JP3248987B2 - Vertical heat treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vertical heat treatment apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In semiconductor manufacturing processes, heat treatment such as oxidation and diffusion has become an indispensable process. Among them, in a process using a harmful substance such as a phosphorus diffusion process, a residual gas or particles containing phosphorus generated after the process may cause environmental problems.
In a vertical processing apparatus, an opening at the lower end of the processing container is provided.
Below the section, a board with a large number of workpieces
Work space created for loading and unloading work
Particles in between (also called loading area)
Remain floated residue, will be rows repeated processing number extract, the number of particles continue to increase, the particles each time the loading and unloading of the boat into the reaction vessel from entering the reaction vessel, the object to be processed particles decreases the adhesion to treated accuracy, the yield of the object is reduced.

[0003]

[0007] As shown in FIG. 4, the process when the completion 10 times, if not Me determine the maintenance timing by processing count and so the maintenance of 10 times as shown in A process may not exceed the reference value when finished, but Ru if mower of nine processing as shown in B is greater than the reference value when terminated. Traditional
In the vertical processing apparatus, because that was decided maintenance timing by processing count, even if the residual number of processing times is small even though the particle is not increased, it was allowed to continue the process. For this reason, a state where there are more than specified particle in the work space, reduces the processing accuracy particles adhere to the object to be processed, the yield of the object had bad Kuna'. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances.
The number of particles in the workspace is fixed
It can be determined whether the number of particles is within the
Vertical heat treatment equipment that can improve the yield of workpieces
The purpose is to provide a device.

[0004] The present invention relates to a vertically long counter having an opening at the lower end.
A reaction vessel, a heater provided around the reaction vessel,
A lid for opening and closing the opening of the reaction vessel, and a lid placed on the lid;
And hold a large number of workpieces at predetermined intervals in the height direction.
For holding and removing the holder into and from the reaction vessel
An elevating mechanism for elevating and lowering the lid body,
Formed below the opening for loading and unloading of holders
A work space that is provided in the working space, a collecting means for collecting the particles by suction gas of the working space,
Measuring means for measuring the number of the collected particles, the number of particles characterized by comprising a discrimination <br/> means for discriminating whether or not within a predetermined value. Furthermore, collection means for collecting the par <br/> Tcl is the lifting mechanism in the space
A cylindrical body provided in parallel with the lifting direction of movement, the cylindrical body
A suction port provided at a predetermined interval, path from said cylindrical body
A pipe for guiding gas containing particles to the measuring means.
It shall be the feature of the Eteiru.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the number of particles in the work space
Can be determined to be within the specified number of particles.
Yield increases due to an increase in the number of particles.
Maintenance can be performed before
The yield can be improved.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, a vertical heat treatment apparatus for carrying out the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, this vertical heat treatment apparatus
It has a cylindrical reaction vessel 1 whose longitudinal direction is arranged almost vertically, and this reaction vessel 1 has a double pipe structure made of a heat-resistant material, for example, quartz.

[0007] The lower end of the reaction vessel 1 is held by a manifold (not shown) made of stainless steel or the like, and this manifold is fixed to a base plate 2. A cylindrical heating heater (not shown) composed of, for example, a resistance heating element is provided so as to surround the reaction vessel 1 to form a heat treatment section. In order to keep the heat treatment part warm,
For example, a heat insulating layer made of a silica block is formed, and a cylindrical outer case 3 made of, for example, stainless steel is provided outside the heat insulating layer to protect the entire device so as to surround the heat insulating layer. Is provided.

[0008] The manifold is accommodated in the reaction vessel 1.
Gas supply pipe for supplying inert gas for processing gas and purge
And an exhaust pipe capable of depressurizing and exhausting gas in the reaction vessel
And are connected. Vertical reaction volume including manifold
The vessel 1 has an opening at its lower end as a furnace port.
The lower end of the reaction vessel 1 including the manifold is a base plate
It is exposed downward from the opening formed in the second. The reaction
A lid 5 for opening and closing the opening is provided below the container 1.
On the lid 5, a large number of, for example, 100
For example, the semiconductor wafer 6 is placed at a predetermined interval in the height direction, for example,
A holder that holds (laminated and placed) at 4.76 mm intervals
A wafer boat 7 is placed via a heat retaining tube 8. Be
Lower than the base plate 2, that is, the opening of the reaction vessel 1.
The loading and unloading of the wafer boat 7 is performed below the section.
Working space (also called loading area) 10
Are formed. This work space 10 includes a wafer board
For loading and unloading the reactor 7 into the reaction vessel 1 and the lid 5
Lifting mechanism for moving the lid 5 up and down to open and close the door
For example, a boat elevator 9 is provided. Work space
10 accommodates a plurality of, for example, about 25 semiconductor wafers
Not shown transport container (cassette) and wafer boat
Transfer mechanism for transferring semiconductor wafers between
(Not shown). At the bottom of the base plate 2
Transports the wafer boat 7 downward from inside the reaction vessel 1
When the opening of the reaction vessel 1 is opened, the lower space 10
To avoid exposure to high heat from inside the reaction vessel 1.
The shutter 4 for blocking the opening of the reaction vessel 1 is horizontal.
It is provided rotatably (openable and closable).

At a predetermined location in the work space 10 , work
Collection to collect particles by sucking gas in space 10
As a means, the suction port 11 is provided, et al is, the measurement unit (measurement means) 16 of a gas containing particles into the suction port 11
For example, pipes 12 and 13 made of stainless steel are connected.
I have. The pipe 12 and the pipe 13 are connected via a joint.
I have. The pipe 13 is connected to the pipe 11 through the suction port 11.
A measuring unit (measuring means) 16 for measuring the number of particles collected via the channels 12 and 13 is provided. The measuring unit 16 is configured to control the number of particles measured by the measuring unit 16 within a predetermined value. Discriminating unit that discriminates whether there is
(Determination Means) 17 is provided.

The operation of the apparatus of the present invention implemented using the heat treatment apparatus configured as described above will be described. First, the reaction is caused by the lowering of the lid 5 by the boat elevator 9
The wafer boat 7 is carried from the container 1 to the lower working space 10.
The opening of the reaction vessel 1 is blocked by the shutter 4
The semiconductor wafer after processing
After 100 semiconductor wafers 6 before processing are stacked and mounted on the wafer boat 7, the shutter 4
Is opened, the wafer boat 7 is loaded into the reaction vessel 1 by the boat elevator 9, and the opening of the reaction vessel 1 is closed with the lid 5.
Close .

In the reaction vessel 1, oxidation / diffusion or CVD processing is performed on the semiconductor wafer. When the process is over,
The wafer boat 7 is moved by the boat elevator 9 to the reaction vessel 1.
It is carried out to the outside work space 10 . Next, close shutter 4.
The semiconductor wafer 6 for about 10 minutes.
To cool.

Thereafter, the semiconductor wafer 6 is transferred to the wafer boat 7
The semiconductor wafer 6 to be processed next is stacked and mounted on a wafer boat 7. The above process is repeated, and every time one process is completed, the particles collected from the suction port 11 are measured by the measuring unit 16 and the discriminating unit 17 determines whether the number of particles is within a predetermined value. Is determined. At this time, if the measured number of particles is within a predetermined value, the next processing is performed as it is. If the measured number of particles is equal to or more than the predetermined value, the next processing is interrupted and maintenance is performed. I do.

By repeating such a process, it is possible to always grasp the increase or decrease in the number of particles generated in each processing, and it is possible to always perform processing with the number of particles within a predetermined value.

Next , the second embodiment will be described. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description is omitted. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a boat is loaded and unloaded below the opening of the reaction vessel 1.
In the working space 10 which is formed, care of the work space 10
As the collection means to collect the particles by suction the body, ball
Over lifting movement direction and parallel to the cylindrical body 20 of the bets elevator 9 is provided on the cylindrical body 20, for example, diameter 11mm suction ports 21 for sucking particles, a plurality of, for example 17 at a predetermined interval for example 50mm intervals Is provided. Both upper and lower ends of the cylindrical body 20 are closed. Suction port
The gas containing particles sucked from
A plurality of, for example, stainless steel pipes 22 connected to, for example, three locations are provided in the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body 20 facing the suction port 21 to guide the pipes to the pipes 16. stainless steel pipe 25, for example, via a, for example stainless steel fittings 23 are connected to 22. The pipe 25 has a suction port 1 of the cylindrical body 20.
A measuring unit (measuring means) 16 is provided for measuring the number of particles collected from 1 through the pipes 22 and 25. The measuring unit 16 has a predetermined number of particles measured by the measuring unit 16. A determination unit (determination means) 17 for determining whether the value is within the value is provided.

In the work space 10 , the cylinder 20 and the crawler lifted by the boat elevator 9 move up and down.
Cover 27 so as to cover the periphery of Ehaboto 7 and the lid 5 are provided, the particles collected from the suction port 21, by collecting from a narrow space, more accurate collection to the row Ukoto can Is configured. The cylindrical body 20 is used to move the boat elevator 9 up and down.
The work space 10 is provided in parallel with the moving direction.
Particles can be collected evenly in the vertical direction. Inside the cylindrical body 20, a plurality example
10 for example because it provided a buffer plate 29 provided with a flow straightening apertures 28 of diameter 20mm if, when collecting particles from the suction port 21, the same example as downflow flowing the working space 10 The flow rate can be set to 0.3 m / min, and uniform collection can be performed without being affected by the flow of gas in the working space.

The gas collected at the suction port 21 is, for example,
Although the temperature is as high as 100 ° C., the gas is cooled while passing through the pipe 25 because the pipe 25 is made of stainless steel. The measuring section 16, since the heat resistance temperature has only to 40 ° C., there is a risk that the <br/> front Symbol measuring unit 16 is destroyed if the if 100 ° C. gas is mixed, through a pipe 25 since the gas is cooled to approximately 25 ° C. during the measuring portion 16 there is a power sale effective not without risk of being destroyed.

Further, the cylindrical body 20 is not limited to the above embodiment, and it goes without saying that it may be located in any of the opening spaces of the reaction vessel 1. Further, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment,
The present invention can be applied to an etching apparatus, a sputtering apparatus, a single-wafer CVD apparatus, and other processing apparatuses. The good thing goes without saying.

[0018]

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention
According to the number of particles in the workspace,
It is possible to determine whether the number is within the
Maintenance before increasing yields
And the yield of the object to be processed can be improved.
I can do it.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a first embodiment of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a second embodiment of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a main part of a second embodiment of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the number of times of processing and the number of particles for explaining a conventional technique of the apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Workpiece 9 Boat Elevator 1 Reaction Vessel 11 Suction Port 16 Measuring Unit 17 Discriminating Unit 20 Cylindrical Body

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-U 5-75955 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 21/22

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vertically long reaction vessel having an opening at a lower end.
And a heater provided around the reaction vessel;
A lid for opening and closing the opening of the container;
Holding several workpieces at predetermined intervals in the height direction
And a tool for carrying the holding tool into and out of the reaction vessel.
An elevating mechanism for elevating and lowering the lid, and an opening of the reaction vessel
Formed for loading and unloading work of the holder below
And work space, provided in the working space, a collecting means for collecting the particles by suction gas of the working space, measuring means for measuring the number of the collected particles, or the number of particles is within a predetermined value vertical heat treatment apparatus characterized by comprising discriminating means for discriminating whether or not. Wherein collection means for collecting the particles,
A cylindrical body provided in parallel with the vertical movement direction of the elevating mechanism into the space, measuring the suction port provided at predetermined intervals in the cylinder, a gas containing particles from said cylindrical body
Claims, characterized in that it comprises a pipe leading to a constant unit
Item 4. The vertical heat treatment apparatus according to Item 1 .