JP2714583B2 - Semiconductor manufacturing equipment with multiple reaction chambers - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a plurality of reaction chambers, and more particularly to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having an automatic transfer mechanism between reaction chambers.

2. Description of the Related Art In the production of various semiconductor devices, a plurality of semiconductor processing steps are sequentially performed on a semiconductor material wafer. For example, when manufacturing a solar cell having a pin structure, the p, i, and n layers were formed in the same reaction chamber in the initial method, but in order to avoid the influence of the difference in the film pressure of each layer and the effect of mutual contamination. A system using a dedicated plasma reaction chamber has become common. Further, depending on the type of the semiconductor device, different types of surface treatment such as plasma reaction, vapor deposition, and etching must be performed. In this case, a plurality of reaction chambers are naturally required.

Therefore, when a plurality of reaction chambers of the same type or different types are used, the apparatus configuration is simply arranged linearly. However, such a linear arrangement increases the size of the apparatus and complicates the transfer mechanism of the processing material. Inevitably, the use of a plurality of reaction chambers arranged circumferentially has recently been used.

4 and 5 show a reaction chamber circumferential arrangement type plasma processing apparatus developed earlier by the present inventors. That is, on the top plate of the material transfer chamber (1) on the drum, the chamber (2) for the material wafer and the reaction chambers (3), (3 ') and (3) for forming the p, i and n layers. 3 ″) are circumferentially arranged at equal intervals, and the top plate of the transfer chamber (1) has an access chamber (2) and reaction chambers (3), (3 ′) and (3 ″) and a transfer chamber (1). Openings for communicating with the inside are formed, and these openings are provided with four seal rings (4) provided on the upper surface of a rotatable rotating disk (4) provided in the transfer chamber (1). 5) is sealed. The disc (4) is further provided with a column (6) that is aligned with the central axis of the reaction chamber or the like. At the upper end of each column (6), each of the reaction chambers (3), (3) is closed in a sealed state. ′),
(3 ") and the electrode / material support plates (7a) to (7d) located in the material access chamber (2) are fixed, and the material wafer (8) is supported on these support plates. 4)
Lowers each of the electrode / supporting plates (7a) to (7d) into the transfer chamber (1) through each opening when it is lowered to the lowermost part of the transfer chamber (1) indicated by a virtual line in FIG. In this state, after rotating by the pitch of the reaction chamber (in this case, 90 °), it is raised again to bring each material wafer (6) to the next reaction chamber. Incidentally, (9) is a counter electrode located in the upper part of the reaction chamber, and works in cooperation with the electrodes and support plates (7a) to (7d) in the case of plasma treatment or the like.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The circumferentially arrayed semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using such a rotating disk is designed to reduce the size and simplify the transfer mechanism as compared with the conventional linear array type. Since the reaction chamber communicates with the transfer chamber and is closed during the same time period, the processing mode is limited, and the seals of all the reaction chambers and the material access chambers are sealed on one disk (4). The disadvantage is that very precise machining and mechanical stability must be ensured because of the ring operation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel circumferentially arrayed semiconductor manufacturing apparatus which eliminates the disadvantages of the circumferentially arrayed semiconductor manufacturing apparatus using the disk-type transfer mechanism as described above.

Means for Solving the Problems To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a material input / output station for preparing and collecting semiconductor wafer material on a top plate of a closed sample transfer chamber, and a material input / output station for the material. A plurality of reaction stations consisting of airtight chambers for performing processes such as film surface vapor deposition or etching are arranged circumferentially, and a station-transfer chamber communication is performed from the bottom of each station to the top plate of the transfer chamber. Forming, under the opening passages in the transfer chamber, a material mounting table having an outer diameter smaller than the opening diameter and a sealing plate having an outer diameter larger than the opening diameter; Through the opening passage between the station and the transfer chamber, and when the material placing table reaches the operating position in the station, the seal plate is A mounting table elevating mechanism for airtightly closing the opening passage, a material holder is provided at the tip in the transfer chamber, and the holder is located immediately below the opening passage reaching each station; and A material transfer arm that can be rotated to be positioned at each intermediate position deviated from the position directly below the passages, and the material holder of the transfer arm is held when the material holder is located directly below each open passage. Is transferred from above to the mounting table ascending from below, and the mounting table is allowed to further rise, and conversely, when the mounting table comes down from above, the material on the mounting table is removed. This is a configuration of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus to be received.

According to the above configuration, since the closing and airtight sealing of each reaction chamber and the sample entrance / exit chamber are performed by the seal plate of the special lifting mechanism, it can be easily and strictly maintained, and the specific reaction can be maintained. The chamber is kept sealed, and various semiconductor surface treatments can be performed while maintaining a strict airtight condition by a simple transfer mechanism such as transferring samples between other reaction chambers and the sample entry / exit chamber. Becomes

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a drum-shaped material transfer chamber (10) according to an embodiment of the present invention with a top plate removed, and FIG.
Reference numerals a) to (11d) denote disc-shaped material mounting tables, and a sample loading / unloading station (12a) and a reaction station (12b) to (12) formed on the material transfer chamber (10) in FIG.
It is fixed to the upper end of the lifting mechanism (13) provided corresponding to each of (d). (14a) to (14d) are station seal plates attached to the lifting mechanism (13) below the mounting tables (11a) to (11d). Material mounting table (11
The outer diameters of a) to (11d) correspond to the communication openings (1) to the respective stations provided on the top plate (15) of the transfer chamber (10) shown in FIG.
6) sufficiently smaller than the diameter of the seal plate (14
The outer diameters of a) to (14d) are sufficiently larger than the diameter of the communication opening (16). Also, sealing plates (14a) to (14d)
The seal ring (17) is held on the upper surface at a radial position larger than the outer diameter of the communication opening (16).

Although only the lower part is shown in FIG. 2, each station is in the form of a closed tank and is connected to an appropriate vacuum pressure reducing line (not shown). The lifting mechanism (13) corresponding to each station fixes a spring seat plate (20) to the upper end of a lifting rod (19) that penetrates the bottom plate (18) of the transfer chamber (10). The seal plate (14a) via a plurality of upright springs (21) supported at
To (14d) and material mounting tables (11a) to (11d) fixed above the seal plates at intervals.

Therefore, the lifting mechanism (13) corresponding to one of the stations is connected to the first reaction station (12) in FIG.
When ascending from the lowermost position shown corresponding to b) to its uppermost position shown corresponding to the final reaction station (12d), the corresponding material mounting table (11) is connected to the communication opening (16). From the opening passage to the corresponding reaction station, and the sealing ring (17) of the sealing plate (14) is pressed against the lower surface of the top plate (15) with a uniform pressure via a spring (21). Alternatively, the material entrance / exit station is kept completely airtight. (Note that the suffix characters are omitted in the sense that the sample mounting table (11) and the seal plate (14) may be any of (11a) to (11d) and (14a) to (14d) corresponding to each station. The same applies hereinafter.) The semiconductor wafer material (22) has an outer diameter sufficiently smaller than the mounting table (11), and in the embodiment, has a lower edge fitted to the upper surface of the mounting table (11). Supported by each mounting table (11) via the tray (23).

The upper end of the transfer shaft (24) provided upright in the center of the transfer chamber (10) supports an arm (25) that can pass directly above the material placing table (11) when it is at the lowermost position. doing. As shown in FIG. 1, the tip (26) of the arm (25) is formed of a substantially semicircular arc-shaped rim located on one side in the rotation direction with respect to the extension axis of the arm (25). The inner peripheral surface is formed as a mortar-shaped or support step-shaped material holder. This material holder (26)
Is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the material mounting tables (11a) to (11d), and therefore, these mounting tables (11a) to (11d) have a material holder (26) that has reached a coaxial position therewith. ) And can move up and down.

To supply materials to the equipment, first use the material access station (12
The tray (23) supported by the material mounting table (11a) lifted in the station with the dome-shaped main body cover opened in a)
Is carried out. FIG. 3 shows the vertical movement of the mounting table (11) thus supporting the material with respect to the holder (26), and the movement of the tray (23) between the two, as shown in FIG. The tray (23) supported by the holder (26) is brought into contact with the lower side of the tray (23) as shown in FIG. ) Is transferred to the top, and the ascending platform (11) moves over the top plate (15) of the transfer room to the corresponding reaction station or material loading / unloading station. After the reaction at the reaction station is completed, or material loading / unloading After the post-processing material collection at the station and the loading of the new semiconductor material, the material mounting table (11) is lowered to enter the transfer chamber (10) through the opening (16) and wait at the coaxial position. Transfer onto transfer arm (25) holder (26) It is not be.

In connection with the transfer of material between the holder (26) and the mounting table (11) as described above, the seal plate (14) associated with the mounting table (11) sets the level of the material holder (26) at the tip of the arm. During the period of passing or ascending or descending, the transfer arm (25) moves the tip holder (26) backward from the position immediately below the opening (16) to the inter-station position (clockwise in FIG. 1). This allows the stations to be sealed and opened correspondingly to the transfer of materials and the corresponding operations as described above.

When the semiconductor material (22) has the same outer diameter as the tray (23), the semiconductor material can be directly mounted on the mounting table (11) without using the tray (23). it can.

Although not shown, in the plasma reaction station (12) in which the material mounting table (11) also serves as one electrode, a counter electrode is disposed in the upper part of the chamber.

Effect of the Invention As described above, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is provided with a lifting and lowering and station sealing mechanism corresponding to each station and equipped with a material transfer arm associated with only one station. , The equipment cost can be reduced, and the degree of freedom in designing the sealing of each station and the semiconductor processing process can be increased.

In particular, the apparatus of the present invention contributes to the reduction of pollution in the atmosphere and the prevention of generation of foreign particles, which are the biggest obstacles in the semiconductor process, and significantly reduces the degree of manual or manual adjustment. This enables automatic processing.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an internal plan view of a transfer chamber in an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side sectional view including a partial cross section of the transfer chamber and each reaction station, and FIGS. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing a mode of transmission and reception between a station and a transfer chamber. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a conventional circumferential array type semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and FIG. 5 is a side sectional view thereof. (10) Material transfer room (11) Material mounting table (12) Reaction station (13) Lifting mechanism (14) Seal plate (15) Top plate (16) Contact Opening (17) Seal ring (18) Bottom plate (19) Lifting rod (20) Sheet plate (21) Spring (22) Wafer material (23) Tray (24) …… Transfer shaft (25) …… Arm (26) …… Holder

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Osamu Tsuji 33, Takeda Tanakamiyacho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto-shi, Japan Inside Samco International Laboratories (56) References JP-A-60-249328 (JP, A) −84428 (JP, U)

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A material input / output station for preparing and collecting a semiconductor wafer material on a top plate of a sealed sample transfer chamber, and for performing a process such as film surface vapor deposition or etching of the material. A plurality of reaction stations consisting of airtight chambers are arranged circumferentially, and an opening passage for station-transfer chamber communication is formed from the bottom of each station to the top plate of the transfer chamber. Below the passage, a material mounting table having an outer diameter smaller than the opening diameter and a seal plate having an outer diameter larger than the opening diameter are supported, and the mounting table is moved between the station and the transfer chamber through the opening path. In addition, when the material mounting table reaches the operating position in the station, the opening passage is hermetically closed by the seal plate. The transfer chamber is provided with a material holder at a tip thereof in the transfer chamber. It is equipped with a material transfer arm that can rotate, and when the material holder of the transfer arm is located directly below each opening passage, transfers the held material onto the mounting table ascending from below. And a plurality of reaction chambers, which allow the mounting table to be further raised, and on the contrary, when the mounting table comes down from above, receives the material on the mounting table. Semiconductor manufacturing equipment. 2. The transfer arm according to claim 1, wherein said transfer arm is adapted to transfer a material to and from each of said material placing tables, while a sealing plate associated with said placing table rises through a level of a material holder at an end of said arm. 2. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tip holder rotates so as to retreat from a position immediately below the opening passage during a descending period until the level falls below the level. 3. 3. A semi-circular arc-shaped rim having a center on an extension axis of the transfer arm and located on one side in the arm rotation direction with respect to the extension axis. Consisting of a mortar or support step, and having a minimum radius of curvature slightly larger than its outer diameter to allow fitting of the material mounting table, and the material wafer or the material wafer or the like. The material tray supporting a wafer has an outer peripheral shape fitted and supported by the material holder formed of the arc-shaped rim, and has a maximum diameter smaller than the diameter of the opening passage. 2. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to 1.