Substrate processing apparatus and method of manufacturing semiconductor device

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus includes a first processing module including a first processing module, a second processing module, a first utility system adjacent to a back surface of the first processing module, and a second utility system adjacent to a back surface of the second processing module, a first exhaust box of the first utility system and a second exhaust box of the second utility system being disposed to face each other across a maintenance area located behind a part of the back surface of the first processing module that is close to the second processing module and behind a part of the back surface of the second processing module that is close to the first processing module, and a first supply box of the first utility system and a second supply box of the second utility system being disposed to face each other across the maintenance area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a first process module that includes a first process container for processing a substrate;   a second process module that is disposed adjacent to a side surface of the first process module and includes a second process container for processing a substrate;   a first utility system that is disposed adjacent to extend backward from the first process module and includes at least one selected from the group of:
 a first exhaust part configured to exhaust an inside of the first process container; and 
 a first supply part configured to supply a process gas into the first process container; 
   a second utility system that is disposed adjacent to extend backward from the second process module and includes at least one selected from the group of:
 a second exhaust part configured to exhaust an inside of the second process container; and 
 a second supply part configured to supply a process gas into the second process container; and 
   a maintenance area formed continuously between the first utility system and the second utility system, behind the first process module and the second process module,   wherein the first utility system is installed along an outer side surface of the substrate processing apparatus opposite to the second utility system,   wherein the second utility system is installed along another outer side surface of the substrate processing apparatus opposite to the first utility system,   wherein the maintenance area is configured to be commonly used for the first process module and the second process module.   
     
     
         2 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a first maintenance way is formed on the first process module to face the maintenance area, and a second maintenance way is formed on the second process module to face the maintenance area. 
     
     
         3 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the maintenance area is formed without intervening structures at a height corresponding to the first maintenance way and the second maintenance way. 
     
     
         4 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first process module and the second process module are connected at respective sides,   between the first process module and the second process module there is a boundary line which divides the maintenance area into two equal halves, and   the first process container is not capable of being be moved out of the first process module through only one of two halves of the maintenance area and the first process container is capable of being moved out of the first process module through both of the two halves.   
     
     
         5 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first maintenance way and the second maintenance way are configured to be able to open and close. 
     
     
         6 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein a first maintenance door of the first maintenance way and a second maintenance door of the second maintenance way are openable such that the first maintenance door and the second maintenance door are rotatable in opposite rotation directions with each other toward a surface of the second process module and a surface of the first process module, respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first maintenance door is configured to be openable by moving beyond a boundary line between the first process module and the second process module or the second maintenance door is configured to be openable by moving beyond the boundary line. 
     
     
         8 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein widths of near portions of the first utility system and the second utility system that are respectively close to the first process module and the second process module are narrower than widths of far portions of the first utility system and the second utility system that are respectively far from the first process module or the second process module, and
 wherein a distance at the near portions between the first utility system and the second utility system is larger than a distance at the far portions between the first utility system and the second utility system.   
     
     
         9 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a distance at front surfaces between the first utility system and the second utility system is different to a distance at back surfaces between the first utility system and the second utility system. 
     
     
         10 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first utility system is aligned with an outermost side surface of the substrate processing apparatus opposite to the second utility system,
 wherein the second utility system is aligned with an another outermost side surface of the substrate processing apparatus opposite to the first utility system.   
     
     
         11 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first process module comprises a first transfer chamber that is disposed below the first process container, and is configured to transfer the substrate into and out of the first process container,
 wherein the second process module comprises a second transfer chamber that is disposed below the second process container, and is configured to transfer the substrate into and out of the second process container, and   wherein the first transfer chamber and the second transfer chamber include fans installed on respective outer side surfaces and configured to supply clean air.   
     
     
         12 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first transfer chamber comprises:
 a first elevator configured to load into and unload from the first process container;   a first substrate holder for holding the substrate; and   a first maintenance door,   wherein the second transfer chamber comprises:   a second elevator configured to load into and unload from the second process container;   a second substrate holder for holding the substrate; and   a second maintenance door, and   wherein the first process container can be moved out of the first process module through the maintenance area.   
     
     
         13 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first exhaust pipe that extends from the first process container toward the first exhaust part; and   a second exhaust pipe that extends from the second process container toward the second exhaust part.   
     
     
         14 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first exhaust pipe that extends from the first process container toward a corner of the first process module where the first process module is connected to the first exhaust part or the first utility system; and   a second exhaust pipe that extends from the second process container toward a corner of the second process module where the second process module is connected to the second exhaust part or the second utility system.   
     
     
         15 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein maintenance ports of the first supply part and maintenance ports of the second supply part are disposed to face each other across the maintenance area. 
     
     
         16 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first transfer chamber that is disposed below the first process container in the first process module, and is configured to transfer the substrate into and out of the first process container;   a second transfer chamber that is disposed below the second process container in the second process module, and is configured to transfer the substrate into and out of the second process container; and   a transshipment chamber that is disposed adjacent to the first transfer chamber and the second transfer chamber, and is configured to transship the substrate to a first substrate holder within the first transfer chamber and a second substrate holder within the second transfer chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a controller configured to control at least a pressure in the first transfer chamber and a pressure in the transshipment chamber disposed adjacent to the first transfer chamber,
 wherein the controller is configured to, before maintenance in the first transfer chamber is performed from the maintenance area, increase an oxygen concentration in the first transfer chamber while maintaining the pressure in the first transfer chamber to be lower than the pressure in the transshipment chamber, and then to release an interlock of a first maintenance door.   
     
     
         18 . The substrate processing apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the first utility system includes a first controller box that is arranged at a back side of the first utility system; and the second utility system includes a second controller box that is arranged at a back side of second utility system. 
     
     
         19 . A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
 a first process module that includes a first process container for processing a substrate and a first opening for maintenance;   a second process module that is disposed adjacent to a side surface of the first process module and includes a second process container for processing a substrate and a second opening for maintenance;   a first utility system that is disposed adjacent to extend backward from the first process module and includes a first supply part configured to supply a process gas into the first process container;   a first exhaust part configured to exhaust an inside of the first process container;   a second utility system that is disposed adjacent to extend backward from the second process module and includes a second supply part configured to supply a process gas into the second process container;   a second exhaust part configured to exhaust an inside of the second process container; and   a maintenance area formed continuously between the first utility system and the second utility system, behind the first process module and the second process module without intervening structures at a height corresponding to the first opening and the second opening,   wherein the maintenance area is configured to be commonly used for the first process module and the second process module.   
     
     
         20 . A method of processing substrates comprising:
 providing the substrate processing apparatus of  claim 1 ; and   loading a substrate in at least one of the first process container and the second process container;   supplying a processing gas into the at least one of the first process container and the second process container; and   exhausting an inside of the at least one of the first process container and the second process container.