HEAT PROCESSING APPARATUS AND HEAT PROCESSING METHOD

Abstract

A heat processing apparatus includes a heating plate configured to heat the substrate; a cover configured to surround a space above the heating plate; an exhaust gas flow forming mechanism configured to exhaust gas inside the cover to form exhaust gas flows within the space above the heating plate; a downflow forming mechanism configured to form downflows uniformly supplied onto an upper surface of the substrate placed on the heating plate; and a control mechanism configured to execute mode switching control between a mode arranged to heat the substrate while forming the downflows by the downflow forming mechanism and a mode arranged to heat the substrate while forming the exhaust gas flows by the exhaust gas flow forming mechanism.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the entire structure of a resist coating/developing system for semiconductor wafers, which is provided with a heat processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the resist coating/developing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a back view of the resist coating/developing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view schematically showing the structure of a main wafer transfer unit used in the resist coating/developing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a control system used in the resist coating/developing system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a heat processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing a heating section used in the heat processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the cover of the heating section used in the heat processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a plan view schematically showing the interior of the heat processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 10A and 10B are views schematically showing the heat processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, set in a first mode and a second mode, respectively;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a heat processing method performed in the heat processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 12A to 12C are views schematically showing the heat processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, to explain procedures for transferring a wafer to a cooling plate after a heat process;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged sectional view showing a heating section used in a heat processing unit according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a sectional plan view schematically showing the heating section used in the heat processing unit according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 15A and 15B are views schematically showing the heat processing unit according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, set in a first mode and a second mode, respectively.

Claims

1. A heat processing apparatus for performing a heat process on a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a heating plate configured to heat the substrate;a cover configured to surround a space above the heating plate;a first gas flow forming mechanism configured to form gas flows mainly arranged to realize a uniform heat process, within the space above the heating plate; anda second gas flow forming mechanism configured to form gas flows mainly arranged to exhaust and remove gas and/or sublimed substances generated from the substrate, within the space above the heating plate,wherein the first gas flow forming mechanism and the second gas flow forming mechanism are selectively switchable therebetween.

2. The heat processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first gas flow forming mechanism is configured to form downflows uniformly supplied onto an upper surface of the substrate placed on the heating plate.

3. The heat processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second gas flow forming mechanism is configured to exhaust the space above the heating plate to form gas flows along the substrate.

4. A heat processing apparatus for performing a heat process on a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a heating plate configured to heat the substrate;a cover configured to surround a space above the heating plate;a first gas flow forming mechanism configured to form gas flows mainly arranged to realize a uniform heat process, within the space above the heating plate;a second gas flow forming mechanism configured to form gas flows mainly arranged to exhaust and remove gas and/or sublimed substances generated from the substrate, within the space above the heating plate; anda control mechanism configured to execute mode switching control between a mode arranged to heat the substrate while forming the gas flows by the first gas flow forming mechanism and a mode arranged to heat the substrate while forming the gas flows by the second gas flow forming mechanism.

5. The heat processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first gas flow forming mechanism is configured to form downflows uniformly supplied onto an upper surface of the substrate placed on the heating plate.

6. The heat processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second gas flow forming mechanism is configured to exhaust the space above the heating plate to form gas flows along the substrate.

7. A heat processing apparatus for performing a heat process on a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a heating plate configured to heat the substrate;a cover configured to surround a space above the heating plate;an exhaust gas flow forming mechanism configured to exhaust gas inside the cover to form exhaust gas flows within the space above the heating plate; anda downflow forming mechanism configured to form downflows uniformly supplied onto an upper surface of the substrate placed on the heating plate,wherein modes are switchable between a mode arranged to heat the substrate while forming the downflows by the downflow forming mechanism and a mode arranged to heat the substrate while forming the exhaust gas flows by the exhaust gas flow forming mechanism.

8. The heat processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the downflow forming mechanism comprises a gas supply mechanism configured to supply a gas as a shower onto the upper surface of the substrate from a ceiling wall of the cover, and a periphery exhaust mechanism configured to exhaust gas outwardly in radial directions from the substrate.

9. The heat processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the exhaust gas flow forming mechanism comprises an exhaust portion located at the center of a ceiling wall of the cover and a gas feed portion configured to supply a gas from around the substrate into the space above the heating plate, such that a gas is supplied from the gas feed portion and is exhausted from the exhaust portion to form exhaust gas flows from a periphery of the substrate toward a center thereof, within the space above the heating plate.

10. The heat processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the exhaust gas flow forming mechanism comprises a gas feed portion and an exhaust portion respectively located on opposite sides of the space above the heating plate, such that a gas is supplied from the gas feed portion and is exhausted from the exhaust portion to form exhaust gas flows from one side of the substrate toward an opposite side thereof, within the space above the heating plate.

11. A heat processing method for performing a heat process by use of a heat processing apparatus, which comprises a heating plate configured to heat the substrate, a cover configured to surround a space above the heating plate, a first gas flow forming mechanism configured to form gas flows mainly arranged to realize a uniform heat process, within the space above the heating plate, and a second gas flow forming mechanism configured to form gas flows mainly arranged to exhaust and remove gas and/or sublimed substances generated from the substrate, within the space above the heating plate, the method comprising:heating the substrate while forming the gas flows by the first gas flow forming mechanism; andheating the substrate while forming the gas flows by the second gas flow forming mechanism.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the method comprises first heating the substrate while forming the gas flows by the first gas flow forming mechanism, and then heating the substrate while forming the gas flows by the second gas flow forming mechanism.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said heating the substrate while forming the gas flows by the first gas flow forming mechanism is performed while forming downflows uniformly supplied onto an upper surface of the substrate placed on the heating plate.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein said heating the substrate while forming the gas flows by the second gas flow forming mechanism is performed while exhausting gas from the space above the heating plate to form gas flows along the substrate.

15. A heat processing method for performing a heat process by use of a heat processing apparatus, which comprises a heating plate configured to heat the substrate, a cover configured to surround a space above the heating plate, an exhaust gas flow forming mechanism configured to exhaust an atmosphere inside the cover from above or sidewise to form exhaust gas flows within the space above the heating plate, and a downflow forming mechanism configured to form downflows uniformly supplied onto an upper surface of the substrate placed on the heating plate, the method comprising:heating the substrate while forming the downflows by the downflow forming mechanism; andheating the substrate while forming the exhaust gas flows by the exhaust gas flow forming mechanism within the space above the heating plate.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said heating the substrate while forming the downflows by the downflow forming mechanism comprises forming the downflows by supplying a gas as a shower onto the upper surface of the substrate from a ceiling wall of the cover while exhausting gas outwardly in radial directions from the substrate.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said heating the substrate while forming the exhaust gas flows by the exhaust gas flow forming mechanism within the space above the heating plate is performed while forming the exhaust gas flows from a periphery of the substrate toward a center thereof, within the space above the heating plate.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein said heating the substrate while forming the exhaust gas flows by the exhaust gas flow forming mechanism within the space above the heating plate is performed while forming the exhaust gas flows from one side of the substrate toward an opposite side thereof, within the space above the heating plate.

19. A computer readable storage medium that stores a control program for execution on a computer used for a heat processing apparatus, which comprises a heating plate configured to heat the substrate, a cover configured to surround a space above the heating plate, a first gas flow forming mechanism configured to form gas flows mainly arranged to realize a uniform heat process, within the space above the heating plate, and a second gas flow forming mechanism configured to form gas flows mainly arranged to exhaust and remove gas and/or sublimed substances generated from the substrate, within the space above the heating plate, wherein the control program, when executed, causes the computer to control the heat processing apparatus to conduct a heat processing method comprising: heating the substrate while forming the gas flows by the first gas flow forming mechanism; and heating the substrate while forming the gas flows by the second gas flow forming mechanism.

20. A computer readable storage medium that stores a control program for execution on a computer used for a heat processing apparatus, which comprises a heating plate configured to heat the substrate, a cover configured to surround a space above the heating plate, an exhaust gas flow forming mechanism configured to exhaust an atmosphere inside the cover from above or sidewise to form exhaust gas flows within the space above the heating plate, and a downflow forming mechanism configured to form downflows uniformly supplied onto an upper surface of the substrate placed on the heating plate, wherein the control program, when executed, causes the computer to control the heat processing apparatus to conduct a heat processing method comprising: heating the substrate while forming the downflows by the downflow forming mechanism; and heating the substrate while forming the exhaust gas flows by the exhaust gas flow forming mechanism within the space above the heating plate.