JP2002203883A - Apparatus for forming multilayer film - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for forming a multilayer film wherein a sputtering room can be easily increased or decreased according to the required number of the forming films and the entirety of the apparatus can be arranged compact. SOLUTION: The apparatus comprises a film forming chamber, a transfer mechanism chamber for carrying in or out a substrate on which a film is to be formed, a susceptor containing the substrate, an internal transfer mechanism to rotationally transfer the susceptor placed thereon, a plurality of a single film forming units 111-115 arranged substantially straight, a loader 116 and an unloader 117 carrying in and our respectively the substrate arranged at the both ends of the film forming unit, a vacuum transfer chamber 120 arranged to couple these units and kept in a vacuum therein and a substrate transfer mechanism 118 for transferring the substrate by reciprocating motions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously forming a multi-layer film in a vacuum atmosphere.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the manufacture of devices such as optical disks and semiconductors, it is required to form two or more multilayer thin films on a substrate.

An apparatus called a cluster tool is known as a conventional film forming apparatus that meets such demands.
This equipment introduces a plurality of deposition chambers for depositing different materials around a transfer chamber called a center control room equipped with a robot and a cassette containing substrates for forming multilayer thin films on the surface. Or a loading / unloading chamber for taking out a cassette after film formation from the apparatus. In this device,
The introduction of the cassette into or out of the apparatus, and the loading and unloading of the cassette into and from each film forming chamber are all performed by a robot installed in the center control room.

[0004] As another apparatus for forming a multilayer thin film, a tact transfer type manufacturing apparatus has been conventionally used.
In this apparatus, a plurality of deposition chambers for depositing different materials and a substrate for forming a multilayer thin film on the surface are provided around a transport chamber in which a single transport mechanism for intermittent rotary motion is installed. A load lock chamber is provided for introducing a cassette accommodating therein into the apparatus or removing the cassette after film formation is completed from the apparatus. In this apparatus, the cassette introduced from the load lock chamber is sequentially sent to each film forming chamber by a single transfer mechanism installed in the transfer chamber to form a multilayer film.

However, in such a device, the same number of multilayer thin films are not always formed, but a thin film structure having a different number of layers is generally adopted according to the purpose. Accordingly, as an apparatus for forming such a multilayer thin film having a different number of layers, a film forming apparatus having a different structure according to the number of layers is used.

In the production of such a multilayer thin film, thin film layers made of different materials are laminated one by one. In this production process, when exposed to the air, a high quality thin film exhibiting desired characteristics due to contamination or oxidation is obtained. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously form a film in a vacuum atmosphere.

[0007]

However, since such a conventional cluster tool apparatus has a number of film forming chambers corresponding to the number of layers of the multilayer thin film to be formed, the number of layers of the multilayer film is changed. In the case of changing the material of the thin film or the like, the same device cannot be used. Even if the apparatus is modified, the addition of a film formation chamber including a robot requires expensive processing costs or construction costs.

In addition, when a process room is added or reduced, production must be stopped during the construction period, and a decrease in sales during that period results in a large loss.

[0009] On the other hand, there is a similar problem in a tact-feed re-type manufacturing apparatus, and it is necessary to design a new vacuum apparatus every time the device or the film structure is changed. Manufacturing equipment manufacturers who undertake such design changes also require enormous labor and cost, and since the equipment price cannot be expected to be high, manufacturing equipment capable of responding quickly and inexpensively to such changes in membrane design is expected. Was.

An object of the present invention is to provide a multilayer thin film forming apparatus capable of easily increasing or decreasing the number of sputtering chambers according to the required number of film formation layers and compactly integrating the entire apparatus. .

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for forming a multilayer film, comprising: a film forming chamber; an opening of the film forming chamber opening to the film forming chamber; and a load lock for carrying in or out a substrate on which a film is to be formed. A transfer mechanism chamber having an opening, a susceptor for accommodating the substrate, an internal transfer mechanism for mounting the susceptor and rotating and transferring the susceptor between the film forming chamber opening and the load lock opening are arranged substantially linearly. A plurality of single-layer film forming units, a loader unit for loading the substrate and an unloader unit for unloading the substrate disposed at both ends of the array of the film forming units, and the loader unit; A vacuum transfer chamber provided to couple the unit and the unloader unit to each other, and the inside of which is held at a vacuum, That between the loader unit and the film forming unit and is characterized by comprising a substrate transport mechanism for transporting the reciprocation between the film forming units or between the film forming unit and the unloader unit.

In the apparatus for forming a multilayer film according to the present invention, the vacuum transfer chamber has a transfer opening at a portion corresponding to the loader unit, the load lock openings of the plurality of film forming units, and the unloader unit. Are constituted by elongated vacuum vessels arranged and formed at substantially equal intervals.

Further, in the apparatus for forming a multilayer film according to the present invention, the substrate transport mechanism may include a number of the film forming units.
It is characterized by comprising a linear transfer arm in which a number of vacuum lids plus 1 are fixed at substantially equal intervals, and each of the vacuum lids is provided with a chuck mechanism for holding the substrate. It is.

Further, in the apparatus for forming a multilayer film according to the present invention, the transfer arm reciprocates in a longitudinal direction thereof by a distance equal to an arrangement interval of the plurality of film forming units and is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. It reciprocates in a direction.

Further, in the apparatus for forming a multilayer film according to the present invention, the transfer arm holds the plurality of substrates arranged in the load lock openings of the loader unit and the plurality of film forming units by chucking the vacuum lids. Held by a mechanism, moved into the vacuum transfer chamber through each of the transfer openings, and then, in the vacuum transfer chamber, in the longitudinal direction of the transfer arm by a distance equal to the arrangement interval of the plurality of film forming units. After the movement, the wafer is again moved out of the vacuum transfer chamber through each of the transfer openings.

Further, in the multilayer film forming apparatus according to the present invention, each of the transfer openings of the vacuum transfer chamber is provided with a plurality of the vacuum lids or the loader unit when the substrate is moved by the transfer arm. It is characterized by being closed by a susceptor driven by a push lock provided in the load lock openings of the plurality of film forming units and the unloader unit.

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a single-layer film forming unit used in the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a top view thereof. The basic configuration of this single-layer film forming unit is the same as that of a single-wafer sputtering apparatus that has been widely used in the past, and includes a vacuum exhaust chamber 11, a transfer mechanism chamber 12, and a sputtering module 13. The vacuum evacuation chamber 11 is a substantially vertically elongated rectangular parallelepiped container, and houses therein a vacuum pump, an exhaust device, a power supply, and the like (not shown). The transfer mechanism chamber 12 is a substantially horizontally-long rectangular parallelepiped vacuum container disposed above the evacuation chamber 11, and houses therein a transfer mechanism described later. The sputtering module 13 is a vacuum vessel having a substantially circular cross section disposed above the transfer mechanism chamber 12, and houses therein a sputtering chamber, which is a film formation chamber to be described later, a magnetic field generator, and the like. A sputter chamber cover 15 that can be opened and closed from the outside is provided on the upper part of the sputter module 13.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the single-layer film forming unit shown in FIGS. The transfer mechanism chamber 12 is a closed container having an inner peripheral surface having a substantially circular horizontal section as shown by a broken line 12-1 in FIG.
1 is provided. The internal transfer mechanism 21 is the transfer mechanism room 1
2 is constituted by a rotating shaft 22 provided in the vertical direction passing through the bottom portion and a horizontal arm 23 provided at the upper end portion. Annular portions 24 and 25 are formed at both ends of the horizontal arm 23, and disk-shaped susceptors 26 and 27 are fitted and supported respectively. These susceptors 26 and 27 are also provided with a hermetic seal (not shown) such as an O-ring around the top surface. These susceptors 2
Substrates 32 and 33 for forming a multilayer thin film on the surface thereof are accommodated in the concave portions on the upper surfaces of the substrates 6 and 27.

Below the annular portions 24 and 25 at both ends of the horizontal arm 23 of the internal transfer mechanism 21, there are provided pushers 34 and 35 vertically extending through the bottom of the transfer mechanism chamber 12. These pushers 34 and 35 are moved up and down by a cylinder mechanism (not shown) provided below the outside of the transfer mechanism chamber 12, and the susceptors 26 and 27 are closed at both ends of the horizontal arm 23 by their large diameter tops. Push up from the parts 24 and 25 or return to the original position.

A sputter chamber 41 is provided above the transfer mechanism chamber 12.
Is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the sputtering chamber 41 is a vacuum vessel having an inner peripheral surface having a substantially circular horizontal section, and a part of the inner peripheral surface forms a substantially circular inner periphery forming the transfer mechanism chamber 12. They are arranged in a positional relationship protruding from the surface. The sputtering chamber 41 communicates with the transfer mechanism chamber 12 via an opening 42 at the bottom thereof, and an exhaust port 43 is provided on a side portion thereof. This exhaust port 4
A vacuum pump 44 is connected to 3 and evacuates the sputtering chamber 41 and the transport mechanism chamber 12. A disk-shaped target 45 is provided above the sputtering chamber 41, and a magnetic field generator 46 is provided thereon. The sputter chamber 41, the target 45, the magnetic field generator 46, and the like constitute the sputter module 13 shown in FIG.

In the upper part of the transport mechanism chamber 12, a sputtering chamber 4 is provided.
A load lock opening 47 is formed at a position opposite to 1. As described later, the substrate before the film is formed is transferred to the transfer mechanism chamber 1 through the load lock opening 47.
2, the substrate after the coating is formed is also taken out of the transport mechanism chamber 12 through the load lock opening 47. Therefore, the portion of the transfer mechanism chamber 12 below the load lock opening 47 is referred to as a load lock chamber.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a multilayer film forming apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the first to fifth film forming units 111 to 115 are arranged in a straight line, and a loader unit 116 and an unloader unit 117 are arranged at both ends of this arrangement. The first to fifth film forming units 111 to 115 are the sputtering devices for forming a single-layer film shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, respectively. First to fifth film forming units 1 including a loader unit 116 and an unloader unit 117 arranged at both ends
A substrate transport mechanism 118 is provided along a linear array of 11 to 115. The structure of the substrate transport mechanism 118 is specifically shown in FIGS. These figures are cross-sectional views of the device shown in FIG. 4 cut along the dashed-dotted line AA 'and partially omitted. 5 (A) to 5 (C), FIGS. 6 (D) to 6 (F), FIG.
FIGS. 8G to 8I and FIGS. 8J and 8K are diagrams for explaining the substrate transport operation of the substrate transport mechanism 118, as described later. As shown in FIG. 5A, the substrate transport mechanism 118 includes first to fifth film forming units 111 to 1.
The load openings 15 (load lock openings 47 in FIGS. 2 and 3), the transfer openings 119 are arranged at regular intervals in portions corresponding to a part of the table of the loader unit 116 and the unloader unit 117. An elongated rectangular parallelepiped vacuum transfer chamber 120 is provided. In the vacuum transfer chamber 120, a linear transfer arm 121 extending between the first to fifth film forming units 111 to 115 and one of the loader unit 116 and the unloader unit 117 is provided. I have. The transfer arm 121 is provided inside the vacuum transfer chamber 120,
It is provided so as to be able to reciprocate in its longitudinal direction, that is, in the horizontal and vertical directions. This horizontal reciprocation,
It reciprocates by a distance corresponding to the distance between the load lock openings of adjacent film forming units. For the reciprocating motion in the vertical direction, the transfer arm 121 is provided with a number obtained by adding 1 to the number of film forming units, that is, six vacuum lids 122 are provided at substantially equal intervals. These vacuum lids 122 are mechanical chucks 12 for detachably fixing a substrate on which a film is to be formed.
3 is provided. The vertically reciprocating movement of the transfer arm 121 moves the substrate fixed to the plurality of vacuum lids 122 upward from the load lock opening of the film forming unit into the vacuum transfer chamber 120, and after moving in the horizontal direction, descends again. It is done to make it.

In FIG. 5A, the loader unit 116 and the unloader unit 117 are
Pushers 66, 67 are shown. FIG. 3 also shows first, second and fifth film forming units 111 and 11.
The load lock chamber portions included in the transfer mechanism chambers 2 and 115 and the pushers 35 therein are shown.

Next, the operation of the apparatus for continuously forming a multilayer film according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
(C), FIGS. 6 (D) to (F), FIGS. 7 (G) to (I), and FIGS. 8 (J) and (K). In FIG. 5A, the transfer arm 121 is located at a position on the loader unit 116 side in the elongated vacuum transfer chamber 120, and each vacuum lid 122 closes the transfer opening 119 excluding the unloader unit 117. The transfer opening 119 of the unloader unit 117 is closed from the outside of the vacuum transfer chamber 120 by the pusher 67 of the unloader unit 117. FIG. 5A shows the state of the substrate 32 in each of the film forming units 111, 112, and 115.
Is completed, the pusher 66 in the loader unit 116 waits for the reception of a new substrate, and the pusher 35 in each of the film deposition units 111, 112, and 115 applies the susceptor to the susceptor 32. 27 and is also in a standby state.

The pusher 6 in the loader unit 116
6, when a new substrate 32 is received on the susceptor 27, as shown in FIG. 5B, it rises to close the transfer opening 119 of the vacuum transfer chamber 120, and When the vacuum lid 122 operates, the substrate 3
2 is gripped by the chuck 123. Similar operations are performed in the first, second and fifth film forming units 111 and 11.
This is also done by pushers 35 in 2 and 115.

As shown in FIG. 5 (C), the transfer arm 121 rises its position in the vacuum transfer chamber 120 in the vertical direction and moves horizontally to the unloader unit 117 side. As shown in FIG. 5, the transfer opening 1 of the vacuum transfer chamber 120 is lowered by the respective vacuum lids 122.
19 is closed. At this time, the unloader unit 11
7 is also the transfer cover 119 of the transfer arm 121.
It is closed by 22.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6E, the pusher 35 in the first, second and fifth film forming units 111, 112 and 115 and the pusher 67 of the unloader unit 117 are lowered, and In the first, second and fifth film forming units, the film forming process is started, and in the unloader unit 117, the substrate 32 on which the film forming is completed is taken out.

In the state shown in FIG. 6F, a film forming process is performed in the first, second and fifth film forming units 111, 112 and 115. When the film forming process is completed, as shown in FIG. 7 (G), the first, second and fifth film forming units 111, 112 and 11 are formed.
Pusher 35 in 5 and unloader unit 11
The pusher 67 moves up and closes the transfer opening 119 of the vacuum transfer chamber 120.

Thereafter, the transfer arm 121 is moved to the position shown in FIG.
As shown in the figure, the position is raised vertically in the vacuum transfer chamber 120, and the loader unit 11
At this time, the chuck 123 of the vacuum lid 122 of the transfer arm 121 does not operate, and moves in an empty state while the substrate 32 is placed on the pushers 35 and 67.

The transfer arm 121 includes the loader unit 1
After moving horizontally to the 16 side, as shown in FIG.
Is closed. At this time, the transport opening 119 of the unloader unit 117 is closed by the pusher 67 of the unloader unit 117.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8 (J), the pusher 66 in the loader unit 116 descends, stands by for receiving a new substrate, and in each of the film forming units 111, 112 and 115. Pusher 35
Waits for reception of a new substrate while supporting the substrate 32 on which the film forming process has been completed together with the susceptor 27.

In this state, as shown in FIG. 8K, a new substrate 32 is introduced into the susceptor 27 mounted on the pusher 66 in the loader unit 116. The subsequent operation returns to FIG. 5A again, and the same operation is repeated.

According to the above operation, in this embodiment, the substrate can be sequentially transferred between the plurality of film forming units by the vacuum transfer chamber 120 and the transfer arm 121 provided therein.

According to this embodiment, the required number of single-layer film forming sputtering apparatuses are arranged, and these are arranged in the vacuum transfer chamber 1.
20 can be configured as a multilayer film forming apparatus.

In the above embodiment, the length of the vacuum transfer chamber is standardized by the length of each unit, and the internal transfer mechanism is also standardized in the same manner so that the required number of film layers can be adjusted. By simply combining the devices, a continuous multilayer film forming device can be configured.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims of the present invention.

[0038]

According to the present invention, a multi-layer film forming apparatus having high quality film forming performance can be obtained at a low cost only by connecting a single layer film forming apparatus for a disk which has many achievements as a base. Can be

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a single-layer film forming unit used in the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view showing the configuration of the single-layer film forming unit of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of the single-layer film forming unit shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a top view of a multilayer film forming apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 5A to 5C are cross-sectional views taken along line AA ′ of FIG. 4 for illustrating a substrate transport operation.

6 (D) to 6 (F) are cross-sectional views taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 4, and are diagrams illustrating a substrate transport operation.

FIGS. 7G to 7I are cross-sectional views taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 4 and are diagrams illustrating a substrate transport operation.

8 (J) and 8 (K) are cross-sectional views taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. 4, and are diagrams illustrating a substrate transport operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11: Vacuum exhaust chamber 12: Transfer mechanism chamber 13: Sputter module 15: Sputter chamber lid 18: Vacuum lid 21: Internal transfer mechanism 22: Internal transfer mechanism rotating shaft 23: Internal transfer mechanism horizontal arm 24, 25: Annular part 26 27: susceptor 32, 33: substrate 34, 35: pusher 41: sputtering chamber 42: bottom opening 43: exhaust port 44: vacuum pump for sputtering chamber exhaust 45: target 46: magnetic field generator 47: load lock chamber opening 51 : Sealing members 111 to 115: film forming unit 116: loader unit 117: unloader unit 118: substrate transfer mechanism 119: transfer opening 120: vacuum transfer chamber 121: transfer arm 122: vacuum lid 123: chuck

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 4K029 BB02 BD01 CA05 DA01 DA02 KA01 KA09 5F031 CA01 CA02 FA01 FA07 FA12 GA24 GA48 GA49 HA59 HA60 MA28 MA29 NA05 NA08 NA09 5F103 AA08 BB31 BB33 BB36 BB46 RR01 RR10

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A transfer mechanism chamber having a film forming chamber, a film forming chamber opening opening to the film forming chamber, and a load lock opening for loading or unloading a substrate on which a film is to be formed, and a susceptor for accommodating the substrate. A plurality of single-layer film forming units arranged on a substantially straight line, including an internal transfer mechanism for mounting and rotating the susceptor between the film forming chamber opening and the load lock opening. A loader unit for loading the substrate and an unloader unit for unloading the substrate disposed at both ends of the film forming unit array, and a loader unit, a plurality of film forming units, and an unloader unit provided so as to be connected to each other; A vacuum transfer chamber, the inside of which is held in a vacuum, and the loader unit and the film forming unit which are provided in the vacuum transfer chamber and which adjoin the substrate. And a substrate transport mechanism for transporting the film between the film forming units or between the film forming unit and the unloader unit in a reciprocating motion. 2. The vacuum transfer chamber has an elongated vacuum in which transfer openings are formed at substantially equal intervals in portions corresponding to the loader unit, the load lock openings of the plurality of film forming units, and the unloader unit. 2. The apparatus for forming a multilayer film according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is constituted by a container. 3. The substrate transfer mechanism includes a linear transfer arm in which a number of vacuum lids obtained by adding 1 to the number of the film forming units are fixed at substantially equal intervals. 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a chuck mechanism for holding the substrate. 4. The transfer arm reciprocates in a longitudinal direction thereof by a distance equal to an arrangement interval of the plurality of film forming units, and reciprocates in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Item 4. An apparatus for forming a multilayer film according to Item 3. 5. The vacuum transfer chamber holds the plurality of substrates arranged in the load lock openings of the loader unit and the plurality of film forming units by a chuck mechanism of each of the vacuum lids. Moved through each of the transfer openings, then in the vacuum transfer chamber by a distance equal to the arrangement interval of the plurality of film forming units,
5. The multilayer film forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, after moving in the longitudinal direction of the transfer arm, the transfer arm is again moved out of the vacuum transfer chamber through each of the transfer openings. 6. A transfer lock opening of each of the plurality of vacuum lids, the plurality of loader units, and the plurality of deposition units when the substrate is moved by the transfer arm. The apparatus for forming a multilayer film according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus is closed by a susceptor driven by a pusher provided in the unloader unit.