JP2000185820A - Substrate processing device and substrate carrying system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure safety of a worker and improve productivity by providing, near the opening, a regulating device for regulating an operation related to carrying of a substrate via an opening. SOLUTION: A shutter 31, which regulates an operation related to carrying of a glass substrate P mainly via an opening 8, is placed vertically movably near the opening 8. A shutter switching device 32 is used for opening or closing the opening 8 by moving the shutter 31, and is placed under the shutter 31. In addition, an opening 36 through which a light exposing device 3 go into or out of a storing portion 7 of it is formed in a chamber 4. When a door open/close sensor 38 detects open state of a door 37 and a shutter close sensor 34 detects closing state of the shutter 31, a main control portion commands a control portion of the light exposing device to stop an exposing process and instructs a coater control portion to continue a coating process of a light sensitive agent.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for performing predetermined processing such as exposure processing, application of a photosensitive agent, and development processing using a substrate, and a substrate transport for transporting a substrate between the plurality of substrate processing apparatuses. It is about the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in a lithography process for manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel, a plasma display panel, or the like, an exposure apparatus and another substrate processing apparatus, for example, Lithography systems in which a coater / developer or the like for performing resist coating and development are connected in-line have been widely used.

In a lithography system of this type, for example, an exposure apparatus main body, a substrate transfer device, and a delivery table are provided in an exposure apparatus, and a coater / developer main body and a load arm are provided in a coater / developer. Then, the substrate (for example, a glass substrate) on which a predetermined process has been performed by the coater / developer is carried into a delivery table in the exposure apparatus by a load arm through an opening provided between the apparatuses.

[0004] The substrate set on the delivery table is
The substrate is transported to the exposure apparatus main body by the substrate transport device and subjected to exposure processing. The substrate transported again to the coater / developer after the exposure processing is transported in the reverse order. Other substrates are carried out of the exposure apparatus and sent to an inspection process or the like.

Incidentally, the above-described exposure apparatus is provided with a door for entering and exiting the apparatus during a teaching operation and a maintenance operation for the substrate transfer device. The teaching operation is an operation of storing coordinates such as a transfer position and a height of the substrate in the substrate transfer device. In the lithography system, when the door is opened,
For safety, a so-called interlock function for stopping the operation of the substrate transfer device is provided.

This interlock function is to stop the board transfer device without software by interposing a circuit between the door opening / closing detecting means such as a sensor and the board transfer device with relay contacts or the like. In addition, even if it has an interlock function, the board transfer device is operable during the teaching operation.

[0007]

However, the conventional substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system as described above have the following problems. When an operator performs an operation such as a teaching operation in the exposure apparatus, a part of the body may protrude from the transport opening during the operation. in this case,
It is very dangerous for the coater / developer to operate the load arm, and effective safety measures have been desired.

Therefore, with respect to the safety of the teaching operation, safety measures such as stopping the operation of the load arm by turning off the power of the load arm of the coater / developer are taken. However, when the load arm is stopped, there arises a problem that production efficiency on the coater / developer side is reduced. Therefore, it is desired to develop a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate transfer system that can improve both safety and productivity. I was

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and a board that ensures safety even when performing work in an apparatus such as teaching work and contributes to improvement in productivity. It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate transport system that transports a substrate between a processing apparatus and a substrate processing apparatus.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following structure corresponding to FIGS. 1 to 11 showing an embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus of the present invention has openings (8, 8a, 8b) for carrying the substrate (P) to the connected apparatus (2), and performs a predetermined process on the substrate (P). In the processing device (3), a regulating device (31) that is provided near the opening (8, 8a, 8b) and regulates an operation related to the transfer of the substrate (P) through the opening (8, 8a, 8b). , 46).

Therefore, in the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, the substrate (P) is conveyed from the connected apparatus (2) through the openings (8, 8a, 8b) even when the operation is performed inside. And that some of the workers have openings (8, 8a, 8
Since the restricting devices (31, 46) restrict the protrusion from the device (b) to the connected device (2), the safety of the worker can be ensured. Therefore, in the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, even if a work such as a teaching operation is performed inside the apparatus, the operation of the connected apparatus (2) can be continued without stopping, thereby improving the production efficiency.

Further, the substrate transport system of the present invention includes a first substrate processing apparatus (2) for performing a first processing on a substrate (P),
The substrate (P) is connected to a second substrate processing apparatus (3) that is connected to the first substrate processing apparatus (2) and performs the second processing on the substrate (P).
In a substrate transfer system for transferring substrates, a substrate (P) is transferred between a first substrate processing apparatus (2) and a second substrate processing apparatus (3).
(8, 8a, 8b) for carrying the sheet, and openings (8, 8a, 8b) near the opening (8, 8a, 8b).
And a regulating device (31, 46) for regulating an operation related to the transfer of the substrate (P) through the substrates (8a, 8b).

Accordingly, in the substrate transfer system of the present invention,
First substrate processing apparatus (2) or second substrate processing apparatus (3)
Among them, even if work is performed inside one (3), the substrate (P) is transferred from the other (2) through the openings (8, 8a, 8b), and a part of the worker However, since the restricting device (31, 46) restricts the projection from the openings (8, 8a, 8b) to the other (2), the safety of the worker can be ensured. Therefore, in the substrate transfer system of the present invention, even if one of the first substrate processing apparatus (2) or the second substrate processing apparatus (3) is performing an operation such as a teaching operation inside the other (3), the other ( Since the first process or the second process in 2) can be continued without stopping, the production efficiency is also improved.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate transport system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. Here, the first substrate processing apparatus is a coater that applies a photosensitive agent such as a resist to a substrate,
An example will be described in which the second substrate processing apparatus is an exposure apparatus that exposes a circuit pattern on a substrate, and the substrate is a rectangular glass substrate used for manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the lithography system 1. The lithography system 1 includes a coater (coater / developer) 2 as a substrate processing apparatus and an exposure apparatus 3
Are housed in housing sections 6 and 7 in which the chamber 4 is divided by a partition wall 5. The coater 2 and the exposure device 3 are connected in-line via an opening 8 formed in the partition wall 5.

The coater 2 performs a process (first process) of applying a photosensitive agent to a glass substrate (substrate) P. The coater main body 9 is provided between the main body 9 and the glass substrate. P and the exposure device 3 through the opening 8.
And a load arm 10 for transporting the glass substrate P between the two.

The exposure apparatus 3 performs a process of collectively transferring the pattern formed on the mask M onto the glass substrate P by relatively scanning the mask M and the glass substrate P shown in FIG. The second processing is performed, and includes a substrate transfer device 11, an exposure device main body 12, a shutter (regulating device) 31, and a shutter opening / closing device (moving device) 32.

A substrate for transporting the glass substrate P between the coater 2 and the exposure device 3 is provided by the shutter 31, the shutter opening / closing device 32, the substrate transport device 11, the load arm 10 and the opening 8. A transport system has been established. In the following, the projection optical system 22
Is defined as the Z-axis direction, the scanning direction in which the mask M and the glass substrate P are relatively scanned with respect to the projection optical system 22 in a plane perpendicular to the Z-axis is the Y-axis direction, and the scanning direction is orthogonal to the Y-axis direction. The non-scanning direction will be described as the X-axis direction.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate transfer device 11 includes a columnar transfer device main body 13, a vertical movement mechanism 14 provided at one end of the transfer device main body 13, and a vertical movement mechanism 14. Telescopic mechanism 1 using a parallel link similar to a so-called magic hand attached to the upper end of mechanism 14
5, a substrate transfer arm 16 fixed to the upper surface of the telescopic mechanism 15, and a vertically moving pin 17 provided substantially at the center of the transfer device main body 13.

In this case, the substrate transfer arm 16 can be moved linearly in the vertical direction in FIG. 1, that is, in the direction connecting the vertical movement mechanism 14 and the vertical movement pin 17 by the extension mechanism 15. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the transport device main body 13 includes a rotating mechanism 18 fixed to the floor of the chamber 4.
Is fixed on a rotating shaft 19 that is driven to rotate. Therefore, the substrate transfer arm 16 can also slide and rotate around the rotation axis 19, that is, turn.

The vertical movement pin 17 is provided with a vacuum mechanism (not shown) for adsorbing the glass substrate P on the upper surface.

The exposure apparatus main body 12 mainly includes an illumination optical system 20, a mask stage 21, a projection optical system 22, and a substrate stage 23.

The illumination optical system 20 includes a light source unit, a shutter, a secondary light source forming optical system, a beam splitter, a condensing lens system, a field stop, an imaging lens system, etc. (all not shown). The illumination light illuminates a rectangular (or arc-shaped) illumination area on the mask M with uniform illuminance.

The mask stage 21 has a mask driving mechanism 24 composed of a linear motor or the like on a mask stage (not shown).
2 in the Y-axis direction (the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2). Further, the mask stage 21 is configured to be finely driven in the XY plane by a driving device such as a motor (not shown). A mask M is fixed to the mask stage 21 by vacuum suction or the like. Mask stage 21
Is measured by the mask interferometer system 25 with a predetermined resolution, for example, a resolution of about 0.5 to 1 nm.

As the projection optical system 22, one in which a plurality (five in FIG. 2) of projection optical system units PL1 to PL5 for projecting an equal-sized erect image are arranged in a staggered manner is used. The details of the projection optical system using such a plurality of sets of the same-size erect projection optical system unit are known, and therefore detailed description is omitted here.

Therefore, when the illumination area on the mask M is illuminated by the exposure illumination light from the illumination optical system 20, an equal-magnification image of the circuit pattern in the illumination area portion is formed on the illumination area on the glass substrate P. The image is projected onto a conjugate exposure area.

The substrate stage 23 is disposed below the projection optical system 22, and is moved on a stage base 26 in the Y-axis direction (or X-axis direction) by a substrate driving mechanism 27 including a linear motor or the like.
(Y two-dimensional direction). On the upper surface of the substrate stage 23, a glass substrate P is suction-held via a substrate holder 28. The position of the substrate stage 23 in the XY plane is determined by a substrate laser interferometer system 30 via a movable mirror 29 at a predetermined resolution, for example, 0.5.
The measurement is performed with a resolution of about 1 nm.

The shutter 31 mainly regulates the operation related to the transfer of the glass substrate P through the opening 8 and is movable near the opening 8 in the vertical direction (Z direction). Has become. The shutter 31 closes the opening 8 when it rises, and closes the opening 8 when it falls.
Is opened.

The shutter opening / closing device 32 opens and closes the opening 8 by moving the shutter 31, and is arranged below the shutter 31 as shown in FIG. Further, a shutter opening / closing switch 33 is connected to the shutter opening / closing device 32. Shutter open / close switch 3
3 is for operating the shutter opening / closing device 32,
It is attached to the outer surface of the chamber 4.

On the other hand, a shutter close sensor (detection unit) 34 is provided on the partition 5 near the upper portion of the opening 8 and detects whether the shutter 31 is closed. As the shutter closing sensor 34, a proximity sensor or the like is used. In addition, an indicator light (display unit) 35 for displaying a detection result of the shutter close sensor 34 is connected to the shutter close sensor 34 via a main control unit 39 described later. The indicator light 35 is attached to the outer surface of the chamber 4,
It turns on when the shutter 31 closes the opening 8 and turns off when the opening 8 opens. The indicator light 35 may be provided on the coater 2 side of the chamber 4 or on the exposure device 3 side. Further, a configuration in which a plurality of display lamps 35 are provided may be employed.

In the vicinity of the shutter opening / closing switch 33 of the chamber 4, an opening (second opening) 36 for entering and exiting the accommodating section 7 accommodating the exposure device 3 is formed so as to open to the outside. I have. The opening 36 is provided with a door 37 that opens and closes the opening 36. Door 37
A door opening / closing sensor (door detecting unit) 38 such as a proximity sensor for detecting the opening / closing state of the door 37 is attached. As shown in FIG. 3, a main control unit 39 is connected to the door opening / closing sensor 38.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the lithography system 1. As shown in this figure,
The substrate transfer device 11 and the exposure device main body 12 are controlled by an exposure device control section 40. The coater body 9 and the load arm 10 are controlled by a coater control unit 41.

The detection results of the door opening / closing sensor 38 and the shutter closing sensor 34 are output to the main controller 39. The main control unit 39 issues commands to the exposure device control unit 40 and the coater control unit 41 so that the exposure process and the photosensitive agent application process are performed on the glass substrate P, respectively, and the door open / close sensor 38 and the shutter close sensor 34 It is configured to issue a command to stop each process based on the detection result.

More specifically, when the door opening / closing sensor 38 detects the open state of the door 37 and the shutter closing sensor 34 detects that the shutter 31 is closed, the main controller 39 controls the exposure device controller 40 Command to stop the exposure process
An instruction is issued to the coater control unit 41 to continue the photosensitive agent application processing. On the other hand, when the door open / close sensor 38 detects the open state of the door 37 and the shutter close sensor 34 does not detect that the shutter 31 is closed, the main control unit 39 causes the exposure device control unit 40 to stop the exposure processing. A command is issued to the coater control unit 41 to stop the photosensitive agent coating process.

A procedure until the exposure processing is performed on the glass substrate P using the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system having the above-described configurations will be described. The load arm 10, the vertical movement pin 17, and the substrate transfer arm 16 have a glass substrate P
A vacuum mechanism (not shown) for adsorbing the glass substrate is provided, and these vacuum mechanisms are appropriately turned on and off when the glass substrate P is delivered. However, in the following description, for simplification, Description of the ON / OFF operation of the vacuum mechanism will be omitted.

Prior to performing the exposure processing, a teaching operation for storing coordinates such as a transfer position and a height of the glass substrate P in the substrate transfer device 11 is performed in the storage unit 7 in advance.
Therefore, first, the shutter 31 is raised via the shutter opening / closing device 32 by operating the shutter opening / closing switch 33 to close the opening 8. When the shutter 31 closes the opening 8, the shutter closing sensor 34 detects this and outputs a detection result to the main control unit 39. Main controller 39
Turns on the indicator light 35 based on the output from the shutter close sensor 34.

When the operator confirms that the shutter 31 has been closed by turning on the indicator light 35, the operator opens the door 37 and enters the housing 7 through the opening 36. Then, a teaching operation is performed on the substrate transfer device 11 by manual operation.

Here, when the door 37 is opened, the door open / close sensor 38 detects the open state of the door 37 and outputs the detection result to the main control unit 39. The main controller 39 controls the shutter 31
Is closed and the door 37 is open, so that the photosensitive agent coating process in the coater 2 is continued via the coater control unit 41, and the exposure process in the exposure device 3 is stopped via the exposure device control unit 40. ing.

In this case, since the glass substrate P is not transported from the coater 2 to the exposure device 3, the glass substrate P on which the photosensitive agent coating process has been completed is transferred by the load arm 10 to the buffer provided in the coater 2. It is transported temporarily and set aside.

If the shutter 31 is opened due to an unexpected situation during the teaching operation, the shutter closing sensor 34 stops the output of detecting the closing of the opening 8 and the main control section 39 controls the coater control. Since the coating process of the photosensitive agent in the coater 2 is stopped via the section 41, the interlock functions to ensure the safety of the worker.

When the teaching operation is completed and the worker exits the housing section 7 and closes the door 37, the door opening / closing sensor 38 detects the closed state of the door 37 and outputs the detection result to the main control section 39. When the operator operates the shutter opening / closing switch 33, the shutter 31 is opened via the shutter opening / closing device 32.
Descends to open the opening 8. As a result, the main control unit 3
Reference numeral 9 indicates that the exposure process is started via the exposure device control unit 40, and that the coater 2 is instructed to perform normal transport.

Based on a command from the main controller 39, the load arm 10 is directed toward the exposure apparatus 3 (right side in FIG. 1) while holding the glass substrate P coated with the photosensitive agent by the coater body 9 from the lower side. And moves into the accommodating section 7 through the opening 8, advances to just above the substrate transfer arm 16, and stops.

Next, the main control section 39 moves the vertically moving pin 17 upward by a predetermined amount. As a result, the glass substrate P is lifted from below by the vertical movement pins 17 and transferred from the load arm 10 to the substrate transfer device 11. When the delivery of the glass substrate P is completed, the load arm 10 is moved to the side (left side in FIG. 1) away from the exposure apparatus 3, and
It is evacuated from the housing 7 through the opening 8 and returned into the housing 6.

Subsequently, the main controller 39 controls the vertical movement pin 17
Is lowered until the lower surface of the glass substrate P contacts the substrate transfer arm 16. As a result, the glass substrate P is transferred from the vertically moving pins 17 to the substrate transfer arm 16. When the transfer is completed, the main control unit 39 further lowers the vertical movement pin 17 by a predetermined amount.

Next, when the rotation mechanism 18 is driven, the transport device main body 13 rotates counterclockwise in FIG.
Along with this, the substrate transfer arm 16 also rotates, and the glass substrate P faces the exposure apparatus main body 12. Then, the glass substrate P is conveyed toward the substrate stage 23 (to the right in FIG. 1) by driving the expansion / contraction mechanism 15 by the main control unit 39.

Then, the glass substrate P is placed on the substrate stage 23.
Is reached, the main controller 39 stops the telescopic mechanism 15 at that position. Thereafter, when a transfer mechanism (not shown) on the substrate stage 23 side receives the glass substrate P, the expansion / contraction mechanism 15 contracts and the substrate transfer arm 16 retreats.

When the glass substrate P is set on the substrate stage 23, the main controller 39 monitors the measured values of the interferometer systems 25 and 30, and transmits the mask stage 21 via the mask driving mechanism 24 and the substrate driving mechanism 27. And substrate stage 2
3 in synchronization with the projection optical system 22 in the same direction at the same speed along the Y-axis direction. As a result, the circuit pattern of the entire pattern area on the mask M is transferred onto the glass substrate P having the surface coated with the photosensitive agent.

When the maintenance work is performed during the exposure process due to the glass substrate P being bent or the glass substrate P being displaced in the substrate transfer device 11, the above teaching work is performed. By performing the same procedure as described above, the work in the storage unit 7 becomes possible.

In the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system according to the present embodiment, the teaching operation and the maintenance operation for the substrate transport apparatus 11 of the storage section 7 are performed with the shutter 31 closing the opening 8. It is regulated that the member 10 enters the housing portion 7 and that a part of the body of the worker projects into the housing portion 6, so that the safety of the worker can be reliably ensured. Therefore, in the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system according to the present embodiment, even when the work is being performed in the storage unit 7, it is not necessary to turn off the power of the coater 2, so that the photosensitive agent application processing in the coater 2 is continued. And productivity can be improved. This is the same when the maintenance work or the like is performed by the coater 2.

That is, in the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transfer system according to the present embodiment, even when the coater 2 and the exposure apparatus 3 are connected in-line, one of the apparatuses can safely perform a teaching operation or the like. During this time, the substrate processing step in the other device can be continued, and the production efficiency can be greatly improved.

Further, in the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transfer system of the present embodiment, since the shutter closing sensor 34 is provided, even if the shutter 31 is opened during a teaching operation or the like, it can be reliably detected. . Further, in this case, the main control unit 39 stops the photosensitive agent application processing in the coater 2 based on the detection results of the shutter close sensor 34 and the door open / close sensor 38, so that the safety of the worker can be improved even if an unexpected situation occurs. Can be secured.

In addition, in the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system according to the present embodiment, when the shutter opening / closing switch 33 is operated when entering the accommodation section 7 for work,
Since whether the shutter 31 has closed the opening 8 can be easily confirmed by turning on the indicator light 35, the door 37 is opened before the shutter 31 is closed, and the photosensitive agent application process in the coater 2 is stopped. Can be prevented beforehand.

On the other hand, in the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system of the present embodiment, the movement of the shutter 31 is in the vertical direction, and when the opening 8 is open, the shutter 31 Since the shutter 31 is located below, as when the shutter 31 moves in the horizontal direction, dust generated during the movement drops from above the opening 8 through which the glass substrate P passes, and the glass substrate P is easily contaminated. Can also be prevented. Further, since the shutter opening / closing device 32 is also arranged below the shutter 31, the contamination of the glass substrate P by the dust can be more effectively prevented.

FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are views showing a second embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system according to the present invention. In these figures, the first one shown in FIGS.
The same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the embodiment, and the description is omitted. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that the chamber accommodating the coater 2 and the chamber accommodating the exposure apparatus 3 are separated, and the shutter 31 is arranged between these chambers. It was done.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4, in the lithography system 1, the coater 2 housed in the housing 6 of the chamber 4a and the exposure apparatus 3 housed in the housing 7 of the chamber 4b are connected in-line. Configuration. The chamber 4a and the chamber 4b are
2, 43 are arranged so as to face each other. An opening 8a is formed in the side wall 42 of the chamber 4a. The side wall 43 of the chamber 4b is formed with an opening 8b opposed to the opening 8a so as to communicate with the opening 8a.

The shutter 31 opens the openings 8a and 8b when it is lowered, and opens the openings 8a and 8b when it is raised.
8b so that the opening 8 between the side walls 42 and 43 is closed.
It is arranged in the vicinity of a and 8b so as to be able to move up and down. Similarly,
As shown in FIG. 5, an opening 8 is provided between the side walls 42 and 43.
A shutter closing sensor 34 is provided above a and 8b, and a shutter opening / closing device 32 is provided below the shutter 31. The load arm 10 of the coater 2 transports the glass substrate P to and from the exposure apparatus 3 through the openings 8a and 8b. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transfer system according to the present embodiment, the same operation and effect as those of the first embodiment are described.
In addition to obtaining the effect, since the shutter 31 and the shutter opening / closing device 32 are disposed between the chambers 4a and 4b, dust generated due to the movement of the shutter 31 and the operation of the shutter opening / closing device 32 is outside the device. As a result, an effect is obtained that the storage sections 6 and 7 can be kept in a clean environment.

FIGS. 6 to 8 are views showing a third embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transfer system according to the present invention. In these figures, the first one shown in FIGS.
The same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the embodiment, and the description is omitted. The difference between the third embodiment and the first embodiment is that the opening and closing of the shutter 31 is controlled automatically.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7,
In the vicinity of the lower end of the shutter 31 when the shutter 31 is lowered, a shutter open sensor 44 including a proximity sensor for detecting whether or not the shutter 31 has opened the opening 8 is arranged. The detection result of the shutter open sensor 44 is output to the main control unit 39 as shown in FIG.

The shutter opening / closing device 32 is connected with a shutter opening / closing switch 33 and a coater control unit 41. The coater control unit 41 operates the shutter opening / closing device 32 based on the detection results of the shutter close sensor 34 and the shutter open sensor 44 output via the main control unit 39. When the glass substrate P is not conveyed by the load arm 10, the coater control unit 41 issues an instruction to always close the shutter 31.

A procedure for transporting the glass substrate P using the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system having the above configurations will be described. When the load arm 10 holds the glass substrate P on which the photosensitive agent has been applied by the coater body 9 and moves to a position facing the opening 8 (a position shown in FIG. 6), the coater control unit 41 detects the shutter open sensor 44. Based on the result, shutter 3
If the shutter 1 is not open, an instruction is issued to the shutter opening / closing device 32 to lower the shutter 31 to open the opening 8.

When the shutter opening sensor 44 detects that the shutter 31 has been opened, the load arm 10 enters the housing 7 through the opening 8 and moves the held glass substrate P up and down of the substrate transfer device 11. Transfer to pin 17. When the delivery is completed, the load arm 10 moves in a direction away from the exposure device 3 and retreats from the opening 8 to the storage unit 6. When the load arm 10 returns to the storage section 6, the coater control section 41 issues an instruction to the shutter opening / closing device 32 to raise the shutter 31 and close the opening 8.

When performing maintenance work or the like,
The operator operates the shutter open / close switch 33 to close the shutter 31, and opens the door 37 after confirming that the shutter 31 is closed by turning on the indicator light 35. Then, the worker enters the accommodation unit 7 through the opening 36 and performs the operation on the substrate transfer device 11.

Here, when the shutter opening / closing switch 33 is operated while the glass substrate P is being conveyed by the load arm 10, the main controller 39 controls the coater controller 41.
And the shutter 31 is moved up after the load arm 10 is retracted to the storage section 6. Thereby, collision between the shutter 31 and the load arm 10 is avoided.

When the shutter opening / closing switch 33 is operated, the shutter 31 is open to transport the glass substrate P by the load arm 10, but the load arm 1
When 0 is still in the storage section 6, the main control section 39 issues an instruction to the coater control section 41 to close the shutter 31 and switch the transport destination of the glass substrate P by the load arm 10 from the exposure apparatus 3 to the buffer. . As a result, while the photosensitive agent coating process in the coater 2 is continued,
Work is possible.

When the shutter 31 is unexpectedly opened during the maintenance work, or when the door 37 is opened even though the shutter 31 is not closed, the shutter is opened as in the first embodiment. The interlock functions based on the detection results of the closing sensor 34 and the door opening / closing sensor 38, and the coater 2 stops, thereby ensuring the safety of the worker.

In the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transfer system of the present embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and in addition, when the transfer of the glass substrate P by the load arm 10 is not performed. Since the shutter 31 is closed, the load arm 10 enters the storage section 7 when the substrate transfer arm 16 of the substrate transfer device 11 is performing the transfer operation of the glass substrate P, and these arms collide with each other. Interference can be prevented.

In the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transfer system according to the present embodiment, when the transfer of the glass substrate P by the load arm 10 is not performed, the shutter 31 is closed to close the opening 8 so that the storage section 7 is closed. When the temperature is controlled to a high degree as in the case of the exposure apparatus 3, the temperature in the housing 7 can be effectively adjusted.

In the present embodiment, the second
Similarly to the embodiment, the chamber accommodating the coater 2 and the chamber accommodating the exposure apparatus 3 are separated from each other, openings are formed in the respective chambers so as to face each other and communicate with each other, and a shutter is provided between these two chambers. 31, a shutter opening / closing device 32, a shutter closing sensor 34, and a shutter opening sensor 44 may be arranged. In this case, in addition to the effect of the above-described embodiment, an effect is obtained that the storage sections 6 and 7 can be kept in a clean environment as in the second embodiment.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are views showing a fourth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transfer system according to the present invention. In these figures, the same elements as those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. The difference between the fourth embodiment and the first embodiment is that an arm direction sensor is provided, and the shutter 31 is provided without software.
Is opened and closed.

In FIG. 9, reference numeral 45 denotes an arm direction sensor for detecting the access direction of the load arm 10. The arm direction sensor 45 includes a light emitting unit 45a that projects detection light and a light receiving unit 45b that receives the detection light. The light projecting unit 45a and the light receiving unit 45b block the detection light when the load arm 10 moves to a position facing the opening 8 in order to transport the glass substrate P to the exposure apparatus 3. It is arranged in the position to be.

As shown in FIG. 10, the arm direction sensor 45 is connected so as to output a signal to the shutter opening / closing device 32 when the detection light is blocked. Then, the shutter opening / closing device 32 closes the shutter 31 and closes the opening 8 when the detection signal from the arm direction sensor 45 is not output. Also, the shutter opening / closing device 3
2, a detection signal is output from the arm direction sensor 45;
When the instruction to close the shutter 31 is not output via the shutter open / close switch 33, the shutter 31 is opened to open the opening 8. Thus, the transfer of the glass substrate P by the load arm 10 can be performed.

Even if a detection signal is output from the arm direction sensor 45, if an instruction to close the shutter 31 is output via the shutter open / close switch 33, the shutter opening / closing device 32 is used to ensure the safety of the worker. Then, the shutter 31 is closed and the opening 8 is closed.

In the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transfer system according to this embodiment, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained, and when the transfer of the glass substrate P by the load arm 10 is not performed, the shutter 31 can be used. Is closed, as in the third embodiment, it is possible to prevent the arms of the substrate transfer device 11 and the load arm 10 from colliding and interfering with each other. When the temperature management is performed at a high level as described above, the temperature adjustment in the storage unit 7 can be effectively performed.

Here, in the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system according to the present embodiment, the opening and closing of the shutter 31 is performed by using hardware without interposing software (interface) as in the third embodiment. Automatic operation, there is less trouble and reliability can be improved.

In this embodiment, the coater 2
Is separated from the chamber that houses the exposure apparatus 3, an opening is formed in each chamber so as to face and communicate with each other, and a shutter 31, a shutter opening / closing device 32, and a shutter closing sensor are provided between the two chambers. By arranging 34, in addition to the effect of the present embodiment, an effect is obtained that the storage sections 6, 7 can be kept in a clean environment as in the second embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a view showing a fifth embodiment of the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system according to the present invention. In this figure, the same components as those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. The fifth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the opening 8 is simply closed by a plate material without providing a shutter, a shutter opening / closing switch, and a sensor for detecting opening / closing of the shutter. It was done.

That is, as shown in FIG. 11, a shielding plate (regulator) 46 is attached to the partition wall 5 by a fastening member (not shown) such as a screw so as to close the opening 8. The shielding plate 46 can freely open and close the opening 8 by fastening and releasing the fastening member.

In the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transfer system according to the present embodiment, when the shield plate 46 is temporarily attached to the partition wall 5 by the fastening member, the coater 2 must be temporarily stopped. Thereafter, the photosensitive agent application processing in the coater 2 can be restarted, and the productivity can be improved as compared with the related art. In the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system according to the present embodiment, the shield plate 46 can prevent the load arm 10 from entering or a part of the worker's body from projecting into the housing portion 6. Safety can be ensured.

In the substrate processing apparatus and the substrate transport system according to the present embodiment, the shielding plate 46 is fixed to the partition wall 5 by a fastening member.
Since it is merely attached and detached, the safety and productivity of the worker can be improved extremely easily and at low cost as compared with the above embodiment. In the above embodiment, the shielding plate 46 is used as the restricting device. However, the restricting device is not limited to the plate material as long as it restricts movement through the opening 8 such as a bar or a net.

In the above embodiment, the coater 2 is used as the first substrate processing apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in addition to the function of applying a resist to the glass substrate P, Exposed glass substrate P
A configuration using a coater / developer to which a function of developing the image is also added.

In the above embodiment, the shutter 31 and the shutter opening / closing device 32 are arranged in the accommodating portion 7 accommodating the exposure device or between the separated chambers 4a and 4b. It may be configured to be arranged in the storage section 6. In addition, the chamber 4 is provided with the door 37 for entering and exiting the storage unit 7, but similarly, a door for entering and exiting the storage unit 6 and a sensor for detecting opening and closing of the door are provided. Coater 2
When the door is opened during the operation of, the interlock operates.

In the above embodiment, the shutter close sensor 34, the door open / close sensor 38, the shutter open sensor 44
Is used as the proximity sensor, but the proximity sensor may be arbitrarily selected from a capacitance type, an ultrasonic type, and an optical type. Alternatively, a contact type micro switch or a transmission type photoelectric sensor may be used. Conversely, the arm direction sensor 45
Is a transmission type sensor, but a configuration using a microswitch or a proximity sensor may be used.

As the substrate, in addition to the glass substrate P for the liquid crystal display panel, a semiconductor wafer for a semiconductor device, a ceramic wafer for a thin-film magnetic head, or a mask or reticle used in an exposure apparatus (synthetic quartz) , Silicon wafer) and the like.

The exposure apparatus 3 includes a step-and-scan type scanning exposure apparatus (scanning stepper) for exposing the pattern of the mask M by synchronously moving the mask M and the glass substrate P. The present invention can also be applied to a step-and-repeat type projection exposure apparatus (stepper) in which the pattern of the mask M is exposed while the glass substrate P and the glass substrate P are stationary, and the glass substrate P is sequentially moved stepwise.

The type of the exposure apparatus 3 includes a glass substrate P
The present invention can be widely applied not only to a liquid crystal exposure apparatus for exposing a liquid crystal display element pattern, but also to an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor, a thin film magnetic head, an imaging device (CCD), a reticle, and the like. .

As the light source of the illumination optical system 20, a bright line (g-line (436 nm)) generated from an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp,
i-line (365 nm)), KrF excimer laser (248
nm), an ArF excimer laser (193 nm), an F ₂ laser (157 nm), X-rays, or the like can be used.
Alternatively, a high frequency such as a YAG laser or a semiconductor laser may be used.

The magnification of the projection optical system 22 may be not only the same magnification but also any of a reduction system and an enlargement system. Further, as the projection optical system 22, when a far ultraviolet ray such as an excimer laser is used, a material that transmits the far ultraviolet ray such as quartz or fluorite is used as a glass material, and when a F ₂ laser is used, a catadioptric or refraction type is used. Use an optical system.

When a linear motor is used for the substrate stage 23 and the mask stage 21, either an air floating type using an air bearing or a magnetic floating type using a Lorentz force or a reactance force may be used. Each of the stages 21 and 23 may be of a type that moves along a guide, or may be a guideless type that does not have a guide.

The reaction force generated by the movement of the substrate stage 23 may be mechanically released to the floor (ground) using a frame member. The reaction force generated by the movement of the mask stage 21 may be mechanically released to the floor (ground) using a frame member.

The illumination optical system 20 and the projection optical system 22 each composed of a plurality of optical elements
And a mask stage 21 and a substrate stage 23 composed of a number of mechanical parts are attached to the exposure apparatus main body 12 to connect wirings and pipes, and to perform overall adjustment (electrical adjustment, operation confirmation, etc.). By doing so, exposure apparatus 3 of the present embodiment can be manufactured.
It is desirable that the manufacture of the exposure apparatus 3 be performed in a clean room in which temperature, cleanliness, and the like are controlled.

For a device such as a liquid crystal display element or a semiconductor device, a step of designing the function and performance of each device, a step of manufacturing a mask M based on the design step, a step of manufacturing a glass substrate P, a wafer, etc. The device is manufactured through the steps of exposing the pattern of the mask M to the glass substrate P and the wafer, assembling each device, and inspecting the same by the exposure apparatus 3 of the embodiment.

[0093]

As described above, in the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect, the regulating device provided in the vicinity of the opening includes:
The operation related to the transfer of the substrate through the opening is regulated. Thereby, in this substrate processing apparatus, the transfer of the substrate from the connected apparatus or the protrusion of a part of the worker's body to the connected apparatus is restricted,
It is possible to ensure the safety of the worker. Therefore, in this substrate processing apparatus, even when work is being performed inside, it is possible to continue processing in this apparatus without turning off the power of the connected apparatus, thereby improving productivity. The effect that can be obtained is also obtained.

In the substrate processing apparatus according to the second aspect, the regulating device is a shutter. Thus, in this substrate processing apparatus, the shutter restricts the substrate from being transported from the connected apparatus or the part of the worker's body projecting to the connected apparatus, so that the safety of the worker is ensured. In addition to securing power, it is possible to continue processing in the connected device without shutting down the power of the connected device even when performing internal work, thereby improving the productivity. can get.

The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3 is configured such that the moving device moves the shutter vertically.
Thus, in the substrate processing apparatus, it is possible to prevent the dust generated when the shutter moves from falling above the opening through which the substrate passes, thereby preventing the substrate from being easily contaminated.

[0096] The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4 has a structure in which the moving device is disposed below the shutter. Thus, in the substrate processing apparatus, it is possible to prevent the dust generated by driving the moving device from falling from above the opening through which the substrate passes, thereby preventing the substrate from being easily contaminated.

In the substrate processing apparatus according to the fifth aspect, the detection section detects whether the shutter is closed and the display section displays the detection result of the detection section. Thus, in the substrate processing apparatus, when entering the apparatus for work, it is easy to confirm whether the shutter has closed the opening by the display unit, and the door is opened before the shutter closes, and the connected apparatus In this case, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a mistake such as stopping the processing in the step (1).

In the substrate processing apparatus according to the sixth aspect, the door detecting section detects opening and closing of the door for opening and closing the second opening, and the control section detects the opening and closing of the substrate based on the detection result of the detecting section and the door detecting section. The processing is stopped. As a result, in this substrate processing apparatus, an effect is obtained that the safety of the worker can be reliably maintained even in the event of an unexpected situation such as the shutter being opened during the operation.

The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7 is configured such that the substrate processing apparatus is an exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern on a substrate. Thereby, in this substrate processing apparatus,
There is an excellent effect that an exposure apparatus capable of continuously operating the connected apparatus and improving the productivity while securing the safety of the operator is obtained.

The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 is configured such that the substrate processing apparatus is a coater / developer that applies a photosensitive agent to the substrate and develops the exposed substrate. As a result, in the substrate processing apparatus, a coater / developer that can continuously operate the connected apparatus and improve productivity while securing the safety of the worker can be obtained. It has an excellent effect.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate transport system comprising:
A regulating device is provided near the opening for carrying the substrate between the substrate processing apparatus and the second substrate processing apparatus, and the regulating device regulates an operation related to the carrying of the substrate through the opening. It has a configuration. Thus, in this substrate transfer system, even when performing work in one substrate processing apparatus, a substrate is transferred from the other substrate processing apparatus or a part of the body of the worker projects to the connected apparatus. Is regulated, the safety of the worker can be ensured, and the processing in this substrate processing apparatus can be continued without turning off the power supply of the other apparatus, thereby improving the productivity. The effect that can be obtained is also obtained.

The substrate transport system according to claim 10 is configured such that the regulating device is provided in at least one of the first substrate processing device and the second substrate processing device. Thus, in this substrate transfer system, work such as teaching work can be performed safely in one substrate processing apparatus, and during this time, the substrate processing step in the other substrate processing apparatus can be continued, and The effect is obtained that the efficiency can be greatly improved.

The substrate transfer system according to the eleventh aspect is configured such that the first substrate processing apparatus and the second substrate processing apparatus are connected in-line. Thereby, in this substrate transfer system, even if it becomes necessary to perform the operation in one of the substrate processing apparatuses, it is possible to safely perform the operation such as the teaching operation,
Further, during this time, the substrate processing step in the other device can be continued, and the effect that the production efficiency can be greatly improved can be obtained.

The substrate transfer system according to the twelfth aspect is configured such that the first substrate processing apparatus is a coater and the second substrate processing apparatus is an exposure apparatus. Accordingly, in this substrate transport system, even if it is necessary to perform the operation in one of the coater and the exposure apparatus, it is possible to safely perform the teaching operation and the like, and further, during this time, perform the substrate operation in the other. The effect that the processing step can be continued and the production efficiency can be greatly improved can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a first embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view of a lithography system in which a coater and an exposure apparatus are connected in-line.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view of a lithography system in which a coater and an exposure apparatus are arranged apart from each other and connected in-line.

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view showing a third embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view of a lithography system having a shutter open sensor and in which a coater and an exposure apparatus are connected in-line.

FIG. 7 is a front sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a control system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a view showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and is a plan view of a lithography system having an arm direction sensor and in which a coater and an exposure apparatus are connected in-line.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a control system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 P Glass substrate (substrate) 2 Coater (substrate processing device) 3 Exposure device (substrate processing device) 8, 8a, 8b Opening 31 Shutter (regulator) 32 Shutter opening / closing device (moving device) 34 Shutter closing sensor (detection unit) 35 indicator light (display unit) 36 opening (second opening) 37 door 38 door opening / closing sensor (door detecting unit) 46 shielding plate (regulator)

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 5F031 CA02 CA05 CA07 CA20 GA43 GA47 GA48 JA02 MA26 MA27 NA09 PA16 5F046 BA03 CC01 CC03 CC08 CC10 CC16 CC18 CD01 CD05 CD06 DA29 DD06 JA22

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A substrate processing apparatus having an opening for transferring a substrate to a connected apparatus and performing a predetermined process on the substrate, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is provided near the opening and passes through the opening. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a regulating device that regulates an operation related to the transport of the substrate. 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the regulating device is a shutter that opens and closes the opening. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a moving device that moves the shutter in a vertical direction to open and close the opening. 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the moving device is disposed below the shutter. 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising: a detection unit configured to detect whether the shutter is closed; and a display unit configured to display a detection result of the detection unit. Substrate processing equipment. 6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a door that opens and closes a second opening different from the opening, a door detection unit that detects opening and closing of the door, the detection unit, and the door detection A control unit for stopping the processing of the substrate based on a detection result of the substrate processing unit. 7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is an exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern on the substrate. 8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is a coater / developer that applies a photosensitive agent to the substrate and develops the exposed substrate. A substrate processing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. 9. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a first substrate processing apparatus that performs a first processing on a substrate; and a second substrate processing apparatus that is connected to the first substrate processing apparatus and performs a second processing on the substrate. In the substrate transfer system for transferring, an opening for transferring the substrate between the first substrate processing apparatus and the second substrate processing apparatus, and an opening provided near the opening and through the opening A regulating device for regulating an operation related to the transport of the substrate. 10. The substrate transfer system according to claim 9, wherein said regulating device is provided in at least one of said first substrate processing device and said second substrate processing device. . 11. The substrate transfer system according to claim 9, wherein the first substrate processing apparatus and the second substrate processing apparatus are connected in-line. 12. The substrate transfer system according to claim 9, wherein the first substrate processing apparatus is a coater that applies a photosensitive agent to the substrate, and the second substrate processing apparatus is A substrate transport system, which is an exposure device that exposes a pattern on the substrate.