Wafer transfer platform and wafer transfer method

Abstract

The present invention provides a wafer transfer platform and a wafer transfer method. The wafer transfer platform comprises: a first process manipulator and a second process manipulator, which are used for picking up and placing and transporting a wafer; and a process chamber, comprising a plurality of reaction chambers arranged at different heights as a first layer and a second layer, the plurality of reaction chambers comprising a first process chamber for performing a first processing process on the wafer and a second process chamber for performing a second processing process on the wafer, and the plurality of reaction chambers being divided into a first region and a second region in a horizontal or vertical direction. The first process manipulator and the second process manipulator are configured to transfer the wafer in the first region and the second region, respectively, so as to transfer the wafer from the first process chamber to the second process chamber.

Description

Wafer transfer platform and wafer transfer method Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of semiconductor technology and relates to a wafer transmission platform and a wafer transmission method. Background Art

[0002] As one of the key metal interconnect devices in integrated circuit manufacturing, the performance of electroplating equipment is generally evaluated from two perspectives: first, meeting the various requirements of the electroplating process to achieve good electrical performance and a high yield; and second, achieving maximum output at the lowest cost. In the dual-damascene electroplating process, wafers are transferred from a wafer cassette to a process chamber via a front-end robot. They are then transferred by the process robot to the plating chamber and then to the cleaning chamber. After the wafers are plated and cleaned, the front-end robot transfers them to the annealing chamber, and finally, the wafers are returned to the wafer cassette, completing the entire electroplating process.

[0003] With the rapid development of the integrated circuit manufacturing industry and the increasing density of chips, the demand for metal film thickness is also changing. The thinner the metal film, the shorter the electroplating time and the corresponding process time, which requires a shorter robot response time. In existing electroplating equipment, a single process robot is responsible for transporting all wafers to complete the plating and cleaning of all wafers in the plating and cleaning chambers. This robot has a complex travel path and long response time, resulting in low wafer transfer efficiency.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a wafer transfer platform and a wafer transfer method. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide a wafer transfer platform and a wafer transfer method, so as to solve the problem of low wafer transfer efficiency in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned and other related purposes, a wafer transfer platform includes:

[0007] The first process robot and the second process robot are used to pick up, place and transport wafers;

[0008] The process chamber includes a plurality of reaction chambers arranged in a first layer and a second layer at different heights, the plurality of reaction chambers including a first process chamber for a first process on the wafer and a second process chamber for a second process on the wafer, and the plurality of reaction chambers are divided into a first area and a second area in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction;

[0009] The first process robot and the second process robot are respectively configured to transfer the wafer within the first area and the second area to transfer the wafer from the first process chamber to the second process chamber.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the reaction chamber located in the first area includes at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber, and the reaction chamber located in the second area includes at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the number of at least one of the first process chambers and the second process chambers in each region is greater than one.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the number of the first process chambers and the number of the second process chambers in each region are the same.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first process chamber is an electroplating chamber, and the second process chamber is a cleaning chamber.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first area and the second area are divided by the multiple reaction chambers in a horizontal direction, and the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafer through rotation and / or translation motion.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first area and the second area are divided by the multiple reaction chambers in the vertical direction, and the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafer through rotation, lifting and / or translation movement.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first process robot and the second process robot are further configured to transfer the wafer from the current first process chamber to an idle second process chamber in a corresponding area.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, the process robot is configured to transfer the wafer from a current first process chamber to a second process chamber that is closest to the current first process chamber.

[0018] The present invention also proposes a wafer transfer method, comprising the following steps: transferring the wafer from a wafer box to a temporary storage area by a front-end robot; transferring the wafer from the temporary storage area to the first process chamber of each of the multiple reaction chambers in the first area and the second area of ​​the process chamber by a first process robot and a second process robot respectively for a first processing process; transferring the wafer within the corresponding area by the first process robot and the second process robot respectively to transfer the wafer from the first process chamber of the multiple reaction chambers to the second process chamber for a second processing process; transferring the wafer from the second process chamber to the temporary storage area; and transferring the wafer back from the temporary storage area to the wafer box by the front-end robot.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first area and the second area are divided by the multiple reaction chambers in the horizontal direction, wherein the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafers through rotation and / or translation.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first area and the second area are divided by the multiple reaction chambers in the vertical direction, wherein the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafers by lifting and / or horizontal movement.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the step of transferring the wafer in the corresponding area by the first process robot and the second process robot respectively, the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafer from the current first process chamber to the idle second process chamber in the corresponding area.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, in the step of transferring the wafer within the corresponding area by the first process robot and the second process robot respectively, the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafer from the current first process chamber to the second process chamber that is closest to the current first process chamber.

[0023] As described above, in the wafer transfer platform of the present invention, the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafers from the first process chamber to the second process chamber by partitioning the wafers, so that the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafers in the corresponding area, which simplifies the movement process of the process robot, shortens the stroke of the process robot, overcomes the defects caused by waiting for the process robot to transport the wafer during wafer processing, greatly shortens the response time of the process robot, and achieves high production capacity.

[0024] Summary of the Figures

[0025] The features and properties of the present invention are further described by the following examples and accompanying drawings.

[0026] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer transfer platform according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer transfer platform in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] FIG3 is a flow chart of the wafer transmission method of the present invention.

[0029] Preferred embodiments of the present invention

[0030] The following describes the embodiments of the present invention through specific examples. Those skilled in the art will readily understand the other advantages and benefits of the present invention from the disclosure herein. The present invention may also be implemented or applied through various other specific embodiments, and the details in this specification may be modified or altered based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0031] For example, when describing the embodiments of the present invention, cross-sectional views of device structures may be partially enlarged to scale for ease of explanation. Furthermore, these schematic views are merely illustrative and should not limit the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, in actual manufacturing, three-dimensional dimensions, including length, width, and depth, should be included.

[0032] For ease of description, spatially relative terms such as "under," "below," "below," "below," "above," and "on" may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or feature to other elements or features shown in the drawings. It will be understood that these spatially relative terms are intended to encompass orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the drawings. Additionally, when a layer is referred to as being "between" two layers, it can be the only layer between the two layers, or one or more intervening layers may be present. As used herein, "between" is inclusive of both endpoints.

[0033] In the context of the present application, a structure described as a first feature being "above" a second feature may include embodiments where the first and second features are formed in direct contact, and may also include embodiments where an additional feature is formed between the first and second features, such that the first and second features may not be in direct contact.

[0034] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in this embodiment are only used to schematically illustrate the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the illustrations only show components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the number, shape and size of components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the type, quantity and proportion of each component can be changed at will, and the component layout type may also be more complicated.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, this embodiment provides a wafer transfer platform, comprising a wafer cassette 1, a process chamber 2, a temporary storage area 3, a front-end chamber 4, a front-end robot 41 located in the front-end chamber 4, and a process robot 7 for transferring wafers within the process chamber 2. The front-end robot 41 and the process robot 7 are used to place, retrieve, and transport wafers.

[0036] The wafer box 1 is used to store wafers, and a semiconductor structure is formed on the wafer. The semiconductor structure includes a dielectric layer formed on the wafer, a barrier layer located on the dielectric layer, and a metal layer located on the barrier layer. The semiconductor structure also includes a pattern formed on the dielectric layer, and a barrier layer and a metal layer filling pattern are formed in the pattern. During the transfer process, the front-end robot 41 takes out the wafer from the wafer box 1 and places the wafer in the temporary storage area 3; the process robot 7 moves close to the temporary storage area 3 and transfers the wafer from the temporary storage area 3 to the process chamber 2; after the wafer processing is completed, the process robot 7 takes out the processed wafer from the process chamber 2 and places it in the temporary storage area 3; the front-end robot 41 retrieves and transfers it to the wafer box. In some embodiments, after the front-end robot 41 retrieves the wafer from the temporary storage area 3, it needs to undergo further process processing before being transferred to the wafer box 1, such as annealing treatment before being transferred to the wafer box 1.

[0037] In addition, in some embodiments, the process chamber 2 is a double-layer double-process mode. It can be understood that the double process is two different processing processes. Specifically, the process chamber 2 includes a first process chamber for a first processing process on the wafer and a second process chamber for a second processing process on the wafer. The first processing process is different from the second processing process. Exemplarily, the first process chamber is a plating chamber for electroplating the wafer, and the second process chamber is a cleaning chamber for cleaning the wafer. In addition, it can be understood that the process chamber 2 includes reaction chambers arranged in multiple layers. The "double layer" means that every two robots transfer wafers in the reaction chambers in specific areas of each two layers. The description of the relevant areas will be further described below.

[0038] Process chamber 2 includes multiple reaction chambers arranged in multiple layers at varying heights. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 , process chamber 2 comprises two layers of reaction chambers, specifically a first reaction chamber PM11, a second reaction chamber PM12, a third reaction chamber PM13, and a fourth reaction chamber PM14 located on the upper layer, and a fifth reaction chamber PM21, a sixth reaction chamber PM22, a seventh reaction chamber PM23, and an eighth reaction chamber PM24 located on the lower layer.

[0039] The process robot transfers wafers between two reaction chambers of different processing processes through a first motion or a second motion. The process robot includes a first process robot and a second process robot. The first process robot is used to transfer wafers located in a first area, and the second process robot is used to transfer wafers located in a second area.

[0040] The plurality of reaction chambers are divided into a first area and a second area in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction. In some embodiments, the plurality of reaction chambers are divided into a first area and a second area in the vertical direction, and the process robot transfers wafers between the two reaction chambers of different processing processes by rotational motion and / or translational motion (first motion). The reaction chamber located in the first area includes at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber, and the reaction chamber located in the second area includes at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber. The first area is the upper layer, and the second area is the lower layer. Exemplarily, in one embodiment, the number of first process chambers and second process chambers in each layer is 1, and the first process robot and the second process robot transfer wafers from the first process chamber to the second process chamber in the upper layer and the lower layer respectively by rotational motion. In another embodiment, the number of at least one of the first process chambers and the second process chambers in each layer is greater than 1, the first process robot transfers wafers in the upper layer by rotational motion and / or translational motion, and the second process robot transfers wafers in the lower layer by rotational motion and / or translational motion. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 , the first and third reaction chambers PM11 and PM13 located on the upper layer are electroplating chambers, the second and fourth reaction chambers PM12 and PM14 are cleaning chambers, the fifth and seventh reaction chambers PM21 and PM23 located on the lower layer are electroplating chambers, and the sixth and eighth reaction chambers PM22 and PM24 are cleaning chambers. It should be noted that the first reaction chamber PM11 and the second reaction chamber PM21 below it can be slightly offset as shown, or they can be aligned vertically. The same applies to the other reaction chambers PM12 and PM22, PM13 and PM23, and PM14 and PM24.

[0041] The first process robot 71 transfers each wafer between the multiple reaction chambers PM11, PM13, PM12, and PM14 located on the upper layer through rotational and / or translational motion. The second process robot 72 transfers each wafer between the multiple reaction chambers PM21, PM23, PM22, and PM24 located on the lower layer through rotational and / or translational motion, thereby transferring the wafers from the electroplating chamber to the cleaning chamber. As shown in the embodiment of Figure 1, the first process robot 71 transfers the electroplated wafers in the first reaction chamber PM11 to one of the second reaction chamber PM12 and the fourth reaction chamber PM14 located on the upper layer where cleaning is performed. If only one of the two is idle, the wafer can be transferred to the idle reaction chamber by the first process robot 71. If both are idle, the wafer can be transferred to the cleaning chamber closest to the first reaction chamber PM11 by the first process robot 71. As shown in the example in Figure 1, the first process robot 71 moves to the position above the first process robot 72 through translational motion, takes the wafer out of the first reaction chamber PM11, and then returns to the position in Figure 1 to transfer the wafer to the second reaction chamber PM12, or transfers the wafer to the fourth reaction chamber PM14 through rotational motion. In this embodiment, the movement mode of the second process robot 72 is the same as the movement mode of the first process robot 71, and will not be repeated here. It can be understood that the positions of the upper plating chamber and the cleaning chamber in Figure 1 can be interchanged arbitrarily, and the positions of the lower plating chamber and the cleaning chamber can also be interchanged arbitrarily. According to the different distribution modes of the plating chamber and the cleaning chamber in the first area and the second area, the movement modes of the first process robot and the second process robot are changed accordingly. The present invention does not limit the movement modes of the first process robot and the second process robot, and the movement modes of transferring the wafer from the first process chamber to the second process chamber are all within the protection scope of the present invention. For example, in FIG1 , the first reaction chamber PM11 and the second reaction chamber PM12 located on the upper layer are electroplating chambers, and the third reaction chamber PM13 and the fourth reaction chamber PM14 are cleaning chambers. The first process robot 71 is translated to the top of the second process robot 72 through translational motion, and then the wafer is transferred from the first reaction chamber PM11 to the third reaction chamber PM13 through rotational motion. The wafer can also be transferred from the first reaction chamber PM11 to the fourth reaction chamber PM14 through rotational motion and translational motion.

[0042] In other embodiments, multiple reaction chambers are divided into a first area and a second area in the horizontal direction, and the process robot transfers wafers between the two reaction chambers of different processing processes by lifting and / or translational movement (second movement). The reaction chamber located in the first area includes at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber, and the reaction chamber located in the second area includes at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber. The first area and the second area are opposite, such as front to back or left to right. Exemplarily, in one embodiment, the number of first process chambers and second process chambers in each area is 1, and the first process chambers and second process chambers are arranged in two layers, upper and lower, respectively. Here, the first process robot transfers each wafer located in the first area from the first process chamber to the second process chamber by lifting and lowering movement, and the second process robot transfers each wafer located in the second area from the first process chamber to the second process chamber by lifting and lowering movement. In another embodiment, the number of at least one of the first process chambers and the second process chambers in each area is greater than 1, and the process robot transfers each wafer located in the first area and the second area by lifting and / or translational movement, transferring the wafer from the first process chamber to the second process chamber. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2 , the first, second, third, and fourth reaction chambers PM11, PM12, PM13, and PM14 are electroplating chambers, while the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth reaction chambers PM21, PM22, PM23, and PM24 are cleaning chambers. It should be noted that the first reaction chamber PM11 and the second reaction chamber PM21 below it can be slightly offset, as shown, or aligned vertically. The same applies to the other reaction chambers PM12 and PM22, PM13 and PM23, and PM14 and PM24.

[0043] The first process robot 71 transfers each wafer between the reaction chambers on the left side (first area) of the process chamber 2 through lifting and / or translational motion, while the second process robot 72 transfers each wafer between the reaction chambers on the right side (second area) of the process chamber 2 through lifting and / or translational motion. As shown in the embodiment of Figure 2, the first process robot 71 transfers the electroplated wafers in the first reaction chamber PM11 to either the fifth reaction chamber PM21 or the sixth reaction chamber PM22, located on the left side for cleaning. If only one of the two is idle, the wafer can be transferred to the idle reaction chamber by the first process robot 71. If both are idle, the wafer can be transferred to the cleaning chamber closest to the first reaction chamber PM11 by the first process robot 71. As shown in the example of Figure 2, the first process robot 71 transfers the wafers from the first reaction chamber PM11 to the fifth reaction chamber PM21 through lifting and / or translational motion, and can also transfer the wafers from the first reaction chamber PM11 to the sixth reaction chamber PM22 through lifting and translational motion. In this embodiment, the movement mode of the second process robot 72 is the same as the movement mode of the first process robot 71, and will not be repeated here. It is understandable that the upper and lower positions of the two layers of plating chambers and cleaning chambers on the left side of Figure 2 can be interchanged at will, and the upper and lower positions of the two layers of plating chambers and cleaning chambers on the right side can also be interchanged at will. According to the different distribution modes of the plating chambers and cleaning chambers in the first area and the second area, the movement modes of the first process robot and the second process robot are changed accordingly. The present invention does not limit the movement modes of the first process robot and the second process robot, and the movement modes of transferring wafers from the first process chamber to the second process chamber are all within the protection scope of the present invention. For example, the first reaction chamber PM11 and the fifth reaction chamber PM21 on the left side of Figure 2 are plating chambers, and the second reaction chamber PM12 and the sixth reaction chamber PM22 are cleaning chambers. The first process robot 71 transfers the wafer from the first reaction chamber PM11 to the second reaction chamber PM12 by translational motion, and can also transfer the wafer from the first reaction chamber PM11 to the sixth reaction chamber PM22 by lifting and translational motion. The first robot and the second robot transfer the wafer from the first process chamber to the second process chamber by partitioning the wafer, overcoming the defects caused by waiting for the process robot to transport the wafer during the wafer processing, greatly shortening the response time of the process robot, and achieving high production capacity.

[0044] In addition, in general, the plating time of the wafer is close to or greater than the cleaning time. If the plating time is greater than the cleaning time, the number of plating chambers can be set to be less than the number of cleaning chambers, and multiple plating chambers can choose to share one cleaning chamber. Since the greater the film thickness, the longer the plating time, for example, due to the increase in film thickness, the plating time is close to twice the cleaning time, and the number of plating chambers can be selected to be twice the cleaning chambers. If the plating time is close to the cleaning time, the number of plating chambers can be set to be equal to the number of cleaning chambers. Preferably, the number of plating chambers (first process chamber) and cleaning chambers (second process chamber) in each area is the same, to avoid the situation where the reaction chamber is idle after the plating chamber (first process chamber) or the cleaning chamber (second process chamber) treatment process is completed. The semiconductor equipment is suitable for plating processes of various film thicknesses and is more versatile.

[0045] In summary, from another perspective, the wafer transfer method includes the following steps:

[0046] S1. Transfer the wafer from the wafer box to the temporary storage area through the front-end robot;

[0047] S2. The wafer is transferred from the temporary storage area to the first process chamber of the process chamber for the first processing process by the first process robot and the second process robot respectively;

[0048] S3. The wafer is transferred by the first process robot in the first area by the first motion or the second motion, and the wafer is transferred by the second process robot in the second area by the first motion or the second motion to transfer the wafer from the first process chamber in the plurality of reaction chambers to the second process chamber for the second processing process;

[0049] S4. Transferring the wafer from the second process chamber to the temporary storage area;

[0050] S5. The front-end robot transfers the wafer from the temporary storage area back to the wafer box.

[0051] Wherein, in step S3, multiple reaction chambers are arranged in a double-layer double-process manner, and the first process robot and the second process robot move in the multiple reaction chambers in the first area and the second area respectively to transfer wafers in a partitioned manner. In one embodiment, the first process robot and the second process robot can perform a first movement respectively, and the first movement is a rotational movement and / or a translational movement, and the multiple reaction chambers are partitioned according to the upper layer and the lower layer, wherein the reaction chamber located in the upper layer includes at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber, and the reaction chamber located in the lower layer includes at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber. Here, the first process robot and the second process robot perform a first movement in the multiple reaction chambers in the upper layer (first area) and the lower layer (second area) respectively to transfer wafers in a partitioned manner. In another embodiment, the first process robot and the second robot can perform a second movement in the multiple reaction chambers, and the second movement is a lifting movement and / or a translational movement, and the multiple reaction chambers are partitioned according to the first position and the second position, and the first position is relative to the second position, such as the first position and the second position are respectively relative front to back or left to right. The reaction chambers located at the first position (first area) include at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber, and the reaction chambers located at the second position (second area) include at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber. The first process robot and the second process robot perform a second movement within the multiple reaction chambers located at the first position (first area) and the second position (second area), respectively, to transfer wafers in different areas.

[0052] In addition, when the process robot transfers the wafer from the current first process chamber to the idle second process chamber in the corresponding area in step S3, when the number of idle second process chambers in the corresponding area is greater than 1, the idle second process chamber closest to the current first process chamber is selected to further simplify the movement of the process robot.

[0053] The step S5 of transferring the wafers from the temporary storage area to the wafer box specifically includes: the front-end robot transfers the wafers from the temporary storage area to the annealing chamber for annealing, and then transfers the wafers back to the wafer box.

[0054] For more details of the embodiment of this method, please refer to the above description of the wafer transfer platform, which will not be elaborated here.

[0055] In the present invention, the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafers from the first process chamber to the second process chamber by partitioning the wafers, which simplifies the movement process, overcomes the defects caused by waiting for the process robot to transport the wafers during process processing, greatly shortens the response time of the process robot, and achieves high production capacity.

[0056] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art may modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and technical principles disclosed herein are intended to be covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wafer transfer platform, characterized in that: include: The first process robot and the second process robot are used to pick up, place and transport wafers; The process chamber includes a plurality of reaction chambers arranged in a first layer and a second layer at different heights, the plurality of reaction chambers including a first process chamber for a first process on the wafer and a second process chamber for a second process on the wafer, and the plurality of reaction chambers are divided into a first area and a second area in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction; The first process robot and the second process robot are respectively configured to transfer the wafer within the first area and the second area to transfer the wafer from the first process chamber to the second process chamber.

2. The wafer transfer platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reaction chamber located in the first area includes at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber, and the reaction chamber located in the second area includes at least one first process chamber and at least one second process chamber.

3. The wafer transfer platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of at least one of the first process chambers and the second process chambers in each region is greater than one.

4. The wafer transfer platform according to claim 1, wherein: The number of the first process chambers and the second process chambers in each area is the same.

5. The wafer transfer platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first process chamber is an electroplating chamber, and the second process chamber is a cleaning chamber.

6. The wafer transfer platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first area and the second area are divided by the multiple reaction chambers in a horizontal direction, and the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafer through rotation and / or translation motion.

7. The wafer transfer platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first area and the second area are divided by the multiple reaction chambers in the vertical direction, and the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafer through rotation, lifting and / or translation movement.

8. The wafer transfer platform according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first process robot and the second process robot are further configured to transfer the wafer from the current first process chamber to an idle second process chamber in a corresponding area.

9. The wafer transfer platform according to claim 8, characterized in that: The process robot is configured to transfer the wafer from a current first process chamber to a second process chamber that is closest to the current first process chamber.

10. A wafer transfer method, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Transfer wafers from the wafer box to the temporary storage area through the front-end robot; Transferring the wafers from the temporary storage area to the first process chambers of the plurality of reaction chambers in the first area and the second area of the process chamber respectively by a first process robot and a second process robot to perform a first processing process; Transferring the wafers in corresponding areas by using a first process robot and a second process robot respectively, so as to transfer the wafers from a first process chamber in the plurality of reaction chambers to a second process chamber for a second treatment process; transferring the wafer from the second process chamber to the temporary storage area; The wafer is transferred from the temporary storage area back to the wafer box by the front-end robot.

11. The wafer transfer method according to claim 10, wherein: The first area and the second area are divided by the multiple reaction chambers in a horizontal direction, wherein the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafers through rotation and / or translation motion.

12. The wafer transfer method according to claim 11, wherein: The first area and the second area are divided by the multiple reaction chambers in the vertical direction, wherein the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafers by lifting and / or horizontal movement.

13. The wafer transfer method according to claim 10, wherein: In the step of transferring the wafer in the corresponding area by the first process robot and the second process robot respectively, the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafer from the current first process chamber to the idle second process chamber in the corresponding area.

14. The wafer transfer method according to claim 13, wherein: In the step of transferring the wafer within the corresponding area by the first process robot and the second process robot respectively, the first process robot and the second process robot transfer the wafer from the current first process chamber to the second process chamber that is closest to the current first process chamber.

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