Substrate transport device and substrate transport method

Abstract

The present invention prevents an increase in the floor area occupied by a device for transporting a substrate between environments with different pressures when processing the substrate in the environments. This substrate transport device comprises: a third transport path that is connected to a first transport path, which is in a vacuum, and a second transport path, which has a second pressure higher than a first pressure, the third transport path being provided with a substrate holding part for transporting the substrate between the first transport path and the second transport path; and a first pressure adjustment chamber that is provided in the third transport path, is provided with a first space in which the substrate can be stored, and performs a first pressure adjustment for bringing the pressure of the first space closer to the first pressure from a pressure higher than the first pressure by exhausting the first space, and a second pressure adjustment for bringing the pressure of the first space closer to the second pressure from a pressure lower than the second pressure by supplying gas to the first space.

Description

Substrate transport device and substrate transport method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate transport apparatus and a substrate transport method.

[0002] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, gas processing under vacuum pressure and liquid processing under atmospheric pressure are performed to form wiring patterns on semiconductor wafers (hereinafter referred to as wafers), which serve as substrates. Examples of gas processing include etching and film formation, while examples of liquid processing include resist coating and development in photolithography. Photolithography equipment performing processing under atmospheric pressure and etching and other equipment performing processing under vacuum pressure are located separately from each other in a factory, forming a system in which a transport container containing wafers is transported by a transport mechanism installed in the semiconductor device factory. An example of such a system configuration is shown in Patent Document 1.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-310424

[0004] The present disclosure prevents an increase in the occupied floor area of ​​an apparatus that transports substrates between environments with different pressures when processing substrates in these environments.

[0005] a first transport path to which a first processing unit that processes the substrate is connected and which is adjusted to a first pressure that is a vacuum; a second transport path to which a second processing unit that processes the substrate is connected, which is positioned alongside the first processing unit in one direction, and which has a pressure higher than the first pressure; a third transport path connected to the first transport path and the second transport path and which includes a substrate holding unit that holds the substrate and transports the substrate between the first transport path and the second transport path; and a first pressure adjustment chamber provided on the third transport path to carry the substrate into or out of the first transport path, which includes a first space in which the substrate can be stored, and which performs a first pressure adjustment of the pressure of the first space by evacuating the first space to change the pressure from a pressure higher than the first pressure to approach the first pressure, and a second pressure adjustment of the pressure of the first space by supplying gas to the first space to change the pressure from a pressure lower than the second pressure to approach the second pressure.

[0006] The present disclosure can suppress an increase in the occupied floor area of ​​an apparatus that transports substrates between environments with different pressures when processing substrates in these environments.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment incorporating a substrate transfer device of the present disclosure, showing an upper side of the substrate processing apparatus; FIG. 2 is a longitudinal front view of the substrate processing apparatus; FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view of an etching module 6 included in the substrate processing apparatus; FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a wafer transfer path in the substrate processing apparatus; FIG. 5 is an operation diagram when a wafer is loaded into a vacuum transfer chamber in the substrate processing apparatus; FIG. 6 is an operation diagram when a wafer is loaded into the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 7 is an operation diagram when a wafer is loaded into the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 8 is an operation diagram when a wafer is loaded into the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 9 is an operation diagram when a wafer is loaded into the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 10 is an operation diagram when a wafer is loaded into the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 11 is an operation diagram when a wafer is loaded into the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 12 is an operation diagram when a wafer is loaded into the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 13 is an operation diagram when a wafer is unloaded from the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 14 is an operation diagram when a wafer is unloaded from the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 15 is an operation diagram when a wafer is unloaded from the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 16 is an operation diagram when a wafer is unloaded from the vacuum transfer chamber; FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional plan view showing a modified example of the second load lock module. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing a modified example of a first load lock module provided in the substrate processing apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a modified example of the first load lock module. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional plan view of a substrate processing apparatus according to a third embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic longitudinal sectional front view of the substrate processing apparatus according to the third embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic longitudinal sectional side view of the substrate processing apparatus according to the third embodiment.

[0008] <Overview of the First Embodiment> A substrate processing apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment incorporating a substrate transfer device according to the present disclosure will be described. Figures 1 and 2 are cross-sectional plan views of the substrate processing apparatus 1, with cross sections at different heights shown for some locations. Figure 3 is a longitudinal front view of the substrate processing apparatus 1. Note that in this specification, elements having substantially the same functional configuration may be designated by the same reference numerals in the drawings to avoid redundant description.

[0009] An overview of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will now be described. The substrate processing apparatus 1 is configured as a system connected to an exposure apparatus 9 and is located in a normal-pressure clean room in a semiconductor device manufacturing factory. The substrate processing apparatus 1 forms patterns in the resist film by applying processing liquids to the wafer W to form various patterning films, including a resist film, followed by development after exposure processing by the exposure apparatus 9, and heat treatments associated with the formation and development of each patterning film. The above-mentioned application and development are liquid processes performed in a state where the surroundings of the wafer W are at normal pressure. Furthermore, the substrate processing apparatus 1 uses the patterned resist film as a mask to etch a film (underlayer film) formed below the resist film, thereby transferring the pattern of the resist film to the underlayer film. This etching process is a gas process performed in a state where the surroundings of the wafer W are at vacuum pressure.

[0010] In the substrate processing apparatus 1, a wafer W is removed from a transfer container C called a FOUP (Front Opening United Pod) placed on a container mounting portion 21 that constitutes a load port. The wafer W is then transferred through a normal pressure transfer area within the substrate processing apparatus 1, where it undergoes the coating, developing, and heating processes described above. The wafer W is then transferred to a vacuum transfer station 5 that has a vacuum transfer area and is connected to an etching module (first processing section) 6, where it undergoes the etching process described above. After this processing, the wafer W is transferred from the vacuum transfer station 5 to a normal pressure transfer area, where it is returned to the transfer container C.

[0011] Therefore, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, a common load port is used for the normal pressure transfer area and the vacuum pressure transfer area. To reduce the footprint (occupied floor area) of the apparatus, the normal pressure transfer area and the vacuum pressure transfer area are arranged vertically, with the normal pressure transfer area located on the lower side and the vacuum pressure transfer area located on the upper side. In this specification, normal pressure refers to atmospheric pressure (760 Torr = 1.013 x 10 ５ Pa) or a pressure close to atmospheric pressure, specifically, for example, 700 Torr to 800 Torr, which may hereinafter be expressed as αPa.

[0012] A load lock (LL) module is interposed between the atmospheric pressure transfer region and the vacuum pressure transfer region. The LL modules are provided for loading and unloading into the vacuum pressure transfer region. The loading module is referred to as a loading LL module LI, and the unloading module is referred to as an unloading LL module LO. These are sometimes collectively referred to as LL modules LI and LO. Each of the loading and unloading LL modules LI and LO includes a first LL module 1L and a second LL module 2L. The second LL module 2L is provided closer to the vacuum pressure transfer region than the first LL module 1L.

[0013] Assume that the vacuum pressure in the transfer area in the vacuum transfer station 5 is γPa. In the first LL module 1L, the pressure changes between atmospheric pressure αPa and vacuum pressure βPa (β>γ). In the second LL module 2L, the pressure changes between βPa and γPa. By transferring the wafer W sequentially through the first and second LL modules 1L and 2L, where the pressure changes in this manner, the wafer W can be transferred between the atmospheric pressure transfer area and the vacuum transfer station 5 as described above.

[0014] The pressure change in the first LL module 1L and the pressure change in the second LL module 2L can be performed independently, and by performing these pressure changes in parallel with each other, delays in the transfer of wafers W between the atmospheric pressure transfer region and the vacuum pressure transfer region are prevented. The first LL module 1L is arranged to be able to move up and down in response to the atmospheric pressure transfer region and the vacuum pressure transfer region being arranged vertically, and the second LL module 2L is arranged at the same height as the vacuum pressure transfer region.

[0015] 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a carrier station 2 into which a transfer container C accommodating a plurality of wafers W is loaded and unloaded, and a processing station 3 equipped with a plurality of various processing modules for performing predetermined processing on the wafers W. The substrate processing apparatus 1 has a configuration in which the carrier station 2, the plurality of processing stations 3, and an interface station 4 for transferring wafers W between the carrier station 2, the plurality of processing stations 3, and the connected exposure apparatus 9 are arranged in this order and integrally connected. As shown in FIG. 1, two processing stations 3 are installed side by side between the lower side of the carrier station 2 and the lower side of the interface station 4. The processing station 3 includes the plurality of processing modules and the atmospheric pressure transfer region for transferring wafers W to each processing module.

[0016] The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions in the figures represent the front-to-back direction, the left-to-right direction, and the up-to-down direction, respectively, and are perpendicular to one another. Hereinafter, the front side will be referred to as the front side when viewing the carrier station 2 on the left and the interface station 4 on the right. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , a vacuum transfer station 5 is stacked above the processing station 3, and a total of two etching modules 6 are connected to the rear of the vacuum transfer station 5 and are arranged side by side. The second LL modules 2L, an unloading LL module LO and a loading LL module LI, are connected to the left and right sides of the vacuum transfer station 5, respectively. These two second LL modules 2L and the vacuum transfer station 5 are sandwiched between the upper side of the carrier station 2 and the upper side of the interface station 4.

[0017] The carrier station 2 is provided with a plurality of the above-mentioned load ports. Each load port includes a container mounting portion 21 for a transfer container C arranged outside a housing that constitutes the carrier station 2 and forms a transfer path for wafers W therein, and a door (not shown) for opening and closing an opening provided in a left side wall 2a that forms part of the housing. The opening faces the transfer container C on the container mounting portion 21, and the door holds the lid of the transfer container C when the opening is opened or closed. The door and opening are not shown in the figure.

[0018] 3, the carrier station 2 is provided with transfer mechanisms 22 and 23, a third block B3, and a first LL module 1L. The transfer mechanisms 22 and 23 each include drive mechanisms for the X direction, Y direction, up and down direction, and around the vertical axis (θ direction) as needed, and may include drive mechanisms for all directions. Within the carrier station 2, the area where the wafers W are transferred by the transfer mechanisms 22 and 23 is at atmospheric pressure.

[0019] The third block B3 has multiple stages arranged vertically, and a wafer W can be temporarily placed on each of the stages. A first LL module 1L is provided above the third block B3. A transfer mechanism 22 can transfer wafers W between a transfer container C on the container mounting section 21 and the third block B3, and a transfer mechanism 23 can transfer wafers W between the third block B3 and the first LL module 1L in a lowered position described below, and between stages in the third block B3. In addition, a transfer mechanism 33 in a processing station 3 described below can access each stage in the third block B3, thereby allowing wafers W to be transferred between the carrier station 2 and the processing station 3.

[0020] 1, the processing station 3 is provided with three blocks, namely, first, second, and fourth blocks B1, B2, and B4. For example, the first block B1 is provided at the front side of the processing station 3, and the second block B2 is provided at the rear side of the processing station 3. The fourth block B4 is provided at the connection portion between the processing stations 3. Like the third block, the fourth block B4 is provided with multiple stages lined up in the vertical direction.

[0021] The first block B1 is provided with processing modules M1 such as a patterning film forming module or a developing module. The patterning film forming modules include a module for forming an anti-reflection film in addition to the module for forming the resist film described above.

[0022] The second block B2 includes multiple processing modules M2 arranged in both the vertical and horizontal directions. These multiple processing modules M2 include a plurality of heat processing modules that perform heat processing such as heating the wafer W and cooling it after heating, a hydrophobic processing module that performs a hydrophobic processing to improve the fixation of the resist liquid to the wafer W, and a peripheral exposure module that exposes the peripheral portion of the wafer W. At least one of these processing modules M1 and M2 corresponds to the second processing section in the claims.

[0023] 1, a substrate transport region R2 is formed in the region sandwiched between the first block B1 and the second block B2 in a plan view. This substrate transport region R2 is a normal pressure transport region aligned with the vacuum pressure substrate transport region R1 described above, and blocks B3, B4 and a block B5 (described later) are provided on an extension of the length of the substrate transport region R2.

[0024] A transfer mechanism 33 is disposed in the substrate transfer region R2. The transfer mechanism 33 has a transfer arm 33a that is movable, for example, in the Y direction, the front-rear direction, the θ direction, and the up-down direction. The transfer mechanism 33 moves within the substrate transfer region R2 and can transfer wafers W to predetermined modules in the surrounding first block B1, second block B2, third block B3, and fourth block B4. The transfer mechanism 33 provided in the processing station 3 located on the interface station 4 side can transfer wafers W to the first, second, and fourth blocks B1, B2, and B4, as well as to a fifth block B5 (described below). As shown in FIG. 3 , in each processing station 3, multiple layers 31 including the first, second, and fourth blocks B1, B2, and B4 are stacked, and the transfer mechanism 33 can transfer wafers W between these layers.

[0025] The interface station 4 is provided with transfer mechanisms 41 and 42, a fifth block B5, and a first LL module 1L. The transfer mechanisms 41 and 42 each include drive mechanisms for the X direction, Y direction, up and down direction, and around the vertical axis (θ direction) as needed, and may include drive mechanisms for all directions. Within the interface station 4, the area where the wafers W are transferred by the transfer mechanisms 41 and 42 is at atmospheric pressure.

[0026] The fifth block B5, like the third block B3, has multiple stages aligned vertically, each capable of temporarily placing a wafer W on. A first LL module 1L is provided above the fifth block B5. A transfer mechanism 42 can transfer wafers W between the fifth block B5 and the exposure device 9, and a transfer mechanism 41 can transfer wafers W between the fifth block B5 and the first LL module 1L in a lowered position, which will be described later. Transfer between stages in the fifth block B5 is also possible using the transfer mechanisms 41 and 42.

[0027] (First and Second LL Modules 1L, 2L) The structure of the first and second LL modules 1L, 2L will be further described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Each of the first and second LL modules 1L, 2L includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing 11, 12, which includes an internal space where the pressure is adjusted as described above. The housing 11 is configured to move between a lowered position for transferring wafers W to and from the transfer mechanism 23 or transfer mechanism 41 and an elevated position for transferring wafers W to and from the second LL module 2L. Specifically, the lowered position is a position above and opposite the upper portions of the third block B3 and the fifth block B5, and is at the same height as the upper side of the processing station 3. The elevated position is directly above the lowered position and is opposite the second LL module 2L, i.e., is at a height higher than the processing station 3.

[0028] The housing 11 of the first LL module 1L is moved by a drive mechanism 43 connected to the four corners of the housing 11 in a plan view. The drive mechanism 43 includes, for example, a guide extending in the movement direction (up and down direction) of the housing 11, a ball screw extending in the movement direction of the housing 11, and a motor for rotating the ball screw. Note that drive mechanisms 18, 20, and 25b described in later modified examples and later embodiments have the same configuration as the drive mechanism 43, and are provided to extend in a direction corresponding to the movement direction of the object.

[0029] A stage 13 for supporting the wafer W is provided within the housing 11, and for example, three lift pins 15 are provided on the stage 13, which protrude and retract from the upper surface of the stage 13 to support the rear surface of the wafer W, in order to transfer the wafer W. A suction hole 16 connected to an exhaust mechanism 7a, which will be described later, is opened on the upper surface of the stage 13.

[0030] A transfer mechanism 14 is provided within the housing 12 of the second LL module 2L. The transfer mechanism 14 is a so-called SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm) type transfer mechanism, and is configured to transfer a wafer W to a stage 13 of the housing 11 in a raised position (described below) and a stage 53 (described below) provided within the vacuum transfer station 5. Note that each housing 12 of the second LL module 2L is located above both ends of the substrate transfer region R2 of the processing station 3 in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction).

[0031] The housings 11 and 12 of the first and second LL modules 1L and 2L are formed with exhaust holes v1 and v2 and gas supply holes s1 and s2 that open toward their respective internal spaces. An exhaust mechanism 7a (described later) is connected to the exhaust holes v1 and v2, and the exhaust holes v1 and v2 are individually evacuated, thereby individually reducing the pressure inside the housings 11 and 12. A gas supply mechanism 7b (described later) is connected to the gas supply holes s1 and s2, and pressurized gas is individually supplied to the gas supply holes s1 and s2, thereby individually increasing the pressure inside the housings 11 and 12.

[0032] Each of the housings 11 and 12 has two openings formed therein for transferring wafers W into and out of the housing's internal space. First and second gate valves 1G and 2G are provided at these openings, respectively, to open and close the openings. When both the first and second gate valves 1G and 2G are closed, the internal spaces of the housings 11 and 12 are isolated from the external space and become substantially airtight, allowing pressure adjustment as described below. The first and second gate valves 1G and 2G are closed except when necessary for transferring wafers W.

[0033] In each of the housings 11 and 12, the second gate valve 2G is disposed closer to the substrate transfer region R1 of the vacuum transfer station 5 than the first gate valve 1G in a plan view. The second gate valve 2G in the housing 12 is disposed so as to be in contact with the substrate transfer region R1. In the housing 12, the first gate valve 1G is disposed at a position opposite the second gate valve 2G, and faces the second gate valve 2G in the housing 11 of the first LL module 1L that is in the raised position. More specifically, when the first LL module 1L is in the raised position, the openings in the housings 11 and 12 face each other, and the first and second gate valves 1G and 2G at these openings are opened to allow the transfer of the wafer W.

[0034] To prevent the inflow of external atmosphere when the internal spaces of the housings 11 and 12 are connected, an annular seal member 17 is formed around the periphery of the second gate valve 2G on the outer surface of the housing 12 so as to surround the opening. The seal member 17 is made of an elastic material. When the first LL module 1L is in the raised position, the periphery of the opening where the second gate valve 2G is provided comes into close contact with the seal member 17, making the connected internal spaces of the housings 11 and 12 airtight. More specifically, the seal member 17 surrounds an opening formed on the side of the first LL module 1L when the second gate valve 2G of the first LL module 1L is in the raised position and an opening formed on the side of the second LL module 2L when the first gate valve 1G of the second LL module 2L is opened. At this time, the seal member 17 is pressed and adheres tightly to the periphery of the opening of the first LL module 1L due to its restoring force, thereby making the inside of each housing 11, 12 airtight as described above.

[0035] The first gate valve 1G of the housing 11 in the first LL module 1L is provided on a side of the housing 11 perpendicular to the side on which the second gate valve 2G is provided, and is provided at an intersection position that does not face the second gate valve 2G. More specifically, the first gate valve 1G is provided on the rear wall of the housing 11 to open and close the opening that opens to the rear, and the second gate valve 2G is provided on either the left or right wall of the housing to open and close the opening that opens to either the left or right. When the housing 11 is in the lowered position, the housing 11 is located at the height of the processing station 3, and the opening where the first gate valve 1G is provided is located in a position that allows access by the transport mechanism 23 in the carrier station 2 or the transport mechanism 41 in the interface station 4.

[0036] (Pressure Adjustment Mechanism 7) The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a pressure adjustment mechanism for individually adjusting the pressure of the vacuum transfer station 5, the etching module 6, and the LL modules LI and LO in response to a control signal from the control unit 100. The pressure adjustment mechanism is composed of an exhaust mechanism 7a and a gas supply mechanism 7b.

[0037] The exhaust mechanism 7a is connected by individual pipes to each of the exhaust holes v1, v2, a housing 51 (described later) of the vacuum transfer station 5, and a processing vessel 61 (described later) of the etching module 6. The insides of the housings 11, 12, 51 and the processing vessel 61 are individually evacuated to reduce the pressure to a preset level. To enable such individual exhaust, each of the pipes is provided with a mechanism for adjusting the exhaust rate, such as a valve, and the operation of this mechanism is controlled by a control signal from the control unit 100 (described later).

[0038] The gas supply mechanism 7b is connected to each of the gas supply holes s1, s2 by individual pipes, and supplies pressurized gas such as clean air or an inert gas to raise the pressure inside each of the housings 11, 12 to a preset level. To enable such individual gas supply, each of the pipes is provided with a mechanism for adjusting the gas supply amount, such as a valve, and the operation of this mechanism is controlled by a control signal from the control unit 100.

[0039] (Vacuum Transfer Station 5) The vacuum transfer station 5 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 51 that contains the substrate transfer region R1, which is held at the aforementioned vacuum pressure, a transfer mechanism 52 disposed in the substrate transfer region R1, and two stages 53. In a plan view, the substrate transfer region R1 overlaps with the substrate transfer region R2 of the processing station 3. The left and right ends of the housing 51 are connected to the housing 12 of the second LL module 2L, and opening the second gate valve 2G connects the interiors of these housings, enabling the transfer of wafers W.

[0040] The housing 51 is provided with an exhaust hole v3 connected to the exhaust mechanism 7a, and two openings, each opening toward the rear, for carrying the wafer W into and out of the etching module 6. The transfer mechanism 52 is a SCARA-type transfer mechanism that is disposed between the opposing positions of the openings and configured to transfer the wafer W to the etching module 6 and the stage 53. Each stage 53 is disposed at both left and right ends of the substrate transfer region R1 so as to face the second LL module 2L in a plan view, and is provided with three lift pins 53a similar to the lift pins 15.

[0041] (Etching Module 6) Two etching modules 6 are connected to the rear side of the housing 51. Each etching module 6 is stacked in the second block B2 of the processing station 3 described in FIG. 1, and the processing vessel 61 constituting the etching module 6 is adjacent to the processing module M2 constituting the second block B2. Note that the two-dot chain line in FIG. 2 indicates the edge of the processing station 3.

[0042] The etching module 6 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 , which is a longitudinal side view. The etching module 6 is configured to perform etching by generating capacitively coupled plasma. In the figure, reference numeral 61 denotes a grounded processing vessel. A gate valve 62 is interposed between the processing vessel 61 and the vacuum transfer station 5, and opening and closing the gate valve 62 allows wafers W to be loaded and unloaded between the processing vessel 61 and the vacuum transfer station 5. Like the gate valves 1G and 2G, the gate valve 62 is closed except when necessary for transferring wafers W, separating the atmosphere within the processing vessel 61 from the atmosphere within the vacuum transfer station 5. The processing vessel 61 is then evacuated by an exhaust mechanism 7a to a desired vacuum pressure, e.g., γPa, the same as that of the substrate transfer region R1 of the vacuum transfer station 5.

[0043] In the drawing, reference numeral 64 denotes a mounting table on which the wafer W is placed, and a heater (not shown) is embedded to heat the wafer W. The mounting table 64 is electrically connected to and disposed on the bottom surface of the processing vessel 61, and serves as a lower electrode and also functions as an anode electrode. The mounting table 64 also has three lift pins 64a similar to the lift pins 15, and can transfer the wafer W to and from the transfer mechanism 52 when the gate valve 62 is open.

[0044] A shower head 65 is provided above the mounting table 64. In the figure, reference numeral 66 denotes an insulating member that insulates the shower head 65 from the processing chamber 61. A high-frequency power supply 67 for generating plasma is connected to the shower head 65, and the shower head 65 functions as a cathode electrode. In the figure, reference numeral 68 denotes a gas supply unit that supplies an etching gas used for etching the underlying film described above to a diffusion space 65a within the shower head 65.

[0045] The etching gas supplied to the diffusion space 65a is supplied to the wafer W in a shower-like manner from the outlet of the shower head 65. When the etching gas is supplied to the wafer W in this manner, the high-frequency power supply 67 is turned on, an electric field is formed between the electrodes, and the etching gas is converted into plasma, thereby etching the lower layer film of the wafer W below the resist film. As a result, the pattern of the resist film is transferred to the lower layer film.

[0046] (Controller 100) The substrate processing apparatus 1 is provided with a controller 100. The controller 100 is, for example, a computer and includes a program storage unit (not shown). The program storage unit stores a program for controlling the processing of wafers W in the substrate processing apparatus 1. The program storage unit also stores a program for controlling the operation of the drive systems of the various processing modules and transport mechanisms described above and the pressure in each of the LL modules LI and LO to achieve wafer processing in the substrate processing apparatus 1. The program may be recorded on a computer-readable storage medium H and installed into the controller 100 from the storage medium H. The installed program incorporates instructions (steps) so that control signals are output to each component of the controller 1. These control signals control the transport of substrates by each transport mechanism and the operation of each processing device. The controller 100 includes one or more control circuits for executing the steps of the program.

[0047] (Transfer Path and Processing Steps in Substrate Processing Apparatus) The transfer path of wafers W in the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be described below with reference to FIG. 5 . First, a transfer container C storing multiple wafers W is loaded into the carrier station 2 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 and placed on the container mounting section 21. The wafers W are then sequentially removed from the transfer container C and transferred to the processing station 3. The wafers W transferred to the processing station 3 are then transferred in sequence to modules for hydrophobization, resist film formation, heat treatment, and edge exposure, where they are subjected to hydrophobization, resist film formation, pre-bake, and edge exposure. During this process, the wafers W are transferred between the two processing stations 3 and the fourth block B4 as appropriate.

[0048] The wafer W is then transferred from the fifth block B5 and the interface station 4 to the exposure device 9 for exposure processing. After exposure processing, the wafer W is transferred to the processing station 3 via the interface station 4 and the fifth block B5, and then transferred in sequence to each module for heat treatment and development, where it is subjected to post-exposure baking and development. The wafer W, now with the resist pattern formed thereon, is returned to the interface station 4 and transferred to the first LL module 1L, which is in the lowered position. The first LL module 1L moves to the raised position, and the wafer W passes through the second LL module 2L, which is located to the left of it (to the right of the vacuum transfer station 5), and is transferred to the vacuum transfer station 5.

[0049] The wafer W transferred from the vacuum transfer station 5 to one of the etching modules 6 is etched to transfer the pattern to the underlying film, and then passes through the second LL module 2L on the carrier station 2 side and is transferred to the first LL module 1L, which is in the raised position in the carrier station 2, and the first LL module 1L moves to the lowered position. The wafer W is then transferred from the carrier station 2 to the transfer container C.

[0050] As described above, in this transfer path, the first and second LL modules 1L, 2L on the interface station 4 side are used as loading LL modules LI for the vacuum transfer station 5. The first and second LL modules 1L, 2L on the carrier station 2 side are used as unloading LL modules LO for the vacuum transfer station 5.

[0051] The substrate transfer device of the present disclosure in the substrate processing apparatus 1 is formed by all of the components used to transfer wafers W between processing modules as described above. In the substrate transfer device of the present disclosure, if the substrate transfer region R1 is the first transfer path and the substrate transfer region R2 is the second transfer path, then the first LL module 1L can be said to constitute a third transfer path provided between the first and second transfer paths. The first LL module 1L corresponds to the first pressure adjustment chamber, the second LL module 2L corresponds to the second pressure adjustment chamber, the internal space of the housing 11 corresponds to the first space, and the internal space of the housing 12 corresponds to the second space.

[0052] 5, examples of the operation of loading and unloading wafers W into and from vacuum transfer station 5 using loading LL modules LI and LO will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 6 to 17. The solid arrows in each figure indicate pressure changes due to air supply and exhaust to the LL modules, with arrows pointing into each housing 11, 12 indicating a state in which pressure is increasing due to air supply, and arrows pointing outside the housing indicating a state in which pressure is decreasing due to exhaust. In addition, in the figures, an arbitrary wafer W is represented as wafer W1, and the wafer W preceding wafer W1 is represented as wafer W0.

[0053] 6 to 12, which are longitudinal sectional front views, will be used to explain the operation of the load LL module LI when loading a wafer W into the vacuum transfer station 5. As shown in Fig. 6, with the transfer mechanism 14 of the second LL module 2L holding a wafer W0, the pressure in the second LL module 2L is reduced from vacuum pressure βPa (third pressure) by evacuation. Meanwhile, wafer W1 is transferred to the first LL module 1L, which is set to atmospheric pressure αPa (second pressure) and is positioned in the lowered position.

[0054] When the wafer W is attracted to the stage 13 by suction through the suction holes 16 in the stage 13, the first LL module 1L moves toward the raised position, and evacuation of the first LL module 1L begins, reducing the pressure ( FIG. 7 ). The pressure in the second LL module 2L continues to decrease due to evacuation. The side of the housing 11 of the first LL module 1L slides against the seal member 17 of the second LL module 2L as it moves. When the first LL module 1L reaches the raised position, the seal member 17 elastically contacts the periphery of the opening of the housing 11 of the first LL module 1L. When the pressure in the second LL module 2L reaches γPa (first pressure), the second gate valve 2G of the second LL module 2L opens, and the transfer mechanism 14 transfers the wafer W0 to the vacuum transfer station 5, where the wafer W0 is delivered to the lift pins 53a of the stage 53 ( FIG. 8 ).

[0055] While the wafer W0 is placed on the stage 53, the second gate valve 2G of the second LL module 2L is closed, and the pressure in the second LL module 2L increases from γPa to βPa. In the first LL module 1L, the pressure reaches βPa and is maintained at this βPa (FIG. 9). The pressure in the second LL module 2L reaches βPa and is maintained at this βPa.

[0056] Then, the second gate valve 2G of the first LL module 1L and the first gate valve 1G of the second LL module 2L are opened, the suction by the stage 13 is released, and the transfer mechanism 14 receives the wafer W1 lifted by the lift pins 15. Meanwhile, the wafer W0 is transferred from the stage 53 to the etching module 6 by the transfer mechanism 52 ( FIG. 10 ). Then, as shown in FIG. 11 , once the wafer W1 is stored in the housing 12 by the transfer mechanism 14, the second gate valve 2G of the first LL module 1L and the first gate valve 1G of the second LL module 2L are closed.

[0057] 12, the first LL module 1L that has received the wafer W1 is again moved toward the lowered position to transfer the next wafer W, and the pressure is increased to αPa. Meanwhile, in the second LL module 2L that contains the wafer W1, the internal pressure is reduced to γPa, similar to when the wafer W0 was stored in the second LL module 2L in FIGS. 6 to 8. The wafer W1 is then transferred to the etching module 6 via the stage 53.

[0058] In this way, during the process of loading the wafer W into the vacuum transfer station 5, the atmosphere around the wafer W is gradually changed from αPa to γPa in the first and second LL modules 1L, 2L. To prevent a decrease in throughput, the pressure changes in the first and second LL modules 1L, 2L are performed in parallel. Also, to prevent a decrease in throughput, the pressure change in the first LL module 1L is performed while the first LL module 1L is ascending.

[0059] Next, the pressure adjusting operation and transfer operation of the unloading LL module LO when unloading the wafer W1 from the vacuum transfer station 5 to the carrier station 2 will be described in detail with reference to the vertical side views of FIGS. 13 to 17.

[0060] 13, the etched wafer W1 is first carried into the second LL module 2L, whose internal pressure is γPa, by the transfer mechanism 14. The pressure in the second LL module 2L containing the wafer W1 is then increased from γPa to βPa. At this time, the first LL module 1L, from which the wafer W0 preceding the wafer W1 has been carried out, is located in a lowered position, and its internal pressure is set to αPa.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 14, the first LL module 1L is moved toward the raised position, and the internal pressure is reduced toward βPa. Then, as shown in Fig. 15, the outer surface of the housing 11 of the first LL module 1L facing the second LL module 2L slides against the seal member 17, and the housing 11 reaches the raised position. Next, as shown in Fig. 16, the first and second LL modules 1L, 2L, whose internal pressures have reached βPa, open the opposing first and second gate valves 1G, 2G, and the internal spaces of the housings 11, 12 communicate with each other while the seal member 17 maintains airtightness. Then, the transfer mechanism 14 transfers the wafer W1 to the first LL module 1L.

[0062] 17, after the second LL module 2L receives and delivers the wafer W1, the transfer mechanism 14 leaves the first LL module 1L and closes the first gate valve 1G, reducing the internal pressure back down to γPa. The wafer W1 is attracted to the stage 13 by suction through the suction holes 16 in the stage 13. The first LL module 1L then closes the second gate valve 2G and moves toward the downward position, increasing the internal pressure back down to αPa. In the downward position, the first LL module 1L, whose internal pressure has reached αPa, opens the second gate valve 2G, and the wafer W1, now released from the stage 13, is carried out of the first LL module 1L.

[0063] In this way, during the process of unloading the wafer W from the vacuum transfer station 5, the atmosphere around the wafer W in the first and second LL modules 1L, 2L is gradually changed from γPa to αPa. As in the process of loading the wafer W into the vacuum transfer station 5, in order to prevent a decrease in throughput, the pressure changes in the first and second LL modules 1L, 2L are performed in parallel, and the pressure change is performed in the first LL module 1L while the first LL module 1L is descending.

[0064] As described above, according to the substrate transfer apparatus of this embodiment, the carrier station 2 including the load port is shared by providing the processing station 3 in which processing modules for processing wafers W in an atmospheric pressure atmosphere are disposed, and the vacuum transfer station 5 connected to the etching module 6 for processing wafers W in a vacuum atmosphere. This reduces the floor space occupied by the substrate processing apparatus 1. Furthermore, if separate load ports were provided for the processing station 3 and the etching module 6, the transfer container C would have to be transferred between those load ports, but this transfer is not necessary, thereby increasing throughput.

[0065] Furthermore, when the processing station 3, vacuum transfer station 5, and etching module 6 are provided in the apparatus, the vacuum transfer station 5 and etching module 6 are arranged so as to be stacked on the processing station 3. This configuration of the substrate processing apparatus 1 further reduces the occupied floor space. With the processing station 3 and vacuum transfer station 5 arranged in this manner, the first LL module 1L also functions as a transfer mechanism for vertically transferring wafers W between these stations, thereby minimizing the increase in the number of components of the apparatus. As described above, the pressure in the first LL module 1L is changed while the first LL module 1L is being raised or lowered, and the pressure in the second LL module 2L connected to the first LL module 1L is also changed in parallel with the pressure change in the first LL module 1L, thereby preventing a decrease in the throughput of the apparatus.

[0066] Furthermore, when the wafer W is lifted and transported in the first LL module 1L, the positional deviation of the wafer W is prevented by suction from the suction holes 16 of the stage 13 of the first LL module 1L. However, instead of providing the suction holes 16, a member surrounding the periphery of the wafer W on the stage may be provided to prevent the positional deviation.

[0067] The transfer operation and pressure adjustment operation in the present embodiment described above are merely examples and are not limited thereto. For example, while the example in which two and one wafers W are transferred in the loading LL module LI and the unloading LL module LO, respectively, is shown, the present invention is not limited thereto, and each may transfer one or two wafers W, and the wafers do not need to be aligned. Furthermore, instead of the stages 13 and 53, slit-shaped shelves may be formed that can, for example, vertically arrange multiple wafers W and support both ends of each wafer W. In this case, if the transfer mechanism 14 is configured to transfer multiple wafers W, multiple wafers W can be transferred in one transfer operation of the first LL module 1L.

[0068] Although the first and second LL modules 1L and 2L on the interface station 4 side are designated as load LL modules LI, and the first and second LL modules 1L and 2L on the carrier station 2 side are designated as unload LL modules LO, the roles are divided as follows: the LL modules LI and LO may serve both as load and unload modules. Specifically, after the wafer W is transferred to the vacuum transfer station 5 by the load LL module LI on the interface station 4 side, which has been described as a load module, the wafer W that has been etched in the etching module 6 is returned to the interface station 4 via the LL module LI.

[0069] In this case, the wafer W can be transferred from the fifth block B5 to the substrate transfer region R2, the fourth block B4, the substrate transfer region R2, and then the third block B3, and then transferred to the transfer container C. Similarly, the wafer W is transferred to the vacuum transfer station 5 via the transfer LL module LO on the carrier station 2 side, which has been described above as the transfer module for transfer, and then the wafer W etched in the etching module 6 is returned to the carrier station 2 via the LL module LO. Thereafter, the wafer W can be returned to the transfer container C by the transfer mechanism of the carrier station 2.

[0070] Although the vacuum transfer station 5 and the etching module 6 are arranged to be stacked above the processing station 3, this is not limiting. For example, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, they may be arranged on one side of the processing station 3, such as to the side of the processing station 3. Even in this case, the carrier station 2 can be shared, which prevents an increase in the occupied area, compared to providing an apparatus with a liquid processing module and an apparatus with a gas processing module separately.

[0071] The first LL module 1L may be provided at a lowered position without being raised or lowered, and the second LL module 2L may be configured to be raised or lowered between the first LL module 1L and the vacuum transfer station 5. Alternatively, the second LL module 2L may not be provided, and the first LL module 1L, which is raised and lowered, may be connected to the vacuum transfer station 5 at the raised position. In this case, the pressure in the first LL module 1L may be changed between αPa and γPa.

[0072] The pressure in the first LL module 1L has been described as being varied between αPa, which is the pressure in the carrier station 2 and the interface station 4, and βPa, which is the pressure in the second LL module 2L when the wafer W is transferred to the second LL module 2L. However, when the gate valve 1G or 2G is opened to open the first LL module 1L, it is sufficient that the difference between the pressure at the destination and the pressure in the first LL module 1L is kept small so as not to affect the transfer or processing of the wafer W. In other words, when the gate valve 1G or 2G is opened, a slight pressure difference may be formed between the first LL module 1L and the destination, generating an airflow due to this pressure difference. Therefore, the pressure in the first LL module 1L may be varied between a pressure deviating from αPa and a pressure deviating from βPa. For similar reasons, the pressure in the second LL module 2L may be varied between a pressure deviating from γPa and a pressure deviating from βPa. The modifications of the first embodiment described above can also be applied to the second and third embodiments described below.

[0073] A modified example of the second LL module 2L in the first embodiment will be described below with reference to cross-sectional plan views in FIGS. 18 and 19 . In this modified example, the distance between the first and second LL modules 1L and 2L in the raised position is greater than the distance in the example shown in FIG. 2 and elsewhere. One end of a cylindrical bellows 19 is connected to the outer surface of the housing 12 of the second LL module 2L so as to surround an opening in which the second gate valve 2G is provided. The other end (tip) of the bellows 19 is connected to a drive mechanism 18. A seal member 17 is provided at the tip of the bellows 19 so as to fit along the rim. The drive mechanism 18 moves the tip of the bellows 19 in the Y direction, thereby expanding and contracting the bellows 19.

[0074] During movement of the first LL module 1L toward the raised position and during movement to retract from the raised position, as shown in FIG. 18 , the seal member 17 is positioned in a retracted position away from the housing 11 of the first LL module 1L in a plan view. When the first LL module 1L is positioned in the raised position and the internal spaces of the first and second LL modules 1L and 2L are to be connected to each other, as shown in FIG. 19 , the seal member 17 moves from the retracted position toward the housing 11 and comes into close contact with the periphery of the opening in the housing 11 where the second gate valve 2G is provided. This prevents the inflow of external atmosphere when the first and second gate valves 1G and 2G are opened to connect the internal spaces of the first and second LL modules 1L and 2L. Furthermore, wafers W can be transported between the first and second LL modules 1L and 2L by passing through the bellows 19. In this modification, the seal member 17 does not come into sliding contact with the housing 11 when positioned in the raised position, thereby reducing wear.

[0075] Second Embodiment A substrate processing apparatus 1A according to a second embodiment will be described below with reference to Fig. 20, which is a longitudinal sectional front view of the substrate processing apparatus 1A. Regarding the exhaust mechanism 7a and the gas supply mechanism 7b in Fig. 20, only differences from the first embodiment are illustrated. The housing 11A of the first LL module 1LA of this embodiment does not change height and has a vertically elongated configuration.

[0076] A driving mechanism 20 is provided within the housing 11A, and the driving mechanism 20 supports a horizontally disposed movable table 20a so that the movable table 20a can be displaced in the vertical direction, and the stage 13 provided on the upper surface of the movable table 20a moves up and down. Therefore, in the second embodiment, of the housing 11A and the stage 13 therein, only the stage 13 moves up and down together with the movable table 20a to transfer the wafer W.

[0077] As in the first embodiment, the stage 13 can be raised and lowered between an elevated position at a height where the second LL module 2L is located and a lowered position at a height where the processing station 3 is located, so that the wafer W can be transferred thereto. In the following description of the second embodiment, the elevated position and the lowered position refer to height positions where the stage 13 and the movable platform 20a are located to transfer the wafer W between the transfer mechanism 14 of the second LL module 2L and the transfer mechanism of the carrier station 2 or the interface station 4. The movable platform 20a, which can be raised and lowered in this manner, is disposed with a gap between it and the inner wall surface of the adjacent housing 11A.

[0078] The exhaust hole v1 and the gas supply hole s1 are provided on the upper side of the housing 11A, and the internal pressure of the housing 11A is reduced or increased by the exhaust mechanism 7a and the gas supply mechanism 7b. In this embodiment, since the housing 11A does not displace relative to the housing 12, a third gate valve 3G is formed between the housings 11A and 12. The third gate valve 3G separates and connects the internal spaces of the housings 11A and 12 to each other.

[0079] In this second embodiment, wafers W are transferred in the same manner as in the first embodiment, except that the stage 13 and movable table 20a move. During this process, the pressure in the housing 11A of the first LL module 1LA is changed at the same timing as in the housing 11 of the first LL module 1L in the first embodiment. That is, the movement of the first LL module 1L in the descriptions of FIGS. 6 to 17 should be interpreted as the movement of the stage 13 and movable table 20a in the first LL module 1LA. Furthermore, the opening and closing of gate valves 1G and 2G for transferring wafers W between the first LL module 1L and the second LL module 2L should be interpreted as the opening and closing of gate valve 3G. Therefore, pressure changes in the first LL module 1LA occur in parallel with the elevation and lowering of the stage 13 and movable table 20a. This second embodiment also achieves the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0080] 21 to 23 show a modification of the second embodiment. In this modification, a drive mechanism 25b and a horizontal, plate-like partition 25 are provided on the underside of the movable base 20a in the first LL module 1LA, and the partition 25 is moved in the Y direction between a contact position and a non-contact position by the drive mechanism 25b. The contact position is closer to the vacuum transfer station 5 than the non-contact position, and at the contact position the partition 25 protrudes toward the vacuum transfer station 5 relative to the movable base 20a, but does not protrude at the non-contact position. As will be described later, this partition 25, together with the movable base 20a, is a partition member that divides the interior of the housing 11A of the first LL module 1LA into upper and lower sections.

[0081] Furthermore, a protrusion 25a that protrudes into the housing 11A and extends in the X direction is provided on the side wall of the housing 11A on the side of the vacuum transfer station 5. The protrusion 25a is provided at the same height as the partition 25 when the movable table 20a is in the raised position. The protrusion 25a is made of an elastic material to improve adhesion with the partition 25 when it comes into contact with the partition 25, as will be described later.

[0082] The operation of this first LL module 1LA when used as a load LL module LI will now be described. As shown in Fig. 21 , a wafer W is placed on the stage 13, which is positioned in a lowered position in a housing 11A whose internal pressure is αPa, by the transfer mechanism 41 and lift pins 15. The partition 25 is positioned in a non-contact position. Next, as shown in Fig. 22 , when the first gate valve 1G closes, the internal pressure of the housing 11A is reduced to βPa by the exhaust mechanism 7a, and the stage 13 with the wafer W placed thereon is moved to the raised position by the drive mechanism 20.

[0083] When the stage 13 is placed in the raised position, the partition 25 moves to the contact position, and its tip comes into close contact with the protrusion 25a (FIG. 23). This closes a portion of the gap formed between the partition 25 and the side wall of the housing 11A. This increases the pressure loss between the space above the movable table 20a (upper space) and the space below the movable table 20a (lower space), increasing the rate at which the pressure in the upper space decreases per unit time, and the pressure quickly reaches βPa, at which the gate valve 3G can be opened.

[0084] When returning the stage 13 to the lowered position, gas is supplied to the housing 11A instead of being exhausted, and the stage 13 and the partition 25 are operated in the opposite manner to when being moved to the raised position. Note that the exhaust hole v1 does not necessarily have to be located at the position shown in the drawing inside the housing 11A, but in order to achieve this effect, it is opened above the partition 25 and the movable base 20a in the raised position.

[0085] Third Embodiment A substrate processing apparatus 1B according to a third embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 24 to 26. FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional plan view of the substrate processing apparatus 1B, FIG. 25 is a schematic vertical sectional front view of the substrate processing apparatus 1B, and FIG. 26 is a schematic vertical sectional side view of the substrate processing apparatus 1B. The first LL module and second LL module on the carrier station 2 side are designated 1L and 2L, respectively, and the housing of the first LL module 1L is designated 11. The first LL module and second LL module on the interface station 4 side are designated 1LB and 2LB, respectively, and the housing of the first LL module 1LB is designated 11B.

[0086] The housings 11 and 11B of this embodiment have roughly the same shape as the housing 11 of the first embodiment, but like the housing 11A of the second embodiment, they do not move up and down. The housing 11 of the first LL module 1L is connected to the housing 12 of the second LL module 2L, and the housing 11B of the first LL module 1LB is connected to the housing 12 of the second LL module 2LB via gate valves 3G.

[0087] The first and second LL modules 1L and 2L on the carrier station 2 side are each provided with a stage 13 and a transfer mechanism 14, as in the first embodiment. However, the first LL module 1LB and second LL module 2LB on the interface station 4 side are each provided with a transfer mechanism 14 and a stage 13. As described above, the second LL module 2LB is provided with a stage 13, and the transfer mechanism 52 of the vacuum transfer station 5 delivers and receives the wafer W to and from this stage 13. Therefore, the vacuum transfer station 5 on the interface station 4 side is not provided with a stage 53.

[0088] 26 , in the interface station 4, stages 44, 45 are provided in front of the first LL module 1LB and the fifth block B5, and a transfer mechanism 41 moves up and down in front of these stages 44, 45 to transfer wafers W between these stages 44, 45. A transfer mechanism 42 can transfer wafers W between the stage 45 and the fifth block B5. The stage 44 is located above the stage 45, and the transfer mechanism 14 of the first LL module 1LB transfers wafers W between this stage 44 and the stage 13 of the second LL module 2LB.

[0089] As described above, the interface station 4 is configured to allow wafers W to be transferred between the fifth block B5 and the first LL module 1LB via the stages 44 and 45. Meanwhile, in the carrier station 2, the transfer mechanism 23 moves up and down to deliver wafers W between the housing 11 connected to the housing 12 and the third block B3.

[0090] With the above-described configuration, the substrate processing apparatus 1B can transfer wafers W between the lower processing station 3 and the upper vacuum transfer station 5 via the LL modules LI and LO, similar to the substrate processing apparatus 1. Transfers according to the elevation differences between these stations are performed by the respective transfer mechanisms of the carrier station 2 and the interface station 4, instead of by the first LL modules 1L and 1LB.

[0091] In the third embodiment, the first and second LL modules 1L, 2L on the carrier station 2 side may also be configured in the same manner as on the interface station 4 side, with the transfer mechanism 14 provided in the first LL module 1L and the stage 13 provided in the second LL module 2L. In this case, the transfer of wafers W between the transfer mechanism 23 and the first LL module 1L may be performed via a mounting unit such as a stage appropriately disposed within the carrier station 2. As described above, the transfer mechanism 14 is not limited to being provided in the second LL module in each embodiment, and may also be provided in the first LL module.

[0092] In each embodiment, the LL module on the carrier station 2 side is used as the unloading LL module LO, and the LL module on the interface station 4 side is used as the loading LL module LI, but the reverse is also possible. To give an example of a specific transfer path in this case, after development in the processing station 3 as described in the first embodiment, the wafer W is transferred to the vacuum transfer station 5 and etching module 6 via the LL module on the carrier station 2 side for processing. After etching, the wafer W is returned to the processing station 3 via the first and second LL modules on the interface station 4 side. Alternatively, the wafer W may be transferred to the transfer container C without being processed in the processing station 3.

[0093] The type and number of processing modules to be mounted in the substrate processing apparatus 1 are arbitrary. More than two etching modules 6 may be arranged in the Y direction (left and right direction) behind the vacuum transfer station 5. Also, etching modules 6 may be connected to and provided in front of the vacuum transfer station 5. Specifically, etching modules 6 may be provided so as to be stacked in the first block B1 of the processing station 3.

[0094] Instead of the etching module 6, a gas developing module may be provided to perform gas development on the wafer W. This gas developing module performs development by supplying a development gas without generating plasma in the processing vessel 61. Therefore, it has the same configuration as the etching module 6, except that it does not include a plasma-generating device such as a high-frequency power supply 67 and that a development gas is supplied into the processing vessel 61 instead of an etching gas. This gas developing module may also be used in place of the developing module that performs liquid processing in the processing station 3. That is, after performing post-exposure baking in the processing station 3, the wafer W may be transferred to the vacuum transfer station 5 for gas development. The gas developing module may also be used to perform development after development by liquid processing. Specifically, post-exposure baking, liquid processing development, and post-exposure baking may be performed in this order in the processing station 3, and then gas development in the gas developing module may be performed. As shown in the examples of the gas developing module and the etching module above, the vacuum processing may be either a plasma process or a non-plasma process. Other processes such as film formation may also be performed as vacuum processing.

[0095] Furthermore, the substrate processing apparatus 1 may be configured without connecting the exposure apparatus 9. When the exposure apparatus 9 is not connected, the interface station 4 may be omitted, and the first and second LL modules on the carrier station 2 side may be used as both the load LL module LI and the unload LL module LO. To give a specific example of transfer in the substrate processing apparatus 1 in this case, a wafer W that has been exposed in another apparatus is transferred to the substrate processing apparatus 1. Then, in the substrate processing apparatus 1, the wafer W is subjected to post-exposure baking and liquid development in the processing station 3, and then etched in the etching module 6 via the first and second LL modules on the carrier station 2 side.

[0096] In addition, the first and second LL modules may be provided only on the carrier station 2 side out of the carrier station 2 side and the interface station 4 side, or the first and second LL modules may be provided only on the interface station 4 side.

[0097] The processing station 3, the second LL module, the vacuum transfer station 5, and the etching module 6 do not necessarily need to be arranged vertically, but may also be arranged in the X direction (front-to-back direction). The carrier station 2 and the interface station 4 are configured to be elongated in the X direction to match the arrangement of the processing station 3 and the second LL module. As in the embodiments shown so far, the transfer mechanism and the first LL module may transfer the wafer W between the processing station 3 and the second LL module. The transfer mechanism and the first LL module transfer the wafer W by moving in the X direction in accordance with the arrangement of these stations and modules. However, to reduce the floor space occupied by the substrate processing apparatus 1, it is preferable that the processing station 3, the second LL module, the vacuum transfer station 5, and the etching module 6 be arranged vertically, as in the embodiments shown so far. Note that in each embodiment, the processing station 3 is located on the lower side and the second LL module, the vacuum transfer station 5, and the etching module 6 are located on the upper side, but the reversed positional relationship may also be used.

[0098] Although the etching module 6 is shown adjacent to the processing module provided in the processing station 3, an intervening object such as a stand or equipment may be provided on the processing module provided in the processing station 3. The etching module 6 may then be provided on that intervening object. This is also true when another vacuum processing module, such as the gas developing module described above, is provided instead of the etching module 6. In other words, the processing module in the processing station 3 and the vacuum processing module connected to the vacuum transfer station 5 are aligned in the Z direction or the X direction as described above, but they do not need to be adjacent to each other if an intervening object is provided between them.

[0099] Regarding the transfer mechanism, the SCARA-type transfer mechanism 52 provided in the vacuum transfer station 5 may be configured to move in the Y direction because the substrate transfer region R1 is elongated in the Y direction. Although the transfer mechanisms 14 provided in the vacuum atmosphere are SCARA-type, this is not limited thereto. A transfer mechanism similar to the transfer mechanism 33 provided in the processing station 3 may also be provided. More specifically, a transfer mechanism may be configured in which a base moves in the Y, θ, and Z directions, and a holder that holds a wafer W on the base moves forward and backward. Therefore, although the wafer W is transferred to and from the stage 13, 53 by raising and lowering the lift pins 15, 53a in the vacuum atmosphere, the transfer mechanisms 14, 52 may be configured to lift and lower the stage 13, 53 to transfer the wafer W. The transfer mechanisms 22, 23, 33, 41, 42 provided in the normal pressure atmosphere may also be SCARA-type.

[0100] The substrate processing apparatus 1 does not necessarily have to have all of the liquid processing modules described above, but may have only some of the processing modules, or may include modules for processing other substrates. The substrate is not limited to a wafer, but may also be a rectangular liquid crystal panel.

[0101] C Transfer container M1, M2 Processing module R1 Substrate transfer area R2 Substrate transfer area W Wafer 1L First LL module 13 Stage 21 Container placement section 6 Etching module

Claims

a first transport path to which a first processing unit that processes the substrate is connected and which is adjusted to a first vacuum pressure; a second transport path to which a second processing unit that processes the substrate is connected, which is positioned alongside the first processing unit in one direction, and which has a second pressure higher than the first pressure; a third transport path connected to the first transport path and the second transport path and which has a substrate holding unit that holds the substrate and transports the substrate between the first transport path and the second transport path; and a first pressure adjustment chamber provided on the third transport path to carry the substrate into or out of the first transport path, which has a first space capable of storing the substrate, and which performs a first pressure adjustment of the pressure of the first space by evacuating the first space to change the pressure from a pressure higher than the first pressure to approach the first pressure, and a second pressure adjustment of the pressure of the first space by supplying gas to the first space to change the pressure from a pressure lower than the second pressure to approach the second pressure.

2. A substrate transport device as described in claim 1, comprising a second space provided between the first transport path and the first pressure adjustment chamber and capable of storing the substrate, and a second pressure adjustment chamber which adjusts the pressure of the second space by exhausting the second space to bring the pressure therein from a third pressure higher than the first pressure and lower than the second pressure closer to the first pressure, and by supplying gas to the second space to bring the pressure therein from a pressure lower than the third pressure closer to the third pressure, wherein the first pressure adjustment is a pressure adjustment from a pressure higher than the third pressure to the third pressure, and the second pressure adjustment is a pressure adjustment from the third pressure closer to the second pressure.

3. The substrate transfer device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the substrate holder is provided in the first space.

4. A substrate transport device according to claim 3, wherein the first pressure adjustment chamber moves between a position for transferring the substrate to the first transport path and a position for transferring the substrate to the second transport path.

5. A substrate transport device as described in claim 3, wherein the substrate holder moves to transport the substrate between a position for transferring the substrate to the first transport path separated in the one direction in the first space and a position for transferring the substrate to the second transport path in the first space.

6. A process of placing a container for storing substrates on a mounting section and loading / unloading the substrate into / from the container; a process of transporting the substrate on a first transport path to which a first processing section for processing the substrate is connected and which is adjusted to a first vacuum pressure; a process of transporting the substrate on a second transport path to which a second processing section for processing the substrate is connected and which is positioned alongside the first processing section in one direction and which has a pressure higher than the first pressure; a process of transporting the substrate between the first transport path and the second transport path by a substrate holder that holds the substrate on a third transport path connected to the first transport path and the second transport path; a process of loading / unloading the substrate into / from the first transport path via a first pressure adjustment chamber that is provided on the third transport path and has a first space capable of storing the substrate; a first pressure adjustment process of evacuating the first space to change the pressure in the first space from a pressure higher than the first pressure to the first pressure. a second pressure adjusting step of supplying gas to the first space to adjust the pressure in the first space from a pressure lower than the second pressure to approach the second pressure.

7. A substrate transport method according to claim 6, comprising: a step of transporting the substrate between the first transport path and the first pressure adjustment chamber via a second pressure adjustment chamber having a second space capable of storing the substrate; a pressure adjustment step of adjusting the pressure in the second space from a third pressure higher than the first pressure and lower than the second pressure to approach the first pressure by exhausting air from the second space; and a pressure adjustment step of adjusting the pressure in the second space from a pressure lower than the third pressure to approach the third pressure by supplying gas to the second space, wherein the first pressure adjustment step is a step of adjusting the pressure from a pressure higher than the third pressure to the third pressure, and the second pressure adjustment step is a step of adjusting the pressure from the third pressure to approach the second pressure.

8. A substrate transfer method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the substrate holder is provided in the first space.

9. A substrate transport method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of moving the first pressure adjustment chamber between a position for transferring the substrate to the first transport path and a position for transferring the substrate to the second transport path.

10. A substrate transport method as described in claim 8, including a step of moving the substrate holder to transport the substrate between a position for transferring the substrate to the first transport path separated in the one direction in the first space and a position for transferring the substrate to the second transport path in the first space.

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