Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method, and semiconductor device manufacturing method

Abstract

To increase the number of substrates that can be accommodated in the reaction tube.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus of the embodiment has a boat capable of holding a plurality of substrates removed from a housing container side by side in a first direction that intersects a plurality of substrate faces, a reaction tube capable of housing the boat and processing the plurality of substrates, and first and second arms for transporting the plurality of substrates, the first arm holds one substrate at both ends in a second direction that intersects the first direction and is capable of transporting the one substrate between the housing container and the second arm, and the second arm has a first holding portion capable of supporting two substrates in a third direction that intersects the first and second directions and is capable of transporting the two substrates between the first arm and the boat.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD Embodiments of the present invention relate to a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. [Background technology]

[0002] In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a plurality of substrates may be placed vertically in a reaction tube such as a vertical furnace, and a process for forming a predetermined layer may be performed. In order to improve the productivity of semiconductor devices, it is desirable to increase the number of substrates that can be placed in the reaction tube. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-153467 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-067798 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-204945 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of one embodiment is to provide a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, and a semiconductor device manufacturing method that can increase the number of substrates that can be accommodated in a reaction tube. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The substrate processing apparatus of the embodiment includes a boat capable of holding a plurality of substrates removed from a storage container arranged in a first direction intersecting the surfaces of the plurality of substrates, a reaction tube capable of accommodating the boat and processing the plurality of substrates, and first and second arms for transporting the plurality of substrates, wherein the first arm holds one substrate at both ends in a second direction intersecting the first direction and is capable of transporting the one substrate between the storage container and the second arm, and the second arm has a first holding portion capable of supporting two substrates in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions and is capable of transporting the two substrates between the first arm and the boat. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a reaction tube according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a transport robot according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation in which the transfer robot according to the embodiment takes out the first substrate of a pair of substrates from a container. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation in which the transfer robot according to the embodiment takes out the first substrate of a pair of substrates from a container. [Figure 6] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation in which a transfer robot according to an embodiment transfers a first substrate of a pair of substrates to the other transfer robot side. [Figure 7] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing an example of an operation in which a transfer robot according to an embodiment transfers a first substrate of a pair of substrates to the other transfer robot. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation in which the transfer robot according to the embodiment takes out the second substrate of a pair of substrates from a container. [Figure 9]5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing an example of an operation in which a transfer robot according to an embodiment transfers a second substrate of a pair of substrates to the other transfer robot. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation of the transfer robot according to the embodiment, in which the transfer robot transfers paired substrates to the boat side. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation of the transfer robot according to the embodiment to place paired substrates in a boat. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation of the transfer robot according to the embodiment to remove paired substrates from a boat. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation of the transfer robot according to the embodiment to remove paired substrates from a boat. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation in which a transfer robot according to an embodiment transfers a pair of substrates to the other transfer robot side. [Figure 15] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation in which a transfer robot according to an embodiment transfers an upper substrate of a pair of substrates to the other transfer robot. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation in which the transfer robot according to the embodiment places the upper substrate of a pair of substrates into a container. [Figure 17] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation in which a transfer robot according to an embodiment transfers a lower substrate of a pair of substrates to the other transfer robot. [Figure 18] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of an operation of the transfer robot according to the embodiment, in which the lower substrate of a pair of substrates is placed in a container; [Figure 19] 5A to 5C are cross-sectional views showing an example of a procedure for processing a substrate by the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 20] 5A to 5C are cross-sectional views showing an example of a procedure for processing a substrate by the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment. [Figure 21] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a configuration of a semiconductor device according to an embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, the components in the following embodiments include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art or those that are substantially the same.

[0008] (Configuration example of substrate processing apparatus) 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing an example of the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment, in which Fig. 1A is a side perspective view of the substrate processing apparatus 1, and Fig. 1B is a top perspective view of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0009] 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment includes a reaction tube 10, transfer robots 20 and 30, a boat 50, a housing 60, and a control unit 100. The reaction tube 10, the transfer robots 20 and 30, the boat 50, and the control unit 100 are provided in the housing 60.

[0010] The housing 60 includes a front panel 61, a rear panel 62, a side panel 63, etc., and has an internal space surrounded by these panels. In the internal space of the housing 60, the reaction tube 10, the transfer robots 20 and 30, the boat 50, and the control unit 100 are provided.

[0011] In this specification, the front-to-rear direction of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is defined as the X direction, the left-to-right direction as the Y direction, and the up-down direction as the Z direction. More specifically, the front side of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is defined as the -X direction, and the rear side as the +X direction. Furthermore, the right side when facing the front of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is defined as the +Y direction, and the left side as the -Y direction. Furthermore, the upper side of the substrate processing apparatus 1 is defined as the +Z direction, and the lower side as the -Z direction. These X, Y, and Z directions are perpendicular to one another.

[0012] A storage container stand 64 is provided on the front portion of the housing 60, on which the storage container 40 can be placed. One or more storage containers 40 may be placed on the storage container stand 64. The storage container 40 is configured as, for example, a wafer cassette or a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), and is capable of storing multiple substrates lined up in a vertical direction with the surfaces of the substrates kept horizontal.

[0013] The reaction tube 10 is a tubular container with a closed upper end and an open lower end, and is provided at the upper rear portion of the housing 60. The reaction tube 10 is configured to accommodate a boat 50 containing a plurality of substrates, and inside the reaction tube 10, processing such as the formation of predetermined layers on these substrates is performed. Details of the reaction tube 10 and various components associated with the reaction tube 10 will be described later.

[0014] The boat 50, when in a standby state, is disposed below the reaction tube 10. The boat 50 has disk-shaped pressing members connected by a plurality of supports at the top and bottom ends, and is configured to be able to accommodate a plurality of substrates arranged vertically while keeping the surfaces of the substrates horizontal. The boat 50, for example, with a plurality of substrates accommodated therein, is carried in and out of the reaction tube 10 from the lower side of the reaction tube 10.

[0015] The transport robots 20 and 30 are arranged in this order from the front side of the housing 60, and transport multiple substrates between a storage container 40 placed on a storage container stand 64 at the front of the housing 60 and a boat 50 at the rear of the housing 60.

[0016] More specifically, the transfer robot 20 includes an arm 21 that holds a substrate, and removes the substrate from the storage container 40 and transfers it to the transfer robot 30. The transfer robot 20 also holds the substrate transferred from the transfer robot 30 on the arm 21 and stores it in the storage container 40.

[0017] The transfer robot 30 includes an arm 31 for holding a substrate, and stores the substrate received from the transfer robot 20 in a boat 50. The transfer robot 30 also removes the substrate from the boat 50 and transfers it to the transfer robot 20.

[0018] The transport robot 20 that transfers the substrate W into and out of the storage container 40 on the storage container stand 64 is located, for example, closer to the storage container stand 64 in the housing 60, i.e., closer to the -X direction. The transport robot 30 that transfers the substrate W into and out of the boat 50 is located, for example, closer to the boat 50 in the housing 60, i.e., closer to the +X direction.

[0019] The control unit 100 is configured as a computer including, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory), and controls the substrate processing apparatus 1 as a whole.

[0020] More specifically, the control unit 100 controls, for example, the transfer robots 20 and 30 to transfer substrates within the substrate processing apparatus 1. The control unit 100 also loads or unloads the boat 50 into or from the reaction tube 10. The control unit 100 also controls each unit associated with the reaction tube 10 to process a plurality of substrates within the reaction tube 10.

[0021] As described above, the control unit 100 is housed in a predetermined position, for example, inside the housing 60. Alternatively, the control unit 100 may be provided outside the housing 60, or may be installed at a location separate from the substrate processing apparatus 1 and independent of other components of the substrate processing apparatus 1. In this case, the control unit 100 can remotely control each part of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0022] The positions of the reaction tube 10, the transfer robots 20 and 30, the boat 50, and the control unit 100 in the housing 60 are not limited to the example shown in Fig. 1. The positions of the reaction tube 10, the transfer robots 20 and 30, the boat 50, and the control unit 100 can be arbitrarily determined by the designer of the substrate processing apparatus 1, etc.

[0023] (Example of reactor configuration) Next, the reaction tube 10 included in the substrate processing apparatus 1 and various components associated with the reaction tube 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of the reaction tube 10 according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 2, the reaction tube 10 includes, for example, an outer tube 11 and an inner tube 13.

[0024] The outer tube 11 is made of, for example, quartz and is a cylindrical tube extending in the vertical direction. The upper end of the outer tube 11 is closed and the lower end is open. The open lower end of the outer tube 11 is placed on the base 16, and the outer tube 11 is configured so that the interior can be airtightly sealed. An exhaust port 12 is provided near the lower end of the outer tube 11.

[0025] A valve 81 and a pump 82 are provided at the exhaust port 12 of the outer tube 11. The valve 81 is located upstream of the pump 82 and closer to the outer tube 11, and is a valve such as a butterfly valve whose opening is adjustable. By adjusting the opening of the valve 81 while driving the pump 82 downstream of the valve 81, the atmosphere inside the outer tube 11 can be exhausted, and the pressure inside the outer tube 11 can be adjusted to a desired pressure.

[0026] The inner tube 13 is disposed inside the outer tube 11. The inner tube 13 is a cylindrical tube made of, for example, quartz, and is open at the top and bottom ends. The open lower end of the inner tube 13 is placed on a base 16. The inner tube 13 is configured to be able to accommodate a plurality of substrates W (Wf, Wb) that are the targets of film formation processing. The plurality of substrates W are substrates in the middle of manufacturing semiconductor devices, and a predetermined pattern with projections and depressions has been formed on the surface of the substrate W, for example, as a result of previous manufacturing processes.

[0027] A boat 50 made of, for example, quartz or the like and capable of accommodating a plurality of substrates W is accommodated inside the inner tube 13. The boat 50 can accommodate a plurality of substrates W in parallel along the extension direction of the inner tube 13. The plurality of substrates W are accommodated in the boat 50 with each pair of substrates Wf, Wb, for example, with their back surfaces facing each other, lined up vertically at a predetermined interval.

[0028] In the drawing, substrate Wb indicates a substrate W placed in boat 50 with its front surface facing downward and its back surface facing upward. Substrate Wf indicates a substrate W superimposed on the back surface of its counterpart substrate Wf with its front surface facing upward and its back surface facing downward.

[0029] As described above, the boat 50 is carried into the inner tube 13 by a conveying system (not shown) and is configured to be rotatable within the inner tube 13 by a motor (not shown) or the like installed in the base 16 .

[0030] A nozzle 14 is disposed inside the inner tube 13 at a position facing the exhaust port 12 of the outer tube 11. The nozzle 14 extends from the upper end to the lower end of the inner tube 13, and has an L-shaped bent lower end. The L-shaped portion of the nozzle 14 is connected to a gas supply pipe 71 via a base 16 below the inner tube 13, for example.

[0031] The nozzle 14 is configured as a multi-hole nozzle having a large number of holes 15 on a side surface along the extension direction of the nozzle 14. Each of the plurality of holes 41 of the nozzle 14 is arranged to correspond to the height position of each of the plurality of substrates W (Wf, Wb) accommodated in the boat 50.

[0032] The upstream end of the gas supply pipe 71 is connected to a gas cylinder 70 serving as a supply source of a processing gas for processing the substrate W, and the downstream end of the gas supply pipe 71 is connected to the lower end of the nozzle 14, as described above. In addition, the gas supply pipe 71 is provided with a mass flow controller 72 and a valve 73, in this order from the upstream side.

[0033] The mass flow controller 72 adjusts the flow rate of the processing gas flowing out from the gas cylinder 70. By opening and closing the valve 73, the supply of the processing gas to the inner tube 13 is started and stopped.

[0034] The processing gas is a source gas or the like for a predetermined layer to be formed on the substrate W. The processing gas is supplied to the substrate W in the inner tube 13 through the multiple holes 15 of the nozzle 14, thereby forming a predetermined layer on the substrate W. Examples of the predetermined layer to be formed on the substrate W include silicon-based layers such as a Si layer, a SiO2 layer, and a SiN layer, and metal-containing layers such as an AlN layer and an Al2O3 layer.

[0035] In some cases, multiple types of process gases are used to form such a predetermined layer. For example, to form a silicon-based layer, silane (SiH4) gas, which is a source gas for Si, is used together with an oxidizing gas, a nitriding gas, etc. In addition, to form an AlN layer, an Al2O3 layer, etc., TMA (Tri-Methyl-Aluminum) gas, which is a source gas for Al, and N2 gas as a nitriding gas or O2 gas as an oxidizing gas are used.

[0036] Therefore, the substrate processing apparatus 1 may be provided with a plurality of sets of the nozzle 14, gas supply pipe 71, mass flow controller 72, and valve 73 for each of the various gases that can be used in the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0037] The processing gas supplied onto the substrate W from the nozzle 14 is discharged outside the inner tube 13 through a slit (not shown) provided on the side of the inner tube 13, on the same side as the exhaust port 12 of the outer tube 11, and is exhausted outside the substrate processing apparatus 1 through the exhaust port 12 of the outer tube 11.

[0038] A heating unit 90 is disposed outside the outer tube 11 so as to surround the outer periphery of the side surface of the outer tube 11. The heating unit 90 is, for example, a heater, and heats the substrate W accommodated in the inner tube 13 to a desired temperature.

[0039] The control unit 100 controls the valves 81 and 73, the pump 82, the mass flow controller 72, the heating unit 90, a transfer system (not shown), a motor (not shown) that rotates the boat 50, and the like.

[0040] More specifically, the control unit 100 causes a transport system (not shown) to house the boat 50, on which a plurality of substrates W are stacked in multiple stages, inside the inner tube 13, and causes a motor (not shown) to rotate the boat 50 inside the inner tube 13. The control unit 100 also controls the heating unit 90 to heat the substrates W inside the inner tube 13 to a desired temperature.

[0041] The control unit 100 also controls the flow rate with the mass flow controller 72, opens the valve 73, and supplies the processing gas into the inner tube 13 through the nozzle 14. The control unit 100 also drives the pump 82 and adjusts the opening of the valve 81 to set the pressure inside the outer tube 11 to a desired pressure.

[0042] As a result, the process gas is supplied to the surfaces of the plurality of substrates W accommodated in the inner tube 13 while the substrates W are heated to a desired temperature. Furthermore, when the process gas comes into contact with the surfaces of the substrates W heated to the desired temperature, the process gas is decomposed by a thermochemical reaction. Furthermore, components that constitute a predetermined layer, which are generated by the decomposition of the process gas, are deposited on the surfaces of the substrates W in units of one atom to several atoms. Thus, a predetermined layer is formed on the surfaces of the plurality of substrates W.

[0043] As described above, the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment is configured as, for example, a vertical furnace capable of depositing a predetermined layer, and more specifically, is configured as an ALD apparatus that deposits a film using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method that forms a predetermined layer one atom to several atoms at a time.

[0044] (Example of transport robot configuration) Next, a configuration example of the transfer robots 20 and 30 provided in the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0045] 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams showing an example of the configuration of the transport robots 20 and 30 according to the embodiment. Fig. 3A is a top view of the transport robots 20 and 30, Fig. 3B is a side view of the transport robot 20, and Fig. 3C is a side view of the transport robot 30.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the transfer robot 20 includes an arm 21, a base 22, a rotating part 23, and a main body 24.

[0047] The main body 24 of the transfer robot 20 is installed, for example, on the floor surface of the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1. For example, the main body 24 of the transfer robot 20 may be configured to be movable in the Y direction on the floor surface of the housing 60 so that it can face the substrate removal port of the storage container 40 placed on the storage container stand 64 of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Furthermore, the main body 24 of the transfer robot 20 may be configured to be movable within the housing 60 between the storage container stand 64 and the transfer robot 30.

[0048] The rotating unit 23 is provided, for example, on the main body 24, and is configured to be rotatable in the horizontal direction Dh by a motor or the like (not shown). By rotating the rotating unit 23 in the horizontal direction Dh, the tip of the arm 21 connected to the rotating unit 23 via the base 22 can be swung in the horizontal direction Dh. The base 22 is provided, for example, on a side surface of the rotating unit 23, and supports the arm 21 by a motor or the like (not shown) so that the arm 21 can be raised and lowered in the up-and-down direction Dv and can rotate about an axis Dr.

[0049] Arm 21 as a first arm extends horizontally from base 22 and is configured to be extendable and contractible in an extending direction Ds of arm 21 by a motor or the like (not shown). A holding portion 25 is provided on one surface of the tip end of arm 21.

[0050] In top view, the holding portion 25 has a pair of arc-shaped portions facing each other in the extending direction Ds of the arm 21. The inner wall surfaces of these arc-shaped portions are, for example, curved surfaces recessed deep inside.

[0051] These arc-shaped portions can be opened and closed in the extending direction Ds of the arm 21 by a motor or the like (not shown). When these arc-shaped portions are open, the distance between the closest opposing portions of these arc-shaped portions is greater than, for example, the diameter of the substrate W. When these arc-shaped portions are closed, the distance between the most recessed opposing portions on the inner wall surfaces of these arc-shaped portions is approximately equal to, for example, the diameter of the substrate W.

[0052] By closing and opening the pair of arc-shaped portions as described above, the holding portion 25 can hold both ends of the substrate W that face the extension direction Ds of the arm 21 by clamping them between the curved inner wall surfaces, and can also release the held substrate W.

[0053] Furthermore, with the substrate W held by the holder 25, the arm 21 can be rotated by the base 22 about the axis Dr, thereby turning the substrate W held by the arm 21 upside down.

[0054] Since the inner wall surface of the holder 25 is curved, when the holder 25 holds the substrate W, the holder 25 is prevented from coming into contact with the surface of the substrate W.

[0055] As shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(c), the transfer robot 30 includes an arm 31, a base 32, a rotating part 33, and a main body .

[0056] The main body 34 of the transfer robot 30 is installed, for example, on the floor surface of the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Note that the main body 34 of the transfer robot 30 may be configured to be movable within the housing 60 between the transfer robot 20 and the boat 50 so that the substrate W can be transferred between the transfer robot 20 and the boat 50.

[0057] The rotating part 33 is provided, for example, on the main body 34, and is configured to be rotatable in the horizontal direction Dh by a motor or the like (not shown). By rotating the rotating part 33 in the horizontal direction Dh, the tip of the arm 31 connected to the rotating part 33 via the base 32 can be swung in the horizontal direction Dh. The base 32 is provided, for example, on a side surface of the rotating part 33, and supports the arm 31 so that it can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction Dv by a motor or the like (not shown).

[0058] Arm 31 as a second arm extends horizontally from base 32 and is configured to be extendable and contractible in an extending direction Ds of arm 31 by a motor or the like (not shown). Holding portions 35 to 37 are provided on one surface of the tip end of arm 31.

[0059] The holder 37 serving as the first holder has a stepped shape recessed from the surface of the arm 31. That is, the holder 37 has stepped portions with different depths from the surface of the arm 31. The depth from the surface of the arm 31 to the stepped portions is, for example, equal to or greater than the thickness of two substrates W. The stepped portions of the holder 37 have a pair of arcuate shapes facing each other in the extension direction Ds of the arm 31. The distance between the opposing portions of these stepped portions is, for example, smaller than the diameter of the substrate W.

[0060] The substrate W is dropped into a recessed portion in the surface of the arm 31 and is supported by the stepped portions of the holder 37. The holder 37 is able to hold the substrate W by supporting it with these stepped portions. Because the depth from the surface of the arm 31 is, for example, equal to or greater than the thickness of two substrates W, the holder 37 can hold two substrates W.

[0061] It is preferable that the inner wall surfaces from the surface of the arm 31 to the stepped portion of the holder 37 have a tapered shape that protrudes downward. It is also preferable that the distance between opposing portions of the lower ends of these wall surfaces is approximately equal to the diameter of the substrate W, for example.

[0062] The holding portion 36 as the second holding portion has a pair of arc-shaped portions facing each other in the extending direction Ds of the arm 31 in a top view. These arc-shaped portions are provided along the edge of the portion that drops from the surface of the arm 31 to the holding portion 37. The inner wall surfaces of these arc-shaped portions are, for example, curved surfaces that are recessed deep inside.

[0063] These arc-shaped portions can be opened and closed in the extending direction Ds of the arm 31 by a motor or the like (not shown). When these arc-shaped portions are in an open state, the distance between the closest opposing portions of these arc-shaped portions is greater than, for example, the diameter of the substrate W. When these arc-shaped portions are in a closed state, the distance between the most recessed opposing portions on the inner wall surfaces of these arc-shaped portions is approximately equal to, for example, the diameter of the substrate W.

[0064] By closing and opening the pair of arc-shaped portions as described above, the holding portion 36 can grasp and hold both ends of the substrate W that face the extension direction Ds of the arm 31 with the curved inner wall surface, and can also release the held substrate W.

[0065] Since the inner wall surface of the holder 36 is curved, when the holder 36 holds the substrate W, the holder 36 is prevented from coming into contact with the surface of the substrate W.

[0066] Holding portion 35 as a third holding portion is provided on the upper surface of holding portion 36, and has a pair of arc-shaped portions facing each other in the extending direction Ds of arm 31 when viewed from above. The inner wall surfaces of these arc-shaped portions are, for example, curved surfaces that are recessed deep inside.

[0067] These arc-shaped portions can be opened and closed in the extending direction Ds of the arm 31 by a motor or the like (not shown). When these arc-shaped portions are in an open state, the distance between the closest opposing portions of these arc-shaped portions is greater than, for example, the diameter of the substrate W. When these arc-shaped portions are in a closed state, the distance between the most recessed opposing portions on the inner wall surfaces of these arc-shaped portions is approximately equal to, for example, the diameter of the substrate W.

[0068] By closing and opening the pair of arc-shaped portions as described above, the holding portion 35 can grasp and hold both ends of the substrate W that face the extension direction Ds of the arm 31 with the curved inner wall surface, and can also release the held substrate W.

[0069] Since the inner wall surface of the holder 35 is curved, when the holder 35 holds the substrate W, the holder 35 is prevented from coming into contact with the surface of the substrate W.

[0070] The holders 35 and 36 can be opened and closed independently of each other, thereby allowing the holders 35 and 36 to hold and release the substrates W independently of each other.

[0071] The above-mentioned control unit 100 (see FIG. 1) controls these transport robots 20, 30 to transport the substrate W between the container 40 placed on the container stand 64 and the boat 50. More specifically, the control unit 100 controls various motors (not shown) provided in the transport robots 20, 30 to rotate the rotating units 23, 33 of the transport robots 20, 30 in the horizontal direction Dh, rotate the arm 21 around its axis Dr using the base 22, raise and lower the arms 21, 31 in the vertical direction Dv using the bases 22, 32, and extend and contract the arms 21, 31 in the extension direction Ds.

[0072] (Example of a transport robot loading operation) Next, an example of the operation of the transfer robots 20, 30 provided in the substrate processing apparatus 1 to transfer the substrate W from the container 40 to the boat 50, that is, the loading operation of the substrate W by the transfer robots 20, 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0073] 4 and 5 are schematic views showing an example of the operation of the transfer robot 20 according to the embodiment, in which the first substrate Wb of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb is taken out from the container 40. FIG.

[0074] 4(A) and 5(A) are top views of the storage container 40 and the transfer robot 20. Figures 4(Ba) and 4(Ca) and 5(Ba) and 5(Ca) are front views of the storage container 40 as seen from inside the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 toward the front of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0075] 4(Bb)(Cb) and 5(Bb)(Cb) are side views of the storage container 40 and the transfer robot 20 as viewed from the +Y direction side toward the -Y direction side. However, in FIGS. 4(Bb)(Cb) and 5(Bb)(Cb), the storage container 40 is shown as a perspective view.

[0076] 4, the storage container 40 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape and includes a space therein for storing a plurality of substrates W. When placed on the storage container stand 64 of the substrate processing apparatus 1, a plurality of shelves 41 are provided on the inner walls of both Y-direction sides of the storage container 40, and are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction. On both Y-direction sides, each of the plurality of shelves 41 is provided at the same height as the corresponding shelf 41 in the Y direction.

[0077] The substrates W are accommodated in the container 40 in a line up and down direction at a predetermined interval from each other, with the back surfaces of both ends in the Y direction supported by a pair of shelves 41 on both sides of the container 40 and the front surfaces facing upward. In other words, one substrate W is held on one pair of shelves 41 arranged in the Y direction. It should be noted that, regardless of the example in Figure 4, one container 40 can accommodate, for example, several dozen to several tens of substrates W.

[0078] As shown in Figures 4(A), (Ba), and (Bb), the transport robot 20 extends the arm 21, which has been retracted, and inserts the tip portion of the arm 21 between the substrates W adjacent to each other in the vertical direction of the container 40.

[0079] As shown in FIGS. 4(Ca) and 4(Cb), the transfer robot 20 closes the holders 25 facing each other in the X direction to hold the upper substrate W of the substrates W adjacent in the vertical direction.

[0080] The transfer robot 20 also raises the arm 21 by using the base 22, and pushes the held substrate W upward. As a result, the substrate W is lifted off the shelf 41 of the storage container 40 that had been supporting the substrate W up until then.

[0081] 5(A), (Ba), and (Bb), the transfer robot 20 retracts the arm 21 and pulls out the tip of the arm 21 from the storage container 40. As a result, the substrate W held by the holder 25 of the arm 21 is taken out of the storage container 40.

[0082] This becomes the first substrate Wb as the first substrate of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb stacked one on top of the other on the boat 50. When the first substrate Wb of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb is removed from the storage container 40, the substrate Wb is held from the back surface side of the substrate Wb and removed from the storage container 40 as described above.

[0083] The multiple substrates W accommodated in the container 40 have undergone the same manufacturing process and are at the same manufacturing stage, and there is no difference between them. Therefore, any substrate W among the multiple substrates W can become either one of a set of substrates Wf, Wb, depending on the transport order, etc.

[0084] 4 and 5, one substrate W is taken out from a plurality of substrates W lined up vertically inside the storage container 40. However, when all of the substrates W inside the storage container 40 are to be loaded, the substrates W stored inside the storage container 40 are generally transported in order, for example, from the bottom to the top inside the storage container 40.

[0085] 5(Ca) and 5(Cb), the transfer robot 20 rotates the arm 21 around its axis by the base 22. As a result, the substrate Wb held by the arm 21 is inverted so that the back surface faces upward and the front surface faces downward.

[0086] The arm 21 may rotate clockwise or counterclockwise around its axis. The substrate Wb may be turned over at any time between when the substrate Wb is taken out of the container 40 and when it is transferred to the transfer robot 30, which will be described later.

[0087] Next, an example of the operation of transferring the substrate Wb from the transfer robot 20 to the transfer robot 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0088] 6A and 6B are schematic diagrams showing an example of an operation in which the transfer robot 20 according to the embodiment transfers a first substrate Wb of a pair of substrates Wf, Wb toward the other transfer robot 30. Note that Figs. 6A and 6B are top views of the transfer robots 20 and 30.

[0089] As shown in FIG. 6(a), the transfer robot 30 is on standby behind the transfer robot 20, that is, on the +X direction side, with the arm 31 retracted, for example.

[0090] The transfer robot 20 rotates the rotating part 23 in the horizontal direction, and turns the arm 21, which had been facing the container stage 64, toward the transfer robot 30. In other words, the tip of the arm 21, which had been facing in the -X direction, rotates 180 degrees and faces in the +X direction. The rotation direction of the rotating part 23 and the arm 21 may be clockwise or counterclockwise.

[0091] 6(b), the transfer robot 20 extends the arm 21 in the +X direction. As a result, the tip of the arm 21 is extended above the tip of the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30.

[0092] When transferring the substrate W from the transport robot 20 to the transport robot 30, the positions of the arms 21, 31 of the transport robot 20 are controlled so that the extension direction of the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 intersects with the extension direction of the arm 31 of the transport robot 30, as described above.

[0093] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an operation in which the transfer robot 20 according to the embodiment transfers the first substrate Wb of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb to the other transfer robot 30. In FIG.

[0094] 7(Aa) and 7(Ba) are side views of the transfer robot 30 as viewed from inside the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 toward the front of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Figures 7(Ab) and 7(Bb) are top views of the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 held above the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30. However, in Figure 7, part of the arm 21 is shown in perspective.

[0095] 7(Aa) and 7(Ab), the tip of the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 is located above the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30. The substrate Wb is held on the underside of the tip of the arm 21. The surface of the substrate Wb faces downward toward the arm 31, and both ends in the X direction are sandwiched between the holders 25 of the arm 21.

[0096] At this time, the transfer robot 30 opens the holders 35 and 36 that are provided on the arm 31 and face each other in the Y direction. As a result, the upper surfaces of the stepped portions that constitute the holder 37 of the arm 31 and face each other in the Y direction face the surface of the substrate Wb located above the arm 31.

[0097] 7(Ba) and 7(Bb), the transport robot 20 opens the holders 25 that face the arm 21 in the X direction. This releases the substrate Wb that was held by the holders 25, and drops it into a recessed portion from the surface of the arm 31 of the transport robot 30. The substrate Wb that has been dropped into the recess of the arm 31 is supported at both ends in the Y direction by the stepped portions of the holders 37, and is thereby held by the arm 31 of the transport robot 30 with its surface facing downward.

[0098] At this time, the downward-facing edge of the surface of the substrate Wb comes into contact with the stepped portion of the holder 37. However, at the edge of the substrate Wb, there exists a ring-shaped ineffective region of a predetermined width that does not become an element portion of the semiconductor device. Therefore, even if the edge of the surface of the substrate Wb comes into contact with the stepped portion of the holder 37, the effects of particles, contamination, and the like on the semiconductor device are suppressed.

[0099] In other words, the size of the holding portion 37 and the distance between the holding portions 37 facing each other in the Y direction are appropriately adjusted so that the effective area of ​​the element portion, etc. of the substrate Wb does not come into contact with the stepped portion of the holding portion 37.

[0100] Furthermore, since the inner wall surface of the holding part 37 has, for example, a tapered shape as described above, the substrate W can be dropped into an appropriate position on the stepped part of the holding part 37. Therefore, even if the holding part 37 does not have a mechanism for clamping the substrate W like the holding parts 35, 36, etc., it can hold the substrate W more reliably.

[0101] When the substrate W is transferred from the transfer robot 20 to the transfer robot 30, the extension directions of the arms 21 and 31 of the transfer robots 20 and 30 cross each other as described above.

[0102] As a result, the holders 25, 37 of the transport robots 20, 30 also hold the substrate Wb at their ends in directions that intersect with each other. That is, when the first substrate Wb is transferred, both ends in the X direction of the substrate Wb are held by the holder 25 of the transport robot 20, and both ends in the Y direction are held by the holder 37 of the transport robot 30, based on the front-rear and left-right directions of the substrate processing apparatus 1. This allows the substrate Wb to be transferred between the transport robots 20, 30.

[0103] 6 in the reverse direction without holding the substrate W on the arm 21, in order to remove the second substrate Wf from the storage container 40. That is, the transfer robot 20 retracts the arm 21 that was held over the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30, and rotates the arm 21, which was facing the +X direction, by 180° using the rotation unit 23 to face the arm 21 in the -X direction.

[0104] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the transfer robot 20 according to the embodiment, in which the second substrate Wf of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb is taken out from the container 40. In FIG.

[0105] 8(Aa), 8(Ba), and 8(Ca) are front views of the storage container 40 as viewed from inside the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 toward the front of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Also, FIGS. 8(Ab), 8(Bb), and 8(Cb) are side views of the storage container 40 and the transfer robot 20 as viewed from the +Y direction toward the -Y direction. However, in FIGS. 8(Ab), 8(Bb), and 8(Cb), the storage container 40 is shown as a perspective view.

[0106] 8(Aa) and 8(Ab), the transfer robot 20 extends, for example, the retracted arm 21, and inserts the tip of the arm 21 between adjacent substrates W in the vertical direction of the storage container 40. At this time, one side of the arm 21 on which the holder 25 is provided faces downward.

[0107] As shown in FIGS. 8(Ba) and 8(Bb), the transfer robot 20 closes the holders 25 facing each other in the X direction to hold the lower substrate W of the substrates W adjacent in the vertical direction.

[0108] The transfer robot 20 also raises the arm 21 by the base 22, and lifts the held substrate W upward. As a result, the substrate W is lifted up from the shelf 41 of the storage container 40 that had been supporting the substrate W until then.

[0109] 8(Ca) and 8(Cb), the transfer robot 20 retracts the arm 21 and pulls out the tip of the arm 21 from the storage container 40. As a result, the substrate W held by the holder 25 of the arm 21 is taken out of the storage container 40.

[0110] This becomes the second substrate Wf as the second substrate of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb stacked one on top of the other on the boat 50. When the second substrate Wf of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb is removed from the storage container 40, the substrate Wf is held from the front surface side of the substrate Wf and removed from the storage container 40 as described above.

[0111] As a result, the second substrate Wf is held by the arm 21 with its surface facing the upper arm 21. Thereafter, the transport robot 20 transports the second substrate Wf of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb to the transport robot 30 side by an operation similar to that shown in FIG.

[0112] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an operation in which the transfer robot 20 according to the embodiment transfers the second substrate Wf of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb to the other transfer robot 30. In FIG.

[0113] 9(Aa) and 9(Ba) are side views of the transfer robot 30 as viewed from inside the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 toward the front of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Figures 9(Ab) and 9(Bb) are top views of the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 held above the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30. However, in Figure 9, part of the arm 21 is shown in perspective.

[0114] 9(Aa) and 9(Ab), the tip of the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 is located above the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30. The substrate Wf is held on the underside of the tip of the arm 21. The back surface of the substrate Wf faces downward toward the arm 31, and both ends in the X direction are sandwiched between the holders 25 of the arm 21.

[0115] At this time, the holding portions 35 and 36 facing each other in the Y direction are also in an open state, and the upper surface of the stepped portion of the holding portion 37 facing each other in the Y direction faces the back surface of the substrate Wf located above the arm 31 via the substrate Wb held by the holding portion 37.

[0116] 9(Ba) and 9(Bb), the transfer robot 20 opens the holders 25 facing the arm 21 in the X direction to release the substrate Wf. As a result, the substrate Wf drops into a recessed portion from the surface of the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 and is placed on the back surface of the first substrate Wb held by the holders 37 of the arm 31. In other words, the second substrate Wf is held by the arm 31 in a state where it is stacked on the substrate Wb with its front surface facing upward and its back surface facing each other.

[0117] In this way, the substrates Wf and Wb are stacked one above the other with their back surfaces facing each other, so that the surfaces of the substrates Wf and Wb on which the element portions of the semiconductor devices are formed do not come into contact with each other or with the arm 31, thereby suppressing the effects of particles, contamination, and the like on the semiconductor devices.

[0118] Furthermore, since the inner wall surface of the holding portion 37 is formed in an arc shape as described above, the substrate Wf dropped onto the substrate Wb is prevented from sliding sideways, and is more securely held by the holding portion 37.

[0119] When the second substrate Wf is transferred, both ends of the substrate Wf in the X direction are held by the holders 25 of the transport robot 20 and both ends of the substrate Wf in the Y direction are held by the holders 35 of the transport robot 30, based on the front-rear and left-right directions of the substrate processing apparatus 1. This allows the substrate Wf to be transferred between the transport robots 20 and 30.

[0120] Next, an example of the operation of receiving the substrates Wf, Wb from the transfer robot 30 into the boat 50 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0121] 10A and 10B are schematic views showing an example of the operation of the transfer robot 30 according to the embodiment to transfer a pair of substrates Wf, Wb to the boat 50. Note that Fig. 10A and Fig. 10B are top views of the transfer robot 30 and the boat 50.

[0122] 10(a), the transfer robot 30 rotates the rotating part 33 in the horizontal direction, and turns the arm 31, which had been facing the transfer position of the substrates Wf, Wb from the transfer robot 20, toward the boat 50. In other words, the tip of the arm 31, which had been facing in the -Y direction, rotates by 90° and faces in the +X direction.

[0123] 10(b), the transfer robot 30 extends the arm 31 in the +X direction, whereby the tip of the arm 31 is inserted into the boat 50.

[0124] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the transfer robot 30 according to the embodiment to accommodate the pair of substrates Wf, Wb in the boat 50. In FIG.

[0125] 11(Aa), 11(Ba), and 11(Ca) are front views of the boat 50 as viewed from inside the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 toward the rear of the substrate processing apparatus 1. FIGS. 11(Ab), 11(Bb), and 11(Cb) are side views of the boat 50 and the transport robot 30 as viewed from the -Y direction toward the +Y direction. However, in FIGS. 11(Ab), 11(Bb), and 11(Cb), the boat 50 is shown as a perspective view.

[0126] As described above, the boat 50 has disk-shaped pressing members connected by a plurality of pillars, such as three or four, at the top and bottom ends. Figure 11 shows two pillars 51a and 51b, which are aligned in the Y direction, among the plurality of pillars of the boat 50.

[0127] 11, a plurality of support columns including support columns 51a and 51b are provided with a plurality of claws 52 arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction. The claws 52 are formed, for example, by providing grooves at equal intervals on the side surface of a cylindrical support column. On support columns 51a and 51b arranged in the Y direction, each of the plurality of claws 52 is provided at the same height as the corresponding claw 52 in the Y direction.

[0128] The plurality of substrates W are accommodated in the boat 50, arranged vertically at a predetermined interval from each other, with each set of substrates Wf, Wb stacked in the vertical direction supported at both ends in the Y direction by a pair of claws 52 on the sides of the supports 51a, 51b. In other words, the substrate Wf is placed with its front surface facing upward on the back surface of the substrate Wb with its front surface facing downward, so that the two substrates Wf, Wb are held on the pair of claws 52 arranged in the Y direction.

[0129] 11(Aa) and 11(Ab), the arm 31 of the transport robot 30 has its tip inserted into the boat 50 by the operation of FIG. 10. The tip of the arm 31 holding the two substrates Wf, Wb is positioned slightly above a pair of claws 52 in the boat 50. In other words, the transport robot 30 inserts the arm 31 above the pair of claws 52 that are intended to support the substrates Wf, Wb.

[0130] 11(Ba) and 11(Bb), the transfer robot 30 lowers the arm 31 by the base 32. As a result, both ends of the substrates Wf and Wb in the Y direction are supported by the pair of claws 52, and the substrates Wf and Wb are suspended from the holder 37 of the arm 31.

[0131] 11(Ca) and 11(Cb), the transfer robot 30 retracts the arm 31. As a result, the arm 31 is pulled out from the boat 50, and the two substrates Wf and Wb are accommodated in the boat 50 at predetermined positions.

[0132] 11, for ease of explanation, the substrates Wf, Wb are accommodated in a pair of shelves 41 among empty slots aligned vertically within the boat 50, i.e., among the shelves 41 that do not support substrates W. However, when accommodating multiple pairs of substrates Wf, Wb within the boat 50, it is common practice to transport the substrates W sequentially delivered from the transport robot 20, for example, from the top to the bottom within the boat 50.

[0133] With the above, the loading operation of one pair of substrates Wf and Wb by the transfer robots 20 and 30 is completed.

[0134] Thereafter, the transport robots 20, 30 repeat the above loading operation to accommodate a plurality of substrates W in the boat 50. When substrate processing is performed in the reaction tube 10, it is preferable that the maximum number of substrates W that can be accommodated is loaded into the boat 50. When the maximum number of substrates W is loaded into the boat 50, for example, one set of substrates Wf, Wb is supported by all of the plurality of claws 52 provided on the boat 50.

[0135] Note that the substrates W accommodated in one storage container 40 constitutes one lot, and the boat 50 can accommodate, for example, several lots of substrates W. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1 above, the storage container stand 64 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 may be configured to be able to mount a plurality of storage containers 40, and a desired number of substrates W may be loaded successively from these storage containers 40 onto the boat 50.

[0136] (Example of unloading operation of a transport robot) Next, an example of the operation of the transfer robots 20, 30 provided in the substrate processing apparatus 1 to transfer the substrate W from the boat 50 to the container 40, that is, the unloading operation of the substrate W by the transfer robots 20, 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0137] 12 and 13 are schematic diagrams showing an example of the operation of the transfer robot 30 according to the embodiment to take out the pair of substrates Wf, Wb from the boat 50. FIG.

[0138] 12(Aa), 12(Ba), 12(Ca) and 13(Aa) and 13(Ba) are front views of the boat 50 as seen from inside the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 toward the rear of the substrate processing apparatus 1. FIGS. 12(Ab), 12(Bb), 12(Cb) and 13(Ab) and 13(Bb) are side views of the boat 50 and the transport robot 30 as seen from the -Y direction toward the +Y direction. However, in FIGS. 12(Ab), 12(Bb), 12(Cb) and 13(Ab) and 13(Bb), the boat 50 is shown as a perspective view.

[0139] 12(Aa) and 12(Ab), the transfer robot 30 extends, for example, the retracted arm 31, and inserts the tip of the arm 31 between two sets of substrates Wf, Wb that are adjacent in the vertical direction of the boat 50. At this time, both of the holding portions 35, 36 of the arm 31 are in an open state.

[0140] 12(Ba) and 12(Bb), the transfer robot 30 raises the arm 31 by the base 32. As a result, the lower end of the upper holding portion 35 of the holding portions 35, 36 of the arm 31 is positioned at approximately the same height as the lower surface of the upper substrate Wf of the substrates Wf, Wb to be transferred.

[0141] 12(Ca) and 12(Cb), the transfer robot 30 closes the holders 35 that face each other in the X direction. As a result, the lower ends of the holders 35 are inserted between the vertically stacked substrates Wf, Wb, and the upper substrate Wf is raised above the lower substrate Wb and is further held by the holders 35. At this time, the lower ends of the holders 35 come into contact with the rear surfaces of the substrates Wf, Wb, but this does not pose a problem because the elements of the semiconductor device are formed on the front surfaces of the substrates Wf, Wb.

[0142] Furthermore, the transfer robot 30 further raises the arm 31 by the base 32. As a result, the lower end of the lower holding portion 36 of the holding portions 35, 36 of the arm 31 is positioned at approximately the same height as the height of the lower substrate Wb remaining on the pair of claw portions 52.

[0143] 13(Aa) and 13(Ab), the transport robot 30 closes the holders 36 facing each other in the X direction and holds the substrate Wb on the pair of claws 52. The transport robot 30 also further raises the arm 31 by the base 32. As a result, the substrate Wb supported by the pair of claws 52 is lifted off these claws 52.

[0144] 13(Ba) and 13(Bb), the transfer robot 30 retracts the arm 31. As a result, with the two substrates Wf and Wb held by the upper and lower holders 35 and 36, respectively, the arm 31 is pulled out of the boat 50, and the pair of substrates Wf and Wb are removed from the boat 50.

[0145] The substrates Wf and Wb are held by the holders 35 and 36 arranged vertically, respectively, and are held on the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 with a predetermined gap therebetween.

[0146] 12 and 13, one set of substrates Wf, Wb is removed from multiple sets of substrates Wf, Wb lined up vertically in the boat 50. However, when all of the substrates W in the boat 50 are unloaded, it is common to transport the substrates W accommodated in the boat 50 in order, for example, from the bottom to the top of the boat 50.

[0147] Next, an example of the operation of transferring the upper substrate Wf from the transfer robot 30 to the transfer robot 20 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0148] 14A and 14B are schematic diagrams showing an example of an operation in which the transfer robot 30 according to the embodiment transfers the pair of substrates Wf and Wb to the other transfer robot 20. Note that Fig. 14A and Fig. 14B are top views of the transfer robots 20 and 30.

[0149] As shown in FIG. 14(a), the transfer robot 20 is on standby in front of the transfer robot 30, that is, on the −X direction side, with the arm 21 retracted, for example.

[0150] The transfer robot 30 rotates the rotating part 33 in the horizontal direction, and turns the arm 31, which had been facing the boat 50 side, toward the transfer robot 20 side. In other words, the tip of the arm 31, which had been facing in the +X direction, rotates by 90 degrees and now faces in the -Y direction.

[0151] 14(b), the transfer robot 20 extends the arm 21 in the +X direction. As a result, the tip of the arm 21 is extended above the tip of the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30.

[0152] When transferring the substrate W from the transport robot 30 to the transport robot 20, the positions of the arms 21, 31 of the transport robot 20 are controlled so that the extension direction of the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 intersects with the extension direction of the arm 31 of the transport robot 30, as described above.

[0153] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an operation in which the transfer robot 30 according to the embodiment transfers the upper substrate Wf of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb to the other transfer robot 20. In FIG.

[0154] 15(Aa) and 15(Ba) are side views of the transfer robot 30 as viewed from inside the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 toward the front of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Figures 15(Ab) and 15(Bb) are top views of the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 held above the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30. However, in Figure 15, part of the arm 21 is shown as a perspective view.

[0155] 15(Aa) and 15(Ab), the transport robot 20 lowers the arm 21 located above the arm 31 of the transport robot 30. As a result, of the two substrates Wf, Wb held by the upper and lower holders 35, 36 of the arm 31, respectively, the holder 25 of the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 is positioned at the height position of the upper substrate Wf.

[0156] 15(Ba) and 15(Bb), the transfer robot 20 closes the holders 25 of the arm 21 that face each other in the X direction, and grasps both ends in the X direction of the substrate Wf held by the holders 35 of the transfer robot 30. The transfer robot 30 also opens the holders 35 of the arm 31 that face each other in the Y direction, and releases the substrate Wf.

[0157] Initially, the substrates Wf, Wb are held by the holders 35, 36 arranged vertically, respectively, and are held on the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 at a predetermined interval as described above. Therefore, the transfer robot 20 can grasp only the upper substrate Wf of the two substrates Wf, Wb with the holder 25 of the arm 21.

[0158] Furthermore, when the transfer robot 20 receives the upper substrate Wf of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb, as described above, it holds the substrate Wf from the front surface side and receives the substrate Wf from the transfer robot 30. As a result, the substrate Wf that was held by the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 is held by the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 with the front surface facing the upper arm 21 side.

[0159] When the substrate Wf is handed over from the transport robot 30 to the transport robot 20, both ends of the substrate Wf in the X direction are held by the holders 25 of the transport robot 20 and both ends of the substrate Wf in the Y direction are held by the holders 35 of the transport robot 30, based on the front-rear and left-right directions of the substrate processing apparatus 1. This allows the substrate Wf to be handed over between the transport robots 20 and 30.

[0160] 6 in the reverse direction while holding the substrate Wf on the arm 21, in order to accommodate the first substrate Wf in the accommodation container 40. That is, the transport robot 20 retracts the arm 21 that was held over the arm 31 of the transport robot 30, and rotates the arm 21, which was facing the +X direction, by 180° using the rotation unit 23 so that it faces the -X direction.

[0161] FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the transfer robot 20 according to the embodiment, in which the upper substrate Wf of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb is accommodated in the accommodation container 40. In FIG.

[0162] 16(Aa), 16(Ba), and 16(Ca) are front views of the storage container 40 as viewed from inside the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 toward the front of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Also, FIGS. 16(Ab), 16(Bb), and 16(Cb) are side views of the storage container 40 and the transfer robot 20 as viewed from the +Y direction toward the -Y direction. However, in FIGS. 16(Ab), 16(Bb), and 16(Cb), the storage container 40 is shown as a perspective view.

[0163] 16(Aa) and 16(Ab), the transport robot 20 extends the arm 21 in the −X direction and inserts the tip of the arm 21 into the storage container 40. As a result, the tip of the arm 21 is inserted slightly above the pair of shelves 41 in the storage container 40. In other words, the transport robot 20 inserts the arm 21 above the pair of shelves 41 that are to support the substrates Wf.

[0164] 16(Ba) and 16(Bb), the transfer robot 20 opens the holders 25 facing each other in the X direction of the arm 21 to release the substrate Wf. As a result, the substrate Wf is held on a pair of shelves 41 of the storage container 40.

[0165] 16(Ca) and 16(Cb), the transfer robot 20 raises the arm 21 by the base 22 and adjusts the holder 25 to a position higher than the substrate Wf held on the pair of shelves 41, and then retracts the arm 21 to pull out the tip of the arm 21 from the storage container 40. As a result, the substrate Wf is accommodated in the storage container 40.

[0166] 16, the substrate Wf is accommodated between the substrates W already accommodated in the storage container 40 in the vertical direction. However, when all of the substrates W in the storage container 40 are loaded and then all of the substrates W are unloaded again, the substrates W sequentially recovered from the boat 50 are generally transported in sequence, for example, from the top to the bottom of the storage container 40.

[0167] 6 described above, without the arm 21 holding the substrate W, in order to receive the other substrate Wb from the transfer robot 30. That is, the transfer robot 20 rotates the arm 21, which was facing the -X direction, by 180° to face the arm 21 in the +X direction using the rotation unit 23, and also extends the arm 21 to hold it over the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30.

[0168] FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an operation in which the transfer robot 30 according to the embodiment transfers the lower substrate Wb of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb to the other transfer robot 20. In FIG.

[0169] 17(Aa) and 17(Ba) are side views of the transfer robot 30 as viewed from inside the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 toward the front of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Figures 17(Ab) and 17(Bb) are top views of the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 held above the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30. However, in Figure 17, part of the arm 21 is shown as a perspective view.

[0170] 17(Aa) and 17(Ab), the transport robot 20 lowers the arm 21 located above the arm 31 of the transport robot 30. As a result, the holder 25 of the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 is positioned at the height of the substrate Wb held by the lower holder 36 of the upper and lower holders 35, 36 of the arm 31.

[0171] 17(Ba) and 17(Bb), the transport robot 20 closes the holders 25 of the arm 21 that face each other in the X direction, and grasps both ends in the X direction of the substrate Wb held by the holders 36 of the transport robot 30. The transport robot 30 also opens the holders 36 of the arm 31 that face each other in the Y direction, and releases the substrate Wb.

[0172] In this way, when the transfer robot 20 receives the lower substrate Wb of a pair of substrates Wf, Wb, it holds the substrate Wb from the backside and receives the substrate Wb from the transfer robot 30. As a result, the substrate Wb that was held by the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 is held by the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 with its backside facing the upper arm 21 side.

[0173] When the lower substrate Wb is transferred, both ends of the substrate Wb in the X direction are held by the holders 25 of the transport robot 20 and both ends of the substrate Wb in the Y direction are held by the holders 35 of the transport robot 30, based on the front-rear and left-right directions of the substrate processing apparatus 1. This allows the substrate Wb to be transferred between the transport robots 20 and 30.

[0174] 6 in the opposite direction to accommodate the second substrate Wb in the container 40. That is, the transport robot 20 retracts the arm 21 that was held over the arm 31 of the transport robot 30, and rotates the arm 21, which was facing the +X direction, by 180° using the rotation unit 23 to face the arm 21 in the -X direction.

[0175] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the transfer robot 20 according to the embodiment, in which the lower substrate Wb of the pair of substrates is accommodated in the accommodation container 40. In FIG.

[0176] 18(Aa), 18(Ba), and 18(Ca) are front views of the storage container 40 as viewed from inside the housing 60 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 toward the front of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Also, FIGS. 18(Ab), 18(Bb), and 18(Cb) are side views of the storage container 40 and the transfer robot 20 as viewed from the +Y direction toward the -Y direction. However, in FIGS. 18(Ab), 18(Bb), and 18(Cb), the storage container 40 is shown as a perspective view.

[0177] 18(Aa) and 18(Ab), the transfer robot 20 rotates the arm 21 around its axis using the base 22 to invert the front and back surfaces of the substrate Wb. As a result, the substrate Wb, which was held below the arm 21 with its front surface facing downward, is now held above the arm 21 with its front surface facing upward.

[0178] 18(Ba) and 18(Bb), the transport robot 20 extends the arm 21 in the -X direction and inserts the tip of the arm 21 into the storage container 20. As a result, the tip of the arm 21 is inserted slightly above the pair of shelves 41 in the storage container 40. In other words, the transport robot 20 inserts the arm 21 above the pair of shelves 41 that are to support the substrate Wb.

[0179] In the example of Figure 18 (Bb), the arm 21 is inserted below the previously transported substrate Wf, but the position at which the arm 21 is inserted can be controlled by targeting an empty slot in the storage container 40, that is, any shelf 41 that is not supporting a substrate W.

[0180] However, when all the substrates W in the storage container 40 are loaded and then unloaded again, it is preferable that the substrates W are stored in the storage container 40 so that the arrangement of the substrates W is the same as before loading. This is because, in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, the substrates W are usually managed in units of one lot for each storage container 40, for example.

[0181] 18(Ba) and 18(Bb), the transfer robot 20 opens the holders 25 of the arm 21 that face each other in the X direction to release the substrate Wb. The transfer robot 20 also lowers the arm 21 by the base 22. As a result, the substrate Wf is held on a pair of shelves 41 of the storage container 40.

[0182] 18(Ca) and 18(Cb), the transfer robot 20 further lowers the arm 21 by the base 22, adjusting the holder 25 to a position lower than the substrate Wb held on the pair of shelves 41, and then retracts the arm 21 to pull out the tip of the arm 21 from the storage container 40. As a result, the substrate Wb is stored in the storage container 40.

[0183] With the above, the unloading operation of one set of substrates Wf, Wb by the transfer robots 20, 30 is completed.

[0184] Thereafter, the transport robots 20, 30 repeat the above unloading operation to remove all of the substrates W from the boat 50 and store them in the storage container 40. As described above, when multiple lots of substrates W are loaded from multiple storage containers 40, the substrates W may be unloaded from these storage containers 40 consecutively.

[0185] (Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device) 19 to 21, an example of processing the substrate W by the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described. Figures 19 and 20 are cross-sectional views showing an example of the procedure for processing the substrate W by the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment.

[0186] The substrate processing by the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment is performed as one step in a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, for example. Figures 19 and 20 show an example in which the substrate processing by the substrate processing apparatus 1 is performed as one step in a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device SD shown in Figure 21, which is a three-dimensional nonvolatile memory including memory cells MC.

[0187] 19(a), a source line SL and a laminated film LMs are formed in this order on a substrate W to be processed by the substrate processing apparatus 1. The source line SL is a conductive layer such as a Poly-Si layer. The laminated film LMs has a configuration in which, for example, a plurality of SiO layers and a plurality of SiN layers are alternately stacked one by one. A plurality of fine memory holes MH are densely formed in the laminated film LMs, penetrating the laminated film LMs and reaching the source line SL.

[0188] As will be described later, a plurality of different layers such as a memory layer ME, a channel layer CN, and a core layer CR (see FIG. 21) are formed in the memory hole MH. The memory layer ME has a stacked structure in which a block insulating layer BK, a charge storage layer CT, and a tunnel insulating layer TN (see FIG. 21) are stacked in this order from the outer periphery of the memory hole MH.

[0189] Of these heterogeneous layers, the block insulating layer BK, the tunnel insulating layer TN, and the core layer CR are, for example, SiO2 layers, etc. The charge storage layer CT is, for example, a SiN layer, etc., and the channel layer CN is, for example, a Si layer, etc.

[0190] In this way, a metal oxide nitride oxide semiconductor (MONOS: Metal Oxide Nitride Oxide Silicon) film made of a plurality of heterogeneous layers is formed in the memory hole MH.

[0191] As shown in FIG. 19(b), in the substrate processing apparatus 1, at least one of these different layers, such as a tunnel insulating layer TN, is formed as the predetermined layer TL by using, for example, the ALD method.

[0192] As described above, such substrate processing is performed by loading a boat 50 containing a plurality of sets of substrates Wf, Wb, each set consisting of substrates Wf, Wb stacked back-to-back, into the reaction tube 10. When the predetermined layer TL to be formed is, for example, an SiO2 layer such as a tunnel insulating layer TN, a Si source gas such as SiH4 gas and an oxidizing gas such as O2 gas are supplied as processing gases into the inner tube 13 of the reaction tube 10 from the multiple holes 15 of the nozzle 14.

[0193] The processing gas supplied from the nozzle 14 passes between the multiple pairs of substrates Wf, Wb and is discharged outside the inner tube 13 through a slit (not shown) on the side of the inner tube 13, and is further discharged outside the substrate processing apparatus 1 through the exhaust port 12 of the outer tube 11.

[0194] At this time, the upward-facing surfaces of the substrates Wf and Wb of the plurality of substrates Wf and Wb are exposed to the processing gas. These substrates Wf and Wb are heated to a desired temperature by the heating unit 90. When the source gas comes into contact with the surfaces of these substrates Wf and Wb, it decomposes through a thermochemical reaction, and the decomposition products are further oxidized by the oxidizing gas, depositing an SiO2 layer in units of one atom to several atoms.

[0195] As a result, a predetermined layer TL such as an SiO 2 layer is formed on the upper surface of the laminated film LMs formed on the substrate W and on the side and bottom surfaces of the memory hole MH formed in the laminated film LMs.

[0196] As described above, by performing substrate processing using the substrate processing apparatus 1 configured as, for example, an ALD apparatus, it is possible to form a predetermined layer TL with good step coverage even within a minute memory hole MH and with a uniform layer thickness over the entire area of ​​the substrate W.

[0197] As shown in Figure 20(a), a memory pillar PL is obtained by forming multiple heterogeneous layers in the memory hole MH. Specifically, a memory layer ME, a channel layer CN, and a core layer CR are formed in this order from the outer periphery of the memory hole MH. The channel layer CN is also formed on the bottom surface of the memory hole MH.

[0198] Thereafter, the word lines WL (see FIG. 21) are formed by replacing the multiple SiN layers in the laminated film LMs with conductive layers such as W layers. Prior to the formation of the word lines WL, a metal block layer such as an Al2O3 layer is formed on the side surfaces of the memory pillars PL at the height of the word lines WL.

[0199] That is, after forming the memory pillars PL, the multiple SiN layers in the laminated film LMs are removed to form the laminated film LMg. The laminated film LMg is a film in which a gap layer GP is formed between multiple insulating layers OL, with the SiN layers removed. The insulating layer OL corresponds to the SiO2 layer in the laminated film LMs described above.

[0200] As shown in the partially enlarged view of the memory pillar PL in Figure 20(b), a metal block layer BKm such as an Al2O3 layer is formed on the lower and upper surfaces of the insulating layers OL above and below the gap layer GP, as well as on the side surfaces of the pillar PL exposed to the gap layer GP.

[0201] The substrate processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment can also be used to form such a metal block layer BKm. In this case, a boat 50 containing a plurality of pairs of substrates Wf, Wb is loaded into the reaction tube 10, and an Al source gas such as TMA gas and an oxidizing gas such as O gas are supplied as processing gases to deposit an AlO layer in units of one atom to several atoms.

[0202] In this way, by performing substrate processing using the substrate processing apparatus 1 configured as, for example, an ALD apparatus, it is possible to form a predetermined layer such as an Al2O3 layer with good step coverage even within the gap layer GP, which is a minute space, and with a uniform layer thickness over the entire area of ​​the substrate W.

[0203] Thereafter, the gap layer GP is filled with a W layer or the like to form the word line WL, so that the memory pillar PL has a metal alumina nitride oxide semiconductor (MANOS: Metal Almina Nitride Oxide Silicon) film made of multiple heterogeneous layers.

[0204] In addition, a plurality of contacts (not shown) are formed to lead out each of the plurality of word lines WL to the upper layer side, and upper layer wiring and the like connected to each of the plurality of memory pillars PL are also formed.

[0205] In this way, the semiconductor device SD shown in FIG. 21 is manufactured.

[0206] 21A and 21B are cross-sectional views showing an example of the configuration of a semiconductor device SD according to an embodiment, in which Fig. 21A is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the semiconductor device SD where a memory pillar PL is formed, and Fig. 21B is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the memory pillar PL.

[0207] 21, the semiconductor device SD includes a source line SL, a laminated film LM, and an insulating layer IL, which are arranged on a substrate W in this order from the substrate W side. The laminated film LM has a configuration in which a plurality of word lines WL and a plurality of insulating layers OL are alternately laminated one by one. As described above, the word line WL is a layer in which the SiN layer in the laminated film LMs is replaced with a W layer or the like.

[0208] The laminated film LM has a plurality of fine memory pillars PL arranged therein, which penetrate the laminated film LM and reach the source lines SL. The memory pillar PL includes, in order from the outer periphery, a memory layer ME, a channel layer CN, and a core layer CR. The memory layer ME includes, in order from the outer periphery of the memory pillar PL, a block insulating layer BK, a charge storage layer CT, and a tunnel insulating layer TN. The pillar PL also includes a metal block layer BKm at the height of the plurality of word lines WL on the outer periphery of the memory layer ME.

[0209] A memory cell MC is formed at each intersection of the memory pillar PL and the plurality of word lines WL. That is, a plurality of memory cells MC aligned in the height direction are formed on one memory pillar PL. By arranging such memory pillars PL at high density in the laminated film LM, the semiconductor device SD is configured as, for example, a three-dimensional nonvolatile memory in which a plurality of memory cells MC are arranged three-dimensionally.

[0210] By applying a predetermined voltage to a predetermined word line WL via a contact (not shown), data can be written to and read from the memory cells MC connected to that word line WL.

[0211] (Overview) In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, substrate processing equipment such as vertical furnaces is used to form predetermined layers on substrates. In such substrate processing equipment, for example, boats containing several lots of substrates are loaded into a reaction tube for film formation processing.

[0212] In recent years, with the miniaturization of semiconductor devices, fine irregularities are formed at a high density on the surface of a substrate, and the effective surface area of ​​the substrate, i.e., the area on which a predetermined layer is formed, is increasing. When processing substrates with increased surface areas using the above-mentioned substrate processing apparatus, it has been found that if the pitch between substrates accommodated in a boat is increased by approximately double, the uniformity of the layer thickness of the predetermined layer and the step coverage of the fine irregularities can be maintained.

[0213] However, when the above measures are taken, the number of substrates that can be processed at one time is reduced, for example, to half or more, resulting in a significant drop in productivity. The inventors thought that by widening the pitch between the substrates accommodated in the boat and enabling the boat to accommodate two substrates with their back surfaces facing each other, instead of one substrate accommodated in each pair of claws, it would be possible to improve the productivity of semiconductor devices.

[0214] The challenge here is how to create a transport system that can place two substrates with their back sides together and store them in a boat.

[0215] According to the substrate processing apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 holds one substrate W at both ends in the X direction and transports the substrate W between the container stand 64 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 and the arm 31 of the transport robot 30. The arm 31 of the transport robot 30 has holders 37 that hold two substrates Wf, Wb at both ends in the Y direction and transports the substrates Wf, Wb between the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 and the boat 50.

[0216] This allows two substrates Wf, Wb to be accommodated in one pair of claws 52 of the boat 50. Therefore, the number of substrates that can be accommodated in the reaction tube 10 can be increased while widening the pitch between the pairs of substrates Wf, Wb accommodated in the boat 50, and the productivity of the semiconductor device SD can be improved while maintaining the uniformity of the layer thickness of a predetermined layer and the step coverage of fine irregularities.

[0217] According to the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 holds the substrate Wb from the backside and removes it from the storage container 50, turns the substrate Wb upside down, and transfers it to the arm of the transfer robot 30. Furthermore, the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 holds the substrate Wf from the front side and removes it from the storage container 40, and transfers it to the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 without turning the substrate Wf upside down. This allows the two substrates Wf, Wb to be transferred to the transfer robot 30 with their backsides overlapping.

[0218] According to the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment, when a substrate Wb with its front surface facing downward and a substrate Wf stacked on the back surface of the substrate Wb with its front surface facing upward are placed on a pair of claws 52 of a boat 50, the substrate Wf is held by the holder 35 of the transport robot 30, and the substrate Wb is held by the holder 36, and they are removed from the boat 50. This allows the two substrates Wf and Wb stacked with their back surfaces facing each other to be unloaded from the boat 50.

[0219] According to the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment, when removing a pair of substrates Wf, Wb from the boat 50, the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 first holds the substrate Wf with the holder 35, and then holds the substrate Wb with the holder 36. This allows the substrate Wf superimposed on the substrate Wb to be held in a floating state, and then the substrate Wb supported by the pair of claws 52 to be held and removed from the boat 50. Therefore, the two substrates Wf, Wb can be removed from the boat 50 in a single transfer operation.

[0220] According to the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 receives, from the front side, the substrate Wf held by the holder 35 of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb held by the arm 31 of the transport robot 30, and stores it in the storage container 40. Furthermore, the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 receives, from the back side, the substrate Wb held by the holder 36 of the pair of substrates Wf, Wb held by the arm 31 of the transport robot 30, and stores the substrate Wb in the storage container 40 by inverting the front and back sides.

[0221] As a result, of the two substrates Wf, Wb, the substrate Wf whose front surface faces upward can be stored in the storage container 40 as is, and the substrate Wb whose back surface faces downward can be stored in the storage container 40 with its front surface facing upward.

[0222] According to the embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus 1, when transferring a substrate W between the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 and the arm 31 of the transport robot 30, the extension direction of the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 and the extension direction of the arm 31 of the transport robot 30 are crossed.

[0223] This allows the arms 21, 31 to hold different ends of the substrate W, and allows the substrate W to be transferred between the transport robots 20, 30 while preventing interference between the arms 21, 31 and the substrate W.

[0224] According to the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the embodiment, the substrate processing performed in the reaction tube 10 is processing for forming a predetermined layer TL by ALD. In this way, the above-described method for transporting the substrates Wf, Wb can be applied when performing film formation processing by the ALD method on substrates W having a large effective surface area, which is susceptible to the influence of process characteristics due to the pitch between these substrates W.

[0225] In the method of the above-described embodiment, each of the top and bottom surfaces of a pair of substrates Wf, Wb is processed. However, because the pitch between these pairs of substrates Wf, Wb is maintained appropriately, the flow of processing gas passing from the nozzle 14 through the pairs of substrates Wf, Wb and discharged to the outside of the inner tube 13 is not obstructed, and it is possible to improve the productivity of semiconductor devices SD while maintaining the uniformity of the layer thickness of a predetermined layer and the step coverage of fine irregularities.

[0226] (Variation) Next, the configuration of a modified example of the embodiment will be described. The transport robot 30 of the modified example differs from the above-described embodiment in that it also uses holders 35, 36 when loading the substrate W. In the above-described modified example, holder 35 as the third holder and holder 36 as the second holder are both examples of the first holder.

[0227] The transport robot 30 can load the substrate W using the holders 35, 36 by performing the operations shown in Figures 12, 13, 15, and 17 in the reverse direction. An example of the operation of loading the substrate W by the transport robot 30 of the modified example will be described below with reference to Figures 12, 13, 15, and 17.

[0228] As shown in Figures 17(Ba) and (Bb), with the substrate Wb removed from the storage container 40 held on the underside of the arm 21, the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 is controlled so that the substrate Wb is positioned at the height position of the holding portion 36 provided on the arm 31 of the transport robot 30.

[0229] At this time, the front surface of the substrate Wb faces downward toward the arm 31. Furthermore, the holders 35 and 36 of the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 are both in an open state.

[0230] 17(Aa) and 17(Ab), the holder 36 of the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 is closed to hold the substrate Wb at both ends in the Y direction. In addition, the holder 25 of the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 is opened to release the substrate Wb that was held by the arm 21 at both ends in the X direction. This allows the substrate Wb to be handed over from the transfer robot 20 to the transfer robot 30.

[0231] As shown in Figures 15(Ba) and (Bb), with the substrate Wf removed from the storage container 40 held on the underside of the arm 21, the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 is controlled so that the substrate Wf is positioned at the height position of the holding portion 35 provided on the arm 31 of the transport robot 30.

[0232] At this time, the front surface of the substrate Wf faces the upper arm 21. The holder 35 of the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 is still in the open state.

[0233] 15(Aa) and 15(Ab), the holder 35 of the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 is closed to hold the substrate Wf at both ends in the Y direction. In addition, the holder 25 of the arm 21 of the transfer robot 20 is opened to release the substrate Wf that was held by the arm 21 at both ends in the X direction. This allows the substrate Wf to be handed over from the transfer robot 20 to the transfer robot 30.

[0234] As shown in FIGS. 13(Ba) and 13(Bb), the transfer robot 30 rotates the rotating part 33 to direct the arm 31 toward the boat 50 side.

[0235] As shown in FIGS. 13(Aa) and 13(Ab), the transfer robot 30 extends the arm 31 and inserts the tip of the arm 31 holding the two substrates Wf and Wb into an empty slot in the boat 50.

[0236] 12(Ca) and 12(Cb), the transfer robot 30 opens the holding portion 36 of the arm 31 to release the substrate Wb. As a result, the substrate Wb is supported by the pair of claws 52 of the boat 50.

[0237] 12(Ba) and 12(Bb), the transfer robot 30 opens the holding portion 35 of the arm 31 to release the substrate Wf. As a result, the substrate Wf is superimposed on the back surface of the substrate Wb supported by the pair of claws 52 of the boat 50.

[0238] Thereafter, the arm 31 is retracted and pulled out from the boat 50, whereby the pair of substrates Wf, Wb is accommodated in the boat 50.

[0239] In addition, as in the above-described modified example, when the transfer robot 30 uses the holders 35 and 36 when loading the substrate W, the arm 31 of the transfer robot 30 does not need to have the holder 37.

[0240] The substrate processing apparatus of the modified example provides the same effects as those of the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the above-described embodiment.

[0241] In the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the above-described embodiment and modified example, for example, the arm 21 of the transport robot 20 changes its vertical position relative to the storage container 40 to transfer the substrate W. However, the substrate W may also be transferred by changing the vertical position of the storage container 40 relative to the arm 21. Similarly, for example, the substrate W may also be transferred by changing the vertical position of the boat 50 relative to the arm 31, rather than by changing the vertical position of the arm 31 of the transport robot 30.

[0242] In this way, the vertical movements of the arm 21 and the container 40, and the arm 31 and the boat 50 are relative to each other, and the substrate W may be transported by changing the vertical position of at least one of them.

[0243] Furthermore, the substrate processing by the substrate processing apparatus 1 of the above-described embodiment and modified example is performed, for example, during the manufacture of semiconductor devices. However, the substrate processing apparatus having the above-described transport mechanism can be used to process various types of substrates, not limited to semiconductor devices.

[0244] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0245] 1...substrate processing apparatus, 10...reaction tube, 20, 30...transport robot, 21, 31...arm, 25, 35-37...holding part, 40...container, 50...boat, 52...claw part, 60...casing, 64...container stand, 100...control part, SD...semiconductor device, TL...predetermined layer, W, Wb, Wf...substrate

Claims

1. a boat capable of holding a plurality of substrates removed from a container in a first direction intersecting with the surfaces of the plurality of substrates; a reaction tube that accommodates the boat and is capable of processing the plurality of substrates; first and second arms for transporting the plurality of substrates; The first arm includes: a substrate holding device that holds one substrate at both ends in a second direction intersecting the first direction and that is capable of transporting the one substrate between the container and the second arm; The second arm includes: a first holding portion capable of supporting two substrates in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, and capable of transporting the two substrates between the first arm and the boat; Substrate processing equipment.

2. The first arm includes: holding a first substrate from a back surface side of the plurality of substrates and removing it from the container, and then inverting the first substrate and transferring it to the second arm; a second substrate among the plurality of substrates is held from the front surface side and removed from the container, and the second substrate is transferred to the second arm without being turned over. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. The boat is a plurality of claw portions arranged at predetermined intervals in the first direction and capable of holding the plurality of substrates; The second arm includes: a second holding portion capable of holding one substrate at both ends in a direction along the extension direction of the second arm; a third holding portion capable of holding one substrate at both ends in a direction along the extension direction of the second arm and located above the second holding portion; of the first and second substrates placed on one of the plurality of claw portions, the second substrate is held by the third holding portion and the first substrate is held by the second holding portion, and the substrates are removed from the boat. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

4. The first arm includes: receiving the second substrate held by the third holding unit from the front surface side of the first and second substrates held by the second arm, and storing the second substrate in the storage container; receiving the first substrate held by the second holding unit from the back surface side of the first and second substrates held by the second arm, and inverting the first substrate upside down and accommodating it in the container; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 .

5. transporting the plurality of substrates contained in a container to a boat capable of containing the plurality of substrates by first and second arms, and holding the plurality of substrates in the boat while arranging them in a first direction intersecting with the surfaces of the plurality of substrates; The boat holding the plurality of substrates is placed in a reaction tube; treating the plurality of substrates inside the reaction tube; The transporting of the plurality of substrates between the container and the boat includes: a first arm holding a first substrate among the plurality of substrates at both ends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and transporting the first substrate between the container and the second arm; using the second arm to support the first substrate and a second substrate of the plurality of substrates different from the first substrate by a first holding portion in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, and transporting the first and second substrates between the first arm and the boat. Substrate processing method.

6. transporting the plurality of substrates contained in a container to a boat capable of containing the plurality of substrates by first and second arms, and holding the plurality of substrates in the boat while arranging them in a first direction intersecting with the surfaces of the plurality of substrates; The boat holding the plurality of substrates is placed in a reaction tube; treating the plurality of substrates inside the reaction tube; The transporting of the plurality of substrates between the container and the boat includes: a first arm holding a first substrate among the plurality of substrates at both ends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and transporting the first substrate between the container and the second arm; using the second arm to support the first substrate and a second substrate of the plurality of substrates different from the first substrate by a first holding portion in a third direction intersecting the first and second directions, and transporting the first and second substrates between the first arm and the boat. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

Images