Substrate processing system

Abstract

A substrate processing system according to the present disclosure comprises a vacuum transport module, a plurality of process modules, and at least one common pipe. The vacuum transport module includes a vacuum transport chamber. Each of the plurality of process modules includes a processing chamber connected to the vacuum transport chamber. Each of the plurality of process modules is configured to perform substrate processing in the processing chamber on substrates transported from the vacuum transport chamber. The at least one common pipe is configured to provide utilities to the plurality of process modules and is disposed in a lower space surrounded by the plurality of process modules, downward from the vacuum transport chamber.

Description

Substrate Processing System

[0001] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a substrate processing system.

[0002] The substrate processing system is used in substrate processing. Patent Document 1 below discloses a substrate processing system including a plurality of process modules and a vacuum transfer module. The vacuum transfer module is connected to the plurality of process modules. The plurality of process modules are configured to process a substrate using the applied force provided.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2024-79919

[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique for reducing the space for pipes that provide the applied force in a substrate processing system.

[0005] In one exemplary embodiment, a substrate processing system is provided. The substrate processing system includes a vacuum transfer module, a plurality of process modules, and at least one common pipe. The vacuum transfer module includes a vacuum transfer chamber. Each of the plurality of process modules includes a processing chamber connected to the vacuum transfer chamber. Each of the plurality of process modules is configured to perform substrate processing on the substrate transferred from the vacuum transfer chamber inside the processing chamber. The at least one common pipe is configured to provide the applied force to the plurality of process modules and is disposed in a lower space surrounded by the plurality of process modules below the vacuum transfer chamber.

[0006] According to one exemplary embodiment, it is possible to reduce the space for pipes that provide the applied force in a substrate processing system.

[0007] This is a plan view showing a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a plan view showing a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example of a first piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing another example of a first piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example of a second piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing another example of a second piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing yet another example of a second piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example of a third piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing another example of a third piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example of a fourth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example of a gas box in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing another example of a fourth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing yet another example of a fourth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example of a fifth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This figure shows an example of a sixth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This figure shows another example of a sixth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a cross-sectional view showing a transport system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a perspective view showing an example of a transport device and a planar motor in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. This is a block diagram of a computer (a type of circuit) capable of realizing the various control modes described herein.

[0008] Various exemplary embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0009] Figures 1 and 2 are plan views showing a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 schematically shows the substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment viewed from above. Figure 2 schematically shows the substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment viewed from the side opposite to the front side where the load lock module is located relative to the vacuum transfer chamber.

[0010] The substrate processing system 1 shown in Figures 1 and 2 includes a vacuum transport module 10 and a plurality of process modules 11. The substrate processing system 1 may further include a load port 13, a loader module 14, and load lock modules 151, 152. The number of load lock modules is not limited to two, but may be three or more. The substrate processing system 1 may further include a plurality of transport devices 20. The substrate processing system 1 may also further include a control unit 2.

[0011] The load port 13 is configured to support one or more substrate carriers 16 placed on it. Each of the substrate carriers 16 is a container capable of housing multiple substrates W. Each of the substrate carriers 16 is, for example, a FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod). The load port 13 is located along one of a pair of side walls of the atmospheric transport chamber 14c of the loader module 14.

[0012] The loader module 14 is positioned between the load port 13 and the load lock modules 151 and 152, respectively. The loader module 14 includes an atmospheric transport chamber 14c. The atmospheric transport chamber 14c has an atmospheric transport space 14s as its internal space. The pressure in the atmospheric transport space 14s is set to atmospheric pressure.

[0013] The loader module 14 further includes a transport robot 14r. The transport robot 14r is located inside the atmospheric transport chamber 14c. Under the control of the control unit 2, the transport robot 14r is configured to transport the substrate W between the substrate carrier 16 and the respective pre-depressurization chambers of the load lock modules 151 and 152, which will be described later, via the atmospheric transport space 14s.

[0014] Each of the load lock modules 151 and 152 is arranged along the other of the pair of side walls of the atmospheric transport chamber 14c. Each of the load lock modules 151 and 152 is positioned between the atmospheric transport chamber 14c and the vacuum transport chamber 10c of the vacuum transport module 10. Each of the load lock modules 151 and 152 has a pre-depressurization chamber. Each of the load lock modules 151 and 152 is connected to the atmospheric transport chamber 14c via a gate valve. The pre-depressurization chambers of each of the load lock modules 151 and 152 and the atmospheric transport chamber 14c are connected by opening the gate valve between them and are isolated from each other by closing the gate valve. Each of the load lock modules 151 and 152 is also connected to the vacuum transport chamber 10c via a gate valve.

[0015] The vacuum transfer chamber 10c has a vacuum transfer space 10s as its internal space. The vacuum transfer space 10s can be set to a reduced pressure state or a vacuum state by a pump connected to the vacuum transfer chamber 10c. The vacuum transfer space 10s and the respective pre-reduced pressure chambers of the load lock modules 151 and 152 are connected by opening the gate valve between them, and are isolated from each other by closing the gate valve.

[0016] In one embodiment, the vacuum transfer chamber 10c may have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. That is, the vacuum transfer chamber 10c may include a pair of first side walls extending along its longitudinal direction and a pair of second side walls extending along its short direction. One of the pair of second side walls constitutes one end of the vacuum transfer chamber 10c in the longitudinal direction. The other of the pair of second side walls constitutes the other end of the vacuum transfer chamber 10c in the longitudinal direction. The vacuum transfer chamber 10c is connected to each of the load lock modules 151 and 152 via a gate valve positioned along one of the pair of second side walls.

[0017] The substrates W placed in the pre-depressurization chambers of the load lock modules 151 and 152 are transported from the pre-depressurization chambers into the vacuum transport space 10s by one of the multiple transport devices 20. The substrates W in the vacuum transport space 10s are then transported by one of the multiple transport devices 20 into the processing chamber 11c of one of the multiple process modules 11. An example of the multiple transport devices 20 will be described later.

[0018] The control unit 2 is composed of circuits as described later. The control unit 2 is configured to control each part of the substrate processing system 1. The control unit 2 is configured to control the transport device 20 located in the vacuum transport space 10s to transport the substrate W between the vacuum transport chamber 10c and a selected process module 11 from among the multiple process modules 11.

[0019] Each of the multiple process modules 11 is arranged along the vacuum transport chamber 10c. In the illustrated example, the multiple process modules 11 include multiple process modules 111 and multiple process modules 112. The number of multiple process modules 111 and the number of multiple process modules 112 can each be any number of two or more.

[0020] Each of the plurality of process modules 11 includes a processing chamber 11c. Each of the plurality of process modules 111 is arranged along one side surface 101 of the vacuum transfer chamber 10c. One side surface 101 is provided by one of the pair of first side walls described above. Each of the plurality of process modules 112 is arranged along one side surface 102 of the vacuum transfer chamber 10c. One side surface 102 is provided by the other of the pair of first side walls described above. One side surface 101 and one side surface 102 extend along the longitudinal and vertical directions of the vacuum transfer chamber 10c.

[0021] Each processing chamber 11c of the multiple process modules 11 is connected to the vacuum transport chamber 10c via a gate valve. Each processing chamber 11c of the multiple process modules 11 has a processing space as its internal space. The processing spaces of each of the multiple process modules 11 and the vacuum transport space 10s are connected by opening the gate valve between them, and are isolated from each other by closing the gate valve.

[0022] Each of the multiple process modules 11 is configured to process the substrate W within its processing space. The processing performed in each of the multiple process modules 11, i.e., substrate processing, may include, but is not limited to, film deposition, etching (e.g., plasma etching), ashing, and cleaning.

[0023] The substrate processing system 1 includes at least one common pipe. This at least one common pipe is configured to supply power to a plurality of process modules 11. This at least one common pipe is located in the lower space LS below the vacuum transfer chamber 10c, surrounded by the plurality of process modules 11. The substrate processing system 1 may also include at least one more common pipe. This at least one more common pipe is also configured to supply power to a plurality of process modules 11. This at least one more common pipe is located in the upper space US above the vacuum transfer chamber 10c. The upper space US may be the space between each of the plurality of process modules 111 and each of the plurality of process modules 112.

[0024] In the substrate processing system 1, instead of multiple pipes providing power to each of the multiple process modules 11 individually, at least one common pipe is used to provide power to the multiple process modules 11. Therefore, the space required for arranging pipes to provide power to the multiple process modules 11 is reduced. In addition, at least one common pipe is located in the lower space LS below the vacuum transfer chamber 10c. Therefore, the space below the vacuum transfer chamber 10c is effectively utilized as space for arranging at least one common pipe.

[0025] Hereinafter, Figures 3 to 14 will be referenced in conjunction with Figures 1 and 2. In one embodiment, at least one common pipe includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a first common pipe 511 connected to an exhaust device (e.g., a dry pump), a second common pipe 521 connected to a source of temperature-controlled fluid, and a third common pipe 531 connected to a source of cooling water. In one embodiment, at least one other common pipe may include at least one selected from the group consisting of a fourth common pipe 541 and a fifth common pipe 551, which will be described later.

[0026] Figure 3 shows an example of a first piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. In one embodiment, the substrate processing system 1 may include a first piping system 51, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The first piping system 51 includes several pipes for exhaust from each of the processing chambers 11c of a plurality of process modules 11.

[0027] In one embodiment, the first piping system 51 is located in the lower space LS. The lower space LS may include a first space LS1 and a second space LS2. The second space LS2 is the space below the first space LS1. The first piping system 51 may be located within the first space LS1.

[0028] In one embodiment, the first piping system 51 includes a first common pipe 511 and a plurality of first individual pipes 512. The first common pipe 511 may include a first common pipe 5111 and a first common pipe 5112. The first common pipe 5111 is connected to a dry pump DPA, and the first common pipe 5112 is connected to a dry pump DPB. The dry pump DPA and dry pump DPB may be located on a floor below the floor where the substrate processing system 1 is located.

[0029] In one embodiment, the first common pipe 511 or the first common pipe 5111 and the first common pipe 5112 may extend linearly in the intermediate portion of the lower space LS (or the first space LS1). The intermediate portion of the lower space LS (or the first space LS1) is the intermediate portion between each of the plurality of process modules 111 and each of the plurality of process modules 112. The intermediate portion of the lower space LS (or the first space LS1) extends substantially parallel to one side surface 101 and one side surface 102. Therefore, the first common pipe 511 or the first common pipe 5111 and the first common pipe 5112 may also extend substantially parallel and substantially horizontally to one side surface 101 and one side surface 102 in the intermediate portion of the lower space LS (or the first space LS1).

[0030] The plurality of first individual pipes 512 may include a plurality of first individual pipes 5121 and a plurality of first individual pipes 5122. In this case, the substrate processing system 1 may include a plurality of pumps 51t. Each of the plurality of pumps 51t may be a turbomolecular pump. Each of the plurality of first individual pipes 5121 connects the corresponding pump 51t connected to the processing chamber 11c of the corresponding process module 11 among the plurality of process modules 11 to the first common pipe 5111. Each of the plurality of first individual pipes 5122 connects the processing chamber 11c of the corresponding process module 11 among the plurality of process modules 11 to the first common pipe 5112 without going through the pump 51t.

[0031] In the example shown in Figure 3, the lengths of each of the multiple first individual pipes 5121 can be set to substantially the same length. Similarly, the lengths of each of the multiple first individual pipes 5122 can be set to substantially the same length. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 3, substantially uniform exhaust as a power source can be provided to the processing chambers 11c of each of the multiple process modules 11.

[0032] Figure 4 shows another example of the first piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. The first piping system 51 shown in Figure 4 does not include a first common pipe 511, but includes a plurality of first individual pipes 512. Each of the plurality of processing chambers 11c is connected to two exhaust pipes. One of the two exhaust pipes is connected to the processing chamber 11c without a pump 51t, and the other of the two exhaust pipes is connected to the processing chamber 11c via a pump 51t. The two exhaust pipes merge into a corresponding one of the plurality of first individual pipes 512. Each of the plurality of first individual pipes 512 is connected to a plurality of dry pumps. The plurality of dry pumps may be located on a floor below the floor in which the substrate processing system 1 is located.

[0033] Figure 5 shows an example of a second piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. The substrate processing system 1 may include a second piping system 52, as shown in Figures 2 and 5. The second piping system 52 includes several pipes for temperature-controlled fluids for a plurality of process modules 11.

[0034] In one embodiment, the second piping system 52 is located in the lower space LS. The second piping system 52 may also be located in the second space LS2. In this case, since the second piping system 52 is located at a relatively low position, even if leakage of temperature-controlled fluid occurs from the second piping system 52, the area over which the temperature-controlled fluid is scattered may be reduced.

[0035] In one embodiment, the second piping system 52 includes a second common pipe 521 and a plurality of second individual pipes 522. The second common pipe 521 may include second common pipes 5211 to 5214. The second common pipe 5211 is a pipe for supplying temperature-controlled fluid, and the second common pipe 5212 is a pipe for recovering temperature-controlled fluid. The second common pipes 5211 and 5212 are connected to a source CSA of temperature-controlled fluid, such as a chiller unit. The second common pipe 5213 is a pipe for supplying temperature-controlled fluid, and the second common pipe 5214 is a pipe for recovering temperature-controlled fluid. The second common pipes 5213 and 5214 are connected to a source CSB of temperature-controlled fluid, such as a chiller unit. The source CSA and source CSB may be located on a floor below the floor where the substrate processing system 1 is located.

[0036] In one embodiment, the second common piping 521 may extend in a first direction along a plurality of process modules 112 within the lower space LS or the second space LS2, extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and extend in a third direction opposite to the first direction along a plurality of process modules 111. That is, the second common piping 521 may extend substantially parallel and horizontally to one side surface 102 within the lower space LS or the second space LS2, extend substantially parallel to the direction from one side surface 102 toward one side surface 101, and extend substantially parallel and horizontally to one side surface 101.

[0037] In one embodiment, the multiple second individual pipes 522 constitute a multiple second individual pipe group, each containing four second individual pipes 522. Each of the multiple second individual pipe groups connects a corresponding process module 11 from among the multiple process modules 11 to the second common pipe 521. In one embodiment, two of the four second individual pipes 522 in each second individual pipe group are connected to the second common pipes 5211 and 5212, respectively, and are also connected to a flow path formed in the substrate support portion within the processing chamber 11c of the corresponding process module 11, and are configured to circulate a temperature-controlled fluid through the flow path. The other two of the four second individual pipes 522 in each second individual pipe group are connected to the second common pipes 5213 and 5214, respectively, and are also connected to a flow path formed in the top portion of the processing chamber 11c of the corresponding process module 11 (for example, the upper electrode of a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus), and are configured to circulate a temperature-controlled fluid through the flow path.

[0038] In the example shown in Figure 5, the lengths of each of the multiple second individual pipes 522 can be set to substantially the same length. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 5, a temperature-controlled fluid having a substantially uniform flow rate as a force can be supplied to each of the multiple process modules 11.

[0039] Figure 6 shows another example of the second piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. The second common pipes 521 (second common pipes 5211 to 5214) of the second piping system 52 may extend linearly in the intermediate portion of the lower space LS (or second space LS2), as shown in Figure 6. The intermediate portion of the lower space LS (or second space LS2) is the intermediate portion between each of the plurality of process modules 111 and each of the plurality of process modules 112. The intermediate portion of the lower space LS (or second space LS2) extends substantially parallel to one side surface 101 and one side surface 102. Therefore, the second common pipes 521 may also extend substantially parallel and substantially horizontally to one side surface 101 and one side surface 102 in the intermediate portion of the lower space LS (or second space LS2).

[0040] In the example in Figure 6, each of the multiple second individual pipes 522 connects the second common pipe 521 to the corresponding process module 11 among the multiple process modules 11. The multiple second individual pipes 522 extend radially from the junction in the second common pipe 521 toward the corresponding process module 11 among the multiple process modules 11. The other configurations of the second piping system 52 shown in Figure 6 may be the same as the corresponding configurations of the second piping system 52 shown in Figure 5. In the example in Figure 6, a temperature-controlled fluid with a substantially uniform flow rate as a power source can be supplied to each of the multiple process modules 11.

[0041] Figure 7 shows yet another example of a second piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. The second piping system 52 shown in Figure 7 does not include a second common pipe 521, but includes a plurality of second individual pipes 522. The plurality of second individual pipes 522 constitute a plurality of second individual pipe groups, each containing four second individual pipes 522. Each of the plurality of second individual pipe groups connects a corresponding process module 11 from a plurality of process modules 11 to a corresponding source set from a plurality of source sets of temperature-controlled fluid. Each source set contains two sources of temperature-controlled fluid. Two of the four second individual pipes 522 in each second individual pipe group are connected to a flow path formed in the substrate support portion within the processing chamber 11c of the corresponding process module 11, and are configured to circulate temperature-controlled fluid from one of the two sources of the source set into the said flow path. Of the four second individual pipes 522 in each second individual pipe group, the other two are connected to a flow path formed in the top of the processing chamber 11c of the corresponding process module 11 (for example, the upper electrode of a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus), and are configured to circulate a temperature-controlled fluid from one of the two sources of the source set into the said flow path. Multiple source sets may be located on a floor below the floor where the substrate processing system 1 is located.

[0042] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a third piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, the substrate processing system 1 may include a third piping system 53. The third piping system 53 includes some piping for cooling water for a plurality of process modules 11. In each of the plurality of process modules 11, the cooling water is used for at least one of various purposes such as cooling of the processing chamber 11c and cooling of the power supply.

[0043] In one embodiment, the third piping system 53 is disposed in the lower space LS. The third piping system 53 may be disposed in the second space LS2. In this case, since the third piping system 53 is disposed at a relatively low position, even if leakage of the cooling water from the third piping system 53 occurs, the range in which the cooling water scatters can be reduced. Note that the third piping system 53 may be disposed below the second piping system 52, or may be disposed above the second piping system 52.

[0044] In one embodiment, the third piping system 53 includes a third common pipe 531 and a plurality of third individual pipes 532. The third common pipe 531 may include third common pipes 5311 and 5312. The third common pipe 5311 is a pipe for supplying cooling water, and the third common pipe 5312 is a pipe for recovering cooling water. The third common pipe 5311 and the third common pipe 5312 are connected to a source CW of cooling water. The source CW may be disposed on a floor below the floor on which the substrate processing system 1 is disposed.

[0045] In one embodiment, the third common pipe 531 extends in a first direction along a plurality of process modules 112 in the lower space LS or the second space LS2, extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and extends along a plurality of process modules 111 in a third direction opposite to the first direction. That is, the third common pipe 531 may extend substantially parallel and horizontally to one side surface 102, extend substantially parallel to the direction from one side surface 102 to one side surface 101, and extend substantially parallel and horizontally to one side surface 101 in the lower space LS or the second space LS2.

[0046] In one embodiment, the plurality of third individual pipes 532 constitute a plurality of third individual pipe groups each including two third individual pipes 532. Each of the plurality of third individual pipe groups connects the corresponding process module 11 among the plurality of process modules 11 and the third common pipe 531 to each other. The two third individual pipes 532 of each third individual pipe group are connected to the corresponding process module 11 and are configured to circulate cooling water through the corresponding process module 11.

[0047] According to the example of FIG. 8, the length of each of the plurality of third individual pipes 532 can be set to be substantially the same length. Therefore, according to the example of FIG. 8, cooling water having a substantially uniform flow rate as the driving force can be provided to each of the plurality of process modules 11.

[0048] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the third piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. The third piping system 53 shown in FIG. 9 does not include the third common pipe 531 and includes a plurality of third individual pipes 532. The plurality of third individual pipes 532 constitute a plurality of third individual pipe groups each including two third individual pipes 532. Each of the plurality of third individual pipe groups connects the corresponding process module 11 among the plurality of process modules 11 and the corresponding source among the plurality of sources of cooling water to each other, and is configured to circulate the cooling water from the corresponding source through the corresponding process module 11. The plurality of sources of cooling water may be arranged on a floor below the floor where the substrate processing system 1 is arranged.

[0049] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a fourth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, the substrate processing system 1 may include a fourth piping system 54. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and FIG. 10, the fourth piping system 54 is arranged in the upper space US. The fourth piping system 54 includes some pipes for exhausting gas from the space within the housing 12h of the plurality of gas boxes 12. The plurality of gas boxes 12 may be respectively arranged along the plurality of process modules 11 within the upper space US.

[0050] Figure 11 shows an example of a gas box in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. As shown in Figure 11, each of the plurality of gas boxes 12 may include N flow controllers, i.e., flow controllers 1221 to 122N. Note that the number of flow controllers in each of the plurality of gas boxes 12 may be one. Each of the plurality of gas boxes 12 may further include primary valves 1211 to 121N and secondary valves 1231 to 123N. Each of the flow controllers 1221 to 122N is connected to a plurality of gas sources via primary valves 1211 to 121N. Each of the flow controllers 1221 to 122N is connected to a common gas pipe via secondary valves 1231 to 123N. The common gas pipe is connected to the processing chamber 11c of the corresponding process module 11 among the plurality of process modules 11. Each of the multiple gas boxes 12 houses flow controllers 1221 to 122N, primary valves 1211 to 121N, and secondary valves 1231 to 123N within its box-shaped casing 12h.

[0051] In one embodiment, the fourth piping system 54 includes a fourth common pipe 541 and a plurality of fourth individual pipes 542, as shown in Figure 10. The fourth common pipe 541 is connected to an exhaust system via a pipe 543. The exhaust system may be located on a floor above the floor where the substrate processing system 1 is located. Each of the plurality of fourth individual pipes 542 connects the fourth common pipe 541 to the space within the housing 12h of the corresponding gas box 12 among the plurality of gas boxes 12.

[0052] In one embodiment, the fourth common piping 541 may extend in a first direction along a plurality of gas boxes 12 arranged along a plurality of process modules 112 in the upper space US, extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and extend in a third direction opposite to the first direction along a plurality of gas boxes 12 arranged along a plurality of process modules 111. That is, the fourth common piping 541 may extend in the upper space US substantially parallel and horizontal to one side surface 102, extend substantially parallel to the direction from one side surface 102 to one side surface 101, and extend substantially parallel and horizontal to one side surface 101.

[0053] In the example shown in Figure 10, the lengths of each of the multiple fourth individual pipes 542 can be set to substantially the same length. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 10, substantially uniform exhaust as a power source can be provided to each of the multiple gas boxes 12.

[0054] Figure 12 shows another example of a fourth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. The fourth common pipe 541 of the fourth piping system 54 may extend linearly in the middle section of the upper space US, as shown in Figure 12. The middle section of the upper space US is the intermediate section between each of the plurality of process modules 111 and each of the plurality of process modules 112. The middle section of the upper space US extends substantially parallel to one side 101 and one side 102. Therefore, the fourth common pipe 541 may also extend substantially parallel and substantially horizontally to one side 101 and one side 102 in the middle section of the upper space US.

[0055] In the example shown in Figure 12, each of the multiple fourth individual pipes 542 connects the space within the housing 12h of the corresponding gas box 12 to the fourth common pipe 541. The multiple fourth individual pipes 542 extend from the fourth common pipe 541 to the corresponding gas box 12. The other configurations of the fourth piping system 54 shown in Figure 12 may be the same as the corresponding configuration of the fourth piping system 54 shown in Figure 10. In the example shown in Figure 12, a substantially uniform exhaust as a power source can be provided to each of the multiple gas boxes 12.

[0056] Figure 13 shows yet another example of a fourth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. The fourth piping system 54 shown in Figure 13 does not include a fourth common pipe 541, but includes a plurality of fourth individual pipes 542. Each of the plurality of fourth individual pipes 542 is connected to the space within the housing 12h of a plurality of gas boxes 12. In addition, each of the plurality of fourth individual pipes 542 is individually connected to an exhaust system. The exhaust system may be located on a floor above the floor in which the substrate processing system 1 is located.

[0057] Figure 14 shows an example of a fifth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. The substrate processing system 1 may include a fifth piping system 55, as shown in Figures 2 and 14. In one embodiment, the fifth piping system 55 is located in the upper space US, as shown in Figures 2 and 14. The fifth piping system 55 includes several pipes for supplying gas to a plurality of gas boxes 12.

[0058] In one embodiment, the fifth piping system 55 includes a fifth common pipe 551 and a plurality of fifth individual pipes 552, as shown in Figure 14. Note that if each of the plurality of gas boxes 12 contains N flow controllers 1221 to 122N, the fifth piping system 55 includes N fifth common pipes 551, where N is an integer of 1 or more.

[0059] N fifth common pipes 551 are connected to N gas sources GS. The N gas sources GS may be located on a floor above the floor where the substrate processing system 1 is located. Each of the plurality of fifth individual pipes 552 connects the corresponding fifth common pipe 551 from the N fifth common pipes 551 to the corresponding flow controller from the N flow controllers 1221 to 122N of each of the plurality of gas boxes 12 via the corresponding primary valve from the N primary valves 1211 to 121N.

[0060] In one embodiment, the fifth common pipe 551 may extend in a first direction along the process modules 112 between each of the process modules 112 and each of the gas boxes 12 arranged along the process modules 112 in the upper space US, extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and extend in a third direction opposite to the first direction along the process modules 111 between each of the process modules 111 and each of the gas boxes 12 arranged along the process modules 111. That is, the fifth common pipe 551 may extend in the upper space US substantially parallel and horizontal to one side surface 102, substantially parallel to the direction from one side surface 102 to one side surface 101, and substantially parallel and horizontal to one side surface 101.

[0061] In the example shown in Figure 14, the lengths of each of the multiple fifth individual pipes 552 can be set to substantially the same length. Therefore, in the example shown in Figure 14, a gas with a substantially uniform flow rate as a power source can be supplied to each of the multiple gas boxes 12.

[0062] Figure 15 shows an example of a sixth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. The substrate processing system 1 may further include the sixth piping system 56 shown in Figure 15. The sixth piping system 56 is partially located in the lower space LS. The sixth piping system 56 includes a common pipe 561 and a valve 56v. The sixth piping system 56 further includes a first common pipe 5112 and a plurality of first individual pipes 5122. The common pipe 561 branches off from the first common pipe 5112. One end of the common pipe 561 is connected to the first common pipe 5112, and the other end of the common pipe 561 is connected to the exhaust system. The valve 56v is interposed between one end and the other end of the common pipe 561. The sixth piping system 56 is used, for example, when opening the processing chamber 11c to perform maintenance on the processing chamber 11c. When the processing chamber 11c is open, the valve 56v is opened. As a result, the gas in the processing chamber 11c (for example, a gas containing acid) is sent to the exhaust system via the sixth piping system 56 without leaking to the outside through the opening of the processing chamber 11c that is opened for maintenance.

[0063] Figure 16 shows another example of a sixth piping system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. The sixth piping system 56 shown in Figure 16 includes a plurality of individual pipes 562 and a plurality of valves 56v. Each of the plurality of individual pipes 562 branches off from the exhaust piping described above, which connects a corresponding first individual pipe 512 from a plurality of first individual pipes 512 to the corresponding processing chamber 11c without going through a pump 51t. One end of each of the plurality of individual pipes 562 is connected to the exhaust piping, and the other end of each of the plurality of individual pipes 562 is connected to the exhaust equipment. Each of the plurality of valves 56v is interposed between one end and the other end of a corresponding individual pipe 562 from the plurality of individual pipes 562. The sixth piping system 56 shown in Figure 16 is also used, for example, when opening the processing chamber 11c to perform maintenance on the processing chamber 11c. When the processing chamber 11c is open, the corresponding valve 56v from the plurality of valves 56v is opened. As a result, the gas in the processing chamber 11c (for example, a gas containing acid) is sent to the exhaust system via the sixth piping system 56 without leaking to the outside through the opening of the processing chamber 11c that is opened for maintenance.

[0064] Hereinafter, with reference to Figures 17 and 18, a transport system 100 of an example of a substrate processing system 1 including a plurality of transport devices 20 will be described. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a transport system in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment. Figure 18 is a perspective view showing an example of a transport device and a planar motor in a substrate processing system according to one exemplary embodiment.

[0065] In one embodiment, the transport system 100 may be configured to move a plurality of transport devices 20 using a planar motor 30 (linear motor unit). In this case, the transport system 100 includes a plurality of transport devices 20 and a planar motor 30.

[0066] The planar motor 30 includes a main body 31, a plurality of electromagnetic coils 32, and a drive source 33. The main body 31 constitutes the bottom of the vacuum transport chamber 10c. The plurality of electromagnetic coils 32 are arranged throughout the interior of the main body 31 and are located below the vacuum transport space 10s. The plurality of electromagnetic coils 32 may be arranged two-dimensionally throughout the interior of the main body 31. The drive source 33 is configured to supply current to the plurality of electromagnetic coils 32 individually. The supply and cessation of current from the drive source 33 to each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils 32, as well as the direction and magnitude of the current from the drive source 33 to each of the plurality of electromagnetic coils 32, are controlled by the control unit 2. Under the control of the control unit 2, a magnetic field is generated in the vacuum transport space 10s by supplying current from the drive source 33 to one or more selected electromagnetic coils 32.

[0067] Each of the multiple transport devices 20 includes a base 21 and an end effector 22. The base 21 includes multiple magnets 23 (e.g., permanent magnets). The multiple magnets 23 are arranged within the base 21. The multiple magnets 23 may be arranged two-dimensionally within the base 21. The end effector 22 is supported by the base 21. The end effector 22 is configured to support a substrate W placed on it. The end effector 22 may also be configured to support consumable parts such as a ring member (e.g., an edge ring used in a plasma processing device) placed on it.

[0068] In the transport system 100, by setting the direction of the current supplied from the drive source 33 to the multiple electromagnetic coils 32 (i.e., multiple electromagnets) and multiple magnets 23 so that they repel each other, the transport device 20 can be levitated from the main body 31 in the vacuum transport space 10s by the principle of magnetic levitation. Furthermore, by individually controlling the current supplied from the drive source 33 to the multiple electromagnetic coils 32 by the control unit 2, the transport device 20 can be moved along the surface of the main body 31 while levitating in the vacuum transport space 10s, thereby controlling the position of the transport device 20. In addition, the amount of levitation of the transport device 20 can be controlled by controlling the magnitude of the current.

[0069] According to the transport system 100, the control unit 2 controls the movement of each of the multiple transport devices 20 by controlling the drive source 33, so that each of the multiple transport devices 20 can transport the substrate W in the vacuum transport space 10s between the vacuum transport space 10s and each of the multiple process modules 11, or between the vacuum transport space 10s and the pre-depressurization chamber. Furthermore, multiple substrates W can be transported simultaneously or in parallel by the multiple transport devices 20.

[0070] The following describes an example of a circuit (control circuit) that may constitute the control unit 2 of the substrate processing system 1.

[0071] Figure 19 illustrates a block diagram of a computer (a type of circuit) capable of implementing the various control modes described herein. Furthermore, the control modes of this disclosure can be implemented as a system, method, and / or computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium on which computer-readable program instructions causing one or more processing units to execute the modes of this embodiment are recorded.

[0072] A computer-readable storage medium may be a tangible device capable of storing instructions used by an instruction execution device (processor). A computer-readable storage medium may, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. More specific examples of computer-readable storage media include, but are not exhaustive, flexible disks, hard disks, solid-state drives (SSDs), random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash), static random-access memory (SRAM), compact disks (CDs or CD-ROMs), digital multipurpose disks (DVDs), memory cards or memory sticks (and suitable combinations thereof). In this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium should not be interpreted as a transient signal itself, such as, for example, radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., optical pulses passing through optical fiber cables), or electrical signals transmitted via wires.

[0073] The computer-readable program instructions described in this disclosure can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to a suitable computing device or processing device, or they can be downloaded to an external computer or external storage device via a global network (i.e., the Internet), a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. Networks include transmission copper wires, optical fiber, wireless communications, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. The network adapter card or network interface of each computing device or processing device can receive computer-readable program instructions from the network, transfer those computer-readable program instructions, and store them in a computer-readable storage medium within the computing device or processing device.

[0074] Computer-readable program instructions for performing the operations of the Disclosure may include machine language instructions and / or microcode. These instructions can be compiled or interpreted from source code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including assembly language, Basic, Fortran, Java®, Python, R, C, C++, C#, etc. Computer-readable program instructions can be fully executed on a user's personal computer, notebook computer, tablet, or smartphone, or may be fully executed on a remote computer or computer server, or on any combination of these computing devices. The remote computer or computer server may be connected to one or more of the user's devices via a computer network, including a local area network, a wide area network, or a global network (i.e., the Internet). Alternatively, electronic circuits, including, for example, programmable logic circuits, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or programmable logic arrays (PLAs), may be configured or customized to execute computer-readable program instructions using information from the computer-readable program instructions and implement embodiments of the Disclosure.

[0075] This specification will describe aspects of the present disclosure with reference to flowcharts and block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that each block in the flowcharts and block diagrams, as well as combinations of blocks in the flowcharts and block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0076] Computer-readable program instructions capable of implementing the systems and methods described in this disclosure may be supplied to one or more processors (and / or one or more cores within a processor) of a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, or other programmable device. This makes it possible to generate a machine that constructs a system for implementing the functions specifically shown in the flowcharts and block diagrams of this disclosure, through instructions executed via the processors of the computer or other programmable device. These computer-readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can instruct the computer, programmable device, and / or other device to function in a particular manner. The computer-readable storage medium storing the instructions is a product containing instructions that implement the embodiments of the functions specifically shown in the flowcharts and block diagrams of this disclosure.

[0077] Furthermore, computer-readable program instructions can be loaded into a computer, another programmable device, or other device, and a series of operations can be executed on that computer, other programmable device, or other device to realize a computer implementation process. Therefore, the functions specifically shown in the flowcharts and block diagrams of this disclosure can be realized by instructions executed on a computer, another programmable device, or other device.

[0078] Figure 19 is a functional block diagram showing a network system 800 in which one or more computers and servers are connected to a network. In one embodiment, the hardware and software environments illustrated in Figure 19 may serve as an exemplary platform for implementing the software and / or methods relating to this disclosure.

[0079] Referring to Figure 19, the network system 800 may include, but is not limited to, a computer 805, a network 810, a remote computer 815, a web server 820, a cloud storage server 825, and a computer server 830. In some embodiments, one or more examples of the functional blocks illustrated in Figure 19 may be used.

[0080] Further details of computer 805 are shown in Figure 19. The functional blocks illustrated within computer 805 are merely illustrative examples for constructing exemplary functions and do not encompass all of its capabilities. Details of the remote computer 815, web server 820, cloud storage server 825, and computer server 830 are not shown, but these computers and devices may also include functions similar to those shown for computer 805.

[0081] Computer 805 may be a personal computer (PC), desktop computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, netbook computer, personal data device (PDA), smartphone, or other programmable electronic device capable of communicating with other devices on the network 810.

[0082] The computer 805 may include a processing unit 835, a bus 837, a memory 840, a non-volatile storage device 845, a network interface 850, a peripheral device interface 855, and a display device interface 865. In some embodiments, these functions may be implemented as individual electronic subsystems (integrated circuit chips or combinations of chips and associated devices), while in other embodiments, some of the combinations of functions may be implemented on a single chip (also known as a system-on-a-chip or SoC).

[0083] The processing unit 835 may be one or more single-chip or multi-chip microprocessors designed and / or manufactured by Intel Corporation, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), Arm Holdings, Apple Computer, etc. Examples of microprocessors include Intel Corporation's Celeron, Pentium®, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7; AMD's Opteron, Phenom, Athlon, Turion, Ryzen; and Arm's Cortex-A, Cortex-R, Cortex-M, etc.

[0084] Bus 837 may be a proprietary or industry-standard high-speed parallel or serial peripheral interconnect bus such as ISA, PCI, PCI Express (PCI-e), or AGP.

[0085] The memory 840 and the non-volatile storage device 845 may be computer-readable storage media. The memory 840 may include any suitable volatile storage device such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) and static random access memory (SRAM). The non-volatile storage device 845 may include one or more of the following: flexible disk, hard disk, solid-state drive (SSD), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash), compact disc (CD or CD-ROM), digital multipurpose disc (DVD), memory card, or memory stick.

[0086] The program 848 may be a collection of machine-readable instructions and / or machine-readable data stored in at least one memory, such as a non-volatile storage device 845, and used to create, manage, and control specific software functions as described in detail and illustrated in the drawings of this disclosure. In some embodiments, memory 840 may be much faster than the non-volatile storage device 845. In that case, the program 848 may be transferred from the non-volatile storage device 845 to memory 840 and then executed by the processing unit 835. The program 848 includes computer program code. In one implementation, at least one memory storing the computer program code comprises at least one processing unit (such as a processing circuit described later) for carrying out the control process and claimed advanced embodiments of this disclosure.

[0087] Computer 805 may communicate and interact with other computers via network 810 using network interface 850. Network 810 may be, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, or a combination thereof, and may include wired, wireless, or fiber optic connections. In general, network 810 can be any combination of connections and protocols that support communication between two or more computers and associated devices.

[0088] The peripheral interface 855 may enable data input and output via other devices that can be locally connected to the computer 805. For example, the peripheral interface 855 may enable connection to an external device 860. The external device 860 may include devices such as a keyboard, mouse, keypad, touchscreen, and / or other suitable input devices. The external device 860 may also include portable computer-readable storage media such as a thumb drive, portable optical or magnetic disk, and memory card. Software and data used to implement embodiments of the present disclosure (e.g., program 848) may be stored on such portable computer-readable storage media. In this case, the software may be loaded into the non-volatile storage device 845, or directly into memory 840 via the peripheral interface 855. The peripheral interface 855 may use industry-standard connections such as RS-232 or Universal Serial Bus (USB) to connect to the external device 860.

[0089] The computer 805 may be connected to the display device 870 via the display device interface 865. In one embodiment, the display device 870 may be used to present a command line or a graphical user interface to the user of the computer 805. The display device interface 865 may be connected to the display device 870 using one or more proprietary or industry standard connections such as VGA, DVI, DisplayPort, HDMI®, etc.

[0090] As described above, the network interface 850 enables communication with other computing systems or storage systems or computing devices or storage devices outside of the computer 805. The software programs and data described herein may be downloaded to the non-volatile storage device 845 via the network interface 850 and network 810 from, for example, a remote computer 815, a web server 820, a cloud storage server 825, or a computer server 830. Furthermore, the systems and methods described herein may be implemented by one or more computers connected to the computer 805 via the network interface 850 and network 810. For example, in one embodiment, the systems and methods described herein may be implemented by a combination of a remote computer 815, a computer server 830, or computers interconnected on network 810.

[0091] The data, datasets, and / or databases used in the embodiments of the systems and methods described herein may be stored in or downloaded from a remote computer 815, a web server 820, a cloud storage server 825, or a computer server 830.

[0092] The circuits used in this application can be defined as one or more of the following: electronic components (such as semiconductor devices), a plurality of electronic components directly connected to each other or interconnected via electronic communication, a computer, a network of computer devices, a remote computer, a web server, a cloud storage server, or a computer server. For example, each of the one or more of the computer, remote computer, web server, cloud storage server, and computer server may be included as a component of the circuit, or may include the circuit. In some embodiments, one or more examples of these components may be used, and each of the one or more examples of these components may also be included in the circuit, or may include the circuit. In some embodiments, a circuit represented by a network system may include a serverless computing system that corresponds to virtualized hardware resources. A circuit represented by a computer may be a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a netbook computer, a personal data device (PDA), a smartphone, or other programmable electronic device that can communicate with other devices on a network. The circuit may be a general-purpose computer, a dedicated computer, or other programmable device described herein that includes one or more processing units. Each processing unit may be one or more single-chip microprocessors or multi-chip microprocessors. One or more processing units are considered processing circuits or circuits because they incorporate transistors and other circuits. The circuits can implement the systems and methods described in this disclosure based on computer-readable program instructions. These program instructions are supplied to one or more processing units (and / or one or more cores within processing units) of one or more general-purpose computers, dedicated computers, or other programmable devices described herein. This makes it possible to generate a machine that constructs a system for implementing the functions specifically shown in the flowcharts and block diagrams of this disclosure, through instructions contained within the circuits or executed via one or more processing units of a programmable device containing the circuits.Alternatively, a circuit may be a pre-programmed structure, such as a programmable logic device or an application-specific integrated circuit. A circuit is considered a circuit whether it is used alone or in combination with other programmable circuits or other pre-programmed circuits.

[0093] In light of the above teachings, it is clear that numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Therefore, it should be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention can be implemented in forms other than those specifically described herein.

[0094] Although various exemplary embodiments have been described above, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above, and various additions, omissions, substitutions, and modifications may be made. Furthermore, it is possible to combine elements from different embodiments to form other embodiments.

[0095] Herein, various exemplary embodiments included in this disclosure are described in [E1] to [E15] below.

[0096] [E1] A substrate processing system comprising: a vacuum transport module including a vacuum transport chamber; a plurality of process modules, each including a processing chamber connected to the vacuum transport chamber, configured to perform substrate processing on substrates transported from the vacuum transport chamber within the processing chamber; and at least one common pipe configured to supply power to the plurality of process modules, located below the vacuum transport chamber in a lower space surrounded by the plurality of process modules.

[0097] [E2] The substrate processing system according to E1, wherein the at least one common piping includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a first common piping connected to an exhaust device, a second common piping connected to a temperature-controlled fluid source, and a third common piping connected to a cooling water source.

[0098] [E3] The substrate processing system according to E2, wherein the lower space includes a first space and a second space below the first space, a first piping system for exhausting from the plurality of process modules is located in the first space, and a second piping system for supplying temperature-controlled fluid to the plurality of process modules and / or a third piping system for supplying cooling water to the plurality of process modules is located in the second space.

[0099] [E4] The substrate processing system according to E3, wherein the first piping system includes the first common piping.

[0100] [E5] The substrate processing system according to E3 or E4, wherein the second piping system includes the second common piping.

[0101] [E6] The substrate processing system according to any one of E3 to E5, wherein the third piping system includes the third common piping.

[0102] [E7] The substrate processing system according to any one of E2 to E6, wherein the plurality of process modules include a plurality of first process modules arranged along a first side of a pair of sides of the vacuum transfer chamber, and a plurality of second process modules arranged along a second side of the pair of sides.

[0103] [E8] The substrate processing system according to E7, further comprising a plurality of first individual pipes connecting the first common pipe to each of the plurality of process modules, wherein the first common pipe extends linearly in the intermediate portion of the lower space which is between each of the plurality of first process modules and each of the plurality of second process modules.

[0104] [E9] The substrate processing system according to E7 or E8, further comprising a plurality of second individual pipes connecting the second common pipe to each of the plurality of process modules, wherein the second common pipe extends in a first direction along the plurality of first process modules in the lower space, extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and extends in a third direction along the plurality of second process modules opposite to the first direction.

[0105] [E10] The substrate processing system according to E7 or E8, further comprising a plurality of second individual pipes connecting the second common pipe to each of the plurality of process modules, wherein the second common pipe extends linearly in the intermediate portion of the lower space which is midway between each of the plurality of first process modules and each of the plurality of second process modules, and the plurality of second individual pipes extend radially from the second common pipe toward the plurality of process modules.

[0106] [E11] The substrate processing system according to E7 or E8, further comprising a plurality of third individual pipes connecting the third common pipe to each of the plurality of process modules, wherein the third common pipe extends in a first direction along the plurality of first process modules in the lower space, extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and extends in a third direction opposite to the first direction along the plurality of second process modules.

[0107] [E12] A substrate processing system according to any one of E1 to E11, further comprising: a plurality of gas boxes, each including a flow controller and a housing for the flow controller, arranged along the plurality of process modules in the upper space above the vacuum transfer chamber; a fourth piping system located in the upper space for exhausting gas from the space inside the housings of each of the plurality of gas boxes; and a fifth piping system located in the upper space for supplying gas to each of the plurality of process modules via the flow controllers of each of the plurality of gas boxes.

[0108] [E13] The substrate processing system according to E12, wherein the fourth piping system includes a fourth common pipe for exhausting from the space inside each of the housings of the plurality of gas boxes, and a plurality of fourth individual pipes connecting the fourth common pipe to the space inside each of the housings of the plurality of gas boxes.

[0109] [E14] The substrate processing system according to E12 or E13, wherein the fifth piping system includes a fifth common pipe for supplying gas to each of the flow controllers of the plurality of gas boxes, and a plurality of fifth individual pipes connecting the fifth common pipe to each of the flow controllers of the plurality of gas boxes.

[0110] [E15] The substrate processing system according to any one of E1 to E14, wherein the vacuum transport module further includes a transport device configured to magnetically levitate within the vacuum transport chamber and transport the substrate within the vacuum transport chamber to any of the plurality of process modules.

[0111] From the above description, it will be understood that the various embodiments of this disclosure are described herein for illustrative purposes and can be modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to limit the scope and spirit, and the true scope and spirit are shown by the appended claims.

[0112] 1...Substrate processing system, 10...Vacuum transfer module, 10c...Vacuum transfer chamber, 11...Process module, 11c...Processing chamber, US...Upper space, LS...Lower space, 12...Gas box, 51...First piping system, 511...First common piping, 512...First individual piping, 52...Second piping system, 521...Second common piping, 522...Second individual piping, 53...Third piping system, 531...Third common piping, 532...Third individual piping, 54...Fourth piping system, 541...Fourth common piping, 542...Fourth individual piping, 55...Fifth piping system, 551...Fifth common piping, 552...Fifth individual piping.

Claims

1. A substrate processing system comprising: a vacuum transport module including a vacuum transport chamber; a plurality of process modules, each including a processing chamber connected to the vacuum transport chamber, configured to perform substrate processing on substrates transported from the vacuum transport chamber within the processing chamber; and at least one common pipe configured to supply power to the plurality of process modules, located below the vacuum transport chamber in a lower space surrounded by the plurality of process modules.

2. The substrate processing system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one common pipe includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a first common pipe connected to an exhaust device, a second common pipe connected to a source of temperature-controlled fluid, and a third common pipe connected to a source of cooling water.

3. The substrate processing system according to claim 2, wherein the lower space includes a first space and a second space below the first space, a first piping system for exhausting from the plurality of process modules is located in the first space, and a second piping system for supplying temperature-controlled fluid to the plurality of process modules and / or a third piping system for supplying cooling water to the plurality of process modules is located in the second space.

4. The substrate processing system according to claim 3, wherein the first piping system includes the first common piping.

5. The substrate processing system according to claim 3, wherein the second piping system includes the second common piping.

6. The substrate processing system according to claim 3, wherein the third piping system includes the third common piping.

7. The substrate processing system according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the plurality of process modules include a plurality of first process modules arranged along a first side of a pair of sides of the vacuum transfer chamber, and a plurality of second process modules arranged along a second side of the pair of sides.

8. The substrate processing system according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of first individual pipes connecting the first common pipe to each of the plurality of process modules, wherein the first common pipe extends linearly in the intermediate portion of the lower space which is midway between each of the plurality of first process modules and each of the plurality of second process modules.

9. The substrate processing system according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of second individual pipes connecting the second common pipe to each of the plurality of process modules, wherein the second common pipe extends in a first direction along the plurality of first process modules in the lower space, extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and extends in a third direction along the plurality of second process modules opposite to the first direction.

10. The substrate processing system according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of second individual pipes connecting the second common pipe to each of the plurality of process modules, wherein the second common pipe extends linearly in the intermediate portion of the lower space which is midway between each of the plurality of first process modules and each of the plurality of second process modules, and the plurality of second individual pipes extend radially from the second common pipe toward the plurality of process modules.

11. The substrate processing system according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of third individual pipes connecting the third common pipe to each of the plurality of process modules, wherein the third common pipe extends in a first direction along the plurality of first process modules in the lower space, extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and extends in a third direction opposite to the first direction along the plurality of second process modules.

12. A substrate processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a plurality of gas boxes, each including a flow controller and a housing for the flow controller, arranged along the plurality of process modules in the upper space above the vacuum transfer chamber; a fourth piping system, located in the upper space, for exhausting gas from the space within the housings of each of the plurality of gas boxes; and a fifth piping system, located in the upper space, for supplying gas to each of the plurality of process modules via the flow controllers of each of the plurality of gas boxes.

13. The substrate processing system according to claim 12, wherein the fourth piping system includes a fourth common pipe for exhausting from the space within each of the housings of the plurality of gas boxes, and a plurality of fourth individual pipes connecting the fourth common pipe to the space within each of the housings of the plurality of gas boxes.

14. The substrate processing system according to claim 12, wherein the fifth piping system includes a fifth common pipe for supplying gas to each of the flow controllers of the plurality of gas boxes, and a plurality of fifth individual pipes connecting the fifth common pipe to each of the flow controllers of the plurality of gas boxes.

15. The substrate processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the vacuum transport module further includes a transport device configured to magnetically levitate within the vacuum transport chamber and transport the substrate within the vacuum transport chamber to any of the plurality of process modules.

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