KR20020089731A - apparatus for manufacturing a substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus for processing a substrate is provided to minimize a vacuum leakage due to a valve installed on a line for providing a vacuum to a process chamber by using two O-rings for maintaining a state of vacuum. CONSTITUTION: A thin film forming apparatus includes a process chamber and a vacuum pump. The process chamber is used for forming a thin film on a substrate for fabricating a semiconductor device. The chamber is formed with a preprocessing chamber, a thin film forming chamber, and a post-processing chamber. The vacuum pump is installed at each process chamber. The vacuum pump is connected with the process chamber by a vacuum line. A valve is installed on the vacuum line. An O-ring(210) is installed at the valve of the vacuum line. The O-ring(210) is formed with a couple of O-rings(210a,210b). The O-ring couple(210a,210b) is installed on a plate(200).

Description

Apparatus for manufacturing a substrate

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing, and more particularly, to an apparatus for processing a substrate by forming process conditions in a vacuum atmosphere.

In recent years, with the rapid spread of information media such as computers, semiconductor devices are also rapidly developing. In terms of its function, the semiconductor device is required to operate at a high speed and to have a large storage capacity. In response to these demands, the manufacturing technology of the semiconductor device has been developed to improve the degree of integration, reliability, and response speed. Accordingly, demand for processing techniques such as chemical vapor deposition for forming a thin film or plasma etching for forming a pattern is increasing as a main technique for improving the integration degree of the semiconductor device.

Recently, the semiconductor device has a design rule of 0.15 mu m or less. Therefore, the thin film or pattern to be formed on the substrate should be formed to have a uniform thickness. For this purpose, proper control of process conditions such as vacuum conditions is required when forming the thin film or pattern.

An example of a device requiring control of the vacuum condition is disclosed in US Pat. No. 4,966,183 issued to Williams and US Pat. No. 5,047,965 issued to Zlokovitz.

Looking at the configuration of the device used in the semiconductor manufacturing for forming a thin film among the devices as follows.

The apparatus includes a process chamber. At this time, the process chamber is mainly provided with a plurality. The apparatus also includes a vacuum pump for forming the process chamber into a vacuum. The vacuum pumps are connected to each of the process chambers, usually using vacuum lines. A valve for venting the vacuum is provided on the vacuum line by opening and closing operation. At this time, the valve is provided with one O-ring (O-ring) for sealing the vacuum.

Accordingly, the process chambers are vacuumed using the vacuum pump, and then a process for forming the thin film is performed.

Here, in the process using the device, the o-ring installed in the valve is corroded with continuous use as a consumable. Thus, a situation arises in which the vacuum of the process chamber leaks due to corrosion of the o-ring. However, the leakage of the vacuum occurs frequently because only one o-ring is provided. In addition, since the valve is installed on a vacuum line connected to each of the process chambers, the degree of corrosion of the o-rings is different. Therefore, the maintenance of the valve can only be made of each. Therefore, maintenance of the valve cannot be performed accurately and quickly.

As such, the valve installed on the conventional vacuum line frequently leaks vacuum due to corrosion because only one O-ring is installed. Thus, the apparatus has a problem that the efficiency is lowered due to the frequent occurrence of the leak. And the device is not easy to maintain. Therefore, when the device is applied to semiconductor manufacturing, there is a problem in that productivity due to semiconductor manufacturing is lowered due to the decrease in efficiency.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for processing a substrate for minimizing vacuum leakage due to a valve installed on a line providing a vacuum to a process chamber.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of accurately and quickly performing maintenance of a valve installed on a line providing a vacuum to each of the process chambers.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an apparatus for processing a substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an o-ring installed in the valve of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10 device 100 process chamber

110: vacuum pump 120: vacuum line

130: valve 200: plate

210: O-ring

The processing apparatus of the substrate of the present invention for achieving the above objects is disposed adjacent to each other, the process chambers in which at least two processes for the substrate are continuously performed, and are connected to each of the process chambers, A vacuum forming means for forming each of the process chambers in a vacuum, and a vacuum connecting between the process chambers and the vacuum forming means, and providing a vacuum formed in the vacuum forming means when forming the process chambers in vacuum. A line and installed on the vacuum line, including at least two o-rings for sealing, opening and closing according to the inflow of air, venting the vacuum of the process chambers by the opening and closing, and And opening and closing means for detecting a leak to the.

As such, by installing at least two O-rings for sealing the vacuum in the valve, the vacuum can be stably sealed. And, by installing in each of the vacuum line, even if the degree of corrosion of the O-rings are different from each other when performing the maintenance based on the minimum time of the corrosion can be carried out accurately and quickly.

As an embodiment, when the device is applied to a thin film forming apparatus used for semiconductor manufacturing, the process chamber may be configured to maintain the substrate in a process standby state and to adapt the substrate to vacuum conditions for forming the thin film, And a post-processing chamber configured to form the vacuum condition to form a thin film on the substrate and to clean the substrate on which the thin film is formed. Here, the thin film forming apparatus having the configuration of the pretreatment process chamber, the thin film formation chamber and the post-treatment process chamber specifically corresponds to a chemical vapor deposition apparatus of NOVELLUS (manufacturer).

In addition, a vacuum pump for connecting the pretreatment process chamber, the thin film formation chamber, and the post treatment process chamber to a vacuum is connected to each of the pretreatment process chamber, the thin film formation chamber, and the post treatment process chamber. In this case, the vacuum pump is connected by a vacuum line. An air valve is provided on the vacuum line as the opening and closing means. In this case, at least two o-rings are installed in the valve, and preferably, the o-rings include two, and are installed at positions adjacent to each other around a peripheral portion of the o-ring.

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

1 shows a thin film forming apparatus 10 used in the semiconductor manufacturing. Referring to FIG. 1, the apparatus 10 includes process chambers 100. The process chambers 100 are chambers for forming a thin film on a substrate for manufacturing with a semiconductor device, the pretreatment process chamber for holding the substrate in an atmospheric state and adapting the substrate to a vacuum atmosphere for forming the thin film. 100a), a thin film forming chamber 100b in which a process of forming a thin film on the substrate is performed, and a post-processing chamber 100c which cleans the substrate on which the thin film is formed and temporarily stores it for transfer to a subsequent process. It includes.

And the device 10 includes a vacuum pump 110. The vacuum pump 110 is a member for forming the process chambers in a vacuum, and is installed in each of the process chambers 110a, 110b, 110c. That is, the vacuum pumps 110a, 110b, and 110c are installed in the pretreatment process chamber 100a, the thin film formation chamber 100b, and the aftertreatment process chamber 100c, respectively. In this case, the vacuum pump 110 is connected to the process chambers 100 by the vacuum line 120. Accordingly, a vacuum is formed by the pumping operation of the vacuum pump 110, and a vacuum is provided to each of the process chambers 120a, 120b, and 120c through the vacuum line 120. At this time, the valve 130 is provided on each vacuum line (120a, 120b, 120c). The valve 130 is opened and closed according to the inflow of air. Therefore, the vacuum of the process chambers 100 is vented by the opening and closing operation of the valve 130, and the leak to the vacuum is detected. In addition, an o-ring is installed in the valve 130 to seal the vacuum.

2 illustrates an o-ring 210 installed in the valve 130 of FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, a plate 200 in which two o-rings 210a and 210b are installed is shown. The plate 200 is installed in the valve 130. At this time, the O-ring 210 is installed in a position surrounding the other peripheral portion in the portion adjacent to each other. That is, the other O-ring 210a is installed at a position surrounding the outer peripheral portion of the portion where one O-ring 210b is installed. At least two or more O-rings 210 are installed, and when two or more are installed, the number thereof is not limited, and is limited only in consideration of manufacturing and use aspects of the device 10.

As such, by installing at least two O-rings 210 in the valve 130, the sealing is stably maintained to provide the vacuum to each of the process chambers 100. And, even if the consumables o-ring 210 is corroded because two or more are installed, the time for replacement is extended. Thus, leakage of vacuum due to corrosion of the o-ring 210 may be minimized. In addition, since the valves 130a, 130b, and 130c are installed in the valves, the maintenance is accurate and quick when the maintenance is performed by setting a minimum time for corrosion of the valves 130a, 130b, and 130c. Can be done.

A method of forming a thin film made of a nitride material on a substrate for manufacturing a semiconductor device using the apparatus will be described below.

First, the substrate is loaded into the pretreatment process chamber. In this case, the pretreatment process chamber is a load lock chamber, and a preliminary process atmosphere for forming a thin film on the substrate is formed. The vacuum conditions in the preliminary process atmosphere are by the vacuum pump. At this time, the vacuum condition by the vacuum pump is stably provided to the pretreatment process chamber by use of the O-ring. The preliminary process atmosphere is for minimizing damage occurring as the substrate is subsequently loaded into the thin film forming chamber and preventing leakage of the vacuum in the thin film forming chamber.

The substrate is then loaded into a thin film formation chamber. At this time, the thin film forming chamber is provided with a source gas, such as xylene and ammonia, to form a thin film of a nitride material on the substrate by the reaction of the xylene and ammonia. The reaction is then provided in a vacuum atmosphere, wherein the vacuum condition is by the vacuum pump. At this time, the vacuum condition by the vacuum pump is stably provided to the thin film forming chamber by use of the O-ring. Thus, a thin film made of a nitride material is formed on the substrate.

After forming the thin film, the substrate is loaded into a post processing chamber. The substrate loaded into the aftertreatment process chamber is subjected to a process such as cleaning. The cleaning is provided in an atmosphere such as atmospheric pressure, and the atmospheric pressure condition is caused by the vacuum pump. At this time, the vacuum condition by the vacuum pump is stably provided to the process chamber by the use of the O-ring.

As such, a thin film is formed on the substrate through the above method. When forming the thin film, each process chamber is formed with a vacuum, which is formed by a vacuum pump and a vacuum line installed in each of the process chambers. The vacuum is sealed by an O-ring of a valve installed on the vacuum line. At least two O-rings may be installed to maintain the sealing more stably.

Therefore, according to the present invention, corrosion due to the o-ring for sealing the vacuum can be minimized. This keeps the seal more stable and the replacement time for the corrosion is extended. Accordingly, since the device can be used more stably, an effect of improving efficiency can be expected. In addition, since the corrosion can be more stably treated, maintenance of the device can be performed more stably.

Because of the efficiency and the stability of the maintenance, it is expected that the productivity is improved when the apparatus is applied to the manufacture of semiconductor devices.

Although the above has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be variously modified and changed within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention described in the claims below. I can understand that you can.

Claims (5)

Process chambers disposed adjacent to each other and in which at least two processes on a substrate are performed continuously; Vacuum forming means connected to each of the process chambers and configured to vacuum each of the process chambers; A vacuum line connecting between the process chambers and the vacuum forming means and providing a vacuum formed in the vacuum forming means when forming the process chambers in a vacuum; And It is installed on the vacuum line, includes at least two O-ring (sealing) for sealing (sealing), opening and closing is made in accordance with the inflow of air (air), the process chamber by the opening and closing And opening and closing means for venting a vacuum of these and detecting a leak to the vacuum. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vacuum forming means comprises a vacuum pump for forming a vacuum by a pumping operation. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening and closing means comprises an air valve in which the opening and closing is performed according to the inflow of the air. The substrate of claim 1, wherein the o-ring installed in the opening / closing means comprises two, and is disposed at a position surrounding the other peripheral portion in a portion adjacent to each other. Processing equipment. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing apparatus includes a thin film processing apparatus for forming a thin film on the substrate.