Substrate processing system, storage module, and substrate processing method
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorNobuyuki NAGAYAMA
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A substrate processing system includes a processing module to process a substrate, a vacuum transfer module connected to the processing module, an atmospheric transfer module connected to the vacuum transfer module via a load-lock module, and a transferer to transfer, to the processing module, the substrate and a tray on which the substrate is placed, in which the tray is formed with a recess provided in an upper surface of the tray and to accommodate the substrate, and a hole penetrating the tray from the recess to a lower surface of the tray, and the hole movably holds a pin protruding from either the recess or the lower surface in a state where the pin is inserted into the hole.
Claims20
A substrate processing system comprising:
- a processing module having a substrate support and configured to process a substrate;
- a vacuum transfer module connected to the processing module, the vacuum transfer module having an interior maintained at a sub-atmospheric pressure;
- an atmospheric transfer module connected to the vacuum transfer module via a load-lock module, the atmospheric transfer module having an interior maintained at the atmospheric pressure;
- and
- a transferer configured to transfer, to the processing module, the substrate and a tray on which the substrate is placed, wherein
- the tray is formed with
- a recess provided in an upper surface of the tray to accommodate the substrate, and
- a hole penetrating the tray from the recess to a lower surface of the tray, and
- the hole movably holds a pin that protrudes from either the recess or the lower surface in a state where the pin is inserted into the hole.
A storage for storing a tray used in a substrate processing system for transferring and processing a substrate placed on the tray, the storage comprising:
- a substrate loading and unloading portion, wherein
- the tray is formed with
- a recess provided in an upper surface of the tray and configured to accommodate the substrate, and
- a hole penetrating the tray from the recess to a lower surface of the tray, and
- the hole is configured to movably hold a pin configured to protrude from either the recess or the lower surface in a state where the pin is inserted into the hole.
A substrate processing method comprising:
- (a) transferring, by a transfer mechanism, a tray to a substrate loading and unloading portion and placing the tray on the substrate loading and unloading portion in a third state, the tray having a recess in an upper surface of the tray, a hole penetrating the tray from the recess to a lower surface of the tray, and a pin inserted into the hole and movably held therein, wherein the third state is a state in which an upper end of the pin protrudes from the recess and a lower end of the pin does not protrude from the lower surface of the tray;
- (b) transferring, by the transfer mechanism, a substrate to the substrate loading and unloading portion and placing the substrate on the upper end of the pin of the tray in a second state in which the upper end of the pin contacts the substrate;
- (c) lifting, by a lifter, the tray in the second state from the substrate loading and unloading portion such that the tray is set in a first state in which the lower end of the pin protrudes from the lower surface of the tray and the substrate is accommodated in the recess;
- (d) transferring, by the transfer mechanism, the tray in the first state from the substrate loading and unloading portion to a processing module;
- (e) processing, by the processing module, the substrate accommodated in the recess of the tray;
- (f) transferring, by the transfer mechanism, the tray in the first state from the processing module to the substrate loading and unloading portion;
- (g) placing, by the transfer mechanism, the tray on the substrate loading and unloading portion such that the tray is set in the second state;
- and
- (h) lifting, by the lifter, the substrate from the tray in the second state, and transferring the substrate from the substrate loading and unloading portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.