CN117397013A

CN117397013A - Substrate processing apparatus

Info

Publication number: CN117397013A
Application number: CN202280038707.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 中込洋平; 桑岛亮; 绿川洋平
Original assignee: Tokyo Electron Ltd
Current assignee: Tokyo Electron Ltd
Priority date: 2021-06-04
Filing date: 2022-05-26
Publication date: 2024-01-12
Also published as: JP2023006660A

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, the substrate processing apparatus comprising: an inner chamber accommodating a substrate; an outer chamber provided outside the inner chamber; and a process gas supply unit configured to supply a process gas into the inside chamber, wherein the inside chamber is detachable from the outside chamber, and the outside chamber is not in contact with the process gas supplied into the inside chamber.

Description

Substrate processing apparatus

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus.

Background

Patent document 1 discloses a substrate processing apparatus that stores a substrate in a chamber and processes the substrate. The chamber is typically formed of Al (aluminum) and the inner surface of the chamber is subjected to a surface oxidation treatment. When hydrogen fluoride gas is supplied into the chamber, part or all of the inner surface of the chamber is formed of Al or an Al alloy which is not subjected to surface oxidation treatment.

Prior art literature

Patent literature

Patent document 1: international publication No. 2007/072708

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The technology of the present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus capable of coping with various process gases in the case of processing a substrate using the process gases.

Solution for solving the problem

One aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate processing apparatus that processes a substrate, wherein the substrate processing apparatus includes: an inner chamber accommodating a substrate; an outer chamber provided outside the inner chamber; and a process gas supply unit configured to supply a process gas into the inside chamber, wherein the inside chamber is detachable from the outside chamber, and the outside chamber is not in contact with the process gas supplied into the inside chamber.

ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS OF INVENTION

According to the present disclosure, a substrate processing apparatus capable of coping with various process gases in the case of processing a substrate using the process gas can be provided.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of a wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a gas system in the wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the chamber and the periphery thereof according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the chamber of embodiment 1.

Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the chamber of embodiment 1.

Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the inner chamber of embodiment 1.

Fig. 8 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of the inner chamber of embodiment 1.

Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the outer chamber of embodiment 1.

Fig. 10 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of the outer chamber of embodiment 1.

Fig. 11 is an explanatory view showing a sealing structure of a closed space at a feed-in/feed-out port of the inner chamber of embodiment 1.

Fig. 12 is an explanatory view showing a sealing structure of a closed space at a feed-in/feed-out port of the inner chamber of embodiment 1.

Fig. 13 is an explanatory view showing a sealing structure of a closed space at a feed-in/feed-out port of the inner chamber of embodiment 1.

Fig. 14 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing a partial structure of a flange portion of an inner chamber and a side wall of an outer chamber according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 15 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 16 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of the wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a gas system in the wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 18 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the partition wall and the lifting mechanism according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 19 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the partition wall and the periphery thereof according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 20 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the partition wall and the surrounding area of embodiment 2.

Fig. 21 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the chamber and the periphery thereof according to embodiment 2.

Detailed Description

In a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device, various processes such as etching are performed on a semiconductor wafer (substrate; hereinafter referred to as "wafer") using a process gas in a vacuum atmosphere (reduced pressure atmosphere).

Conventionally, etching is performed by various methods. In particular, in recent years, with the miniaturization of semiconductor devices, a method capable of more miniaturized etching, which is called chemical oxide removal (COR: chemical Oxide Removal) process, has been used instead of conventional etching techniques such as plasma etching and wet etching.

The COR process is as follows: in a chamber maintained in a vacuum atmosphere, a process gas is supplied to a wafer, and these gases react with, for example, a film formed on the wafer to produce a product. The product produced on the wafer surface by COR treatment is sublimated by performing heat treatment in the next process, thereby removing the film on the wafer surface.

For COR processing, the frequency of using highly corrosive process gases will gradually increase in the future. In a substrate processing apparatus (wafer processing apparatus), it is necessary to perform a process having corrosion resistance against a process gas on an inner surface of a chamber. In order to cope with various process gases, it is sometimes necessary to perform different processes on the inner surface of the chamber. For example, as in the substrate processing apparatus (COR processing apparatus) disclosed in patent document 1, the surface oxidation treatment is generally performed on the inner surface of the chamber, but in the case of using hydrogen fluoride gas, the inner surface of the chamber is formed of Al or Al alloy which is not subjected to the surface oxidation treatment.

However, in the conventional substrate processing apparatus disclosed in patent document 1, for example, since there is one chamber, the chamber needs to be replaced every time the process gas is changed. The replacement of the chamber is a work accompanied by a large load: the system on which the substrate processing apparatus is mounted is stopped entirely, the substrate processing apparatus is disconnected, and the gas supply line, the power supply line, the water supply line, and the like are reinstalled. Accordingly, there is room for improvement in the conventional substrate processing apparatus, particularly in the chamber structure.

The technology of the present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of coping with various process gases in the case of processing a substrate using the process gases. Hereinafter, a wafer processing apparatus as a substrate processing apparatus according to the present embodiment and a wafer processing method as a substrate processing method will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and repetitive description thereof will be omitted.

Structure of wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 1

First, the structure of the wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 1 will be described. Fig. 1 and 2 are schematic vertical sectional views showing the structure of a wafer processing apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, a case where the wafer processing apparatus 1 is a COR processing apparatus that performs COR processing on a wafer W will be described as an example.

As will be described later, the present embodiment is characterized in that the chamber 10 has a double-layer structure, and thereby realizes the wafer processing apparatus 1 capable of coping with various processing gases. Thus, other structures of the wafer processing apparatus 1 can be arbitrarily designed. For example, one stage 20 for wafers W to be described later may be provided as shown in fig. 1, or two stages 20 may be provided as shown in fig. 2. In the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in fig. 1, a partition wall 40, an inner wall 50, and a lifting mechanism 70, which will be described later, in the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in fig. 2 are omitted. Next, the structure of the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in fig. 2 will be described, and reference numerals of constituent members of the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in fig. 2 correspond to reference numerals of constituent members of the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in fig. 1.

As shown in fig. 2, the wafer processing apparatus 1 has a chamber 10. The chamber 10 has a double-layer structure, and includes an inner chamber (inner chamber) 11 and an outer chamber (outer chamber) 12. A closed space T (hereinafter referred to as "closed space T") is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. A heating ring 13 for heating the inner chamber 11 is provided on the upper surface of the inner chamber 11. A lid 14 is provided on the upper surface of the heating ring 13, which can hermetically cover the upper surface of the heating ring 13 and seal the inside of the inner chamber 11. An outer heater (not shown) for heating the outer chamber 12 is provided in the outer chamber 12. The outside heater is arranged at any position. Further, the detailed structure of the chamber 10 and its surroundings will be described later.

The outer chamber 12 is provided with a gas supply pipe 15 for supplying an inert gas to the closed space T and a suction pipe 16 for evacuating the closed space T. The gas supply pipe 15 and the gas suction pipe 16 are provided at any position of the outer chamber 12, for example, at a bottom plate. Further, details of the gas supply system for supplying the inert gas to the sealed space T through the gas supply pipe 15 and the pressure reduction system (exhaust system) for evacuating the sealed space T through the gas suction pipe 16 will be described later.

A plurality of stages 20 and 20 in the present embodiment for placing the wafer W are provided in the inner chamber 11. The mounting table 20 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and the mounting table 20 includes: an upper stage 21 having a mounting surface on which a wafer W is mounted; and a lower stage 22 fixed to the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12 and supporting the upper stage 21. The upper stage 21 includes, for example, an electrostatic chuck, and holds the wafer W by suction. A temperature adjusting mechanism 23 for adjusting the temperature of the wafer W is incorporated in the upper stage 21. The temperature adjustment mechanism 23 adjusts the temperature of the stage 20 by circulating a refrigerant such as water, for example, and controls the temperature of the wafer W on the stage 20.

In the present embodiment, the mounting table 20 is fixed, but the mounting table 20 may be configured to be lifted by a lifting mechanism (not shown).

A support pin unit (not shown) is provided at a position below the mounting table 20 on the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. The wafer W is configured to be able to be transferred between a support pin (not shown) vertically driven by the support pin unit and a transport mechanism (not shown) provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1.

A showerhead 30 for supplying a process gas into the inside of the inner chamber 11 (wafer W placed on the stage 20) is provided on the lower surface of the lid 14. The heads 30 are provided above the tables 20 and 20, respectively.

The shower head 30 includes, for example, a substantially cylindrical frame 31 having an opening at a lower surface thereof and supported on a lower surface of the lid 14, and a substantially disk-shaped shower plate 32 fitted into an inner side surface of the frame 31. The shower plate 32 is disposed apart from the top of the frame 31 by a desired distance. Thereby, a space 30a is formed between the top of the frame 31 and the upper surface of the shower plate 32. The shower plate 32 is provided with a plurality of openings 32a penetrating the shower plate 32 in the thickness direction. A gas supply pipe 33 is connected to a space 30a between the top of the frame 31 and the shower plate 32. The details of the gas supply system for supplying the process gas into the inner chamber 11 (wafer W placed on the stage 20) through the showerhead 30 and the gas supply pipe 33 will be described later.

A partition wall 40 configured to be movable up and down is provided on the outer periphery of the mounting tables 20, 20. The partition wall 40 has: two cylindrical portions 41, 41 that individually surround the two mounting tables 20, respectively; upper flange portions 42, 42 provided at upper ends of the cylindrical portions 41, 41; and lower flange portions 43, 43 provided at lower ends of the cylindrical portions 41, 41. The inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 41 is set larger than the outer surface of the mounting table 20, and a gap is formed between the cylindrical portion 41 and the mounting table 20.

A heater (not shown) is provided in the partition wall 40 to heat the partition wall 40 to a desired temperature. By this heating, foreign matter contained in the process gas is prevented from adhering to the partition wall 40.

A sealing member 44 such as an O-ring made of resin is provided on the upper surface of the upper flange 42 in correspondence with each mounting table 20, and when the partition 40 is raised by a lifting mechanism 70 described later to bring the upper flange 42 into contact with the frame 31, the sealing member 44 seals the space between the upper flange and the frame 31 in an airtight manner. A sealing member 45 such as an O-ring made of resin is provided in correspondence with each mounting table 20 in a projection 52 of the inner wall 50 described later, and when the projection 52 comes into contact with the lower flange 43, the sealing member 45 seals the space between the lower flange 43. Then, by raising the partition wall 40, the frame 31 is brought into contact with the seal member 44, and the lower flange 43 is brought into contact with the seal member 45, so that the processing space S surrounded by the mounting table 20, the partition wall 40, and the showerhead 30 is formed.

Inner walls 50, 50 fixed to the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12 are provided on the outer peripheries of the mounting tables 20, 20. The inner wall 50 has a substantially cylindrical main body 51 and a protruding portion 52 provided at an upper end of the main body 51 and protruding outward of the inner wall 50. The inner walls 50, 50 are disposed so as to individually surround the lower stages 22, 22 of the mounting stages 20, respectively. The inner diameter of the main body 51 of the inner wall 50 is set larger than the outer diameter of the lower stage 22, and an exhaust space V is formed between the inner wall 50 and the lower stage 22. In the present embodiment, the exhaust space V further includes a space between the partition wall 40 and the upper stage 21. As shown in fig. 2, the height of the inner wall 50 is set so that the sealing member 45 comes into contact with the projection 52 of the inner wall 50 when the partition wall 40 is raised to the wafer processing position by a lift mechanism 70 described later. Thereby, the inner wall 50 is in airtight contact with the partition wall 40.

A plurality of slits 53 are formed at the lower end of the inner wall 50. The slit 53 is an exhaust port through which the process gas is exhausted. In the present embodiment, the slits 53 are formed at substantially equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the inner wall 50.

Further, the inner wall 50 is fixed to the floor of the outer chamber 12. As described above, the outer chamber 12 is heated by an outer heater (not shown), and the inner wall 50 is also heated by the outer heater. The inner wall 50 is heated to a desired temperature, and foreign matter contained in the process gas is prevented from adhering to the inner wall 50.

The outer chamber 12 is provided with an exhaust pipe 60 for exhausting the inside of the inner chamber 11. The exhaust pipe 60 is provided outside the partition wall 40 and the inner wall 50 at the bottom of the outer chamber 12. The exhaust pipe 60 is provided to be shared by the two inner walls 50, 50. That is, the process gases from the two exhaust spaces V, V are exhausted from the common exhaust pipe 60. Further, details of the exhaust system for exhausting the inside of the inner chamber 11 through the exhaust pipe 60 will be described later.

As described above, the wafer processing apparatus 1 includes the elevating mechanism 70 for elevating the partition wall 40. The elevating mechanism 70 includes: an actuator 71 disposed outside the chamber 10; a drive shaft 72 connected to the actuator 71, penetrating the bottom plate of the inner chamber 11 and the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12, and extending vertically upward in the inner chamber 11; and a plurality of guide shafts 73, the tips of which are connected to the partition wall 40, and the other ends of which extend to the outside of the outer chamber 12. The guide shaft 73 prevents the partition wall 40 from tilting when the partition wall 40 is lifted and lowered by the drive shaft 72.

A bellows 74 is connected to the drive shaft 72 in an airtight manner. The upper end of the bellows 74 is hermetically connected to the lower surface of the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. Therefore, when the drive shaft 72 is lifted and lowered, the bellows 74 expands and contracts in the vertical direction, and the inside of the chamber 10 is maintained airtight. A sleeve (not shown) that functions as a guide at the time of lifting and lowering operation and is fixed to, for example, the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12 is provided between the drive shaft 72 and the bellows 74.

A bellows 75 that can be extended and contracted is connected to the guide shaft 73 in the same manner as the drive shaft 72. In addition, the upper end portion of the bellows 75 is hermetically connected to the bottom plate and the side wall of the outside chamber 12 across both. Therefore, when the guide shaft 73 is lifted and lowered by the lifting operation of the partition wall 40 by the driving shaft 72, the bellows 75 expands and contracts in the vertical direction, and the inside of the chamber 10 is maintained airtight. A sleeve (not shown) functioning as a guide in the lifting operation is provided between the guide shaft 73 and the bellows 75, as in the case of the drive shaft 72.

The wafer processing apparatus 1 described above is provided with a control unit 80. The control unit 80 is a computer including a CPU, a memory, and the like, and includes a program storage unit (not shown). The program storage unit stores a program for controlling the processing of the wafer W in the wafer processing apparatus 1. The program may be recorded on a storage medium (not shown) readable by a computer, and loaded from the storage medium to the control unit 80. The storage medium may be a temporary storage medium or a non-temporary storage medium.

Structure of the gas System of embodiment 1

Next, a gas system in the wafer processing apparatus 1 described above will be described. Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a gas system in the wafer processing apparatus 1. In the present embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 1 has a gas system (gas supply and gas discharge) for the inside of the inner chamber 11 and a gas system (gas supply and gas discharge) for the sealed space T between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12.

As shown in fig. 3, the process gas supply unit 100 for supplying the process gas into the inner chamber 11 includes the showerhead 30 and the gas supply pipe 33. The gas supply pipe 33 is connected to a process gas supply source 101, and the process gas supply source 101 is configured to be capable of supplying a process gas. The process gas is selected according to the film to be etched. The gas supply pipe 33 is provided with a flow rate adjusting mechanism 102 for adjusting the supply amount of the process gas, and is configured to be able to individually control the amount of the process gas to be supplied to each wafer W. Then, in the process gas supply unit 100, the process gas supplied from the process gas supply source 101 is supplied to the wafers W placed on the respective stages 20 through the gas supply pipe 33 and the showerhead 30.

The inert gas supply unit 110 for supplying inert gas to the closed space T includes the gas supply pipe 15 described above. The gas supply pipe 15 is connected to an inert gas supply source 111, and the inert gas supply source 111 is configured to be able to supply inert gas. As the inert gas, for example, nitrogen, argon, helium, or the like is used. The gas supply pipe 15 is provided with a flow rate adjusting mechanism 112 for adjusting the amount of inert gas supplied, and is configured to be able to control the amount of inert gas supplied to the closed space T. Then, in the inert gas supply unit 110, the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source 111 is supplied to the sealed space T through the gas supply pipe 15.

The exhaust unit 120 that exhausts the inside of the inner chamber 11 includes the exhaust pipe 60 described above. The exhaust pipe 60 is provided with a pressure regulating valve 121, a turbo molecular pump 122, and a valve 123, and is connected to a dry pump 124. In the exhaust unit 120, the internal pressure of the inner chamber 11 is exhausted to a medium vacuum level by the dry pump 124, and the internal pressure of the inner chamber 11 is exhausted to a high vacuum by the turbo molecular pump 122.

The pressure reducing portion 130 for evacuating the closed space T includes the suction pipe 16 described above. A valve 131 is provided in the intake pipe 16, and a dry pump 124 is connected thereto. In the pressure reducing unit 130, the sealed space T is evacuated by the dry pump 124, and the sealed space T is reduced in pressure to a desired vacuum level. In this way, by depressurizing the sealed space T to a desired vacuum degree, the sealed space T can be made to function as a vacuum heat insulating layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 as will be described later.

In the present embodiment, the dry pump 124 is shared by the exhaust unit 120 and the pressure reducing unit 130. However, since the exhaust unit 120 includes the valve 123 and the pressure reducing unit 130 includes the valve 131, the exhaust of the inside of the inner chamber 11 by the exhaust unit 120 and the pressure reduction of the sealed space T by the pressure reducing unit 130 can be controlled individually.

< Structure of Chamber of embodiment 1 >

Next, the above-described chamber 10 and the surrounding structure thereof will be described. Fig. 4 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the chamber 10 and its surroundings. Fig. 5 and 6 are schematic perspective views showing the structure of the chamber 10. Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the inner chamber 11, and fig. 8 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of the inner chamber 11. Fig. 9 is a schematic perspective view showing the structure of the outer chamber 12, and fig. 10 is a schematic plan view showing the structure of the outer chamber 12. In fig. 4 to 10, the internal structure of the inner chamber 11 is not shown for ease of explanation of the structure of the chamber 10. In fig. 4 to 10, the internal structure of the inner chamber 11 is not shown for ease of explanation of the structure of the chamber 10.

[ Structure of inner Chamber and outer Chamber ]

As shown in fig. 4 to 6, the chamber 10 has a double-layer structure and includes an inner chamber 11 and an outer chamber 12. The inner chamber 11 is configured to be detachable from the outer chamber 12. Specifically, the inner chamber 11 can be attached to and detached from the upper portion of the outer chamber 12. When the inner chamber 11 is attached to the outer chamber 12, a sealed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. The outer chamber 12 is not exposed to the inside of the inner chamber 11, but is not in contact with the process gas supplied to the inside of the inner chamber 11.

The inner chamber 11 shown in fig. 7 and 8 is formed of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. A coating layer having corrosion resistance to the process gas is applied to the inner surface of the inner chamber 11, that is, the surface of the inner chamber 11 that contacts the process gas. The coating layer is determined according to the kind of the process gas, and is, for example, a nickel plating layer or the like.

The inner chamber 11 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped container having an upper surface open as a whole. The inner chamber 11 has a substantially cylindrical side wall 200, a flange portion 201 protruding outward from the upper end of the side wall 200, and a bottom plate 202 provided at the lower end of the side wall 200 so as to cover the lower surface of the opening.

A carry-in/carry-out port 210 for the wafer W is formed on one side of the sidewall 200. In addition, a plurality of, for example, 3 ports 211 are formed on the other side surface of the side wall 200. The port 211 is, for example, a port for connecting an internal member of the inner chamber 11 with external equipment.

The flange 201 is provided annularly above a side wall 220 of the outer chamber 12, which will be described later. The outer surface of the flange 201 is exposed to the outside of the wafer processing apparatus 1.

The bottom plate 202 has a plurality of openings 212 to 215 formed therein. The opening 212 is an opening for providing the mounting table 20 and the inner wall 50, and the opening 212 is formed at two positions on the bottom plate 202. The opening 213 is an opening for passing the exhaust pipe 60 therethrough. The opening 214 is an opening for passing the drive shaft 72 therethrough. The opening 215 is an opening for passing the guide shaft 73 therethrough, and the opening 215 is formed at two positions on the bottom plate 202.

The outer chamber 12 shown in fig. 9 and 10 is formed of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. As described above, the outer chamber 12 is not in contact with the process gas supplied to the inside of the inner chamber 11, and therefore, no coating is applied to the surface of the outer chamber 12. That is, the outer chamber 12 is a bare metal.

The outer chamber 12 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped container having an upper surface open as a whole. The outer chamber 12 has a side wall 220 having a substantially cylindrical shape, and a bottom plate 221 provided at the lower end of the side wall 220 so as to cover the lower surface of the opening.

A carry-in/out port 230 for the wafer W is formed at a position corresponding to the carry-in/out port 210 on one side surface of the side wall 220. A plurality of, for example, 3 ports 231 are formed in positions corresponding to the ports 211 on the other side surface of the side wall 220.

The bottom plate 221 has a plurality of openings 232 to 235. The openings 232 to 235 are formed at positions corresponding to the openings 212 to 215.

[ Structure of closed space ]

As shown in fig. 4, a closed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. The sealed space T is formed between the side wall 200 and the side wall 220, between the flange 201 and the side wall 220, and between the bottom plate 202 and the bottom plate 221. The sealed space T is sealed and sealed by a plurality of adapters and a plurality of sealing members described later. The sealing structure of the sealed space T will be described below.

The coupling is a member for connecting the inner chamber 11 and the outside of the inner chamber 11 (for example, the outer chamber 12 and the like) when the inner chamber 11 is attached to the outer chamber 12. The adaptor may be mounted from the inside of the inner chamber 11 or from the outside of the inner chamber 11 depending on the mounting position. The adapter is made of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, and a coating having corrosion resistance to the process gas is applied to the surface of the adapter, that is, the surface of the adapter which contacts the process gas in the inner chamber 11. For example, a resin O-ring is used as the sealing member.

First, a sealing structure of the sealed space T at the carry-in/out ports 210 and 230 of the wafer W will be described. The in-and-out port 210 of the inner chamber 11 is provided with an adapter 240. The adapter 240 connects the sidewall 200 of the inner chamber 11 with the sidewall 220 of the outer chamber 12. The adapter 240 includes a substantially cylindrical body portion 241 having both end surfaces open, and an engagement portion 242 protruding outward from the body portion 241. The main body 241 extends from the carry-in/out port 210 to the carry-in/out port 230 in the horizontal direction along the inner side surfaces of the carry-in/out ports 210, 230. The locking portion 242 extends in the vertical direction along the side wall 200 of the inner chamber 11.

Fig. 11 to 13 are explanatory views showing a sealing structure of the sealed space T at the feed-in/feed-out port 210 of the inner chamber 11. In fig. 13, the illustration of the adaptor 240 is omitted to explain the structure of the side wall 200 of the inner chamber 11. As shown in fig. 11 to 13, the side wall 200 of the inner chamber 11 and the locking portion 242 of the adapter 240 are fastened by a plurality of 1 st fastening members 243. In addition, the side wall 200 of the inner chamber 11 and the side wall 220 of the outer chamber 12 are fastened by a plurality of 2 nd fastening members 244. These fastening members 243, 244 use screws, for example.

A sealing member 245 is provided between the inner side surface of the side wall 200 of the inner chamber 11 and the side surface of the locking portion 242 of the adaptor 240. The sealing member 245 is provided in a ring shape so as to surround the carry-in/carry-out port 210.

The 1 st fastening member 243 is provided outside the sealing member 245. Here, when the 1 st fastening member 243 is fastened from the locking portion 242 of the adapter 240 to the side wall 220 of the outer chamber 12, the process gas in the inner chamber 11 flows out from the gap between the 1 st fastening member 243 and the screw hole thereof into the sealed space T. In order to prevent the process gas from flowing out into the sealed space T and coming into contact with the side wall 220 of the outer chamber 12, the 1 st fastening member 243 for fastening the inner chamber 11 and the adapter 240 is provided outside the sealing member 245 in the present embodiment.

In addition, the 2 nd fastening member 244 is provided inside the sealing member 245. Here, in the case where the 2 nd fastening member 244 is provided outside the sealing member 245, the 2 nd fastening member 244 communicates with the inside of the inside chamber 11, and therefore the process gas in the inside chamber 11 flows out to the closed space T from the gap between the 2 nd fastening member 244 and the screw hole thereof. In order to prevent the process gas from flowing out into the sealed space T and coming into contact with the side wall 220 of the outer chamber 12, the 2 nd fastening member 244 is provided inside the sealing member 245 in the present embodiment.

In the example of fig. 13, the seal member 245 is provided in the vicinity of the 2 nd fastening member 244 so as to be bent so as not to interfere with the 2 nd fastening member 244, but the layout of the seal member 245 is not limited thereto. For example, in the case where the 2 nd fastening member 244 is provided at a position (a position close to the feed-in/feed-out port 210) further inward than the example of fig. 13, bending of the sealing member 245 can be omitted.

In the present embodiment, the sealing member 245 is provided as one layer, but a plurality of sealing members may be provided. For example, a seal member (not shown) may be provided to individually surround the outer periphery of each of the 2 nd fastening members 244 in addition to the seal member 245 provided in a ring shape to surround the feed/discharge port 210.

As shown in fig. 4, the inlet/outlet port 230 of the outer chamber 12 is provided with an adapter 246. The adapter 246 is fastened to the side wall 220 of the outer chamber 12 by a fastening member (not shown), such as a screw. A sealing member 247 is provided between the adapter 246 and the sidewall 220. A sealing member 248 is also provided between the outer adapter 246 and the inner adapter 240. The seal members 247 and 248 are each provided in a ring shape so as to surround the feed-in/feed-out port 230.

With the above sealing structure, the sealed space T is sealed at the feed-in/feed-out ports 210 and 230, and the process gas in the inner chamber 11 is prevented from flowing out into the sealed space T.

Next, a sealing structure of the sealed space T at the openings 213, 233 (the connection portion of the exhaust pipe 60) will be described. The openings 213 and 233 are provided with the adapters 250. The adapter 250 connects the bottom plate 202 of the inner chamber 11 with the bottom plate 221 of the outer chamber 12. The adapter 250 extends from the bottom plate 221 of the outer chamber 12 to the exhaust pipe 60 in the vertical direction.

A sealing member 251 is provided between the lower surface of the bottom plate 202 of the inside chamber 11 and the upper surface of the adaptor 250. The sealing member 251 is provided in a ring shape so as to surround the openings 213 and 233.

With the above-described sealing structure, the sealed space T is sealed at the openings 213 and 233, and the process gas in the inner chamber 11 is prevented from flowing out into the sealed space T.

Next, a sealing structure of the sealed space T at the openings 214, 234 (the connecting portions of the drive shaft 72) will be described. The openings 214 and 234 are provided with the adapters 260. The adapter 260 connects the bottom plate 202 of the inner chamber 11 with the bottom plate 221 of the outer chamber 12. The adapter 260 extends from the bottom plate 221 of the outer chamber 12 to the drive shaft 72 in the vertical direction.

A sealing member 261 is provided between the lower surface of the bottom plate 202 of the inner chamber 11 and the upper surface of the adaptor 260. The seal member 261 is provided in a ring shape so as to surround the openings 214 and 234.

With the above sealing structure, the sealed space T is sealed at the openings 214 and 234, and the process gas in the inner chamber 11 is prevented from flowing out into the sealed space T.

The sealing structure of the sealed space T at the other openings 212 and 232 (the installation portions of the mounting table 20 and the inner wall 50), the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the openings 215 and 235 (the connection portions of the guide shafts 73), and the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the ports 211 and 231 are the same as those described above. That is, the joint and the seal member are provided in each opening.

Next, a sealing structure of the sealed space T between the flange 201 and the upper surface of the side wall 220 will be described. A sealing member 270 is provided between the lower surface of the flange portion 201 and the upper surface of the side wall 220. The sealed space T is sealed to prevent the inflow of the external atmosphere into the sealed space T.

Further, as shown in fig. 14, a gap G is formed between the lower surface of the flange portion 201 and the upper surface of the side wall 220. With this gap, heat transfer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 can be suppressed. Here, as described above, the pressure in the sealed space T is reduced to a desired vacuum degree by the pressure reducing portion 130, and the sealed space T is caused to function as a vacuum heat insulating layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. In the present embodiment, the gap G suppresses heat transfer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, and thus the function of the closed space T as a vacuum heat insulating layer can be maintained.

As described above, the sealed space T is sealed and sealed by the plurality of adapters and the plurality of sealing members. Therefore, the process gas in the inner chamber 11 does not flow out into the sealed space T, and as a result, the outer chamber 12 is prevented from being exposed to the process gas.

A plurality of spacers 280 are provided in the closed space T. The spacer 280 is in contact with the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. The spacer 280 is formed of, for example, stainless steel. The strength of the inner chamber 11 can be maintained by the spacer 280. In other words, by providing the spacers 280, the thickness of the inner chamber 11 can also be reduced. Further, the installation position of the spacer 280 is arbitrary. For example, the spacer 280 may be provided at a portion of the inner chamber 11 where the strength is weak.

[ Structure of heater ]

As shown in fig. 4, a heating ring 13 for heating the inner chamber 11 is provided on the upper surface of the flange 201 of the inner chamber 11. The heating ring 13 is annularly arranged. The heating ring 13 is exposed to the outside. The inside of the heating ring 13 is maintained at atmospheric pressure, and an inside heater 290 such as a sheath heater or a cartridge heater is incorporated in the heating ring 13. An outer heater (not shown) for heating the outer chamber 12 is provided in the outer chamber 12. The outside heater is arranged at any position. These inner and outer heaters 290 and 290 are controlled separately and can be adjusted to independent temperatures, respectively.

The inner heater 290 (heating ring 13) adjusts the inner chamber 11 to, for example, 120 to 140 ℃. This can prevent foreign matter contained in the process gas from adhering to the inner chamber 11, for example.

As described above, the closed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum degree by the depressurization portion 130, and functions as a vacuum heat insulating layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. By using the sealed space T as the vacuum heat insulating layer, the inner chamber 11 can be thermally independent, and the temperature of the inner chamber 11 can be efficiently adjusted.

The outer heater adjusts the outer chamber 12 to, for example, 100 ℃ or less. Here, the inner chamber 11 is thermally independent by the closed space T as a vacuum heat insulating layer, but there is a slight heat transfer between the inner chamber 11 and the closed space T. In particular, the volume of the outer chamber 12 is large, and the outer chamber 12 is connected to a wafer transfer device or the like outside the wafer processing apparatus 1, so that the heat of the inner chamber 11 is slightly dissipated through the outer chamber 12. In the present embodiment, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is appropriately controlled by adjusting the temperature of the outer chamber 12 in advance. That is, the outer heater functions as an assist for temperature adjustment of the inner chamber 11.

Further, the temperature of the outer chamber 12 adjusted by the outer heater is arbitrary. However, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is controlled to be higher than that of the outer chamber 12. In a case where a chamber has a one-layer structure such as the wafer processing apparatus disclosed in patent document 1, the temperature of the chamber is adjusted to, for example, 120 to 150 ℃. In this regard, in the wafer processing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, since the chamber 10 has a double-layer structure, the temperature of the outer chamber 12 can be suppressed to be lower than the conventional temperature.

Wafer processing method of embodiment 1 >, and computer program product

Next, wafer processing (COR processing) in the wafer processing apparatus 1 configured as described above will be described.

First, in a state where the partition wall 40 is lowered to the retracted position, the wafer W is transported into the chamber 10 (the inner chamber 11) by a transport mechanism (not shown) provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1, and placed on each of the placing tables 20 and 20.

Then, the partition wall 40 is raised to the wafer processing position. Thereby, the processing space S is formed by the partition wall 40.

Then, the inside of the inner chamber 11 is exhausted to a desired pressure by the exhaust unit 120, and the process gas is supplied from the process gas supply unit 100 into the inside of the inner chamber 11, whereby COR processing is performed on the wafer W. The process gas in the process space S is discharged from the exhaust portion 120 through the exhaust space V and the slits 53 of the inner walls 50.

During COR processing, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is adjusted by the inner heater 290 (heating ring 13) to, for example, 120 ℃ to 150 ℃, and the temperature of the outer chamber 12 is adjusted by the outer heater to, for example, 80 ℃ or less. The sealed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum degree by the depressurization portion 130, and functions as a vacuum heat insulating layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. As a result, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 can be efficiently adjusted by the vacuum heat insulating layer.

In the COR process, the inert gas may be supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the closed space T in order to adjust the pressure in the closed space T. For example, when a pressure difference is generated between the inside of the inner chamber 11 and the sealed space T, the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T to adjust the pressure difference. Specifically, in order to suppress inflow of the process gas into the sealed space T, the pressure of the sealed space T is adjusted so as to prevent the inside of the inner chamber 11 from becoming higher than the sealed space T. Alternatively, for example, the pressure in the sealed space T is monitored by a pressure gauge (not shown), and when the pressure becomes lower than a threshold value, the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T.

When the COR process is completed, the partition 40 is lowered to the retracted position, and the wafers W on the respective stages 20 and 20 are sent out of the wafer processing apparatus 1 by a wafer conveying mechanism (not shown). Then, the wafer W is heated by a heating device provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1, and the reaction product generated by COR processing is removed as a gas. Thus, the series of COR processes ends.

Maintenance of wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 1

Next, maintenance of the wafer processing apparatus 1 will be described. In this maintenance, for example, the inner chamber 11 is replaced. The replacement of the inner chamber 11 includes, for example, the following cases: when the process gas is changed, the corrosion-resistant coating of the inner chamber 11 is changed. Alternatively, for example, the following also exist: after COR processing is performed on the plurality of wafers W, the inner chamber 11 that has been degraded with time is replaced.

First, the evacuation of the sealed space T by the pressure reducing unit 130 is stopped, and the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T. The inert gas is supplied until the inside of the sealed space T reaches the atmospheric pressure.

Then, after the cover 14 is removed and the inside of the inner chamber 11 is opened to the atmosphere, the inner chamber 11 is replaced. After the sealed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, the sealed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum degree by the depressurization portion 130. Thus, preparation for COR processing is completed.

Effect of embodiment 1 >

According to embodiment 1 above, since the chamber 10 has a double-layer structure, even when the coating on the chamber surface needs to be changed due to a change in the gas type of the process gas, the process gas can be handled by only changing the inner chamber 11. In other words, the outer chamber 12 need not be replaced. Therefore, the load at the time of replacing the following chambers as in the conventional wafer processing apparatus can be reduced: overall stoppage of a system in which the wafer processing apparatus is mounted, disconnection of the wafer processing apparatus, reinstallation of a gas supply line, a power supply line, a water supply line, and the like. In this way, the wafer processing apparatus 1 is configured to be capable of coping with various process gases (various gas processes) by a simple method.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the outer chamber 12 is not in contact with the process gas supplied to the inside of the inner chamber 11. Therefore, it is not necessary to apply a corrosion-resistant coating to the surface of the outer chamber 12, and a bare metal material can be used for the outer chamber 12.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, a sealed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, and the sealed space T is sealed and closed by a plurality of adapters and a plurality of sealing members. In particular, at the carry-in/out ports 210, 230 of the wafer W, the 1 st fastening member 243 for fastening the inside chamber 11 and the adaptor 240 is provided outside the sealing member 245, and the 2 nd fastening member 244 for fastening the inside chamber 11 and the outside chamber 12 is provided inside the sealing member 245. Therefore, the inflow of the process gas from the screw holes of the 1 st fastening member 243 and the 2 nd fastening member 244 into the sealed space T can be suppressed, and the sealed space T can be reliably sealed. As described above, the sealing performance of the sealed space T can be ensured with a simple structure.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the closed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum degree by the depressurization portion 130, and functions as a vacuum heat insulating layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. A gap G is formed between the lower surface of the flange 201 of the inner chamber 11 and the upper surface of the side wall 220 of the outer chamber 12, and the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 do not contact each other in other places, so that the function of the sealed space T as a vacuum heat insulating layer can be maintained. Therefore, the inner chamber 11 can be thermally independent, and thus the temperature adjustment of the inner chamber 11 can be efficiently performed. In addition, as a result, the load on the inner heater 290 can be reduced.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the pressure of the sealed space T can be adjusted by the inert gas supply unit 110. Therefore, during wafer processing, the pressure difference between the inside of the inner chamber 11 and the sealed space T can be suppressed, and the inflow of the process gas into the sealed space T can be suppressed. In addition, when the inner chamber 11 is replaced, the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T, and the inside of the sealed space T is set to the atmospheric pressure, so that the inner chamber 11 can be replaced smoothly.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the evacuation of the inside chamber 11 by the evacuation section 120 and the depressurization of the sealed space T by the depressurization section 130 can be individually controlled. Accordingly, the pressure inside the inner chamber 11 and the pressure in the closed space T can be appropriately adjusted, respectively.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the temperature of the inner side chamber 11 by the inner side heater 290 (heating ring 13) and the temperature of the outer side chamber 12 by the outer side heater can be individually controlled. Therefore, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 and the temperature of the outer chamber 12 can be appropriately adjusted.

In particular, in the present embodiment, since the chamber 10 has a double-layer structure including the closed space T, the temperature of the outer chamber 12 can be suppressed to be lower than the temperature of the inner chamber 11. Therefore, the load of the outside heater can be reduced. In addition, for example, the time from the time of radiating heat from the wafer processing apparatus 1 to the time of performing maintenance can be shortened, and the time from the time of recovering the wafer processing apparatus 1 after maintenance can be shortened.

In the above embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 1 provided with two stages 20 as shown in fig. 2 has been described, but the above-described effects can be enjoyed also in the wafer processing apparatus 1 provided with one stage 20 as shown in fig. 1.

For example, in the above embodiment, the example in which one or two tables 20 are provided has been described, but the number of tables 20 to be provided is not limited to this. For example, the number of the mounting tables 20 may be 3 or more.

Structure of wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 2

Next, the structure of the wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 2 will be described. Fig. 15 and 16 are schematic vertical sectional views each showing a configuration of the wafer processing apparatus 300. In the structure of the wafer processing apparatus 300 according to embodiment 2, the same components as those of the wafer processing apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping description thereof is omitted.

The present embodiment is characterized in that the chamber 10 has a double-layer structure, and the partition 340 is provided in the chamber 10, so that the wafer processing apparatus 300 has a three-layer structure. With this three-layer structure, the wafer processing apparatus 300 capable of coping with various process gases is realized. Thus, other structures of the wafer processing apparatus 300 can be arbitrarily designed. For example, one stage 20 may be provided for a wafer W as shown in fig. 15, or two stages may be provided for stages 20 as shown in fig. 16.

As shown in fig. 15, when the number of stages 20 is one in the wafer processing apparatus 300, a partition 340, an inner wall 50, and a lifting mechanism 370 are also provided. In this case, the processing space S surrounded by the mounting table 20, the partition 340, and the showerhead 30 is formed, so that the flow of the processing gas in the processing space S can be made uniform, and the exhaust path from the processing space S can be controlled. In addition, regardless of the shape of the chamber 10, a processing space S having a substantially circular planar shape can be formed by the partition 340, and stable etching processing can be performed in the processing space S. Further, since the volume of the process space S is smaller than that of the internal space of the chamber 10, the supply amount of the process gas can be reduced.

Next, the structure of the wafer processing apparatus 300 shown in fig. 16 will be described, and reference numerals of constituent elements of the wafer processing apparatus 300 shown in fig. 16 correspond to those of constituent elements of the wafer processing apparatus 300 shown in fig. 15.

Like the wafer processing apparatus 1 of embodiment 1, the wafer processing apparatus 300 shown in fig. 16 includes a chamber 10, an inner chamber 11, an outer chamber 12, a closed space T, a heating ring 13, a lid 14, a gas supply pipe 15, a suction pipe 16, a mounting table 20, an upper table 21, a lower table 22, a temperature adjustment mechanism 23, a shower head 30, a space 30a, a frame 31, a shower plate 32, an opening 32a, and a gas supply pipe 33.

A seal member 34 is provided on the lower surface of the head 30, specifically, the lower surface of the housing 31. As the seal member 34, for example, a lip seal made of resin is used. When the partition 340 is raised by the lifting mechanism 370 and the heating plate 342 of the partition 340 is brought into contact with the frame 31, the sealing member 34 seals the space between the heating plate 342 and the frame 31 in an airtight manner. The seal members 34 are provided corresponding to the respective mounting tables 20. The sealing member 34 is provided in place of the sealing member 44 in the wafer processing apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1.

A partition 340 configured to be movable up and down is provided on the outer periphery of the mounting tables 20, 20. The partition 340 has two partition walls 341 and 341 that individually surround the two tables 20 and 20, and a heating plate 342 provided on the upper surfaces of the partition walls 341 and 341. The inner diameter of the partition wall 341 is set larger than the outer surface of the mounting table 20, and a gap is formed between the partition wall 341 and the mounting table 20. Further, the detailed structure of the partition 340 will be described later. The partition 340 is provided in place of the partition 40 in the wafer processing apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1.

As described above, the sealing member 34 provided in the frame 31 seals the space between the frame 31 and the heating plate 342 in an airtight manner when the frame 31 is in contact with the heating plate 342. In addition, a sealing member 343 such as an O-ring made of resin is provided in the protruding portion 52 of the inner wall 50 corresponding to each mounting table 20, and when the protruding portion 52 abuts against the partition wall 341 (a lower flange portion 402 described later), the sealing member 343 seals the space between the partition wall 341 in an airtight manner. The seal member 343 is provided in place of the seal member 45 in the wafer processing apparatus 1 according to embodiment 1. Then, the partition 340 is lifted up, the heating plate 342 is brought into contact with the sealing member 34, and the lower flange 402 is brought into contact with the sealing member 343, so that a processing space S surrounded by the mounting table 20, the partition 340, and the showerhead 30 is formed.

Like the wafer processing apparatus 1 of embodiment 1, the wafer processing apparatus 300 includes an inner wall 50, a main body 51, a protruding portion 52, an exhaust space V, and a slit 53. As shown in fig. 16, the height of the inner wall 50 is set so that the sealing member 343 provided on the protruding portion 52 abuts against the lower flange 402 of the partition wall 341 when the partition wall 340 is raised to the wafer processing position by the elevating mechanism 370 described later. Thereby, the inner wall 50 is in airtight contact with the partition 340.

Further, the inner wall 50 is fixed to the floor of the outer chamber 12. The outer chamber 12 is heated by an outer heater 291 described later, and the inner wall 50 is also heated by the outer heater 291. The inner wall 50 is heated to a desired temperature, and foreign matter contained in the process gas is prevented from adhering to the inner wall 50.

Like the wafer processing apparatus 1 of embodiment 1, the wafer processing apparatus 300 has the exhaust pipe 60. The exhaust pipe 60 exhausts the inside of the partition 340 and the inside of the inner chamber 11. The exhaust pipe 60 is provided inside the inner chamber 11 at the bottom of the outer chamber 12, and is outside the partition 340 and the inner wall 50.

The wafer processing apparatus 300 has the elevating mechanism 370 for elevating the partition 340 as described above. The elevating mechanism 370 has: an actuator 371 disposed outside the chamber 10; a drive shaft 372 connected to the actuator 371, penetrating the bottom plate of the inner chamber 11 and the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12, and extending vertically upward in the inner chamber 11; and a plurality of, for example, two guide shafts 373, the tip ends of which are connected to the partition 340, and the base ends of the other sides of which extend to the outside of the outer chamber 12. The guide shaft 373 prevents the partition wall 340 from tilting when the partition wall 340 is lifted and lowered by the drive shaft 372. Further, the detailed structure of the elevating mechanism 370 will be described later.

Like the wafer processing apparatus 1 of embodiment 1, the wafer processing apparatus 300 includes a control unit 80.

Structure of the gas System of embodiment 2

Next, a gas system in the wafer processing apparatus 300 described above will be described. Fig. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a gas system in the wafer processing apparatus 300. The gas system in the wafer processing apparatus 300 is the same as that in the wafer processing apparatus 1 of embodiment 1. As shown in fig. 17, the gas system in the wafer processing apparatus 300 includes a process gas supply unit 100, a process gas supply source 101, a flow rate adjustment mechanism 102, an inert gas supply unit 110, an inert gas supply source 111, a flow rate adjustment mechanism 112, an exhaust unit 120, a pressure adjustment valve 121, a turbo molecular pump 122, a valve 123, a dry pump 124, a pressure reduction unit 130, and a valve 131.

Structure of partition wall and lifting mechanism according to embodiment 2

Next, the structure of the partition 340 and the elevating mechanism 370 will be described. Fig. 18 is a schematic perspective view showing the structures of the partition 340 and the elevating mechanism 370. Fig. 19 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the partition 340 and its surroundings. Fig. 20 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the structure of the partition 340 and its surroundings.

As shown in fig. 18 to 20, the partition 340 is divided up and down, and has two partition walls 341 and one heating plate 342.

The two partition walls 341, 341 individually surround the two mounting tables 20, respectively. Each partition wall 341 has a cylindrical portion 400, an upper flange portion 401, and a lower flange portion 402. The cylindrical portion 400 surrounds the mounting table 20. The upper flange 401 is provided at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 400, and extends radially outward from the cylindrical portion 400. The lower flange 402 is provided at the lower end of the cylindrical portion 400, and extends radially inward from the cylindrical portion 400.

The heating plate 342 is provided in common to the two partition walls 341 and 341, and has a shape in which two rings are joined in a plan view. The heating plate 342 is provided on the upper surfaces of the upper flange portions 401, 401. The heating plate 342 incorporates a partition heater 410 such as a sheath heater or a cartridge heater. The partition heater 410 adjusts the partition 340 to, for example, 120 ℃ to 140 ℃. This can prevent foreign matter contained in the process gas from adhering to the partition 340, for example.

According to the partition 340 having this structure, the partition 340 is lifted, the heating plate 342 is brought into contact with the seal member 34, and the lower flange 402 is brought into contact with the seal member 343, whereby the processing space S having high air tightness can be formed. In addition, the flow of the process gas in the process space S can be uniformized, and the exhaust path from the process space S can be controlled.

Further, since the partition wall 340 has a vertically divided structure, for example, the exhaust structure of only the lower partition wall 341 can be changed without changing the specification of the upper heating plate 342. For example, an exhaust flow path is formed inside the partition wall 341, and a plurality of openings for communicating the processing space S with the exhaust flow path are formed on the inner side surface of the partition wall 341. In this case, the process gas in the process space S flows into the exhaust passage in the partition wall 341 through the plurality of openings, and is discharged from the exhaust pipe 60.

Further, since the partition wall 340 has a vertically divided structure, for example, the partition wall 341 and the heating plate 342 can be processed separately, thereby improving workability and purchase property.

The partition wall 341 of the partition wall 340 and the heating plate 342 are formed of a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel, or the like, respectively. A coating layer having corrosion resistance to the process gas is applied to the surface of the partition wall 341 and the surface of the heating plate 342, i.e., the surface of the gas contacting surface contacting the process gas. The coating layer is determined according to the kind of the process gas, and is, for example, a nickel plating layer or the like.

Here, considering the temperature influence of the partition 340 on the wafer W, it is preferable that the distance between the partition 340 and the wafer W placed on the stage 20 is large. As shown in fig. 17, the distance L between the partition 340 and the wafer W is larger than the conventional one, for example, 10mm or more, and more preferably 15mm or more. In this case, the distance between the partition 340 and the wafer W can be increased, and thus the temperature influence of the partition 340 on the wafer W can be reduced. As a result, the process performance can be maintained with high accuracy.

In addition, conventionally, since the seal member is provided in the partition wall and the seal member and the partition wall heater are provided in the upper portion of the partition wall, it is difficult to make a layout of both the seal member and the partition wall heater at the same time if the inner diameter of the partition wall is increased. In this regard, in the present embodiment, since the seal member 34 is provided in the frame 31 of the showerhead 30, even if the distance between the partition 340 and the wafer W is increased and the heating plate 342 is made small, the partition heater 410 can be appropriately laid out inside the heating plate 342.

The partition 340 may be provided with an air supply unit (not shown) for supplying air to the partition 340. In this case, the partition 340 can be cooled by air, and for example, the cooling time of the partition 340 during maintenance can be shortened.

As shown in fig. 18 to 20, the elevating mechanism 370 includes an actuator 371, one drive shaft 372, and a plurality of, for example, two guide shafts 373. The driving shaft 372 is lifted and lowered by the actuator 371, and the partition 340 is lifted and lowered. At this time, the partition 340 is prevented from tilting by the two guide shafts 373.

As shown in fig. 16, the top end of the driving shaft 372 is connected to the heating plate 342, and the other base end is connected to the actuator 371. The actuator 371 is provided outside the outer chamber 12. The drive shaft 372 penetrates the bottom plate of the inner chamber 11 and the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12 and extends vertically upward in the inner chamber 11. The drive shaft 372 is provided with the coupling 260 at a portion penetrating the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, that is, at openings 214 and 234 (connection portions of the drive shaft 372) described later. Further, the shaft 372 is provided with a shaft seal 420 in the coupling 260. A sealing member 421 such as a resin O-ring is provided in the shaft sealing portion 420 to block the vacuum atmosphere from the air atmosphere.

The tip end of the guide shaft 373 is connected to the heating plate 342, and the base end of the other side extends to the outside of the outer chamber 12. The guide shaft 373 extends vertically upward in the inner chamber 11 through the bottom plate of the inner chamber 11 and the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. The guide shaft 373 is provided with an adapter 260 at a portion penetrating the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, that is, at openings 215 and 235 (connection portions of the guide shaft 373) to be described later. The guide shaft 373 is provided with a shaft seal 422 in the adapter 260. A sealing member 423 such as a resin O-ring is provided inside the shaft sealing portion 422 to block the vacuum atmosphere from the air atmosphere.

In this way, since the shaft seal portions 420 and 422 are provided on the drive shaft 372 and the guide shaft 373, for example, the cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional bellows seal structure. In addition, in the case of the conventional seal structure of the bellows, a heater needs to be provided around the bellows in order to suppress the adhesion of foreign matter, but in the case of using the shaft seal structure as in the present embodiment, the heater is not required.

< Structure of Chamber of embodiment 2 >

Next, the structure of the chamber 10 and its surroundings will be described. Fig. 21 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the structure of the chamber 10 and its surroundings. The configuration of the chamber 10 and its surroundings in the wafer processing apparatus 300 is the same as the configuration of the chamber 10 and its surroundings in the wafer processing apparatus 1 of embodiment 1. In fig. 21, the internal structure of the inner chamber 11 is not shown for ease of explanation of the structure of the chamber 10.

The structures of the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 of the chamber 10 in the wafer processing apparatus 300 are the same as those of the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 in the wafer processing apparatus 1 of embodiment 1. That is, in the wafer processing apparatus 300, the structure of the chamber 10 is shown in fig. 5 and 6, the structure of the inner chamber 11 is shown in fig. 7 and 8, and the structure of the outer chamber 12 is shown in fig. 9 and 10. The inner chamber 11 includes a side wall 200, a flange 201, a bottom plate 202, a feed-in/feed-out port 210, a port 211, and openings 212 to 215. The outer chamber 12 has a side wall 220, a bottom plate 221, a feed-in/feed-out port 230, a port 231, and openings 232 to 235.

The structure of the sealed space T in the wafer processing apparatus 300 is also the same as that in the wafer processing apparatus 1 of embodiment 1. That is, in the wafer processing apparatus 300, the sealing structure of the sealed space T is as shown in fig. 11 to 14. The sealing structure of the sealed space T includes the adapter 240, the main body 241, the locking portion 242, the 1 st fastening member 243, the 2 nd fastening member 244, the sealing member 245, the adapter 246, the sealing member 247, and the sealing member 248, and seals the sealed space T at the feed-in and feed-out ports 210 and 230. The sealing structure of the sealed space T has the adaptor 250 and the sealing member 251, and seals the sealed space T at the openings 213 and 233. The sealing structure of the sealed space T has the adapter 260 and the sealing member 261, and seals the sealed space T at the opening 214, 234 (the connecting portion of the drive shaft 372) and the sealed space T at the opening 215, 235 (the connecting portion of the guide shaft 373). The sealing structure of the sealed space T has a sealing member 270 to seal the sealed space T between the flange 201 and the upper surface of the side wall 220. A plurality of spacers 280 are provided in the closed space T.

The heater in the wafer processing apparatus 300 has the same structure as the heater in the wafer processing apparatus 1 of embodiment 1. That is, as shown in fig. 21, the inner heater 290 is incorporated in the heating ring 13.

An outer heater 291 such as a sheath heater or a cartridge heater for heating the outer chamber 12 is provided in the outer chamber 12. The outside heaters 291 are provided at arbitrary positions, for example, at four corners of the bottom plate of the outside chamber 12, respectively. These inner heater 290 and outer heater 291 are individually controlled and can be adjusted to separate temperatures.

The outer heater 291 adjusts the outer chamber 12 to, for example, 80 to 100 ℃. Here, the inner chamber 11 is thermally independent by the closed space T as a vacuum heat insulating layer, but there is a slight heat transfer between the inner chamber 11 and the closed space T. In particular, the volume of the outer chamber 12 is large, and the outer chamber 12 is connected to a wafer transfer device or the like outside the wafer processing apparatus 300, so that the heat of the inner chamber 11 is slightly dissipated through the outer chamber 12. In the present embodiment, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is appropriately controlled by adjusting the temperature of the outer chamber 12 in advance. That is, the outer heater 291 functions as an assist for temperature adjustment of the inner chamber 11.

The temperature of the outer chamber 12 adjusted by the outer heater 291 is arbitrary. However, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is controlled to be higher than that of the outer chamber 12. In a case where a chamber has a one-layer structure such as the wafer processing apparatus disclosed in patent document 1, the temperature of the chamber is adjusted to, for example, 120 to 150 ℃. In this regard, in the wafer processing apparatus 300 of the present embodiment, since the chamber 10 has a double-layer structure, the temperature of the outer chamber 12 can be suppressed to be lower than the conventional temperature.

As described above, the partition 340 is adjusted to, for example, 120 to 140 ℃ by the partition heater 410. That is, the temperature of the partition wall 340 is controlled to be higher than the temperature of the inner chamber 11. Since the temperature difference between the partition wall 340 and the inner chamber 11 is set in this way, it is easy to control the temperature of the partition wall 340 and the temperature of the inner chamber 11 by controlling the partition wall heater 410. The temperature of the partition 340 need not be higher than the temperature of the inner chamber 11, and may be the same, for example.

Wafer processing method of embodiment 2

Next, wafer processing (COR processing) in the wafer processing apparatus 300 configured as described above will be described.

First, in a state where the partition 340 is lowered to the retracted position, the wafer W is transported into the chamber 10 (the inner chamber 11) by a transport mechanism (not shown) provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 300, and placed on each of the placing tables 20 and 20.

Then, the partition 340 is raised to the wafer processing position. Thereby, the processing space S is formed by the partition 340.

During COR processing, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is adjusted to, for example, 120 to 150 ℃ by the inner heater 290 (heating ring 13), and the temperature of the outer chamber 12 is adjusted to, for example, 80 ℃ or less by the outer heater 291. The sealed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum degree by the depressurization portion 130, and functions as a vacuum heat insulating layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. As a result, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 can be efficiently adjusted by the vacuum heat insulating layer.

In the COR process, the inert gas may be supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the closed space T in order to adjust the pressure in the closed space T. For example, when a pressure difference is generated between the inside of the inner chamber 11 and the sealed space T, the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T to adjust the pressure difference. Specifically, in order to suppress inflow of the process gas into the sealed space T, the pressure of the sealed space T is adjusted so as to prevent the inside of the inner chamber 11 from becoming higher than the sealed space T. Alternatively, for example, the pressure of the sealed space T is monitored by a pressure gauge (not shown), and when the pressure becomes lower than a threshold value, the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T.

When the COR process is completed, the partition 340 is lowered to the retracted position, and the wafers W on the respective stages 20 and 20 are sent out of the wafer processing apparatus 300 by a wafer conveying mechanism (not shown). Then, the wafer W is heated by a heating device provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 300, and the reaction product generated by COR processing is removed as a gas. Thus, the series of COR processes ends.

Maintenance of wafer processing apparatus according to embodiment 2

Next, maintenance of the wafer processing apparatus 300 will be described. In this maintenance, for example, the inner chamber 11 is replaced. The replacement of the inner chamber 11 includes, for example, the following cases: when the process gas is changed, the corrosion-resistant coating of the inner chamber 11 is changed. Alternatively, for example, the following also exist: after COR processing is performed on the plurality of wafers W, the inner chamber 11 that has been degraded with time is replaced.

After the cover 14 is removed and the inside of the inner chamber 11 is opened to the atmosphere, the partition 340 is removed and the inner chamber 11 is replaced. After the sealed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, the sealed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum degree by the depressurization portion 130. Thus, preparation for COR processing is completed.

Effect of embodiment 2 >

Here, the wafer processing apparatus is provided with a so-called partition wall. The partition walls are provided so as to surround the stage of the wafer, and form a processing space for performing etching processing on the wafer placed on the stage. With this partition structure, even when the exhaust pipe for exhausting the interior of the chamber is provided at one location with respect to the chamber, the exhaust path from the processing space to the exhaust pipe can be controlled during the etching process. In addition, during etching treatment, the airtightness of the treatment space can be ensured, and the flow of the treatment gas in the treatment space can be uniformed.

However, for example, in the conventional wafer processing apparatus disclosed in patent document 1, the partition wall is not considered. Accordingly, there is room for improvement in conventional wafer processing apparatuses, particularly in chamber structures including partition walls.

In this regard, according to embodiment 2 above, since the three-layer structure of the partition 340, the inner chamber 11, and the outer chamber 12 is provided, the effect of the double-layer structure of the chamber 10 of embodiment 1 described above can be enjoyed, the flow of the process gas in the process space S can be uniformized, and the exhaust gas from the process space S can be appropriately controlled.

In addition, since the chamber is one in the conventional wafer processing apparatus, the heat of the partition wall is discharged to the chamber side. In this regard, according to the present embodiment, since the inner chamber 11 is provided between the partition 340 and the outer chamber 12, the partition 340 is less susceptible to external heat (heat of the outer chamber 12), and the temperature uniformity of the partition 340 is improved.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the distance between the barrier ribs 340 and the wafer W can be increased, and the temperature influence of the barrier ribs 340 on the wafer W can be reduced. As a result, the process performance can be maintained with high accuracy.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the same effects as those of embodiment 1 described above can be enjoyed.

In the above embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 300 provided with two stages 20 as shown in fig. 16 has been described, but the wafer processing apparatus 300 provided with one stage 20 as shown in fig. 15 can also enjoy the above-described effects.

The presently disclosed embodiments are considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or altered in various forms without departing from the scope of the appended claims and their gist.

In the above embodiments, for example, the case where COR processing is performed on the wafer W has been described as an example, but the technique of the present disclosure can also be applied to other wafer processing apparatuses using a processing gas, such as a plasma processing apparatus.

Description of the reference numerals

1. A wafer processing apparatus; 11. an inner chamber; 12. an outer chamber; 100. a process gas supply unit; w, wafer.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, wherein,

the substrate processing apparatus includes:

an inner chamber accommodating a substrate;

An outer chamber provided outside the inner chamber; and

a process gas supply unit for supplying a process gas into the inner chamber,

the inner chamber is configured to be detachable from the outer chamber,

the outer chamber is not in contact with the process gas supplied to the inside of the inner chamber.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the substrate processing apparatus includes:

a mounting table for mounting a substrate thereon;

a partition wall provided inside the inner chamber and surrounding the mounting table;

a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the partition wall; and

a sealing member provided on a lower surface of the showerhead of the process gas supply section,

in a state where the partition wall is raised, an upper surface of the partition wall is in contact with the seal member.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein,

the lifting mechanism comprises:

a drive shaft for lifting and lowering the partition wall; and

and a shaft seal portion provided on the drive shaft.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein,

a closed space is formed between the inner side chamber and the outer side chamber,

The substrate processing apparatus includes:

a decompression unit that vacuumizes the space; and

and an inert gas supply unit that supplies inert gas to the space.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein,

the substrate processing apparatus includes a control unit that performs control as follows: the space is evacuated by the pressure reducing portion, and functions as a vacuum heat insulating layer.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein,

the control unit performs control as follows: and supplying an inert gas to the space by the inert gas supply unit, thereby adjusting the pressure of the space.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein,

a spacer is provided in the space, and is provided in contact with the inner chamber and the outer chamber.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein,

the substrate processing apparatus includes an exhaust unit that exhausts the inside of the inner chamber,

the pressure reducing portion and the exhaust portion are individually controlled.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

The inner chamber has a flange portion protruding outward from an upper end of the inner chamber and provided above the outer chamber,

a gap is formed between a lower surface of the flange portion and an upper surface of the outer chamber.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the substrate processing apparatus has an adapter that connects the inside chamber and an outside of the inside chamber.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein,

the substrate processing apparatus includes an exhaust unit that exhausts the inside of the inner chamber, and the adapter is provided so as to connect the inner chamber and the exhaust unit.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein,

a substrate feed-in/feed-out port is formed in a side wall of the inner chamber and a side wall of the outer chamber,

the adapter is provided in such a manner as to connect the inner chamber and the outer chamber at the carry-in and carry-out port.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

the substrate processing apparatus has an inner heater that heats the inner chamber.

14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein,

the substrate processing apparatus has an outside heater that heats the outside chamber,

the inner heater and the outer heater are controlled separately.

15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein,

the substrate processing apparatus includes a partition heater for heating the partition.

16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, wherein,

the inner chamber has a flange portion protruding outward from an upper end of the inner chamber,

the inner heater is provided on the upper surface side of the flange portion.

17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein,

the temperature of the inner heater is higher than the temperature of the outer heater.

18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein,

the substrate processing apparatus has an inner heater that heats the inner chamber,

the temperature of the partition heater is higher than the temperature of the inner side heater.

19. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

A coating having corrosion resistance to the process gas is applied to the gas contacting surface of the inner chamber.