JP4671841B2 - Degassing method and degassing apparatus between objects - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is applied to a vacuum apparatus used for manufacturing semiconductors and the like, and more particularly to a technique for exhausting a gas between two stacked objects used in a wafer bonding apparatus or a plasma processing apparatus. is there.

  Conventionally, when bonding substrates, which are objects, in a reduced pressure atmosphere, the pressure is often reduced after aligning the two substrates in an atmospheric pressure atmosphere. Various techniques for removing air existing between two substrates at the time of decompression have been proposed.

For example, in the method of bonding substrates of Patent Document 1, the first substrate is disposed on the lower side and the second substrate is disposed on the upper side by spacer jigs disposed at a plurality of locations between two semiconductor substrates in a reduced pressure atmosphere. A technique is disclosed in which a spacer jig is pulled out under reduced pressure when two substrates are bonded together in a state where the substrates are placed and the two substrates are not in contact with each other.
JP 2000-216365 A

  However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the substrate is displaced when the spacer jig is pulled out. For this reason, when strict positioning accuracy is required between the two substrates to be bonded, this method has a problem that the object cannot be achieved.

  The present invention is directed to solving the above-described problems of the prior art, and maintains the position of two objects (substrates) with high accuracy and shortens the air between the surfaces of the two objects to be contacted. An object of the present invention is to provide a degassing method and a degassing apparatus between objects to be removed in time.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the degassing method between objects according to the present invention is to bring a desired surface of a first object into contact with a desired surface of a second object in an atmospheric pressure atmosphere, and contact by contact. The first region of a part of the surface is pressed in the same direction as the direction in which the first object and the second object are contacted, and the second region which is a part of the contact surface different from the first region is apart in the direction of separating the first object and the second object, the atmospheric pressure in the vacuum atmosphere, contacting the second region of the first object and the second object was separated, have a step, wherein In the step of separating the second region, the area of the desired surface of the first object is larger than the area of the desired surface of the second object, and the first object is not in contact with the second object. A part of the area on the desired surface of the first object and the second object are moved away from each other, and the second object is moved to the second surface. Characterized in that to separate the band.

Further, the degassing apparatus between objects according to the present invention includes a placing means for placing the first object and the second object in contact with each other, one of the first object or the second object in contact with each other. A pressing means for pressing the surface of the part, and a separating means for separating a part of the first object or the second object in contact with each other, wherein the separating means is a first object that is not in contact with the second object It is a pushing-up means for moving an object region in a direction in which a contact surface between the first object and the second object is separated .

  According to the degassing method and apparatus between the objects, a part of the first object and the second object is pressed and held so as not to be displaced from each other, and the outer periphery of the first object is the second object. By deforming in a direction away from the object, air between the surfaces of the first and second objects can be removed.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to hold the position of two objects with high accuracy and to remove air between the surfaces of the two objects in contact in a short time.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a degassing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The degassing apparatus according to the present embodiment is an apparatus that performs degassing in a state where the second object 2 that is a silicon substrate having the same shape as the first object 1 that is a substantially disk-shaped silicon substrate is overlapped. .

  As shown in FIG. 1, the degassing apparatus includes a chamber 3 that houses a first object 1 and a second object 2 inside and isolates them from the outside air, and a vacuum for depressurizing the inside of the chamber 3 in the chamber 3. An exhaust pipe 4 connected to a pump (not shown), a base plate 6 of mounting means for holding the first target object 1 and the second target object 2 in an aligned state, and a target fixing part 7. A stage 5 for placing a tool and a jig, a push-up shaft 8 and a push-up shaft drive part 9 of a target fixing part 7 for fixing and releasing a target, a first target 1 and a second target 2 includes an object pressing unit 10 and an object pressing drive unit 11 of a pressing unit for pressing so as not to deviate, and an adsorption pipe 12 (vacuum adsorption unit) which is a separation unit for lifting a part of the first object 1. .

  Here, a plurality of suction pipes 12 are equally installed on the outer periphery of the first object 1, and the suction surface (lower end in FIG. 1) adsorbs an elastic body to make it easier to suck the object. It is desirable that a pad is provided. Further, the vacuum source of the adsorption pipe 12 may be shared with the vacuum pump connected to the exhaust pipe 4 of the chamber 3. However, when sharing, it is necessary to attach a valve to each so that the exhaust from the adsorption pipe 12 and the exhaust from the exhaust pipe 4 of the chamber 3 can be controlled individually.

  In addition, the tip of the object pressing part 10 (the side in contact with the object) is processed into a spherical surface or attached with an elastic body so as not to damage the object. Furthermore, the object fixing portion 7 is configured using a spring or the like, and it is preferable that a plurality of the object fixing portions 7 are evenly arranged on the outer peripheral portion so that the two objects do not shift.

  FIGS. 2-1 (a) to (f) and FIGS. 2-2 (g) to (j) are diagrams illustrating the operation flow of the degassing apparatus. First, the first object 1 and the second object 2 are aligned in advance and mounted on the stage 5 in the atmospheric pressure chamber 3 while being fixed to a jig (base plate 6, object fixing unit 7). (See FIG. 2-1 (a)). Next, the object pressing part 10 is lowered to hold the first object 1 and the second object 2 (see FIG. 2-1 (b)). Next, by raising the push-up shaft 8, the object fixing unit 7 is raised to release the object (see FIG. 2-1 (c)). Next, the suction pipe 12 is lowered and brought into contact with the upper surface of the first object 1 (see FIG. 2-1 (d)). Next, after exhausting from the adsorption pipe 12 and adsorbing the first object 1 (see FIG. 2-1 (e)), the adsorption pipe 12 is raised (see FIG. 2-1 (f)).

  Next, exhaust is performed from the exhaust pipe 4, and the pressure in the chamber 3 is reduced (see FIG. 2-2 (g)). Here, when the pressure in the chamber 3 becomes equal to or lower than the pressure in the adsorption pipe 12, the outer peripheral portion of the first object 1 adsorbed on the adsorption pipe 12 comes off from the adsorption pipe 12 and comes into contact with the second object 2. (See FIG. 2-2 (h)). Then, after lowering the object fixing part 7 to fix the object (see FIG. 2-2 (i)), the object pressing part 10 and the suction pipe 12 are raised (see FIG. 2-2 (j)). .

  Although the present embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made.

  For example, in the embodiment, two objects are stacked, but this material may be any material such as semiconductor, glass, metal, ceramic, resin, and the shape is also substantially circular, polygonal, Any other shape can be implemented.

  Further, the object fixing method may be any configuration as long as the two superimposed objects are not displaced. Furthermore, with respect to the positions of the object pressing unit 10 and the suction pipe 12, in the present embodiment, the suction pipes 12 are evenly arranged on the outer peripheral part while pressing the center of the object. The suction pipe 12 may be arranged at one point or a plurality of locations on the opposite outer peripheral portion while pressing one point on the outer peripheral portion.

  In the present embodiment, two objects are placed horizontally and the upper object is adsorbed and lifted, but other than vacuum adsorption, for example, a configuration using an adhesive material is possible. When the area of the first object 1 is larger than that of the second object 2, the same effect can be obtained by a mechanism such as a hook.

  In addition, the first object 1 is lifted up, but other than this, the present invention can be carried out by turning the object upside down or holding the object in the vertical direction.

  Moreover, in this Embodiment, although the example of the separation means which lifts the outer peripheral part of a target object by vacuum suction was shown, the 1st target object 1 becomes the 2nd target object 2 as shown in FIG. In the case where it is larger than that, the same effect can be obtained by lifting the outer peripheral portion of the first object 1 by the push-up pin 13 as the push-up means. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4, when the second object 2 has a through hole 14, the push-up pin 13 is disposed at the same position as this hole, and the first object 1 is lifted through the through hole 14. Can do.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, assuming that the height at which the first object 1 is lifted is “H”, the position A of the object pressing unit 10 holding the first object 1 and the suction pipe 12. The relationship when the distance between the positions B is “L” is preferably in the range of (Equation 1).
(Equation 1)
1/1000 ≦ H / L ≦ 1/10
When H / L is less than 1/1000, the effect of degassing is reduced, and when H / L is greater than 1/10, problems in the apparatus configuration such as increasing the outer diameter of the adsorption pipe 12 or increasing the number of the pipes. As a result, there is a possibility that the two objects will be displaced.

  The degassing method and degassing apparatus between objects according to the present invention can maintain the position of two objects with high accuracy and remove air between the surfaces of two objects in contact in a short time. The present invention is applied to a vacuum apparatus used for manufacturing semiconductors and the like, particularly used in a wafer bonding apparatus and a plasma processing apparatus, and is useful as a technique for exhausting a gas between two superimposed objects.

Sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of the degassing apparatus in embodiment of this invention The figure which shows the flow of operation | movement of the degassing apparatus in this Embodiment. The figure which shows the flow of operation | movement of the degassing apparatus in this Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of another degassing apparatus in this Embodiment. Sectional drawing which shows schematic structure of another degassing apparatus in this Embodiment. The figure which shows the relationship between the 1st target object, target object holding | suppressing part, and adsorption | suction piping in this Embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 1st target object 2 2nd target object 3 Chamber 4 Exhaust piping 5 Stage 6 Base plate 7 Target fixing part 8 Pushing shaft 9 Pushing shaft drive part 10 Object pressing part 11 Object pressing drive part 12 Suction piping 13 Pushing pin 14 Through hole

Claims (2)

Contacting a desired surface of the first object and a desired surface of the second object in an atmospheric pressure atmosphere;
A first region of a part of the contact surface by the contact is pressed in the same direction as the direction in which the first object and the second object are brought into contact;
Separating a second region that is a part of the contact surface different from the first region in a direction to separate the first object and the second object;
The atmospheric pressure atmosphere is changed to a vacuum atmosphere, and the separated first object and the second area of the second object are brought into contact with each other.
And the step of separating the second region includes a step in which an area of a desired surface of the first object is larger than an area of a desired surface of the second object and is in contact with the second object. A part of a region on a desired surface of the first object that is not present is moved in a direction in which the contact surface between the first object and the second object is separated, and the second region is separated. A degassing method between objects. Placing means for placing the first and second objects in contact with each other;
A pressing means for pressing a part of the surface of the contacted first object or second object;
Separating means for separating a part of the first object or the second object brought into contact with each other, wherein the separating means defines a region of the first object that is not in contact with the second object as the first object. A degassing apparatus between objects, wherein the apparatus is a push-up means for moving the object and a contact surface of the second object away from each other.

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