US 12,444,622 B2
Substrate processing system and substrate processing method
Keita Hirase, Kumamoto (JP); Koji Tanaka, Kumamoto (JP); Yukiyoshi Saito, Kumamoto (JP); and Keisuke Sasaki, Kumamoto (JP)
Assigned to TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 7, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/106,857.
Claims priority of application No. 2022-024982 (JP), filed on Feb. 21, 2022; and application No. 2022-165731 (JP), filed on Oct. 14, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0268202 A1, Aug. 24, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 21/67 (2006.01); H01L 21/311 (2006.01); H01L 21/677 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/67086 (2013.01) [H01L 21/31111 (2013.01); H01L 21/67057 (2013.01); H01L 21/67161 (2013.01); H01L 21/67173 (2013.01); H01L 21/67742 (2013.01); H01L 21/67745 (2013.01); H01L 21/67748 (2013.01); H01L 21/67754 (2013.01); H01L 21/67757 (2013.01); H01L 21/67766 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A substrate processing system comprising:
a carry-in/out section in which a cassette accommodating a plurality of substrates is carried in/out;
a batch processing section in which a wafer lot including the plurality of substrates is collectively processed;
a single-wafer processing section in which the plurality of substrates included in the wafer lot are processed one by one; and
an interface section that delivers the plurality of substrates between the batch processing section and the single-wafer processing section,
wherein the batch processing section includes:
a processing bath in which the wafer lot is immersed and processed; and
a first transfer device including a first transfer arm configured to transfer the wafer lot to the processing bath, and
wherein the interface section includes:
an immersion bath disposed outside a movement range of the first transfer device and configured to immerse the wafer lot; and
a second transfer device including a second transfer arm configured to hold and transfer the wafer lot between the first transfer device and the immersion bath.
 
12. A substrate processing method comprising:
transferring a plurality of substrates in a wafer lot from a batch processing section in which the plurality of substrates in the wafer lot are collectively processed, to a single-wafer processing section in which the plurality of substrates in the wafer lot are processed one by one,
wherein the transferring includes:
transferring the wafer lot to a processing bath in which the wafer lot is immersed and processed, by a first transfer device; and
receiving the wafer lot from the first transfer device and transferring the wafer lot to an immersion bath in which the wafer lot is immersed, by a second transfer device, and
wherein the immersion bath is disposed outside a movement range of the first transfer device.