Substrate Processing Equipment

Abstract

The plating apparatus includes a substrate transport chamber 701, a fan filter unit 408 arranged above the substrate transport chamber 701, a plating chamber 401 arranged to the side of the substrate transport chamber 701, an exhaust chamber 702 arranged below the substrate transport chamber 701, a partition member 720 that separates the substrate transport chamber 701 from the exhaust chamber 702, and a bypass flow path 730 that communicates between the substrate transport chamber 701 and the exhaust chamber 702 by bypassing the partition member 720. The plating chamber 401 has a supply port 404 for supplying gas supplied to the substrate transport chamber 701 by the fan filter unit 408 to the plating chamber 401, and an exhaust port 405 for exhausting the gas supplied to the plating chamber 401 to the outside, and the exhaust chamber 702 has an exhaust port 703 for exhausting the gas supplied to the exhaust chamber 702 via the bypass flow path 730 to the outside.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present application relates to a substrate processing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] There are known substrate processing apparatuses for performing various processes on a surface of a substrate (e.g., a semiconductor wafer). Examples of the substrate processing apparatus include an electrolytic plating apparatus for forming a conductive film on a surface of a substrate to be plated, and a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus for polishing and planarizing a surface of a substrate to be polished.

[0003] The substrate processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a transport device for transporting substrates, a substrate processing rack disposed to the side of the transport device, and a fan disposed above the transport device and the substrate processing rack. The substrate processing apparatus is configured to clean the inside of the apparatus by blowing air vertically downward from the fan to form a downflow inside the apparatus. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 8,066,466B2 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, since the substrate processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to form a downflow throughout the entire inside of the apparatus, it is necessary to blow a large amount of air from the fan in order to properly clean the inside of the apparatus, which requires a large number of fans and large fans, which undesirably increases the size of the entire apparatus.

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of efficiently cleaning the inside of the apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus is disclosed that includes a substrate transport chamber accommodating a transport device for transporting a substrate, a fan module disposed above the substrate transport chamber and configured to supply gas to the substrate transport chamber, a plating chamber disposed to the side of the substrate transport chamber and accommodating a plating module for performing plating processing on a substrate, an exhaust chamber disposed below the substrate transport chamber, a partition member that separates the substrate transport chamber and the exhaust chamber, and a bypass flow path that communicates between the substrate transport chamber and the exhaust chamber by bypassing the partition member, wherein the plating chamber has a supply port for supplying gas supplied to the substrate transport chamber by the fan module to the plating chamber and an exhaust port for discharging the gas supplied to the plating chamber to the outside, and the exhaust chamber has an exhaust port for discharging the gas supplied to the exhaust chamber via the bypass flow path to the outside. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a plating apparatus according to one embodiment. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is a plan view showing the overall configuration of a plating apparatus according to one embodiment. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2A. [Figure 2C] FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 2B. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a plating apparatus according to a modified example. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modified plating apparatus. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a plating apparatus according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated description will be omitted. In the following embodiment, a plating apparatus will be described as an example of a substrate processing apparatus, but the present embodiment can also be applied to a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus for polishing and planarizing a surface of a substrate.

[0010] <Overall configuration of plating equipment> Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the plating apparatus of this embodiment. Fig. 2A is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the plating apparatus of this embodiment. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2A, the plating apparatus 1000 includes a load port 100, a transfer robot 110, an aligner 120, a pre-wet module 200, a plating module 400, a spin rinse dryer 600, a transfer device 700, and a control module 800.

[0011] The load port 100 is a module for loading substrates stored in a cassette such as a FOUP (not shown) into the plating apparatus 1000 and unloading substrates from the plating apparatus 1000 to the cassette. In this embodiment, four load ports 100 are arranged side by side in the horizontal direction, but the number and arrangement of the load ports 100 are optional. The transfer robot (dry robot) 110 is a robot for transferring substrates, and is configured to transfer substrates between the load ports 100, the aligner 120, the pre-wet module 200, and the spin rinse dryer 600.

[0012] The aligner 120 is a module for aligning the position of an orientation flat, a notch, etc. of a substrate to a predetermined direction. In this embodiment, one aligner 120 is arranged, but the number and arrangement of the aligners 120 are arbitrary. The pre-wet module 200 wets the surface to be plated of the substrate before plating with a treatment liquid such as pure water or degassed water, thereby replacing air inside a pattern formed on the substrate surface with the treatment liquid. The pre-wet module 200 is configured to perform a pre-wet process that makes it easier to supply plating liquid to the inside of the pattern by replacing the treatment liquid inside the pattern with a plating liquid during plating. In this embodiment, two pre-wet modules 200 are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the pre-wet modules 200 are arbitrary.

[0013] The plating module 400 is a module for performing plating processing on a substrate. In this embodiment, the plating module 400 includes eight plating modules 400A arranged on one side across the traveling path of the transport device 700, and eight plating modules 400B arranged on the opposite side across the traveling path of the transport device 700. In this embodiment, a total of 16 plating modules 400 are provided, but the number and arrangement of the plating modules 400 are arbitrary.

[0014] The spin rinse dryer 600 is a form of drying module for drying a substrate after plating by rotating it at high speed. In this embodiment, two spin rinse dryers are arranged vertically, but the number and arrangement of the spin rinse dryers are arbitrary. The transport device 700 is a device for transporting a substrate between multiple modules in the plating apparatus 1000. The control module 800 is configured to control the multiple modules of the plating apparatus 1000, and can be configured, for example, as a general computer or a dedicated computer equipped with an input / output interface with an operator.

[0015] An example of a series of plating processes performed by the plating apparatus 1000 will be described. First, a substrate stored in a cassette is carried into the load port 100. Next, the transfer robot 110 removes the substrate from the cassette of the load port 100 and transfers the substrate to the aligner 120. The aligner 120 aligns the positions of the orientation flat, notch, etc. of the substrate to a predetermined direction. The transfer robot 110 delivers the substrate, whose direction has been aligned by the aligner 120, to the pre-wet module 200.

[0016] The pre-wet module 200 performs a pre-wet process on the substrate. The transfer device 700 transfers the substrate that has been subjected to the pre-wet process to the plating module 400. The plating module 400 performs a plating process on the substrate.

[0017] The transfer device 700 transfers the plated substrate to another plating module 400 for composite plating, or to the spin rinse dryer 600. The spin rinse dryer 600 dries the substrate. The transfer robot 110 receives the substrate from the spin rinse dryer 600 and transfers the dried substrate to a cassette on the load port 100. Finally, the cassette containing the substrate is removed from the load port 100.

[0018] Next, the plating apparatus 1000 will be described in detail. Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in Fig. 2A. Fig. 2C is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in Fig. 2B. In Figs. 2A to 2C, for the sake of convenience, the travel direction of the transport device 700 is defined as the X direction, the travel direction of the transport robot 110 as the Y direction, and the vertical direction as the Z direction.

[0019] The plating apparatus 1000 includes a substrate transfer chamber 701 extending in the X direction. The transfer apparatus 700 is accommodated in the substrate transfer chamber 701. The plating apparatus 1000 includes a plurality of plating chambers 401 (16 in this embodiment) arranged on both sides of the substrate transfer chamber 701 in the X direction. Each plating module 400 is arranged in each plating chamber 401. Note that, in this embodiment, an example has been shown in which the plating chambers 401 are arranged on both sides of the substrate transfer chamber 701 in the X direction, but this is not limiting, and the plating chambers 401 may be arranged only on one side of the substrate transfer chamber 701 in the X direction.

[0020] <Conveyor device configuration> Next, a detailed description will be given of the transfer device 700. As shown in Fig. 2, the transfer device 700 includes a mounting member 710-1 fixed to a side surface of the plating chamber 401, a lift rail 716 attached to the mounting member 710-1, and a transfer robot 718 having a hand for holding a substrate.

[0021] The mounting member 710-1 is a member for mounting the lift rail 716 and the transport robot 718 to the side surface of the plating chamber 401. The mounting member 710-1 includes a plurality of (three in this embodiment) traveling rails 714 (714-1 to 714-3) fixed to the side surface of the plating chamber 401 and extending in the traveling direction (X direction). Note that, in this embodiment, an example in which three traveling rails 714 are provided to increase the rigidity of the mounting member 710-1 has been shown, but this is not limiting, and two traveling rails (traveling rails 714-1 and 714-2, or traveling rails 714-1 and 714-3) may be provided.

[0022] The lifting rail 716 extends in the lifting direction across the side surfaces of the multiple traveling rails 714, and is configured to be movable along the side surfaces of the multiple traveling rails 714. The lifting rail 716 is configured to move along the traveling rails 714 by a driving member (e.g., a motor) not shown.

[0023] The transport robot 718 is a member capable of ascending and descending along the lift rail 716. Specifically, the transport robot 718 is configured to be capable of ascending and descending along the lift rail 716 by a driving member (e.g., a motor) not shown. The transport device 700 can transport the substrate in the X direction and the Z direction by moving the lift rail 716 in the running direction and moving the transport robot 718 in the lift direction. In this way, the transport device 700 can transport the substrate in front of the substrate loading / unloading port of the processing module to which the substrate is to be transported.

[0024] Furthermore, the transport robot 718 is configured to be able to rotate the hand around the lift rail 716 in a horizontal plane. As a result, after the substrate is transported in front of the substrate loading / unloading port, the transport robot 718 can transport the substrate into the processing module via the mounting member 710-1 by rotating the hand. The transport robot 718 is configured to be able to invert the substrate held horizontally. As a result, the transport robot 718 can invert the substrate that has been plated with the surface to be plated facing downward, for example, and transport it to the spin rinse dryer 600 with the surface to be plated facing upward.

[0025] <Exhaust mode of plating equipment> 2B and 2C, the plating apparatus 1000 includes a fan filter unit 408 disposed above the substrate transfer chamber 701. The fan filter unit 408 is an example of a fan module configured to supply gas to the substrate transfer chamber 701.

[0026] The plating chamber 401 has a supply port 404 for supplying the gas supplied to the substrate transport chamber 701 by the fan filter unit 408 to the plating chamber 401, and an exhaust port 405 for exhausting the gas supplied to the plating chamber 401 to the outside. The supply port 404 may be formed of a hole or a slit formed in the side wall of the plating chamber 401, or may be shared with the substrate loading / unloading port. That is, a substrate loading / unloading port for transferring the substrate between the plating module 400 and the transport device 700 is formed in the side wall of the plating chamber 401. The supply port 404 may be formed of a plurality of holes or slits formed in a plate member arranged at the substrate loading / unloading port. Thereby, when the substrate is not being transferred between the plating module 400 and the transport device 700, the gas is supplied through the slits, and when the substrate is being transferred, the plate member moves to supply the gas from the substrate loading / unloading port. The exhaust port 405 may be formed of a hole or a slit formed in the ceiling wall of each plating chamber 401. The exhaust port 405 is connected to an exhaust system of the facility in which the plating apparatus 1000 is installed.

[0027] The plating apparatus 1000 includes an exhaust chamber 702 disposed below a substrate transfer chamber 701, and a partition member 720 that separates the substrate transfer chamber 701 from the exhaust chamber 702. In this embodiment, the partition member 720 is a plate-like member disposed between the substrate transfer chamber 701 and the exhaust chamber 702. However, the partition member 720 may be any member that can block the flow of gas between the substrate transfer chamber 701 and the exhaust chamber 702.

[0028] The plating apparatus 1000 includes a process chamber 501 disposed below the plating chamber 401. The process chamber 501 houses a reservoir tank 510 that stores a plating solution used in the plating module 400. The process chamber 501 has a first bypass port 503 that communicates with the substrate transfer chamber 701, and a second bypass port 505 that communicates with the exhaust chamber 702. The first bypass port 503 is formed to communicate the bottom of the side wall of the substrate transfer chamber 701 with the process chamber 501.

[0029] The plating apparatus 1000 includes a bypass flow path 730 that communicates between the substrate transfer chamber 701 and the exhaust chamber 702 by bypassing the partition member 720. The bypass flow path 730 is formed by the first bypass port 503, the second bypass port 505, and the space in the process chamber 501. The exhaust chamber 702 has an exhaust port 703 for discharging the gas supplied to the exhaust chamber 702 via the bypass flow path 730 to the outside. In this embodiment, the exhaust port 703 can be configured by a plurality of slits formed in the bottom wall of the exhaust chamber 702. The exhaust port 703 is connected to an exhaust system of the facility in which the plating apparatus 1000 is installed.

[0030] According to this embodiment, it is possible to realize a substrate processing apparatus capable of efficiently cleaning the inside of the apparatus. That is, by supplying gas from the fan filter unit 408 to the substrate transfer chamber 701, a downflow of clean air can be formed in the substrate transfer chamber 701, so that particles and the like in the substrate transfer chamber 701 can be made to flow toward the bottom surface of the substrate transfer chamber 701.

[0031] Here, in the plating apparatus 1000 of this embodiment, since the partition member 720 is provided on the bottom surface of the substrate transfer chamber 701, flow resistance is generated against the downflow. Therefore, the clean air supplied to the substrate transfer chamber 701 is likely to flow into the plating chamber 401 via the supply port 404. The clean air supplied to the plating chamber 401 can discharge particles and plating solution mist present in the plating chamber 401 from the exhaust port 405. In other words, since the substrate transfer chamber 701 is at a positive pressure with respect to the plating chamber 401, it is possible to prevent particles and plating solution mist in the plating chamber 401 from flowing into the substrate transfer chamber 701 and contaminating the processed substrate.

[0032] Furthermore, since the plating apparatus 1000 includes a bypass flow path 730 that communicates between the substrate transfer chamber 701 and the exhaust chamber 702, particles that have flowed toward the bottom surface of the substrate transfer chamber 701 can be sent to the exhaust chamber 702 via the bypass flow path 730 and discharged from the exhaust port 703. In particular, since the first bypass port 503 is formed to communicate between the bottom of the side wall of the substrate transfer chamber 701 and the process chamber 501, particles that have been flowed downward by the downflow and then changed direction by the partition member 720 can be smoothly discharged from the first bypass port 503 (bypass flow path 730).

[0033] Furthermore, the plating apparatus 1000 of this embodiment forms a bypass flow path 730 by utilizing the space in the process chamber 501. Therefore, not only particles generated in the process chamber 501 but also mist of plating solution generated from the reservoir tank 510 system in the process chamber 501 can be sent to the exhaust chamber 702 via the bypass flow path 730 and discharged from the exhaust port 703. As described above, according to the plating apparatus 1000 of this embodiment, the inside of the plating apparatus 1000 can be efficiently and appropriately cleaned without increasing the number or size of the fan filter units 408.

[0034] In the above embodiment, the plating modules 400 are arranged in two upper and lower stages, but the present invention is not limited to this. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a plating apparatus according to a modified example. As shown in Fig. 3, the plating apparatus 1000 may have plating modules 400 arranged in a single upper and lower stage.

[0035] In this case, the vertical size of the process chamber 501 becomes relatively large, but it is preferable that the first bypass port 503 is formed so as to communicate the bottom of the side wall of the substrate transfer chamber 701 with the process chamber 501. This is to smoothly discharge particles that are swept downward by the downflow of the substrate transfer chamber 701 and then change direction by the partition member 720 from the first bypass port 503 (bypass flow path 730).

[0036] In the above embodiment, the discharge port 405 is provided in the ceiling wall of the plating chamber 401, but the present invention is not limited to this. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a modified plating apparatus. As shown in FIG. 4, the plating module 400 includes a plating tank 410 that contains a plating solution, and a substrate holder 440 that holds the substrate Wf with the surface to be plated facing downward. In this case, the discharge port 405 is preferably provided in a side wall of the plating chamber 401 at a position higher than the plating tank 410 and lower than the height position of the substrate holder 440 when the substrate Wf is transferred between the plating chamber 401 and the transfer device 700 (transfer robot 718).

[0037] According to this modification, the mist of plating solution generated from plating tank 410 can be quickly discharged from outlet 405. As a result, rust or the like caused by the mist of plating solution on substrate holder 440 and other mechanical parts of plating module 400 can be suppressed.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the common exhaust port 703 for the 16 plating modules 400 is formed in the bottom wall of the exhaust chamber 702, but the present invention is not limited to this. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a plating apparatus of a modified example. As shown in Fig. 5, a plurality of exhaust ports 703 may be provided for each of the four plating modules 400. By providing the exhaust ports 703 individually, the exhaust systems can be separated, so that it is possible to prevent particles and the like from being mixed in each exhaust system, and it is possible to control the exhaust of each system independently.

[0039] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention are intended to facilitate understanding of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. The present invention may be modified or improved without departing from the spirit thereof, and the present invention naturally includes equivalents thereof. Furthermore, any combination or omission of each component described in the claims and specification is possible within the scope of solving at least a part of the above-mentioned problems or achieving at least a part of the effects.

[0040] The present application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate transport chamber accommodating a transport device for transporting a substrate; a fan module disposed above the substrate transport chamber and configured to supply gas to the substrate transport chamber; a plating chamber disposed to the side of the substrate transport chamber and accommodating a plating module for performing plating processing on a substrate; an exhaust chamber disposed below the substrate transport chamber; a partition member that separates the substrate transport chamber and the exhaust chamber; and a bypass flow path that communicates between the substrate transport chamber and the exhaust chamber by bypassing the partition member, wherein the plating chamber has a supply port for supplying gas supplied to the substrate transport chamber by the fan module to the plating chamber and an exhaust port for discharging the gas supplied to the plating chamber to the outside, and the exhaust chamber has an exhaust port for discharging the gas supplied to the exhaust chamber via the bypass flow path to the outside.

[0041] Furthermore, the present application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus, in which the exhaust outlet is provided in a ceiling wall of the plating chamber.

[0042] Furthermore, the present application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus, wherein the plating module includes a plating tank that contains a plating solution, and a substrate holder that holds a substrate with the surface to be plated facing downward, and the discharge outlet is provided at a position that is higher than the plating tank and lower than the height position of the substrate holder when the substrate is transferred between the substrate processing apparatus and the conveying device.

[0043] Furthermore, the present application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus further including a process chamber arranged below the plating chamber and accommodating a reservoir tank for storing a plating solution used in the plating module, the process chamber having a first bypass port communicating with the substrate transport chamber and a second bypass port communicating with the exhaust chamber, and the bypass flow path being formed by the first bypass port, the second bypass port, and the space within the process chamber.

[0044] Furthermore, the present application discloses, as one embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus in which the plating chambers are disposed on both sides of the substrate transfer chamber in a traveling direction of the transfer device. [Explanation of symbols]

[0045] 400 Plating Module 401 Plating Room 404 Supply Inlet 405 Outlet 408 Fan filter unit 410 Plating tank 440 PCB Holder 501 Process Room 503 First Detour 505 Second Detour 510 Reservoir Tank 700 Transport Equipment 701 Substrate transfer chamber 702 Exhaust chamber 703 Exhaust port 720 Partition material 730 Detour flow path 1000 Plating Equipment Wf substrate

Claims

1. a substrate transfer chamber that accommodates a transfer device for transferring a substrate; a fan module disposed above the substrate transport chamber and configured to supply gas to the substrate transport chamber; a plating chamber disposed to the side of the substrate transfer chamber and accommodating a plating module for performing plating processing on a substrate; an exhaust chamber disposed below the substrate transfer chamber; a partition member that separates the substrate transfer chamber from the exhaust chamber; a bypass flow path that communicates the substrate transfer chamber and the exhaust chamber by bypassing the partition member; Including, the plating chamber has a supply port for supplying the gas supplied to the substrate transport chamber by the fan module to the plating chamber, and a discharge port for discharging the gas supplied to the plating chamber to the outside, The exhaust chamber has an exhaust port for discharging the gas supplied to the exhaust chamber via the bypass flow path to the outside. Substrate processing equipment.

2. The exhaust port is provided in a ceiling wall of the plating chamber. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. The plating module includes a plating tank that contains a plating solution, and a substrate holder that holds a substrate with a surface to be plated facing downward; the discharge port is provided at a position higher than the plating tank and lower than a height position of the substrate holder when the substrate is transferred between the substrate holder and the transfer device; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

4. a process chamber disposed below the plating chamber and housing a reservoir tank for storing a plating solution used in the plating module; the process chamber has a first bypass port communicating with the substrate transfer chamber and a second bypass port communicating with the exhaust chamber; the bypass flow path is formed by the first bypass port, the second bypass port, and a space within the process chamber; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

5. The plating chambers are disposed on both sides of the substrate transport chamber in a traveling direction of the transport device. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .