JP2012099594A - Substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate processing apparatus which is capable of performing a deposition process without replacing gas at a high speed, and which can flexibly adapt to the sizes of substrates.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus comprises: conveyance means 6 which moves a mounting part 5 for mounting a plurality of substrates 3 to thereby convey the substrates; first gas supply means 7 which supplies first process gas to a first space 11; second gas supply means 8 which supplies second process gas to a second space 12; purge gas supply means 9a and 9b which supply purge gas so as to form third spaces 13a and 13b having a purge gas atmosphere located in rear of the first space or the second space; heating means 14 which heats at least the mounting part; temperature control means 17 which controls the heating means so that each of the first space, the second space, and the third space reaches a predetermined temperature; and conveyance control means 16 which controls the conveyance means in such a manner that it passes through the first space, the second space, and the third space with the plurality of substrates mounted thereon.

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that generates a thin film on a substrate such as a silicon wafer or a glass substrate, and more particularly to a substrate processing apparatus used in a process of applying ALD film formation.

  As the substrate processing apparatus, there are a single-wafer type substrate processing apparatus that processes substrates one by one, a batch type substrate processing apparatus that uses a semi single-wafer type or a vertical heat treatment apparatus that simultaneously processes a plurality of substrates.

  One of CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) methods, which is a method for forming a film, is an ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) method, which is used for film formation under certain film formation conditions (temperature, time, etc.). In this method, two or more kinds of processing gases are alternately supplied onto the substrate one by one, adsorbed in units of one atomic layer, and a film is formed using a surface reaction.

  When forming a film on a substrate using the ALD method, in any apparatus, a processing gas is supplied to a processing chamber for processing the substrate, and the processing chamber is replaced with a purge gas at a high speed. By repeating the process of supplying the film, the film is formed on the substrate.

  In addition, there is one shown in Patent Document 1 as a single-wafer type substrate processing apparatus that generates a film on a substrate by the ALD method. There is something to be done.

  However, in the case of a single-wafer or vertical substrate processing apparatus as shown in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, supply of processing gas to the processing chamber, evacuation for high-speed gas replacement, N 2, etc. Since the film is formed by repeating the cycle of supplying the processing gas again after the gas replacement with the purge gas, there is a problem that a lot of time is required to process one batch. In addition, in order to reliably supply high-speed and uniform processing gas and to perform high-speed gas replacement, various ingenuity is required in the process, which increases the number of steps during film formation processing and controls. Was complicated.

  Furthermore, since the size of the substrate to be processed is limited depending on the size of the processing chamber, there is a problem in that processing cannot be performed by the same substrate processing apparatus when the size of the substrate is greatly different.

JP 2009-88428 A JP 2007-227471 A

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus that can perform a film forming process without performing gas replacement at high speed and can flexibly cope with the size of the substrate.

  The present invention supplies a first processing gas in order to form a first processing gas atmosphere in a first space, and a transport means for transporting the substrate by moving a mounting portion for mounting a plurality of substrates. First gas supply means for performing second gas supply means for supplying a second process gas to form a second process gas atmosphere in the second space, and the first space or the second space. A purge gas supply means for supplying a purge gas to form a third space of a purge gas atmosphere after each of the first space, a heating means for heating at least the mounting portion, the first space, the second space, and A temperature control means for controlling the heating means so that the third spaces each have a predetermined temperature; and the transport means in a state where a plurality of substrates are placed, the first space, the second space, and Transport controlled to pass through the third space Those of the substrate processing apparatus and a control means.

  According to the present invention, the transfer means for transferring the substrate by moving the mounting portion for mounting a plurality of substrates, and the first processing gas for forming the first processing gas atmosphere in the first space. A first gas supply means for supplying a second process gas for forming a second process gas atmosphere in the second space; and the first space or the A purge gas supply means for supplying a purge gas to form a third space of a purge gas atmosphere after the second space, a heating means for heating at least the placement section, the first space, the second space, A temperature control means for controlling the heating means so that the space and the third space each have a predetermined temperature; and the transport means in a state where a plurality of substrates are placed, the first space, the second space Control to pass through the space and the third space And a transfer control unit, so that it is not necessary to replace the gas in the first space, the second space, and the third space when a film is formed on the substrate. In addition to simplification, since the processing is performed with the substrate placed on the mounting portion, it is possible to flexibly cope with the case where the size of the substrate to be processed is different.

FIG. 1 shows a substrate processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) shows a schematic sectional elevation of the substrate processing apparatus, and (B) shows a schematic plan sectional view of the substrate processing apparatus. . It is a substrate processing apparatus in a 2nd example of the present invention, (A) shows a schematic elevation sectional view of the substrate processing apparatus, and (B) shows a schematic plane sectional view of the substrate processing apparatus. . FIG. 6 is a schematic plan sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus in a third embodiment of the present invention.

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

  First, referring to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  The substrate processing apparatus 1 in this embodiment has a housing 2, and a processing space 4 for performing predetermined processing on a substrate (hereinafter referred to as a wafer) 3 is defined in the housing 2. .

  In the processing space 4, a conveyance belt 5 that is a mounting portion is provided along the longitudinal direction. The conveyor belt 5 is an endless belt made of a metal mesh belt, and belt drive wheels 6 as conveyor means are provided at both ends of the conveyor belt 5. On the conveyor belt 5, wafers 3 (four sheets in FIG. 1) are placed flat and in a rectangular shape in units of a predetermined number of sheets, and the conveyor belt 5 is arbitrarily set by the rotation of the belt driving wheel 6. The wafer 3 is infinitely rotated at a speed, and the wafer 3 on the transport belt 5 is transported.

  Above the conveyor belt 5, a first gas supply means 7 for supplying a first process gas by downflow, a second gas supply means 8 for supplying a second process gas by downflow, and N2 etc. by downflow. Purge gas supply means 9 for supplying the purge gas is provided. The gas supply means includes the first gas supply means 7, the first purge gas supply means 9 a, the second gas supply means 8, and the second purge gas supply means 9 b for one cycle, and a predetermined number of cycles in the wafer 3 transfer direction. Are only provided side by side.

  Further, a first processing space 11 is formed between the first gas supply means 7 and the transport belt 5 by a down flow of the first process gas, and the second gas supply means 8 and the transport belt 5 are formed. A second processing space 12 is formed between the first purge gas supply means 9a and the second purge gas supply means 9b and the conveyor belt 5, respectively. The third processing spaces 13a and 13b are formed by the purge gas downflow. The distance in the transfer direction of the first process space 11, the second process space 12, and the third process space 13 is an arbitrary length shorter than the length of the diameter of the wafer 3, and the transfer direction. The distance in the direction orthogonal to the length of the wafer 3 is sufficiently longer than the diameter of the wafer 3.

  Below the first gas supply means 7, the second gas supply means 8, and the purge gas supply means 9, infrared heaters 14 as heating means are respectively provided in a predetermined number in a direction orthogonal to the transfer direction of the wafer 3. A first processing gas provided from the first gas supply means 7 by the infrared heater 14, a second processing gas supplied from the second gas supply means 8, and supplied from the purge gas supply means 9. The purge gas, the wafer 3 and the transport belt 5 can be heated.

  Although not shown, below the conveyor belt 5, a first processing gas supplied from the first gas supply means 7, a second processing gas supplied from the second gas supply means 8, An exhaust port for exhausting the purge gas supplied from the purge gas supply means 9 is provided.

  The first gas supply unit 7, the second gas supply unit 8, and the purge gas supply unit 9 are electrically connected to a flow rate control unit 15, respectively. In response to an instruction from the flow rate control means 15, the first gas supply means 7 continues to supply the first process gas 11 with a predetermined flow rate to the first process space 11. A first processing gas atmosphere is formed, and the second gas supply means 8 continues to supply the second processing gas at a predetermined flow rate to the second processing space 12, thereby allowing the second processing space 12 to be supplied. A second process gas atmosphere is formed, and the purge gas supply means 9 continues to supply a purge gas at a predetermined flow rate to the third process space 13, thereby forming a purge gas atmosphere in the third process space 13. It is like.

  The belt driving wheel 6 is electrically connected to the conveyance control means 16, and the belt driving wheel 6 is rotated at a predetermined speed by the instruction from the conveyance control means 16 to rotate the conveyance belt 5. The infrared heater 14 is electrically connected to the temperature control means 17, and the infrared heater 14 is supplied with the first process gas supplied from the first gas supply means 7 according to an instruction from the temperature control means 17. The second processing gas supplied from the second gas supply means 8 and the purge gas supplied from the purge gas supply means 9 are heated, and a first processing gas atmosphere at a predetermined temperature is supplied to the first processing space 11. And a second processing gas atmosphere having a predetermined temperature is formed in the second processing space 12 and a purge gas atmosphere having a predetermined temperature is formed in the third processing space 13.

  Further, the flow rate control means 15, the transport control means 16, and the temperature control means 17 are each electrically connected to the main control unit 18. The main control unit 18 controls the flow rate control unit 15, the transfer control unit 16, and the temperature control unit 17, and the wafer 3 on the transfer belt 5 moves to the first processing space 11, the third processing unit 11. The processing space 13a, the second processing space 12, and the third processing space 13b are counted as one cycle, and the transport control means 16 is set according to a preset film thickness. Has a function of causing a predetermined number of cycles to be executed.

  When an ALD film is generated on the wafer 3, when a predetermined number of wafers 3 are laid flat on the transport belt 5 and execution of processing is input via the main controller 18, the main controller 18 The flow rate control means 15 downflows the first process gas, the second process gas, and the purge gas from the first gas supply means 7, the second gas supply means 8, and the purge gas supply means 9, respectively. And a first processing gas atmosphere, a second processing gas atmosphere, and a purge gas atmosphere are formed in the first processing space 11, the second processing space 12, and the third processing space 13, respectively. .

  In parallel with the above processing, the infrared heater 14 is heated by the temperature control means 17, and the first processing space 11, the second processing space 12, and the third processing space 13 are heated to a predetermined temperature. The

  Thereafter, the transport control means 16 rotates the belt driving wheel 6 so that the transport belt 5 moves at a predetermined speed, and the wafer 3 placed on the transport belt 5 is transported. By passing the first processing space 11, the third processing space 13a, the second processing space 12, and the third processing space 13b in this order, the first processing gas and the second processing gas are transferred onto the wafer 3. Films of the processing gas are alternately generated.

  After executing a predetermined number of cycles by the main control unit 18, the atmosphere in the processing space 4 is exhausted, and the processed wafer 3 is taken out from the processing space 4, whereby the ALD film for the wafer 3 is removed. The generation process is completed.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the processing gas and the purge gas are continuously supplied by downflow, so that the first processing gas atmosphere in the first processing gas atmosphere is formed in the processing space 4 as one space without providing a partition. Three types of processing spaces can be formed: one processing space 11, the second processing space 12 in a second processing gas atmosphere, and the third processing space 13 in a purge gas atmosphere. In addition, since the ALD film is formed by passing the wafer 3 through the processing spaces 11, 12, and 13, the gas replacement in the processing space 4 is not necessary and the gas supply after the replacement is not necessary. The complexity of the processing process can be avoided, and troubles during the process processing can be prevented.

  Further, since the wafer 3 is moved by the transport belt 5, the distance in the transport direction of each processing space 11, 12, 13 may be shorter than the diameter of the wafer 3. For example, when processing a wafer 3 having a diameter of 30 cm (12 inches), the distance in the transfer direction between the first process space 11 and the second process space 12 is 10 cm, and the distance in the transfer direction of the third process space 13 is set. If the distance is 5 cm, one cycle is 30 cm wide. In this case, even when 60 cycles of processing are performed, the size of the apparatus is only about 18 m, and the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be prevented from being enlarged.

  Further, as described above, when the distance in the transport direction of each processing space 11, 12, 13 is made shorter than the diameter of the wafer 3, for example, the wafer 3 is placed on the transport belt 5 for each cycle. When processing 60 cycles, processing for 30 batches conventionally required processing time for 180 cycles, but processing can be performed in 100 cycle processing time, greatly improving throughput. Can be planned.

  Furthermore, since the wafer 3 is processed in a state of being flatly placed on the transport belt 5, the size of the wafer 3 may be any size as long as it can be placed on the transport belt 5. Even the size of the wafer 3 can be processed simultaneously, and the size of the wafer 3 can be flexibly handled.

  Next, referring to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The substrate processing apparatus 1 in the second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the substrate processing apparatus 1 in the first embodiment, and the same components in FIG. 2 as those in FIG. Reference numerals are assigned and explanations thereof are omitted.

  In the second embodiment, the wafer 3 placed flat on the transport belt 5 in the first embodiment is held in a vertical posture on a boat 19 which is a substrate holder, and the boat 19 is held in the transport belt. ALD film formation is carried out.

  The boat 19 has a rectangular cylindrical shape penetrating vertically, and a predetermined number (nine in FIG. 2) of wafers 3 is supplied to each of the processing spaces 11, 12, and 13 in a down flow. It can be held perpendicular to the purge gas supply direction.

  When an ALD film is generated on the wafer 3, the boat 19 holding a predetermined number of wafers 3 is placed on the conveyor belt 5, and then the same processing as in the first embodiment is performed. Held in the boat 19 in the first processing space 11, the second processing space 12, and the third processing space 13 in which the processing gas atmosphere, the second processing gas atmosphere, and the purge gas atmosphere are formed. By passing the wafer 3, films by the first processing gas and the second processing gas are alternately generated on the wafer 3, and the ALD film generation process is completed.

  In the second embodiment, since the boat 19 holds the wafer 3 perpendicular to the supply direction of the processing gas and the purge gas and performs ALD processing, the wafer 3 is placed flat on the transport belt 5. As a result, the number of wafers 3 can be increased and the throughput can be further improved.

  Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 3, the same components as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  In the third embodiment, unlike the first and second embodiments, the transfer of the wafer 3 held on the boat 19 placed on the transfer belt 5 is not in one direction but in the traveling direction. In contrast, the boat 19 on the conveyor belt 5 can be conveyed in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, and the boat 19 on the conveyor belt 5 sequentially passes through the first processing space 11, the second processing space 12, and the third processing space 13. It is configured to be able to circulate so as to pass.

  When the ALD film is generated on the wafer 3, the boat 19 passes through the first processing space 11, the second processing space 12, and the third processing space 13 by a predetermined number of cycles. By circulating the conveyor belt 5, an ALD film can be generated on the wafer 3.

  Therefore, in the third embodiment, even when the processing cycle for the wafer 3 is increased by changing the film thickness or the film type, the conveyor belt 5 is circulated so that the boat 19 is in the first processing space 11. Since the number of times of passing through the second processing space 12 and the third processing space 13 may be adjusted, it is not necessary to increase the size of the substrate processing apparatus 1 with respect to an increase in processing cycles, and the footprint is reduced. can do.

  In the first to third embodiments, the partition is divided into the boundary between the first gas supply means 7 and the purge gas supply means 9 and the boundary between the second gas supply means 8 and the purge gas supply means 9. A plate may be provided.

  By providing the partition plate, gas is supplied from the first gas supply means 7, the second gas supply means 8, and the purge gas supply means 9, and the first process space 11, the second process space 12, and the second gas supply means 9. After the first processing gas atmosphere, the second processing gas atmosphere, and the purge gas atmosphere are formed in the third processing space 13, each gas atmosphere is kept highly pure without gas diffusion.

  Therefore, after the first processing gas atmosphere, the second processing gas atmosphere, and the purge gas atmosphere are formed, gas is supplied from the first gas supply means 7, the second gas supply means 8, and the purge gas supply means 9. This eliminates the need to save gas consumption and suppress consumption of gas supply system components.

(Appendix)
The present invention includes the following embodiments.

  (Supplementary Note 1) A transport means for transporting a substrate by moving a placement section for placing a plurality of substrates, and a first process gas is supplied to form a first process gas atmosphere in the first space First gas supply means for performing second gas supply means for supplying a second process gas to form a second process gas atmosphere in the second space, and the first space or the second space. A purge gas supply means for supplying a purge gas to form a third space of a purge gas atmosphere after each of the first space, a heating means for heating at least the mounting portion, the first space, the second space, and A temperature control means for controlling the heating means so that the third spaces each have a predetermined temperature; and the transport means in a state where a plurality of substrates are placed, the first space, the second space, and Transport controlled to pass through the third space The substrate processing apparatus characterized by comprising a control means.

  (Additional remark 2) The said transfer control means makes the said transfer means the said 1st process gas atmosphere, 1st purge gas atmosphere, said 2nd process gas atmosphere, 2nd purge gas in the state which mounted the several board | substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to supplementary note 1, wherein each substrate is passed in order of atmosphere.

  (Additional remark 3) The main control part which controls at least the said temperature control means and the said conveyance control means is further provided, and this main control part is said 1st process gas atmosphere, said 1st purge gas atmosphere, and said 2nd Supplementary note 2 in which the transfer means passes the substrate in the order of the processing gas atmosphere and the second purge gas atmosphere is counted as one cycle, and the transfer means executes a predetermined number of cycles according to a preset film thickness. Substrate processing equipment.

  (Supplementary Note 4) Gases supplied from the first gas supply unit, the second gas supply unit, and the first or second purge gas supply unit are respectively downflowed in the first space and the first gas. The substrate processing apparatus according to appendix 1, which is supplied to each of the second space and the third space.

  (Supplementary Note 5) The flow range of the gas supplied from each of the first gas supply unit, the second gas supply unit, and the first or second purge gas supply unit is relative to the transfer direction in which the substrate is transferred. The substrate processing apparatus of appendix 4, which is smaller than the substrate size.

  (Supplementary note 6) The substrate processing apparatus according to supplementary note 1 or supplementary note 2, configured such that a conveyance direction in which the substrate is conveyed is folded not only in one direction but also in the front-rear and left-right directions with respect to the traveling direction.

  (Supplementary note 7) The substrate processing apparatus according to supplementary note 1, wherein the substrate is transported by the transport unit in a state where a plurality of substrates are held in a vertical posture by the substrate holder.

  (Additional remark 8) The conveyance control means which controls the conveyance means to which the mounting part which mounts a several board | substrate is moved is formed in the 1st process gas atmosphere for the several board | substrate mounted in the said mounting part. A first space heated to a predetermined temperature, a second space formed with a second processing gas atmosphere and heated to a predetermined temperature, formed after the first space or the second space, respectively. A substrate transporting method comprising passing a third space in which a purge gas atmosphere is formed and heated to a predetermined temperature.

  (Supplementary Note 9) The first gas supply means supplies the first process gas to form a first process gas atmosphere in the first space, and the second gas supply means uses the second process gas. A second process gas atmosphere is formed in the second space by supplying the first gas, and a purge gas supply means supplies the purge gas to form the second space formed after the first space or the second space, respectively. A step of forming a purge gas atmosphere in the third space, and a step of heating the first space, the second space, and the third space to a predetermined temperature by the temperature control means controlling the heating means, The transport control means for controlling the transport means for moving the placement section for placing the plurality of substrates is configured such that the plurality of substrates placed on the placement section are placed in the first processing gas atmosphere and the first purge gas atmosphere. , Second processing gas atmosphere, second purge Method of forming a substrate characterized by having a step of passing the order of the scan atmosphere.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Substrate processing apparatus 3 Wafer 5 Conveyance belt 6 Belt drive wheel 7 1st gas supply means 8 2nd gas supply means 9 Purge gas supply means 11 1st process space 12 2nd process space 13 3rd process space 14 Infrared heater 16 Transport control means 17 Temperature control means 18 Main controller 19 Boat

Claims (1)

  A transfer means for transferring a substrate by moving a mounting portion for mounting a plurality of substrates, and a first process gas for supplying a first process gas to form a first process gas atmosphere in the first space A gas supply means; a second gas supply means for supplying a second process gas to form a second process gas atmosphere in the second space; and the first space or after the second space. A purge gas supply means for supplying a purge gas to form a third space of a purge gas atmosphere, a heating means for heating at least the placement section, the first space, the second space, and the third space, respectively. A temperature control means for controlling the heating means so that each of the spaces has a predetermined temperature; and the transport means with the plurality of substrates placed thereon, the first space, the second space, and the third space. A transport control means for controlling to pass through the space; The substrate processing apparatus characterized by comprising.

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