Patent Publication Number: US-6990380-B2

Title: Substrate processing apparatus and information storage apparatus and method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for executing a prescribed process to an object target and particularly to a processing apparatus including two kinds of control units and information storage apparatus and method used thereof. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   For manufacturing a semiconductor device, various processes are executed such as a deposition process for depositing a prescribed film on an object target such as a semiconductor wafer, a photolithography process for patterning the prescribed film, an etching process for etching the prescribed film in accordance with the pattern. Accordingly, a deposition apparatus, a photoresist coating and development apparatus, an etching apparatus and other apparatuses are employed for executing the above-mentioned processes. 
   Here, the photoresist coating and development apparatus for the photolithography process is explained as an example. First, the semiconductor wafer is cleaned, applied to a hydrophobic process in an adhesion unit, cooled in a cooling unit, and coated by a photoresist film thereon in a photoresist coating unit. Then, the semiconductor wafer is pre-baked in a hot plate unit, cooled in the cooling unit, and light-exposed by a prescribed pattern thereon in a light-exposure unit. Further, the semiconductor wafer is applied to a post exposure baking process in the hot plate unit, cooled in the cooling unit, coated by a developing solution for developing the light-exposed pattern. Finally, the semiconductor wafer is post-baked in the hot plate unit in order to thermally transform and polymerize the film and improve an adhesion of the pattern to the semiconductor wafer. Thus, the photoresist coating and development apparatus is an integrated combination of a plurality of process units directed to a series of processes except the light exposure. Further, the photoresist coating and development apparatus includes a transport apparatus for transporting in and from every process unit. 
   The above-explained photoresist coating and development apparatus is controlled by a first control unit for controlling recipes for the processes and the transport apparatus and for communicate with a host computer and by a second control unit for controlling each process in each process unit, on the basis of the first control unit. 
   The above-mentioned first control unit outputs, toward the second control unit, data necessary for each process unit, while the second control unit controls each process unit, on the basis of the data from the first control unit and information from several sensors. Further, the control data is transmitted from the first control unit to the host computer. 
   Although complete control information is managed during and after executing the controls of each process unit, it is desired further that a more precise process control is required, that malfunctions and troubles in the apparatus are met quickly, and that a process history is captured in detail. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain not only the control data after completing the process unit control, but only measurement data such as temperature during actual processing, alarm data, or data of driving units. 
   However, it is intricate and impracticable to capture the process history by using conventional processing apparatuses, because the process elements and hardwares for the process elements are vast. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   An object of the present invention is to provide, in order to grasp process histories, a processing apparatus which may include various kinds of process units, an information storage apparatus and method for storing process histories, and a processing system wherein a plurality of the processing apparatuses are connected with and an information storage apparatus and a host computer. 
   The processing apparatus of the 1 st  invention comprises: a processing apparatus body for executing a prescribed process to a target object; a control mechanism for controlling said processing apparatus body; and an information storage section for inputting a signal from said control mechanism and storing information included in said signal. 
   The processing apparatus of the 2 nd  invention comprises: a processing apparatus body for executing a prescribed process to a target object; a control mechanism including a first and second controllers each of which executes different control of said processing apparatus body; and an information storage section for inputting a signal transmitted and received between said first controller and said second controller and storing information included in said signal. 
   The processing apparatus of the 3 rd  invention comprises: a processing apparatus body including a plurality of process units for executing a prescribed process to a target object and a transport apparatus for delivering said target object between said plurality of process units; a first controller for controlling said processing apparatus as a whole; a second controller for controlling said plurality of process units; and an information storage section for inputting a signal transmitted and received between said first controller and said second controller and storing information included in said signal. 
   The information storage apparatus of the 4 th  invention for storing information in a processing apparatus including a processing apparatus body for executing a prescribed process to a target object and a control mechanism for controlling said processing apparatus body, which comprises an information storage section and signal supply means, wherein: said signal supply means inputs a signal from said control mechanism and supplies said information storage section with said signal; and said information storage section stores said information included in said signal. 
   The information storage apparatus of the 5 th  invention for storing information in a processing apparatus including a processing apparatus body for executing a prescribed process to a target object and a control mechanism which includes a first and second controller each of which executes a different control of said processing apparatus body, which comprises signal supply means and an information storage section, wherein: said signal supply means inputs a signal transmitted and received between said first controller and said second controller and supplies said information storage section with said signal; and said information storage section stores said information included in said signal. 
   The information storage apparatus of the 6 th  invention for storing information in a processing apparatus including: a processing apparatus body which includes a plurality of process units for executing a prescribed process to a target object and a transport apparatus for delivering said target object between said plurality of process units; a first controller for controlling said processing apparatus as a whole; and a second controller for controlling said plurality of process units, which comprises signal supply means and an information storage section, wherein: said signal supply means inputs a signal transmitted and received between said first controller and said second controller and supplies said information storage section with said signal; and said information storage section stores said information included in said signal. 
   The information storage method of the 7 th  invention for storing information in a processing apparatus including: a processing apparatus body for executing a prescribed process to a target object; and a control mechanism for controlling said processing apparatus body, which comprises the steps of: taking out a signal from said control mechanism; and storing information included in said signal. 
   The information storage method of the 8 th  invention for storing information in a processing apparatus including: a processing apparatus body for executing a prescribed process to a target object; and a control mechanism including a first and second controller each of which executes a different control of said processing apparatus body, which comprises the steps of: taking out a signal which is transmitted and received between said first controller and said second controller; and storing said information included in said signal which is transmitted and received between said first controller and said second controller. 
   The information storage method of the 9 th  for storing information in a processing apparatus including: a processing apparatus body which includes a plurality of process units for executing a prescribed process to a target object and a transport apparatus for delivering said target object between said plurality of process units; a first controller for controlling said processing apparatus as a whole; and a second controller for controlling said plurality of process units, which comprises signal supply means and an information storage section, which comprises the steps of: taking out a signal which is transmitted and received between said first controller and said second controller; and storing said information included in said signal which is transmitted and received between said first controller and said second controller. 
   The processing system of the 10 th  invention comprises: a plurality of processing apparatus bodies each of which executes prescribed process to a target object; a plurality control mechanism each of which controls each of said plurality of processing apparatus bodies; a data storage section for taking in a signal from said control mechanism and storing information included in said signal; an information process section for inputting said information from said plurality of processing apparatus bodies and analyzing said information. 
   According to the present invention, it becomes easy to grasp the history of processes without employing any special measuring instrument, because the signal from the control mechanism which includes information necessary for grasping the process history such as detection information for processing such as temperature, particularly the signal transmitted and received between the first controller and the second controller, is taken out and stored in the information storage apparatus. 
   Concretely, the first controller controls the processing apparatus including the transport apparatus as a whole, while the second controller controls a plurality of the process units. In this case, the process history is easily grasped, because the second controller outputs information detected in the process units toward the first controller. 
   Further, according to the present invention, it becomes easy to grasp more precisely the history of processes, by employing additional sensors for detecting information which are not transmitted and received between the first controller and the second controller. In this case, the information included in the signal detected by the sensors are stored in the information storage apparatus. 
   Further, according to the present invention, a system with a plurality of processing apparatuses can be constructed in such a manner that the processing apparatuses share a information process section or host computer and a data storage apparatus and these processing apparatuses can be monitored by a monitor computer through a communication network. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detail description of the preferred embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a photoresist coating and development apparatus of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of the photoresist coating and development apparatus of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of the photoresist coating and development apparatus of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a rear view of the photoresist coating and development apparatus of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a control and data storage section in the photoresist coating and development apparatus of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a data storage box of the control and data storage section as shown in FIG.  5 . 
       FIG. 7  is an illustration for explaining an example of data storage during supplying a process liquid in the photoresist coating and development apparatus of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is an illustration for explaining an example of data storage during controlling an air cylinder. 
       FIG. 9  is a timing chart for explaining data stored during controlling the air cylinder. 
       FIG. 10  is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the data erase mechanism. 
       FIG. 11  is a block diagram of a processing system which shares a host computer and a data storage box. 
       FIG. 12  is a block diagram of a remote monitoring system with a monitoring computer which is connected through a communication network with a host computer connected with a processing apparatus. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , the photoresist coating and development apparatus  100  of the present invention comprises an apparatus body  101  and control and data storage section  102  for controlling the apparatus body  101  and for storing control information and other information. The apparatus body  101  comprises a cassette station  10  for transporting, into and out of the apparatus  100  or a wafer cassette CR, the target objects to be processed such as semiconductor wafers or some other wafers W. For example, every 25 wafers W may be transported into and out of the apparatus  100  cassette CR. The apparatus body  101  further comprises a processing station  12  where there is arranged at prescribed positioned a plurality of one by one type process units for applying a prescribed process in the coating and development process to wafers on the one by one basis. Further, an interface section  14  for transport wafers into and out of a not-shown light-exposure apparatus or stepper. Further, the control and data storage section  102  is placed below the cassette station  10 . 
   The cassette station  10  as shown in  FIG. 1  comprises a display  16 , a cassette holder  20  and a wafer transport arm  22   a  which is movable in X, Y and Z directions and rotatable in θ direction as shown in  FIG. 2. A  plurality of the wafer cassette CR, for example, 4 wafer cassettes CR can be put on the cassette holder  20 . 
   A display  16  as shown in  FIG. 1  is used for monitoring, operating, inspecting the apparatus body  101  and executing a maintenance of the apparatus body  101 . Concretely, the display  16  displays recipes including process procedure and time, maintenance information for notifying of electronic and mechanical states of each process unit, the measurement information, operation information, and wafer transport information. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the processing station  12  comprises a first process unit group G 1  of liquid process units for applying a prescribed process to the wafer on a spin chuck in a cup CP, a second process unit group G 2 , a third process unit group G 3  of thermal process units for applying a prescribed processing to the wafer on a holder SP, a fourth process unit group G 4,  and main wafer transport mechanism  24  movable in the vertical direction. 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the main wafer transport mechanism  24  can move in a vertical direction or Z direction a wafer transport apparatus  90  inside a cylindrical support  91 . The cylindrical support  91  is rotated by a not-shown Motor. The wafer transport apparatus  90  is also rotated in accordance with the rotation of the cylindrical support  91 . 
   The wafer transport apparatus  90  has a plurality of holding members or pincettes  93  movable in the front and rear directions of a transport base  92 , thereby delivering the wafer W between the process units. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , there are stacked in the first process unit group G 1 the liquid process units such as a photoresist coating unit COT for spin-coating a photoresist film on the wafer surface, and a development unit DEV for developing a circuit pattern after light-exposure. Similarly, there are stacked the photoresist coating unit COT and the development unit DEV in the second process unit group G 2 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , in the third and fourth process units G 3  and G 4 , there are stacked from the bottom to the top the eight units such as a thermal process unit such as a cooling unit COL for cooling the wafer W at a prescribed temperature, an adhesion unit (AD) for applying a hydrophobic process to the wafer before the resist coating, an alignment unit ALIM for adjusting the position of the wafer, an extension unit EXT for delivering the wafer between the stations, and a hot plate unit HP for heating the wafer W at a prescribed temperature. 
   A portable pickup cassette CR is arranged in the front portion of the interface section  14 , and a peripheral exposure apparatus  28  is arranged in the rear portion, while there is arranged in the central portion a wafer transport mechanism  26  which has a wafer transport arm  26   a  which is movable in the X and Z directions and accessible to cassette CR and the peripheral exposure apparatus  28 . Further, the wafer transport arm  26   a  is rotatable in θ direction and accessible to a not-shown wafer delivering platform in the peripheral exposure apparatus  28  and to the extension unit Ext in the process unit group G 4  in the processing station  12 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the control and data storage section  102  comprises a control box  105  including a first controller  103  and a second controller  104 , and a data storage box  106  for storing the data exchanged between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104 . Further, The data storage section  102  may include a detector  107  for detecting a data quantity or available memory capacity in the data storage box  106 , and a data erase mechanism  108  for erasing a prescribed data stored in the data storage box  106  when the available memory capacity is smaller than a prescribed value. 
   The first controller  103  controls the processing apparatus body  101  as a whole by controlling recipes, wafer transportation and display. Further, the first controller  103  is connected with a host computer  118  through a hub HUB  116 , thereby communicating with the host computer  118  and instructing the second controller  104 . 
   The second controller  104  is connected through a plurality of I/O boards with sensors and driving members, for outputting toward the first controller  103  measurement data such as temperature and humidity, alarm data and detection data, thereby controlling every process unit in the apparatus body  101 , on the basis of the sensor information and instructions from the first controller. 
   A signal line  109  from the first controller  103  and a signal line  110  from the second controller  104  are connected with HUB  112  which is connected with the data storage box  106  through a signal line  113 . Therefore, at least a part of data transmitted between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104  can be stored, for example, every 2 seconds, into the data storage box  106  through HUB  112 . 
   Further, a plurality of additional sensors  111  are provided in order to detect signals which are not transmitted between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104 , for example, a drive signal for driving a drive member such as a valve. These additional sensors  111  is connected through a signal line  114  with the data storage box  106  for storing the sensor data, for example, in a time period shorter than 2 seconds. 
   The first controller  103  is connected through a signal line  115  with HUB  116  which is connected through a signal line  117  with the host computer  118  which receives the data from the first controller  103 . Further, the data storage box  106  is connected through a signal line  119  with HUB  116  which transfers data from the data storage box  106  to the host computer  118 . Therefore, the host computer  118  can analyze data from the first controller  103  and data storage box  106 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , the data storage box  106  comprises: an apparatus body I/F  121  for receiving the signals transmitted between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104 ; an apparatus body agent  122  for processing the signals received by the apparatus body I/F  121 ; an additional sensor agent  123  for receiving the signals from the additional sensor  111 ; an additional sensor agent  124  for processing the signal received by the additional sensor agent  123 ; a storage data manager  125  for receiving and transmitting data to and from the apparatus body agent  122  and the additional sensor agent  124  and further processing and storing these data; a database management software  126 , a database memory  127  for storing database for storing data; and storage data memory  128  for storing data. 
   The detector  107  detects, on the basis of an instruction from the first controller  103 , at a prescribed timing, a data quantity stored in the storage data memory  128  in the data storage box  106 . The detection timing may be such a timing when a process is completed for every wafer W, every cassette carrying wafers W, or every lot of wafers W. 
   On the other hand, the data erase mechanism  108  receives from the first controller  103  such information of a process executed in accordance with the detection timing of the detector  107  as a process of a wafer W, a cassette carrying wafers, or a lot of wafers. Further, the data erase mechanism  108  receives from the detector  107  a detection result. The data erase mechanism  108  erases, on the basis of these information, a prescribed information in the storage data memory  128 , when the available memory capacity in the storage data memory  128  in the data storage box  106  is smaller than a prescribed value. Here, the prescribed value may be equal to or greater than an information quantity for the next processing. Further, the prescribed information may be erased in such a manner that oldest data is erased first or first stored data is erased first. 
   In the above-explained photoresist coating and development apparatus  100 , the wafer W before processing is carried, by the wafer transport mechanism  22 , out one by one from the wafer cassette CR, and is carried into the alignment unit ALIM. Then, the wafer W is aligned, carried out by the main wafer transport mechanism  24 , and carried into the adhesion unit AD in order to execute an adhesion process. After completing the adhesion process, the wafer W is carried out by the main wafer transport mechanism  24 , carried into the cooling unit COL in order to execute a cooling process. Next, the wafer W is transported to the resist coating unit COT in order to coat a photoresist, further, pre-baked at the hot plate unit HP. After completing the pre-baking, the wafer W is transported, through an extension cooling unit EXTCOL and then through an interface section  14 , to a light-exposure apparatus adjacent to the interface section  14 . Then, the light-exposed wafer W is carried by the wafer transport mechanism  26 . Then, carried by the wafer transport mechanism  26  into the process section  12  through the interface section  14  and the extension unit EXT. In the processing station  12 , the wafer W is transported by the main wafer transport mechanism  24  to the hot plate unit HP in order to execute a post-exposure process, further, transported to the development unit DEV in order to execute a development process, further, carried to the hot plate unit HP in order to execute a post-bake process, further carried to the cooling unit COL in order to execute a cooling process, and carried to the cassette station  10  through the extension unit EXT. Thus, the wafer transport mechanism  22  carries into the wafer cassette CR the wafer W after the prescribed processes. 
   A series of processes is controlled by the control box  105  in the control and data storage section  102 . At this time, at least a part of signals transmitted and received between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104  in the control box  105  is received by and stored in the data storage box  106 , for example, every 2 seconds. Further, these signals are processed by the apparatus body agent  122  and storage data manager  125  through HUB  112  and the apparatus body I/F  121 , and stored in the storage data memory  128 . 
   On the other hand, the information from the additional sensors  111  is received by and stored in the data storage box  106 , for example, every 2 seconds. Further, this information is processed by the additional sensor agent 124  and storage data manager  125  through the additional sensor agent  123 , and stored in the storage data memory  128 . 
   The database stored in the database memory  127  and the data stored in the storage data memory  128  are processed by the database management software  126 , and outputted to the host computer  118  through HUB  116 . 
   For example, the measurement data such as temperature and humidity among the above-mentioned data are stored repeatedly every prescribed time period, because they are necessary during process. Other data are stored in time sequence every wafer, every lot, or every process. By using these data stored in the data storage box, process histories are obtained. These data may be stored from a timing when the wafer W is carried into the process unit, from a timing when the process begins. These data may also stored only once, when a process of the wafer W or a lot of wafers W is started or completed, or when the wafer W is carried in or out. 
   Here, five typical data to be stored in the data storage box  106  are shown as follows, as an example. 
   
     
       
         
             
             
           
             
                 
             
           
          
             
               (1) 
               measurement data such as temperature, humidity, or pressure 
             
             
               (2) 
               alarm data notifying trouble during processing 
             
             
               (3) 
               dispense data in liquid process unit such as coating process unit COT 
             
             
               (4) 
               drive system data such as cylinder 
             
             
               (5) 
               wafer transport information and process unit information 
             
             
                 
             
          
         
       
     
   
   The measurement data (1) are controlled by the second controller  104 , outputted from the second controller  104  to the first controller  103  under normal conditions, and stored in the data storage box  106  through HUB  112  connected with the first controller  103  and the second controller  104 . 
   The alarm data (2) is generated by each process unit, received by the second controller  104 , and outputted from the second controller  104  to the first controller  103 , and stored in the data storage box  106  through HUB  112 . The process histories are obtained in full detail, by storing the alarm data which indicate when, in which process unit, or during what kind of process, the alarm was generated. 
   As shown in  FIG. 7 , regarding the dispense data (3), a ON/OFF signal for opening or closing air operation valve  1330  is outputted from the second controller  104  through the I/O board  154  to a solenoid valve  1340 , when a spurting quantity of the process solution from a nozzle  1310  through a tube  1320  is controlled by the air operation valve  1330 . In this case, the additional sensor  111  is connected with a control line  1350 , thereby detecting the ON/OFF signal for storing that signal in the data storage box  106 . As the ON/OFF signal is usually not transmitted and received between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104 , the ON/OFF data directly outputted from the additional sensor  111  is stored in the data storage box  106 . However such data as the above-explained ON/OFF signals may be stored in the data storage box  106  through the first controller  103  and the second controller  104 . By storing these data, all the information about when the air operation valve  1330  was opened and closed. Further, for example, these data are related to the dispense data, thereby obtaining a process history. 
   As shown in  FIG. 8 , the drive system data (4) is used for controlling a typical drive system such as an air cylinder for ascending and descending the wafer W and other thing. An air cylinder  130  comprises a cylinder body  140 , and a piston  141  which moves forward or backward, or ascends or descends, in the cylinder body  140 . A lower air inlet  142  connected with lower air tube  144  is provided at a lower portion of the cylinder body  140 , while an upper air inlet  143  connected with upper air tube  145  is provided at an upper portion of the cylinder body  140 , thereby ascending the piston  141  by introducing an air through the lower air tube  144  to the lower air inlet  142  and descending the piston  141  by introducing an air through the upper air tube  145  to the upper air inlet  143 . Further, a first solenoid valve SOL- 1  is provided around the lower air tube  144 , while a second solenoid valve SOL- 2  is provided around the upper air tube  145 , thereby ascending or descending the piston  141  by switching on and off these solenoids. Furthermore, a first position sensor  146  is provided at an upper portion of the cylinder body  140 , while a second position sensor  147  is provided at a lower portion of the cylinder body  140 , thereby detecting an upper or lower limit position of the piston  141 . 
   Further, the first position sensor  146 , the second position sensor  147 , the first solenoid valve  148 , and the second solenoid valve  149  are connected with signal lines  150 ,  151 ,  152  and  153 , respectively. Further, these signal lines are connected with I/O board  154  which is connected with the second controller  104  which transmits control signals through the I/O board  154  and signal lines  150 ,  151 ,  152  and  153  toward the first position sensor  146 , the second position sensor  147 , the first solenoid valve  148 , and the second solenoid valve  149 . Concretely, when a piston  141  starts moving, a control signal is outputted to either the first solenoid valve  148  or the second solenoid valve  149 . Further, when a piston  141  is stopped, a detection signal from either the first position sensor  146  or the second position sensor  147  is outputted through the I/O board  154  to the second controller  104 . Thus, the piston  141  is stopped, on the basis of the detection signal. In this case, the additional sensors  111  are connected with the signal line  150  of the first position sensor  146 , the signal line  151  of the second position sensor  147 , the signal line  152  of the first solenoid valve  148  and the signal line  153  of the second solenoid valve  143 . Thus, the additional sensors  111  can receive detection signals from these position sensors and ON/OFF signals from these solenoid valves, thereby storing these detection signals and ON/OFF signals in the data storage box  106  and obtaining a history of open/close timings. Therefore, for example, a variation in the operation timing every air cylinder may be grasped and the operation timing may be finely tuned. 
   As shown in  FIG. 9 , actual stored data are time sequence data of ON/OFF timings of the first and second position sensors  146 ,  147 , and ON/OFF timings of the first and second solenoid valves  148 , 149 . Concretely, when the first solenoid valve  148  is opened, the piston  141  starts ascending (UP START). Further, when the first position sensor  146  is switched ON, the piston  141  stops ascending (UP END). Next, when the first solenoid valve  148  is closed and the second solenoid valve  149  is opened, the piston  141  starts descending (DOWN START). Further, when the second position sensor  147  is switched ON, the piston  141 a stops descending (DOWN END). These steps are repeated by opening or switching on the first solenoid valve  148  in order to start ascending (UP START) the piston  141 . 
   The above-explained air cylinder  130  may be used in other cases such as an operation of ascending and descending pins, wherein the wafer W is received by ascending and descending pins over the hot plate in hot plate unit HP, placed on the hot plate by descending the piston  141 , held up after a prescribed time period by ascending the ascending and descending pins, and carried out by the pincettes  93  from the hot plate unit. 
   As the drive system data is not transmitted and received between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104  under normal conditions, the drive system data directly outputted from the additional sensors  111  and stored in data storage box  106 . However, the drive system data may be stored in the data storage box  106  through the first controller  103  and the second controller  104 . 
   The wafer transport information and process unit information ( 5 ) are stored in the data storage box  106  through HUB  112 , because wafer transport information in the first controller  103 , and information about carrying the wafer W in and out each process unit and process information in each process unit in the second controller  104  are transmitted and received between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104 . The wafer transport information actually stored include such information about the carrying the wafer W in and out each process unit, while the process information actually stored include such information about the beginning and completion of processing in each process unit. 
   In this manner, as the data transmitted and received between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104  are received by and stored in the data storage box  106 , through HUB  112  and at a prescribed timing, various data during processes are collected automatically, thereby easily obtaining data necessary for grasping the process history. Concretely, the data transmitted and received between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104  include detection data for processing, alarm data, process data, wafer transport data, and other data necessary for grasping process history. Therefore, it becomes easy to grasp the process history by reading out the data stored in the data storage box  106 . 
   Further, as the signals which are not transmitted and received between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104  are detected by the additional sensors  111 , stored data are diversified and process history is grasped more precisely. 
   However, as great quantity of data are stored in the data storage box  106 , the quantity of stored data may exceed in a relatively short time period, and important data may not possibly be stored. Therefore, it is necessary to erase at a prescribed timing a prescribed data in the data storage box  106  in order to store effectively the process data. 
     FIG. 10  is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the data erase mechanism. 
   First, the first controller  103  instructs the detector  107  of the detection timing, at ST 1 . The detection timing may be such a timing when every process of a wafer W, a cassette carrying wafers W, or a lot of wafers W is completed. 
   Next, the detector  107  detects at the above-mentioned detection timing the still available memory capacity or not used memory capacity in the storage data memory  128  in the data storage box, at ST 2 . 
   The data erase mechanism  108  receives from the first controller  103  such information of a processing executed in accordance with the detection timing of the detector  107  as a processing of a wafer W, a cassette carrying wafers, or a lot of wafers. Further, the data erase mechanism  108  receives from the detector  107  a detection result. Then, it is determined whether the still available memory capacity is smaller than the prescribed value which may be equal to or greater than an information quantity for the next processing, at ST 3 . 
   When the still available memory capacity in the storage data memory  128  in the data storage box  106  is smaller than the prescribed value, the data erase mechanism  108  erases the prescribed information in such a manner that oldest data is erased first or first stored data is erased first, at ST  4 . Here, the erased data quantity is such a manner that the still available memory capacity in the storage data memory  128  is at least greater than the information quantity of the next processing. 
   On the other hand, when the still available memory capacity in the storage data memory  128  in the data storage box  106  is greater than or equal to the prescribed value, the data erase mechanism  108  does not execute the erase operation. 
   After the erase operation, data of the next processing is stored, at ST 5 , and the step ST 2  is repeated. 
   Therefore, failure in storing information itself is avoided, because a part of the data stored in the stored data memory is automatically erased at a prescribed timing. 
   Further, the present invention can be modified within the technical idea of the present invention, without limiting it to the disclosed embodiment. For example, although the data transmitted and received between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104  are taken into and stored in the data storage box  106  in the above-explained embodiment, the data which are taken in and stored may be the data from the first controller  103 , the data from the second controller  104 , or 2 or more data among the data from the first controller, the data from the second controller  104 , and the data transmitted and received between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104 . Further, signals from control mechanism may be directly stored, without using any controller. Furthermore, although the data from the additional sensors  111  are directly stored in the data storage box  106  in the disclosed embodiment, the additional sensors are not necessarily required, if all the information are transmitted and received between the first controller  103  and the second controller  104 . 
   Although the older data are erased in the above-explained embodiment, the present invention is not limited to that embodiment. For example, specific data concerning each wafer may be erased. 
   Further, although a photoresist coating and development apparatus are explained as an example, the present invention can be applied to all the processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. 
   Further more, the present invention is extended to a processing system including a plurality of the processing apparatuses already explained. 
   For example, two or more control and data storage section may share the HUB  116  connected with the host computer  118 , thereby monitoring and analyzing all the process units by using only one host computer. 
   Further, it may be desired that a processing apparatus with the data storage box is added to other processing apparatus without the data storage box. Furthermore, it is desired that a plurality of processing apparatuses share the data storage box in order to implement a efficient and centralized management of the stored data. A processing system suitable for these purposes is shown in FIG.  11 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 11 , HUB  112  connected with the control box  105  and HUB  112 ′ connected with the control box  105 ′ share the data storage box  106 , and the first controller  103  in the control box  105  and the first controller  103 ′ in the control box  105 ′ are connected with HUB  116 , thereby combining the processing apparatus  100  with the processing apparatus  100 ′. Here, the processing apparatus  100  may be of the same kind as, or of a different kind from the processing apparatus  100 ′. For example, the processing apparatus  100  may be a photoresist coating and development apparatus, while the processing apparatus may be a semiconductor stepper. 
   A processing system with three or more processing apparatuses is similarly constructed in order to share the data storage box  106 , HUB  116  and the host computer  118 , thereby monitoring operation state of processing apparatuses on a display of the host computer  118 , for example, by switching the display screen every processing apparatus, or by using divided screen for a plurality of processing apparatuses. Further, the host computer  118  can not only monitor but also instruct each processing apparatus, on the basis of monitoring results. In this case, bi-directional communications are introduced between the host computer  118  and HUB  116  and between HUB  116  and the first controller  103 . 
   Furthermore, the present invention is extended to a processing system, wherein the processing apparatus or system is monitored via a communication network, as shown in FIG.  12 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 12 , control and data storage section  102  is monitored by a monitor computer  316  via communication network  216  such as an internet. The second controller  104  outputs the measurement data such as temperature and humidity, alarm data, detection data and other data to the first controller  103  and the data storage box  106 . On the other hand, the first controller  103  controls each process unit in the apparatus body  101 , on the basis of the data from the second controller  104 . Further, the outputs from the additional sensors  111  are stored in the data storage box  106 . Therefore, all the data including the outputs from the first controller  103 , the second controller  104 , and the additional sensors  111  can be transmitted to the host computer  118 . Accordingly, all or a part of the data stored in the data storage box  106  can be transmitted through the network  216  to the monitor computer  316  which includes a display  318  for displaying, for example, necessary data among the data displayed on display  16  in the apparatus body  101 . 
   The monitor computer  316  receives monitor data from the host computer  118 , and the display  318  connected with the monitor computer  316  displays the alarm information, the measurement information, the operation information, the wafer transport information and other information. Concretely, the monitor computer  316  analyzes the information for controlling the process unit from the first controller  103  and the display  318  displays the analysis results. Further, the monitor computer  316  may recognizes a malfunctioned unit, on the basis of the alarm data from the second controller  104 , instruct to stop the malfunctioned unit, make a repair plan, and prepare repair staff. Further, the monitor computer  316  may find out abnormalities and malfunctions of the additional sensors  111 , on the basis of the outputs from these sensors, and prepare new sensors. 
   Thus, operation state of a plurality of processing apparatuses can be monitored by a monitor computer through a communication network. Further, the monitor computer can instruct each process unit, on the basis of the monitor result, by establishing bi-directional communications between the monitor computer  316  and the monitor computer  118 , between the host computer  118  and HUB  116 , and between HUB  116  and the first controller  103 . 
   Such a remote monitor system with two or more processing apparatuses connected with the host computer  118  can be similarly constructed. 
   The embodiments described above are simply intended to clarify the technical concept of the present invention. Of course, the present invention should not be limited to the embodiments described above in interpreting the technical scope of the present invention. The present invention can be worked in variously modified fashions within the spirit of the present invention and within the scope defined by the accompanying claims.