Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

Abstract

This substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate includes: a chamber that accommodates a substrate; a plurality of stages on which the substrate is placed in the chamber; and a raising / lowering mechanism for raising / lowering the plurality of stages, independently for each stage.

Description

Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate processing apparatus for performing a predetermined process on a substrate to be processed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate mounting table on which the substrate to be processed is mounted, a partition member for forming a partition that defines a processing space in an area above the substrate mounting table that includes the substrate to be processed, and an elevating mechanism for raising and lowering the partition member.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses a substrate processing method in which a first mode and a second mode are performed on a plurality of substrates to be processed. In the first mode, a first gas is supplied to some of the plurality of processing sections, and a second gas different from the first gas is supplied to the remaining plurality of processing sections. In the second mode, the first gas is supplied as a processing gas to all of the plurality of processing sections under the same gas conditions.

[0004] JP 2016-029700 A JP 2017-191897 A

[0005] The technology according to the present disclosure processes substrates placed on a plurality of stages independently for each stage.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate processing apparatus for processing substrates, comprising a chamber for accommodating the substrate, a plurality of stages for placing the substrate within the chamber, and a lifting mechanism for independently raising and lowering each of the plurality of stages.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, substrates placed on a plurality of stages can be processed independently for each stage.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an outline of the configuration of a wafer processing apparatus according to this embodiment; Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing an outline of the configuration of a partition wall according to this embodiment; Fig. 3 is an explanatory view showing a mounting table and a partition wall at a wafer transfer position; Fig. 4 is an explanatory view showing a mounting table and a partition wall at a wafer processing position; Fig. 5 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between stage height and etching amount; Fig. 6 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between stage temperature and etching amount.

[0009] Hereinafter, a wafer processing apparatus as a substrate processing apparatus and a wafer processing method as a substrate processing method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in this specification, elements having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0010] 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the outline of the configuration of a wafer processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. Note that in this embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 1 is a COR (Chemical Oxide Removal) processing apparatus that performs a COR process on, for example, a wafer W as a substrate.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, the wafer processing apparatus 1 includes an airtight chamber 10 configured to accommodate a wafer W, a plurality of mounting tables 11 a, 11 b (two in this embodiment) on which the wafer W is placed within the chamber 10, lifting mechanisms 12 a, 12 b for independently raising and lowering the mounting tables 11 a, 11 b, a gas supply unit 13 for supplying a processing gas from above the mounting tables 11 a, 11 b toward the mounting tables 11 a, 11 b, inner walls 14 a, 14 b fixed to the bottom of the chamber 10 and individually surrounding the outside of the mounting tables 11 a, 11 b, partition walls 15 surrounding the outside of the mounting tables 11 a, 11 b and configured to be freely raised and lowered, a lifting mechanism 16 for raising and lowering the partition walls 15, and an exhaust unit 17 for exhausting the air inside the chamber 10.

[0012] The chamber 10 is a container made of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel and has, for example, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape overall. The chamber 10 has, for example, a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, a cylindrical sidewall 20 with open top and bottom surfaces, a ceiling plate 21 that airtightly covers the top surface of the sidewall 20, and a bottom plate 22 that covers the bottom surface of the sidewall 20. A sealing member (not shown) that keeps the interior of the chamber 10 airtight is provided between the top end surface of the sidewall 20 and the ceiling plate 21. A heater (not shown) is also provided in the chamber 10, and a heat insulating material (not shown) is provided on the bottom plate 22. The inside of the chamber 10 may also be coated with a protective member.

[0013] The mounting tables 11a and 11b are formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and include stages 30a and 30b having a mounting surface on which the wafer W is mounted, and supports 31a and 31b that support the stages 30a and 30b. The upper sides of the stages 30a and 30b are configured as electrostatic chucks that attract and hold the wafer W placed on the mounting surface of the stages 30a and 30b.

[0014] Temperature control mechanisms 32a, 32b are provided inside the stages 30a, 30b to control the temperatures of the stages 30a, 30b and the wafers W placed thereon. The temperature control mechanisms 32a, 32b are provided in each stage 30a, 30b and independently control the temperatures of the stages 30a, 30b. The temperature control mechanisms 32a, 32b each include a heater 33a, 33b and a flow path 34a, 34b through which a coolant circulates.

[0015] A power supply (not shown) is connected to the heaters 33a and 33b. The temperature of the stages 30a and 30b is adjusted by supplying power from the power supply to the heaters 33a and 33b. For example, the power supply may be common to the heaters 33a and 33b, and the control unit 100 (described later) may control the power from the power supply to the heaters 33a and 33b individually. Alternatively, the heaters 33a and 33b may be connected to individual power supplies. The temperature of the stages 30a and 30b can be adjusted by any amount by the heaters 33a and 33b, for example, 0.1°C.

[0016] A chiller (not shown) is connected to the flow paths 34a, 34b. A coolant adjusted to a desired temperature is supplied from the chiller to the flow paths 34a, 34b and circulated through the flow paths 34a, 34b, thereby adjusting the temperatures of the stages 30a, 30b. For example, the chillers may be connected to the flow paths 34a, 34b individually.

[0017] The supports 31 a, 31 b support the lower portions of the stages 30 a, 30 b. The supports 31 a, 31 b have a hollow structure, and an enclosed space (not shown) is formed between the interior of the supports 31 a, 31 b and the lower surfaces of the stages 30 a, 30 b. A support pin unit (not shown) that is driven up and down is provided in the enclosed space. The support pins of the support pin unit move up and down through through holes in the stages 30 a, 30 b, thereby transferring the wafer W between the stages 30 a, 30 b and a transfer mechanism (not shown) provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1.

[0018] The lifting mechanisms 12a and 12b are provided on the mounting tables 11a and 11b, respectively, and lift the mounting tables 11a and 11b independently. This allows the mounting tables 11a and 11b to have their heights adjusted independently. The height adjustment range of the mounting tables 11a and 11b by the lifting mechanisms 12a and 12b is optional, but is, for example, 1 mm.

[0019] When the lifting mechanisms 12a, 12b raise the mounting tables 11a, 11b (stages 30a, 30b) to a wafer processing position at a desired height, processing is performed on the wafers W mounted on the mounting tables 11a, 11b. When the lifting mechanisms 12a, 12b lower the mounting tables 11a, 11b (stages 30a, 30b) to a wafer transfer position, the wafers W lifted from the upper surfaces of the mounting tables 11a, 11b by the support pin units described above become accessible from outside the chamber 10.

[0020] The lifting mechanisms 12a, 12b include drive units 40a, 40b arranged outside the chamber 10, and drive shafts 41a, 41b that connect the drive units 40a, 40b to the lower surfaces of the support units 31a, 31b, penetrate the bottom plate 22 of the chamber 10, and extend vertically upward within the chamber 10. For example, actuators are used as the drive units 40a, 40b.

[0021] Bellows 42a, 42b that are expandable and contractible in the vertical direction are provided in the chamber 10 to surround the drive shafts 41a, 41b. The upper ends of the bellows 42a, 42b are airtightly connected to the lower surfaces of the supports 31a, 31b, and the lower ends of the bellows 42a, 42b are airtightly connected to the upper surface of the bottom plate 22. Therefore, when the mounting tables 11a, 11b are raised and lowered via the drive shafts 41a, 41b, the bellows 42a, 42b expand and contract in the vertical direction, thereby maintaining the inside of the chamber 10 airtight.

[0022] The gas supply unit 13 includes shower heads 50 that supply processing gas to the wafers W placed on the mounting tables 11 a and 11 b. The shower heads 50 are individually provided on the lower surface of the ceiling plate 21 of the chamber 10, facing each of the mounting tables 11 a and 11 b. The shower heads 50 include, for example, a substantially cylindrical frame 51 with an open bottom supported on the lower surface of the ceiling plate 21, and a substantially circular shower plate 52 fitted into the inner surface of the frame 51. The shower plate 52 preferably has a diameter at least larger than the diameter of the wafer W so as to uniformly supply processing gas to the entire surface of the wafer W placed on the mounting tables 11 a and 11 b. The shower plate 52 is provided at a predetermined distance from the ceiling of the frame 51. This forms a space 53 between the ceiling of the frame 51 and the upper surface of the shower plate 52. The shower plate 52 also includes a plurality of openings 54 that penetrate the shower plate 52 in the thickness direction.

[0023] A gas supply source 56 is connected to a space 53 between the ceiling of the frame 51 and the shower plate 52 via a gas supply pipe 55. The gas supply source 56 supplies, for example, fluorine (F ２ ) gas, hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas, or ammonia (NH ３) gas, or a dilution gas or purge gas such as argon (Ar) gas. The gas supplied from the gas supply source 56 is uniformly supplied toward the wafers W placed on the mounting tables 11 a and 11 b through the space 53 and the shower plate 52. The gas supply pipe 55 is provided with a flow rate adjusting mechanism 57 that adjusts the amount of processing gas supplied, so that the amount of processing gas supplied to each wafer W can be individually controlled. The shower head 50 may be, for example, a post-mix type that can individually supply multiple types of processing gas without mixing them.

[0024] The inner walls 14a, 14b each have a substantially cylindrical main body 60a, 60b and flanges 61a, 61b provided at the upper ends of the main bodies 60a, 60b and protruding horizontally toward the outer periphery of the inner walls 14a, 14b. The inner walls 14a, 14b are arranged to surround the support portions 31a, 31b of the mounting tables 11a, 11b and the bellows 42a, 42b of the lifting mechanisms 12a, 12b, respectively. The inner diameters of the main bodies 60a, 60b of the inner walls 14a, 14b are set larger than the outer diameters of the support portions 31a, 31b and the bellows 42a, 42b, respectively, to form exhaust spaces V between the inner walls 14a, 14b and the support portions 31a, 31b and the bellows 42a, 42b.

[0025] A plurality of slits (not shown) are formed at the lower ends of the inner walls 14 a and 14 b. The slits are exhaust ports through which the process gas is discharged. In this embodiment, the slits are formed at approximately equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the inner walls 14 a and 14 b.

[0026] 2, the partition wall 15 has two cylindrical portions 70a, 70b that individually surround the two mounting tables 11a, 11b, an upper flange portion 71 provided at the upper ends of the cylindrical portions 70a, 70b, and a lower flange portion 72 provided at the lower ends of the cylindrical portions 70a, 70b. The inner diameters of the cylindrical portions 70a, 70b are set larger than the outer surfaces of the mounting tables 11a, 11b, so that a gap is formed between the cylindrical portions 70a, 70b and the mounting tables 11a, 11b.

[0027] In one embodiment, the cylindrical portions 70a and 70b of the partition wall 15 are provided with heaters (not shown) and are heated to, for example, 100° C. to 150° C. This heating can prevent foreign matter contained in the process gas from adhering to the partition wall 15.

[0028] 1 , a seal member 73 such as an O-ring is provided on the upper surface of the upper flange 71. The seal member 73 airtightly seals the gap between the upper flange 71 and the frame 51 when the partition wall 15 is raised to the wafer processing position by the lifting mechanism 16, bringing the upper flange 71 and the frame 51 into contact with each other. A seal member 73 is provided on each of the mounting tables 11 a, 11 b. When the partition wall 15 is raised to bring the frame 51 into contact with the seal member 73, a processing space S is formed that is surrounded by the mounting tables 11 a, 11 b, the partition wall 15, and the shower head 50.

[0029] When the partition wall 15 is lowered to the wafer transfer position by the lifting mechanism 16, the wafer W lifted from the upper surfaces of the mounting tables 11a and 11b by the support pin units described above becomes accessible from outside the chamber 10.

[0030] The lifting mechanism 16 lifts and lowers the partition wall 15. The lifting mechanism 16 has a drive unit 80 arranged outside the chamber 10, a drive shaft 81 connected to the drive unit 80, which penetrates the bottom plate 22 of the chamber 10 and extends vertically upward within the chamber 10, and a plurality of guide shafts 82, each of which has a tip connected to the partition wall 15 and the other end extending to the outside of the chamber 10. For example, an actuator is used as the drive unit 80. The guide shafts 82 prevent the partition wall 15 from tilting when the drive shaft 81 lifts and lowers the partition wall 15.

[0031] The lower end of an expandable bellows 83 is airtightly connected to the drive shaft 81. The upper end of the bellows 83 is airtightly connected to the underside of the bottom plate 22. Therefore, when the drive shaft 81 moves up and down, the bellows 83 expands and contracts in the vertical direction, thereby maintaining the inside of the chamber 10 airtight. Note that a sleeve (not shown), for example, fixed to the bottom plate 22, is provided between the drive shaft 81 and the bellows 83 to function as a guide during the lifting and lowering operation.

[0032] A bellows 84, which is expandable and contractible like the drive shaft 81, is connected to the guide shaft 82. The upper end of the bellows 84 straddles the bottom plate 22 and the side wall 20 and is airtightly connected to both. Therefore, when the guide shaft 82 moves up and down in conjunction with the movement of the partition wall 15 by the drive shaft 81, the bellows 84 expands and contracts in the vertical direction, thereby maintaining the airtightness inside the chamber 10. As in the case of the drive shaft 81, a sleeve (not shown) is provided between the guide shaft 82 and the bellows 84 to function as a guide during the movement of the partition wall 15.

[0033] Furthermore, since the upper end of the bellows 84 is the fixed end and the lower end of the bellows 84 connected to the guide shaft 82 is the free end, when the chamber 10 becomes negative pressure, a force compressing the bellows 84 in the vertical direction is applied due to the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the bellows 84. Therefore, the guide shaft 82 connected to the free end of the bellows 84 rises vertically upward as the bellows 84 contracts. This causes the partition wall 15 to rise evenly and ensures appropriate contact between the seal member 73 and the frame 51, thereby ensuring a seal between the partition wall 15 and the frame 51. Similarly, appropriate contact between the seal member 74 and the flanges 61a, 61b ensures a seal between the partition wall 15 and the flanges 61a, 61b. The guide shaft 82 is subjected to a force pushing it downward due to a reaction force from the bellows 84, which acts as an elastic member, and the weight of the guide shaft 82 itself, but the differential pressure acting on the guide shaft 82 can be adjusted by appropriately setting the diameter of the bellows 84.

[0034] The exhaust unit 17 has an exhaust mechanism 90 that exhausts the inside of the chamber 10, and an exhaust port 91 provided on the bottom plate 22 of the chamber 10 outside the partition wall 15. That is, the exhaust port 91 is provided on the bottom plate 22 outside the partition wall 15 at a position that does not overlap with the partition wall 15 in a plan view. The exhaust port 91 is in communication with an exhaust pipe 92.

[0035] The exhaust mechanism 90, exhaust port 91, and exhaust pipe 92 are shared by the two processing spaces S. That is, the two processing spaces S are connected to a common exhaust space V formed below the chamber 10, and the processing gas flowing into this exhaust space V is exhausted by the exhaust mechanism 90 through the common exhaust pipe 92. The exhaust pipe 92 is provided with a control valve 93 that adjusts the amount of gas exhausted by the exhaust mechanism 90. In addition, the ceiling panel 21 is provided with a pressure measurement mechanism (not shown) for measuring the pressure in each processing space S of the mounting tables 11 a, 11 b. The opening degree of the control valve 93 is controlled, for example, based on a value measured by the pressure measurement mechanism.

[0036] The wafer processing apparatus 1 described above is provided with at least one control unit 100. The control unit 100 processes computer-executable instructions that cause the wafer processing apparatus 1 to perform the various processes described in this disclosure. The control unit 100 may be configured to control each element of the wafer processing apparatus 1 to perform the various processes described herein. In one embodiment, part or all of the control unit 100 may be included in the wafer processing apparatus 1. The control unit 100 may include a processing unit, a storage unit, and a communication interface. The control unit 100 is realized, for example, by a computer. The processing unit may be configured to read from the storage unit a program that provides logic or routines that enable various control operations and to execute the read program to perform various control operations. This program may be stored in the storage unit in advance or may be acquired via a medium when needed. The acquired program is stored in the storage unit and read from the storage unit by the processing unit for execution. The medium may be various computer-readable storage media or a communication line connected to the communication interface. The storage medium may be temporary or non-temporary. The processing unit may be a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or one or more circuits. The storage unit may include a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), an SSD (Solid State Drive), or a combination thereof. The communication interface may communicate with the wafer processing apparatus 1 via a communication line such as a LAN (Local Area Network).

[0037] <Wafer Processing Method> Next, wafer processing (COR processing) in the wafer processing apparatus 1 configured as above will be described.

[0038] 3, the mounting tables 11a and 11b are first lowered to wafer transfer positions P1a and P1b. The heights of the upper surfaces (mounting surfaces) of the stages 30a and 30b of the mounting tables 11a and 11b at the wafer transfer positions P1a and P1b are the same. The partition wall 15 is also lowered to the wafer transfer position. With the mounting tables 11a and 11b and the partition wall 15 positioned at the wafer transfer position in this manner, a transfer mechanism (not shown) provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1 transfers the wafer W into the chamber 10 and places it on the mounting tables 11a and 11b.

[0039] 4, the partition wall 15 is raised to the wafer processing position, thereby forming a processing space S surrounded by the mounting tables 11a, 11b, the partition wall 15, and the shower head 50 for each mounting table 11a, 11b.

[0040] 4, the mounting tables 11a, 11b are raised to wafer processing positions P2a, P2b. The stages 30a, 30b and the wafers W mounted on the stages 30a, 30b are adjusted to desired temperatures by temperature adjustment mechanisms 32a, 32b. The desired temperatures are, for example, −20° C. to 250° C., and typically −10° C. to 120° C. By adjusting the temperatures of the wafer processing positions P2a, P2b and the stages 30a, 30b (wafers W), the etching amount of the wafers W on each stage 30a, 30b is individually controlled. Details of this etching amount control will be described later.

[0041] Next, the inside of the chamber 10 is evacuated to a desired pressure by the exhaust unit 17, and the process gas is supplied from the gas supply unit 13 into the chamber 10, and the COR process is performed on the wafer W placed on the mounting tables 11 a and 11 b. The process gas in the process space S passes through the exhaust space V and the slits in the inner walls 14 a and 14 b, and is exhausted from the exhaust unit 17.

[0042] In this embodiment, the heights of the stages 30a and 30b are adjusted before the COR process, but the heights of the stages 30a and 30b are not changed during the COR process.

[0043] Next, when the COR process is completed, the mounting tables 11a and 11b are lowered to the wafer transfer positions P1a and P1b, and the partition wall 15 is lowered to the wafer transfer position. Subsequently, the wafers W on the mounting tables 11a and 11b are transferred to the outside of the wafer processing apparatus 1 by a transfer mechanism (not shown). This completes the COR process sequence.

[0044] In the COR process in the wafer processing apparatus 1, a process gas is supplied to the surface of an oxide film (silicon oxide film), causing a chemical reaction between the oxide film and the process gas, thereby altering the oxide film and generating reaction products. Then, a heating device installed outside the wafer processing apparatus 1 performs PHT (Post Heat Treatment) on the wafer W. In the PHT process, the wafer W is heated, and reaction products generated by the COR process are vaporized and removed. By sequentially performing the COR process and the PHT process, the oxide film is etched.

[0045] <Method for Controlling Etching Amount> Next, a description will be given of a method for controlling the etching amount of the oxide film on the wafer W. In this embodiment, the etching amount of the oxide film on the wafer W placed on the stage 30 a, 30 b is controlled individually for each stage.

[0046] For example, if the target etching amounts (target processing amounts) for two wafers W to be processed in the wafer processing apparatus 1 differ depending on the required specifications, the target etching amounts for the two wafers W are determined in advance. Then, based on the target etching amounts, the etching amounts for the wafers W placed on the stages 30 a and 30 b are individually controlled.

[0047] Furthermore, for example, when two wafers W loaded into the wafer processing apparatus 1 are in different states, the states of the two wafers W are grasped in advance, and target etching amounts are set for the two wafers W in accordance with these states. Then, based on the target etching amounts, the etching amounts for the wafers W placed on the stages 30 a and 30 b are individually controlled.

[0048] In the present embodiment, two etching amount control methods based on the target etching amount set as described above will be described below.

[0049] (First Etching Amount Control Method) In the first etching amount control method, the heights of the stages 30a and 30b are adjusted independently for each stage in the COR process.

[0050] After extensive research, the inventors have found that by changing the height of the stages 30a, 30b from H1 to H3 as shown in Fig. 5, the etching amount of the oxide film on the wafer W can be changed from E1 to E3 according to the height H1 to H3. In the graph of Fig. 5, the height of the stages 30a, 30b is the distance between the upper surface of the stages 30a, 30b and the lower surface of the shower plate 52. The etching amount of the oxide film is the average value of the etching amount within the wafer surface.

[0051] 4, the heights of the stages 30a and 30b are independently adjusted by the lifting mechanisms 12a and 12b so that the heights of the stages 30a and 30b at the wafer processing positions P2a and P2b are different. For example, when the target etching amount for the stage 30a is E1, the height of the stage 30a is adjusted to H1. When the target etching amount for the stage 30b is E2, the height of the stage 30b is adjusted to H2. In this way, the etching amount of the oxide film on the wafer W placed on the stage 30a and the etching amount of the oxide film on the wafer W placed on the stage 30b can be controlled individually for each stage.

[0052] In conventional wafer processing apparatuses, the stage of the wafer mounting table is not provided with an elevation mechanism. Furthermore, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, the stage height is not adjustable but remains constant. This results in poor controllability of the etching amount when processing multiple wafers, e.g., two wafers, simultaneously in a wafer processing apparatus compared to processing a single wafer. Patent Document 2 describes controlling the gas supply to each of the two wafers individually to independently control the processing of the two wafers, but does not disclose adjusting the stage height for each stage.

[0053] In this regard, in this embodiment, the heights of the stages 30a, 30b are independently adjusted by the lifting mechanisms 12a, 12b, and the etching amount of the oxide film on the wafers W on the stages 30a, 30b can be individually controlled for each stage. Moreover, since multiple wafers W are processed simultaneously, the productivity of the wafers W (Wafer Per Hour (WPH)) can be improved compared to processing a single wafer. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the controllability of the etching amount when processing multiple wafers W can be improved while maintaining an advantageous wafer W productivity.

[0054] Furthermore, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, when the processing times of two wafers differ for each stage, the wafer with the shorter processing time is processed earlier than the other wafer, and therefore has to wait in chamber 10.

[0055] In this regard, in this embodiment, the wafers W on the stages 30 a and 30 b are processed for the same processing time, and the etching amount can be controlled by adjusting the heights of the stages 30 a and 30 b, thereby eliminating the waiting time for the wafers W. This improves the throughput of wafer processing.

[0056] (Second Etching Amount Control Method) In the second etching amount control method, the temperatures of the stages 30a and 30b are adjusted independently for each stage during the COR process.

[0057] As a result of extensive research, the inventors have found that by changing the temperatures of the stages 30a and 30b from T1 to T5 as shown in Fig. 6, the etching amount of the oxide film on the wafer W can be changed from E5 to E1 in accordance with the temperatures T1 to T5. Note that in the graph of Fig. 6, the etching amount decreases as the temperatures of the stages 30a and 30b increase, but this tendency is merely an example. For example, there are cases in which the etching amount increases as the temperatures of the stages 30a and 30b increase.

[0058] 4, the temperatures of the stages 30a, 30b (and the wafers W placed on the stages 30a, 30b) are independently adjusted by the temperature adjustment mechanisms 32a, 32b so that the temperatures of the stages 30a, 30b are different. For example, when the target etching amount for the stage 30a is E1, the temperature of the stage 30a is adjusted to T5. When the target etching amount for the stage 30b is E5, the temperature of the stage 30b is adjusted to T1. In this way, the etching amount of the oxide film on the wafer W placed on the stage 30a and the etching amount of the oxide film on the wafer W placed on the stage 30b can be controlled individually for each stage.

[0059] When adjusting the temperatures of the stages 30a, 30b, the temperature adjustment mechanisms 32a, 32b fix the temperature of the coolant circulating through the flow paths 34a, 34b, for example, and adjust the temperatures of the heaters 33a, 33b. In this case, the heaters 33a, 33b can adjust the temperatures of the stages 30a, 30b in increments of 0.1°C, for example, so the amount of etching can be finely adjusted. Note that the temperature of the coolant circulating through the flow paths 34a, 34b may be adjusted, or both the temperature of the heaters 33a, 33b and the temperature of the coolant circulating through the flow paths 34a, 34b may be adjusted.

[0060] Here, as disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, conventionally, the temperature of each stage was not adjusted, and the temperature was constant across multiple stages. Therefore, compared to processing a single wafer, the controllability of the etching amount when processing multiple wafers, e.g., two wafers simultaneously, in a wafer processing apparatus was reduced. Patent Document 2 describes controlling the gas supply to each of the two wafers individually and independently controlling the processing of the two wafers, but does not disclose adjusting the stage temperature for each stage.

[0061] In this regard, in this embodiment, the temperatures of the stages 30a, 30b are independently adjusted by the temperature adjustment mechanisms 32a, 32b, and the etching amount of the oxide film on the wafers W on the stages 30a, 30b can be individually controlled for each stage. Moreover, since multiple wafers W are processed simultaneously, as compared to processing a single wafer as described above, wafer productivity (WPH) can be improved. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to improve the controllability of the etching amount when processing multiple wafers W while maintaining an advantageous wafer W productivity.

[0062] Furthermore, similarly to the first etching amount control method described above, it is not necessary to put one of the two wafers W on standby, and the throughput of wafer processing can be improved.

[0063] Here, as disclosed in Patent Document 2, for example, there have been cases where gas supply to two wafers is individually controlled to independently control the processing of the two wafers. In such cases, separate gas supply units (including lines, flow rate adjustment mechanisms, etc.) are required to supply gas to one wafer and separate gas supply units to supply gas to the other wafer. This increases the cost of the equipment.

[0064] In this regard, both the first etching amount control method and the second etching amount control method can individually control the etching amount for multiple wafers W even when a common processing gas supply is used from the gas supply source 56 to the processing space S. That is, the etching amount can be controlled by independently adjusting the heights of the stages 30 a, 30 b or the temperatures of the stages 30 a, 30 b. Therefore, there is no need to provide separate gas supply units as in the past. The gas supply unit 13 can be shared, and the control of the flow rate adjustment mechanism 57 can also be shared, allowing for etching amount control with a simple configuration. As a result, not only is wafer processing throughput improved, but the number of parts can be reduced, thereby reducing equipment costs.

[0065] The first etching amount control method and the second etching amount control method may be combined, i.e., the heights of the stages 30 a and 30 b may be adjusted, and the temperatures of the stages 30 a and 30 b may be adjusted to individually control the etching amounts of the oxide films on the wafers W on the stages 30 a and 30 b.

[0066] In the above-described embodiments, the height of the stages 30 a, 30 b relative to the target etching amount may be set automatically, and the temperature of the stages 30 a, 30 b relative to the target etching amount may also be set automatically.

[0067] In such a case, for example, a table of the heights and temperatures of the stages 30 a, 30 b relative to the target etching amount is stored in the control unit 100. Then, based on the table, the heights and temperatures (processing recipe) of the stages 30 a, 30 b are automatically set from the target etching amount.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the COR process is performed on an oxide film on a wafer W in the wafer processing apparatus 1, but the processing target is not limited to an oxide film. Furthermore, the processing performed on the wafer W in the wafer processing apparatus 1 is not limited to the COR process. For example, the technology disclosed herein can also be applied to a case where a film formation process is performed on the wafer W in the wafer processing apparatus 1.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 1 is provided with two mounting tables 11a and 11b, but the number of mounting tables is not limited to this. The number of mounting tables in the wafer processing apparatus 1 may be three or more, for example, four. That is, the number of wafers W processed in the wafer processing apparatus 1 may be three or more. In such a case, the gas supply unit 13 and the exhaust unit 14 may be provided in common to a plurality of mounting tables. Alternatively, the gas supply unit 13 and the exhaust unit 14 having the same configuration may be provided for each of a set number of mounting tables.

[0070] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. For example, the components of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Such an arbitrary combination naturally provides the functions and effects of each of the components involved in the combination, and also provides other functions and effects that are apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of this specification.

[0071] Furthermore, the effects described in this specification are merely descriptive or exemplary and are not limiting. In other words, the technology according to the present disclosure may achieve other effects that are apparent to those skilled in the art from the description of this specification, in addition to or in place of the above-described effects.

[0072] The following configuration examples also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (1) A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a chamber for accommodating the substrate; a plurality of stages on which the substrate is placed within the chamber; and an elevating mechanism for independently raising and lowering the plurality of stages. (2) The substrate processing apparatus according to (1), comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit independently adjusts the heights of the plurality of stages during processing of the substrate in accordance with a target throughput of the substrate. (3) The substrate processing apparatus according to (1) or (2), comprising a temperature adjustment mechanism independently adjusting the temperatures of the plurality of stages. (4) The substrate processing apparatus according to (3), comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit independently adjusts the temperatures of the plurality of stages during processing of the substrate in accordance with a target throughput of the substrate. (5) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (4), comprising a gas supply unit for supplying gas to the substrate placed on the stage, wherein the gas supply unit has the same configuration for the plurality of stages. (6) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (5), further comprising an exhaust unit that exhausts the interior of the chamber, wherein the exhaust unit has the same configuration for the plurality of stages. (7) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the processing is etching of the substrate. (8) A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a chamber that accommodates the substrate; a plurality of stages on which the substrate is placed within the chamber; and a temperature adjustment mechanism that independently adjusts temperatures of the plurality of stages for each stage. (9) The substrate processing apparatus according to (8), further comprising a control unit that independently adjusts temperatures of the plurality of stages during processing of the substrate in accordance with a target processing amount for the substrate. (10) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of (8) or (9), further comprising a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the substrate placed on the stage, wherein the gas supply unit has the same configuration for the plurality of stages. (11) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of (8) to (10), further comprising an exhaust unit that exhausts the inside of the chamber, the exhaust unit having the same configuration for the plurality of stages.(12) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of (8) to (11), wherein the processing is etching of the substrate. (13) A substrate processing method for processing a substrate using a substrate processing apparatus, wherein the substrate processing apparatus has: a chamber for accommodating the substrate; multiple stages for placing the substrate within the chamber; and an elevating mechanism for independently raising and lowering the multiple stages for each stage, the substrate processing method comprising: (a) placing the substrate on the multiple stages; (b) raising and lowering the multiple stages to desired heights for each stage; and (c) processing the substrate placed on the multiple stages. (14) The substrate processing method according to (13), wherein in the step (a), the heights of the multiple stages during processing of the substrate are independently adjusted for each stage in accordance with a target processing amount for the substrate. (15) The substrate processing method according to (13) or (14), comprising: (d) independently adjusting the temperatures of the multiple stages for each stage using a temperature adjustment mechanism. (16) The substrate processing method according to (15), wherein in the step (d), the temperatures of the plurality of stages during processing of the substrate are independently adjusted for each stage according to a target processing amount of the substrate. (17) The substrate processing method according to any one of (13) to (16), wherein the substrate processing apparatus has a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the substrate placed on the stage, and the gas supply unit has the same configuration for the plurality of stages. (18) The substrate processing method according to any one of (13) to (17), wherein the substrate processing apparatus has an exhaust unit that evacuates the inside of the chamber, and the exhaust unit has the same configuration for the plurality of stages. (19) The substrate processing method according to any one of (13) to (18), wherein the processing is etching of the substrate.(20) A substrate processing method for processing a substrate using a substrate processing apparatus, wherein the substrate processing apparatus has: a chamber that accommodates the substrate; a plurality of stages on which the substrate is placed within the chamber; and a temperature adjustment mechanism that independently adjusts temperatures of the plurality of stages for each stage, the substrate processing method comprising: (a) a step of placing the substrate on the plurality of stages; (b) a step of adjusting temperatures of the plurality of stages for each stage; and (c) a step of processing the substrate placed on the plurality of stages. (21) The substrate processing method according to (20), wherein in the step (b), the temperatures of the plurality of stages during processing of the substrate are independently adjusted for each stage in accordance with a target processing amount for the substrate. (22) The substrate processing method according to either (20) or (21), wherein the substrate processing apparatus has a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the substrate placed on the stage, and the gas supply unit has the same configuration for each of the plurality of stages. (23) The substrate processing method according to any one of (20) to (22), wherein the substrate processing apparatus has an exhaust unit that exhausts the inside of the chamber, and the exhaust unit has the same configuration for the plurality of stages. (24) The substrate processing method according to any one of (20) to (23), wherein the processing is etching of the substrate.

[0073] 1 wafer processing apparatus 10 chamber 12a, 12b lifting mechanism 30a, 30b stage W wafer

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing substrates, comprising: a chamber for accommodating the substrates; a plurality of stages for placing the substrates within the chamber; and a lifting mechanism for independently raising and lowering each of the plurality of stages.

2. A substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit independently adjusts the heights of the plurality of stages during processing of the substrate for each stage in accordance with a target processing amount of the substrate.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a temperature adjustment mechanism that adjusts the temperature of each of the plurality of stages independently.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a control unit, wherein the control unit independently adjusts the temperatures of the plurality of stages during processing of the substrate for each stage in accordance with a target processing amount of the substrate.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the substrate placed on the stage, the gas supply unit having the same configuration for each of the plurality of stages.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an exhaust unit that exhausts the inside of said chamber, said exhaust unit having the same configuration for each of said plurality of stages.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing is etching of the substrate.

8. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate using a substrate processing apparatus, wherein the substrate processing apparatus has a chamber that accommodates the substrate, a plurality of stages on which the substrate is placed within the chamber, and a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the plurality of stages independently, the substrate processing method comprising: (a) a step of placing the substrate on the plurality of stages; (b) a step of raising and lowering the plurality of stages to a desired height for each stage; and (c) a step of processing the substrate placed on the plurality of stages.

9. The substrate processing method according to claim 8, wherein in step (a), the heights of the plurality of stages during processing of the substrate are adjusted independently for each stage in accordance with a target processing amount of the substrate.

10. The substrate processing method according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising the step of: (d) independently adjusting the temperatures of the plurality of stages for each stage using a temperature adjustment mechanism.

11. The substrate processing method according to claim 10, wherein in step (d), the temperatures of the plurality of stages during processing of the substrate are adjusted independently for each stage in accordance with a target processing amount of the substrate.

12. The substrate processing method according to claim 8, wherein the substrate processing apparatus has a gas supply unit that supplies gas to the substrate placed on the stage, and the gas supply unit has the same configuration for each of the multiple stages.

13. The substrate processing method according to claim 8, wherein the substrate processing apparatus has an exhaust unit that exhausts the inside of the chamber, and the exhaust unit has the same configuration for the plurality of stages.

14. The substrate processing method according to claim 8, wherein the processing is etching of the substrate.

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