Substrate processing system, substrate processing method, sealed container storing apparatus, program for implementing the substrate processing method, and storage medium storing the program

Abstract

A substrate processing system which is capable of preventing dust from becoming attached to substrates without increasing the degree of cleanliness of a clean room to a predetermined level, and also capable of increasing the substrate processing throughput without increasing the burden on workers. a plasma processing apparatusthat subjects semiconductor wafers W to plasma processing in a cleaned atmosphere. A SMIFhas a enclosurethat is connected to the plasma processing apparatusand has a cleaned atmosphere therein, a pod stageon which a podhousing semiconductor wafers W is mounted, a pod mounting portionthat carries out removal of semiconductor wafers W from the podand housing of semiconductor wafers W into the pod, and a wafer cassette transfer armthat transfers semiconductor wafers W between the pod stageand the plasma processing apparatusvia the enclosure. A preliminary loaderhaving a stage-shaped unprocessed pod portthat stores a podhousing semiconductor wafers W that have not been subjected to the plasma processing, a shelf-like processed pod portthat stores a sealed container housing semiconductor wafers W that have been subjected to the plasma processing, and a pod moving mechanismthat moves the podsbetween the stage-shaped unprocessed pod portand the pod stage, and between the pod stageand the shelf-like processed pod port