JP2011187545A - Substrate treatment device including transfer mechanism by high-temperature pressurized airtight gas - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve such a problem that there is a manufacturing process in which a large and heavy substrate is subjected to heat treatment by shielding it from the atmosphere or a film is formed on the substrate, however, a large vacuum device is required for the manufacturing process, consequently, substrate transfer movement is performed in a large-scale manner, and eventually, device manufacturing costs are increased. <P>SOLUTION: A substrate is heated by spraying a heated high-temperature pressurized gas from a heated plate to the substrate while supporting the substrate. The gas flowing in a gap between the substrate and the plate prevents intrusion of the atmosphere. That structure reduces device manufacturing costs by achieving the following operations even if a substrate is heavy and more than one-meter long, that is, (1) the substrate is levitated so as to support it, (2) the substrate is subjected to gas heat insulation, (3) the substrate is heated by gas, and (4) the substrate is subjected to heat treatment or film-forming treatment not in the vacuum but in the normal pressure while shielding the substrate from the atmosphere. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

In general, some devices manufactured by forming a film on a substrate have a large size of 1 m class. For example, there is a device using a substrate of glass, resin, or metal sheet. Devices having a thin film grown on a glass substrate are so-called large-area electronic devices such as liquid crystal display devices (LCD), organic EL (electroluminescence) display devices, and solar cells.

The thin film is used as an amorphous film, a crystal film, an insulating film, a conductive film, or a protective film in any device. In order to form these films, plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) films that can be formed while holding the substrate at a low temperature in a vacuum chamber are used. Since this film grows while adsorbing the gas species generated by plasma decomposition, it contains undesired impurities such as hydrogen and oxygen, is easy to absorb moisture, and is inferior in density.

In order to improve this, there is a technique for removing impurities by annealing with a plasma beam (see Prior Patent Document 1) or laser light. In addition, in the case of an insulating film, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using reduced pressure is established, but since reduced pressure is used, the apparatus becomes expensive. For this purpose, a method of heating a film formed on the substrate by another method is taken. For example, a solution in which a target film material is dissolved is formed on a substrate by a method such as spin coating (spin-on), slit coating or spray coating, and heated at 200 to 500 ° C. to form a film. There are materials that can be used.

Examples of the insulating film include an organic polymer, an inorganic polymer, or a polymer coating film in which these are mixed. As the conductive film, for example, there is a coating film of a ZnO film containing Al. There is a metal coating film in which fine particles of copper (Cu) or silver (Ag) are surrounded by a dispersion material and dissolved in a solvent. Examples of the crystal film include a coating film of chalcopyrite crystal CIGS (a compound of Cu, In, Ga, Se) or a kesterite crystal (a compound of Cu—Zn—Sn—S—Se) which is a compound semiconductor. It is desirable to apply these coating films on a substrate of about 10 cm to 2 m.

In order to manufacture at low cost, the substrate is made of glass or heat-resistant resin. These films are used by annealing the film applied thereon by raising the temperature of the substrate. However, if the substrate is 1 m to 2 m or larger, it is difficult to raise the substrate temperature uniformly and uniformly. For example, when annealing in a furnace, temperature differences do not occur throughout the substrate if time of several hours is allowed. In this correspondence, there arises a problem that the number of production per unit time decreases.

Annealing is particularly difficult when the substrate is a resin having poor heat resistance. Although it has been proposed and annealed using a plasma jet or a laser while maintaining the substrate at a low temperature, there is a problem that a large-area substrate is inferior in productivity (see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

The present invention relates to a technique for inexpensively manufacturing an electronic device on a large-area substrate while blocking air without using vacuum or plasma. For example, it relates to annealing of a material applied on a glass substrate. For example, the present invention relates to a technique for chemical vapor deposition of a crystal material on a glass substrate. In particular, the present invention relates to an apparatus for modifying a film by annealing a coating film including a silicon oxide film, a silicon nitride film, a conductive film, or a multi-component compound film coated on a large glass substrate.

JP 2006-06130 A JP 2006-278625 A

It is necessary to block the atmosphere in order to form good quality materials used in electronic devices. In order to manufacture at low cost, a heavy and large substrate must be used and transported. I want to do it under atmospheric pressure without using vacuum to make it cheaper.

When vacuum is used, the apparatus becomes large, the structure including transportation becomes complicated, and the equipment cost is high. In order to form a uniform film, it is necessary to heat a large substrate uniformly, but this must be done in a short time.

Generally, a furnace is used to heat the substrate. In the furnace, heat is transferred from the ambient gas, so the temperature rises differently around the substrate and in the center, regardless of whether one or many are included. Also, if the temperature of the surroundings and the center are different beyond the limit, glass will break. To avoid this, the temperature must be raised slowly over time. In addition to the decrease in productivity, this has a problem that it does not match the timing of other processes.

In order to form a film at a low cost, there is a method of annealing a film applied to a substrate. Further, there is chemical vapor deposition in which a gas is thermally decomposed to obtain a highly pure film. All methods need to be performed with the air shut off, but do not want to use a vacuum to shut off the air. As described above, in order to form a film on a heavy, large substrate, it is necessary to easily support the substrate, to move and transport it at low cost, to shut off the atmosphere, to uniformly heat, and to solve these simultaneously There is.

FIG. 1 shows a basic structure of the present invention for solving the problem. A substrate 11 is placed on the support roller 12. An upper gas-tight gas blowing plate 13 and a lower gas-tight gas blowing plate 14 are placed above and below the substrate 11. A pressurized gas heated to a high temperature, that is, a high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas top 16 is introduced from the airtight gas inlet 15.

Similarly, under the hot pressurized gas-tight gas 17 is introduced from below. A blowout groove 18 is formed on the gas blowout surface of the upper airtight gas blowout plate 13. A hot pressurized gas-tight gas is blown out into the blowing groove 18 through the blowing hole 19. For example, the hole is a small hole of 0.5 mm or less, and even one hole per groove is sufficient. The pressure is transmitted from the hole 19, but the flow rate is limited by the size of the hole 19.

Since the flow rate is limited by the pore size, gas flows only at the designed flow rate. The same applies to the lower part. There is a substrate 11 between the upper and lower blowing plates 13 and 14. When the substrate 11 is pushed upward, the gap between the upper plate 13 and the substrate is reduced and the pressure is increased. It is pushed back when the pressure rises.

The same applies to the lower part. The substrate 11 is held in a space between the upper and lower hermetic gas blowing plates 13 and 14. Since the plates 13 and 14 do not touch the substrate, this acts as a bearing mechanism without contact friction. Even a heavy, large substrate can be supported by two gas pressures. Since there is no contact friction, the substrate can be easily moved.

Since the pressure is applied, the gas can flow toward the atmospheric pressure through the gap between the plate and the substrate. This flow blocks the entry of air. Since the introduced gas is pressurized and heated at the same time, the substrate is heated together with the airtight gas blowing plates 13 and 14. The ultimate temperature can be balanced between the heat radiation of the blowing plate and the substrate and the heat transfer by the hot pressurized gas-tight gas.

It is possible to heat the substrate to a desired temperature by adding a heat insulating mechanism such as a heat insulating material or by adding heater heating. As described above, the high-temperature pressurized airtight gas blowing plates 13 and 14 arranged above and below are 1) support the substrate without contact, 2) move and transport the substrate easily, and 3) block the substrate surface from the air. 4) It has four functions of heating the substrate.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which the substrate 11 is not moved. In this case, a substrate support 21 on which the substrate 11 is placed is fixed. The substrate support 21 is provided with a heater 22 and can heat the substrate 11. A pressurized gas heated to a high temperature, that is, a high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas upper 26 is introduced onto the substrate 11 from the gas-tight gas inlet 25.

A blowout groove 18 is formed on the gas blowout surface of the airtight gas blowout plate 23. A high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas 26 is blown out into the blowing groove 18 through the blowing hole 19. The pressurized gas leaks and flows through the gap between the substrate 11 and the blowing plate 23 toward the atmospheric pressure. This flow effectively blocks air because there is a pressure difference between the inside and outside. Since this flow is hot, the substrate 11 is heated from the surface while blocking air.

Since the substrate 11 is heated by the heater 22, the front and back surfaces of the substrate are heated to a high temperature. By relatively moving the blowing plate 23, the substrate surface can be moved while the substrate 11 is shut off from the air. As described above, the movable high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas blowing plate 23 arranged above 1) moves while blocking the surface of the fixed substrate from air, and 2) can move while heating the substrate at the same time. With the function of.

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the substrate 11 and the airtight gas blowing plate 31. The blowing plate 31 is disposed so as to cover the substrate 11, and the blowing groove 18 (not visible in the figure) is larger than the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the substrate. The substrate is on the support roller 32 and supports the substrate 11 at a portion protruding from the plate. Since the substrate 11 is supported by high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas 16, 17, it can be moved by a rotary substrate driving device 33. Since the rotation contact portion of the driving device 33 is in contact with a high-temperature substrate, it is made of a heat-resistant material such as metal.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the groove structure of the airtight gas blowing plate 41. FIG. 4A is a plan view of the airtight gas blowing plate 41. Hot pressurized gas is introduced from the gas tight gas inlet 42. The hot gas is generated by the gas passing through a flow path that repeatedly collides perpendicularly to the material heated to a high temperature. FIG. 4B is an X1X1 cross-sectional view including the airtight gas inlet 42. The hot pressurized gas G40 leaks into the blowout groove 45 through the introduction groove 43 and the blowout hole 44. Although the introduction groove 43 is one here, it may be branched into branches or may be spread in a planar shape.

The blow-out hole 44 has a diameter of 0.5 mm, for example. Since it is a small hole, the gas outflow amount per unit time of the high-temperature pressurized gas G40 is limited by the size of the hole. That is, gas leaks at a constant flow rate depending on the pressure. When the gap becomes narrower in the direction in which the groove is closed by the substrate, the pressure increases. Therefore, pressure is transmitted through the hole. When the gap between the substrate and the groove is sufficiently narrow, the flow rate of the leaked gas is determined depending on the gap. It can be said that the pressure at this time is in the gap restriction region. If the substrate is separated and the gap is large, the leakage flow rate is limited by the size of the hole. That is, the flow rate is limited and the pressurized gas does not protrude, which is safe. FIG. 4C shows the back surface of the plate 41.

Here, an example of a groove shape is shown. A line-shaped blowing groove 47 is formed in an isolated manner in the ring-shaped blowing groove 46. A plurality of blowing holes 44 are prepared, but in this case, one groove may be formed in which a groove is formed in one connected space. The groove can be freely designed in consideration of the deformation pressure of the plate, such as shape and size, a combination of ring shape and line shape.

FIG. 4D is an X2X2 cross-sectional view. The material of the plate 41 is selected according to the operating temperature range in which the substrate is hermetically shielded from the atmosphere. A metal such as aluminum is suitable for temperatures up to 400 ° C. Stainless steel can be used up to 600 ℃. Heat resistant materials such as ceramics, quartz, carbon graphite, etc. are suitable at 600 ° C. or higher. As ceramics, SiC and AlN are suitable. The hot gas heats the plate, but the temperature decreases due to heat dissipation. Therefore, heat insulation is performed with a heat insulating material as necessary.

In addition, if necessary, a heater is provided to heat the plate itself so that a gas at a desired temperature is blown out. Here, the blowing groove is designed and arranged, but a plurality of holes may be dispersed and arranged on the blowing surface without arranging the groove, and gas may be blown out from the hole.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a high-temperature pressurized air-tight substrate transport unit 50 having a plurality of air-tight gas blowing plates. When distinguishing between the top and bottom of the substrate, T and B are appended to the numbers to distinguish them. An upper part 51T of the airtight gas blowing plate and a lower part 51B of the airtight gas blowing plate are arranged above and below the substrate 11 to form a pair PP1 of high-temperature pressurized air-tight plates.

The pair is referred to as plate pairs PP1, PP2, and PP3 from the left side. The substrate is sandwiched between hermetic gases G51T, G51B and G52T, G52B and G53T, G53B while being heated by plate pairs PP1, PP2 and PP3 from above and below. The temperature of the plate pair is measured by a thermocouple 53 provided in each plate pair, and the temperature is controlled.

The plate temperature arranged above the plate pair was designated as T51T, T52T, and T53T, and the plate temperature arranged below was designated as T51B, T52B, and T53B. Each temperature can be controlled independently. The upper plate temperature and the lower plate temperature can be controlled to match or can be controlled at different temperatures.

The plate 52T sandwiched between the plates 51T and 53T and the plates 52T and 52B sandwiched between the plates 51B and 53B are provided with heaters 55T and 55B. The temperature of the gas sprayed at a location near the substrate is arbitrarily controlled by the heater 55. The heater 55 can increase the temperature T52 of the plate 52 sandwiched between the temperatures T51 and T53 of the left and right plates 51 and 53. For example, when a substrate is inserted and moved from the left to the substrate transport unit in which the upper and lower plates are controlled to the same temperature, the substrate passes through the lower temperature T51, passes through the next higher temperature T52, and is lower again. Passes through temperature T53. That is, the substrate can be heated from a low temperature, heated at a high temperature in the middle, and taken out again at a low temperature.

The pressure of the gas put into the plate determines the distance between the gas blowing surface of the plate and the gap between the substrate and the flow rate. Optimum control is performed considering the material and weight of the substrate. The pressure difference determines the direction of gas flow. In this case, when the gas flows from the central plate 52 toward the left and right plates 51 and 53, the gas pressure of the central plate 52 is set higher than the gas pressure of the left and right plates 51 and 53. The difference between the upper and lower gas pressures is a pressure that deforms or warps the substrate up and down. In order to prevent this deformation, it is desirable that the gas pressures in the upper and lower plates be the same.

The hot pressurized airtight gas that enters the plate is an inert gas. The inert gas is nitrogen or argon. Air may be used depending on the temperature. In the case of air, it may be dried air or air with added moisture. When transported by the substrate transport unit, the substrate 11 is heated. When the substrate 11 on which the film is formed is transported, the film may be heated and gas may be released from the film. This released gas flows out of the plate together with the hot pressurized gas-tight gas placed in the plate. This emitted gas may be harmful. Further, it is possible to freely heat the substrate by mixing a desired gas into the high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas. At this time, the mixed gas may be flammable or harmful to the human body.

It is necessary to cover the gas blown from the plate with a case so as not to leak from the apparatus, and exhaust the gas in the case in a reduced pressure state.

Examples of the gas mixed in the high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas include 1) oxygen, nitrous oxide, and water for the purpose of oxidation. Examples of the gas to be mixed include 2) a gas containing chlorine or fluorine for the purpose of cleaning the substrate surface, such as HCL, NF ₃ , or HF. The gas to be mixed includes 3) hydrogen for the purpose of reduction. Examples of gases to be mixed include 4) Gases containing Group 5 or Group 3 elements for the purpose of diffusing impurities and doping semiconductors, such as POCl ₃ , phosphine PH ₃ , diborane B ₂ H ₆ , and trimethylaluminum TMAl. . Examples of the gas to be mixed include 5) Hydrogen selenide H ₂ Se and hydrogen sulfide H ₂ S as a gas containing a Group 6 element for the purpose of reacting to form a compound. Here, an example in which there are three plate pairs is shown, but the number can be freely selected according to the purpose and the size of the substrate.

FIG. 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a gas processing unit 60 that includes a gas processing unit that heat-treats the substrate with a high-temperature gas or forms a film from the gas. A gas processing section 64 surrounded by an airtight gas blowing plates 61 and 63 and a high-temperature pressurized airtight gas blowing ring 62 is accommodated in a case 66 via a heat insulating material 65 on the substrate 11. The temperatures of the plates 61 and 63 are T61 and T63. The temperature of the blowing ring is T62R. R after the number means a ring. The heat insulating material 65 may be a space.

The hot pressurized gas-tight gas G67 is introduced into the hot pressurized gas-tight gas blowing ring 62. A heater may be incorporated in each plate, and the gas introduced again may be heated to control the temperature (the heater is not shown in FIG. 6). The processing gas 68 is exhausted through the exhaust port 69. FIG. 6B shows a plan view of the gas processing unit 60 viewed from the gas blowing surface side.

The gas blown out from the ring-shaped high-temperature pressurized gas blowing ring 62 leaks to the outside and shields the inside of the ring from the atmosphere. Since the temperature is high, the substrate surface is heated with the gas. A processing gas 68 is introduced into the gas processing section 64 and hits the substrate surface, and then exhausted from the exhaust port 69. The processing gas 68 is, for example, a gas that is heated and thermally decomposed to form a film.

Examples of the pyrolytic gas include silane and germane gas. Two types of gas systems that combine with each other may be introduced to form a compound. These gas systems include, for example, a system of silane and an oxidizing gas (such as oxygen or N ₂ O), a system of silane and a nitriding gas (such as NH ₃ ), a gas system for growing a Ga—Al—In—N compound semiconductor, For example, there are systems such as trimethylgallium TMGa, trimethylaluminum TMAl, trimethylindium amine TMIn: amine, and ammonia NH3. For the purpose of heating the substrate, the processing gas 68 may be an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon.

In addition to this, the processing gas may be 1) oxygen, nitrous oxide, or water for the purpose of oxidation. Examples of the gas mixed into the processing gas include 2) a gas containing chlorine or fluorine for the purpose of cleaning the substrate surface, such as HCL, NF ₃ , or HF. 3) There is hydrogen for the purpose of reduction. 4) Gases containing Group 5 or Group 3 elements for the purpose of diffusing impurities include POCl ₃ , phosphine PH ₃ , diborane B ₂ H ₆ triethylaluminum, and the like. In addition, for the purpose of producing a compound by reacting, there are hydrogen selenide H ₂ Se and hydrogen sulfide H ₂ S as a gas containing a Group 6 element.

The processing gas 68 is introduced at a temperature higher than the temperature T62R of the blowing ring 62 in accordance with the purpose. The temperatures T61 and T63 of the blowing plates 61 and 63 are lower than the temperature T62R of the blowing ring 62. Since the gas processing unit moves on the substrate 11, the substrate is heated with the gas from the blowing plate, gas-treated, and cooled. The substrate 11 is heated by a lower heater installed under the substrate (not shown).

The lower heater may be composed of another blowout plate and supported by the gas for heating. The lower heater may be a heater divided in the moving direction. When the gas processing unit passes, the temperature of the lower heater is controlled and changed with the passage so that the substrate does not warp.

The invention according to claim 1 has a plate in which a pressurized gas of 1 atm or higher is heated and blows out from one side as a high-temperature pressurized gas, and there is a substrate facing the plate at a constant interval, the substrate and the substrate The plate is equipped with a mechanism for relative movement, and the gas blown from the plate passes through the surface of the substrate and flows out of the area where the substrate and the plate face each other, thereby blocking the substrate surface from the atmosphere and simultaneously heating the substrate. This is a device for simultaneously heating a substrate, moving the substrate, and blocking the atmosphere of the substrate.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein a plurality of the plates are arranged to face one side of the substrate.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the apparatus according to any one of the first and second aspects, wherein the plate is a pair plate disposed above and below the substrate.

The invention according to claim 4 is the apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the temperature of the plate can be controlled independently, and the temperature of the paired plates arranged above and below is controlled.

The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that at least three or more of the plates are arranged side by side, and the temperature of the plate inside the two plates arranged at the ends is higher than the temperature of the plates arranged at the ends. Item 2. The apparatus according to item 2, 3, or 4.

The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the plate is made of metal, quartz, SiC, ceramics containing AlN, carbon graphite, or a combination thereof. 5. The apparatus according to 5.

A seventh aspect of the present invention is the apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, further comprising a driving device that contacts the substrate in order to move the substrate.

The invention according to claim 8 is characterized in that the high-temperature pressurized gas is nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, argon, water, air, or a gas containing two or more of these. Device.

The invention according to claim 9 is the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the high-temperature pressurized gas is a gas in which a halogen gas containing chlorine and fluorine is mixed.

The invention according to claim 10 is the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the high-temperature pressurized gas is a semiconductor doping gas in which a gas containing a Group 5 element or a Group 3 element is mixed.

The invention according to claim 11 is the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the high-temperature pressurized gas is a gas in which a gas containing a group 6 element is mixed.

The invention according to claim 12 is characterized in that when the high-temperature pressurized gas is blown out, a plurality of holes or a plurality of grooves through which the gas is blown out are formed on the side from which the plate is blown out. Device.

A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the apparatus according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the groove has a ring shape.

The invention according to claim 14 is the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a mechanism in which the plate is housed in a case via a heat insulating material or a heat insulating space, and the gas in the case is exhausted.

According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, the ring-shaped plate from which a high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas blows out is provided, and a gas processing unit that blows out a heat treatment gas that collides with the substrate surface is provided inside the blow-off ring plate. It is a gas processing unit device.

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gas processing apparatus comprising the high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas blowing plate so as to sandwich the gas processing unit, wherein the gas processing unit and the substrate move relative to each other.

The invention according to claim 17 is characterized in that the heat treatment gas is nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, argon, water, air, or a gas containing two or more of these. It is a processing device.

The invention according to claim 18 is the gas processing apparatus according to claims 15 and 16, wherein the heat treatment gas is a gas in which a halogen gas containing chlorine and fluorine is mixed.

The invention according to claim 19 is the gas processing apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the heat treatment gas is a semiconductor doping gas in which a gas containing a group 5 element or a group 3 element is mixed. .

The invention according to claim 20 is the gas processing apparatus according to claims 15 and 16, wherein the heat treatment gas is a gas in which a gas containing a group 6 element is mixed.

The present invention is an invention of an apparatus that heats the surface of a large glass substrate at a low cost.

According to the invention concerning Claims 1-5, it is possible to remove the obstacle at the time of heat-treating the surface of the glass substrate at room temperature and taking it out to room temperature. Does not generate biased strain on large glass substrates. The substrate is stretched to heat in a line across the substrate, but there is no cracking distortion.

The effect of the pressurized gas covering the surface when approaching the substrate is blocking the entry of air. Although it has been possible to shut off air using a vacuum device, it is a large-scale device and expensive. In the present invention, since the substrate surface can be shielded from the atmosphere by the flow of gas that is released to normal pressure, the apparatus is simple and inexpensive. In addition, a large-sized glass substrate is floated in a non-contact manner by blowing a pressurized gas whose temperature is controlled from the lower plate and also blowing the same gas from the upper plate. That is, the air bearing is performed at a high temperature. Since there is no contact, movement is easy.

The heated hot gas rapidly heats the substrate at the same temperature, so that the substrate is not warped. That is, the present invention provides an apparatus that can heat and take out a large glass substrate without warping, and simultaneously performs 1) high-temperature heating, 2) transfer movement, and 3) air blocking.

According to the inventions according to claims 6 to 8, the substrate can be heated, transported, and shielded from the atmosphere from room temperature to 1000 ° C. or higher. If graphite is used, the upper limit of the temperature can be up to 2000 ° C. or more. In the case of graphite, the heating may be induction heating.

According to the invention concerning Claims 9-11, it is possible to perform chemical processing other than a heating by mixing active gas in high temperature pressurization airtight gas. If it is amorphous silicon on a glass substrate, it will crystallize when heated at 800 ° C. first. When phosphorus is diffused in this, PH ₃ gas is mixed in nitrogen and heated again. Dirt on the surface of the substrate can also be cleaned by heat treatment at 600 ° C. with nitrogen containing water.

According to the inventions according to claims 12 to 14, the gas pressure applied to the substrate and the effect of blocking the atmosphere can be designed in accordance with the strength depending on the size and temperature of the substrate. The groove is designed in consideration of the temperature-dependent strength of the plate itself. When using highly toxic gases, it is necessary to design safe exhaust.

According to the invention concerning Claims 15-20, the heat processing of the film | membrane in the surface of a glass substrate can be made safer. That is, a space portion to be heat-treated is surrounded by a high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas blowing ring, and a gas other than this gas is guided as a heated processing gas into the space surrounded by the ring and collides with the substrate. Exhaust is provided separately from the exhaust port. In this way, the air cut is more complete. By reducing the pressure at the exhaust port, the introduced processing gas is exhausted more completely from here. In the present invention, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is also possible, and growth of polysilicon on glass by decomposition of oxygen-sensitive silane gas becomes possible. It is also possible to use highly toxic gases. For example, the hydrogen selenide treatment of CIGS semiconductor is also possible.

As described above, the present invention makes it easy to heat, transport, block the atmosphere, and form a film on a heavy substrate.

FIG. 1 is a basic schematic view of a cross section of a high-temperature pressurized air-tight conveyance unit for a substrate. The substrate is supported by hot pressurized gas-tight gas blown out from gas-tight gas blowing plates disposed above and below, and is confined and heated. FIG. 2 is a basic schematic view of a cross section of a high-temperature pressurized air-tight unit for a substrate. The substrate is fixed, and an airtight gas blowing plate disposed on the substrate relatively moves. The substrate is heated and the surface is shielded from the atmosphere. FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the substrate and the airtight gas blowing plate. The gas tight gas blowing plate traverses larger than the substrate. The substrate is supported by a high-temperature gas and moved by a rotary drive device. FIG. 4A is a plan view of an airtight gas blowing plate. FIG. 4B is an X1X1 cross-sectional view of the blowing plate 41. A hot pressurized gas is introduced and the hot gas flows out. FIG. 4C is a rear view of the airtight gas blowing plate of FIG. An example of a blowout groove is shown. FIG. 4D is a cross-sectional view of X2X2 of the airtight gas blowing plate of FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a high-temperature pressurized air-tight substrate transport unit provided with a plurality of air-tight gas blowing plates. The substrate is supported by the high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas from the gas-tight gas blowing plates arranged above and below, and simultaneously heated and shielded from the atmosphere to move. FIG. 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view of a gas processing unit. There is a hot pressurized gas-tight gas blowing ring, surrounded by it is a gas processing part. In the gas processing unit, a desired processing gas collides with the substrate and is exhausted from the exhaust port. The surface of the large substrate is gas-treated by selecting a desired gas. FIG. 6B is a schematic plan view seen from the gas blowing surface side of the gas processing unit. Gas leaks from the gap with the substrate. The substrate is supported by the blowing gas. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a CVD apparatus provided with an atmospheric shielding mechanism by high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas. The substrate is shielded from the atmosphere and transported, and at the same time, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processing is performed. FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of the CVD unit. The gas heated from the ring plate shields the substrate from the atmosphere and simultaneously heats it. The heated CVD gas collides with the shielded substrate surface. FIG. 8B is an X2X2 cross-sectional view of the CVD unit. Here, the heated CVD gas is introduced from three locations and collides with the substrate to form a film. The substrate on which the film is formed in the unit portion moves and is transported. The gas is exhausted from the substrate surface side through the exhaust port. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an annealing apparatus equipped with a high-temperature pressurized air-tight substrate shielding mechanism. The substrate is transported while being shielded from the atmosphere and simultaneously subjected to annealing. An annealing unit is provided between two high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas blowing plates. FIG. 10A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the annealing unit. The heated gas from the ring plate shields the substrate from the atmosphere and simultaneously heats it. The heated gas from the heat beam emitter collides with the shielded substrate surface and heats the substrate. FIG. 10B is an X3X3 cross-sectional view of the annealing unit. Here, the annealing gas to be heated is introduced from three places and heated by a gas heater. The heated gas collides with the substrate from the heat beam emitter and anneals the substrate. The substrate annealed by the unit is moved and transported. The gas is exhausted from the substrate surface side through the exhaust port. FIG. 11 shows a susceptor substrate for conveyance. The device substrate is placed on the susceptor substrate and subjected to a CVD process or an annealing process.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Example 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The substrate 11 is placed on the support base 70. The support base 70 is provided with a zone heater 75 which is insulated by a heat insulating material 77. Each zone heater 75 is provided with a thermocouple TC, and the temperature T75n of the nth zone heater 75n is measured to control the temperature. The substrate 11 is placed on a non-deformable plate 76 to prevent contamination. A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) unit 72 and high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas blowing plates 71 and 73 are provided on the substrate 11. High-temperature pressurized gases G71 and G73 are introduced into the gas blowing plates 71 and 73 to heat the plates. Each plate is provided with a heater 74, and the temperatures T71T and T73T of the plates 71 and 73 can be arbitrarily controlled. The high-temperature pressurized gas leaks through the blowing hole 43 into the blowing groove 45 of the plate.

The leaked gas goes out through the gap between the plate and the substrate. Since the gas transfers heat to the substrate, the substrate is heated by the zone heater 75 on the back and the gas. The gas flowing out of the gap blocks the intrusion of the atmosphere and blocks the substrate surface from the atmosphere. That is, the gas seals the surface of the substrate 11.

Since the gas blowing plates 71 and 73 radiate heat, a heat insulating material 77 for preventing heat radiating is provided and housed in a unit case 78. The heat insulating material 77 may be a space depending on the thermal design. The unit case 78 is provided with an exhaust port 79 so that the inside of the unit case 78 can be exhausted. The distance between the blowing plates 71 and 73 and the substrate is measured and controlled by the height sensor S70.

A CVD gas G70 for CVD is introduced into the CVD unit 72. For example, when a silicon film is grown, the gas is a carrier gas containing silane and a doping gas. The unit case 78 moves on the substrate. When moving, the temperature of the zone heater 75 changes in accordance with the position of the CVD unit. When the CVD unit passes over the n-th zone heater 75n, the temperature T75n of the zone heater 75n becomes a high temperature, and when it moves away, it is controlled to a low temperature.

In order to explain the operation, the structure of the CVD unit 72 is shown in FIG. In the conventional CVD apparatus, the gas is not heated but the substrate is heated. In the present invention, in addition to heating the substrate, the CVD gas is also heated.

FIG. 8A shows a cross section of the CVD unit. A CVD gas is introduced from the CVD gas inlet 81. The CVD gas shower plate 82 is heated by a shower heater 83, and its temperature T80 measured by a thermocouple 84 is controlled. Heat insulation is suppressed by the heat insulating material 85 to control the temperature of the shower plate 82.

Silane gas is introduced from the CVD gas inlet 81 when growing silicon. When monosilane is used as silane, the temperature depends on the flow rate of the carrier gas, but for example, 500 to 580 ° C. is appropriate. When using tertiary butylsilane, the temperature can be controlled to 540 ° C. or lower. The silane collides with the substrate 80 and is also heated from the substrate 80 to thermally decompose to grow a silicon film on the substrate.

The substrate 80 is glass. The glass substrate 80 is heated by the zone heater 75 and is controlled so as not to warp the front and back temperatures close to each other. The gas after passing through between the substrate 80 and the shower play 82 is exhausted from the two exhaust ports 86 and 87. Around the shower plate 82, a high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas blowing ring plate 89 having a ring-shaped blowing groove 88 is provided.

The high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas G80R introduced into the ring plate is an inert gas, here nitrogen. Nitrogen gas heated to a high temperature leaks from the ring-shaped blowing groove 88 through the blowing hole 44. The airtight gas flows through the surface of the substrate and the gap between the ring plate and flows out to the shower plate 82 side and out of the ring plate 89. The flow toward the outside of the ring plate 89 acts to block the inflow of external air. The inward flow toward the shower plate side prevents the outflow of CVD gas and dilutes to create a flow toward the exhaust port. Since the streamlines do not cross each other, the thinning flow surrounds the CVD reaction space immediately below the shower plate, and acts to prevent the silicon film from adhering to the vessel wall.

The temperature T80R of the ring plate 89 is controlled by the ring plate heater 83R. The X2X2 cross section of FIG. 8A is shown in FIG. The temperature T80R of the ring plate 89 is set higher than the shower plate temperatures T801, T802, and T803. By setting it high, a film is formed on the wall of the vessel forming the flow path, and no powder is generated.

The shower plate 82 is provided with three CVD gas inlets 81 in this case, and the shower plate temperatures T801, T802 and T803 measured by the corresponding three thermocouples 84 are controlled by three different shower plate heaters 83. The The introduced CVD gases G801, G802, and G803 may be controlled to have the same composition or different compositions.

The exhaust port 86.87 is connected to the ring plate 89 and heated. Since the exhaust ports 86 and 87 are heated, powder generation hardly occurs in the exhaust port. Controlling the temperature works well to suppress the generation of powder, while the temperature increases along the flow path. Here, although the example of silane was shown as CVD gas, the gas which produces | generates a compound can be selected. When growing a compound composed of elements of Ga, In, Al, N, and Mg, in addition to nitrogen or hydrogen as a carrier gas, TMGa, TEGa, TMAl, TMIn, TMIn: amine,
Choose from Cp2Mg, NH3 gas.

Example 2 is shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an annealing apparatus equipped with a high-temperature pressurized air-tight substrate shielding mechanism. The substrate is a glass substrate 91. On the front surface of the glass substrate 91, there are high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas blowing plates 92T1, 92T3, and on the back side there are high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas blowing plates 92B1, 92B2, 92B3.

An annealing unit 93 is interposed between the blowing plates 92T1 and 92T3. The temperature of the hot pressurized gas-tight gas blowing plate is measured by a thermocouple 94 provided for each plate, and the temperature is T91T, T93T, T91B, T92B, T93B. High-temperature pressurized gas-tight gases G91T, G93T, G91B, G92B, and G93B are introduced into the respective plates, leaking from the grooves of each plate, and hitting the substrate.

The airtight gas is nitrogen. The airtight gas may be other inert gas, argon or the like. In addition, the gas-tight gas may contain reducing hydrogen or oxygen-generating gas having an oxidizing action. The airtight gas may contain moisture or carbon dioxide. The gas may be air.

The annealing unit 93 and the plate 92 are accommodated in a stainless case 97 through a heat insulating material 96. The case is provided with an exhaust port 98 to allow exhaust. The material in contact with the high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas is selected depending on the gas used, the chemical action, the temperature reached, and the like. The material can be selected from aluminum, stainless steel, quartz, ceramics, or a composite material thereof. Here, the plates 92T1, 92T3, 92B1, and 92B3 are made of aluminum. The plate 92B2 is made of stainless steel.

The plate 92B2 is provided with a heater 99 by a heater wire and can be heated. The high-temperature pressurized air-tight nitrogen gas blown from each plate raises the temperature of the glass substrate 91 and supports the substrate by floating away from the plate.

The nitrogen gas flows out through the gap between the plate and the substrate to prevent the air from entering. That is, the plate 1) heats the glass substrate with gas, 2) supports the substrate with gas, and 3) shields the substrate surface from the atmosphere.

The temperature T91T, T91B, T93T, and T93B of each plate is, for example, 200 ° C. and T92B is 350 ° C. The glass substrate is moved by a rotating substrate feeder 95 that rotates in contact with the glass substrate. When attention is paid to a specific location, the temperature of the substrate gradually increases, reaches 350 ° C. in the center, and decreases again.

A schematic cross-sectional view of the annealing unit 93 is shown in FIG. A gas is introduced from the annealing gas inlet 101 and heated by the gas heater 100. The gas heated by the gas heater 100 is guided by a pipe and enters the heat beam emitter 102. A heat insulating material 103 is provided to prevent a temperature drop due to heat dissipation.

The heat beam emitter 102 has a heat beam emission slit 104, and the gas heated from the slit 104 is emitted in the form of a beam. This is called a heat beam. The emitted heat beam 109 collides with the substrate 105 and gives heat to the substrate 105. Since there is no stagnation layer, the efficiency of this heat transfer is high. Heat beam launcher 102 is provided with a heater wire 106 to control the temperature of the launcher.

The heat beam launcher 102 is carbon graphite coated with SiC with little thermal deformation. The material of the projectile device 102 may be ceramics, quartz, or metal. When the heat beam launcher is made of metal or carbon graphite, an induction heating coil is provided instead of the heater wire, and heating may be performed by induction heating. The temperature of the launcher 102 is T100T as measured by a thermocouple. High-temperature pressurized nitrogen gas is introduced from the high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas inlet 107R.

The high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas is selected according to the purpose and temperature range. The gas may be other inert gas Ar or He. The gas may be a gas containing air, water, carbon dioxide, or hydrogen.

Around the heat beam emitter 102, a high-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas blowing ring plate 89 having a ring-shaped blowing groove is provided. The gas is an inert gas, such as nitrogen. Nitrogen gas heated to a high temperature leaks from the ring-shaped blowing groove 88 through the blowing hole 44. The gas passes through the surface of the substrate 105 and the space between the ring plate and flows out to the heat beam emitter side and out of the ring plate.

The flow toward the outside of the ring plate 89 acts to block the inflow of external air. The inward flow toward the heat beam emitter 102 prevents the heat beam from flowing out and dilutes to create a flow toward the exhaust port. The ring plate 89 here may be provided with a heater.

An X3X3 cross-sectional view of the annealing unit is shown in FIG. In this case, the heat beam emitter 102 includes three gas heaters H101, H102, and H103, and the temperatures of the heat beam emitters measured by the corresponding three thermocouples 108 are T101T, T102T, and T103T. . The introduced annealing gases A101, A102, A103 may be the same composition or different composition gases. The exhaust ports 86 and 87 are connected to the ring plate 89.

FIG. 11 shows a susceptor substrate 111 for conveyance. When the device substrate 112 is a small wafer substrate instead of a glass substrate, a quartz susceptor substrate is used. By placing the device substrate 112 on the susceptor substrate 111 and using the susceptor substrate as the substrate described above, a heat treatment or a film formation process of a small wafer substrate can be performed. In this case, the small device substrate is circular silicon. The small device substrate may be rectangular. The small device substrate may be glass, sapphire, or SiC.

The present invention provides a structure of a manufacturing apparatus that shields the surface of the large-sized substrate exceeding 1 m from the atmosphere, uniformly heats it, conveys it, and forms a film. Manufacturing of a solar cell or a flat panel display device using a large substrate is facilitated.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Board | substrate 12 Support roller 13 Upper airtight gas blowing plate 14 Lower airtight gas blowing plate 15 Airtight gas inlet 16 Above high temperature pressurized airtight gas 17 Below high temperature pressurized airtight gas 18 Outlet groove 19 Outlet 21 Substrate support stand 22 Heater 23 Airtight Gas blowout plate 25 Airtight gas inlet 26 High-temperature pressurized airtight gas 31 Airtight gas blowout plate 32 Support roller 33 Rotary substrate driving device 41 Blowout plate 42 Airtight gas inlet 43 Introduction groove 44 Blowout hole 45 Blowout groove 46 Ring-shaped blowout Groove 47 Line-shaped blowing groove G40 High-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas 50 High-temperature pressurized gas-tight substrate transport unit 51T, 52T, 53T Upper gas-tight gas blowing plate 51B, 52B, 53, Lower gas-tight gas blowing plate 54 Thermocouple 55T, 55B G51T, G52T, G53T High temperature pressurized gas-tight gas G51B, G52B, G53B High temperature pressurized gas-tight gas T51T, T52T, T53T Plate temperature arranged above T51B, T52B, T53B Plate temperature PP1, PP2, PP3 arranged below Plate pair 1, 2, 3
60 Gas Processing Unit 61 Airtight Gas Blowout Plate 62 High Temperature Pressurized Airtight Gas Blowout Ring 63 Airtight Gas Blowout Plate 64 Gas Processing Portion 65 Insulation Material 66 Case 67 Blowout Ring 68 Process Gas 69 Exhaust T61, T63 Plate Temperature T62R Temperature G67 High-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas 70 Support base 71, 73 Air-tight gas blowing plate 72 CVD unit 74 Heater 75 Zone heater 75n Nth zone heater 76 Undeformed substrate 77 Heat insulating material 78 Unit case 79 Exhaust port G70 CVD gas G71, G72 , G73 High-temperature pressurized gas-tight gas S70 Height sensor T71T, Plate temperature T70R arranged on T73T Ring plate temperature T70T Shower plate temperature T75n nth zone heater Temperature TC Thermocouple 80 Substrate 81 CVD gas inlet 82 CVD gas shower plate 83 Shower heater 83R Ring plate heater 84 Thermocouple 85 Insulating material 86, 87 Exhaust port 88 Ring-shaped blowing groove 89 High-temperature pressurized air-tight gas blowing ring plate T80 Shower Plate temperature T801, T802, T803 Shower plate temperature T80R Ring plate temperature G801, G802, G803 CVD gas G80R High-temperature pressurized airtight gas nitrogen 91 Glass substrate 92T1, 92T3 Airtight gas blowing plate 92B1, 92B2, 92B3 Airtight gas blowing plate 93 Annealing Unit 94 Thermocouple 95 Rotary substrate feeder 96 Heat insulating material 97 Case 98 Exhaust port 99 Heater A90 Annealing gas H90 Gas heater G91T, G93 Hot pressurized air tight gas G91B, G92B, G93B hot pressurized air tight gas T91T, temperature T93T plate T91b, T92B, the temperature of the T93B plate 100
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Annealing gas inlet 102 Heat beam launcher 103 Heat insulating material 104 Heat beam launch slit 105 Glass substrate 106 Heater wire 107R High temperature pressurization gas inlet 108 Thermocouple 109 Heat beam A101, A102, A103 Annealing gas H101, H102, H103 Gas heater T101T, T102T, T103T Temperature of each part of heat beam emitter 112 Device substrate 111 Susceptor substrate for transport

Claims (20)

There is a plate in which pressurized gas of 1 atm or more is heated and blown out from one side as high-temperature pressurized gas, there is a substrate facing the plate at a constant interval, and a mechanism for moving the substrate and the plate relative to each other is provided. Heating the substrate, characterized in that the gas blown from the plate flows through the surface of the substrate and flows out of a region where the substrate and the plate face each other, thereby blocking the surface of the substrate from the atmosphere and simultaneously heating the substrate. A device that moves the substrate and shuts off the substrate at the same time. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the plates are arranged to face one side of the substrate. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plate is a pair plate disposed above and below the substrate. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the temperature of the plate can be controlled independently, and the temperature of the paired plates disposed above and below is controlled. 5. The plate according to claim 2, wherein at least three of the plates are arranged side by side, and the temperature of the plate inside the two plates arranged at the end is higher than the temperature of the plate arranged at the end. apparatus. 6. The apparatus according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, wherein the plate is made of a metal, quartz, SiC, ceramic containing AlN, carbon graphite, or a combination thereof. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a driving device that contacts the substrate to move the substrate. 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the high-temperature pressurized gas is nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, argon, water, air, or a gas containing two or more of these. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the high-temperature pressurized gas is a gas mixed with a halogen gas containing chlorine and fluorine. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the high-temperature pressurized gas is a semiconductor doping gas in which a gas containing a Group 5 element or a Group 3 element is mixed. 9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the high-temperature pressurized gas is a gas in which a gas containing a Group 6 element is mixed. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of holes or a plurality of grooves through which the gas is blown when the high-temperature pressurized gas is blown are formed on the blow-out side of the plate. 7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the groove is ring-shaped. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a mechanism in which the plate is accommodated in a case via a heat insulating material or a heat insulating space, and gas in the case is exhausted. A gas processing unit device comprising: a ring-shaped plate from which high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas blows out; and a gas processing unit for blowing out heat-processing gas that collides with the substrate surface inside the blowing ring plate. A gas processing apparatus comprising the high-temperature pressurized air-tight gas blowing plate so as to sandwich the gas processing unit, wherein the gas processing unit and the substrate move relative to each other. The gas processing apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the heat treatment gas is nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, argon, water, air, or a gas containing two or more of these. The gas processing apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the heat treatment gas is a gas mixed with a halogen gas containing chlorine and fluorine. 17. The gas processing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the heat treatment gas is a semiconductor doping gas in which a gas containing a Group 5 element or a Group 3 element is mixed. The gas processing apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the heat treatment gas is a gas in which a gas containing a Group 6 element is mixed.