JP2000082701A - Continuous treatment method and device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a continuous treatment method and a device with which a vacuum treatment process and an atmospheric treatment process can be excellently integrated. SOLUTION: A load lock chamber 1 used to introduce a non-treated wafer into a vacuum atmosphere, an unload lock chamber 2 used to take out a treated wafer into the atmospheric air; chambers 3, 4 and 5, where the wafer is treated for etching, ashing and CVD; and a load lock chamber 6 which is used to carry in and out between the vacuum atmosphere and the atmospheric treatment atmosphere are connected to a vacuum carrying chamber 9 provided with a carrying device 8 which performs the carrying of the wafer between the above- mentioned chambers through gate valves 7a to 7g; are provided in this continuous treatment device. A washing chamber 10 to be used to wash the wafer under low pressure through a gate vale 7i is connected to the load lock chamber 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a continuous processing method and apparatus, and more particularly to vacuum processing such as etching, ashing, and film formation and atmospheric pressure processing such as cleaning for a sample such as a semiconductor element substrate. The present invention relates to a continuous processing apparatus that performs continuous processing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Demands for higher functionality, higher integration, and higher density for electronic devices such as semiconductor elements are increasing, and the manufacturing processes thereof are also becoming more and more complicated.

Generally, in the manufacturing process of the electronic device, a thin film is formed, a fine pattern is processed, an impurity is diffused,
Processing such as heat treatment is repeatedly performed, and vacuum processing apparatuses such as a CVD apparatus, a sputtering apparatus, and a dry etching apparatus are often used. Conventionally, these processing are performed by a single apparatus in one process or at most pre-cleaning or ashing. The previous and subsequent processing steps were only performed continuously in a vacuum.

On the other hand, in recent years, a concept of process integration has been proposed for the purpose of shortening a process, reducing particles, stabilizing a process by continuous processing in a vacuum, and the like, and a so-called multi-chamber type device has appeared. This enables a vacuum process such as the above-mentioned CVD, sputtering, dry etching or the like to be performed continuously and continuously in one apparatus. However, in reality, during these processes such as thin film formation and fine processing,
There are a number of wet processes using liquids, including washing, and only a very limited number of processes are capable of performing continuous continuous processing in a vacuum in a single apparatus.

[0005] In this regard, for example, monthly Semiconductor World (1990.1), 49th
Wafer cassette chamber, etcher, as described on page
An apparatus has been proposed which integrally includes an asher and a wet processing chamber, and is capable of sequentially performing an etching process, an ashing process, and a wet process, and carrying out a wet-processed wafer outside the apparatus. However, the above problems have not yet been solved.

As means for solving the above problems, for example, Realize Inc., edited by the Semiconductor Technology Research Group, “Process High Performance Technology in LSI Manufacturing II”
I ”, page 23, proposes a system that connects all devices regardless of vacuum processing or air processing through a clean N ₂ tunnel and performs continuous continuous processing without exposing wafers to the air in a clean room. Have been.

[0007]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, the system becomes extremely large, and there are many problems to be solved in order to connect a large number of devices of different manufacturers, and it is still quite difficult to realize. I have to say that it takes time.

[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a continuous processing method and apparatus which can perform vacuum processing and atmospheric pressure processing continuously in one apparatus, and can integrate more advanced processes.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vacuum processing chamber and an atmospheric pressure processing chamber,
The sample processed in the atmospheric pressure processing chamber can be transported to a vacuum processing chamber without exposure to an atmosphere outside the apparatus, and vacuum processing can be performed.

In the present invention, a vacuum processing chamber and an atmospheric pressure processing chamber are provided, and a sample such as a semiconductor device substrate processed in the atmospheric pressure processing chamber is transferred to the vacuum processing chamber without being exposed to an atmosphere outside the apparatus. Atmospheric pressure such as vacuum processing such as film forming processing such as CVD and sputtering, dry etching processing and ashing processing, and wet processing using liquids including cleaning by being configured so that vacuum processing can be performed. It is possible to integrate a more advanced process with the processing process.

[0011]

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

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an application of a continuous processing apparatus according to the present invention to an apparatus for performing dry etching and CVD processing on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter abbreviated as a wafer) as a sample.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is equipped with a vacuum exhaust device and a gas introducing device (both not shown), and a load lock chamber 1 for introducing an unprocessed wafer into a vacuum atmosphere. An unload lock chamber 2 for taking out the inside, an etching chamber 3 for performing an etching process on a wafer, an ashing chamber 4 for removing a resist, and a CVD chamber 5 for forming an insulating layer such as silicon nitride or silicon oxide. A load lock chamber 6 for loading and unloading wafers between a vacuum atmosphere and an atmospheric pressure processing atmosphere has gate valves 7b to 7 which can be opened and closed, respectively.
g, and is connected to a vacuum transfer chamber 9 provided with a transfer device 8 for transferring a wafer to and from each of the above-mentioned chambers. Further, a cleaning chamber 10 for performing a cleaning process on the wafer in a dry nitrogen atmosphere at atmospheric pressure is connected to the load lock chamber 6 through a gate valve 7i that can be opened and closed. in this case,
The cleaning chamber 10 can be confidentially shut off from the atmospheric pressure outside the apparatus.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows. In the state where unprocessed wafers are stored one by one or in a plurality of cassettes, the load lock chamber 1 is passed through the gate valve 7a from outside the apparatus.
Supplied to Thereafter, the gate valve 7a is closed,
In this state, the load lock chamber 1 is evacuated by the evacuation device. After evacuation of the load lock chamber 1, the gate valve 7 b is opened, and the wafer is taken from the load lock chamber 1 into the vacuum transfer chamber 9 which is constantly evacuated to a high vacuum by the transfer device 8. After the gate valve 7b is closed, the gate valve 7c is opened, and the wafer is transferred from the vacuum transfer chamber 9 to the etching chamber 3 by the transfer device 8. Thereafter, after the gate valve 7c is closed, a dry etching process, in this case, a plasma etching process, is performed according to predetermined conditions. Hereinafter, the wafer after the etching process is transferred from the etching chamber 3 to the ashing chamber 4 via the vacuum transfer chamber 9 by the cooperative operation of the gate valves 7c and 7d and the transfer device 8, and remains on the wafer after the etching process. Ashing is performed to remove the resist that has been removed. Next, the gate valve 7
The wafer after the ashing process is transferred from the ashing chamber 4 to the load lock chamber 6 via the vacuum transfer chamber 9 by the cooperative operation of the transfer devices 8 and 7g and the transfer device 8. Load lock room 6
Is returned to atmospheric pressure by N ₂ gas after closing the gate valve 7g. Thereafter, the gate valve 7i is opened, and the wafer is carried into the cleaning chamber 10 from the load lock chamber 6 through the gate valve 7i by the transfer means (not shown). The cleaning chamber 10 is configured so as to be confidentially shielded from the atmospheric pressure atmosphere outside the apparatus. In this case, the wafer is subjected to a cleaning treatment and a drying treatment for removing residues after removing the resist in a dry nitrogen atmosphere at atmospheric pressure. Is given. The wafer that has been subjected to such a cleaning process is again transferred to the load lock chamber 6 through the gate valve 7i by the transfer unit.

Thereafter, the load lock chamber 6 is evacuated to substantially the same pressure as the vacuum transfer device 9. Next, the gate valve 7
The wafers after the cleaning process are transferred from the load lock chamber 6 to the CVD chamber 5 via the vacuum transfer chamber 9 by the cooperative operation of the transfer devices 8 and 7g. Subsequently, the wafer is placed in the CVD chamber 5
Then, a film forming process for forming a protective film, for example, a silicon nitride or silicon oxide film is performed. After that, the film-processed wafer is transferred to the gate valves 7 e and 7 f and the transfer device 8.
The wafer is conveyed from the CVD chamber 5 to the unload lock chamber 2 via the vacuum transfer chamber 9 by the cooperative operation of the above, and is taken out of the apparatus via the unload lock chamber 2.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the etching process, the ashing process, the CVD film forming process, and the cleaning process can be continuously performed on the wafer in one apparatus, if necessary, and can be repeated. Further, as compared with the conventional technology, it is possible to integrate a more advanced process of each of the etching process, the ashing process, and the CVD film forming process and the cleaning process. In other words, such a continuous processing system can be an extremely simple system, and the trouble of connecting apparatuses from different manufacturers can be eliminated.

It is to be noted that a vacuum film formation processing chamber such as a sputtering chamber, a vacuum deposition chamber, and an MBE chamber may be provided instead of the CVD chamber in the above embodiment. In addition, a plurality of vacuum deposition processing chambers, for example,
Alternatively, a CVD chamber and a sputtering chamber may be provided.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the cleaning process has been described as the atmospheric pressure process. However, the atmospheric pressure process may also be a sample temperature recovery process using a low-temperature etching technique. That is, in the low-temperature etching technique, the sample is cooled to a temperature of 0 ° C. or lower and etched. Therefore, when an ashing process or a film forming process is performed after such a low-temperature etching process, a sample temperature recovery process is required from the viewpoint of improving throughput. As a device corresponding to this, a temperature recovery processing chamber is additionally provided in the device of the above-described embodiment, or a temperature recovery function is added to the function of the cleaning room. In such an apparatus, a low-temperature etching process, a temperature recovery process, an ashing process, a cleaning process, and a CVD film forming process are sequentially or repeatedly performed when necessary.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since vacuum processing and atmospheric pressure processing can be performed continuously and repeatedly when necessary in one apparatus, it is possible to integrate a more advanced process of vacuum processing and atmospheric pressure processing. effective.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a continuous processing apparatus according to the present invention.

[Description of Signs] 1 ... Load lock chamber, 2 ... Unload lock chamber, 3 ... Etching chamber, 4 ... Ashing chamber, 5
... CVD chamber, 6 ... load lock chamber, 7a, 7
b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 7g, 7i, 7j ...
Gate valve, 8: transfer means, 9: vacuum transfer chamber, 10: cleaning chamber.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Tsunehiko Tsune 794 Kazato, Higashi-Toyoi, Kudamatsu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture Inside the Kasado Plant of Hitachi, Ltd. (72) Inventor, Naoyuki Tamura, Katsumatsu-shi, Yamaguchi Prefecture

Claims (2)

[Claims] A step of transferring a sample to a vacuum processing chamber via a vacuum transfer chamber; a step of vacuum processing the sample in the vacuum processing chamber; and a step of transferring the vacuum-processed sample through the vacuum transfer chamber. Transporting the sample from the vacuum processing chamber to the atmospheric pressure processing chamber, processing the vacuum-processed sample under atmospheric pressure in the atmospheric pressure processing chamber, and transferring the sample subjected to the atmospheric pressure processing through the vacuum transfer chamber. A continuous processing method, comprising: transporting the sample from an atmospheric pressure processing chamber to the vacuum processing chamber; and vacuum-treating the sample subjected to the atmospheric pressure processing in the vacuum processing chamber. 2. At least one vacuum processing chamber for performing processing on a sample under vacuum and at least one load lock chamber for carrying the sample into and out of a vacuum atmosphere, and transporting the sample between the chambers. And a load lock chamber different from the load lock chamber is connected to the vacuum transfer chamber through a gate valve, and the load lock chamber is connected to a vacuum transfer chamber having a transfer means. The chamber is connected to at least one atmospheric pressure processing chamber for processing the sample at atmospheric pressure or a pressure close to atmospheric pressure through a gate valve, and the sample processed in the atmospheric pressure processing chamber is connected to an atmosphere outside the apparatus. A continuous processing apparatus, wherein the vacuum processing chamber is transported to the vacuum processing chamber without performing exposure to perform vacuum processing.