Substrate processing system and substrate transfer control method
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorDaisuke MORISAWA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A substrate processing system includes a plurality of processing chambers configured to perform a predetermined processing with respect to substrates, a transfer device configured to transfer the substrates to the processing chambers in a predetermined order, and a delivery unit configured to deliver the substrates between the delivery unit and the transfer device. The substrate processing system configured to sequentially process the substrates by repeating an operation in a predetermined transfer order. The substrate processing system includes a transfer order setting unit and a transfer control unit configured to switch the first transfer order to the second transfer order.
Claims8
A substrate processing system, comprising:
- a plurality of processing chambers configured to perform a predetermined processing with respect to substrates;
- a transfer device configured to transfer the substrates to the processing chambers in a predetermined order;
- and
- a delivery unit configured to deliver the substrates between the delivery unit and the transfer device, the substrate processing system configured to sequentially process the substrates by repeating an operation in which the substrates are transferred by the transfer device from the delivery unit to the processing chambers in a predetermined transfer order, the substrate processing system further comprising:
- a transfer order setting unit configured to, when one or more of the processing chambers stays in a substrate loading prohibition state, set a first transfer order with respect to the remaining processing chambers into which the substrates are loadable, and configured to, if the loading prohibition state of one or more of the processing chambers is terminated and brought into a substrate loadable state, set a second transfer order including the first transfer order as it stands, with respect to all the processing chambers into which the substrates are loadable, including the processing chambers whose loading prohibition state is terminated;
- and
- a transfer control unit configured to switch the first transfer order to the second transfer order.
A substrate transfer control method for use in a substrate processing system including a plurality of processing chambers configured to perform a predetermined processing with respect to substrates, a transfer device configured to transfer the substrates to the processing chambers in a predetermined order, and a delivery unit configured to deliver the substrates between the delivery unit and the transfer device, the substrate processing system configured to sequentially process the substrates by repeating an operation in which the substrates are transferred by the transfer device from the delivery unit to the processing chambers in a predetermined transfer order, the method comprising:
- when one or more of the processing chambers stays in a substrate loading prohibition state, setting a first transfer order with respect to the remaining processing chambers into which the substrates are loadable;
- and
- if the loading prohibition state of one or more of the processing chambers is terminated and are brought into a substrate loadable state, setting a second transfer order with respect to all the processing chambers into which the substrates are loadable, including the processing chambers whose loading prohibition state is terminated,
- wherein the second transfer order includes the first transfer order as it stands.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.