JP2014067797A - Substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing method and semiconductor device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method and a semiconductor device manufacturing method, which can improve productivity by: efficiently circulating air in the substrate processing apparatus which always requires cleanness; inhibiting a natural oxide film and reducing an oxygen concentration in a housing in a short time; and reducing particles.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus comprises: a transfer chamber 124 of a substrate 200 which is adjacent to a processing chamber 202 for processing the substrate 200; a first clean unit 134 including a fan for blowing a gas to the transfer chamber 124, and a filter; a second clean unit 134-2 including a fan and a filter which are arranged on a downstream side of an outlet of the first clean unit 134; and a circulation path connected to the first clean unit 134 and the second clean unit 134-2, for circulating an atmosphere in the transfer chamber 124. The gas returns to the first clean unit 134 from the second clean unit 134-2 through the circulation path.

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate or a glass substrate.

In an IC manufacturing method, a heat treatment apparatus is widely used in a heat treatment step of forming a CVD film such as an insulating film or a metal film on a wafer or diffusing impurities.
In this type of conventional substrate processing apparatus, in order to prevent a natural oxide film from being formed on the wafer by oxygen (O ₂ ) in the atmosphere, an inert gas is provided in the standby chamber where the wafer is exposed. Some have a circulation path for circulating the nitrogen gas and a clean unit for discharging the nitrogen gas from the circulation path. For example, see Patent Document 1.
JP 2008-117868 A

The present invention has been made from the above-described background, and can efficiently circulate air (inert gas) in a substrate processing apparatus that always requires a cleanliness in the substrate processing apparatus, as well as natural oxidation. Providing substrate processing equipment that can reduce membranes and reduce the O ₂ concentration in the housing in a short time, leading to improved productivity, eliminating starch spots in the transfer chamber, reducing consumption of high-purity inert gas, An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus and method capable of suppressing a natural oxide film, improving throughput, and reducing particles.

   In order to achieve the above object, a substrate processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes a processing chamber for processing a substrate, a transfer chamber constituting a substrate transfer space adjacent to the processing chamber, and the transfer chamber. A first clean unit composed of a fan for blowing gas from the outlet and a filter, and a second clean unit composed of a fan and a filter arranged downstream from the outlet of the first clean unit And a circulation path that is connected to the first clean unit and the second clean unit and circulates the atmosphere in the transfer chamber, and the gas passes through the circulation path from the second clean unit. A substrate processing apparatus configured to return to the first clean unit can be provided.

Furthermore, a substrate processing method for processing a substrate according to another aspect of the present invention, the substrate processing method for processing a substrate,
Blowing gas from the first clean unit composed of a fan and a filter to the transfer chamber adjacent to the substrate processing chamber;
The gas passes through the second clean unit comprising a fan and a filter disposed downstream;
A gas blown out of the second clean unit through the circulation path by the circulation path connected to the first clean unit and the second clean unit; and the gas returns to the first clean unit; ,
The substrate processing method which has can be provided.

Furthermore, in the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device for processing a substrate according to another aspect of the present invention, gas is supplied from a first clean unit including a fan and a filter to a transfer chamber adjacent to the substrate processing chamber. A step of blowing, a step of passing the second clean unit composed of a fan and a filter disposed on the downstream side, and a circulation path connected to the first clean unit and the second clean unit Thus, there can be provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: a step in which the gas blown from the second clean unit passes through a circulation path and the gas returns to the first clean unit.

  According to the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing method, and a semiconductor device manufacturing method capable of performing clean and efficient air circulation in the substrate processing apparatus with a simple configuration. it can.

It is a perspective view of the substrate processing apparatus used suitably by embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the substrate processing apparatus used suitably by embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the transfer chamber used suitably by embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the clean unit used suitably by embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the plant used suitably in another embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In the best mode for carrying out the present invention, as an example, the substrate processing apparatus is configured as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs processing steps in a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device (IC). In the following description, a case where a vertical apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as a processing apparatus) that performs oxidation, diffusion processing, CVD processing, or the like is applied to the substrate as the substrate processing apparatus will be described. FIG. 1 shows a substrate processing apparatus 10 applied to the present invention using a perspective view. FIG. 2 shows the substrate processing apparatus 10 using a side perspective view.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the substrate processing apparatus 10 processes a wafer 200 made of silicon or the like used as a substrate. In the substrate processing apparatus 10, a hoop (also referred to as a substrate container, FOUP, or pod; hereinafter referred to as a pod) 110 used as a wafer carrier that stores the wafer 200 is used. Further, the substrate processing apparatus 10 includes a substrate processing apparatus main body 111.

  A front maintenance port 103 used as an opening provided so that maintenance can be performed is established in the front front portion of the front wall 111a of the substrate processing apparatus main body 111, and a front maintenance door 104 for opening and closing the front maintenance port 103 is built. It is attached. Although not shown, a sub operation device as a sub operation unit is installed in the vicinity of the upper front maintenance door 104. The main operation device 16 as the main operation unit is disposed in the vicinity of the maintenance door on the back side.

A pod loading / unloading port (substrate container loading / unloading port) 112 is established on the front wall 111a of the substrate processing apparatus body 111 so as to communicate with the inside and outside of the substrate processing apparatus body 111. The pod loading / unloading port 112 is a front shutter. It is opened and closed by (substrate container carry-in / out opening / closing mechanism) 113.
A load port (substrate container delivery table) 114 is installed in front of the front side of the pod loading / unloading port 112, and the load port 114 is configured so that the pod 110 is placed and aligned. The pod 110 is loaded onto the load port 114 by an in-process transfer device (not shown) and unloaded from the load port 114.

  A rotary pod shelf (substrate container mounting shelf) 105 is installed in an upper portion of the substrate processing apparatus main body 111 in a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction. The rotary pod shelf 105 stores a plurality of pods 110. Is configured to do. In other words, the rotary pod shelf 105 is vertically arranged and intermittently rotated in a horizontal plane, and a plurality of shelf boards (supported by a substrate container) that are radially supported by the support 116 at each of the upper, middle, and lower positions. And a plurality of shelf plates 117 are configured to hold the pods 110 in a state where a plurality of pods 110 are respectively placed.

  A pod transfer device (substrate container transfer device) 118 is installed between the load port 114 and the rotary pod shelf 105 in the substrate processing apparatus main body 111, and the pod transfer device 118 holds the pod 110. A pod elevator (substrate container lifting mechanism) 118a that can be lifted and lowered and a pod transport mechanism (substrate container transport mechanism) 118b as a transport mechanism are configured. The pod transport device 118 includes a pod elevator 118a and a pod transport mechanism 118b. The pod 110 is transported between the load port 114, the rotary pod shelf 105, and the pod opener (substrate container lid opening / closing mechanism) 121.

  A sub-housing 119 is constructed over the rear end at a lower portion of the substrate processing apparatus main body 111 at a substantially central portion in the front-rear direction. A pair of wafer loading / unloading ports (substrate loading / unloading ports) 120 for loading / unloading the wafer 200 into / from the sub-casing 119 are arranged on the front wall 119a of the sub-casing 119 in two vertical stages. A pair of pod openers 121 and 121 are installed at the wafer loading / unloading ports 120 and 120 at the upper and lower stages, respectively. The pod opener 121 includes mounting bases 122 and 122 on which the pod 110 is placed, and cap attaching / detaching mechanisms (lid attaching / detaching mechanisms) 123 and 123 for attaching and detaching caps (lids) of the pod 110. The pod opener 121 is configured to open and close the wafer loading / unloading port of the pod 110 by attaching / detaching the cap of the pod 110 placed on the placing table 122 by the cap attaching / detaching mechanism 123.

  The sub-housing 119 constitutes a transfer chamber 124 that is fluidly isolated from the installation space of the pod transfer device 118 and the rotary pod shelf 105. A wafer transfer mechanism (substrate transfer mechanism) 125 is installed in the front region of the transfer chamber 124, and the wafer transfer mechanism 125 rotates the wafer 200 in the horizontal direction or can move the wafer 200 in the horizontal direction. A substrate transfer device) 125a and a wafer transfer device elevator (substrate transfer device lifting mechanism) 125b for moving the wafer transfer device 125a up and down. As schematically shown in FIG. 1, the wafer transfer apparatus elevator 125 b is installed between the right end of the pressure-resistant substrate processing apparatus main body 111 and the right end of the front area of the transfer chamber 124 of the sub-housing 119. . By the continuous operation of the wafer transfer device elevator 125b and the wafer transfer device 125a, the tweezer (substrate holder) 125c of the wafer transfer device 125a is used as a placement portion for the wafer 200 with respect to the boat (substrate holder) 217. The wafer 200 is loaded (charged) and unloaded (discharged).

  In the rear region of the transfer chamber 124, a standby unit 126 that houses and waits for the boat 217 is configured. A processing furnace 202 is provided above the standby unit 126. The lower end portion of the processing furnace 202 is configured to be opened and closed by a furnace port shutter (furnace port opening / closing mechanism) 147.

As schematically shown in FIG. 1, a boat elevator (substrate holding) for raising and lowering the boat 217 between the right end portion of the pressure-resistant substrate processing apparatus main body 111 and the standby portion 126 right end portion of the sub casing 119. (Elevating mechanism) 115 is installed. A seal cap 219 serving as a lid is horizontally installed on an arm 128 serving as a connecting tool connected to a lifting platform of the boat elevator 115, and the seal cap 219 supports the boat 217 vertically, and a lower end of the processing furnace 202. It is comprised so that a part can be obstruct | occluded.
The boat 217 includes a plurality of holding members, and is configured to hold a plurality of (for example, about 50 to 125) wafers 200 horizontally in a state where the centers are aligned in the vertical direction. Has been.

  Further, as schematically shown in FIG. 1, a clean atmosphere or inert gas is provided at the left end of the transfer chamber 124 opposite to the wafer transfer device elevator 125b side and the boat elevator 115 side. A clean unit 134 composed of a supply fan and a dust-proof filter is installed to supply clean air 133, and a wafer circle is not shown between the wafer transfer device 125a and the clean unit 134. A notch aligning device is installed as a substrate aligning device for aligning positions in the circumferential direction.

The clean air 133 blown out from the clean unit 134 is circulated to the notch aligner / wafer transfer device 125a and the boat 217 in the standby unit 126, and then sucked in by a duct (not shown) to be external to the substrate processing apparatus body 111 Or is circulated to the primary side (supply side) that is the suction side of the clean unit 134, and is again blown into the transfer chamber 124 by the clean unit 134.
The above-described clean air flow path will be described as a circulation path.

Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 10 of the present invention will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the pod 110 is supplied to the load port 114, the pod loading / unloading port 112 is opened by the front shutter 113, and the pod 110 above the load port 114 serves as a pod transfer device. 118 is carried into the substrate processing apparatus main body 111 from the pod loading / unloading port 112.

  The loaded pod 110 is automatically transported and delivered by the pod transport device 118 to the designated shelf 117 of the rotary pod shelf 105, temporarily stored, and then one pod opener from the shelf 117. After being transferred to 121 and delivered and temporarily stored, it is transferred from the shelf 117 to one of the pod openers 121 and transferred to the mounting table 122 or directly transferred to the pod opener 121 and mounted. It is transferred to the mounting table 122. At this time, the wafer loading / unloading port 120 of the pod opener 121 is closed by the cap attaching / detaching mechanism 123, and the transfer chamber 124 is filled with clean air 133. For example, the transfer chamber 124 is filled with nitrogen gas as clean air 133, so that the oxygen concentration is set to 20 ppm or less, which is much lower than the oxygen concentration inside the substrate processing apparatus main body 111 (atmosphere). .

The pod 110 mounted on the mounting table 122 is pressed against the opening edge of the wafer loading / unloading port 120 on the front wall 119 a of the sub-housing 119, and the cap is removed by the cap attaching / detaching mechanism 123. The wafer loading / unloading opening is opened.
When the pod 110 is opened by the pod opener 121, the wafer 200 is picked up from the pod 110 by the tweezer 125c of the wafer transfer device 125a through the wafer loading / unloading port, aligned with the notch alignment device (not shown), and then transferred to the transfer chamber. It is carried into standby unit 126 behind 124 and loaded (charged) into boat 217. The wafer transfer device 125 a that has delivered the wafer 200 to the boat 217 returns to the pod 110 and loads the next wafer into the boat 217.

  During the loading operation of the wafer into the boat 217 by the wafer transfer mechanism 125 in the one (upper or lower) pod opener 121, the other (lower or upper) pod opener 121 receives another pod from the rotary pod shelf 105. 110 is transferred and transferred by the pod transfer device 118, and the opening operation of the pod 110 by the pod opener 121 is simultaneously performed.

  When a predetermined number of wafers 200 are loaded into the boat 217, the lower end portion of the processing furnace 202 closed by the furnace port shutter 147 is opened by the furnace port shutter 147. Subsequently, the boat 217 holding the wafers 200 is loaded into the processing furnace 202 when the seal cap 219 is lifted by the boat elevator 115.

After loading, arbitrary processing is performed on the wafer 200 in the processing furnace 202.
After the processing, the wafer 200 and the pod 110 are discharged to the outside of the casing in the reverse order of the above-described procedure, except for the wafer alignment process in a notch alignment apparatus (not shown).

Next, the flow of circulating air in the transfer chamber 124 of the substrate processing apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, the high purity inert gas supplied to the clean unit 134 flows through the filter provided in the first clean unit 134 in the direction of the boat 217. After that, it passes through a dust generation source which is a generation source of particles such as a driving unit of the boat 217 and the boat elevator 115, a wafer transfer mechanism (substrate transfer mechanism) 125, and a substrate transfer device (not shown), and is provided in the transfer chamber 124. By passing the small second clean unit 134-2 and the third clean unit 134-3 provided on the side wall opposite to the side wall on which the first clean unit 134 is installed, the filter When the purified inert gas passes through the circulation path and returns to the first clean unit 134, the clean inert gas is always circulated. Thus, the present invention is characterized in that clean units are provided before and after (upstream and downstream) dust generation sources such as boats and boat elevators in the circulation path.

  Here, the configuration of the clean units such as the clean units 134, 134-2, and 134-3 includes a fan and a filter unit as shown in FIG. It is not necessary to have a fan on every clean unit, but it is better to have a fan because it has less pressure loss and allows normal air circulation. When only a plurality of filters are simply added to the circulation path, pressure loss occurs in each filter, which hinders normal air circulation. Conventionally, only the clean unit 134 has a fan, and no other clean unit is provided in the air circulation path. However, in the present invention, a fan is also provided in the clean unit in the circulation path. As a result, a flow can be created in the minute particles remaining in the stagnation part in the air circulation path, and there is an advantage that filtering becomes possible.

  As described above, the first embodiment of the present invention is a clean unit composed of a fan and a filter before and after a boat or a boat elevator that is a dust generation source in the air circulation path in the transfer chamber of the substrate processing apparatus. It is characterized in that a unit is provided.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In the second embodiment, the present invention is applied to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) plant. As shown in FIG. 5, the plant 500 includes a lower clean unit 502 including an upper clean unit 501 and a substrate processing apparatus 111, and an air circulation path 503. The upper clean unit 501 and the lower clean unit 502 are composed of an upper supply fan and an upper dustproof filter, and a lower supply fan and a lower dustproof filter, respectively. Also in the case of the present embodiment, the cleanliness of the air in the plant can be maintained by providing clean units 501 and 502 before and after (upstream and downstream) the substrate processing apparatus 111 that is a dust generation source.

According to the present invention, the amount of high-purity inert gas used can be suppressed, and an environment-friendly energy saving effect can be obtained. In addition, it is possible to efficiently circulate the inert gas in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus casing that always requires cleanliness, and to suppress the natural oxide film and reduce the O ₂ concentration in the substrate processing apparatus casing in a short time. Can be obtained, and the effect of improving productivity can be obtained.

In addition, according to the present invention, two or more clean modules equipped with a filter and a fan are arranged in the air circulation path in the transfer chamber, and the clean inert gas is efficiently circulated without accumulating. By supplying a small amount of inert gas, it is possible to always reduce the O ₂ concentration with good circulation efficiency. Also, the number of clean modules is not limited, such as the flow from top to bottom or the left-right direction. Placing a clean module in advance so that the stagnation occurs in the circulation path is effective in removing particles.

Note that the above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
For example, although the present invention has been described as the substrate processing apparatus 10 as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that performs a semiconductor device (IC) manufacturing method, for example, an apparatus for processing a glass substrate such as an LCD device as well as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. It can also be applied to.

Examples of the film forming process performed in the substrate processing apparatus 10 include CVD, PVD, ALD, Epi, other processes for forming an oxide film and a nitride film, and processes for forming a film containing a metal. Further, annealing treatment, oxidation treatment, diffusion treatment or the like may be performed.
In the present embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus is described as the vertical processing apparatus 10, but the present invention can also be applied to a single-wafer apparatus. Further, an etching apparatus, an exposure apparatus, a lithography apparatus, a coating apparatus, The present invention can be similarly applied to a molding apparatus, a developing apparatus, a dicing apparatus, a wire bonding apparatus, an inspection apparatus, and the like.

<Preferred embodiment of the present invention>
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be additionally described.

(Appendix 1)
A processing chamber for processing the substrate;
A transfer chamber constituting a substrate transfer space adjacent to the processing chamber;
A first clean unit composed of a fan and a filter that blows gas from a blowout port to the transfer chamber;
A second clean unit composed of a fan and a filter disposed on the downstream side of the outlet of the first clean unit;
A circulation path connected to the first clean unit and the second clean unit and circulating the atmosphere in the transfer chamber;
A substrate processing apparatus configured to return the gas from the second clean unit through the circulation path to the first clean unit.

(Appendix 2)
The substrate processing apparatus according to appendix 1, wherein
The substrate processing apparatus which has a 3rd clean unit which is arrange | positioned downstream from the blower outlet of said 2nd clean unit, and is comprised from the fan and fin which are connected to the said circulation path.

(Appendix 3)
The substrate processing apparatus according to appendix 1 or 2, wherein
The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the first clean unit and the second clean unit are respectively provided on opposite side walls of the transfer chamber.

(Appendix 4)
A substrate processing plant in which a plurality of substrate processing apparatuses according to any one of appendices 1 to 3 are installed,
The substrate processing plant is an upper clean unit composed of an upper supply fan and an upper dustproof filter that blows gas from a blower outlet to the substrate processing apparatus at the upper part of the plant,
A substrate processing plant having a lower clean unit, which is installed at a lower portion of a substrate processing apparatus and sucks in gas supplied from the upper clean unit and supplies the gas in a changed direction and a lower clean unit.

(Appendix 5)
A substrate processing method for processing a substrate, comprising:
Blowing gas from the first clean unit composed of a fan and a filter to the transfer chamber adjacent to the substrate processing chamber;
The gas passes through the second clean unit comprising a fan and a filter disposed downstream;
And a step of returning the gas to the first clean unit through a circulation path from the second clean unit.

(Appendix 6)
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device to be processed using the substrate processing apparatus of appendix 1,
Blowing out gas from the first clean unit;
Passing the gas through the dust source;
A gas passing through the dust generation source passes through the second clean unit;
The step of passing the gas through the second clean unit through the circulation path and returning the gas to the first clean unit;
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

(Appendix 7)
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device for processing a substrate,
Blowing gas from the first clean unit composed of a fan and a filter to the transfer chamber adjacent to the substrate processing chamber;
The gas passes through the second clean unit comprising a fan and a filter disposed downstream;
And a step of returning the gas to the first clean unit through a circulation path from the second clean unit.

10 substrate processing apparatus,
115 boat elevators,
124 Transfer room,
134 The first clean unit,
134-2 Second clean unit,
134-3 The third clean unit,
200 wafers,
202 treatment chamber,
217 boat,
500 plant.

Claims (3)

A processing chamber for processing the substrate;
A transfer chamber constituting a substrate transfer space adjacent to the processing chamber;
A first clean unit composed of a fan and a filter that blows gas from a blowout port to the transfer chamber;
A second clean unit composed of a fan and a filter disposed on the downstream side of the outlet of the first clean unit;
A circulation path connected to the first clean unit and the second clean unit and circulating the atmosphere in the transfer chamber;
A substrate processing apparatus configured to return the gas from the second clean unit through the circulation path to the first clean unit. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate, comprising:
Blowing gas from the first clean unit composed of a fan and a filter to the transfer chamber adjacent to the substrate processing chamber;
The gas passes through the second clean unit comprising a fan and a filter disposed downstream;
A gas blown out of the second clean unit through the circulation path by the circulation path connected to the first clean unit and the second clean unit; and the gas returns to the first clean unit; ,
A substrate processing method. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device for processing a substrate,
Blowing gas from the first clean unit composed of a fan and a filter to the transfer chamber adjacent to the substrate processing chamber;
The gas passes through the second clean unit comprising a fan and a filter disposed downstream;
The gas blown out of the second clean unit through the circulation path connected to the first clean unit and the second clean unit through the circulation path, and the gas returns to the first clean unit;
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising:

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