Coating and Developing Apparatus Vertical Stacking Transfer Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing coating and developing apparatuses for semiconductor wafers face challenges in reducing installation area and maintaining process efficiency, particularly due to sequential wafer transfer between modules, which can lead to inefficiencies when one module is unavailable.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus is designed with a carrier block, process block, and interface block, featuring a linear transfer path and shared main transfer mechanisms, allowing for efficient transfer and processing of wafers between liquid process modules, including antireflection, resist, and upper layer film formation, with integrated heating modules and up and down transfer mechanisms to reduce installation area and prevent process inefficiencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the wafer is sequentially transferred among modules in respective layers, then the installation area can be reduced, but the process efficiency may be lowered when one module cannot process the wafer
Solution Approach 1:
The process block is divided into multiple unit blocks (first unit block for antireflection film, second unit block for resist film, third unit block for upper layer film, and multiple developing unit blocks), each capable of independent wafer processing. This segmentation allows parallel processing paths, so when one module is unavailable, wafers can be routed through alternative unit blocks, maintaining process efficiency while keeping the installation area compact through vertical stacking.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple process modules are provided to cope with miniaturization, then the coating and developing capabilities are improved, but the installation area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The unit blocks are arranged in the vertical direction (stacked upward) rather than spreading out horizontally. The first unit block forms an antireflection film, the second forms a resist film on the antireflection film, the third forms an upper layer film on the resist film, and developing unit blocks are stacked below. This vertical stacking provides multiple coating and developing capabilities for pattern miniaturization while minimizing the horizontal installation area.
3Productivity
If a linear transfer path with shared main transfer mechanism is used, then the transfer efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single main transfer mechanism is designed to serve multiple unit blocks (antireflection film formation, resist film formation, upper layer film formation, and developing processes). This shared transfer mechanism moves wafers along a linear path through all unit blocks, improving transfer efficiency by eliminating the need for separate transfer mechanisms for each unit block, while the modular design keeps the overall system complexity manageable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration reduces the installation area of the apparatus and minimizes process inefficiencies by enabling continuous processing even when one module is unavailable, improving throughput and efficiency in forming resist patterns on semiconductor wafers.
Implementation Method 1
a heating module configured to heat a substrate on which a chemical liquid has been coated in the unit block for an antireflection film, a heating module configured to heat a substrate on which a chemical liquid has been coated in the unit block for an upper layer film, and a heating module configured to heat an exposed substrate to which a developing liquid is not yet supplied
Implementation Method 2
liquid process modules arranged on the right and left sides of the linear transfer path, each liquid process module being configured to supply a substrate with a chemical liquid corresponding to each coating film
Implementation Method 3
developing modules arranged on the right and left sides of the linear transfer path, each developing module being configured to supply a substrate with a developing liquid
Data Source
AI summary
A process block is formed by arranging a heating-process related block on the side of a carrier block, a group of liquid-process related unit blocks, and a heating block on the side of an interface block, in this order from the side of the carrier block to the side of the interface block. The group of liquid-process related unit blocks is composed of: a group of unit blocks for coating films that is formed by stacking upward a unit block for an antireflection film, a unit block for a resist film, and a unit block for an upper layer film, in this order; and unit blocks for developing that are stacked on one another in the up and down direction with respect to the group of unit blocks for coating films. Liquid process modules of each of the liquid-process related unit blocks are arranged on the right and left sides of a transfer path for a substrate.