Substrate transfer method and storage medium
AssigneeTokyo Electron Limited
InventorsEiki Endo, Tatsuya Ogi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is provided a substrate transfer method capable of preventing fine particles from adhering to a wafer. A substrate processing system 10 includes process modules 12 to 17 each having therein an inner space S1; a transfer module 11, having an inner space S2, connected to the process modules 12 to 17; and opening/closing gate valves 30 each partitioning the inner space S1 and the inner space S2. The transfer module 11 includes in the inner space S2 a transfer arm device 21 for holding a wafer W and for loading/unloading the wafer W into/from the process modules 12 to 17. The transfer arm device 21 holds the wafer W at a retreated position deviated from a facing position facing the gate valve 30 during an opening motion of the gate valve 30.
Claims4
A substrate transfer method performed by a substrate transfer system including:
- a substrate processing apparatus having therein a first inner space;
- a substrate transfer apparatus, having a second inner space, connected to the substrate processing apparatus;
- an opening/closing partition valve for partitioning the first inner space and the second inner space;
- and a buffer for receiving the substrate within the second inner space, the substrate transfer apparatus including in the second inner space a substrate transfer device for holding at least one substrate and for loading/unloading the at least one substrate into/from the substrate processing apparatus, the method comprising:
- before an opening motion of the opening/closing partition valve is started, transferring the substrate from the substrate transfer device to the buffer and lifting the substrate up to a retreated position which is higher than a port for communicating the first inner space to the second inner space;
- and
- after the opening motion of the opening/closing partition valve is finished, lowering the substrate to a height corresponding to said port and transferring the substrate from the buffer to the substrate transfer device, so that the substrate is positioned at a facing position facing the opening/closing partition valve.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instruction that, in response to execution, causes a substrate transfer system to perform a substrate transfer method, the substrate transfer system including:
- a substrate processing apparatus having therein a first inner space;
- a substrate transfer apparatus, having a second inner space, connected to the substrate processing apparatus;
- an opening/closing partition valve for partitioning the first inner space and the second inner space;
- and a buffer for receiving the substrate within the second inner space, the substrate transfer apparatus including in the second inner space a substrate transfer device for holding at least one substrate and for loading/unloading the at least one substrate into/from the substrate processing apparatus, the method comprising:
- before an opening motion of the opening/closing partition valve is started, transferring the substrate from the substrate transfer device to the buffer and lifting the substrate up to a retreated position which is higher than a port for communicating the first inner space to the second inner space;
- and
- after the opening motion of the opening/closing partition valve is finished, lowering the substrate to a height corresponding to said port and transferring the substrate from the buffer to the substrate transfer device, so that the substrate is positioned at a facing position facing the opening/closing partition valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.