JP2007277617A - Vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a film deposition apparatus capable of performing the film deposition on both sides of a substrate, having small installation area, short film deposition process, and capable of preventing any abnormal discharge. <P>SOLUTION: The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprises a film deposition chamber 5 having a gas introduction means and an exhaust means, a substrate holder 101 for holding a substrate S, a conveying means for conveying the substrate holder 101, and an inversion means for inverting the substrate holder 101. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus.

Conventionally, a film forming apparatus for performing a chemical vapor deposition method, particularly a plasma chemical vapor deposition method (hereinafter referred to as a plasma CVD method) or a catalytic chemical vapor deposition method (hereinafter referred to as a catalytic CVD method) is used for forming a thin film. It has been. One such film forming apparatus is a vertical plasma CVD apparatus (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Since this apparatus has a smaller installation area than the film forming apparatus that holds the substrate horizontally, it is known that the apparatus installation area can be reduced while accommodating an increase in the size of the substrate.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-50735 (Claims)

  However, when it is desired to efficiently form the film on both sides of the substrate, the above apparatus can efficiently form the film on only one side of the substrate in one cycle from the loading of the substrate into the apparatus until the unloading. However, it is difficult to form both sides of the substrate.

  Therefore, the object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and by providing a substrate reversing means in the apparatus, during one cycle from loading the substrate into the apparatus until unloading, An object of the present invention is to provide a vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus capable of efficiently forming films on both sides of a substrate.

  The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention includes a film forming chamber having a gas introduction unit and an exhaust unit, a substrate holder for holding a substrate, a transport unit for transporting the substrate holder, and an inversion for inverting the substrate holder. Means. Since this apparatus includes a substrate reversing means, double-sided film formation is possible.

  This inversion means is preferably provided in the film forming chamber. By reversing the substrate in the deposition chamber, it is not necessary to carry the substrate out to the atmosphere when the substrate is reversed. There are few.

  The reversing means includes a rotating means for rotating the substrate holder by 180 ° with respect to the transport direction around the rotation axis during transport of the substrate holder. Since the substrate is reversed while being transported, the film forming process does not take time, so that the film can be formed efficiently. The rotating means preferably includes a gear provided on the substrate holder and a rack that meshes with the gear of the substrate holder to rotate the substrate holder. In addition, the rotating means has one or more first protrusions provided on the substrate holder, and one or more first protrusions provided on the inner wall of the film forming chamber that rotates the substrate holder in contact with the first protrusions. It is preferable that it consists of two protrusions.

  The inversion means includes stop means for stopping rotation at 180 °. The stopping means is preferably made of a magnetic body provided on the side surface of the substrate holder. Moreover, it is preferable that a stop means is an overlap fin provided in the side surface of the substrate holder.

  The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that a catalyst wire is disposed at a predetermined position in the film forming chamber in order to perform the catalytic CVD method.

  Furthermore, the vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention is characterized in that a plasma generating means is disposed at a predetermined position in the film forming chamber in order to perform a plasma CVD method.

  The apparatus preferably includes at least a load lock chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber.

  The apparatus preferably includes at least a load lock chamber, a heating chamber, a cooling chamber, and a substrate reversing chamber having reversing means. By providing the substrate reversing chamber having the reversing means, it is not necessary to carry out the substrate into the atmosphere at the time of reversing the substrate. Few.

  The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention comprises a load lock chamber, a heating chamber, a cooling chamber, a gas introduction means and an exhaust means, a film formation chamber in which a catalyst wire is disposed at a predetermined position, and a substrate A substrate holder for holding the substrate holder, a conveying means for conveying the substrate holder, and a reversing means for reversing the substrate holder, wherein the reversing means is provided in the film forming chamber and is centered on the rotation axis during the conveyance of the substrate holder. And a rotation means for rotating the substrate holder by 180 ° with respect to the transport direction and a stop means for stopping the rotation at 180 °.

  The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention includes a load lock chamber, a heating chamber, a cooling chamber, a gas introduction unit and an exhaust unit, and a film formation chamber in which a plasma generation unit is disposed at a predetermined position; A substrate holder for holding a substrate, a transport means for transporting the substrate holder, and a substrate reversing chamber having a reversing means for reversing the substrate holder, wherein the reversing means is centered on a rotation axis during transport of the substrate holder. And a rotation means for rotating the substrate holder by 180 ° with respect to the transport direction and a stop means for stopping the rotation at 180 °.

  According to the vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus of the present invention, since the time required for the film forming process is short, the film forming efficiency is high and the installation area is small.

  A vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a vertical CVD apparatus) according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. This apparatus is an in-line vertical CVD apparatus for forming a film on both surfaces of a substrate by catalytic CVD method. The first component is formed on the surface of at least five chambers, that is, a load lock chamber, a heating chamber, and a substrate. It comprises a film chamber, a second film forming chamber for forming a film on the back surface of the substrate, and a cooling chamber. Each chamber is connected through a gate valve, and these chambers are provided with exhaust means.

In the first film forming chamber, a catalyst wire is installed perpendicularly to the bottom surface of the apparatus, and a raw material gas introduction means for efficiently supplying a raw material gas to the catalyst wire is provided. The second film formation chamber includes an inversion space for inverting the substrate and a film formation space for forming a film on the substrate. In the inversion space, inversion means are provided. Further, in the film formation space, a catalyst wire is installed perpendicular to the bottom surface of the apparatus, and a raw material gas introduction means for efficiently supplying a raw material gas to the catalyst wire is provided.
The substrates are held by a substrate holder, and two or more substrate holders are arranged side by side on the substrate tray so as to be perpendicular to the bottom surface of the apparatus. Two of the substrate trays are arranged so that the surfaces of the substrates face each other, and are transported sequentially from the load lock chamber, and film formation is performed on both surfaces of the substrate in the following steps.

  First, each substrate tray is transferred to the load lock chamber, and after evacuating the load lock chamber, the gate valve is opened to transfer each substrate tray to the heating chamber. In the heating chamber, each substrate tray is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heater such as an infrared lamp. Thereafter, each substrate tray is transferred to the first film formation chamber. The two substrate trays are transported so that the surfaces of the substrate trays face each other, and the product generated by the catalytic decomposition reaction between the catalyst wires and the source gas is deposited on the surface of the substrate, Film formation is performed. Next, the substrate tray is transported into the second deposition chamber while the deposited substrate surfaces face each other. The substrate is transported to the reversal space in the second film forming chamber, and the substrate is reversed by the substrate reversing means provided in the reversal space, so that the back surfaces of the two substrate trays face each other. And after conveying a substrate tray so that the back surface may oppose on both sides of a catalyst wire in film-forming space, film-forming is performed on a substrate back surface. After film formation, the substrate tray is transferred to a cooling chamber, cooled to a predetermined temperature, and taken out to the outside.

  Thus, since the vertical CVD apparatus of the present invention has the substrate inversion means in the film forming chamber, it is possible to form the film efficiently.

  FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of the apparatus for explaining the state of substrate transport in the vertical CVD apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. This apparatus is an apparatus for forming two layers on each surface of a substrate by using a catalytic CVD method. The apparatus includes eight chambers, that is, a load lock chamber 1, a first heating chamber 2 for heating the substrate and the substrate tray, a second heating chamber 3 for uniforming the substrate temperature of the heated substrate, and the substrate. A first film forming chamber 4 for forming a first film on a surface S1 of S (not shown in FIG. 1), and a second inversion means for forming a second film on the surface S2 of the substrate S. The film formation chamber 5 is formed on the surface S2 of the substrate S, the third film formation chamber 6 provided with the reversing means for forming the third film on the first film formed on the surface S1 of the substrate S. The fourth film forming chamber 7 and the cooling chamber 8 are provided with reversing means for forming a fourth film on the second film. Each chamber is connected through a gate valve 9, and these chambers are provided with exhaust means.

  These first to fourth films may be different films or two or more may be the same film. Note that although two layers are formed on each surface of the substrate in this embodiment, the vertical CVD apparatus of the present invention can be configured so that two or more layers are formed on each surface of the substrate.

  In this apparatus, the substrate trays 10 holding the substrates perpendicular to the bottom surface of the apparatus are arranged in two rows so that the surfaces S1 of the substrates S face each other. Transport. The inside of the load lock chamber 1 is evacuated, and then the substrate tray 10 is transferred to the first heating chamber 2 with the gate valve 9 opened, and then transferred to the second heating chamber 3. In the first heating chamber, the surface S1 and the surface S2 of the substrate S held on the substrate tray 10 by a heater such as an infrared lamp (not shown) are each heated to a predetermined temperature. In the second heating chamber, the substrate and the substrate S Make the substrate tray temperature uniform. Thereafter, the substrate tray 10 is transferred to the first film forming chamber 4 to form the first film on the surface S1 of the substrate, and then transferred to the second film forming chamber 5, and the substrate S is transferred by the reversing means during the transfer. Are reversed so that the surfaces S2 of the substrates S face each other, and a second film is formed on the surface S2. Then, the substrate tray 10 is transported to the third film forming chamber 6, and the substrate S is reversed by a reversing means during the transportation to form a third film on the first film. Finally, the substrate tray 10 is The substrate S is transported to the fourth film forming chamber 7, and the substrate S is reversed by a reversing means in the middle of the transport to form a fourth film on the second film. After the film formation, the substrate tray 10 is cooled to a predetermined temperature in the cooling chamber 8, taken out to the outside, and conveyed to an apparatus for performing a post process. It should be noted that instead of the cooling chamber 8, a film forming chamber for performing a post process can be connected to form an apparatus configuration in which the post process is continuously performed after forming each silicon film.

  Hereinafter, the second film forming chamber 5 provided with the reversing means for forming the second film on the surface S2 of the substrate S will be described. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the inversion space 51 and the film formation space 52 of the substrate in the second film formation chamber 5. 2 that are the same as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

  The film formation chamber 5 includes a reversal space 51 for reversing the substrate and a film formation space 52 for forming the second film on the substrate S. In the reversal space 51, two racks 53 that are engaged with a gear 105 provided on a substrate holder 101 (to be described later) and rotate the substrate holder are provided opposite to each other. In the film formation space 52, a plurality of catalyst wires 54 (seven as an example in FIG. 2) are arranged in the center, perpendicular to the bottom surface of the film formation chamber 5, and between the two substrates. ing. Each catalyst line 54 is made of a refractory metal such as W, Ta, Mo, or Ir. Each catalyst wire 54 is configured in a linear shape or a coil shape. The catalytic CVD method forms a desired film by depositing a product obtained by bringing a film-forming gas into contact with these catalyst wires 54 heated to a predetermined temperature and causing a decomposition reaction to deposit on the substrate. is there. Therefore, a gas introduction unit (not shown) is provided in the film formation space 52, and the source gas is efficiently supplied to the catalyst wire 54 by the gas introduction unit. Various gases can be used as the film formation gas depending on the purpose of film formation. For example, silane, hydrogen, phosphine, diborane, ammonia, nitrogen, or the like can be used.

  A gate valve 9 (not shown in FIG. 2) is passed from the first film forming chamber 4 (not shown in FIG. 2) into the inversion space 51 of the second film forming chamber 5 thus configured. The two substrate trays 10 holding the substrates deposited in the first deposition chamber 4 are transported. FIG. 3 shows an XX cross-sectional view of the second film forming chamber 5 for explaining a state in which the substrate tray 10 is transferred into the reversal space 51 of the second film forming chamber 5. Referring to FIG. 3, the substrate tray 10 includes at least two substrate holders 101 (seven as an example in FIG. 3) and these substrate holders 101 arranged in parallel and on the bottom surface of the second film forming chamber 5. The carrier 1021 is attached to the frame 102, and the carrier 1021 is moved on the rail 55 laid in the second film forming chamber 5 to convey the substrate tray 10. Is configured to be possible.

  Each substrate holder 101 is composed of a flat plate 103 provided with one or more openings 1011 (10 in FIG. 3 as an example), and a substrate S is held in each opening 1011 by holding means (not shown). By providing the opening 1011, when the substrate holder 101 is inverted, the product can be deposited on both surfaces of the substrate S to form a film. The flat plate 103 is provided with a rotating shaft 104 that is perpendicular to the bottom surface of the second film forming chamber 5 and preferably passes through the center of the substrate holder 101. Since each substrate holder 101 is rotated about the rotation shaft 104 to reverse the substrate, there is an advantage that the substrate can be reversed if there is a small rotation space. A gear 105 that rotates in mesh with the rack is provided at the top of the rotating shaft 104. A bearing (not shown) is provided on the lower portion 1041 of the rotating shaft 104, and vacuum bearing oil may be applied to the bearing as necessary. In this case, the rotating shaft can be rotated more smoothly. Is possible. When the substrate holder 101 having the gear 105 is held by the frame 102, the frame 102 is provided with a gear window 106 so that the gear 105 and the rack 53 can be engaged with each other.

  Further, the flat plate 103 of the substrate holder 101 is made of a stainless steel material such as SUS304 material or SUS430 material containing magnetism, or a light aluminum material such as AL5052, and is very light, so that it is easy to rotate but is heated by heat. Easy to bend. Therefore, in order to reduce the deflection due to heat, as shown in FIG. 4 which is an enlarged front view of the substrate holder 101, the substrate holder 101 may be composed of two short flat plates 103a and 103b. In this case, as shown in FIG. 5 showing an enlarged Y-Y longitudinal section of the substrate holder 101, the convex portion of the flat plate 103b may be inserted into the concave portion of the flat plate 103a and connected. If two short plates are connected in this way, there is less deflection due to heat than when the substrate holder 101 is constituted by one long plate. In the present embodiment, the substrate holder 101 is composed of two flat plates, but the substrate holder 101 may be composed of three or more flat plates.

  Further, as will be described later, one or more overlap fins 107 as stop means for stopping the rotation at 180 ° are provided on the side surface of each substrate holder 101. In FIG. 4, one is provided for each side of the flat plates 103a and 103b as an example). In the overlap fin 107, for example, a proper amount of magnetic material such as samarium cobalt, ferrite, neodymium or the like is embedded, and each overlap fin 107 between adjacent substrate holders 101 can be attracted to each other. ing.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when each substrate tray 10 is conveyed to a predetermined position, the gear 105 and the rack 53 installed at a predetermined height mesh with each other, and each substrate holder 103 is conveyed during the conveyance. Are sequentially reversed. That is, the two substrate trays 10 transferred to the second film formation chamber 5 with the surface S1 of the substrate S on which the first film is formed in the first film formation chamber 4 facing each other are the rack 53 and the gear 105. And the substrate holders 101 are sequentially reversed, so that the surfaces S1 and S2 are reversed and all the surfaces S2 face each other. In this manner, the substrate tray 10 is transported to the position indicated by the broken line in the film formation space 52 in a state where the surfaces S2 face each other, and is placed and started to form a film on the surface S2. Referring to FIG. 3, among the substrate holders 101 transported in the reversal space 51, the second substrate holder 101 from the left is being reversed, and the leftmost substrate holder 101 is connected to the gear 105. The rack 53 is engaged and starts reversing, and the substrate surface S1 faces the catalyst wire 54 side (front side in FIG. 3), and the first to fifth substrate holders 101 from the right have finished reversing. The substrate surface S2 faces the catalyst wire 54 side.

  In the apparatus having the above configuration, in order to completely prevent the product obtained by contacting and decomposing the catalyst wire and the film forming gas on the back surface of the substrate (the surface not facing the catalyst wire). It is preferable to provide an adhesion prevention means (not shown). As the adhesion preventing means, for example, a partition plate for separating the back surface of the substrate from the film forming atmosphere may be provided in the film forming space so as to contact the back surface of the substrate tray. Further, a door that can be opened and closed or a door that can be slid may be provided at each opening of the substrate tray.

  A state in which the substrate holder 101 is reversed will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a top view showing a state in which one substrate holder 101 is inverted. As shown in FIG. 6A, first, each substrate holder 101 is transported by a transport means (not shown) in the transport direction indicated by arrow A with the surface S1 of the substrate facing inward, and transported to a predetermined position. Then, the gear 105 provided on the upper part of the substrate holder 101 and the rack 53 installed in the second film forming chamber 5 (not shown in FIG. 6) mesh with each other.

  When the gear 105 and the rack 53 are engaged with each other, the substrate holder 101 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow A in the figure by the conveying means, so that the substrate holder 101, that is, the substrate S rotates (FIG. 6B). reference). Thereafter, the gear 105 and the rack 53 are engaged with each other and rotated by 180 ° around the rotation shaft 104, so that the engagement between the gear 105 and the rack 53 is released (see FIG. 6C).

  If it is difficult to stop the substrate S by rotating the gear 105 and the rack 53 as the rotation means alone, the film quality and film thickness of the film formed on the substrate S are not constant. May occur.

  Therefore, in order to stop the substrate holder 101 by rotating it 180 °, the substrate holder 101 may be provided with an overlap fin 107 as a stopping means. In this case, when the substrate holder 101 is rotated by about 180 °, the overlap fins 107 provided on the rotated substrate holder 101 and the overlap fins 107 of the adjacent substrate holders 101 are attracted to each other, so that The rotation of the substrate holder 101 is stopped at a place where the attractive forces are balanced, that is, where the rotation angle of the rotated substrate holder 101 is 180 °. As a result, the substrate S faces the catalyst line 54 (not shown in FIG. 6) on the surface S2. ) Side (see FIG. 6D). Even if the gear 105 and the rack 53 are separated slightly beyond the rotation angle of 180 °, the substrate holder is positioned at a position where the rotation angle is exactly 180 ° by the attractive force between the adjacent overlap fins 107. 101 comes back. Thus, the overlap fin 107 stops rotating and also serves as adjustment of the rotation angle.

  In this way, after the substrate S is rotated 180 ° in the reversal space 51 and the rotation is stopped, the substrate S is transported to the deposition space with the surface S2 of each substrate S facing the catalyst wire 54 side. Then, after forming the second film on the surface S <b> 2 of each substrate S, the substrate S is transferred to the third film forming chamber 6 through the gate valve 9. In the third film forming chamber 6, in order to form the third film on the surface S1 of the substrate S, the substrate S is inverted in the inversion space provided in the third film forming chamber 6, and the surface S1 is opposed to the catalyst line. In this manner, the substrate S is transported to the film formation space, and the third film is formed on the surface S1. Thereafter, the substrate S is reversed in the reversal space of the fourth film formation chamber 7, the substrate S is transferred to the film formation space so that the surfaces S2 face each other across the catalyst wire, and the fourth film is formed on the surface S2. Finally, the substrate S is transferred to the cooling chamber 8 to cool the substrate S.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the distance between the substrate holders 101 facing each other is larger than twice the rotation radius of each substrate S, that is, the case where the substrate holders 101 facing each other do not come into contact with each other even when they rotate at the same time has been described. Depending on the size of the substrate S, the substrate holders 101 facing each other may come into contact with each other when they rotate at the same time. In such a case, by shifting the position of one rack 53 of the two racks in the transport direction with respect to the position of the other rack 53, the rotation of one substrate holder 101 is rotated by the rotation of the other substrate holder 101. It may be shifted so that it does not touch.

  In the present embodiment, the position of the two racks 53 is set between the substrate tray 10 and the side wall of the second film forming chamber 5, but one rack 53 is arranged between the two substrate trays 10 facing each other. Also good. In this case, the rotation of each substrate holder 101 is in the direction opposite to that in the present embodiment.

  Another embodiment of the inversion means of the vertical CVD apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIGS. 7A to 7C are top views showing a state in which one substrate holder 101 provided with pins 108a and 108b is reversed. In this alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, two pins 108a and 108b are provided on the rotating shaft 104 instead of gears as rotating means, and the projections 56a and 56b are provided on the substrate instead of the rack 53. Are provided in each chamber that performs reversal. The inversion of the substrate S in this case will be described below.

  First, the substrate holder 101 is transported in the transport direction indicated by the arrow A by transport means (not shown). Thereafter, when the sheet is conveyed to a predetermined position, the pin 108a provided on the upper portion of the rotating shaft 104 and the protrusion 56a provided in the chamber come into contact with each other (see FIG. 7A). Since the substrate holder 101 is conveyed in the direction of the arrow A by the conveying means, the substrate holder 101 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure (see FIG. 7B). Thereafter, when the substrate holder 101 is conveyed in the direction of arrow A while rotating, the second pin 108b and the second protrusion 56b come into contact with each other, and the substrate holder 101 continues to rotate. The substrate holder 101 is rotated by about 180 ° about the rotation shaft 104 while being transferred to the film formation space by the transfer means, and the rotation is ended by the attractive force (magnetic force) of the adjacent overlap fins 107 (FIG. 7 ( c)). In this case, since the rotation angle due to the contact between the pins 108a and 108b and the projections 56a and 56b is determined by the conveyance speed of the substrate tray, the number of pins and projections can be appropriately determined by the conveyance speed.

  As the reversing means, the rotating means that rotates while transporting and the stopping means that stops the rotation are mentioned, but any means can be used as long as the substrate can be rotated during transport.

  Further, it is possible to provide only the film formation space 52 without providing the inversion space 51 in the film formation chamber. In this case, a pair of substrate holders 101 are transported so as to face the film formation chamber with the catalyst wire 54 interposed therebetween, and then the substrate holder 101 is reversed and transported by a known reversing means on the spot in a stationary state. The substrate surface opposite to the above state is directed toward the catalyst wire 54 side. Next, a predetermined gas is introduced by the gas introduction means, and a film is formed on the substrate S. In this case, as a known reversing means, for example, a motor may be attached to the rotating shaft 104 and rotated by 180 ° while being driven and controlled. Further, the reversal space 51 and the film formation space 52 are exchanged, that is, the film is transferred to the reversal space 51 after film formation in the film formation space 52, and the substrate holder 101 is reversed and transferred to the next chamber. Also good.

  Since the apparatus of the present invention can efficiently form multiple layers on each surface of the substrate in this way, it can also be used for manufacturing solar cells and display devices. Various modifications can be made according to the purpose of film formation. For example, the number of film forming chambers can be increased or decreased depending on the type of film, or one heating chamber can be used to uniformly heat both sides of the substrate in one heating chamber.

  It is also possible to form films made of the same material on both surfaces in one chamber. For example, the materials of the first film and the second film described in the above embodiment are the same, and a film made of the same material is formed on both surfaces in one chamber without dividing the chamber in which these films are formed. It is also possible to do. That is, the chamber is constituted by a first film formation space, a substrate inversion space, and a second film formation space, and two substrate trays are transferred so that the surface S1 faces the first film formation space. After the film is formed on the surface S1 of the substrate S, the substrate holder is rotated in the reversing space of the substrate so that the surface S2 is opposed to the surface S2, and is directly transferred to the second film forming space and can be formed on the surface S2. It is. In this case, if the reversing means by the motor is provided in the first film forming space, after the film is formed on the surface S1 in the first film forming space, the substrate S is reversed on the spot and then formed on the surface S2. Since the film can be formed and the inversion space and the second film formation space are not required, the space can be further reduced.

  In the above embodiment, the film formation is performed on the surface S2 of the substrate S in the second film formation chamber 5 and the fourth film formation chamber 7, respectively. After film formation on the surface S1 in the film chamber 5, the substrate S is reversed in the reversal space in the third film formation chamber 6, and after film formation on the surface S2, it is transferred to the fourth film formation chamber 7 as it is and again transferred. If the film is formed on the surface S2, the substrate reversing means can be provided only in the third film forming chamber 6, and the space of the apparatus can be further reduced.

  In each of the above embodiments, an apparatus for performing the catalytic CVD method has been described. Hereinafter, a vertical CVD apparatus for performing double-sided film formation using the plasma CVD method will be described. When a film is formed using the plasma CVD method, plasma is generated in the film forming chamber. Therefore, if a substrate reversing means is provided in the film forming chamber, abnormalities are caused due to the member of the substrate reversing means. Discharge is likely to occur. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a substrate inversion means outside the film formation chamber.

  FIG. 8 is a top view of the apparatus for explaining the state of substrate transfer in the vertical CVD apparatus employing the plasma CVD method. In FIG. 8, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as in FIG. This vertical plasma CVD apparatus comprises a surface S1 composed of six chambers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 required for the film forming process on the surface S1 of the substrate S (not shown in FIG. 8). A film reversing space for reversing the substrate S, and a surface S2 film forming device 12 comprising six chambers 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 necessary for the film forming process on the back surface S2 of the substrate S 13 The surface S1 film forming apparatus 11 includes a load lock chamber 1, a first heating chamber 2, a second heating chamber 3, a first film forming chamber 4 for forming a first film on the surface S1, and a first film on the surface S1. It comprises a second film forming chamber 5 and a cooling chamber 8 on which a second film is formed. These chambers are connected via a gate valve 9. The surface S2 film forming apparatus 12 includes a load lock chamber 1, a first heating chamber 2, a second heating chamber 3, a third film forming chamber 6 for forming a third film on the surface S2, and a third film on the surface S2. It comprises a fourth film forming chamber 7 and a cooling chamber 8 on which a fourth film is formed. Each of these chambers is connected through a gate valve 9.

  Hereinafter, a case where two layers are formed on each surface using the apparatus shown in FIG. 8 will be described. A substrate S (not shown) is attached to each of the two substrate trays 10, and the substrate trays 10 are arranged in two rows so that the surfaces S1 of the substrates S face each other with a predetermined interval in the traveling direction indicated by the arrows. First, the load lock chamber 1 is inserted and the load lock chamber 1 is evacuated. In the case of forming a film with the apparatus shown in FIG. 8, the substrate tray and the substrate holder (not shown) are made of SUS304 material. The gate valve 9 is opened and sequentially transferred to the first heating chamber 2 and the second heating chamber 3, and the substrate S is heated to a predetermined temperature by a heater (not shown), and then transferred to the first film forming chamber 4. In the center of the first film forming chamber 4, a plasma generating means (not shown) is provided perpendicular to the bottom surface of the first film forming chamber, and the two substrate trays 10 are conveyed so as to sandwich the plasma generating means, The substrate tray 10 is placed, plasma is generated, and a first film is formed on the surface S1 of the two substrates.

  In this case as well, in order to completely prevent the formation of a film on the back surface of the substrate due to the influence of the plasma in which the gas in the film forming chamber has entered the back surface of the substrate (the surface not facing the plasma generating means), It is preferable to provide an adhesion prevention means (not shown). As the adhesion preventing means, for example, a partition plate for separating the back surface of the substrate from the film forming atmosphere may be provided in the film forming space so as to contact the back surface of the substrate tray. Further, a door that can be opened and closed or a door that can be slid may be provided at each opening of the substrate tray. These adhesion preventing means are also configured so as not to cause abnormal discharge when plasma is generated.

  Next, the substrate tray is transferred to the second film formation chamber 5 for forming the second film, and forms the second film on the first film formed on the substrate surface S1. Thereafter, the substrate tray 10 is transferred to the cooling chamber 8.

  After the substrate temperature is lowered, the cooling chamber 8 is returned to atmospheric pressure, the substrate tray 10 is taken out, and the substrate S is inverted in the substrate inversion space 13 to form a film on the surface S2 of the substrate S. S2 are made to face each other. The reversal of the substrate in the reversal space 13 may be performed by the substrate reversing means described in the apparatus for performing the vertical catalytic CVD method, or by using other known substrate reversing means (substrate transfer machine or the like). Good. Then, the substrate tray 10 is transported to the surface S2 film forming apparatus 12, and is put into the load lock chamber 1 of the surface S2 film forming apparatus 12, and hereinafter, on the first heating chamber 2, the second heating chamber 3, and the surface S2. The third film forming chamber 6 for forming the third film, the fourth film forming chamber 7 for forming the fourth film on the third film on the surface S2, and the cooling chamber 8 are sequentially transferred to the surface S1 film forming apparatus. 11 is repeated to form a film on the surface S2 of each substrate S. Thereafter, a post process is performed on both surfaces of the substrate S.

  In the above vertical plasma CVD apparatus, since the substrate inversion space 13 is set outside the vacuum chamber, two sets of the load lock chamber 1, the first heating chamber 2, the third heating chamber 3, and the cooling chamber 8 are required. However, if the substrate reversing chamber 14 for reversing the substrate is provided, it is not necessary to open the substrate to the atmosphere. Therefore, the load lock chamber 1, the first heating chamber 2, the third heating chamber 3, and the cooling chamber 8 are respectively provided. Two sets are not required and efficiency is high. A top view showing the configuration of such a vertical plasma CVD apparatus is shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 9, nine chambers, that is, a load lock chamber 1, a first heating chamber 2, a second heating chamber 3, and a first film forming chamber for forming a first film on the surface S1 of a substrate (not shown). 4, a second film forming chamber 5 for forming a second film on the first film formed on the surface S1 of the substrate S, a substrate reversing chamber 14 provided with a reversing means for reversing the substrate during transportation, A third film formation chamber 6 for forming a third film on the surface S2 of the substrate reversed in the chamber for substrate reversal, and a fourth film for forming a fourth film on the third film formed on the surface S2 of the substrate S. A film forming chamber 7 and a cooling chamber 8 are included. Each chamber is connected through a gate valve 9, and these chambers are preferably vacuum chambers equipped with exhaust means.

  Then, after the substrate is transported from the load lock chamber, the substrate is heated in the first heating chamber, the film is formed on the surface S1 in the first film forming chamber and the second film forming chamber, and then the substrate reversing chamber having reversing means is formed. Transport. In the substrate reversal chamber, after the substrate is reversed during conveyance, the film is formed on the surface S2 in the third film formation chamber and the fourth film formation chamber, and finally the substrate is cooled in the cooling chamber. The substrate inversion in this case is preferably performed by the substrate inversion means described in the apparatus for performing the catalytic CVD method. By configuring the apparatus in this way, it is possible to form a film very efficiently even with an apparatus that performs the plasma CVD method.

  Since the vertical CVD apparatus of the present invention has the substrate reversing means, it is possible to easily and efficiently form a film on both surfaces of the substrate, and the substrate can be reversed while being transported. Therefore, a high-throughput film formation process can be realized with a reduction in the number of processing chambers. Therefore, the vertical CVD apparatus of the present invention can be used for various film formation in the semiconductor technical field.

It is a typical top view which shows the state which conveys a board | substrate to the vertical type CVD apparatus of this invention. It is a typical top view which shows the structure in the 2nd film-forming chamber 5 of the vertical type CVD apparatus of this invention. It is typical sectional drawing of the 2nd film-forming chamber 5 which shows the state of the substrate tray conveyed in the 2nd film-forming chamber 5 of the vertical CVD apparatus of this invention. It is a schematic front view which shows the substrate holder 101 of the vertical type CVD apparatus of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the YY cross section of the substrate holder 101 of the vertical type CVD apparatus of this invention. (A)-(d) is a schematic diagram which shows a mode that the inversion by the inversion means provided in the vertical type | mold CVD apparatus of this invention was seen from the top. (A)-(c) is a schematic diagram which shows a mode that the inversion by another inversion means provided in the vertical type | mold CVD apparatus of this invention was seen from the top. It is a typical top view which shows the state which conveys a board | substrate to the vertical type CVD apparatus of this invention. It is a typical top view which shows the state which conveys a board | substrate to another vertical CVD apparatus of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

5 Second film forming chamber 10 Substrate tray 51 Inversion space 52 Film forming space 53 Rack 54 Catalyst wire 101 Substrate holder 104 Rotating shaft 105 Gear S Substrate

Claims (14)

  A vertical chemistry comprising a film forming chamber having a gas introduction means and an exhaust means, a substrate holder for holding a substrate, a transfer means for transferring the substrate holder, and a reversing means for inverting the substrate holder Vapor growth equipment.   2. The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inversion means is provided in a film forming chamber.   3. The vertical chemical vapor deposition according to claim 1, wherein the reversing means includes a rotating means for rotating the substrate holder by 180 [deg.] With respect to the transport direction about the rotation axis during the transport of the substrate holder. apparatus.   The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reversing unit includes a stopping unit that stops rotation at 180 °.   4. The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the rotating means includes a gear provided on the substrate holder and a rack that meshes with the gear of the substrate holder to rotate the substrate holder.   One or more first protrusions provided on the substrate holder and the one or more second protrusions provided on the inner wall of the film forming chamber that rotates the substrate holder in contact with the first protrusions. The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 3, comprising:   The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the stopping means is made of a magnetic material provided on a side surface of the substrate holder.   The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the stopping means is an overlap fin provided on a side surface of the substrate holder.   The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a catalyst wire is disposed at a predetermined position in the film forming chamber.   9. The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein plasma generating means is disposed at a predetermined position in the film forming chamber.   The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a load lock chamber, a heating chamber, and a cooling chamber.   The vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least a load lock chamber, a heating chamber, a cooling chamber, and a substrate reversing chamber having a reversing means. .   A load lock chamber, a heating chamber, a cooling chamber, a gas introduction unit and an exhaust unit, a film formation chamber in which a catalyst wire is arranged at a predetermined position, a substrate holder for holding a substrate, and a substrate holder are conveyed A reversing means for reversing the substrate holder, the reversing means being provided in the film forming chamber, and rotating the substrate holder by 180 ° with respect to the transport direction about the rotation axis during transport of the substrate holder; A vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprising: a rotating means for causing rotation; and a stopping means for stopping the rotation at 180 °.   A film formation chamber having a load lock chamber, a heating chamber, a cooling chamber, a gas introduction means and an exhaust means, and a plasma generation means arranged at a predetermined position, a substrate holder for holding a substrate, and a substrate holder are conveyed And a substrate reversing chamber having a reversing means for reversing the substrate holder, and the reversing means rotates the substrate holder by 180 ° with respect to the conveying direction about the rotation axis during the conveyance of the substrate holder. A vertical chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprising: a rotating means for causing rotation; and a stopping means for stopping the rotation at 180 °.