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

Abstract

To provide a technology that can reduce excess substrate waiting time in a substrate processing process.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a process chamber in which a substrate-processing process including a heating process to a substrate is capable of being performed; a boat configured to support the substrate; a revolution part including a plurality of boat supports configured to support the boat, and capable of revolving the boat supports; a delivery chamber including a first area arranged below the process chamber, a second area where the substrate after the heating process is capable of waiting, and a third area where the substrate is capable of being delivered to and from an adjacent transfer chamber, among areas above the revolution part; a cooler capable of performing a cooling process to the substrate in the second area; and a controller capable of controlling a revolution operation of revolving the substrate from the second area to the third area by the revolution part, or a movement operation of moving the substrate from the process chamber to the first area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology of the present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] As one aspect of a substrate processing apparatus used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, for example, there is an apparatus that arranges a plurality of boats in a transfer chamber (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The boat arranged in the transfer chamber moves to a processing chamber above the transfer chamber, and substrate processing including heat treatment is performed. Then, it returns to the transfer chamber and cooling treatment is performed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Depending on the end time of substrate processing including heat treatment of the substrate in the processing chamber and the end time of cooling treatment of the substrate in the transfer chamber, it is conceivable that the surplus waiting time of the substrate increases.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technology capable of reducing the surplus waiting time of a substrate in a substrate processing step.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a processing chamber capable of performing substrate processing including a process of heating a substrate; a boat that supports the substrate; a plurality of boat support portions that support the boat, and a revolving portion that can revolve the boat support portion; A transfer chamber comprising: a first area located below the processing chamber within the area above the orbiting section; a second area where the substrate after heat treatment can be awaited; and a third area where the substrate can be transferred between adjacent transport chambers. The second area includes a cooling unit capable of cooling the substrate, A control unit capable of controlling the revolving unit to perform a revolving operation to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, or a moving operation to move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of substrate processing of the substrate in the processing chamber and the end time of cooling of the substrate in the second area. A technology possessing this feature is provided. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a technology that can reduce the excess waiting time of the substrate in the substrate processing process. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration example of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of the configuration of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic example of the configuration of the first gas supply section of the reactor. [Figure 3B] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic example of the configuration of the second gas supply section of the reactor. [Figure 3C] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic example of the configuration of the third gas supply section of the reactor. [Figure 4] This figure shows the configuration of the control unit of a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the orbital unit in a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5B]It is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the revolving part in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5C] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the revolving part in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5D] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the revolving part in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5E] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the revolving part in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6A] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining another example of the operation of the revolving part in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6B] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining another example of the operation of the revolving part in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6C] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining another example of the operation of the revolving part in the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] It is a flowchart showing a substrate processing step according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings used in the following description are all schematic, and the dimensional relationships of each element on the drawings, the ratios of each element, etc. do not necessarily match the actual ones. Also, among the plurality of drawings, the dimensional relationships of each element, the ratios of each element, etc. do not necessarily match.

[0010] (1) Configuration of the substrate processing apparatus The schematic configuration of the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration example of the substrate processing apparatus according to the present technology. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration example of the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and is also a sectional view along the arrow 2X-2X in FIG. 1.

[0011] Figures 1 and 2 show a substrate processing apparatus 100 to which the technology of the present disclosure is applied. The substrate processing apparatus 100 is an apparatus for processing a substrate S. The substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a transfer chamber 140 and a reactor 200.

[0012] <Transfer chamber 140> The transfer chamber 140 is a chamber for transferring the substrate S under negative pressure. The transfer chamber 140 is constituted by a housing 142. Although not shown, a vacuum device for making the inside of the chamber under negative pressure is connected to the transfer chamber 140. The inside of the transfer chamber 140 is set to negative pressure by this vacuum device.

[0013] The transfer chamber 140 is configured to communicate with a transfer chamber 270 of the reactor 200. Specifically, the transfer chamber 140 communicates through a loading / unloading port 144 provided in a housing 272 that constitutes the transfer chamber 270. The loading / unloading port 144 is used as a passage for loading the substrate S from the transfer chamber 140 into the transfer chamber 270 or unloading the substrate S from the transfer chamber 270 into the transfer chamber 140. The loading / unloading port 144 is opened and closed by a gate valve 146 attached to the housing 272.

[0014] A transfer robot 150 for transferring (conveying) the substrate S under negative pressure is installed in the transfer chamber 140. The transfer robot 150 has an arm 152 provided with an end effector. The transfer robot 150 is configured to be able to move up and down and rotate while maintaining the airtightness of the transfer chamber 140 by a lifting device (not shown) and a rotating device (not shown).

[0015] The transport robot 150 receives the substrate S before processing by the reactor 200 from the equipment outside the transport chamber 140 and transports the received substrate S into the transfer chamber 270 inside the reactor 200. The transport robot 150 also unloads the substrate S after processing by the reactor 200 from the transfer chamber 270 and hands over the unloaded substrate S to the equipment outside the transport chamber 140. In this embodiment, the substrate S before processing by the reactor 200 is referred to as the unprocessed substrate S. The substrate S after processing (heating and cooling) by the reactor 200 is referred to as the processed substrate S.

[0016] <Reactor 200> The reactor 200 is a device capable of processing the substrate S. For example, the reactor 200 is a device that performs processing such as forming a thin film on the surface of the substrate S.

[0017] The reactor 200 comprises a processing chamber 210, a boat 240, a revolving section 260, a transfer chamber 270, a cooling section 290, and a controller 400. The processing chamber 210 is located above the transfer chamber 270. Here, "above" refers to the vertical direction above, and "below" refers to the vertical direction below. In this embodiment, the vertical direction is the same as the vertical direction of the substrate processing apparatus 100. Hereafter, the vertical directions above and below will be simply referred to as "above" and "below."

[0018] (Processing Room 210) The processing chamber 210 is a room in which substrate processing, including heating of the substrate S, can be performed. This processing chamber 210 is mainly composed of a reaction tube 212. A heater 214 is arranged on the outer circumference of the reaction tube 212 as a heating element that heats the processing chamber 210 via the reaction tube 212. The heater 214 is spaced apart from the outer wall of the reaction tube 212. In this embodiment, a resistance heater is used as the heater 214. However, any heater other than a resistance heater may be used as the heater 214, as long as it can heat the processing chamber 210.

[0019] The upper end of the reaction tube 212 is closed. The lower end of the reaction tube 212 is provided with a flange portion 212a that protrudes radially inward from the reaction tube 212. The center of the flange portion 212a is open, forming a furnace opening 212b. The boat 240 moves between the processing chamber 210 and the transfer chamber 270 through the furnace opening 212b.

[0020] The reaction tube 212 is configured to accommodate the boat 240 that supports the substrate S. The area within the internal space of the reaction tube 212 in which the boat 240 that supports the substrate S is housed is called the processing area, and the section that makes up the processing area is called the processing chamber 210.

[0021] The reaction tube 212 is provided with multiple nozzles 220. These nozzles 220 penetrate the peripheral wall of the reaction tube 212 and extend from bottom to top. Each nozzle 220 has multiple gas holes (not shown) spaced apart in the direction of extension. The gas supplied from the gas holes of the nozzles 220 is supplied to the substrate S supported by the boat 240 in the processing chamber 210.

[0022] The nozzles 220 are provided, for example, for each type of gas. In this embodiment, two nozzles 220a and 220b are used as an example. Each nozzle 220 is arranged so as not to overlap in the horizontal direction.

[0023] As shown in Figure 3A, the nozzle 220a is supplied with the first gas from the first gas supply unit 222. That is, the first gas supply unit 222 is configured to supply the first gas to the nozzle 220a. The first gas supply unit 222 comprises a gas supply pipe 222a, a first gas source 222b, a mass flow controller (MFC) 222c which is a flow control unit, and a valve 222d which is an on / off valve. The gas supply pipe 222a is provided with the first gas source 222b, the MFC 222c, and the valve 222d in order from the upstream direction. The gas supply pipe 222a is configured to communicate with the nozzle 220a.

[0024] The first gas source 222b is a source of the first gas (also called the "first element-containing gas") containing the first element. The first element-containing gas is a raw material gas, that is, one of the processing gases. Here, the first element is, for example, silicon (Si). Specifically, it is a chlorosilane raw material gas containing Si-Cl bonds, such as hexachlorodisilane (Si2Cl6, abbreviated as HCDS) gas, monochlorosilane (SiH3Cl, abbreviated as MCS) gas, dichlorosilane (SiH2Cl2, abbreviated as DCS), trichlorosilane (SiHCl3, abbreviated as TCS) gas, tetrachlorosilane (SiCl4, abbreviated as STC) gas, and octachlorotrisilane (Si3Cl8, abbreviated as OCTS) gas. The first gas supply unit 222 is also called the silicon-containing gas supply unit.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3B, the nozzle 220b is supplied with a second gas from the second gas supply unit 224. That is, the second gas supply unit 224 is configured to supply a second gas to the nozzle 220b. The second gas supply unit 224 comprises a gas supply pipe 224a, a second gas source 224b, an MFC 224c, and a valve 224d. The gas supply pipe 224a is provided with the second gas source 224b, the MFC 224c, and the valve 224d in that order from the upstream direction. The gas supply pipe 224a is configured to communicate with the nozzle 220b.

[0026] The second gas source 224b is a source of a second gas containing the second element (hereinafter also referred to as "second element-containing gas"). The second element-containing gas is one of the process gases. The second element-containing gas may also be considered as a reaction gas or a reforming gas.

[0027] Here, the second element-containing gas contains a second element different from the first element. The second element is, for example, one of oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), or carbon (C). In this embodiment, the second element-containing gas is, for example, a nitrogen-containing gas. Specifically, it is a hydrogen nitride-based gas containing NH bonds, such as ammonia (NH3), diazene (N2H2) gas, hydrazine (N2H4) gas, or N3H8 gas. The second gas supply unit 224 is also called the reaction gas supply unit.

[0028] In this embodiment, the number of nozzles 220 is set to two, but this disclosure is not limited to this configuration. The number of nozzles 220 may be set to three or more depending on the substrate processing requirements.

[0029] As shown in Figure 2, an exhaust unit 230 is connected to the reaction tube 212. The exhaust unit 230 is a device that evacuates the reaction tube 212 to a predetermined pressure (vacuum). The exhaust unit 230 includes an exhaust pipe 230a, a valve 230b, an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 230c as a pressure regulator (pressure adjustment unit), and a vacuum pump (not shown). The exhaust pipe 230a communicates with the inside of the reaction tube 212. The vacuum pump is connected to this exhaust pipe 230a via valves 230b and 230c. The exhaust unit 230 may also be provided with a pressure detection unit 230d that has the function of detecting the pressure inside the reaction tube 212. The pressure inside the reaction tube 212 is adjusted by the cooperation of the gas supply unit and the exhaust unit 230 described above. When adjusting the pressure, for example, the pressure may be adjusted so that the pressure value detected by the pressure detection unit 230d becomes a predetermined value.

[0030] (Boat 240) The boat 240 is a support capable of supporting substrates S. The boat 240 is configured to support multiple substrates S with spacing between them in the vertical direction. The boat 240 comprises a top plate portion 242, a bottom plate portion 244, and a support portion 246. The support portion 246 is located between the top plate portion 242 and the bottom plate portion 244. The support portion 246 also comprises multiple mounting portions (not shown) that enable the support of multiple substrates S with spacing between them in the vertical direction. In other words, the support portion 246 can support multiple substrates S in multiple stages in the vertical direction using its multiple mounting portions.

[0031] (Orbital section 260) As shown in Figure 1, the orbiting unit 260 is a device capable of orbiting the boat 240. The orbiting unit 260 comprises a boat support unit 262, an orbiting platform 264, an orbiting axis 266, and an orbiting mechanism 268.

[0032] The boat support section 262 is the part that supports the boat 240. Multiple boat support sections 262 are provided on the orbital platform 264. Specifically, multiple boat support sections 262 are provided at intervals in the rotational direction of the orbital platform 264. In this embodiment, as an example, three boat support sections 262 are provided on the orbital platform 264. The boat support section 262 also has a rotating shaft 262a and a rotating mechanism 262b. The rotating shaft 262a extends vertically from the orbital platform 264. The upper end of this rotating shaft 262a is releasably connected to the bottom plate section 244 of the boat 240. When the rotating shaft 262a rotates with the bottom plate section 244 connected to the upper end of the rotating shaft 262a, the boat 240 rotates relative to the orbital platform 264. For example, when the transport robot 150 transfers the substrate S, the rotation of the boat 240 makes it possible to adjust the orientation of the boat 240. The rotating mechanism 262b is fixed to the orbital platform 264 and rotatably supports the rotating shaft 262a.

[0033] Multiple boat support sections 262 are provided on the upper surface of the orbital platform 264. An orbital axis 266 is connected to the center of the orbital platform 264. The rotation of the orbital axis 266 causes the orbital platform 264 to rotate. The rotation of the orbital platform 264 causes the boat support sections 262 to revolve around the orbital axis 266.

[0034] The orbital axis 266 is connected to the orbital platform 264. This orbital axis 266 extends vertically and penetrates the bottom wall of the transfer chamber 270. The orbital axis 266 rotates the orbital platform 264 by the rotational force from the orbital mechanism 268, causing the boat support section 262 to revolve. The orbital mechanism 268 is controlled by a controller 400, which will be described later.

[0035] The orbital mechanism 268 is provided on the underside of the bottom wall of the transfer chamber 270 and rotatably supports the orbital axis 266. For example, by orbiting the orbital platform 264, the boat 240 can be moved from a position adjacent to the loading / unloading port 144 to below the processing chamber 210. Specifically, when moving to the next area, the orbital platform 264 is rotated to orbit the boat by approximately 120 degrees, depending on the situation.

[0036] (Transfer room 270) As shown in Figure 2, the transfer chamber 270 is a room in which substrates S can be transferred via the loading / unloading port 144 by a transport robot 150 in the transport chamber 140. The transfer chamber 270 is located below the processing chamber 210 and is configured to communicate with the processing chamber 210. Specifically, the lower end of the reaction tube 212 is connected to the upper part (ceiling) of the housing 272 that constitutes the transfer chamber 270. The transfer chamber 270 communicates with the inside of the reaction tube 212 through the furnace opening 212b.

[0037] An loading / unloading port 144 for loading and unloading substrates S is provided on the side wall of the housing 272. The loading / unloading port 144 is opened and closed by a gate valve 146. In the transfer chamber 270, a transport robot 150 loads (mounts) substrates S onto the boat 240 via the loading / unloading port 144, and the transport robot 150 also removes substrates S from the boat 240.

[0038] A boat elevator 274 is provided in the transfer chamber 270. This boat elevator 274 is a device that can raise and lower the boat 240. The boat elevator 274 has a lid 276 that supports the boat 240. The boat 240 moves between the transfer chamber 270 and the processing chamber 210 as the lid 276 rises and falls. The lid 276 is a member that closes the furnace opening 212b. For this reason, the diameter of the lid 276 is configured to be larger than the diameter of the furnace opening 212b. An O-ring may be provided as a sealing member on the lower surface of the flange portion 212a of the reaction tube 212 or on the upper surface of the lid 276. If an O-ring is provided, when the boat 240 is set in a predetermined position in the processing chamber 210, the O-ring is crushed and deformed between the flange portion 212a and the lid 276. This makes the inside of the reaction tube 212 more airtight. A heater may also be provided on the lid 276. By providing a heater in the lid 276, it becomes possible to maintain the same temperature for the substrate S located below the boat 240 and the substrate S located above it.

[0039] A boat support section 278 is provided on the lid 276 to support the boat 240. This boat support section 278 has a rotating shaft 278a and a rotating mechanism 278b. The rotating shaft 278a extends in the vertical direction. The bottom plate 244 of the boat 240 is connected to the upper end of the rotating shaft 278a. When the rotating shaft 278a rotates with the bottom plate 244 of the boat 240 connected to the upper end of the rotating shaft 278a, the boat 240 rotates relative to the lid 276. For example, the rotation of the rotating shaft 278a causes the boat 240 housed in the processing chamber 210 to rotate. The rotating mechanism 278b is also fixed to the lid 276. The rotating mechanism 278b rotatably supports the rotating shaft 278a.

[0040] The boat elevator 274 moves the cover 276 downward and receives the boat 240 from the boat support 262 on the orbital section 260 at the upper end of the rotating shaft 278a. Once the boat elevator 274 receives the boat 240, it raises the cover 276 and houses the boat 240 into the processing chamber 210. After the substrate processing of the substrate S in the processing chamber 210 is completed, the boat elevator 274 lowers the cover 276 to remove the boat 240 from the processing chamber 210. It then transfers the boat 240 from the rotating shaft 278a on the cover 276 to the boat support 262 on the orbital section 260.

[0041] An exhaust unit 280 is connected to the transfer chamber 270. The exhaust unit 280 is a device that evacuates the transfer chamber 270 to a predetermined pressure (vacuum level). The exhaust unit 280 includes an exhaust pipe 280a, a valve 280b, an APC valve 280c, and a vacuum pump (not shown). The exhaust pipe 280a is in communication with the transfer chamber 270. The vacuum pump is connected to this exhaust pipe 280a via valves 280b and 280c. The exhaust unit 280 may also be provided with a pressure detection unit 280d that has the function of detecting the pressure in the transfer chamber 270.

[0042] As shown in Figure 1, the transfer chamber 270 has a first area A1, a second area A2, and a third area A3 within the area above the orbiting section 260. The first area A1 and the second area A2 are also shown in Figure 2.

[0043] The first area A1 is an area where the boat 240 can be moved between the orbiting section 260 and the boat elevator 274. Specifically, in the first area A1, the boat 240 is moved between the boat support section 262 of the orbiting section 260 and the boat support section 278 of the boat elevator 274. This first area A1 is located below the processing chamber 210. Furthermore, the first area A1 includes at least the furnace opening 212b when viewed from above.

[0044] The second area A2 is an area where the substrate S after heat treatment can be kept. Furthermore, the second area A2 is also an area where the substrate S after heat treatment can be cooled. Specifically, in the second area A2, inert gas is sent from the cooling unit 290 towards the substrate S after heat treatment. This cools the substrate S after heat treatment. The second area A2 is located downstream of the first area A1 in the direction of rotation when the orbiting unit 260 rotates clockwise (right-handed).

[0045] The third area A3 is adjacent to the transport room 140 and is an area where substrates S can be transferred between the transport room 140 and the third area A3. Specifically, the transport robot 150 hands over unprocessed substrates S to the boat 240 located in the third area A3, and receives processed substrates S from the boat 240 located in the third area A3. In this way, substrates S are transferred between the third area A3 and the transport room 140. In the third area A3, the boat 240 is positioned opposite the loading / unloading port 144, and the transport robot 150 is configured to be able to transfer substrates S.

[0046] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, for convenience, the first area A1, the second area A2, and the third area A3 are each defined as areas at equal angles (120 degrees) around the rotation axis of the orbital section 260. That is, the sizes of the first area A1, the second area A2, and the third area A3 are all set to the same size. This disclosure is not limited to this configuration. The size of each area may be set as appropriate. In addition, areas other than the first area A1, the second area A2, and the third area A3 may be newly defined.

[0047] (Cooling section 290) As shown in Figure 1, the cooling unit 290 is a device capable of cooling the substrate S after heat treatment. In this embodiment, an inert gas is sent from the cooling unit 290 to the substrate S to cool it.

[0048] The cooling units 290 are located in the transfer chamber 270. Specifically, multiple cooling units 290 are arranged on the orbital platform 264 of the orbital unit 260, spaced apart in the direction of rotation of the orbital platform 264. In this embodiment, as an example, three cooling units 290 are arranged near three boat support sections 262 of the orbital unit 260. The cooling units 290 are configured to supply inert gas to the boat 240 supported by the boat support sections 262. Each cooling unit 290 is provided with a gas hole, and the inert gas sent to each cooling unit 290 is sent through the gas hole to the substrate S supported by the boat 240.

[0049] As shown in Figure 3C, each cooling section 290 is supplied with inert gas from the third gas supply section 291. The third gas supply section 291 comprises gas supply pipes 292a, 292b, and 292c, a third gas source 294, MFCs 296a, 296b, and 296c, and valves 298a, 298b, and 298c. The gas supply pipe 292a is connected to the third gas source 294, MFC 296a, and valve 298a in order from the upstream direction. The gas supply pipe 292a is configured to communicate with cooling section 290a of the three cooling sections 290. The gas supply pipe 292b is connected to the third gas source 294, MFC 296b, and valve 298b in order from the upstream direction. The gas supply pipe 292b is configured to communicate with cooling section 290b of the three cooling sections 290. The gas supply pipe 292c is equipped with, in order from upstream, a third gas source 294, an MFC 296c, and a valve 298c. The gas supply pipe 292c is configured to communicate with one of the three cooling sections 290, specifically cooling section 290c. The inert gas supplied from the third gas source 294 is, for example, nitrogen (N2) gas.

[0050] <Controller> Next, we will explain the controller 400 using Figure 4. The controller 400 controls the operation of each part of the substrate processing device 100.

[0051] The controller 400, which is the control unit (control means), is configured as a computer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 401, RAM (Random Access Memory) 402, a storage unit 403 as a storage device, and I / O ports 404. The RAM 402, storage unit 403, and I / O ports 404 are configured to exchange data with the CPU 401 via an internal bus 405. Data transmission and reception within the board processing device 100 are performed by instructions from a transmission / reception instruction unit 406, which is one of the functions of the CPU 401. Calculations in the board processing device 100 are performed by a calculation unit 407, which is one of the functions of the CPU 401. The selection of each operation in the board processing device 100 is performed by a processing selection unit 408, which is one of the functions of the CPU 401. The settings for each operation in the board processing device 100 are performed by a processing setting unit 409, which is one of the functions of the CPU 401.

[0052] The CPU 401 is configured to read and execute control programs from the memory unit 403, and to read process recipes from the memory unit 403 in response to input of operation commands from the input / output device 423. The CPU 401 is then configured to control, for example, the opening and closing operation of the gate valve 146, the on / off control of each pump, the flow rate adjustment operation of the MFC, and the opening and closing operation of valves, in accordance with the contents of the read process recipe.

[0053] The storage unit 403 is composed of, for example, flash memory, an HDD (Hard Disk Drive), etc. The storage unit 403 stores, in a readable format, a recipe 410 consisting of a process recipe that describes the procedures and conditions for substrate processing, a control program 411 that controls the operation of the substrate processing apparatus, a processing type information table 412 that stores the type of substrate processing, and a processing history table 413 that records the history of substrate processing.

[0054] The process recipe is a combination of steps in the substrate processing process described later that can be executed by the controller 400 to obtain a predetermined result, and functions as a program.

[0055] Hereinafter, this process recipe and control program will be collectively referred to simply as "the program." In this specification, the term "program" may include only the process recipe, only the control program, or both. Furthermore, RAM 402 is configured as a memory area (work area) where programs and data read by CPU 401 are temporarily held.

[0056] The I / O port 404 is connected to various components such as the gate valve 146, each pressure regulator, each pump, and the heater control unit. Furthermore, a network transceiver 421 is provided, which is connected to the higher-level device 420 via a network.

[0057] The controller 400 can be configured by installing the program on a computer using the external storage device 422 that stores the program described above. Examples of the external storage device 422 include magnetic disks such as hard disks, optical disks such as DVDs, magneto-optical disks such as MOs, and semiconductor memory such as USB memory. Furthermore, the means for supplying the program to the computer are not limited to supplying it via the external storage device 422. For example, the program may be supplied without going through the external storage device 422 by using communication means such as the internet or a dedicated line. The storage unit 403 and the external storage device 422 are configured as computer-readable recording media. Hereinafter, these will be collectively referred to simply as recording media. In this specification, when the term recording media is used, it may include only the storage unit 403, only the external storage device 422, or both.

[0058] Next, we will explain the transport operation of the substrate S in the transfer chamber 270 by the controller 400.

[0059] The controller 400 can control the orbiting unit 260 to perform an orbital operation to move the substrate S from the second area A2 to the third area A3, or to move the substrate S from the processing chamber 210 to the first area A1, depending on the difference between the end time of substrate processing of the substrate S in the processing chamber 210 and the end time of cooling processing of the substrate S in the second area A2. Here, the orbital operation to move the substrate S from the second area A2 to the third area A3 refers to the operation of moving the substrate S, which has finished cooling processing in the second area A2, to the third area A3 by the orbit of the orbiting unit 260. Also, the operation to move the substrate from the processing chamber 210 to the first area A1 refers to the operation of moving the substrate S, which has finished substrate processing including heating processing in the processing chamber 210, to the first area A1. The substrate S that has been moved from the processing chamber 210 to the first area A1 is configured to then move to the second area A2. In other words, the controller 400 moves the substrate S, which has been moved from the processing room 210 to the first area A1, to the second area A2.

[0060] The substrate processing includes a loading process in which the substrate S is loaded into the processing chamber 210, a heating process in which the substrate S is heated in the processing chamber 210, and a transfer preparation process in which preparations are made to move the substrate S from the processing chamber 210 to the transfer chamber 270 after the heating process. In other words, the end time of the substrate processing of the substrate S is the time when the transfer preparation process is completed. The transfer preparation process refers to, for example, a process to bring the pressure inside the reaction tube 212 closer to the pressure inside the transfer chamber 270 when moving the substrate S from the processing chamber 210 to the transfer chamber 270. The loading process is performed when the processing chamber 210 is heated. That is, the substrate S sent from the first area A1 is placed inside the heated processing chamber 210.

[0061] In this embodiment, the controller 400 controls the system to perform a revolving motion without removing the substrate S from the processing chamber 210 if the end time of the cooling process is earlier than the end time of the substrate processing. In particular, the system controls the system to perform a revolving motion if the time it takes for the substrate S to move from the second area A2 to the third area A3 is less than the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process.

[0062] Furthermore, the controller 400 controls the system to perform orbital operation when there are no new substrates S to be heated.

[0063] The heat-treated substrate S is cooled in the second area A2 by inert gas supplied from the cooling unit 290. Specifically, the substrate S removed from the processing chamber 210 is placed in a standby state in the second area A2 and cooled by inert gas from the cooling unit 290. Here, the controller 400 controls the supply amount of cooling gas to be less than the supply amount during the cooling process if there is no substrate S waiting in the second area A2. Specifically, the controller 400 increases the supply amount of inert gas supplied from the cooling unit 290 to the substrate S in the second area A2 if there is a heat-treated substrate S in the second area A2. The supply amount of inert gas in the second area A2 may be increased by increasing the amount of inert gas generated by the third gas source 294. Alternatively, the supply amount of inert gas supplied from the cooling unit 290 not located in the second area A2 may be reduced to increase the supply amount of inert gas in the second area A2.

[0064] Furthermore, the controller 400 may be controlled to operate the cooling unit 290 after the circuit board S has moved to the second area A2. In other words, the controller 400 may be controlled to keep the cooling unit 290 stopped when the circuit board S is not present in the second area A2, and to operate the cooling unit 290 when the circuit board S is present in the second area A2.

[0065] In this embodiment, the controller 400 controls the movement operation if the end time of the substrate processing is earlier than or equal to the end time of the cooling process. In other words, it controls the movement operation if the end time of the cooling process is later than the end time of the substrate processing, or if the end time of the cooling process and the end time of the substrate processing are substantially the same.

[0066] The controller 400 may be configured to allow setting the board processing time so that the heating state of the board S during board processing is substantially the same as the heating state of the board S during board processing of other lots. Substantially the same means, for example, within a range of about ±10°C.

[0067] The controller 400 may, after the movement operation, control the process to keep the processed substrate S in the first area A1 if the cooling process is still ongoing in the second area A2.

[0068] Furthermore, if the new circuit board S has not been loaded onto the boat 240 in the third area A3 after the movement operation, the controller 400 may control the system to keep the cooled circuit board S on standby in the first area A1. Additionally, the controller 400 may control the system to keep the processed circuit board S on standby in the first area A1 while the new circuit board S is being loaded onto the boat 240 that has been moved to the third area A3.

[0069] The controller 400 may also control the system so that the boat 240 is not present in the first area A1 for at least a portion of the time during which the substrate S is heated.

[0070] (2) Substrate processing process Next, the substrate processing process will be explained using Figures 5A to 5E and Figure 7. As one step of the substrate processing apparatus, the process of processing the substrate S using the substrate processing apparatus 100 with the above configuration will be explained. In the following explanation, the operation of each part constituting the substrate processing apparatus is controlled by the controller 400.

[0071] First, as shown in Figure 5A, the substrate S is transferred from the transport chamber 140 to the boat 240 located in the third area A3 of the transfer chamber 270 using the transport robot 150. Here, the substrate S being transferred to the boat 240 is denoted by the symbol S1 for convenience.

[0072] Next, as shown in Figure 5B, the rotation of the orbiting section 260 (clockwise rotation in Figure 5B) causes the boat 240 supporting the substrate S1 to orbit from the third area A3 to the first area A1, and the boat 240 not supporting the substrate to orbit from the second area A2 to the third area A3. At this point, the substrate S2 is transferred from the transport chamber 140 to the boat 240 that has moved to the third area A3 and is not supporting the substrate, using the transport robot 150.

[0073] (Boat loading process S202) When the boat 240 supporting the substrate S1 moves to the first area A1, the boat 240 is raised while being supported by the boat elevator 274. Then, the boat 240 is housed in the processing room 210. In other words, in the boat loading process S202, the boat 240 located in the first area A1 is loaded into the processing room 210.

[0074] (Heating process S204) The boat 240 housed in the processing chamber 210 is subjected to heat treatment. That is, the substrate S1 mounted on the boat 240 is subjected to heat treatment and a film is formed.

[0075] (Boat removal preparation process S206) Next, preparations for the removal of the boat 240 from the processing chamber 210 begin. Specifically, the pressure between the processing chamber 210 and the transfer chamber 270 is adjusted. Once the pressure is adjusted, the preparations for the removal of the boat 240 are completed. The end time of the boat removal preparation process S206 is the end time of the substrate processing of the substrate S.

[0076] (Boat removal process S208) Once preparations for boat removal are complete, the boat 240 is removed from the processing room 210 by the boat elevator 274 and handed over to the boat support section 262 on the first area A1 of the orbiting section 260.

[0077] Then, as shown in Figure 5C, the boat 240, having been removed from the processing chamber 210, revolves from the first area A1 to the second area A2 by the rotation of the orbital section 260. Once in the second area A2, the boat 240 is cooled by inert gas supplied from the cooling section 290.

[0078] Meanwhile, the boat 240 supporting the substrate S2 moves from the third area A3 to the first area A1 by the rotation of the orbiting section 260, and rises while being supported by the boat elevator 274. The boat 240 is then housed in the processing chamber 210, and substrate processing, including heat treatment, begins.

[0079] Here, the controller 400 selects one of two operations using the revolving unit 260, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing, including the heating treatment, and the end time of the cooling treatment: a revolving operation that moves the substrate S1 from the second area A2 to the third area A3, which is adjacent to the transport chamber 140 and located in the transfer chamber 270, or a moving operation that moves the substrate S1 from the processing chamber 210 to the first area A1. In this embodiment, the controller 400 controls the revolving operation if the end time of the cooling treatment is earlier than the end time of the substrate processing. The controller 400 also controls the moving operation if the end time of the substrate processing is earlier than or equal to the end time of the cooling treatment. Here, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5D, the cooling treatment is completed earlier than the substrate processing, so the boat 240 supporting the substrate S1 after the cooling treatment is completed moves to the third area A3. Then, in the third area A3, the processed substrate S1 is unloaded from the boat 240 by the transport robot 150.

[0080] Next, as shown in Figure 5E, the transport robot 150 transfers a new substrate S3 to the boat 240 from which substrate S1 was removed. After the transfer of substrate S3 to boat 240 is complete, boat 240 supporting substrate S3 waits in the third area A3 until the substrate processing of boat 240 supporting substrate S2 is completed. In this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 100 completes the cooling process earlier than the substrate processing process, so the removal of substrate S1 and the loading of substrate S3 occur while the substrate processing of substrate S2 is still ongoing. Therefore, the substrate processing apparatus 100 can reduce the excess waiting time of substrate S compared to, for example, the case where substrate S1 is cooled or kept waiting in the second area A2 until the substrate processing of substrate S2 is completed. On the other hand, if the substrate processing process is earlier than or equal to the cooling process, the substrate S1 is moved from the processing chamber 210 to the first area A1, thereby reducing the excess waiting time of substrate S and suppressing overheating of substrate S2 in the processing chamber 210.

[0081] Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the controller 400 controls the orbiting unit 260 to either perform an orbital operation to move the substrate S1 from the second area A2 to the third area A3, or to move the substrate S2 from the processing chamber 210 to the first area A1, depending on the difference between the end time of substrate processing of the substrate S2 in the processing chamber 210 and the end time of the cooling operation of the substrate S1 in the second area A2. Therefore, the orbital operation of the substrate S can be set based on the difference between the end time of the heating treatment and the end time of the cooling treatment. Consequently, the excess waiting time of the substrate S can be reduced as described above. As a result, the processing throughput in the substrate processing process can be improved.

[0082] In this embodiment, if the end time of the cooling process is earlier than the end time of the substrate processing, the controller 400 is controlled to perform an orbital operation. Therefore, if the cooling process time is shorter than the substrate processing time, the cooled substrate can be removed without waiting for the substrate processing to finish.

[0083] In this embodiment, the controller 400 is controlled to perform orbital movement if the time it takes to move from the second area A2 to the third area A3 is less than the difference in completion times. Therefore, if the total time of the cooling process and the rotation time is shorter than the time of substrate processing, the cooled substrate can be unloaded without waiting for the substrate processing to be completed.

[0084] In this embodiment, the controller 400 is controlled to perform a revolving operation when there are no new substrates to be heated. Therefore, when there are no new substrates to be processed, cooled substrates can be removed without waiting for the substrate processing to be completed.

[0085] In this embodiment, when the controller 400 does not have a substrate waiting in the second area A2, it controls the amount of cooling gas supplied to be less than the amount supplied during the cooling process, thereby suppressing the amount of cooling gas used.

[0086] In this embodiment, the controller 400 moves the substrate that has been moved from the processing chamber 210 to the first area A1 to the second area A2. Therefore, new substrates can be brought into the processing chamber 210 without waiting for the heat-treated substrates to cool down.

[0087] In this embodiment, the controller 400 controls the operation of the cooling unit 290 after the substrate has moved to the second area A2. This allows the heated substrate to be cooled without delay, and new substrates to be brought into the processing chamber, thereby improving processing throughput.

[0088] In this embodiment, the controller 400 controls the movement operation if the end time of the substrate processing is earlier than or equal to the end time of the cooling process. Therefore, if the substrate processing and cooling process are performed almost simultaneously, or if the substrate processing is completed earlier, the heating time of the substrate S in the processing chamber 210 can be kept constant across multiple lots.

[0089] In this embodiment, a resistance heater is used as heater 214. Therefore, even when the resistance heater is turned off, it is difficult to rapidly reduce its temperature. Consequently, by performing a moving operation, the heating time between batches can be kept constant.

[0090] In this embodiment, the substrate processing includes loading, heating, and preparation for transfer. Therefore, the time from loading, which is affected by the heater 214, to preparation for transfer can be kept constant across lots.

[0091] In this embodiment, the loading process is performed while the processing chamber 210 is heated. Therefore, even if substrates are loaded into the processing chamber 210 which has been heated in advance, the heating time between batches can be kept constant.

[0092] In this embodiment, the end time of substrate processing is defined as the time when the preparation process for transfer is completed. Therefore, by aligning the end times of the heating process for substrate processing, the heating time can be kept constant across lots.

[0093] In this embodiment, the substrate processing time can be set so that the heating state of the substrate during substrate processing is substantially the same as that of substrates processed in other lots. Therefore, by standardizing the heating state of substrate processing across lots, the heating treatment state can be kept consistent.

[0094] In this embodiment, the controller 400 controls the board S to wait in the first area A1 if the cooling process is continuing after the movement operation. Since the cooling process is not stopped, there is no need to spend time on startup related to the start of the cooling process, and the overall throughput can be improved.

[0095] In this embodiment, if the loading of a new substrate onto the boat 240 has not been completed in the third area A3 after the movement operation, the system may be controlled to have the cooled substrate wait in the first area A1. In this case, since the loading of the new substrate is not stopped midway in the third area A3, adjustment time related to the start of the loading process (such as opening and closing the gate valve 146 between the third area A3 and the transport chamber 140, or moving the boat 240 up and down) is not required, and the overall throughput can be improved.

[0096] In this embodiment, the system may be controlled to keep the cooled substrates in the first area A1 while a new substrate is being loaded onto the boat 240 that has been moved to the third area A3. In this case, the loading of the new substrate onto the boat 240 is not stopped midway in the third area A3, so adjustment time related to the start of the loading process (such as opening and closing the gate valve 146 between the third area A3 and the transport chamber 140, or moving the boat 240 up and down) is not required, and the overall throughput can be improved.

[0097] In this embodiment, the process may be controlled so that the boat is not present in the first area A1 for at least a portion of the time during which the substrate is heated. In this case, the first area A1 may still be affected by heat during the heating process, but because the boat 240 is not present, unnecessary heat influence is suppressed.

[0098] (Other embodiments) In the embodiments shown in Figures 5A to 5E, the apparatus is operated with the substrate S mainly placed on two of the three boats 240, but the disclosure is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in Figures 6A, 6B, and 6C, the substrate S may be placed on all three boats 240. In Figure 6A, after the substrate S2 is loaded into the boat 240 in Figure 5B, the process of loading the substrate S3 into the boat 240 that does not support the substrate is shown. At this time, the substrate S1 is cooled in the second area A2, and the substrate S2 is housed in the processing chamber 210 in the first area A1 and processed. Then, as shown in Figure 6B, the substrate S2 is removed from the processing chamber 210 and moved to the second area A2 for cooling. The substrate S3 moves to the first area A1 and is housed in the processing chamber 210 and processed. The substrate S1 moves to the third area A3 and is unloaded. Then, as shown in Figure 6C, the substrate S1 is loaded into the boat 240 from which the substrate S1 was unloaded.

[0099] Furthermore, although an example using one reactor 200 as the substrate processing apparatus 100 has been described, this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, multiple reactors 200 may be connected to the transport chamber 140. In this case, substrate processing of substrates S can be performed in parallel by multiple reactors 200. Alternatively, multiple reactors 200 may each perform different substrate processing. In this case, after processing a substrate in the first reactor 200, another substrate processing may be performed in the next reactor 200.

[0100] Furthermore, in the embodiments described above, for example, the example given was a case in which a SiN film is formed on a substrate S using hexachlorodisilane (HCDS) gas as the first element-containing gas (first gas) and ammonia (NH3) gas as the second element-containing gas (second gas) in the film formation process performed by the substrate processing apparatus. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. That is, the processing gas used in the film formation process is not limited to HCDS gas or NH3 gas, and other types of gases may be used to form other types of thin films. Moreover, it is also possible to use three or more types of processing gases. In addition, the first element may be various elements other than Si, such as titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), etc. In addition, the second element may be nitrogen (N), etc., instead of H.

[0101] Other embodiments of this disclosure are disclosed below. A processing chamber capable of substrate processing, including a process of heating the substrate, A boat supporting the aforementioned substrate, The boat is supported by a plurality of boat support sections, and the boat support sections are provided with a revolving section that can revolve around them. A transfer chamber comprising: a first area located below the processing chamber within the area above the orbiting section; a second area where the substrate after heat treatment can be awaited; and a third area where the substrate can be transferred between adjacent transport chambers. The second area includes a cooling unit capable of cooling the substrate, A control unit capable of controlling the revolving unit to perform a revolving operation to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, or a moving operation to move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of substrate processing of the substrate in the processing chamber and the end time of cooling of the substrate in the second area. It has, The control unit, (A) If the difference between the end time of substrate processing in the processing chamber and the end time of cooling processing in the transfer chamber is within a predetermined range, the revolving unit is controlled so as not to revolve the boat, or (B) If the difference between the end time of substrate processing in the processing chamber and the end time of cooling processing in the transfer chamber is within a predetermined range, control the system to stop the cooling processing, or (C) For at least a portion of the time during which the substrate is heated, the orbiting part is controlled so as not to pass the boat through the second area, or (D) During the time the substrate is heated, the orbiting unit is controlled to keep the boat waiting in the first area or the third area for at least a portion of the time. Circuit board processing equipment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0102] S...Substrate, 100...Substrate processing unit, 210...Processing chamber, 240...Boat, 260...Orbiting unit, 270...Transfer chamber, 400...Controller

Claims

1. A processing chamber capable of substrate processing, including a process of heating the substrate, A boat supporting the aforementioned substrate, The boat is supported by a plurality of boat support sections, and the boat support sections are provided with a revolving section that can revolve around them. A transfer chamber comprising: a first area located below the processing chamber within the area above the orbiting section; a second area where the substrate after heat treatment can be awaited; and a third area where the substrate can be transferred between adjacent transport chambers. The second area includes a cooling unit capable of cooling the substrate, A heating unit for heating the aforementioned processing chamber, A control unit is configured to control the heating unit, the revolving unit, and the cooling unit, such that in the processing chamber, a first process is performed which includes a process of heating the substrate mounted on the boat, and a cooling process is performed which includes cooling the substrate mounted on the boat in a second area of ​​the transfer chamber, and a second process is performed which, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing of the substrate in the processing chamber and the end time of the cooling process of the substrate in the second area, a revolving operation is performed which causes the substrate to revolve from the second area to the third area, or a moving operation is performed which causes the substrate to move from the processing chamber to the first area, and in the first process, a cooling gas is supplied to the second area when a substrate is waiting in the second area, and when a substrate is not waiting in the second area, a cooling gas is supplied to the second area at a smaller amount than the amount supplied when a substrate is present in the second area. A substrate processing apparatus having

2. The control unit controls the operation to perform the orbital motion if the end time of the cooling process is earlier than the end time of the substrate processing. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The control unit controls the movement to perform the orbital motion if the time taken to move from the second area to the third area is less than the difference in the completion times. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The control unit controls the operation to perform the orbital motion when there are no substrates to be heated. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

5. A processing chamber capable of substrate processing, including a process of heating the substrate, A boat supporting the aforementioned substrate, The boat is supported by a plurality of boat support sections, and the boat support sections are provided with a revolving section that can revolve around them. A transfer chamber comprising: a first area located below the processing chamber within the area above the orbiting section; a second area where the substrate after heat treatment can be awaited; and a third area where the substrate can be transferred between adjacent transport chambers. The second area includes a cooling unit capable of cooling the substrate, A heating unit for heating the aforementioned processing chamber, A control unit configured to control the heating unit, the revolving unit, and the cooling unit to perform the following: a first process in the processing chamber, which includes a process of heating the substrate mounted on the boat; a cooling process in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, which includes a process of cooling the substrate mounted on the boat; a second process, which performs a revolving operation to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, or a moving operation to move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing of the substrate in the processing chamber and the end time of the cooling process of the substrate in the second area; and a third process, which performs a process of operating the cooling unit after the substrate has moved from the processing chamber to the second area via the first area. A substrate processing apparatus having

6. A processing chamber capable of substrate processing, including a process of heating the substrate, A boat supporting the aforementioned substrate, The boat is supported by a plurality of boat support sections, and the boat support sections are provided with a revolving section that can revolve around them. A transfer chamber comprising: a first area located below the processing chamber within the area above the orbiting section; a second area where the substrate after heat treatment can be awaited; and a third area where the substrate can be transferred between adjacent transport chambers. The second area includes a cooling unit capable of cooling the substrate, A heating unit for heating the aforementioned processing chamber, A control unit configured to control the orbiting unit to perform the following: a first process in the processing chamber, which includes a process of heating the substrate mounted on the boat; a cooling process in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, which cools the substrate mounted on the boat; and a second process, which, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing of the substrate in the processing chamber and the end time of the cooling process of the substrate in the second area, performs an orbital operation to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, or a movement operation to move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, and performs the movement operation if the end time of the substrate processing is earlier than or equal to the end time of the cooling process; A substrate processing apparatus having

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the heating unit comprises a resistance heating heater.

8. The aforementioned substrate processing is A loading process for loading the aforementioned substrate into the processing chamber, A heat treatment in which the substrate is heated in the aforementioned processing chamber, After the heat treatment, preparations are made to move the substrate from the processing chamber to the transfer chamber. Preparation and processing, A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6, including the following:

9. The aforementioned loading process is carried out while the processing chamber is heated. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8.

10. The end time of the substrate processing is the time when the preparation process for moving is completed. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8.

11. The time for the substrate processing can be set so that the heating state of the substrate in the substrate processing is substantially the same as the heating state of the substrate in the processing of other lots. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

12. A processing chamber capable of substrate processing, including a process of heating the substrate, A boat supporting the aforementioned substrate, The boat is supported by a plurality of boat support sections, and the boat support sections are provided with a revolving section that can revolve around them. A transfer chamber comprising: a first area located below the processing chamber within the area above the orbiting section; a second area where the substrate after heat treatment can be awaited; and a third area where the substrate can be transferred between adjacent transport chambers. The second area includes a cooling unit capable of cooling the substrate, A heating unit for heating the aforementioned processing chamber, A control unit configured to control the heating unit, the revolving unit, and the cooling unit to perform the following: a first process in the processing chamber, which includes a process of heating the substrate mounted on the boat; a cooling process in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, which includes a process of cooling the substrate mounted on the boat; a second process, which performs a revolving operation to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, or a moving operation to move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing of the substrate in the processing chamber and the end time of the cooling process of the substrate in the second area; and a third process, which, after the moving operation and while the cooling process is continuing, places the substrate in the first area on standby. A substrate processing apparatus having

13. If, after the movement operation, the control unit has not yet completed mounting a new substrate onto the boat in the third area, it controls the processing of the substrate to wait in the first area. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

14. A processing chamber capable of substrate processing, including a process of heating the substrate, A boat supporting the aforementioned substrate, The boat is supported by a plurality of boat support sections, and the boat support sections are provided with a revolving section that can revolve around them. A transfer chamber comprising: a first area located below the processing chamber within the area above the orbiting section; a second area where the substrate after heat treatment can be awaited; and a third area where the substrate can be transferred between adjacent transport chambers. The second area includes a cooling unit capable of cooling the substrate, A heating unit for heating the aforementioned processing chamber, A control unit configured to control the heating unit and the revolving unit to perform the following: a first process in the processing chamber, which includes a process of heating the substrate mounted on the boat; a cooling process in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, which cools the substrate mounted on the boat; a second process, which performs a revolving operation to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, or a moving operation to move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing of the substrate in the processing chamber and the end time of the cooling process of the substrate in the second area; and a third process, which controls the processed substrate to remain in the first area while a new substrate is mounted on the boat that has been moved to the third area. A substrate processing apparatus having

15. The control unit controls the system so that the boat is not present in the first area for at least a portion of the time during which the substrate is heated. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1.

16. A first step involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area of ​​the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second step is to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, which is adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, using a revolving unit. It has, In the first step, if a substrate is waiting in the second area, cooling gas is supplied to the second area; if no substrate is waiting in the second area, the cooling gas is supplied to the second area at a smaller amount than when a substrate is present. Substrate processing method.

17. A first step involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area of ​​the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second step is to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, which is adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, using a revolving unit. It has, In the first step, if a substrate is waiting in the second area, cooling gas is supplied to the second area; if no substrate is waiting in the second area, the cooling gas is supplied to the second area at a smaller amount than when a substrate is present. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

18. A first procedure involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area in the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second procedure in which, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, the orbiting unit orbits the substrate from the second area to a third area adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or moves the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area. It has, The first step is a program that causes a computer to cause a substrate processing device to perform the following steps: supplying cooling gas to the second area when a substrate is waiting in the second area, and supplying the cooling gas to the second area at a smaller amount than the amount supplied when a substrate is present in the second area, when no substrate is waiting in the second area.

19. A first step involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area of ​​the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second step is to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, which is adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, using a revolving unit. A third step involves operating a cooling unit capable of cooling the substrate after the substrate has moved from the processing chamber through the first area to the second area, A substrate processing method having the following characteristics.

20. A first step involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area of ​​the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second step is to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, which is adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, using a revolving unit. A third step is to leave the substrate in the first area while the cooling process is still in progress, after the substrate has been moved to the first area. A substrate processing method having the following characteristics.

21. A first step involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area of ​​the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second step is to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, which is adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, using a revolving unit. A third step involves placing the processed substrate in the first area while a new substrate is loaded onto the boat that has been moved to the third area. A substrate processing method having the following characteristics.

22. A first step involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area of ​​the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second step is to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, which is adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, using a revolving unit. A third step involves operating a cooling unit capable of cooling the substrate after the substrate has moved from the processing chamber through the first area to the second area, A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having [a certain feature].

23. A first step involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area of ​​the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second step is to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, which is adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, using a revolving unit. A third step is to leave the substrate in the first area while the cooling process is still in progress, after the substrate has been moved to the first area. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having [a certain feature].

24. A first step involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area of ​​the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second step is to move the substrate from the second area to the third area, which is adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or move the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, using a revolving unit. A third step involves placing the processed substrate in the first area while a new substrate is loaded onto the boat that has been moved to the third area. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device having [a certain feature].

25. A first procedure involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area in the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second procedure is performed in which, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, the orbiting unit orbits the substrate from the second area to a third area adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or moves the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area. A third step involves operating a cooling unit capable of cooling the substrate after the substrate has moved from the processing chamber through the first area to the second area, A program that causes a circuit board processing unit to execute commands via a computer.

26. A first procedure involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area in the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second procedure is performed in which, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, the orbiting unit orbits the substrate from the second area to a third area adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or moves the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area. A third step is to leave the substrate in the first area while the cooling process is still in progress, after the substrate has been moved to the first area, A program that causes a circuit board processing unit to execute commands via a computer.

27. A first procedure involves performing substrate processing, including heating the substrate mounted on the boat, in a processing chamber located above the first area in the transfer chamber, and a cooling process, in the second area of ​​the transfer chamber, to cool the substrate mounted on the boat. A second procedure is performed in which, depending on the difference between the end time of the substrate processing and the end time of the cooling process, the orbiting unit orbits the substrate from the second area to a third area adjacent to the transport chamber and located within the transfer chamber, or moves the substrate from the processing chamber to the first area. A third step involves keeping the processed substrates in the first area while a new substrate is loaded onto the boat that has been moved to the third area. A program that causes a circuit board processing unit to execute commands via a computer.

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