JP3154144B2 - Method of changing pressure in chamber and apparatus having chamber with changed pressure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for changing a pressure in a chamber used when a pressure in a chamber used in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, for example, a CVD apparatus or a vacuum apparatus is reduced or increased. The invention also relates to an apparatus with a pressure-varying chamber for performing the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a film forming apparatus used for manufacturing a semiconductor device, that is, an example of a CVD apparatus. The CVD apparatus 1 has a predetermined pressure, for example, 10 ⁻⁸ Pa.
An apparatus main body for performing film formation maintained to a degree, that is, a film formation chamber 2,
In addition, it has a vacuum preparatory chamber 3 provided continuously via a first gate valve 4. A second gate valve 6 is disposed between the pre-vacuum chamber 3 and the outside in the atmosphere. A stage 5 on which a semiconductor wafer 10 is placed is arranged in the vacuum preparatory chamber 3, and a vacuum evacuation device 7 for evacuating and leaking via a third gate valve 8 is connected to the vacuum preparatory chamber 3. You.

[0003] Before taking out the semiconductor wafer 10 in the film forming chamber 2 of about 10 ^-8 Pa, the first gate valve 4 is first opened and the semiconductor wafer 10 is set to 10 ^-5 to 10 ^-3. Pa
On the stage 5 in the vacuum preparatory chamber 3. And
After the first gate valve 4 is closed, the third gate valve 8 is opened, and air or N ₂ gas is sent from the vacuum evacuation device 7 to leak inside the pre-vacuum chamber 3 to atmospheric pressure. . Thereafter, the second gate valve 6 is opened to take out the semiconductor wafer 10 to the outside.

[0004]

By the way, the above CV
In the D apparatus 1, the semiconductor wafer 10 after the film forming process is completed.
Is transferred to the pre-vacuum chamber 3, and when the inside of the pre-vacuum chamber 3 is leaked to the atmospheric pressure, excessive leakage of the semiconductor wafer 10 is rolled up to prevent the semiconductor wafer 10 from adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer 10. (So-called slow leak). However, it takes too much time to fill the entire inside of the vacuum preparatory chamber 3 with the atmospheric pressure by slow leak, so that there is a disadvantage that the throughput is sacrificed.

[0005] On the other hand, when evacuating, there is also a case where slow evacuation is performed in consideration of winding up of dust.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above, the present invention provides a method of changing the pressure in a chamber that allows a leak (suction) or an exhaust to be performed quickly and prevents dust from adhering to a substrate. Provided with a chamber whose pressure is changed.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems] pressure variation method in the chamber according to the present invention, the chamber 23 mounting portion 25 is provided for mounting a substrate 10, which is connected to a device 28 for intake or exhaust the gate valve 27 is provided, in the step of performing a reduced pressure or under pressure in the chamber 23 by a gate valve 27, a lid-like sealing the substrate 10 in a non-contact
The interior of the chamber 23 is divided into two or more regions 33 and 34 having different intake or exhaust speeds by an enclosure portion 32 of the gates provided in the two or more regions 33 and 34, respectively.
The pressure is reduced or increased by the valves 29 and 27 .

In the apparatus having a pressure-changing chamber according to the present invention, the first intake or exhaust gas is supplied to the chamber provided with the mounting portion 25 for mounting the substrate 10 as shown in FIG. A first gate valve 27 connected to a device 28 for performing
Is provided with a lid-like enclosure 32 for sealing the air in a non-contact manner, and a second air intake or exhaust device 30 is provided in the lid-like enclosure 32.
Is provided with a second gate valve 29 connected to the second gate valve 29.

Further, in the apparatus according to the present invention having a chamber in which the pressure is changed, as shown in FIG. 2, air is taken in or exhausted from a chamber 23 provided with a mounting portion 25 on which the substrate 10 is mounted. A first gate valve 36 connected to the apparatus 35 is provided, and the substrate 10
Movable lid-like enclosure 3 capable of sealing the contactlessly
2 is provided, and a second gate valve 37 connected to a device 35 for performing intake or exhaust is provided in the lid-shaped enclosure 32.

In the above-described apparatus, the first volume inside the lid-like enclosure 32 is formed so as to be smaller than the second volume excluding the first volume from the inside of the chamber 23.

Further, in the above device, the speed of intake or exhaust by the first gate valves 27, 36 is set to the second speed.
The speed of intake or exhaust by the gate valves 29, 37 of the above is made larger.

The apparatus having a pressure-changing chamber according to the present invention is a device for performing suction or exhaust in a chamber 23 provided with a mounting portion 25 for mounting the substrate 10 as shown in FIG. Gate valve 2 connected to 28
7 is provided, a lid-shaped enclosure 41 is provided in the chamber 23 for sealing the substrate 10 in a non-contact manner, and a large number of fine holes 42 are formed on the surface of the lid-shaped enclosure 41 facing the substrate 10. It is composed.

In this apparatus, the first volume inside the lid-like enclosure 41 is formed to be smaller than the second volume excluding the first volume from the chamber 23.

[0014]

In the method of changing the pressure in the chamber according to the present invention, the inside of the chamber 23 provided with the mounting portion 25 on which the substrate 10 is mounted is changed by the lid-like surrounding portion 41 at different speeds of intake or exhaust. Divided into one or more regions 33 and 34, and the games provided in the two or more regions 33 and 34, respectively.
By reducing or increasing the pressure in the chamber 23 by the gate valves 29 and 27, the speed of intake or exhaust can be reduced in the vicinity 33 where the substrate 10 is disposed, and the rise of dust or the like can be prevented. In addition, by increasing the speed of intake or exhaust in the region 34 distant from the substrate 10, the intake or exhaust in the chamber 23 can be quickly performed as a whole. Also, the difference in intake or exhaust speed
Gate gates are independently provided in two or more regions 33 and 34, respectively.
By installing the valves 29 and 27, the mutual
Accurate and stable with different intake or exhaust speed
Can be controlled.

In the apparatus according to the present invention, the first
A first gate valve 27 connected to a device 28 for inhaling or exhausting air is provided in the chamber 23, and a lid-like enclosure 32 for sealing the substrate 10 in a non-contact manner is provided in the chamber 23 to form a lid. By providing the enclosure 32 with a second gate valve 29 connected to a second intake or exhaust device 30, the intake or exhaust of the chamber 23 is performed via the first gate valve 27. The inside of the chamber 23 is rapidly taken in or exhausted,
On the other hand, the inside of the lid-like enclosure 32 that seals the substrate 10 is slowly suctioned or exhausted through the second gate valve 29. As a result, it is possible to prevent the dust from being wound up, and at the same time, to quickly inhale or exhaust the inside of the chamber 23.

Further, in the apparatus according to the present invention, the chamber 23 provided with the mounting portion 25 on which the substrate 10 is mounted is provided.
A first gate valve 36 connected to a suction / exhaust device 35 is provided in the movable lid-shaped enclosure 32 for sealing the substrate 10 in a non-contact manner. By providing the second gate valve 37, when air is taken in or exhausted from the chamber 23, the inside of the chamber 23 is quickly taken in or exhausted via the first gate valve 36, and at the same time, the second gate valve is used. The inside of the lid-like enclosure 32, which seals the substrate 10 via 37, is slowly sucked or exhausted. This prevents garbage from being rolled up,
The intake or exhaust of the chamber 23 can be rapidly performed.

The first volume inside the lid-like enclosure 32 is made smaller than the second volume inside the other chamber 32, so that the region 33 close to the substrate 10 is formed.
That is, even if the intake or exhaust of the inside of the lid-shaped enclosure 32 is performed slowly, the intake or exhaust time can be shortened, and the intake or exhaust can be rapidly performed as a whole.

The speed of intake or exhaust by the second gate valves 29, 37 is reduced and the speed of intake or exhaust by the first gate valves 27, 36 is increased, so that the second gate valve 29, 37 is increased. 37
The inside or the inside of the lid-like enclosure 32 that communicates with the air is slowly sucked or exhausted, thereby preventing dust and the like from being rolled up.

Further, in the apparatus according to the present invention, a lid-shaped enclosure 41 for sealing the substrate 10 in a non-contact manner is provided in the chamber 23, and a large number of fine holes 4 are formed in the lid-shaped enclosure 41.
By forming 2, when air is taken in or exhausted through the gate valve 27 provided in the chamber 23, the air in the chamber 23 other than the inside sealed by the lid-like enclosure 41 is rapidly sucked or exhausted. Done, and many
The number of fine holes 42 is opposed to the substrate 10 of the lid-shaped enclosure 41.
Is formed on the surface, so that it can be
The intake or exhaust is performed at a
Flow disturbance is less likely to occur. Therefore, dust and the like do not adhere to the substrate 10.

Moreover, the first volume of the interior 43 of the lid-shaped enclosure 41 is made smaller than the second volume of the chamber excluding the first volume, so that the lid-shaped enclosure 41 is formed.
The inside of the chamber 23 can be sucked or exhausted in a short time, and the inside of the chamber 23 can be quickly sucked or exhausted as a whole.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a case where the present invention is applied to the same CVD apparatus as described above. In the figure, reference numeral 21 denotes the entire CVD apparatus according to the present embodiment, reference numeral 22 denotes an apparatus main body or a film forming chamber (first chamber) maintained at a predetermined pressure, for example, about 10 ^-8 Pa, and reference numeral 23 denotes a film forming chamber. 22 shows a vacuum spare chamber (second chamber) connected to 22. A first gate valve 24 is arranged between the film forming chamber 22 and the vacuum preliminary chamber 23, and a second gate valve 26 is arranged between the vacuum preliminary chamber 23 and the outside (in the atmosphere). The pre-vacuum chamber 23 is connected via a third gate valve 27 to a first evacuation device 28 that performs evacuation and leakage. A stage 25 on which the semiconductor wafer 10 is placed is provided in the pre-vacuum chamber 23.

In this embodiment, however, the pre-vacuum chamber 2
A lid-like enclosure 32 for sealing the semiconductor wafer 10 in a non-contact manner with respect to the semiconductor wafer 10 is disposed vertically movable within the third wafer 3, and a fourth gate valve 29 is connected to the lid-like enclosure 32 so as to communicate with the lid-like enclosure 32.
Evacuation device 30 that exhausts and leaks through
Is provided. The volume V of the space region 33 formed between the semiconductor wafer 10 and the lid-like enclosure 32 in a state where the lid-like enclosure 32 is sealed with respect to the semiconductor wafer 10 (shown by a dashed line).
a is set to be extremely small (Va << Vb) as compared with the volume Vb of the space region 34 in the other vacuum preliminary chamber 23.

Next, the operation (leak operation) in the CVD apparatus 21 having such a configuration will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1, the semiconductor wafer 10 on which the film formation has been performed in the film formation chamber 22 is opened to a vacuum state of 10 ⁻⁵ Pa to 10 ⁻³ Pa by opening the first gate valve 24. Is transferred onto the stage 25 in the vacuum preparatory chamber 23.
After closing the first gate valve 24 , the lid-like enclosure 32
Is lowered from above and the semiconductor wafer 10 is
And the semiconductor wafer 10 is isolated from the surrounding atmosphere. That is, the inside of the pre-vacuum chamber 23 is separated into the space region 33 in which the semiconductor wafer 10 is sealed and the other space region 34 by the lid-shaped enclosure 32. In this state, air or nitrogen gas is sent from the first evacuation device 28 through the third gate valve 27 into the pre-vacuum chamber 23 to perform leakage. At the same time, the second vacuum evacuation device 30 also places a fourth space in a sealed space region 33 formed by the semiconductor wafer 10 and the lid-like enclosure 32.
Air or nitrogen gas is fed through the gate valve 29 of the first embodiment. At this time, the first vacuum pumping device 28 leaks into the space area 34 in the pre-vacuum chamber 23 at a high speed, and the second vacuum pumping device 30 causes the space region 3 to leak.
The leak to 3 is done at a slow speed.

A space area 33 in which the semiconductor wafer 10 is sealed.
Although the leak into the inside is performed at a slow speed, the volume Va of the space region 33 is extremely smaller than the volume Vb of the other space region 34 in the vacuum preparatory chamber 23. Will immediately reach atmospheric pressure.

In the pre-vacuum chamber 23, the leak speed is so high that the pressure reaches the atmospheric pressure immediately. At this time, there is nothing in the pre-vacuum chamber 23 that can serve as a supply source of refuse, and the pre-vacuum chamber 23 must be kept clean. There is no garbage winding, and the surface of the wafer is not contaminated even if the separation from the semiconductor wafer 10 is released, that is, even if the lid-like enclosure 32 is released. Even if there is a dust supply source, the lid-like enclosure 32 repeatedly leaks and evacuates while separating the semiconductor wafer 10 from the vacuum preliminary chamber 23 to sufficiently reduce the amount of dust in the vacuum preliminary chamber 23. It is possible to reduce it.

Then, the inside of the pre-vacuum chamber 23 and the space region 3
When both of them become atmospheric pressure, a lid-like enclosure 32
Is lifted upward to release the separation between the semiconductor wafer 10 and the inside of the vacuum preparatory chamber 23. This allows the semiconductor wafer 10 to quickly reach the atmospheric pressure without being wound up when excess dust is leaked. Thereafter, the second gate valve 26 is opened to take out the semiconductor wafer 10 to the outside.

According to the above embodiment, the semiconductor wafer 10
Speeding up the leak processing as a whole by isolating the area 33 near the surface to be leaked slowly and the other area 34 to be leaked quickly and independently using each of the vacuum pumping devices 30 and 28 to obtain the atmospheric pressure. In addition, it is possible to prevent dust from adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer 10 due to the winding of dust inside. Therefore, the throughput at the time of manufacturing a semiconductor device can be improved.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In addition,
In the figure, parts corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. In FIG. 1, independent vacuum evacuation devices are provided in the vacuum preparatory chamber 23 and the lid-like enclosure 32, respectively.
In this example, one common evacuation device 35 is provided, and the evacuation devices 35 are respectively connected to the pre-vacuum chamber 23 and the lid-shaped enclosure via the gate valves 36 and 37 whose evacuation and leak speed have been adjusted. Connected. The gate valve 36 is configured to exhaust and leak at a high speed, and the gate valve 37 is configured to exhaust and leak at a slow speed.

Also in this CVD apparatus 38, at the time of leakage after the semiconductor wafer 10 on which a film has been formed is transferred into the vacuum preparatory chamber 23, the space region 33 of the semiconductor wafer 10 sealed by the lid-like enclosure is provided. Is slowly leaked through the gate valve 37, and the space area 34 in the other chamber 23 is quickly leaked through the gate valve 36. Therefore, the inside of the chamber 23 can be rapidly brought to the atmospheric pressure while preventing dust from adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer 10 due to the winding of the dust.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. still,
In the figure, the same reference numerals are given to portions corresponding to those in FIG. In this example, the vacuum spare chamber 23
A large number of fine holes 42 are formed in the surface facing the semiconductor wafer 10.
Is disposed so as to be vertically movable. The lid-like enclosure 42 is for sealing the semiconductor wafer 10 on the stage 25 in a non-contact manner as in the above example.

The volume Vc of the space region 43 formed between the semiconductor wafer 10 and the lid-like enclosure 41 in a state where the lid-like enclosure 41 is sealed with respect to the semiconductor wafer 10 (shown by a solid line). It is set to be extremely small (Vc << Vd) as compared with the volume Vd of the space region 44 of the vacuum preparatory chamber 23 other than the above.

In the apparatus 45 of this embodiment, the film forming chamber 22
After the film forming process, the semiconductor wafer 10 is
It is moved to the stage 25 inside. At this time, the lid-shaped enclosure 41 is located at the upper portion (in the position of the dashed line) in the pre-vacuum chamber 23. After closing the gate valve 24, the lid-like enclosure 41 is lowered from above to seal the semiconductor wafer 10 in a non-contact manner. In this state, air or nitrogen gas is supplied from a vacuum exhaust device 27 connected to the pre-vacuum chamber 23 to cause the inside of the pre-vacuum chamber 23 to leak. Make the leak speed fast.

At the time of this leak, the inside of the main space area 44 of the pre-vacuum chamber 23 immediately reaches the atmospheric pressure. In addition, for the space region 43 surrounding the surface of the semiconductor wafer 10 , the fine holes 4 are formed in the surface of the lid-shaped surrounding portion 41 facing the semiconductor wafer 10.
2 is provided, air or nitrogen gas is slowly sent into the space area 43 through the holes 41 and leaked. Since the volume of the space area 43 is extremely small, even at a slow leak speed, the pressure quickly becomes the atmospheric pressure.

Therefore, also in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the leak in the pre-vacuum chamber 23 can be performed in a very short time.
In addition, contamination of the semiconductor wafer 10 with dust is also avoided. Further, this configuration is advantageous in terms of cost since the configuration is simplified as compared with the configuration of FIG.

The micro holes 42 may be micro holes on the order of microns, and as shown in FIG.
It is good to form in the hole 42 which forms a taper shape so that the diameter may become large toward. In this way, when air or nitrogen gas flows into the space area 43 through the hole 41, wind is less likely to occur.

The cover-like enclosure 41 is made of quartz,
In addition to forming by forming micropores in the SUS material, it can be formed by a porous ceramic, a filter member having micropores, or the like.

In the above example, the inside of the pre-vacuum chamber 23 is divided into two space regions 33 and 34 (or 43 and 44) having different leak speeds. It is also possible to perform it separately.

Further, in the above example, the present invention is applied to the case where the semiconductor wafer 10 having undergone the film forming process is transferred to the vacuum preliminary chamber 23 and then the interior of the vacuum preliminary chamber 23 is leaked to the atmospheric pressure. The present invention can also be applied to a case where the vacuum preliminary chamber is evacuated. That is, the semiconductor wafer 10 is sealed in a non-contact manner by using the similar lid-shaped enclosure 32 or 42, and the space 33 or 43 and the other space 34 or 44 in the vacuum preliminary chamber 23 are evacuated. You can do something like that.

In the above example, the present invention is applied to a CVD apparatus which is a film forming apparatus. However, the present invention can be applied to other vacuum apparatuses, apparatuses having a chamber whose pressure is changed, and the like.

[0042]

According to the present invention, air can be quickly taken in or exhausted from the chamber in which the substrate is placed without soiling the surface of the substrate. Thus, for example, CVD equipment,
When applied to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus such as a vacuum apparatus, the throughput can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating an example of a CVD apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing another example of the CVD apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing another example of the CVD apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a main part of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a CVD apparatus according to a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Semiconductor wafer 21,45 CVD apparatus 2,22 Film-forming chamber 3,33 Vacuum preparatory chamber 4,6,8,24,26,27,29,37,38 Gate valve 5,25 Stage 7,28,30,35 Vacuum exhaust device 32, 41 Lid-shaped enclosure 33, 34, 43, 44 Space area 41 Micro hole

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] A chamber provided with a mounting portion for mounting a substrate, a gate valve connected to a device for performing suction or exhaust, and reducing or increasing the pressure in the chamber by the gate valve. In the performing step, the inside of the chamber is exhausted or suctioned at different speeds by a lid-like enclosure that seals the substrate in a non-contact manner.
One or more divided regions, each installed a gate valve into the two or more regions
A method of changing the pressure in the chamber, wherein the pressure is reduced or increased. 2. A first gate valve connected to a first intake / exhaust device is provided in a chamber provided with a mounting portion on which a substrate is mounted. A lid-like enclosure that seals the contactlessly, and a second gate valve that is connected to a second intake / exhaust device is provided in the lid-like enclosure. A device with a pressure-varying chamber. 3. A chamber provided with a mounting portion for mounting a substrate is provided with a first gate valve connected to a device for performing suction or exhaust, wherein the first gate valve is in the chamber and is not in contact with the substrate. A movable lid-like enclosure that can be hermetically sealed is provided, and the lid-like enclosure is provided with a second gate valve connected to the device that performs the intake or exhaust. A device with a pressure-varying chamber. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first volume inside the lid-shaped enclosure is smaller than a second volume obtained by removing the first volume from the inside of the chamber. 3. An apparatus comprising the chamber whose pressure is changed according to 3. 5. The pressure-changed chamber according to claim 4, wherein the speed of intake or exhaust by the first gate valve is higher than the speed of intake or exhaust by the second gate valve. With the device. 6. A chamber provided with a mounting portion for mounting a substrate is provided with a gate valve connected to a device for performing suction or exhaust, and the non-contact sealing of the substrate in the chamber is provided. An apparatus having a pressure-changeable chamber, wherein a lid-shaped enclosure is provided, and a large number of fine holes are formed in a surface of the lid-shaped enclosure facing the substrate . 7. The pressure according to claim 6, wherein the first volume inside the lid-shaped enclosure is smaller than the second volume excluding the first volume from the inside of the chamber. A device with a chamber to be changed.