Substrate processing apparatus, method for manufacturing semiconductor device, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

An apparatus and method capable of reducing the footprint of substrate processing system. An apparatus includes a housing chamber including a housing cabinet which houses housing containers for housing substrates, and a housing container carrying mechanism provided on the ceiling of the housing chamber and configured to carry the housing containers.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium.

BACKGROUND ART

In recent years, the diameter of a processing substrate has been progressively increased, and a substrate processing apparatus for larger-diameter wafers has been developed. A footprint and substrate processing capability as in conventional apparatuses are required for the substrate processing apparatus for larger-diameter wafers. When housing containers housing a plurality of substrates therein are carried in a conventional substrate processing apparatus, a robot hand is used.

Patent Literature 1 discloses therein a structure of carrying substrate housing containers by use of a robot hand.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: JP 2000-311935 A

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

A robot hand used for carrying housing containers in a conventional substrate processing apparatus as in Patent Literature 1 needs to install a transverse mechanism unit and an elevating mechanism unit in a housing container carrying region. However, the transverse mechanism unit and the elevating mechanism unit are difficult to downsize, and thus there is a problem that the carrying region increases in its size and consequently the entire substrate processing apparatus increases in its size and the constraints on the installation such as the footprint or the height of a clean room as in the conventional substrate processing apparatuses cannot be met.

The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus capable of reducing a footprint, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium.

According to an aspect there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including a housing chamber including a housing cabinet which houses housing containers for housing substrates, and a housing container carrying mechanism provided on the ceiling of the housing chamber and configured to carry the housing containers.

According to the present configuration, it is possible to reduce the footprint of a substrate processing apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments will be described later with reference to the drawings. According to these embodiments, a substrate processing apparatus is configured to accomplish a processing apparatus in a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device (IC) by way of example. In the following description, there will be described a case in which a vertical apparatus for performing oxidization, diffusion processing, CVD processing and the like on a substrate (which will be simply denoted as processing apparatus later) is applied as the substrate processing apparatus.FIG. 1is a longitudinal cross-section view of the substrate processing apparatus to which the present invention is applied.

As illustrated inFIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus100, in which hoops (which will be called pod later)110for housing a plurality of wafers (substrates)200made of silicon or the like are used as wafer carriers as housing containers, includes a casing111used as a substrate processing apparatus main body.

A front maintenance port (not illustrated) as an opening part provided to be maintainable is provided in front of the front wall111aof the casing111, and a front maintenance door for opening/closing the front maintenance port is attached.

A pod charge/discharge port is opened on the front wall111ato communicate inside and outside the casing111. The pod charge/discharge port may be configured to be opened/closed by a front shutter. A load port (not illustrated) used as the charge/discharge part is installed on the front of the pod charge/discharge port, and the load port is configured to be mounted with the pod110and aligned. The pod110is charged onto the load port by an in-process carrying device and is discharged from the load port.

Housing shelves (pod shelves)105are installed in a matrix shape vertically and horizontally around the pod charge/discharge port behind the front of the casing111. As indicated by the arrow inFIG. 1, the pod shelves105are installed with placement units140as housing units for placing a pod thereon, respectively. The housing unit is configured of the placement unit140, a horizontal movement mechanism (housing shelf horizontal movement mechanism) configured to horizontally move the placement unit140between the standby position where the pod110is housed and the delivery position where the pod110is delivered, a placement unit position sensor142configured to detect a position of the placement unit140horizontally moved by the horizontal movement mechanism, and a pod sensor144configured to determine the presence of a pod on the placement unit140. The placement unit position sensor142detects whether the placement unit140is at the standby position or the delivery position, and sends placement unit position information to a controller241described later. The pod sensor144detects the presence of a pod on the placement unit140, and sends pod placement information to the controller241. One stage of pod shelves105is configured of a plurality of independent placement units140horizontally arranged on the same straight line, and the pod shelves are vertically installed. Each placement unit140can be independently and horizontally moved without being synchronized with its vertically or horizontally adjacent placement units140and any other placement units140.

The pod shelves (housing shelves)105are installed in a matrix shape vertically and horizontally on the front side of a sub-casing119within the casing111. The placement units140as housing units for placing a pod on each pod shelf105thereon are horizontally movable similarly to the pod shelves105behind the front of the casing111, and can be independently and horizontally moved without being synchronized with the vertically or horizontally adjacent placement units140. The pod shelves105are configured such that the pods110are held on the placement units140one by one. That is, for example, the pod shelves105arranges the pods110on the two placement units140one by one on the same line in the same direction, and vertically house the pods110in several stages.

As illustrated inFIG. 2(a), a pod carrying region is present between the pod shelves105behind the front of the sub-casing119in the casing111and the pod shelves105on the front side of the sub-casing119, and the pods110are carried and delivered in the pod carrying region. A rail mechanism138as a fixing part for the pod carrying mechanism is provided on the ceiling of the pod carrying region, and a traveling route is formed by the rail mechanism138. The rail mechanism138is attached with a pod carrying device130as a movable part for the pod carrying mechanism to be travelable. The fixing part is fixed partially or entirely on the inner face of the ceiling of the casing111. The fixing part may be configured to be partially fixed on the inner face of the casing111and to be apparently fixed on the inner face of the ceiling to be sandwiched. As illustrated inFIG. 2(b), the pod carrying device130is configured of a traveling unit132for traveling on the traveling route, a holding unit136for holding the pod110, and an elevation unit134for vertically elevating the holding unit136. The pod carrying device130is configured to carry the pods110among the load port, the pod shelves105, and pod openers121in cooperation with the traveling unit132, the elevation unit134and the holding unit136. Further, the pod carrying device130includes a pod carrying device position sensor138for detecting a position of the pod carrying device and a height position sensor139for detecting a height position of the grip unit136. The pod carrying position sensor138detects a position of the pod carrying device, and sends pod carrying position information to the controller241. The height position sensor139detects a height position of the holding unit136, and sends holding unit height position information to the controller241. The controller241described later controls the movable part of the pod carrying mechanism based on the placement unit position information, the pod placement information, the pod carrying device position information, and the holding unit height information.

A pair of wafer charge/discharge ports120for charging/discharging a wafer200in/from the sub-casing119is opened on the front wall119aof the sub-casing119vertically in two stages, and a pair of pod openers121,121is installed on the wafer charge/discharge ports120,120in the vertical stages, respectively. According to the present embodiment, the pod openers121,121are installed vertically in two stages, but may be installed horizontally side by side. The pod openers121include placement tables122,122for placing the pod110thereon, and cap attachment/detachment mechanisms123,123used as sealing members for attaching/detaching a cap of the pod110. The pod opener121attaches/detaches the cap of the pod110placed on the placement table122by the cap attachment/detachment mechanism123thereby to open/close the wafer charge/discharge port of the pod110.

The sub-casing119configures a transfer chamber124fluidically isolated from the space where the pod carrying device130or the pod shelves105are installed. A wafer transfer mechanism125is installed in front of the transfer chamber124, and the wafer transfer mechanism125is configured of a wafer transfer device125acapable of horizontally rotating or directly moving the wafer200, and a wafer transfer device elevator125bfor elevating the wafer transfer device125a. A tweezer (substrate holding body)125cin the wafer transfer device125a, as a unit for placing the wafer200thereon, is configured to charge and discharge the wafer200on and from a boat (substrate holding tool)217by continuous operations of the wafer transfer device elevator125band the wafer transfer device125a.

A standby unit126for housing and keeping the boat217is configured behind the transfer chamber124. A processing furnace202used as a processing chamber is provided above the standby unit126. The lower end of the processing furnace202is configured to be opened/closed by a furnace port shutter147.

The boat217is elevated by a boat elevator115(not illustrated) and introduced into the processing furnace. A seal cap219as a lid is horizontally attached on an arm128as a coupling tool coupled to the elevating table of the boat elevator115, and the seal cap219is configured to vertically support the boat217and to close the lower end of the processing furnace202. The boat217includes a plurality of holding members, and is configured to horizontally hold a plurality of (about 25 to 125, for example) wafers200with their centers aligned and vertically arranged.

The operations of the substrate processing apparatus100will be described later. In the following description, the operation of each component configuring the substrate processing apparatus100is controlled by the controller241.FIG. 3illustrates a structure of the controller241. The controller241is configured as a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit)242, a RAM (Random Access Memory)243, a storage device244, and an I/O port245. The RAM243, the storage device244, and the I/O port245are configured to be able to exchange data with the CPU242via an internal bus246. The controller241is connected with an I/O device122configured as a touch panel, for example.

The storage device244is configured of a flash memory, a HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or the like, for example. The storage device244readably stores therein a control program for controlling the operations of the substrate processing apparatus, a process recipe describing the procedures or conditions of the substrate processing described later, and the like. The process recipe functions as a program for causing the controller241to perform each procedure in the substrate processing steps described later thereby to obtain a predetermined result. The process recipe, the control program and the like will be collectively and simply called program. The term program in the present specification may include only the process recipe, include only the control program, or include both of them. The RAM243is configured as a memory area (work area) temporarily saving therein programs, data and the like read by the CPU242.

The I/O port245is connected to the pod carrying device130, the respective sensors138,139,142, and144, the pod placement units140, the wafer transfer mechanism125, the boat elevator115, and the like.

The CPU242is configured to read and execute the control program from the storage device244and to read the process recipe from a storage device247in response to an input operation command from an I/O device240. The CPU242is configured to control the carrying operation of the pod carrying device130, the horizontal operation of the pod placement units140, the transfer operation of the wafer transfer mechanism125, the elevation operation of the boat elevator115, and the like according to the contents of the read process recipe.

The controller241may be configured as a general-purpose computer not limited to a dedicated computer. For example, the controller241according to the present embodiment can be configured by preparing an external storage device (such as magnetic tape, magnetic disk such as flexible disk or hard disk, optical disk such as CD or DVD, magnetooptical disk such as MO, or semiconductor memory such as USB memory or memory card)147storing the program therein and installing the program into a general-purpose computer by use of the external storage device247. A means for supplying a computer with a program is not limited to the external storage device247. For example, a program may be supplied by use of a communication means such as Internet or dedicated line, not via the external storage device247. The storage device244or the external storage device247is configured as a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium. In the following, these will be collectively called non-transitory computer-readable recording medium. The term non-transitory computer-readable recording medium in the present specification may include only the storage device244, include only the external storage device247, or include both of them.

There will be described an example in which the substrate processing is performed as one of the steps of manufacturing a semiconductor device by use of the substrate processing apparatus. In the following description, the operation of each component configuring the substrate processing apparatus is controlled by the controller121.

When a pod110is supplied to the load port, the pod110on the load port is charged into the casing111from the pod charge/discharge port by the pod carrying device. The charged pod110is automatically carried and delivered to the designated placement unit140on the pod shelf105by the pod carrying device130to be temporarily saved, and then is carried and delivered from the pod shelf105to one pod opener121to be transferred to the placement table122or is directly carried to the pod opener121to be transferred to the placement table122. At this time, the wafer charge/discharge port120of the pod opener121is closed by the cap attachment/detachment mechanism123and clean air is flowed through the transfer chamber124thereby to prevent contaminations of the wafers due to particles in the transfer chamber or formation of a natural oxide film.

The opening side face of the pod110placed on the placement table122is pressed against the opening edge of the wafer charge/discharge port120on the front wall119aof the sub-casing119, and the cap thereof is detached by the cap attachment/detachment mechanism123so that the wafer charge/discharge port is opened. When the pod110is opened by the pod opener121, the wafer200is picked up by the tweezer125cin the wafer transfer device125afrom the pod110via the wafer charge/discharge port and is charged into the standby unit126behind the transfer chamber124to be charged on the boat217. At this time, the charging may be performed after the wafer is adjusted according to a notch alignment device (not illustrated). The wafer transfer device125awhich delivers the wafer200to the boat217returns to the pod110and charges a next wafer200on the boat217.

While a wafer is being charged onto the boat217by the wafer transfer mechanism125in one (upper or lower) pod opener121, another pod110is carried and transferred from the pod shelf105onto the other (lower or upper) pod opener121by the pod carrying device130and the pod110is opened by the pod opener121.

When a previously-designated number of wafers200are charged onto the boat217, the lower end of the processing furnace202closed by the furnace port shutter147is opened by the furnace port shutter147. Subsequently, the seal cap219is lifted by the boat elevator115so that the boat217holding a group of wafers200is charged (loaded) into the processing furnace202.

After being loaded, the wafers200are subjected to any processing in the processing furnace202. After being processed, the wafers200and the pods110are discharged outside the casing in the reverse procedure to the above processing.

A first embodiment of the present invention will be described later. The horizontal movement operations of the pod carrying device130and the placement units140in the substrate processing apparatus100according to the first embodiment will be described assuming that the pods110placed on the placement units140are discharged from the pod shelves105in order to carry the pods110from the pod shelves105to the pod openers121. According to the first embodiment, the movement of the pod carrying device130, and the horizontal movement of the placement units140to the delivery position are performed independently.

(Step S110) The traveling unit132is controlled to move the pod carrying device130above the delivery position of the placement unit140of the pod shelf105placing the pod110to be discharged thereon. Herein, “above the delivery position” indicates a position where the holding unit136is present above the end of the pod110to be carried, preferably a position where part of the holding unit136overlaps immediately on the upper end of the pod110to be carried, and more preferably a position where the pod carrying device130lowers the grip unit136by the elevation unit134to grip the pod110or a position where the holding unit136is present immediately above the pod110.

(Step S112) It is confirmed that the pod carrying device130is standing by above the delivery position, and the placement unit140of the pod shelf105placing the pod110to be carried thereon is slid to the delivery position. Whether the pod carrying device130is standing by above the delivery position is determined based on the pod carrying position information detected by the pod carrying position sensor138.

(Step S114) It is confirmed that the placement unit140is slid to the delivery position, and the elevation unit134is controlled to lower the holding unit136to a position to hold the pod110. Whether the placement unit140is slid to the delivery position is determined based on the placement unit position information detected by the placement unit position sensor142. The holding unit136is controlled to be lowered to a position to hold the pod110based on the holding unit height information detected by the holding unit height position sensor139.

(Step S116) The holding unit136is controlled to hold the pod110.

(Step S118) It is confirmed that the holding unit136holds the pod110, and the elevation unit134is controlled to lift the holding unit136.

(Step S120) A determination is made as to whether the held pod110is lifted to the pod carrying position, and if lifted, the processing proceeds to step S122. Herein, the pod carrying position (a height of the pod110when carrying the pod110) may be a position where the pod110can be safely carried (a position not interfering with a pod housed in other housing shelf). Whether the held pod110is lifted to the pod carrying position is determined based on the holding unit height information detected by the holding unit height position sensor138.

(Step S122) The traveling unit132is controlled to travel and keep the pod carrying device130above the placement table of the pod opener.

(Step S124) It is confirmed that the pod carrying device130is standing by above the placement table of the pod opener, the elevation unit134is controlled to lower the elevation unit to a position where the pod110can be placed on the placement unit, and the holding unit136is controlled to place the pod110on the placement table of the pod opener. Whether the pod carrying device130is standing by above the placement table is determined based on the pod carrying position information detected by the pod carrying position sensor138. The subsequent pod placement operation is performed by controlling each sensor and detecting each item of position information similarly as in (Step S114).

(Step S126) When a pod110to be carried next is placed on the pod shelf105, the processing returns to step S110, and when it is not present, pod carrying is terminated.

The pods110are carried by the operations in (step S110) to (step S126). There has been described above the case in which the pod carrying device130is moved and then the placement units140are moved, but the pod carrying device130may be moved after the placement units140are moved. Further, the pod110may be lifted to a height to discharge from the placement unit140, and then carried without lifting the pod110to the pod carrying position in (step S120). Herein, a height to discharge is a height where the lower face of the pod110is separated from the upper face of the placement unit140placing the pod110thereon and can be safely moved. Thereby, it is possible to reduce a time to lift the pod110to the pod carrying position, which contributes to a reduction in carrying time. More preferably, it is better to lift a pod to a height to discharge, and to perform the elevation operation to a height to place on the placement unit at a carrying destination while the pod carrying device is moving. For example, when the placement unit at a carrying destination is higher than the placement unit before carriage, if the height before carriage is kept during carriage, the elevation unit can collide with the placement unit or the pod can collide with the elevation unit or the placement unit, but if the elevation operation to a height to place on the placement unit at a carriage destination is performed while the pod carrying device is moving, the pod is positioned above the placement unit when arriving at the placement unit at the carriage destination, thereby preventing a collision.

According to the first embodiment, at least one operational effect among the following operational effects is obtained. 1. The pod carrying device130is provided on the ceiling of the substrate processing apparatus thereby to reduce a footprint as compared with conventional apparatuses. A transverse mechanism unit such as conventional robot hand used for carrying pods, and an elevation mechanism unit do not need to be installed in the pod carrying region, and the installation area therefor can be accordingly reduced and the area of the carrying region can be reduced. An improvement in throughput and a reduction in turn-around time are achieved. 2. When the robot hand as a conventional technique is downsized in order to achieve a reduction in footprint, the structure is made complicated or cost is higher, but the pod carrying mechanism is provided on the ceiling as in the present invention, thereby reducing a footprint without making the structure complicated or increasing cost. Particles easily occur due to the complicated structure, but the particles can be restricted in a simple structure including the rail mechanism and the pod carrying device provided on the ceiling. 3. The placement unit140of the pod shelf105is provided with the horizontal movement mechanism, thereby increasing the number of pods110to be housed. When the flange over the pod110is held or when the lower part of the pod110is held, the robot hand needs to be inserted between the pod shelves105for carrying the pods110by the conventional robot hand, and thus a space where the robot hand can be inserted between the upper and lower pod shelves105needs to be provided. The placement unit140of the pod shelf105is in the horizontal movement mechanism so that the space does not need to be provided and the distance between the upper and lower pods can be reduced, thereby increasing the number of pods110to be housed. In particular, this is effective when the number of pods to be housed is increased while the substrate processing apparatus is prevented from being increased in its size. 4. The movement of the pod carrying device and the horizontal movement of the pod placement units are performed independently, thereby safely carrying the pods without a collision between the pod carrying device and the pod placement unit or setting a complicated interlock.

A second embodiment of the present invention will be described later. The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the movement of the pod carrying device130or the elevation operation of the elevation unit134is performed at the same time with the horizontal movement of the placement unit140to the delivery position. The difference will be described later.

(Step S310) The placement unit140of the pod shelf105where the pod110to be discharged is placed is slid to the delivery position. While the placement unit140is being slid, the traveling unit132is controlled to travel and move the pod carrying device130above the delivery position.

(Step S312) It is then confirmed that the placement unit140is slid to the delivery position and the pod carrying device130is positioned above the delivery position, and then the elevation unit134is controlled to lower the holding unit136to a position to hold the pod110. Whether the pod carrying device130is standing by above the delivery position is determined based on the pod carrying position information detected by the pod carrying position sensor138. Whether the placement unit140is slid to the delivery position is determined based on the placement unit position information detected by the placement unit position sensor142. Further, the holding unit136is controlled to lower to a position to hold the pod110based on the holding unit height information detected by the holding unit height position sensor139.

(Step S314) The holding unit136is controlled to hold the pod110.

(Step S316) It is confirmed that the holding unit136holds the pod110, and the elevation unit134is controlled to lift the holding unit136.

(Step S318) A determination is made as to whether the held pod110is lifted to the pod carrying position, if lifted, the processing proceeds to step S320. Whether the held pod110is lifted to the pod carrying position is determined based on the holding unit height information detected by the holding unit height position sensor138.

(Step S320) The traveling unit132is controlled to travel the pod carrying device130above the placement table of the pod opener.

(Step S322) It is confirmed that the pod carrying device130is standing by above the placement table of the pod opener, the elevation unit134is controlled to lower the elevation unit to a position where the pod110can be placed on the placement unit, and the holding unit136is controlled to place the pod110on the placement table of the pod opener. Whether the pod carrying device130is standing by above the placement table is determined based on the pod carrying position information detected by the pod carrying position sensor138.

(Step S324) When a pod110to be discharged next is present on the pod shelf105, the processing returns to step S310, and if not present, pod carrying is terminated.

The pods110are carried by the operations in (step S310) to (step S324). There has been described above the example in which the placement units140are moved while the pod carrying device130is being moved, but the placement units140may be moved while the pod carrying device130is operating, such as during the elevation operation of the elevation unit134. Thereby, the elevation unit and the placement units operate in parallel at the same time, which contributes to a reduction in carrying time. More preferably, the operation of the placement units140may start while the elevation unit is lifting. When the placement unit140operates while the elevation unit is lowering, a collision between the elevation unit and the placement unit or a collision between the pod and the elevation unit or the placement unit is more likely, but it is preferable that the placement unit140starts operating while the elevation unit is lifting. A different placement unit140from the placement unit140placing the held pod110thereon may be moved while the holding unit136is holding or the elevation unit134is elevating. Thereby, another placement unit can be moved to be ready to carry a pod to be carried next, which contributes to a reduction in carrying time. More preferably, another placement unit is assumed not to be overlapped on the placement unit being carried in the vertically direction. When a placement unit overlapping on the placement unit being carried in the vertical direction is moved, a collision between the elevation unit and the placement unit or a collision between the pod and the elevation unit or the placement unit is more likely, but a placement unit at a non-overlapping position can safely carry without a possible collision.

According to the second embodiment, at least one operational effect among the following operational effects can be obtained. 1. The movement of the pod carrying device or the elevation operation of the elevation unit is performed at the same time with the horizontal movement of the placement units to the delivery position so that the step of horizontally moving the placement unit after the pod carrying device is moved can be omitted, thereby reducing a time to carry the pods and improving throughput. 2. Since the pod carrying position does not interfere with a pod housed in other housing shelf, even if the placement unit is horizontally moved while the pod carrying device is moving, it cannot collide with the pod carrying device and can safely carry without complicated interlock setting.

A third embodiment of the present invention will be described later. The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the rail mechanism138is branched at any positions and the pod carrying device can move not only horizontally but also back and forth. A structure of the housing chamber in the substrate processing apparatus100in which the pod carrying device can move back and forth and horizontally will be described later. A method for carrying a pod by the pod carrying device is the same as in the first or second embodiment.

As illustrated inFIGS. 6 (a),6(b), and6(c), the rail mechanism138is branched at any positions and the pod carrying device130can switch its traveling direction at the branch points back and forth and horizontally.FIGS. 6 (a)and6(c) illustrate exemplary traveling routes when the horizontal movement mechanism is installed in all the pod placement tables of the placement units140, the load port and the pod openers121. InFIG. 6(a), the horizontal traveling route provided on the middle is assumed as a main route, and is formed with branch points back and forth each time the delivery position of each pod placement table of each placement unit140, the load port and the pod opener121is accessed. InFIG. 6(b), the horizontal traveling routes are formed in parallel at the delivery positions between the placement unit140of the pod shelf105behind the front of the sub-casing119in the casing111and the pod placement unit of the load port, and the delivery position between the placement unit140of the pod shelf105in front of the sub-casing119and the pod placement unit of the pod opener121, and the back and forth traveling routes are formed at the ends of each traveling route thereby to forma rectangular traveling route.FIG. 6(c)illustrates an exemplary traveling route when the horizontal movement mechanism is installed in each placement unit140but the horizontal movement mechanism is not installed at the pod placement units of the load port and the pod openers121. For example, the lower region of the rail mechanism138provided on the middle is assumed as a delivery position when the placement unit140is horizontally moved by the horizontal movement mechanism thereby to deliver the pod110. The back and forth branch points of the rail mechanism138are formed to the load port or the pod openers110not installed with the horizontal movement mechanism in order to access each pod placement table at the delivery position.

As illustrated inFIG. 6(d), the orientation of the front of the pod carrying device130is configured to remain unchanged even if its traveling direction changes at a branch point. By doing so, the orientation of the front of a pod110to be carried can be in the same orientation at any stage of the carrying. The orientation of a pod110may be in the same orientation as it is placed on the load port and the pod opener.

According to the third embodiment, at least one operational effect among the following operational effects can be obtained. 1. Branch points are provided not only horizontally but also back and forth so that one pod carrying device130can access the delivery positions of all of the placement units and the placement tables. Therefore, an increase in cost can be prevented without a complicated carrying mechanism. 2. The orientation of the front of the pod carrying device130does not change even if its traveling direction changes at a branch point so that the pod110can be carried with its lid faced toward the sub-casing119and the pod110can be smoothly carried without the step of rotating it to be placed in a proper direction when the pod110is placed on the placement unit140or the pod opener110.

A fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described later. The present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that pods are carried in the substrate processing apparatus in which two or more processing furnaces202for processing substrates are installed. A case with two processing furnaces202will be described later. The structure of the housing chamber or the method for carrying a pod by the pod carrying device is the same as in the first or second embodiment.

As illustrated inFIG. 7, two processing furnaces212and222for processing wafers200are configured in the substrate processing apparatus100. With the same carrying method as in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, a pod110is carried to the pod opener121and a wafer200is charged on the boat217to be charged into the processing furnace212. When a previously-designated number of wafers200are charged on the boat217, the lower end of the processing furnace202closed by the furnace port shutter147is opened by the furnace port shutter147. Subsequently, the seal cap219is lifted by the boat elevator115so that the boat217holding a group of wafers200is charged (loaded) into the processing furnace202and the wafers200are subjected to any processing in the processing furnace212.

A pod110is carried to the pod opener121and the wafers200are charged on the boat217to be charged into the processing furnace222with the same carrying method as in the first embodiment or the second embodiment while the group of wafers200is being processed in the processing furnace212. While one processing furnace is processing, a group of unprocessed wafers200is charged into the other processing furnace in order to discharge the group of processed wafers200and to prepare a next processing in the other processing furnace.

According to the fourth embodiment, while one processing furnace is processing, the processed wafers200are discharged from the other processing furnace and the wafers200to be processed next are charged therein so that alternately continuous processing can be performed in the two processing furnaces, thereby improving throughput.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the pod carrying position (a height of the pod110held in the holding unit136when carrying the pod110) may be a position to safely carry the pod110(a position not interfering with a pod housed in other housing shelf). A position not interfering with a pod housed in other housing shelf is, for example, where the lowermost face of the pod110to be carried is higher than the uppermost face of the pod110housed on the uppermost shelf of the housing shelves105. For example, if the lowermost face of the pod110to be carried is lower than the uppermost face of the pod110housed on the uppermost shelf of the housing shelves105and higher than the lowermost face of the pod110housed on the uppermost shelf of the housing shelves105, the device height can be made much lower. In this case, the placement unit on the uppermost shelf is controlled not to be horizontally moved during carriage, thereby safely carrying without an interference between the pod being carried and the pod housed on the uppermost shelf. Additionally, the upper part of the pod110housed on the uppermost shelf of the housing shelves105may overlap on the lower part of the pod110to be carried in their heights.

There has been described in detail the case in which the pods110are temporarily stored on the pod shelves105and discharged from the pod shelves105to be carried to the pod openers121, and the example may be applied when the pods110are charged from the load port114to the pod shelves105or carried from a pod shelf to other pod shelf, and in the reverse operation thereto.

InFIG. 1, the pod shelves105behind the casing111are as high as the pod shelves105in front of the sub-casing119, but as illustrated inFIG. 7, the pods110housed in the pod shelves105may not be at the same height, and may be as high as they partially overlap. Each line of the pod shelves105does not have the same number of stages, and may have a different number of stages, such as four stages on the first line and three stages on the second line. The height of each stage may be different per line or per stage. A movable pod rack may be installed in the space under the pod carrying region. Thereby, a variety of operations can be coped with.

FIGS. 9 and 10illustrate the examples in which a movable housing cabinet is installed in the space under the pod carrying region. As illustrated inFIG. 9, a rack rail301is installed under the traveling route or on the floor under the pod carrying region. A rack305has a plurality of shelves capable of vertically housing a plurality of pods110. Each stage has a structure in which the pods110are horizontally movable similarly as the pod shelves105, and each stage is horizontally slid when delivering the pod110. A rack drive unit303traveling on the rack rail301is connected to the bottom of the rack305. The movable housing cabinet is configured of the rack rail301, the rack drive unit303, and the rack305. The horizontal movement mechanism of each stage in the rack350and each operation of the rack drive unit303are controlled by the controller241. The movable housing cabinet is configured to be able to be installed in and removed from the substrate processing apparatus100depending on a change in the number of housed pods.

As illustrated inFIG. 10, two racks, a first rack311and a second rack313are installed in the present example. The rack rail301horizontally extends on the floor under the pod carrying region to be installed, and the racks311and313are horizontally movable on the rack rail301. The racks311and313horizontally move thereby to form a delivery space307of the pods110for delivering the pods at the delivery position. For example, when the pod110placed on the second stage from the top of the second rack313is carried, the pod placement unit is slid leftward toward the delivery space370. When the pod110is delivered to the pod shelf105, the racks311and313are horizontally moved to form the delivery space370in front of the placement unit140for delivery.

In this way, the movable housing cabinet is installed under the pod carrying region so that the number of housed pods can be changed depending on an increase/decrease in the number of substrates to be processed in the substrate processing apparatus100. The movable housing cabinet can be installed and removed depending on a change in the number of housed pods.

As illustrated inFIG. 8, when the maximum amount of horizontal movement when the placement unit140delivers a pod is assumed as X and a width of the pod carrying region is assumed as Y, the width of the pod carrying region may be as much as the placement unit140can horizontally move in safety. For example, when the placement unit140is horizontally moved by the maximum amount X such that the horizontally-moved placement unit140does not collide with the opposing housing cabinet, a gap is formed between the tip end of the placement unit140and the opposing housing cabinet. At this time, the width Y of the pod carrying region is at X<Y. Further, for example, a gap is formed between the tip ends of the placement units140such that they do not collide with each other when the placement units140in the opposing housing cabinet are horizontally moved by the maximum amount X, respectively. At this time, the width Y of the pod carrying region is at 2X<Y. When the width Y of the carrying region is assumed at 3X or more, the drive region of the pod carrying device118is wider, it takes more time to carry, and the installation area of the housing chamber increases, and thus the width Y of the carrying region is preferably smaller than 3X. That is, the width Y of the carrying region is configured at X<Y<3X.

The placement units140horizontally arranged on the same line may be coupled with each other, not independently. That is, the placement unit140is assumed as one shelf in which a plurality of pods, such as three pods, are horizontally placed on a line, and the shelves may be horizontally moved one by one. The placement units140capable of placing a plurality of pods thereon and the placement units140capable of placing only one pod thereon may be present together. With the structure, the apparatus specification can be optimized. A plurality of pods can be placed thereby to decrease the number of horizontal movement mechanisms, which can cause a decrease in the number of components.

The film-forming processing performed in the substrate processing apparatus100may be CVD, PVD, ALD, Epi, a processing of forming oxide film or nitride film, or a processing of forming a metal-containing film. Further, the processing may be annealing processing, oxidization processing, diffusion processing, and the like.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described later.

(Note 1) According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including a housing chamber including a housing cabinet which houses housing containers for housing substrates, and a housing container carrying mechanism provided on the ceiling of the housing chamber and configured to carry the housing containers.

(Note 2) The substrate processing apparatus according to note 1, wherein preferably the housing cabinet includes horizontally-movable placement units for placing the housing containers thereon.

(Note 3) The substrate processing apparatus according to note 2, wherein preferably the placement unit horizontally moves between a standby position to house the housing container and a delivery position to deliver the housing container to the housing container carrying mechanism.

(Note 4) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of notes 1 to 3, wherein preferably the housing container carrying mechanism includes a traveling route provided on the ceiling and a movable part moving along the traveling route.

(Note 5) The substrate processing apparatus according to note 4, wherein preferably the movable part includes a holding unit for holding the housing container, and an elevation unit for elevating the holding unit.

(Note 6) The substrate processing apparatus according to note 4 or 5, preferably further including a load port for charging/discharging the housing container from outside the substrate processing apparatus, and a pod opener for opening/closing the lid of the housing container, wherein the traveling route is branched at a position to access at least either the load port or the pod opener.

(Note 7) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of notes 2 to 6, wherein preferably the housing cabinet includes placement units capable of being horizontally moved for each housing container, and the placement units are independently and horizontally movable.

(Note 8) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of notes 1 to 7, wherein preferably when the carrying mechanism holds and carries the housing container, the housing container is carried at a height where the top face of a housing container housed on the uppermost stage in the housing cabinet formed of a plurality of stages at least partially overlaps on the lower face of the housing container to be carried.

(Note 9) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of notes 3 to 8, wherein preferably the placement unit is configured to horizontally move the housing container from the standby position to the delivery position, and the housing container carrying mechanism is configured to move above the delivery position during the horizontal movement.

(Note 10) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of notes 1 to 9, wherein preferably the housing container carrying mechanism carries the housing container with the same plane of the housing container faced in the traveling direction.

(Note 11) The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of notes 1 to 10, preferably further including a movable housing cabinet provided on the floor of the housing chamber and configured to house the housing containers.

(Note 12) According to another aspect of the present invention, there are provided a method for processing a substrate, a method for carrying a housing container, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a step of carrying a housing container housing a substrate therein by a housing container carrying mechanism provided on the ceiling of a substrate processing apparatus, and a step of transferring the substrate in the housing container onto a substrate holding tool and processing it in a processing chamber.

(Note 13) According to still another aspect of the present invention, there are provided a program for causing a computer to perform a procedure of carrying a housing container housing a substrate therein by a housing container carrying mechanism provided on the ceiling of a substrate processing apparatus and a processing of transferring the substrate in the housing container onto a substrate holding tool and processing it in a processing chamber, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium recording the program therein.

(Note 14) According to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including at least two processing chambers for processing substrates, the substrate processing apparatus including a housing chamber including a housing cabinet which houses housing containers for housing substrates therein, and a housing container carrying mechanism provided on the ceiling of the housing chamber and configured to carry the housing containers.

(Note 15) The substrate processing apparatus according to note 14, wherein preferably while one processing chamber in the at least two processing chambers is processing the substrate, a housing container housing a substrate to be processed in the other processing chamber is carried by the housing container carrying mechanism.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

With the substrate processing apparatus, the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and the non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to the present invention, it is possible to reduce a footprint.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST