0080] Furthermore, when the wafer processing unit 20 transmits the degassing operation information to the host computer 100, the degassing process control unit 120 of the host computer 100 may calculate an operation command (command signal) indicating the conditions of the degassing operation of the degassing device 60 based on the degassing operation information, and transmit the calculated operation command to the degassing device 60. The operation command is calculated in accordance with a predetermined algorithm based on the degassing operation information. In this case, it is assumed that the operation command calculated by the degassing process control unit 120 is included in one of the above degassing operation information. Furthermore, it is assumed that the above processing information used for calculating the operation command is also included in one of the above degassing operation information.

[0081] As an example, it is assumed that the degassing operation information includes information regarding the amount of load gas that increases or decreases, and an operation command for changing the operation state of the degassing device 60 to be able to perform degassing processing with an increased or decreased amount of load gas. Also, in this case, the degassing process control unit 120 transmits the degassing operation information directed to the degassing device 60 so that the operation state of the degassing device 60 is changed before the processing of the wafer is performed under the above processing conditions acquired in advance.

[0082] <Operation of the wafer processing unit during wafer processing> Here, the operation of the wafer processing unit 20 during wafer processing will be described. The wafer processing unit 20 receives the above-described processing information and the like from the wafer processing control unit 110 of the host computer 100, and starts processing the wafer when it receives this processing information and the like.

[0083] When the processing of the wafer is started, first, the wafer stored in the FOUP placed on the FOUP stage 32 is taken out by an atmospheric-side transfer robot (not shown), and the taken-out wafer is transferred to the lock chamber 43.

[0084] In the lock chamber 43 where the wafer is transferred and stored, the valve is closed and sealed in a state where the transferred wafer is stored, and the pressure is reduced to a predetermined pressure. Thereafter, the valve on the side facing the vacuum transfer container 41A in the lock chamber 43 is opened, and the lock chamber 43 and the vacuum transfer container 41A are communicated with each other.

[0085] The vacuum transfer robot 45A extends its arm into the lock chamber 43, receives the wafer in the lock chamber 43 on the wafer support portion at the tip of the arm, and carries it out into the vacuum transfer container 41A. Further, the vacuum transfer robot 45A carries the wafer placed on its arm into any one of the wafer processors 44A, 44B or the intermediate chamber 42A connected to the vacuum transfer container 41A along a pre-specified transfer path.

[0086] For example, the wafer carried into the intermediate chamber 42A is then carried out from the intermediate chamber 42A into the vacuum transfer container 41B by the vacuum transfer robot 45B provided in the vacuum transfer container 41B, and carried into any one of the wafer processors 44C, 44D or the intermediate chamber 42B along a predetermined transfer path.

[0087] Furthermore, for example, the wafer carried into the intermediate chamber 42B is then carried out from the intermediate chamber 42B into the vacuum transfer container 41C by the vacuum transfer robot 45C provided in the vacuum transfer container 41C, and carried into either the wafer processor 44E or the wafer processor 44E along a predetermined transfer path. As an example, the wafer carried to each wafer processor 44 is carried into the vacuum chamber 442 (processing chamber 441) of the plasma etching apparatus 440.

[0088] In this embodiment, each of the above valves is exclusively opened and closed. For example, the valve that opens and closes between the intermediate chamber 42B and the vacuum transfer container 41B is closed to seal the intermediate chamber 42B. Then, the valve that opens and closes between the intermediate chamber 42B and the vacuum transfer container 41C is opened, the vacuum transfer robot 45C provided in the vacuum transfer container 41C is extended, and the wafer is transferred into the vacuum transfer container 41C. The vacuum transfer robot 45C transfers the wafer placed on its arm to either one of the predetermined wafer processors 44E or 44F.

[0089] Also, for example, when the wafer is transferred to the wafer processor 44E, the valve that opens and closes between the wafer processor 44E and the vacuum transfer container 41C is closed, and the wafer processor 44E is sealed. Then, inside the wafer processor 44E, in this embodiment, the processing gas is introduced into the processing chamber 441 of the plasma etching apparatus 440, and the pressure inside this processing chamber 441 is adjusted to a pressure suitable for processing. Then, an electric field or a magnetic field is supplied to the processing chamber 441, thereby exciting the processing gas to form plasma inside the processing chamber 441, and the wafer is processed under predetermined processing conditions.

[0090] When the wafer is processed by the plasma etching apparatus 440 that constitutes the wafer processor 44 in this way, the exhaust gas is supplied from the processing chamber 441 to the decontamination apparatus 60 through the exhaust pipe 50. Although it will be described in detail later, the decontamination apparatus 60 performs decontamination processing on this exhaust gas. In other words, when the exhaust gas is supplied through the exhaust pipe 50, the decontamination apparatus 60 executes a decontamination operation for decontaminating the exhaust gas.

[0091] When the processing of the wafer is completed, the vacuum transfer robot 45C takes out the processed wafer into the vacuum transfer container 41C, and transfers the wafer to the lock chamber 43 along a transfer path opposite to the case where the wafer is transferred into the wafer processor 44E. Then, the wafer is transferred from the lock chamber 43 into the original FOUP by an atmospheric-side transfer robot (not shown).

[0092] <Regarding the decontamination process> Next, a specific example of the decontamination process of the exhaust gas by the decontamination apparatus 60 connected to the wafer processing apparatus according to this embodiment, particularly regarding the setting change of the thermal energy amount, will be described.

[0093] As described above, when the wafer is processed by the plasma etching apparatus 440, the decontamination apparatus 60 performs decontamination processing on the exhaust gas supplied through the exhaust pipe 50. The decontamination apparatus 60 has a function of operating by increasing or decreasing the amount of reduction of the load gas by the decontamination process based on the decontamination operation information. In other words, the decontamination apparatus 60 has a function of changing the operating state according to the change in the amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas based on the decontamination operation information, for example, a function of changing the conditions of the decontamination process. The amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas is calculated based on, for example, the above processing information.

[0094] In the present embodiment, the change in the operating state of the decontamination apparatus 60 is controlled based on the decontamination operation information transmitted from the decontamination process control unit 120 of the host computer 100.

[0095] More specifically, based on the above processing information acquired in advance, the decontamination process control unit 120 transmits, in advance, to the decontamination apparatus 60 the decontamination operation information for changing the operating state of the decontamination apparatus 60 to enable the decontamination process of the exhaust gas. Note that transmitting the decontamination operation information to the decontamination apparatus 60 in advance means, for example, transmitting the decontamination operation information to the decontamination apparatus 60 before the processing of the wafer under the above processing conditions is started in the wafer processing unit 20.

[0096] When the decontamination apparatus 60 receives the decontamination operation information transmitted by the decontamination process control unit 120, based on this decontamination operation information, it changes the operating state to a decontamination operation according to the change (increase or decrease) in the amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas. In other words, when the decontamination apparatus 60 receives the decontamination operation information, it makes a setting change to increase or decrease the amount of thermal energy applied to the load gas in the exhaust gas in the decontamination process according to the change in the amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas over time.

[0097] Here, the change in the amount of thermal energy required for decontaminating the load gas in the exhaust gas will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a graph showing the change in the amount of thermal energy required for decontaminating the load gas in the exhaust gas, where the vertical axis represents the amount of thermal energy and the horizontal axis represents time.

[0098] In addition, the amount of thermal energy required to be applied to the load gas in the exhaust gas during the decontamination process shows a similar change as the flow rate of the load gas changes. That is to say, the graph in FIG. 4 can also be said to be a graph showing the tendency of the change in the flow rate of the load gas.

[0099] FIG. 4 shows the amount of thermal energy required for the decontamination process when exhaust gas is supplied from the plasma etching apparatus 440 constituting the three wafer processors 44 to the decontamination apparatus 60. More specifically, FIG. 4 shows the values of the amount of thermal energy (heating amount) required to decontaminate the load gas contained in the exhaust gas of each of the three plasma etching apparatuses 440 as three broken lines, namely the first value 501, the second value 502, and the third value 503. Also, a value corresponding to the sum of these first value 501, second value 502, and third value 503 is shown as a solid line in the figure as the fourth value 504.

[0100] According to the processing of the wafer performed in each wafer processor 44 (plasma etching apparatus 440), processing conditions such as the type, flow rate, and usage period of the processing gas used change. In the case of this example, the amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas of each wafer processor 44 fluctuates stepwise in value. In other words, the amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas repeats fluctuations such that, for example, after being set to a certain value for a certain period from the 0 value, it is set to a different certain value for another period, or returned to the 0 value.

[0101] Therefore, the locus of the value of the amount of thermal energy required to decontaminate the load gas in the exhaust gas discharged from each plasma etching apparatus 440 (hereinafter also referred to as the required thermal energy amount value), that is, the locus of the first value 501, the second value 502, and the third value 503, also fluctuates similarly over time. Naturally, the value of the amount of thermal energy required to decontaminate the total (sum) of the amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas of the plasma etching apparatus 440 (hereinafter also referred to as the required thermal energy amount total value), which is the fourth value 504, also shows the same fluctuations as the value of the total (sum) of the amount of the load gas contained in the exhaust gas discharged from each plasma etching apparatus 440.

[0102] More specifically, the fourth value 504, which is the total value of the heat energy amounts indicated by the solid line in FIG. 4, is the locus of the total value of the heat energy amounts during an arbitrary period of the treatment, and like the first value 501, the second value 502, and the third value 503, which are the required heat energy amount values, it varies stepwise as time (the horizontal axis) elapses. The fourth value 504 at each time approximately coincides with the sum of the first value 501, the second value 502, and the third value 503 at that time.

[0103] Then, when the decontamination device 60 receives the decontamination operation information, based on the received decontamination operation information, it appropriately sets the value of the heat energy amount (hereinafter also referred to as the input energy amount value) applied to and imparted to the load gas in the exhaust gas during the decontamination process. In FIG. 4, this input energy amount value is indicated by a one-dot chain line as the fifth value 505. The decontamination device 60 sets the fifth value 505, which is this input energy amount value, within the range from the 0 value to the sixth value 506, which is the maximum heat energy amount that the decontamination device 60 can input (indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4), to a value that can decontaminate the load gas in the exhaust gas. In other words, the decontamination device 60 makes the fifth value 505, which is the input energy amount value, equal to or less than the sixth value 506 and not less than the fourth value 504 during a predetermined period ΔT based on the decontamination operation information.

[0104] In the present embodiment, during a predetermined period ΔT during the implementation period of the wafer processing in the wafer processing unit 20, the input energy amount value of the decontamination device 60 is set to a value such that the operation load rate is less than 100%. Here, the operation load rate refers to the ratio of the input energy amount value (the fifth value 505) whose setting is changed to the maximum heat energy amount (the sixth value 506) that the decontamination device 60 can input.

[0105] Also, in the present embodiment, the decontamination device 60 sets, as the input energy amount value (the fifth value 505) during a predetermined period ΔT, a value obtained by adding a heat energy amount ΔEg as a safety margin to the total required heat energy amount value (the fourth value 504) during the predetermined period ΔT based on the decontamination operation information.

[0106] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the fourth value 504, which is the total value of the heat energy amount during a predetermined period ΔT in the decontamination process, increases and decreases in a stepped manner including a plurality of steps. Then, the decontamination device 60 sets, as the fifth value 505 which is the input energy amount value during the predetermined period ΔT, a value obtained by adding the heat energy amount ΔEg as a margin to the maximum value 504a of the fourth value 504 which is the total required heat energy amount during the predetermined period ΔT.

[0107] In other words, the decontamination device 60 keeps the input energy amount value during the predetermined period ΔT constant at the value of the maximum value + α of the total heat energy amount. This “+α” corresponds to the energy amount ΔEg as a safety margin. This energy amount ΔEg may be appropriately set according to the assumed necessary and sufficient margin.

[0108] Thus, in the wafer processing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the decontamination process control unit 120 transmits the decontamination operation information to the decontamination device 60 in advance, and the decontamination device 60 appropriately sets the heat energy amount (input energy amount) applied to the load gas in the exhaust gas based on the received decontamination operation information. Thereby, even when an unintended operation variation occurs in the decontamination device 60 or the wafer processing unit 20, the decontamination device 60 can appropriately perform the decontamination operation for decontaminating the load gas and suppressing or reducing its harmfulness and the load on the environment.

[0109] Further, the decontamination device 60 is set to a value that takes into account a safety margin for the input energy amount required for decontaminating the load gas in the exhaust gas, not only for the on-off switching of the operation state where the operation load rate is maximum or 0 during the wafer processing in the wafer processing unit 20. For this reason, the decontamination device 60 is less likely to be operated at an excessively high load rate, and the operation cost of the decontamination device 60 is reduced.

[0110] <Other examples of decontamination process> FIG. 5 is a graph showing another example of the change in the required heat energy amount value. Similar to the graph of FIG. 4, the vertical axis represents the heat energy amount, and the horizontal axis represents time. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the fifth value 505, which is the input energy amount value, is set to a constant value during a predetermined period ΔT. In contrast, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the input energy amount value is varied following the variation of the required heat energy amount value during the predetermined period ΔT. In other words, in the example shown in FIG. 5, the period during which the fifth value 505, which is the input energy amount value, is constant is set to be shorter than the predetermined period ΔT. That is, during the predetermined period ΔT, a value obtained by adding the heat energy amount ΔEg to the fourth value 504, which is the total value of the required heat energy amount that varies with the passage of time, is set as the fifth value 505, which is the input energy amount value.

[0111] Putting it more simply, in this example, the fifth value 505, which is the input energy amount value, increases or decreases following the total value of the required heat energy amount, which is the fourth value 504, that varies with the change in time, in a finer manner than in the example of FIG. 4.

[0112] Thereby, it is possible to suppress excessive input of heat energy to the exhaust gas, and the operation cost of the decontamination device 60 is further reduced. As a result, the operation cost of the wafer processing apparatus 10 is reduced. Note that the interval for changing the input energy amount value is preferably as short a period as possible. In other words, the interval at which the decontamination device 60 acquires the decontamination operation information is preferably as short a period as possible. In particular, the interval for changing the input energy amount value is preferably set to the smallest value that can be set in the wafer processing unit 20 or the decontamination device 60.

[0113] (Flow of the decontamination operation in the decontamination device) Next, with reference to FIG. 6, the flow of the decontamination operation in the decontamination device 60 will be described. FIG. 6 is a graph showing the change with time of the total value of the required heat energy amount and the input energy amount value.

[0114] When the pest control operation is performed in the pest control device 60, first, during the period when the wafer processing unit 20 is operating, the pest control processing control unit 120 obtains processing information (so-called processing recipe). More specifically, at each of a plurality of sampling times set at a predetermined sampling period δt, the pest control processing control unit 120 obtains the processing information (so-called processing recipe) for a predetermined period ΔT from the time (hereinafter referred to as the target time) during the operation period after a specific time from each of these sampling times. As an example, as shown in FIG. 6, the pest control processing control unit 120 obtains the processing information for the period of ΔT between the target time t1 after a specific time ΔTL from the arbitrary time t0 set at the sampling period δt at the arbitrary time t0.

[0115] Note that the specific time ΔTL and the predetermined period ΔT are arbitrary periods set in advance, and are set to suitable periods based on, for example, the process of wafer processing performed by the wafer processor 44, the number of processed wafers, and the like.

[0116] In FIG. 6, as an example of the predetermined period ΔT, the first predetermined period ΔT-a and the second predetermined period ΔT-b are shown. The first predetermined period ΔT-a is an example of the predetermined period ΔT including a plurality of stages (two or more stages) of the total value of the required heat energy amount (the fourth value 504) that varies stepwise, and corresponds to the predetermined period ΔT shown in FIG. 5 described above. On the other hand, the second predetermined period ΔT-b is an example of the predetermined period ΔT equal to or shorter than one stage of the total value of the required heat energy amount (the fourth value 504). Note that, in other words, the second predetermined period ΔT-b is an example of the predetermined period ΔT equal to or shorter than the length of one of the plurality of wafer processing steps.

[0117] Furthermore, the pest control processing control unit 120 calculates the maximum value of the total required heat energy amount within a predetermined period ΔT from the target time t1 using the above processing information. That is, the pest control processing control unit 120 calculates the maximum value of the fourth value 504 shown in FIG. 6. Next, the pest control processing control unit 120 calculates an input energy amount value obtained by adding a value ΔEg added as a margin for safety to the maximum value of the total required heat energy amount, and stores this input energy amount value in a storage device within the host computer 100 as the input energy amount value to be set for the pest control device 60 at the target time t1, for example.

[0118] Note that the pest control processing control unit 120 stores, for example, the processing information (recipe information) obtained within a predetermined period ΔT from the target time t1 in the storage device as time-series data at a predetermined cycle. This processing information includes information such as the start time and end time of the wafer processing performed by each wafer processor 44. Furthermore, the maximum value of the total required heat energy amount calculated for each predetermined cycle within a predetermined period ΔT from the target time t1 is also stored as time-series data.

[0119] In the present embodiment, the predetermined cycle in which each of the time-series data is stored in association with the target time t1 within a predetermined period ΔT from the target time t1 is set as needed. The predetermined cycle is set to, for example, a value equal to the above-mentioned predetermined sampling cycle δt. That is, at a plurality of times for each sampling cycle δt within a predetermined period ΔT from the target time t1, the required heat energy amount values are stored as time-series data. In this example, at a plurality of times for each sampling cycle δt during the pest control operation, the total required heat energy amount at the target time t1 after a specific time ΔTL from that time is calculated and stored.

[0120] Furthermore, the maximum value of the total required heat energy amount within a predetermined period ΔT from the target time t1 and the input energy amount value calculated according to the maximum value are stored in association with the target time t1 as time-series data.

[0121] Thus, in this example, as shown in FIG. 6, at time t0 which is a specific time ΔTL before the target time t1, using the process recipe regarding the process scheduled to be executed at the target time t1, process information including physical information of the load gas, etc., the input energy amount value at the target time t1 is calculated and stored in the host computer 100.

[0122] Note that the total required heat energy amount value may be calculated every sampling period δt within a predetermined period ΔT from an arbitrary target time, but it is not necessarily calculated every sampling period δt. For example, the total required heat energy amount value at the target time t1 may be stored as time-series data at target times before the target time t1.

[0123] However, for example, at an arbitrary time t0, process information including the process information within a predetermined period ΔT from the target time t1 is obtained, the total required heat energy amount value is newly calculated, and is stored as time-series data associated with the predetermined period ΔT from the target time t1. Therefore, as a result, using the newly calculated time-series data, the maximum value of the total required heat energy amount value at the target time t1 and the set value of the input energy value of the pest control device 60 are calculated and stored in association with the target time t1.

[0124] In this way, as time elapses, the input energy amount value to be set in the pest control device 60 is calculated in association with each of a plurality of target times that change every sampling time δt. The calculated input energy amount value is transmitted to the pest control device 60 in association with the target time as a value that should be set and realized at the target time before the time during the pest control operation reaches the target time.

[0125] In this example, the input energy amount value (set value) is transmitted from the host computer 100 to the pest control device 60 as pest control operation information at a predetermined time before the actual target time. That is, the pest control operation information including the input energy amount value is transmitted in advance from the host computer 100 to the pest control device 60. For this reason, during the pest control operation by the pest control device 60, before the actual time reaches the target time, the pest control processing control unit 120 calculates and stores the time-series data of the input energy amount value.

[0126] Note that a signal indicating the input energy amount value set in the pest control device 60 at an arbitrary target time, that is, a signal indicating the pest control operation information, must be received by the pest control device 60 before the arrival of the target time. After the pest control device 60 receives a signal indicating the pest control operation information, it takes a certain amount of time to start and complete the setting change of the input energy amount value. In addition, there is a time difference (lag) between the transmission of a signal indicating the pest control operation information and the completion of the setting change by the pest control device 60, such as the time required from when the pest control processing control unit 120 transmits a signal indicating the pest control operation information until it is actually received by the pest control device 60. In other words, the pest control device 60 requires a predetermined transition time from the start to the completion of the change in the operating state.

[0127] Considering this transition time (time difference), it is preferable that a signal indicating the pest control operation information is transmitted from the pest control processing control unit 120 to the pest control device 60 in advance, that is, before the target time. The pest control operation control unit 120 preferably transmits the pest control operation information directed to the pest control device 60 so that the operating state of the pest control device 60 is changed, for example, before the processing of the wafer performed under the above processing conditions acquired in advance.

[0128] As an example, let the time from when the pest control device 60 receives a signal indicating the pest control operation information including the input energy amount value until the setting change of the input energy amount value is completed be the period ΔL. When such a transition time (time difference) of the period ΔL occurs, it is preferable that the pest control processing control unit 120 transmits the pest control operation information to the pest control device 60 at the following timing.

[0129] As shown in FIG. 6, the pest control operation information including the input energy amount value set in the pest control device 60 at the target time t1 is transmitted from the pest control processing control unit 120 to the pest control device 60 at a time at least the first period ΔL earlier than the target time t1, preferably at a time the second period ΔL+α longer than the first period ΔL earlier. In other words, the pest control operation information is transmitted by the pest control processing control unit 120 to the pest control device 60 by the time (t1-(ΔL+α)) which is the first period ΔL or more earlier than the target time t1.

[0130] Note that the length of the second period ΔL+α is preferably set to be larger than the maximum value of the following arrival times of the exhaust gas. It takes a certain amount of time for the exhaust gas to reach the pest control device 60 from each wafer processor 44. The arrival time of the exhaust gas varies depending on the speed of the exhaust gas flow and the length of the exhaust pipe 50. That is, the arrival time of the exhaust gas may differ depending on each wafer processor 44. In this case, the arrival time of the exhaust gas is represented by the longest time (maximum value) among the plurality of wafer processors 44.

[0131] Incidentally, during the period of the pest control operation, the input energy amount value in the pest control device 60 is set and changed at an arbitrary timing. The input energy amount value is changed following the required heat energy amount value that increases or decreases with the change of time. At this time, it is necessary to suppress the shortage of the input energy amount value. That is, it is necessary to suppress the occurrence of a state in which the exhaust gas is not sufficiently pest-controlled and the load gas remains due to the change in the setting of the input energy amount value. In other words, the operation state of the pest control device 60 needs to be changed to enable the pest control of the exhaust gas based on the pest control operation information.

[0132] Therefore, during the pest control operation, the total required heat energy value or the input energy value set and changed in the pest control device 60 is determined at a plurality of timings in a predetermined cycle. And, for example, when the input energy value or the like in the determination at any first timing increases compared to that in the determination at the second timing one before the first timing, the input energy value or the like is changed before the time when the exhaust gas with an increased amount of load gas, which is the cause of the increase in the input energy value or the like, reaches the pest control device 60. In particular, it is preferable to end the change in the input energy value immediately before the exhaust gas reaches the pest control device 60 so as to end the increase in the actually input heat energy amount due to the change in the input energy value.

[0133] On the other hand, for example, when the input energy value or the like in the determination at the first timing decreases compared to that in the determination at the second timing one before the first timing, the change in the input energy value is started after the time when the exhaust gas with a reduced amount of load gas, which is the cause of the decrease in the input energy value, reaches the pest control device 60. In particular, it is preferable to change the input energy value immediately after the exhaust gas reaches the pest control device 60 to end the reduction in the heating amount.

[0134] Based on the above-described time-series data, when the set value of the input energy amount of the pest control device 60 at the target time t1 increases compared to the input energy amount value at the sampling time one before the target time t1, it is preferable that the pest control process control unit 120 transmits the pest control operation information including the input energy amount value at the target time t1 to the pest control device 60 immediately before or before the time (t1 - (ΔL + α)).

[0135] In other words, when the pest control processing control unit 120 determines that the amount of the load gas increases at the target time t1 based on the processing information including the processing conditions of the wafer, it is preferable to transmit the pest control operation information to the pest control device 60 so as to complete the change of the operation state of the pest control device 60 before the amount of the load gas actually starts to increase. As an example, when the pest control processing control unit 120 determines that the amount of the load gas increases at the target time t1 based on the processing information including the processing conditions of the wafer, it transmits the pest control operation information to the pest control device 60 so as to complete the change of the operation state of the pest control device 60 by the target time t1.

[0136] In particular, when the pest control processing control unit 120 determines that the amount of the load gas increases based on the processing information, it is preferable to transmit the pest control operation information to the pest control device 60 immediately after acquiring the processing information.

[0137] On the other hand, when the input energy amount value of the pest control device 60 at the target time t1 decreases compared to the input energy amount value at the sampling time immediately before the target time t1, the pest control processing control unit 120 preferably transmits the pest control operation information to the pest control device 60 after the second time that is earlier than the first time when the load gas in the exhaust gas starts to decrease by the transition time ΔT. As an example, when the pest control processing control unit 120 determines that the amount of the load gas decreases based on the processing information, it is preferable to transmit the pest control operation information to the pest control device 60 after the second time that is earlier than the target time t1 corresponding to the first time by the period ΔL corresponding to the transition time.

[0138] In other words, when the decontamination processing control unit 120 determines that the amount of the load gas decreases at the target time t1 based on the processing information including the processing conditions of the wafer, it is preferable to transmit the decontamination operation information directed to the decontamination device 60 so that the change in the operation state of the decontamination device 60 is started after the amount of the load gas actually starts to decrease. As an example, when the decontamination processing control unit 120 determines that the amount of the load gas decreases at the target time t1 based on the processing information including the processing conditions of the wafer, it is preferable to transmit the decontamination operation information directed to the decontamination device 60 so that the change in the operation state of the decontamination device 60 is started after the target time t1.

[0139] Note that the decontamination processing control unit 120 periodically acquires the processing information as described above. Then, the decontamination processing control unit 120 compares the processing information acquired at an arbitrary timing with the processing information acquired at a timing one time before the arbitrary timing, and determines whether the amount of the load gas increases or decreases at the target time. Of course, the method for determining whether the amount of the load gas increases or decreases by the decontamination processing control unit 120 is not particularly limited.

[0140] Thus, in this example, when the input energy amount value of the decontamination device 60 increases at an arbitrary target time, before the exhaust gas with the increased load gas reaches the decontamination device 60, in the decontamination device 60, the operation with the increased input energy amount value is started. On the other hand, when the input energy amount value of the decontamination device 60 decreases at an arbitrary target time, after the exhaust gas with the decreased load gas reaches the decontamination device 60, in the decontamination device 60, the operation with the reduced input energy amount value is started.

[0141] Thereby, it is possible to reduce the situation where the amount of thermal energy (input energy amount) applied to the load gas in the exhaust gas by the decontamination device 60 is lower than the amount of thermal energy required to decontaminate the load gas, and suppress the situation where the exhaust gas is not sufficiently decontaminated and the load gas remains. As a result, it is possible to suppress the situation where the operation safety of the decontamination device 60 and the wafer processing device 10 is impaired.

[0142] In addition, according to the wafer processing apparatus 10 of the present disclosure, when the load gas in the exhaust gas increases or decreases over time, the decontamination apparatus 60 can be made to perform the decontamination process of the load gas while following the increase or decrease of the load gas and ensuring a safety factor. Therefore, the load and harmfulness to the environment during the operation of the wafer processing apparatus 10 are reduced. Also, the operation cost of the wafer processing apparatus 10 is reduced.

[0143] As described above, the embodiments and representative modification examples have been explained. However, the above-described technology is applicable to various modification examples other than the illustrated modification examples. For example, the above-described modification examples may be combined with each other.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0144] 10... wafer processing apparatus, 20... wafer processing unit, 30... atmosphere side block, 31... atmosphere transfer container, 32... FOUP stage, 40... vacuum side block, 41(41A~41C)... vacuum transfer container, 42(42A,42B)... intermediate chamber, 43... lock chamber, 44(44A~44F)... wafer processor, 45(45A~45C)... vacuum transfer robot, 50... exhaust pipe, 60... decontamination apparatus, 100... host computer (control apparatus), 101... communication path, 110... wafer processing control unit, 120... decontamination process control unit, 440... plasma etching apparatus, 441... processing chamber, 442... vacuum container, 443... dielectric window, 444... shower plate, 444a... gas introduction hole, 445... exhaust port, 446... vacuum pump, 447... exhaust volume adjustment valve, 448... electric field / magnetic field forming unit, 449... waveguide, 450... power source for electric field generation, 451... magnetic field generation coil, 460... electrode for wafer placement, 461a... protrusion, 461b... recess, 462... dielectric film, 463... susceptor ring, 464... conductor film, 465... high-frequency filter, 466... DC power source, 467... matcher, 468... high-frequency power source (RF power source), 470... pipe, 471... integrated gas box, 472... mass flow controller (MFC), 474... gas supply pipe, 475... on-off valve, 480... controller

Claims

1. A wafer processing unit that supplies a processing gas to a container and processes a wafer to be processed disposed in the container, the wafer processing unit being connected to a decontamination device that performs a decontamination process for reducing a load gas in the exhaust gas discharged from the container, a control device that controls the wafer processing unit and the decontamination device, and the decontamination device has a function of operating by increasing or decreasing the amount of reduction of the load gas by the decontamination process in accordance with a received command signal or a signal indicating the amount of the different load gas, the control device previously transmits decontamination operation information for the decontamination device to change the operation state of the decontamination device to enable decontamination of the exhaust gas based on the processing conditions of the wafer in the wafer processing unit acquired in advance, a wafer processing apparatus.

2. In the wafer processing apparatus according to Claim 1, the decontamination operation information includes information regarding the amount of the load gas to be increased or decreased, or an operation command for changing the operation state of the decontamination device to enable decontamination of the load gas in the increased or decreased amount, the control device transmits the decontamination operation information for the decontamination device so that the operation state of the decontamination device is changed before the processing of the wafer performed under the acquired processing conditions in advance, a wafer processing apparatus.

3. In the wafer processing apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, the control device acquires the processing conditions of the wafer processing unit in a predetermined period from an arbitrarily set target time before the target time, and transmits, based on the acquired processing conditions, decontamination operation information for the decontamination device to change the operation state of the decontamination device at the target time to enable decontamination of the exhaust gas, a wafer processing apparatus.

4. In the wafer processing apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, the control device transmits decontamination operation information for the decontamination device including the amount of energy required for the decontamination process based on the processing conditions of the wafer processing unit, a wafer processing apparatus.

5. In the wafer processing apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, the decontamination device requires a predetermined transition time from the start of the change of the operation state to the completion of the change of the operation state, a wafer processing apparatus.

6. In the wafer processing apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, the control device Obtain the processing conditions of the wafer processing unit in a predetermined period from an arbitrarily set target time before the target time. When it is determined that the amount of the load gas at the target time increases based on the processing conditions, transmit the decontamination operation information directed to the decontamination device so as to complete the change of the operation state of the decontamination device before the amount of the load gas starts to increase. When it is determined that the amount of the load gas at the target time decreases based on the processing conditions, transmit the decontamination operation information directed to the decontamination device so that the change of the operation state of the decontamination device is started after the amount of the load gas starts to decrease. Wafer processing apparatus.

7. The wafer processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the decontamination device requires a predetermined transition time from the start of the change of the operation state to the completion of the change of the operation state. The control device When it is determined that the amount of the load gas increases based on the processing conditions, immediately after obtaining the processing conditions, transmit the decontamination operation information directed to the decontamination device. When it is determined that the amount of the load gas decreases based on the processing conditions, transmit the decontamination operation information directed to the decontamination device after a second time that is earlier than the transition time by the first time when the amount of the load gas in the exhaust gas starts to decrease. Wafer processing apparatus.

8. In the wafer processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, the control device periodically obtains the processing conditions, compares the processing conditions obtained at an arbitrary timing with the processing conditions obtained at the timing one before the arbitrary timing, and determines whether the amount of the load gas increases or the amount of the load gas decreases. Wafer processing apparatus.

Images