JPS60214526A - Manufacturing equipment of semiconductor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent contamination or damage by foreign matters such as dust, to improve the quality and the yield of a substrate and to contrive improving the efficiency of treating works by carrying in and out of a vacuum treatment chamber a semiconductor substrate through an auxiliary vacuum chamber. CONSTITUTION:Vacuum gate valves 11, 12 to a vacuum treatment container 1 wherein ions are implanted into a semiconductor substrate are closed and a cartridge 20 is carried in and out of auxiliary vacuum chambers 9, 10 through vacuum gate valves 13, 14 of an inlet side and an outlet side by cartridge transfer means 21, 22, 23. Further, the vacuum gate valves 13, 14 of the inlet and the outlet to the outside of the chamber are closed, the inside of the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9 is made a vacuum and a semiconductor substrate 6 is loaded or unloaded one by one between the cartridge 20 carried in the auxiliary vacuum chamber and a disk 3 in the vacuum treatment container by substrate handling means 24. In these constructions, all the exchanges of the substrates are carried out in vacuum and the depreciation of the quality and the yield of the substrate due to dust suspended in the atmosphere and fine grain like dust generated during transfer can be prevented.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Technical field to which the invention pertains]

This invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs processing such as ion implantation into a semiconductor substrate in a vacuum processing chamber, or the formation of a thin film on a semiconductor substrate by vacuum evaporation or sputtering, and in particular, a method for supplying and processing a substrate to the vacuum processing chamber. The present invention relates to a loading/unloading mechanism for taking out a board.

[Prior art and its problems]

This type of semiconductor manufacturing equipment is equipped with a removable rotating disk that loads and holds multiple semiconductor substrates side by side in a vacuum processing chamber, and while the chamber is evacuated, the disk is rotated and a wafer is exposed to, for example, an ion beam. After the process, the lid of the vacuum processing chamber is opened and the disk is removed together with the substrate under atmospheric pressure.
Furthermore, it is known that after replacing the disk with another replacement disk loaded with a new substrate, the lid of the vacuum processing container is closed and the inside of the container is evacuated to perform the next ion implantation process. However, this method has low work efficiency because it is necessary to open the vacuum processing container to atmospheric pressure and evacuate it again each time processing is performed. There are drawbacks such as unavoidable quality deterioration. In addition, as an improved method of this, for example, as described in the published patent application No. 136754/1980, the internal pressure is changed between the vacuum state and the atmospheric pressure state via a vacuum gate valve on one side of the vacuum processing container. A fluctuating lock chamber is provided in series, and a disk loaded with a processed substrate and a disk loaded with a new substrate are transferred between the lock chamber and the vacuum processing chamber while maintaining the vacuum pressure inside the vacuum processing chamber. A method in which the parts are replaced and replaced is also known. According to this method, since the vacuum processing container can be maintained in a vacuum state, there is almost no waiting time for evacuation between the previous processing and the next processing, and the processing efficiency of the substrate can be improved. However, in all of the above-mentioned conventional methods, the loading of substrates onto disks and the removal of substrates after processing are carried out by taking the disks outside into the atmosphere, so there is a problem with foreign matter in the form of particulates such as floating dust in the air. There remains the problem of contamination, which reduces the quality of the substrate and the yield rate.

[Purpose of the invention]

This invention has been made in view of the above points, and its purpose is to eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional equipment, and to improve the loading and unloading of semiconductor substrates.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus which can prevent contamination by foreign substances such as dust during transport, improve the quality and yield of substrates, and further improve processing efficiency.

[Key points of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an auxiliary vacuum chamber for loading and unloading substrates that is connected to the circumference of a vacuum processing container, and a passageway between the auxiliary vacuum chamber and the vacuum processing container that communicates with the outside of the room. The semiconductor substrate storage cartridge is carried in through the vacuum gate valves installed at the entrance and exit of the auxiliary vacuum chamber, the vacuum exhaust system connected to the auxiliary vacuum chamber, and the vacuum gate valves at the entrance and exit of the auxiliary vacuum chamber. A cartridge transfer means for carrying out the cartridge, and a substrate handling means for grasping and transferring semiconductor substrates one by one through a vacuum gate valve between the cartridge carried into the auxiliary vacuum chamber and a rotating disk in the vacuum processing container. With the vacuum gate valve leading to the vacuum processing container closed, the cartridge is carried into and out of the auxiliary vacuum chamber via the vacuum gate valves on the inlet and outlet sides using the cartridge transfer means, and then the inlet and outlet sides leading to the outside. With the vacuum gate valve closed and the auxiliary vacuum chamber evacuated, semiconductor substrates are loaded and unloaded one by one between the cartridge carried into the auxiliary vacuum chamber by the substrate handling means and the disk in the vacuum processing container. In the atmosphere, multiple boards are housed in a dedicated cartridge and handled.
In addition, all operations for replacing substrates in the vacuum processing container can be performed in a vacuum state without fear of dust or contamination.

[Embodiments of the invention]

Figures 1 to 4 and Figure 5 each show an embodiment of the present invention for implanting ions into a semiconductor substrate, and in the figures, 1 is a vacuum processing container configured as a circular closed container. A rotary disk 3 for holding a substrate, which is rotated by a drive motor 2, is housed inside the disk 3, and this disk 3 is equipped with a plurality of substrate clamping mechanisms 4 arranged along its circumference. The substrate clamping mechanism 4 includes, for example, an opening/closing claw for holding a substrate that stands up from a disk, and controls the opening/closing of the claw by an operating section 5 to grip a semiconductor substrate 6 in a removable manner. On the other hand, an ion implantation lower is open-connected to the vacuum processing chamber 1, facing the substrate 6 held by the substrate clamp mechanism 4 and arranged on the disk 3, and directed toward the substrate 6 from an ion generation source (not shown). The ion beam 8 is projected. In order to uniformly project the ion beam 8 onto the substrate 6, the entire vacuum processing chamber must be reciprocated in the radial direction of the disk while the disk 3 is rotated while the ion beam is held in a fixed position, or conversely, the ion beam 8 may be projected uniformly onto the substrate 6. 8 is deflected in the radial direction and made to swing. In addition, a vacuum exhaust system (not shown) is connected to the vacuum processing chamber 1, and during ion implantation processing, for example, 5 Xl0
-'Pa or less pressure is maintained. Incidentally, on the outer periphery of the vacuum processing container 1, an auxiliary vacuum chamber 9 for carrying in substrates and an auxiliary vacuum chamber 1o for carrying out substrates are located at positions shifted from each other in the circumferential direction.
Installed via 1.12. The auxiliary vacuum chambers 9 and 10 are entrances leading to the outside. Vacuum gate valves 13.14 and 15.1 also on the outlet side
6 is installed. Note that the auxiliary vacuum chambers 9 and 1o have a first
Vacuum pump 16. A vacuum evacuation system 19 including on-off valves 17, 18 is connected. On the other hand, in the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9.10, a substrate storage cartridge 20 storing a plurality of substrates 6 in a row is carried into the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9, 1o via the vacuum gate pulp 13.14.15.16. Alternatively, as a cartridge transporting means for transporting the cartridge to the outside, a cartridge transport mechanism is provided which combines a buttonhole 21 on the entrance side, a transport conveyor 22 in the auxiliary vacuum chamber, and a transport conveyor 23 on the exit side. Furthermore, the locations within the vacuum processing container corresponding to the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9 and the auxiliary vacuum chamber 10 are each marked with 24.2.
A substrate handling mechanism indicated by 5 is provided. Of these, the substrate handling mechanism 24 takes out the substrates 6 one by one from the cartridge 20 carried into the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9, carries them into the vacuum processing container through the vacuum gate valve 11, and transfers them to the substrate clamping mechanism 4. The mechanism includes, for example, a clamper for gripping the substrate at the tip of a telescoping arm. One substrate handling mechanism 25 operates to take out the substrates after ion implantation processing from the substrate clamping mechanism 4 one by one and transfer them to the empty cartridge 20 waiting to be carried into the auxiliary vacuum chamber 1o via the vacuum gate valve 12. The mechanism is the same as described above. Note that the installation location of the substrate handling mechanisms 24 and 25 is not limited to the illustrated example; for example, the substrate handling mechanisms 24 and 25 may be installed on the side of a vacuum processing container or on the side of an auxiliary vacuum chamber to transfer substrates. Good too. Next, the loading and unloading operations of semiconductor substrates with the above configuration will be explained. On the substrate loading side (FIG. 3), the cartridge 2o containing a plurality of semiconductor substrates 6 is transferred to the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9 via the vacuum gate pulp 13 by the pusher 21.
Furthermore, when the cartridge 20 sent into the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9 is transferred to a predetermined position by the conveyor 22,
The vacuum gate valve 13 is closed by a suitable drive mechanism (not shown) to hermetically seal the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9. Here, if the vacuum evacuation system 19 is operated and it is detected that the pressure in the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9 has become below a predetermined pressure, for example, IPa or less, the vacuum chamber 9 is installed between the vacuum processing container 1, which is always in a vacuum state, and the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9. The vacuum gate pulp 11 is opened, and then the substrate handling mechanism 24 installed in the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9 is opened.
The semiconductor substrates 6 housed in the cartridge 20 are taken out one by one and transferred to the substrate clamping mechanism 4 in the vacuum processing container 1 for delivery. If the clamp mechanism 4 holds the semiconductor substrate 6 here, the handling mechanism 24 releases its grip on the substrate 6 and returns to the initial position, and the conveyor 22 moves just one pinch until the handling mechanism 24 takes out the next substrate 6. Transfer the cartridge 20 to the left. Furthermore, the clamping mechanism 4 loaded with the semiconductor substrate 6 is transferred together with the disk 1 by an indexing operation of rotation in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. come. Thereafter, by repeating the above-described substrate transfer operation, one semiconductor substrate 6 is loaded onto all the clamp mechanisms 4 installed on the disk 3. After all the substrates 6' have been loaded, the vacuum gate valve 11 installed between the vacuum processing container 1 and the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9 is closed, and the ion implantation process described above is started. On the other hand, while the cartridge 20, which has become empty after all the semiconductor substrates 6 have been transferred into the vacuum processing container, is undergoing ion implantation processing, the vacuum gate valve 13.
4 is opened and the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9 is opened by the conveyor 22.23.
is sent outdoors. Then, a plurality of semiconductor substrates 6
A new cartridge 20 containing the cartridge is sent into the auxiliary vacuum chamber 9 through the vacuum gate valve 13 on the inlet side, and transported to a predetermined position within the chamber. Thereafter, the vacuum gate pulps 13 and 14 are closed, and the vacuum state is further maintained by the vacuum evacuation system 19, so that the cartridge 20 is placed on standby until the next ion implantation process. On the other hand, on the substrate unloading side (FIG. 4), an empty cartridge 20 containing no semiconductor substrate 6 is sent into the auxiliary vacuum chamber 10 by the pusher 21 via the vacuum gate valve 15. The λ empty cartridge 20 transferred into the auxiliary vacuum chamber lo is transferred to a predetermined position by the conveyor 22, and waits until the above-mentioned ion implantation process is completed. At the same time, the vacuum gate valve 15 is closed and the auxiliary vacuum chamber 10 is hermetically sealed. shall be. Subsequently, the evacuation system 19 is operated to evacuate the auxiliary vacuum chamber 1o. Here, the disk 3 which is rotating during the above-described ion implantation process stops at a fixed position when the ion implantation process is completed. Next, the vacuum gate valve 12 installed between the vacuum processing container 1 which is always in a vacuum state and the auxiliary vacuum chamber 10 is opened, and the handling mechanism 25 installed on the vacuum processing container side is connected to the clamping mechanism installed on the disk 3. The processed semiconductor substrate 6 is taken out from the auxiliary vacuum chamber 10 and stored in the empty cartridge 2°, and the handling mechanism 25 returns to the initial position again. Subsequently, the conveyor 22 moves the cartridge 20 to the left by one pitch to a predetermined position where the handling mechanism 25 can accommodate the next substrate. Furthermore, on the disk side, the clamp mechanism 4
is moved by the rotational indexing operation of the disk 3, and the next clamp mechanism 4 is transferred to a predetermined position for removal. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated, and the processed substrates 6 held by the clamp mechanism 4 of the disk 3 are transferred one by one to the cartridge 20 and housed therein. After all the substrates 6 are loaded into the cartridge 20, the vacuum gate valve 12
is closed and the cartridge 20 filled with processed substrates is sent out of the auxiliary vacuum chamber 10 by the conveyor 22.23 with the vacuum gate and valve 15.16 open during the ion implantation process. be done. Further, another cartridge 20 is newly fed in by the pusher 21 and transported to a predetermined position in the room. After being transferred to a predetermined position, the vacuum gate valves 15 and 16 are closed, and the auxiliary vacuum chamber 10 is maintained in a vacuum state by the evacuation system, and the cartridge 20 is kept on standby in the chamber until the next housing operation. Note that although the operations of board loading and board unloading are explained separately above, in reality, board loading and board unloading are not performed separately over time, but board unloading and board loading are performed concurrently. All of the ion-treated substrates on the disk 3 are replaced with new semiconductor substrates. After the substrate 6 has been replaced, the vacuum gate valves 11, 12 are closed and the ion implantation process is restarted. This method makes it possible to exchange substrates in a vacuum, and
Processing efficiency can be improved because the board unloading work and the board loading work are carried out in parallel. FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the previously described embodiment in that an auxiliary vacuum chamber 27 connected to the vacuum processing container 1 via a vacuum gate valve 26 is used for loading and unloading substrates. This room is used for both functions, allowing both board unloading and board loading work to be carried out in one room. This provides the advantage that the device can be made smaller and simpler. Although the above embodiments have been described with respect to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for implanting ions into a semiconductor substrate, the present invention is not limited to this. can be carried out at the same time.

【Effect of the invention】

As described above, according to the present invention, there is an auxiliary vacuum chamber for loading and unloading substrates that is connected to the top of the vacuum processing container, and a passageway between the auxiliary vacuum chamber and the vacuum processing container/vessel that communicates with the outside of the room. Vacuum gate valves installed at the entrance and exit of the auxiliary vacuum chamber, a vacuum exhaust system connected to the auxiliary vacuum chamber, and the entrance of the auxiliary vacuum chamber. A cartridge transfer means for loading and unloading a cartridge for storing semiconductor substrates through an exit side vacuum gate valve, and a cartridge conveying means for loading and unloading semiconductor substrate storage cartridges through a vacuum gate valve on the exit side, and between the cartridges loaded into an auxiliary vacuum chamber and a rotating disk in a vacuum processing container through a vacuum gate valve. It is equipped with a substrate handling means that grasps and transfers the substrates one by one, and with the vacuum gate valve leading to the vacuum processing container closed, the cartridge transfer means is used to transfer the substrates. Cartridges are carried into and out of the auxiliary vacuum chamber via the vacuum gate valve on the exit side, and an inlet leading to the outside of the room.
With the vacuum gate valve on the exit side closed and the auxiliary vacuum chamber evacuated, semiconductor substrates are loaded one by one between the 15-cartridge and the disk in the vacuum processing container, which are carried into the auxiliary vacuum chamber by the substrate handling means. By loading and unloading the substrates, all substrate exchanges are performed in a vacuum, which eliminates substrate quality deterioration9 yield loss caused by floating dust in the atmosphere and particulate dust generated during transfer. . Further, when exchanging the substrate after processing, it is possible to carry out the substrate loading operation and the substrate unloading operation in parallel, and it is possible to obtain the advantage that the processing efficiency can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 4 are taken along arrows nn and m-m in FIG. 1, respectively. The IV-IV sectional view and FIG. 5 are front views of another embodiment of the present invention. 140. Vacuum processing container, 3011 rotation de rotating disk 0
．． Board clamp mechanism, 601. Semiconductor substrate, 9°10,
27. ,, auxiliary vacuum chamber, 11.12.13.14.15
．． 16°26,, vacuum gate valve, 193. Vacuum exhaust system, 20. ,. Cartridge, 21.22.23. ,, Cartridge transfer Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1) A rotating disk on which a plurality of substrate clamping mechanisms are arranged side by side is provided in a vacuum processing container, and semiconductor substrates are loaded one by one into the substrate clamping mechanisms and subjected to processing such as ion implantation. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, in which substrates are carried in continuously on the periphery of the vacuum processing container. An auxiliary vacuum chamber for carrying out, vacuum gate valves installed at the road between the auxiliary vacuum chamber and the vacuum processing container, and at the entrance and exit of the auxiliary vacuum chamber leading to the outside, and connected to the auxiliary vacuum chamber. a vacuum evacuation system, a cartridge transfer means for loading and unloading the semiconductor substrate storage cartridge through the inlet and outlet vacuum gate valves of the auxiliary vacuum chamber, and rotation of the cartridge loaded into the auxiliary vacuum chamber and the vacuum processing container. It is equipped with a substrate handling means that grasps and transfers semiconductor substrates one by one between the disk and the disk through a vacuum gate valve, and with the vacuum gate valve leading to the vacuum processing container closed, the cartridge transfer means is used to transfer the semiconductor substrates to the inlet and outlet sides. Cartridges are loaded and unloaded into and out of the auxiliary vacuum chamber through the vacuum gate valve of the chamber, and the vacuum gate pulp on the outlet side leading to the outside is closed, and with the auxiliary vacuum chamber evacuated, the cartridge is assisted by the substrate handling means. Semiconductor substrates are loaded one by one between the cartridge carried into the vacuum chamber and the disk inside the vacuum processing container. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment characterized by taking out. 2. In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the auxiliary vacuum chamber is configured independently for carrying in and carrying out substrates, and each is connected to the vacuum processing container via a vacuum gate pulp. A semiconductor manufacturing device characterized by: 3) A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary vacuum chamber is configured as one common chamber that serves both for loading and unloading substrates.