JP3451166B2 - Substrate heat treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate heat treatment apparatus for heating or cooling a substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 10 is a sectional view schematically showing the structure of a conventional substrate heat treatment apparatus. FIG. 10 illustrates a substrate heat treatment apparatus 30a that heats a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer at a predetermined temperature, and a substrate heat treatment apparatus 30b that lowers the temperature of the heated substrate to a predetermined temperature. ing. The substrate heat treatment apparatus 30a for heating and the substrate heat treatment apparatus 30b for cooling are independently configured, and a heating device such as a heater is embedded in the heat treatment space 34a of the substrate heat treatment apparatus 30a for heating. A cooling plate 3 in which a cooling device such as a cooling pipe is embedded in the heat treatment space 34b of the substrate heat treatment device 30b for cooling.
2 are arranged.

For example, in the resist baking process, the substrate 33 having the resist film formed thereon is processed by the substrate processing apparatus 3.
Heat treatment is performed by raising the temperature to a predetermined temperature by the hot plate 31 of 0a, then the substrate 33 is conveyed to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 30b for cooling, and the temperature of the substrate 33 is lowered to the predetermined temperature by the cooling plate 32. Processing is performed. Thereby, with respect to the resist on the substrate 33,
A desired thermal reaction corresponding to the treatment temperature and the heat treatment time can be generated.

[0004]

However, in the process using the substrate heat treatment apparatuses 30a and 30b, the substrate 33 is transferred from the substrate heat treatment apparatus 30a for heating to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 30b for cooling. The problem is that the temperature lowering characteristic of the substrate 33, that is, the temperature lowering history cannot be controlled.

That is, as described above, the resist on the substrate 33 is heated by the hot plate 31 for a predetermined time and then immediately cooled by the cooling plate 32 to cause a thermal reaction at a predetermined temperature and for a predetermined time. Is desired.

However, after the substrate 33 is heat-treated by the hot plate 31 for a certain period of time, it is taken out of the substrate heat treatment apparatus 30a for heating and is transported to the substrate heat treatment apparatus 30b for cooling by the transport robot. In this transfer process, the substrate 33 is moved under the atmosphere in a clean room in which the substrate heat treatment apparatuses 30a and 30b are installed while being supported by the arm of the transfer robot. In many cases, the downflow in the clean room is directly introduced to the substrate transfer path. Therefore, the air flow around the substrate 33 constantly fluctuates, and the temperature of the substrate 33 fluctuates under the influence thereof. Further, when heat is generated from various devices arranged along the transfer path of the substrate 33, the ambient temperature of the transfer path changes, and the temperature of the substrate 33 also changes accordingly.

As described above, when the substrate 33 is transferred, the temperature of the substrate fluctuates irregularly under the influence of the surrounding environment, so that the temperature history of the substrate 33 during the temperature reduction cannot be sufficiently controlled.

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate heat treatment apparatus capable of controlling the temperature history of the substrate during the heating and cooling of the substrate.

[0009]

A substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the first invention is a substrate heat treatment apparatus for holding a substrate inside a heat treatment chamber and performing a predetermined heat treatment on the substrate. A first substrate temperature setting means for setting a predetermined temperature and a second substrate temperature setting means for setting a substrate at a temperature different from the predetermined temperature are provided inside a common heat treatment chamber to set the first substrate temperature setting. Second substrate temperature above the means
The setting means are arranged so as to face each other, and the first substrate temperature setting means and
The position between the second substrate temperature setting means and the first substrate temperature
Between the temperature setting means and the second substrate temperature setting means
The heat shield member is provided so as to be movable between the open position and the open position .

The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the second invention is the first
In the structure of the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the invention,
The substrate is moved up and down while supporting the surface, and the substrate is moved to the first substrate temperature setting means.
At a position close to the surface and on the surface of the second substrate temperature setting means
Substrate raising and lowering means for moving between adjacent positions
It is provided.

A substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a third invention is the first
Alternatively, in the configuration of the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the second invention,
And the substrate raised by the substrate elevating means is the second substrate.
A holding member for holding the substrate in the vicinity of the temperature setting means
Is further provided.

A substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a heat treatment apparatus.
Hold the substrate inside the processing room and perform a predetermined heat treatment on the substrate.
In a substrate heat treatment apparatus that performs
A first substrate temperature setting means for setting the temperature of the substrate to a predetermined temperature.
Common with the second substrate temperature setting means for setting different temperatures
Is provided inside the heat treatment chamber of the first substrate temperature setting means.
The second substrate temperature setting means is arranged to face each other, and
First substrate temperature setting means for supporting the lower surface and moving up and down
Near the surface of the substrate and the surface of the second substrate temperature setting means
Substrate elevating means for moving between a position close to the
The substrate raised by the plate elevating means is set to the second substrate temperature setting.
A holding member for holding the substrate in the vicinity of the fixing means.
It is a digit.

A substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the fourth aspect.
In the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the invention, the first substrate temperature
A position between the setting means and the second substrate temperature setting means,
Between the first substrate temperature setting means and the second substrate temperature setting means
A heat shield is provided so that it can move freely between the position retracted from
It is a thing.

In the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the first to third inventions
In the common heat treatment chamber, the first substrate temperature is set.
The heat treatment of the substrate by the means and the second substrate temperature setting means.
Since the heat treatment can be performed, the atmospheric condition is constant.
Inside the heat treatment chamber, the first substrate temperature setting means and the second substrate temperature setting means
By transferring the substrate between the substrate temperature setting means and
Control so that the temperature change of the substrate is constant.
be able to.

Further , the first substrate temperature setting means and the second substrate
By arranging the plate temperature setting means so as to face each other in the vertical direction,
The board can be quickly delivered by moving it up and down.
be able to. This shortens the substrate transfer time,
The time when the substrate temperature is affected by the surrounding atmosphere is shortened.
The temperature of the substrate can be controlled accurately by
Wear.

Further, the first substrate temperature setting means and the second substrate temperature setting means
By providing a heat shield member between the substrate temperature setting means and
This prevents the other party from being affected by the heat of each other.
This allows for more accurate substrate temperature control.
It

Particularly, in the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the second invention.
In this case, the substrate is moved up and down by using the substrate elevating means.
As a result, the substrate between the first and second substrate temperature setting means is
It is possible to shorten the transportation time of the plate.

Particularly, in the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the third invention.
In the above, the substrate placed close to the second substrate temperature setting means.
By adding the configuration that the plate is held by the holding member,
The first substrate temperature setting means for each of the two substrates
Heat treatment by the second substrate temperature setting means
It is possible to perform them simultaneously, improving the processing efficiency of the substrate.
It

A substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the fourth and fifth aspects of the invention.
The first substrate temperature inside the common heat treatment chamber.
Heat treatment of substrate by setting means and second substrate temperature setting means
Since the heat treatment can be performed by
Inside the constant heat treatment chamber, the first substrate temperature setting means and the first substrate temperature setting means
The substrate is transferred between the substrate temperature setting means 2 and
Control so that the temperature change of the substrate is constant.
You can

Further , the second substrate temperature setting means is arranged close to
A structure in which the holding member holds the processed substrate is added.
This allows the first substrate temperature setting for each of the two substrates.
Heat treatment by the constant means and heat by the second substrate temperature setting means
It is possible to perform processing at the same time, and substrate processing efficiency
Is improved.

Particularly, in the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the fifth invention,
In the first substrate temperature setting means and the second substrate temperature setting means.
By providing a heat shield member between the fixing means,
This prevents heat from affecting the other party, which
The temperature of the substrate can be controlled more accurately.

[0022]

[0023]

1 is a schematic sectional view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1A shows a heat treatment state by the hot plate 1, and FIG. 1B shows cooling by the cooling plate 2 (cooling).
The processing state is shown.

In FIG. 1, in the substrate heat treatment apparatus, a hot plate 1 and a cooling plate 2 are vertically opposed to each other inside one processing space 3. In addition, in FIG. 1A, the inner wall of the processing space 3 is schematically shown by a dotted line. The hot plate 1 is arranged below the processing space 3, and a heating device such as a heater or a Peltier element is embedded in the hot plate 1.

Below the hot plate 1, a substrate elevating member 4 having a plurality of elevating pins 4a for supporting the back surface of the substrate 10 through the through holes 6 of the hot plate 1 is arranged. The substrate elevating / lowering member 4 is vertically moved by an elevating / lowering drive unit 5 including an air cylinder or a motor, and moves the substrate 10 from a position close to the surface of the hot plate 1 to a position close to the surface of the cooling plate 2.

The cooling plate 2 is the hot plate 1
Is disposed above and with a predetermined space. A cooling device such as a cooling pipe or a Peltier element is embedded inside the cooling plate 2.

The substrate heat treatment apparatus having the above structure can continuously perform the heating treatment and the cooling treatment of the substrate 10 inside the common processing space 3. That is, as shown in FIG. 1A, during the heat treatment of the substrate 10, the substrate 10 is held in proximity to the upper surface of the hot plate 1 via the spherical spacer formed on the upper surface of the hot plate 1, It is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heating device provided inside 1.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), when the heat treatment for a certain period of time is completed, the elevating / lowering drive unit 5 moves the substrate elevating / lowering member 4 upward, and the substrate 10 is supported by the elevating / lowering pin 4a. Is held close to the lower surface of the cooling plate 2. As a result, the substrate 10 is cooled by the cooling device provided inside the cooling plate 2 and cooled to a predetermined temperature.

After that, the substrate 10 whose temperature has been lowered is discharged to the outside of the substrate heat treatment apparatus by the substrate transfer apparatus provided outside the substrate heat treatment apparatus. As described above, in the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the first embodiment, since heating and cooling treatments are continuously performed in the common treatment space 3,
It is not affected by the outside of the substrate heat treatment apparatus. Thereby, the temperature history of the substrate 10 can be controlled to a desired state.

2 and 3 are schematic cross-sectional views of the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the heat treatment state of the substrate, and FIG. 3 shows the temperature decrease treatment state of the substrate. Shows.

In the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the second embodiment, a heat insulating plate (heat shield member) 7 can be put in and taken out between the hot plate 1 and the cooling plate 2 in addition to the structure of the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the first embodiment. It was installed in.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the heat insulating plate 7. The heat insulating plate 7 is formed in a flat plate shape having a flat area that covers at least the heating surface of the hot plate 1 or the cooling surface of the cooling plate 2. The heat insulating plate 7 is positioned between the hot plate 1 and the cooling plate 2 by a horizontal movement mechanism (not shown), and the hot plate 1 and the cooling plate 2
Move between the space and the retracted position.

First, during the heat treatment shown in FIG. 2, the heat insulating plate 7 moves above the substrate 10. In this case, in the processing space 3, the gas heated by the heat generated from the surface of the hot plate 1 causes convection toward the cooling plate 2 side. However, since the heat insulating plate 7 blocks this heat convection, the temperature rise in the processing space 3 above the heat insulating plate 7 is suppressed. By disposing the heat insulating plate 7 in this way, it is possible to prevent the influence of heat generation of the hot plate 1 from reaching the cooling plate 2. Therefore, the cooling plate 2 can maintain a predetermined temperature without being affected by the hot plate 1.

Next, in the temperature lowering process step shown in FIG. 3, the heat insulating plate 7 is first retracted, and the substrate 10 is held close to the surface of the cooling plate 2 by raising the substrate elevating member 4. Then, the heat insulating plate 7 is again inserted between the substrate 10 and the hot plate 1. Insulation plate
The notch portion 8 (see FIG. 4) is inserted into a predetermined position without interfering with the elevating pin 4a.

The presence of the heat insulating plate 7 prevents the heat from the hot plate 1 side from affecting the substrate 10. In the processing space 3 above the heat insulating plate 7, the substrate 10 is cooled to a predetermined temperature by the cooling action from the cooling plate 2.

As described above, when the heat insulating plate 7 is provided, the hot plate 1 and the cooling plate 2 can be heated or cooled without being affected by the heat of the other side. Therefore, hot plate 1
It is possible to further reduce the distance between the cooling plate 2 and the cooling plate 2, which can reduce the size of the substrate heat treatment apparatus in the height direction.

5 to 7 are schematic cross-sectional views of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
(F) shows the respective operating states of the substrate heating and cooling steps. The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the third embodiment is
In addition to the structure of the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the second embodiment, a delivery pin 9 for holding the substrate after the heat treatment at a position close to the cooling plate 2 and performing the cooling treatment is provided.

For example, as shown in FIG.
Is a hook-shaped member that is swingably attached to a position close to the outer periphery of the cooling plate 2 in the processing space 3, and a plurality of members are provided to support the lower surface of the substrate 10a. The delivery pin 9 has a position where the substrate 10a is allowed to move up and down by a drive mechanism (not shown),
The lower surface of the substrate 10a is supported, and the substrate 10a is moved to a position where it is held close to the surface of the cooling plate 2.

The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the third embodiment can simultaneously perform heat treatment and cooling treatment on two substrates 10a and 10b, respectively. The processing state will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, as shown in FIG. 5A, the first substrate 10a is placed close to the hot plate 1 via a spherical spacer, and heat treatment is performed at a predetermined temperature. Next, as shown in FIG. 5B, the substrate elevating / lowering member 4 is raised, and the substrate 10 a after the heat treatment is raised and held to a position close to the cooling plate 2.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6C, the transfer pin 9 is moved to support the lower surface of the substrate 10a. Then, the substrate support member 4 is moved down, and the substrate 10b to be subjected to the next heat treatment is placed close to a predetermined position on the hot plate 1.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6 (d), the heat insulating plate 7 is moved between the two substrates 10a and 10b to perform heating and cooling treatments, respectively. Furthermore, FIG.
As shown in (e), the substrate 10a on which the cooling process has been completed
Is transferred to the substrate transfer device arranged outside, and the transfer pin 9 is moved to the standby position.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7F, the substrate elevating member 4 is raised to hold the substrate 10b, which has been subjected to the heat treatment, in the vicinity of the cooling plate 2. After this,
As shown in FIG. 6C, the substrate 10 is formed by the transfer pins 9.
b is held and the processing from FIG. 6C is repeated.

In the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the third embodiment, since the two substrates 10a and 10b can be simultaneously heated and cooled in the common processing space 3, the substrate heat treatment work can be performed. The efficiency of can be improved.

FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a schematic plan view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the fourth embodiment. The substrate heat treatment apparatus 20 according to the fourth embodiment has a common processing space 3
Hot plate 21 and cooling plate 22 inside
And a transfer robot 23 for the substrate 10 between the hot plate 21 and the cooling plate 22.
Is arranged.

In this substrate heat treatment apparatus 20, the substrate 10 heat-treated on the hot plate 21 is moved horizontally in the processing space 3 by the transfer robot 23 and is held at a predetermined position on the cooling plate 22 for cooling. The plate 22 performs a temperature lowering process to a predetermined temperature.

Also in this case, the substrate 10 is not carried out of the processing space 3 and the heating process and the cooling process are continuously performed. Therefore, the temperature history of the substrate 10 can be controlled to a desired state.

Further, in the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the first to fourth embodiments, even if the substrate is tact-transferred through a series of substrate processing lines in which the substrate heat treatment apparatus is arranged, the substrate heat treatment is performed. The time can be set to a predetermined time. That is, in the substrate processing line,
Time to transfer the substrate between each processing equipment (tact time)
However, the rate is limited by the processing time of the unit having the longest processing time among the plurality of processing units. Therefore, for example, in the conventional substrate heat treatment apparatus for heating, the substrate is held on the hot plate for the time corresponding to the tact time to perform the heat treatment. However, if the desired heat treatment time for the substrate is shorter than the takt time, the substrate is subjected to heat treatment more than necessary.

For this reason, conventionally, the timing of loading the substrate into the substrate heat treatment apparatus is adjusted (waiting for loading), or the substrate is waited above the hot plate to adjust the processing time (waiting for pin-up). There is. However, in the former method, the substrate is kept outside of the substrate heat treatment apparatus, so that an irregular temperature fluctuation occurs due to the influence of the external atmosphere. In the latter method, the heat treatment is still performed even at the position above the hot plate.

On the other hand, in the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the above-described embodiment, when the heat treatment is performed for the predetermined time, the substrate is immediately moved to the cooling plate side and the temperature lowering treatment is performed. Therefore, the heat treatment time can be accurately controlled regardless of the takt time.

Further, in the above-mentioned first to fourth embodiments, the configuration in which the hot plate is arranged below and the cooling plate is arranged above is explained, but the same effect can be obtained even if the arrangement is upside down. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a cross-sectional structure diagram during a heat treatment, and (b) is a cross-sectional structure diagram during a cooling treatment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the substrate heat treatment apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention during heat treatment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention during a cooling process.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the heat insulating plate shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) and (b) are sectional views showing respective processing states.

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which (c) and (d) are cross-sectional views showing respective processing states.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in which (e) and (f) are cross-sectional views of respective processing steps.

FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a schematic plan view of a substrate heat treatment apparatus according to a fourth embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional substrate heat treatment apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 hot plate 2 cooling plate 3 processing space 4 Board lifting member 4a Lifting pin 5 Lift drive 7 Insulation plate 9 Delivery pins 10, 10a, 10b substrate 20 Substrate heat treatment equipment 23 Delivery robot

Continuation of front page (58) Fields surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 21/027

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A substrate heat treatment apparatus for holding a substrate inside a heat treatment chamber and performing a predetermined heat treatment on the substrate, comprising: first substrate temperature setting means for setting the substrate to a predetermined temperature; and the substrate. the provided a second substrate temperature setting means for setting said predetermined temperature different to the interior of the common of the heat treatment chamber, above the second substrate temperature of the first substrate temperature setting means
And a second substrate temperature setting unit, the first substrate temperature setting unit and the second substrate temperature setting unit being arranged to face each other.
A position between the first substrate temperature setting means and the first substrate temperature setting means.
Note that the position retracted from the second substrate temperature setting means
A substrate heat treatment apparatus characterized in that a heat shield member is provided so as to be movable between them. 2. The lower surface of the substrate is supported to move up and down,
Place the substrate close to the surface of the first substrate temperature setting means.
And a position close to the surface of the second substrate temperature setting means.
The board raising and lowering means for moving between
The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, which is characterized in that . 3. Before being raised by the substrate elevating means
With the substrate close to the second substrate temperature setting means,
Holding means for holding the substrate is further provided
The substrate heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 . 4. A substrate is held inside a heat treatment chamber,
In a substrate heat treatment device that performs a predetermined heat treatment on a plate
Te first substrate temperature setting hand for setting the substrate to a predetermined temperature
And the substrate is set to a temperature different from the predetermined temperature.
In the heat treatment chamber, which is common to the second substrate temperature setting means
And a second substrate temperature above the first substrate temperature setting means.
Degree setting means are arranged to face each other, and the lower surface of the substrate is supported to move up and down to move the substrate to the first
And a position close to the surface of the substrate temperature setting means of the second
Moved between the substrate temperature setting means and the position close to the surface.
The substrate raising and lowering means for causing the substrate to be raised by the substrate raising and lowering means .
Hold the substrate close to the second substrate temperature setting means
A substrate heat treatment apparatus, comprising: 5. The first substrate temperature setting means and the second substrate temperature setting means.
And the position of the first substrate temperature
Between the temperature setting means and the second substrate temperature setting means.
A heat shield is provided so that it can move freely between the retracted position
The substrate heat treatment device according to claim 4 .