JP2561104B2 - Wet processing equipment for semiconductor substrates - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Outline] The present invention relates to an improvement of a semiconductor substrate wet processing apparatus, wherein when a semiconductor substrate placed on a semiconductor substrate supporting member is immersed in a chemical solution, a contact portion between a hanger and a supporting means is abraded. For the purpose of providing a wet processing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate, the particles generated by the method are prevented from adhering to the mirror surface of the semiconductor substrate. A semiconductor substrate having a support means for suspending the semiconductor substrate support member, the end support member of the semiconductor substrate support member comprising a member and an end support member for supporting and fixing the end portion of the rod-shaped member. In the wet processing apparatus, the supporting means for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member is configured to be located at least above the upper end of the semiconductor substrate.

[Industrial applications]

The present invention relates to improvement of a wet processing apparatus for semiconductor substrates.

[Conventional technology]

When performing wet processing such as cleaning of semiconductor substrates, a method of placing a plurality of semiconductor substrates W on the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 and performing batch processing at the same time is mainly adopted. As a material for the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3, a relatively soft material such as polyphenol acrylate or Teflon, or a hard material such as quartz, polycrystalline silicon, silicon carbide or sapphire is used.

As shown in FIG. 4a, the supporting means 4 for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 is often provided below the upper end of the semiconductor substrate W placed on the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3. This is because it is easy to attach and detach the semiconductor substrate W.

The semiconductor substrate W placed on the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 is
In order to simplify mounting and dismounting, and also to enable automation, it is common that the mirror surfaces are mounted in the same direction. As a result, the supporting means 4 suspends the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 on the mirror surface side of the semiconductor substrate mounted on either one end of the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3.
To face.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

A case where the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 is immersed in a chemical solution for wet processing will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 4a, the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 is suspended by a hanger H and lowered into the chemical solution as shown in FIG. 4b. When the contact portion between the supporting means 4 and the hanger H reaches the chemical surface, the particles generated by rubbing the contact portion between the supporting means 4 and the hanger H are on the chemical surface as shown by P in the figure. spread. The particles P floating on the liquid surface,
Since the surface of the semiconductor substrate W that is about to be immersed below the liquid surface is in direct contact, the particles P floating above the liquid surface are attached to the surface of the semiconductor substrate W that is about to be immersed below the liquid surface. This defect is particularly remarkable on the mirror surface side surface of the semiconductor substrate at the end portion where the mirror surface side is in contact with the contact portion (hinge portion) between the supporting means 4 and the hanger H.

In general, the particle P generated by rubbing has a small particle size of several μm or less, and therefore the particle P generated at the contact portion before the contact portion between the hanger H and the supporting means 4 is immersed in the liquid.
Floats on the surface of the liquid, but the particles P generated at the contact portion after being immersed in the liquid float in the liquid as shown in FIG. 4c, and at this point of time, there is a gap between the surface of the semiconductor substrate W and the particles P. Due to the presence of the chemical liquid, these particles P rarely adhere to the surface of the semiconductor substrate W.

When the wet process such as cleaning is finished and the hanger H is pulled up, the chemical solution existing between the semiconductor substrate W and the particles P is
As shown in Figure 4d, because it flows down on the surface of the semiconductor substrate,
The particles P hardly adhere to the surface of the semiconductor substrate W.

The harmful particles P described above are mainly generated by rubbing at the contact portion between the hanger H and the supporting means 4, and very few particles P are generated at the contact portion between the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 and the semiconductor substrate W. Moreover, the hanger H and the supporting means 4
The adhesion of the particles P to the surface of the semiconductor substrate W generated in the contact portion with the contact occurs mainly at the moment when the contact portion between the hanger H and the supporting means 4 is immersed in the liquid, and the mirror surface side supports the hanger H and the supporting surface. A large amount is attached to the mirror surface side of the semiconductor substrate at the end portion facing the contact portion with the means 4. This is because the surface of silicon dioxide is hydrophilic and particles P are less likely to adhere to it, but the surface of silicon is water repellent and particles P are more likely to adhere to it.

In order to prevent this, of the semiconductor substrates W mounted on the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3, one semiconductor substrate whose mirror surface side is in contact with the contact portion between the hanger H and the supporting means 4 is used.
There is a method of mounting the semiconductor substrate W on the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 so that its non-mirror side is in contact with the contact portion. However, according to this method, it is difficult to automatically mount the semiconductor substrate W on the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3, Further, if the semiconductor substrate W is manually placed in such a manner (only one end is placed in the opposite direction), there is a risk that the mirror surface of the semiconductor substrate will be touched by the hand, and this method is also preferable. Absent.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate this drawback, and when the semiconductor substrate W mounted on the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 is immersed in the chemical solution, the contact portion between the hanger H and the supporting means 4 is scraped by rubbing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wet processing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate, which is improved so that the generated particles P do not adhere to the mirror surface of the semiconductor substrate W.

[Means for solving problems]

The above object is to provide at least three rod-shaped members (1) juxtaposed to each other and having recesses (11) for supporting a semiconductor substrate.
And an end supporting member (2) for supporting and fixing the end (12) of the rod-shaped member (1), the end supporting member (2) of the semiconductor substrate supporting member (3) includes the semiconductor substrate. In a semiconductor substrate wet processing apparatus provided with a supporting means (4) for suspending a supporting member (3), the supporting means (4) for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member (3) is at least the upper end of the semiconductor substrate. It is achieved by providing it on the upper side.

[Action]

Since the contact portion between the hanger H and the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 is located above the upper end of the semiconductor substrate W placed on the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3, when the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 is immersed in the chemical solution, Hanger H and semiconductor substrate support member 3
There is no opportunity to immerse the contact portion (specifically, the contact portion between the supporting means 4 for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 and the hanger H) in the liquid, and the supporting means 4 for suspending this semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 The particles P generated at the contact portion between the hanger H and the hanger H do not float on the liquid surface. Temporarily, the contact portion between the hanger H and the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 (specifically, the contact portion between the hanger H and the supporting means 4 for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3).
There is an opportunity to be immersed in the liquid, and even if the particles P generated at the contact portion between the hanger H and the supporting means 4 for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 may float on the liquid surface.
At that time, the semiconductor substrate W is completely immersed in the chemical liquid before the contact portion between the hanger H and the semiconductor substrate supporting member 3 reaches the liquid surface. Therefore, the particles P do not adhere to the semiconductor substrate W passing through the liquid surface into the liquid.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, a wet processing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

See FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. Reference numeral 1 is a rod-shaped member composed of at least three juxtaposed with each other, and has a recess 11 for supporting the semiconductor substrate W.

A semiconductor substrate support member 3 is composed of the rod-shaped member 1 and an end portion support member 2 that supports and fixes the end portion 12 of the rod-shaped member 1.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a support means provided on the end support member 2 for suspending the semiconductor substrate support member 3, and is provided at least above the upper end of the semiconductor substrate W.

In FIG. 2, the contact portion between the hanger H and the supporting means 4 is located above the upper end of the semiconductor substrate W.
An example in which the contact portion is also immersed in the chemical solution is shown. Further, FIG. 3 shows a wet processing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate in which the contact portion is not immersed in a chemical solution during wet processing.

In the semiconductor substrate wet processing apparatus shown in FIG.
Since the particles P generated at the contact portion between the hanger H and the supporting means 4 do not diffuse into the chemical solution, the semiconductor substrate W has a higher surface cleanness than the semiconductor substrate wet processing apparatus shown in FIG. Although the effect is great, there is a drawback that, for example, when heat treatment is performed subsequently, the height of the apparatus is high, which causes troubles when carrying it into the furnace core tube. Therefore, it is preferable to properly use both structures in consideration of the above advantages and disadvantages.

〔The invention's effect〕

An end supporting member that constitutes a semiconductor substrate supporting member including at least three rod-shaped members that are juxtaposed to each other and have a recess for supporting a semiconductor substrate, and an end supporting member that supports and fixes an end of the rod-shaped member. In a wet processing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate provided with a supporting means for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member, since the contact portion between the hanger and the semiconductor substrate supporting member is located above the upper end of the semiconductor substrate, There is no opportunity to immerse the contact portion between the supporting means for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member and the hanger in the liquid, and the particles generated at the contact portion between the supporting means (protrusion) for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member and the hanger are Does not float on the liquid surface.
If there is an opportunity to immerse the contact portion between the hanger and the supporting means for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member in the liquid, even if the particles generated in the semiconductor substrate supporting member may float on the liquid surface, At that time, when the semiconductor substrate supporting member is immersed in the chemical liquid, the semiconductor substrate is completely immersed in the chemical liquid before the contact portion between the hanger and the semiconductor substrate supporting member reaches the liquid surface. The particles generated at the contact portion with the semiconductor substrate supporting member do not float on the liquid surface and do not adhere to the semiconductor substrate passing through the liquid surface into the liquid.

As a result of actually measuring the number of dust particles attached to the mirror surface side of the semiconductor substrate, as compared with the conventional wet processing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate, the wet processing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate according to the present invention attaches the particles. The number of particles can be reduced to several tenths, and the effect of the present invention was confirmed. 5 and 6 are photographs showing the effect of the present invention.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a wet processing apparatus for semiconductor substrates according to the present invention. 2 and 3 are structural diagrams of a semiconductor substrate wet processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIGS. 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d are explanatory views showing processing steps of a conventional semiconductor substrate wet processing apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Rod-shaped member, 11 ... Recess of rod-shaped member, 12 ... End of rod-shaped member, 2 ... End support member, 3 ... Semiconductor substrate support member, 4 ... Support means, W ... Semiconductor substrate , H ... Hanger, P ... Particles generated by rubbing between the support means and the hanger.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. At least three rod-shaped members (1) juxtaposed with each other and having recesses (11) for supporting a semiconductor substrate,
The semiconductor substrate supporting member is provided on the end supporting member (2) of the semiconductor substrate supporting member (3) including the end supporting member (2) for supporting and fixing the end (12) of the rod-shaped member (1). (3)
In a wet processing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate, which is provided with a supporting means (4) for suspending the semiconductor substrate, the supporting means (4) for suspending the semiconductor substrate supporting member (3) is located at least above the upper end of the semiconductor substrate. A wet processing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate, comprising: