JPH05160035A - Cvd device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (Modified) [Purpose] In a dual-chamber CVD apparatus that defines a plasma generation chamber in the processing chamber, the loading and unloading of substrates into and from the plasma generation chamber is embodied to generate plasma. Make room cleaning easier. In a CVD apparatus having a double chamber structure in which a plasma generating chamber is provided in a processing chamber, an upper electrode 6 is provided in the processing chamber 1, and a frame body 9 surrounding the upper electrode is provided. A lower electrode 10 is provided, which is in contact with the lower surface of the frame body and faces the upper electrode,
The upper electrode, the frame body, and the lower electrode constitute an inner chamber 8 that defines the plasma generation chamber 3, and the lower electrode can be moved up and down, and the frame body and the lower electrode are vertically separated. If possible, the frame body and the lower electrode can be individually lifted and lowered, and the lower electrode is provided with wheels 33 and the rail 32 is provided on the bottom of the processing chamber. The chamber is lowered to ride on a rail, and the inner chamber is carried in and out through the inner chamber exchange port along the rail.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a CVD apparatus for forming a thin film on a substrate which is one of semiconductor manufacturing apparatuses.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A semiconductor manufacturing process includes forming a desired film on a silicon substrate surface, or one of manufacturing liquid crystal display devices forming a film on a glass substrate.

In this method, a substrate is loaded in an airtight processing chamber, high-frequency power is applied between a pair of electrodes provided in the processing chamber, and a reactive gas is supplied into the processing chamber to generate plasma. , A thin film is formed on the surface of a substrate (Chemical Vapor Deposition
on).

In a conventional CVD apparatus, the inside of an airtight processing chamber is
There is one electrode on the surface of which the substrate is installed, and an electrode is provided on the other surface of the airtight processing chamber facing the electrode,
Plasma was generated between the pair of electrodes to perform the CVD process.

The above-mentioned CVD process decomposes gas phase gas molecules and deposits them as a thin film on a substrate. However, the thin film is formed not only on the substrate but also on the electrode facing the substrate and the inner wall of the processing chamber. The film deposited on the electrodes and the inner wall of the processing chamber is peeled off and adheres to the substrate being processed to contaminate the substrate. When the substrate is contaminated with the deposit, it causes serious defects in the film formation of the substrate. Therefore, conventionally, the processing chamber has been regularly cleaned.

[0006]

However, the cleaning work must be performed by disassembling the processing chamber, which is troublesome and time consuming. Therefore, this cleaning work has been a cause of lowering the mobility of the apparatus. Further, it is known that uniform plasma can be obtained by generating plasma in a limited space, and it is required that the space for generating plasma is limited to a necessary minimum.

In order to solve such a problem, as shown in FIG. 12, in order to store the substrate 2 and generate the plasma in a limited space, a plasma generating chamber 3 is further provided in the processing chamber 1 to double the plasma. As a chamber, a CVD apparatus has been proposed which is capable of cleaning the plasma generation chamber to facilitate cleaning work and generate uniform plasma.

The present invention embodies loading and unloading of substrates into and from the plasma generation chamber when the processing chamber has a double structure.
Double chamber structure CVD for easy cleaning of plasma generation chamber
It is intended to realize the device.

[0009]

According to the present invention, in a CVD apparatus having a dual chamber structure in which a plasma generating chamber is provided in a processing chamber, an upper electrode is provided in the processing chamber and the periphery of the upper electrode is surrounded. A frame body is provided, and a lower electrode that abuts a lower surface of the frame body and faces the upper electrode is provided, and the upper electrode, the frame body, and the lower electrode form an inner chamber that defines a plasma generation chamber and the lower electrode. The frame body and the lower electrode are separately provided in the vertical direction so that the frame body and the lower electrode can be individually moved up and down. A rail is provided so that the lower electrode can be moved up and down with a frame placed on the rail, the lower electrode can be tracked on the rail, and the lower electrode can be transported along the rail. It is a thing.

[0010]

When the lower electrode is lowered to release the inner chamber, the substrate to be processed is transported from the substrate transport port by a required transporting machine such as a transport robot, or when the inner chamber is transported for cleaning the inner chamber, The inner chamber is lowered to ride on a rail, and the inner chamber is conveyed along the rail.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a CVD apparatus according to the present invention, particularly a processing chamber, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the processing chamber.

An upper electrode holder 4 is provided on the upper surface of the processing chamber 1,
An upper electrode plate 6 is provided on the upper electrode holder 4 via an insulating block 5, a gap 7 is formed between the upper electrode plate 6 and the upper electrode holder 4, and a reaction gas (not shown) is formed in the gap 7. Connect the supply pipe. Although not shown, the upper electrode plate 6 is provided with introduction holes for introducing the reaction gas from a plurality of locations.

Below the upper electrode holder 4, an inner chamber 8 defining the plasma generating chamber 3 is provided. The inner chamber 8 is in airtight contact with the ceiling surface of the processing chamber 1 and forms a side wall,
The lower electrode plate 10 that is in airtight contact with the frame 9 and faces the upper electrode plate 6, and the electrode heating plate 11 that closely adheres to the lower surface of the lower electrode plate 10 are mainly configured. The electrode plate 10 and the electrode heating plate 11 are vertically separable.

A quartz side wall cover 12 is provided inside the frame 9, and a quartz electrode cover 13 is detachably provided on the upper end surface of the side wall cover 12. As shown in FIG. 7, a large number of reaction gas dispersion holes 14 are formed in the electrode cover 13, and a slight gap is formed between the electrode cover 13 and the upper electrode plate 6 to store gas. Form 15.

The central portion of the lower electrode plate 10 is the substrate 2
The exhaust duct groove 16 made of quartz is engraved around the substrate 2 mounting portion.
Covers with the duct lid 17. Further, the exhaust duct groove 16 communicates with the plasma generating chamber 3 and also with the processing chamber 1. Thus, the inner surface of the plasma generating chamber 3 is entirely made of quartz, the side wall cover 12, the electrode cover 13, and the duct cover 17.
Will be covered with.

A guide pin 1 is provided on the lower electrode plate 10.
8 is provided upright, and the guide pin 18 can be inserted into and removed from the frame body 9. A holding cylinder 19 is provided on the lower surface of the processing chamber 1, and the rod 20 of the holding cylinder 19 is connected to the processing chamber 1
The lower electrode plate 1 while airtightly penetrating the bottom of the
0 is penetrated and the tip of the rod 20 is brought into contact with the lower surface of the lower electrode plate 10.

A pressing plate 21 is provided below the electrode heating plate 11.
The pressing plate 21 and the electrode heating plate 11 are connected via a pin 22 so as to be able to approach and separate from each other, and a compression spring 23 is interposed between the pressing plate 21 and the electrode heating plate 11. The pressing plate 21 and the electrode heating plate 11 are urged in the separating direction. The pressing plate 21 is fixed to the upper end of an elevating rod 24 that hermetically penetrates the bottom of the processing chamber 1. A lower shelf plate 25 is fixed to the lower end of the elevating rod 24, and the lower shelf plate 25 is an elevating cylinder 26 attached to the bottom surface of the processing chamber 1.
Stick to the rod of.

An upper shelf plate 27 is movably provided on the elevating rod 24, and a tip end of a rod 29 of a substrate lift cylinder 28 provided on the lower shelf plate 25 is fixed to the upper shelf plate 27.
At least three lift rods 30 that penetrate the bottom of the processing chamber 1 in an airtight manner are erected on the upper shelf plate 27, the pressing plates 21 are loosely fitted to the upper ends of the lift rods 30, and the electrode heating plate 11 and the lower plate are attached. Substrate support pins 31 that extend through the electrode plate 10 are extended.

Rails 32 are provided on the bottom of the processing chamber 1 on the left and right sides.
A pair of wheels 33 is rotatably provided on the side surface of the lower electrode plate 10 so that the lower electrode plate 10 can ride on the rail 32 via the wheels 33 in a lowered state. Further, a substrate transfer port 34 for loading and transferring a substrate is provided on a side surface of the processing chamber 1 orthogonal to the rail 32, and an inner chamber 8 is provided on a side surface of the processing chamber 1 parallel to the rail 32. An inner chamber exchange port 35 for loading and carrying is provided.

A gate valve (not shown) is provided at the substrate transfer port 34, and a gate valve 36 is provided at the inner chamber exchange port 35. An inner chamber exchange device 37 is connected to the processing chamber 1 through the gate valve 36 as shown in FIGS.

The inner chamber exchanging device 37 is mainly composed of an inner chamber transfer mechanism section 38, a lifting mechanism section 39 and a transfer mechanism section storage section 40.

First, the inner chamber transfer mechanism 38 will be described.

The inner chamber transfer mechanism section 38 includes the transfer unit 4
2 is provided in two stages, and the two-stage transport unit 4
2 has the same configuration. The transport unit 42 will be described.

The base 41 is provided with a pair of rails 43, and the rails 43 are positioned on the extension lines of the rails 32.
A linear guide 44 is provided between the rails 43, and a slide board 46 is slidably provided on the linear guide 44 via a slide bearing 45. A screw shaft 47 is arranged in parallel with the linear guide 44, and both ends of the screw shaft 47 are rotatably supported by bearings 48 and 49. The nut block 5 is attached to the slide substrate 46.
0 is fixed, and the nut block 50 is screwed onto the screw shaft 47. 1 of the screw shaft 47
Fit the sprocket 51 on the end.

A conveying motor 52 is provided adjacent to the screw shaft 47, an intermediate shaft 53 connected to the output shaft of the conveying motor 52 is rotatably provided, and a drive sprocket 54 is fitted on the intermediate shaft 53. The drive sprocket 54 and the sprocket 51 are connected by a chain 55.

A floating sprocket 56 and a floating sprocket 57 are provided at the processing chamber side end and the non-processing chamber side end of the slide substrate 46, respectively, and a transport chain 58 is provided around both the floating sprocket 56 and the floating sprocket 57, and the transport is performed. One end of the chain 58 is attached to the base 41, and the other end of the transport chain 58 is attached to the base 41 via a tension spring 59. The tension spring 5
9 always applies a required tension to the transport chain 58.

A pin 60 is provided so as to project upward at a predetermined position of the carrier chain 58. A connecting member 61 is provided on the lower surface of the lower electrode plate 10, and the pin 60 can be inserted into and removed from an engaging groove 62 of the connecting member 61.

Here, the upper carrying unit 42 is attached to the base 41 of the lower carrying unit 42 via a column 78. Incidentally, 79 is a cooler.

The transfer mechanism housing 40 will be described.

The transport mechanism housing 40 is provided with a plurality of rod-shaped heating lamps 66 on the ceiling surface of an airtight housing 65, and a quartz lamp cover 67 is provided below the rod-shaped heating lamps 66.
Is provided, and the bottom plate 68 of the storage chamber 65 is supported by the elevating mechanism section 39 so as to be able to ascend and descend.

The lifting mechanism 39 will be described.

An elevating cylinder 72 is erected on a base plate 71 of a base 70 on which the storage chamber 65 is placed, and the bottom plate 68 is fixed to the upper end of a rod 73 of the base plate 71. Thus, the bottom plate 68 is supported by the elevating cylinder 72 so as to be able to move up and down, and is pressed in the storage chamber 65 in an airtight manner. An exchange cylinder 74 is attached to the lower surface of the bottom plate 68, an elevating base plate 77 is fixed to the lower end of a rod 75 of the exchange cylinder 74, and a support rod 76 penetrating the bottom plate 68 in an airtight and slidable manner is provided. The lower end of the support rod 76 is fixed to the lift base plate 77 and the support rod 76
Is fixed to the base 41 of the lower transfer unit 42.

The operation will be described below with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 7 shows a state in which the substrate is loaded.
When carrying in, extend the elevating cylinder 26,
The electrode heating plate 11 is lowered via the elevating rod 24. The holding cylinder 19 holds the frame body 9 in a state of being pressed against the ceiling surface of the processing chamber 1. As the electrode heating plate 11 descends, the lower electrode plate 10 descends while being placed on the electrode heating plate 11.

A robot arm 80 for loading the substrate 2 by opening a gate valve (not shown) and opening the substrate transfer port 34.
Is inserted into the processing chamber 1 to hold the substrate 2 above the lower electrode plate 10. The substrate lift cylinder 28 is extended to raise the upper shelf plate 27, and the substrate support pins 31 are projected above the lower electrode plate 10 via lift rods 30. The substrate supporting pin 31 supports the substrate 2 by the protrusion of the substrate supporting pin 31.

The robot arm 80 is retracted, the substrate transfer port 34 is closed by a gate valve (not shown), the elevating cylinder 26 is shortened to raise the pressing plate 21, and the compression spring 23 and the electrode heating plate 11 are inserted. The lower electrode plate 10 is pressed against the frame 9. The lower electrode plate 10 is required to be heated by the electrode heating plate 11, and the contact pressure between the lower electrode plate 10 and the electrode heating plate 11 is maintained at an appropriate value by the compression spring 23.

By shortening the substrate lift cylinder 28, the substrate support pins 31 are lowered, and the substrate 2 is placed on the lower electrode plate 10 (see FIG. 8).

The substrate transfer port 34 and the inner chamber exchange port 35 are closed, and the reaction gas is supplied from the above-mentioned reaction gas supply pipe (not shown). The reaction gas is the gap 7 and the upper electrode plate 6.
Then, the particles are dispersed by the electrode cover 13 and introduced into the plasma generation chamber 3. Further, the inside of the processing chamber 1 is exhausted by an exhaust system (not shown). The reaction gas introduced into the plasma generation chamber 3 flows into the processing chamber 1 through the exhaust duct groove 16 and is further exhausted by the exhaust system. High-frequency power is applied between the upper electrode plate 6 and the lower electrode plate 10 in a state where the reaction gas is introduced and exhausted to generate plasma in the plasma generation chamber 3, and vapor deposition on the surface of the substrate 2 (CVD treatment). I do.

When the CVD process of the substrate 2 is completed, the carrying-in operation of the substrate 2 is reversed to carry out the carrying-out operation of the substrate 2 (see FIG. 7).

Thus, when the processing chamber has a double structure,
The substrate 2 can be carried in and out of the plasma generation chamber 3.

As described above, the CVD process decomposes gas phase gas molecules and deposits them as a thin film on the substrate. The thin film is formed not only on the substrate 2 but also on the inner wall of the plasma generating chamber 3. The film formed on the inner wall of the plasma generation chamber 3 is
The plasma generation chamber 3 must be cleaned regularly or in an appropriate manner depending on the state of the treatment, because it peels off and adheres to the substrate 2 during treatment to contaminate the substrate.

In the present embodiment, such cleaning work is performed by taking the inner chamber 8 itself out of the processing chamber 1. Further description will be made.

Both the lifting cylinder 26 and the holding cylinder 19 are shortened, and the lower electrode plate 10, the frame 9, the side wall cover 12, the electrode cover 13 are attached to the electrode heating plate 11.
With the duct lid 17 placed on the electrode heating plate 11, that is, with the inner chamber 8 placed on the electrode heating plate 11, the electrode heating plate 11 is lowered and the wheels 33 are placed on the electrode cover 13 (FIG. 9). reference).

In the upper transfer unit 42 of the inner chamber exchanging device 37, the lower electrode plate 10, the frame 9 and the side wall cover 1 are provided.
2, a new inner chamber 8 including the electrode cover 13 and the duct lid 17 is placed and preheated by the rod-shaped heating lamp 66 in advance, and the lower transport unit 42 is in an empty state.

The exchange cylinder 74 is shortened to raise the transfer unit 42 via the support rod 76, and the transfer level of the transfer unit 42 at the lower stage and the transfer level of the processing chamber 1 side are matched.

Next, the gate valve 36 is opened to open the inner chamber exchange port 35. The transport motor 52 of the transport unit 42 is driven to rotate the screw shaft 47 via the drive sprocket 54, the chain 55, and the sprocket 51, and the slide substrate 46 is advanced to the processing chamber 1 side. As the slide board 46 advances, the floating sprocket 57 and the floating sprocket 56 are moved.
The transport chain 58, which is wound around, moves. At the stroke end of the slide substrate 46 on the processing chamber 1 side (advancing side), the pin 60 fixed to the transfer chain 58 engages with the connector 61 fixed to the lower surface of the lower electrode plate 10.

When the transport motor 52 is rotated in the opposite direction, the pin 60 slides in the engagement groove 62 of the connecting tool 61 and the engagement state between the pin 60 and the connecting tool 61 is maintained. Meanwhile, the inner chamber 8 is withdrawn as the slide substrate 46 retreats, the inner chamber 8 is pulled out, and eventually moves onto the rail 43 of the transport unit 42 and moves, and the inner chamber 8 is completely stored at the retracted side stroke end of the slide substrate 46. It is stored in the chamber 65.

When the storage of the inner chamber 8 to be cleaned is completed, the exchange cylinder 74 is extended, the transport unit 42 is lowered, and the upper transport unit 42 is brought to the transport level. The slide motor 46 of the upper transfer unit 42 is driven to move the slide substrate 46 forward, and the preheated inner chamber 8 is loaded into the processing chamber 1. When the charging of the inner chamber 8 into the processing chamber 1 is completed, the transport motor 52 is rotated in the reverse direction,
The slide substrate 46 is retracted. Further, the gate valve 36 is operated to close the inner chamber exchange port 35.

The operation of defining the plasma generating chamber 3 by the inner chamber 8 may be carried out by reversing the carrying-out operation of the inner chamber 8, and is performed by the cooperation of the holding cylinder 19 and the elevating cylinder 26.

The elevating cylinder 72 of the elevating mechanism 39 is shortened, and the bottom plate 68 is lowered via the rod 73. By lowering the bottom plate 68, the two sets of transfer units 42 are completely exposed from the storage chamber 65. Thus, the inner chamber 8 to be cleaned can be removed from the lower transport unit 42, and a new inner chamber 8 can be attached to the upper transport unit 42.

As described above, the cleaning operation can be performed by taking out the inner chamber 8 without disassembling the processing chamber 1. Further, in the cleaning operation of the inner chamber 8, as described above, the plasma generating chamber 3 is removed. The inner wall is covered with a quartz side wall cover 12, an electrode cover 13, and a duct lid 17, and the cleaning can be performed by removing the side wall cover 12, the electrode cover 13, and the duct lid 17 for cleaning. Become.

In the above embodiment, a chain-based transport unit is shown, but various drive mechanisms are conceivable. Figure 10
The other transport units will be described below.

A slide block 84 is slidably provided on the base 83 via a linear guide (not shown), and one end of the transport rod 85 is rotatably supported by the slide block 84. The end is rotatably and slidably supported by a bearing 86 provided on the base 83 side. A screw rod 87 is rotatably provided below the transport rod 85, and a nut block 88 attached to the slide block 84 is screwed onto the screw rod 87. A rotary cylinder 92 is provided on the side opposite to the processing chamber 1 of the transfer rod 85, and a rotor 94 engageable with the lower electrode plate 10 is provided on the side of the processing chamber 1 of the transfer rod 85.

A motor 93 is provided on the lower surface of the base 83, and a drive pulley 90 provided on the output shaft of the motor 93 and a driven pulley 89 provided on the screw rod 87 are connected by a belt 91.

Then, the motor 93 is driven to rotate the screw rod 87 via the drive pulley 90, the belt 91, and the driven pulley 89 to advance the slide block 84. As the slide block 84 advances, the transport rod 85 also advances, and the rotor 94 reaches a position where it can engage with the lower electrode plate 10. The rotary cylinder 92 is driven to rotate the rotor 94 to engage the rotor 94 with the lower electrode plate 10.

The inner chamber 8 can be pulled out from the processing chamber 1 by driving the motor 93 to retract the slide block 84 together with the transport rod 85.

Although not specifically exemplified, it goes without saying that the present invention can be variously modified without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0059]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the plasma generating chamber is provided in the processing chamber to form the double chamber structure,
The substrate can be carried in and out of the plasma generating chamber, which contributes to the realization of a CVD apparatus having a double chamber structure. Further, the plasma generating chamber can be taken out to greatly improve the workability of the cleaning work. It has an excellent effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a CVD apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of a CVD apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of an inner chamber exchange device of a CVD device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan cross-sectional view of the same front room exchange device.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the same indoor chamber exchanging device.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the front interior room exchange device.

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory diagram of the CVD apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory view of the CVD apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory view of the CVD apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a side sectional view of another inner chamber exchange device of the CVD apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

11 is a view on arrow A of FIG.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram of a CVD apparatus having a double chamber structure.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Processing Chamber 2 Substrate 3 Plasma Generation Chamber 6 Upper Electrode Plate 8 Inner Chamber 9 Frame 19 Holding Cylinder 26 Lifting Cylinder 32 Rail 33 Wheel 34 Substrate Transfer Port 35 Internal Chamber Exchange Port

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Tomohiko Takeda 2-3-13 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo International Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masayuki Suzuki 2-3-13 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo International Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Ryoji Oritsuki 3300 Hayano, Mobara-shi, Chiba Hitachi Ltd. Mobara factory

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In a CVD apparatus having a double chamber structure in which a plasma generating chamber is provided in the processing chamber, an upper electrode is provided in the processing chamber, and a frame body surrounding the upper electrode is provided. A lower electrode that is in contact with the lower surface of the upper electrode and faces the upper electrode, forms an inner chamber that defines a plasma generation chamber by the upper electrode, the frame, and the lower electrode, and is capable of moving up and down the lower electrode. And CVD equipment. 2. The CVD apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the frame body and the lower electrode are provided so as to be vertically separable, and the frame body and the lower electrode are provided with elevating means. 3. A wheel is provided on the lower electrode and a rail is provided on the bottom surface of the processing chamber so that the lower electrode can be moved up and down while a frame is placed on the lower electrode, and the lower electrode can be tracked on the rail. The CVD apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the lower electrode can be transported along the rail.