# US 2024/0201602 A1 · Substrate processing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0201602 A1 - Document ID: US20240201602A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/557,226 - Filed: 2021-04-25 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-25 - Assignees: ACM Research (Shanghai) Inc.; ACM Research Korea CO., LTD.; CleanChip Technologies Limited - Applicants: Acm Research (Shanghai), Inc.; ACM Research Korea CO., LTD.; CleanChip Technologies Limited - Inventors: Hui Wang; Mark Lee; Jun Wu; Cheng Cheng; Andrew Jung; Bruce Sohn; Jun Wang; Yy Kim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201602A1 ## CPC - G03F 7/168: {Finishing the coated layer, e.g. drying, baking, soaking} - H10P 72/0456: {in-line arrangement} - H10P 72/0402: {Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence)} - H10P 72/0432: {mainly by conduction} - H10P 72/0448: {Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like} - H10P 72/0458: {vertical arrangement} - H10P 72/0462: {characterised by the construction of the processing chambers, e.g. modular processing chambers} - H10P 72/3302: {Mechanical parts of transfer devices} - H10P 72/3304: {characterised by movements or sequence of movements of transfer devices} - H10P 72/3404: {Storage means} - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Embodiments of the present invention provide a substrate processing apparatus comprising a chemical liquid processing apparatus. The chemical liquid processing apparatus includes a first chemical liquid processing part, a second chemical liquid processing part configured to be stacked with the first chemical liquid processing part, a heating processing part located opposite the first chemical liquid processing part and the second chemical liquid processing part and a substrate transferring part located between the first and second chemical liquid processing parts and the heating processing part. The substrate transferring part is configured to have at least two first robots, at least one second robot and at least one third robot, all of which are arranged in parallel layers, and at least one pair of first buffer units located between two adjacent first robots and configured for loading and unloading the substrates therein and therefrom via the at least one second robot. The at least two first robots are configured to transfer the substrates between the first chemical liquid processing part and the heating processing part and the at least one third robot is configured to transfer the substrates between the second chemical liquid processing part and the heating processing part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A substrate processing apparatus comprising a chemical liquid processing apparatus configured to perform processing on substrates, wherein the chemical liquid processing apparatus includes: a first chemical liquid processing part configured to supply a first chemical liquid to the substrates and perform first chemical processing on the substrates; a second chemical liquid processing part configured to be stacked with the first chemical liquid processing part and to supply a second chemical liquid to the substrates and perform second chemical processing on the substrates; a heating processing part located opposite the first chemical liquid processing part and the second chemical liquid processing part and configured to perform a heating treatment operation on the substrates before and after the first chemical processing on the substrates or the second chemical processing on the substrates; a substrate transferring part located between the first and second chemical liquid processing parts and the heating processing part, wherein the substrate transferring part is configured to have: at least two first robots, at least one second robot and at least one third robot, all of which are arranged in parallel layers, the at least two first robots are configured to transfer the substrates between the first chemical liquid processing part and the heating processing part and the at least one third robot is configured to transfer the substrates between the second chemical liquid processing part and the heating processing part; and at least one pair of first buffer units located between two adjacent first robots and configured for loading and unloading the substrates therein and therefrom via the at least one second robot. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first chemical liquid processing part is configured to perform coating process on the substrates and the second chemical liquid processing part is configured to perform developing process on the substrates. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first chemical liquid processing part is located below the second chemical liquid processing part, or the first chemical liquid processing part is located above the second chemical liquid processing part. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chemical liquid processing apparatus further comprises fan filter units respectively located above the at least two first robots, the at least one second robot and the at least one third robot. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the pair of first buffer units is configured to be capable of ascending and descending. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pair of first buffer units is configured to be arranged in one of the following manners: a) the two first buffer units are arranged side by side and parallel to the move direction of the second robot and both of the two first buffer units are configured to be capable of ascending and descending; b) the two first buffer units are arranged to be stacked and both of the two first buffer units are configured to be capable of ascending and descending; c) the two first buffer units are arranged side by side and perpendicular to the move direction of the second robot and both of the two first buffer units are configured to be capable of ascending and descending; d) the two first buffer units are arranged to be stacked and the first buffer unit located above is fixed and the other first buffer unit located below is configured to be capable of ascending and descending. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a process block in which the chemical liquid processing apparatus is disposed; a first carrying block configured to carry the substrates which are accommodated in a cassette and are to be processed in the process block to the process block or carry the substrates processed in the process block to the cassette; a second carrying block configured to carry the substrates processed in the process block or the substrates to be processed in the process block; and an interface block configured to perform interfacing between the second carrying block and an external apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the process block further comprises: a pair of second buffer units, one of the second buffer units configured to be corresponding to the first carrying block and one of the first robots, and the other of the second buffer units configured to be corresponding to another of the first robots and the second carrying block; a pair of third buffer units, one of the third buffer units configured to be corresponding to the first carrying block and the second robot, and the other of the third buffer units configured to be corresponding to the second robot and the second carrying block; and at least a pair of fourth buffer units, one of the fourth buffer units configured to be corresponding to the second carrying block and the third robot, and the other of the fourth buffer units configured to be corresponding to the third robot and the first carrying block. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pair of third buffer units is configured to be capable of ascending and descending. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fourth buffer units include at least one fourth buffer unit configured to be corresponding to the second carrying block and the third robot and one or more fourth buffer units configured to be corresponding to the third robot and the first carrying block. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second robot is arranged below the at least two first robots. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second robot is arranged above the at least two first robots. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein two second robots are arranged at both sides of one pair of first buffer units. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first chemical liquid processing part includes a plurality of first processing modules, the plurality of first processing modules are arranged into a plurality of columns, and every column has one or more layers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substrate transferring part has a plurality of first robots, and one pair of first buffer units is located between every two adjacent first robots. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second chemical liquid processing part includes a plurality of second processing modules, the plurality of second processing modules are arranged into a plurality of columns, and every column has one or more layers. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the substrate transferring part has a plurality of third robots and every third robot is corresponding to one layer of the second processing modules. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The substrate processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the heating processing part has a plurality of heating modules, the plurality of heating modules are arranged into a plurality of columns and every column has a plurality of layers, the plurality of heating modules in every column is configured in a wafer cassette form and the interval between the heating modules is adjustable. ### Claim 19 A chemical liquid processing apparatus comprising at least one nozzle apparatus, at least one processing unit and a controller, wherein the nozzle apparatus comprises: a supporting arm; a driving actuator, configured to be positioned on the supporting arm; a nozzle holder, configured to be connected to the driving actuator and be driven to move by the driving actuator; at least one nozzle, configured to be fixed with the nozzle holder; a supporting shaft, configured to be fixed with the supporting arm; a vertical driving device, configured to be connected to the supporting shaft to drive the supporting shaft to move upwards or downwards; a rotating driving device, configured to be connected to the supporting shaft to drive the supporting shaft to rotate; and the controller is configured to be respectively connected to the driving actuator, the vertical driving device and the rotating driving device. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The chemical liquid processing apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the driving actuator has a sliding recess, an end of the nozzle holder is disposed in the sliding recess and is configured to move forward or backward in the sliding recess by the driving of the driving actuator. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The chemical liquid processing apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the nozzle is a coating nozzle applied for delivering photoresist liquid to substrates positioned in two processing units arranged in the same row, the nozzle apparatus is located at the center between the two processing units. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The chemical liquid processing apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the coating nozzle includes: a solvent nozzle configured to dispense a solvent to the substrates; and a plurality of chemical liquid nozzles configured to dispense photoresist liquid to the substrates. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The chemical liquid processing apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the solvent nozzle and the plurality of chemical liquid nozzles are fixed with the nozzle holder and the solvent nozzle is located at the center among the plurality of chemical liquid nozzles to dispense the solvent to the substrates so that surfaces of the substrates are hydrophilic before the photoresist liquid is dispensed from the plurality of chemical liquid nozzles. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The chemical liquid processing apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein an end of the nozzle holder protrudes to form an inserting pin, each of the chemical liquid nozzles is configured to be set in a casing member, a side wall of every casing member which is opposite to the end of the nozzle holder sets a pin hole, the inserting pin of the nozzle holder is inserted into the pin hole of every casing member to fetch the corresponding chemical liquid nozzle for dispensing photoresist liquid to the substrates. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The chemical liquid processing apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the plurality of casing members is arranged in a trough. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The chemical liquid processing apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the solvent nozzle is fixed with the nozzle holder. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The chemical liquid processing apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the nozzle is a developing nozzle applied for delivering developing liquid to a substrate positioned in one processing unit. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The chemical liquid processing apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the developing nozzle includes: a plurality of chemical liquid nozzles configured to dispense developing liquid to the substrate; and a gas nozzle configured to dispense non-reactive gas to the substrate to prevent the developing liquid from being rebounded to the substrate. ### Claim 29 (depends on 19) The chemical liquid processing apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein an end of the nozzle holder has at least one hole for mounting the at least one nozzle, the center of the at least one hole and the center of the at least one processing unit are on the same arc. ### Claim 30 A method for adjusting at least one nozzle to align with a center of a substrate positioned in a processing unit, comprising: establishing polar coordinates in a controller, wherein the controller is connected to a rotating driving device configured to drive the at least one nozzle to rotate, a vertical driving device configured to drive the at least one nozzle to move upwards or downwards and a driving actuator configured to drive the at least one nozzle to move forwards or backwards; obtaining a polar point of the at least one nozzle and recording the polar point of the at least one nozzle in the controller, wherein the polar point of the at least one nozzle aligns the center of the substrate in the processing unit; the controller sending instructs to the rotating driving device and the driving actuator based on the polar point of the at least one nozzle recorded in the controller to make the at least one nozzle reach the polar point so that the at least one nozzle aligns with the center of the substrate in the processing unit. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method as claimed in claim 30, wherein obtaining a polar point of the at least one nozzle further includes: putting a standard sample in the processing unit and a camera being positioned at the center of the standard sample and connected to the controller; the rotating driving device driving the at least one nozzle to rotate to make the nozzle align with the camera, if the camera captures the nozzle, record the polar point P(r, θ) of the nozzle in the controller, wherein r is a length L which is the distance from the nozzle to the polar point O, θ is the rotation angle of the nozzle; if the camera doesn't capture the nozzle, the driving actuator drives the nozzle holder to linearly move to make the nozzle move forward or backward until the camera captures the nozzle, record the polar point P(r, θ) of the nozzle in the controller, wherein r is a length L±σ, +σ is the distance that the driving actuator drives the nozzle to move forward, −σ is the distance that the driving actuator drives the nozzle to move backward, θ is the rotation angle of the nozzle.