US 8,708,587 B2Granted

Substrate treating apparatus with inter-unit buffers

AssigneeSokudo Co., Ltd.

InventorsHiroyuki Ogura, Kenya Morinishi, Tsuyoshi Mitsuhashi, Yasuo Kawamatsu, Yoshiteru Fukutomi, Hiromichi Nagashima

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Abstract

The invention provides coating units, heat-treating units, and a first main transport mechanism for transporting substrates to each of these treating units. The substrates are transferred from the first main transport mechanism to a second main transport mechanism through a receiver. When a substrate cannot be placed on the receiver, this substrate is placed on a buffer. Thus, the first main transport mechanism can continue transporting other substrates. The other substrates in the treating units are transported between the treating units without delay, to receive a series of treatments including coating treatment and heat treatment as scheduled. This prevents lowering of the quality of treatment for forming film on the substrates.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A substrate treating apparatus for treating a plurality of substrates comprising:

an indexer section;
a treating section;
one or more receivers;
and
one or more buffers;
wherein the treating section has a plurality of stories arranged vertically, each story including:
one or more coating units providing a coating treatment to the plurality of substrates with one or more treating solutions;
one or more heat-treating units providing a heat treatment to the plurality of substrates;
and
a first main transport mechanism for transporting the plurality of substrates to and from the one or more coating units and the one or more heat-treating units;
wherein the one or more coating units, the one or more heat-treating units and the first main transport mechanism being in the same arrangement on each respective story in the plurality of stories in plain view;
wherein the one or more receivers are installed on each respective story;
wherein the one or more buffers are installed on each respective story;
wherein the indexer section is arranged to transport the plurality of substrates alternately to each respective story;
and
wherein on each story:
the first main transport mechanism is arranged to transport the plurality of substrates received from the indexer section to the one or more coating units and the one or more heat-treating units, and place on the one or more receivers the plurality of substrates having a film formed thereon, and
during a period of an abnormality when the first main transport mechanism cannot place the plurality of substrates on the one or more receivers, the first main transport mechanism temporarily places on the one or more buffers the plurality of substrates having the film formed thereon while a series of treatments including the coating treatment in the one or more coating units and the heat treatment in the one or more heat-treating units is continued according to a predetermined schedule for the plurality of substrates being treated at a time when the abnormality arose.

15 more elements

A substrate treating apparatus comprising:

an indexer section;
a resist film coating block;
one or more receivers;
and
one or more buffers;
wherein the resist film coating block has a plurality of stories arranged vertically, each story including:
one or more coating units providing a coating treatment for a plurality of substrates with one or more treating solutions;
one or more heat-treating units providing a heat treatment for the plurality of substrates;
and
a first main transport mechanism for transporting the plurality of substrates to and from the one or more coating units and the one or more heat-treating units;
wherein the one or more coating units, the one or more heat-treating units and the first main transport mechanism being in the same arrangement on each respective story in plain view;
wherein the one or more receivers are installed on each respective story;
wherein the one or more buffers are installed on each respective story;
wherein the indexer section is arranged to transport the plurality of substrates alternately to each story;
and
wherein on each story,
the first main transport mechanism is arranged to transport the plurality of substrates received from the indexer section to the one or more coating units and the one or more heat-treating units, and place on the one or more receivers the plurality of substrates having film formed thereon;
and
during an abnormal operation when the first main transport mechanism cannot place the plurality of substrates on the one or more receivers, the first main transport mechanism temporarily places on the one or more buffers the plurality of substrates having film formed thereon while a series of treatments including the coating treatment in the one or more coating units and the heat treatment in the one or more heat-treating units is continued according to a predetermined schedule for the plurality substrates being treated when the abnormal operation occurred.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/011,993Filed 28 Aug 2013 · continuation
Priority: JP 2007-31067630 Nov 2007
Published: US 2014/0000514 A12 Jan 2014
Granted: 29 Apr 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B05C 13/00
Means for manipulating or holding work
H10P 72/0464
Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations: characterised by the construction of the transfer chamber
H10P 72/0466
Apparatus for manufacturing or treating in a plurality of work-stations: characterised by the construction of the load-lock chamber
H10P 72/0474
Comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process: comprising at least one lithography chamber

Family

Application12/324,794Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Nov 2008
US 2014/0000514 A1Pre-grant publication · published 2 Jan 2014
US 8,545,118 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2009/0142162 A1Published application
US 8,708,587 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.