JP3005976B2 - Semiconductor wafer support device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a surface treatment apparatus for treating a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter simply referred to as "wafer") by reacting an active gas in a reaction chamber. The present invention relates to a semiconductor wafer support device that holds a wafer on a plurality of wafer holding jigs.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, surface treatments such as oxidation, impurity diffusion, and epitaxial growth of wafers have been conventionally carried out by mounting a large number of wafers on a semiconductor wafer support device (a so-called boat) and accommodating them in a reaction chamber of the surface treatment device. Generally, an active gas as a reaction component is supplied into a reaction chamber while the wafer is being heated and brought into contact with the wafer to cause a reaction.

[0003] In particular, there are two types of semiconductor wafer supporting devices used in a surface treatment apparatus having a horizontal reaction chamber. First, a boat on which wafers are placed is accommodated in a reaction chamber in a state where many wafers are directly supported and arranged at predetermined intervals. The other includes a plurality of wafer holding jigs, which are divided into predetermined regions for supporting the wafers and on which the wafers are mounted, and a mother boat on which the plurality of wafer holding jigs are arranged, and a large number of wafers. Is held by a mother boat via a plurality of wafer holding jigs and is housed in a reaction chamber. FIG. 6 shows the latter, a conventional semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus provided with a wafer holding jig and a mother boat. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a state of a reaction gas flow in a reaction chamber accommodating a conventional semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus.

In a conventional semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 6, a plurality of wafer holding jigs 13 for holding a wafer 5 are placed on a mother boat 12 and these wafer holding jigs 13 are interposed between each other. In this configuration, the gaps 13a are formed at a predetermined distance from each other. The gap 13a between the respective wafer holding jigs 13 is placed with a predetermined width in consideration of the mounting property on the mother boat 12 and a margin for deformation.

[0005]

Since the above-described conventional semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus 10 is constructed as described above, the gap 13 is formed at the end of the wafer holding jig 13.
The distance between the wafers 5 facing a
The gap is wider than the gap between the wafers 5 supported by the intermediate portion on the top 3 and is large. Therefore, the flow of the reaction gas in the reaction chamber 9 becomes turbulent in the gap 13 a between the wafer holding jigs 13, and the flow of the reaction gas in the reaction chamber 9 becomes non-uniform and the temperature distribution is different. . Gap 1
The wafer 5 at the end of the wafer holding jig 13 that is in contact with the wafer holding jig 3a is affected by the unevenness of the flow of the reaction gas or the variation in the reaction state which is considered to be caused by the difference in the temperature distribution. There was a problem that the quality of the several wafers 5 at the end was significantly different from the others, and they had to be rejected. Conventionally, in order to solve such a problem, a plurality of rectifying plates (not shown) may be arranged on the upper wall surface in the reaction chamber 9 to make the flow of the reaction gas uniform. When the wall surface of the reaction chamber 9 is deformed at a high temperature due to heating, the extending direction and the mounting position of the internal flow straightening plate are changed, thereby not only making the flow of the reaction gas non-uniform, but also in the worst case, There is a problem that the rectifying plate contacts the wafer 5 and the wafer 5 itself becomes a defective product, thereby lowering productivity, and has not been an effective solution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus which eliminates a difference in flow or temperature distribution of an introduced gas, homogenizes wafer quality, and improves productivity. The purpose is.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems In a semiconductor wafer support device according to the present invention, a pair of end portions standing on both side ends is formed.
A wafer holding jig for holding a plurality of semiconductor wafers between the pair of ends in a state of being continuously mounted at a predetermined mounting interval, and a state in which the plurality of wafer holding jigs are serially provided. A mother boat accommodated in the reaction chamber, formed with an outer peripheral end shape substantially equal to the end shape of the semiconductor wafer,
The two side surfaces are separated from the outermost semiconductor wafer held by each of the wafer holders adjacent to each other by substantially the same dimension as the predetermined mounting interval, and the continuous
A wafer processing jig interposed between the plurality of wafer holders so that the fixing portion engages with each end of the holding jig. Thus, according to the present invention,
A wafer processing jig prepared to fit the shape of a semiconductor wafer is interposed between a plurality of wafer holding
Attach the fixed part to each end of the wafer holding jig,
By separating from a semiconductor wafer that is substantially placed on only the outermost same dimensions as the predetermined placement intervals of the semiconductor wafer, and continuously provided a semiconductor wafer a blank area formed between the wafer holding jig It can be almost equivalent to the case, the flow of the reaction gas in the reaction chamber is not disturbed, the temperature distribution can be made uniform, the adverse effect on the wafer can be eliminated, the variation in wafer quality is reduced, and the yield is reduced. Can be improved.

In the semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus according to the present invention, if necessary, the jig for processing a wafer may include a dummy plate having the same outer diameter and thickness as the semiconductor wafer and a predetermined distance from each other. The required number of sheets are juxtaposed and formed at the same interval. As described above, in the present invention, not only the gap between the wafer holding jigs is filled, but also the same wafer arrangement state as on the wafer holding jig is realized in the gap, so that the flow of the reaction gas and the temperature distribution can be more improved. It can be strictly uniform, and the quality of the wafer can be made more uniform.

The semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus according to the present invention is made of quartz, silicon, or silicon carbide as required. As described above, in the present invention, the possibility that defects occur in the wafer can be reduced because the material constituting each member does not affect the reaction gas.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

(First Embodiment of the Present Invention) Hereinafter, a semiconductor wafer support device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a semiconductor wafer support device according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wafer processing jig in the semiconductor wafer support device according to the present embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a use state of the semiconductor wafer support device according to the first embodiment.

In each of the drawings, a semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has a wafer holding jig 3 for mounting and holding a plurality of wafers 5 at predetermined intervals, and a wafer holding jig 3 for holding the wafers 5 at predetermined intervals. Mother boat 2 which is formed with a plurality of gaps 3a separated from each other and which is held in a plurality
And a substantially columnar body having a thickness corresponding to the width dimension of the gap 3a and having an end surface shape substantially equal to that of the wafer 5, and the end of the wafer holding jig 3 is provided on both lower end sides of the columnar body. And a jig 4 for wafer processing in which a pair of fixing portions 4a that engage with each other are formed. When the fixing portion 4a of the wafer processing jig 4 is engaged with the end of each adjacent wafer holding jig 3 and the wafer processing jig 4 is interposed in the gap 3a, the wafer processing jig is The four end faces are aligned with each wafer 5 when viewed from the direction in which the wafers 5 are arranged, and
The gap between the end face of the wafer processing jig 4 and the wafer 5 at the end of the wafer holding jig 3 facing the same is the same as the interval between the wafers 5 supported by the intermediate portion on the wafer holding jig 3. It is a mechanism that becomes.

Next, the use state of the semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus according to the present embodiment based on the above configuration will be described.
First, the required number of wafer holding jigs 3 are placed on the mother boat 2 as in the conventional case. A wafer processing jig 4 is provided in a gap 3a between the wafer holding jigs 3 placed on the mother boat 2.
Are arranged in such a manner that the ends of the wafer holding jig 3 are engaged so as to be sandwiched by the fixing portions 4a, and then the plurality of wafers 5 are sequentially held and engaged on the wafer holding jig 3, and the mother boat 2 is reacted. It is housed in a heat treatment furnace 8 which is a chamber. Heat treatment furnace 8
When the temperature of the wafer 5 stored therein is increased by induction heating or the like and a reaction gas is supplied at the same time, since the gap 3a is filled by the wafer processing jig 4, the heat treatment furnace 8
The flow of the reaction gas inside is not disturbed, the temperature distribution is made uniform, and the reaction state in each wafer 5 becomes uniform. As described above, the reaction in a state where the flow of the reaction gas is stable and the temperature distribution is uniform, generates a predetermined uniform film thickness on each surface of the plurality of wafers 5.

In the semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the gaps 3a between the adjacent wafer holding jigs 3 are filled with the wafer processing jigs 4 so that the wafers 5 can be transferred to the wafers 5 due to the turbulence of the reaction gas. Can be eliminated, and the variation in quality of the wafer 5 can be suppressed to increase the yield.

In the above embodiment, the wafer processing jig 4 is engaged with the fixing portion 4a so as to sandwich the end of the wafer holding jig 3. However, as shown in FIG. A hole 4b communicating with the lower part of the wafer processing jig 4 and the end of the wafer holding jig 3 is formed, and a stopper 6 having a pin 6a inserted into the hole 4b is used. May be engaged with and integrated with the wafer holding jigs 3 on both sides. In this configuration, after the wafer processing jig 4 is engaged with the wafer holding jig 3, the stopper 6 is inserted into the hole 4 b to fix and integrate the wafer processing jig 4 and the wafer holding jig 3. . Since the wafer holding jigs 3 are connected to each other to prevent the wafer 5 from wobbling, the damage to the wafer 5 when transferring the wafer 5 can be suppressed as much as possible, and the yield of the wafer 5 can be prevented from lowering, thereby improving the product yield. Becomes possible.

(Second Embodiment of the Present Invention) Hereinafter, a semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration explanatory view of a wafer processing jig in the semiconductor wafer support device according to the present embodiment.

In FIG. 5, a semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the same diameter and the same diameter as the wafer 5 instead of the wafer processing jig 4 in the semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus according to the first embodiment. A plurality of thick silicon dummy plates 7a are arranged in series, and the gaps between the plurality of dummy plates 7a are arranged so as to be the same as the mounting interval between the wafers 5 on the wafer holding jig 3. And the number of sheets corresponding to the width of the gap 3a of the wafer holding jig 3 on the mother boat 2 is connected and locked by the connecting member 7b.
In this configuration, a jig 7 for processing a wafer is used as a fixing portion 7c, which is partially cut out so that the lower portion of the dummy plate 7a sandwiched between the dummy plates 7a at both ends does not interfere with the end of the wafer holding jig 3.

The other parts of the wafer holding jig 3 and the mother boat 2 are the same as those of the first embodiment. When the lower portions of the dummy plates 7a at both ends forming the fixed portion 7c of the wafer processing jig 7 are engaged with the ends of the adjacent wafer holding jigs 3, and the wafer processing jig 7 is interposed in the gap 3a. The dummy plates 7a of the wafer processing jig 7 are aligned at the same positions as the respective wafers 5 in the direction in which the wafers 5 are arranged, and the dummy plates 7a at both ends and the wafers 5 at the ends of the wafer holding jig 3 facing the dummy plates 7a. Is the same as the interval between the wafers 5 supported by the intermediate portion on the wafer holding jig 3.

Next, a use state of the semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus according to the present embodiment based on the above configuration will be described.
First, the wafer holding jigs 3 are placed on the required number of mother boats 2 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. After arranging the wafer processing jig 7 between the wafer holding jigs 3 placed on the mother boat 2, the wafer 5 is placed on the wafer holding jig 3 and housed together with the mother boat 2 in the heat treatment furnace 8. When the wafer 5 is heated to a high temperature and the reaction gas is supplied by suction under reduced pressure at the same time, the jig 7
The reaction gas inside the wafer 3 flows in the gap 3a under the same conditions as the intermediate portion on the wafer holding jig 3, so that there is no deviation in the flow, the temperature distribution is made uniform in each wafer 5, and each wafer 5
The surfaces are almost in the same reaction state, and a predetermined film thickness is generated.

As described above, in the semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the wafer processing jig 7 has the wafer holding jig 3 in the gap 3 a between the wafer holding jigs 3.
By imitating the same wafer arrangement state as above, the flow and temperature distribution of the reaction gas can be more strictly uniformed, and the quality of the wafer 5 can be hardly varied.

In each of the above embodiments, silicon is used as the material of the semiconductor wafer support device 1 in the same manner as the wafer 5. However, in addition to silicon, quartz, silicon carbide or the like may affect the purity of the reaction gas. A structure using a substance that is not given may be employed.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, a wafer processing jig prepared so as to conform to the shape of a semiconductor wafer is interposed between a plurality of wafer holding jigs to form a wafer.
Is engaged with the fixing portion at each end of the holding jig, by separating from a semiconductor wafer that is substantially placed only on the outermost side the same dimensions as the predetermined placement intervals of the semiconductor wafer,
Since the blank area formed between the wafer holding jigs can be made almost equivalent to the case where the semiconductor wafers are connected in series, the flow of the reaction gas in the reaction chamber is not disturbed, the temperature distribution can be made uniform, and the wafer can be made uniform. This has the effect of eliminating the adverse effect on wafer quality, reducing the variation in wafer quality, and improving the yield.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a semiconductor wafer support device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wafer processing jig in the semiconductor wafer support device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a use state of the semiconductor wafer support device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a wafer processing jig of a semiconductor wafer support device according to another embodiment of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a schematic configuration diagram of a wafer processing jig in a semiconductor wafer support device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. (B) is a side view of a wafer processing jig in the semiconductor wafer support device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of a reaction gas flow state in a reaction chamber accommodating a conventional semiconductor wafer support device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 10 Semiconductor wafer support device 2, 12 Mother boat 3, 13 Wafer holding jig 3a, 13a Clearance 4, 7 Wafer processing jig 4a, 7c Fixed part 4b Hole 5 Wafer 6 Stopper 6a Pin part 7a Dummy plate 7b Connecting member 8 Heat treatment furnace 9 Reaction chamber

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ identification code FI H01L 21/68 H01L 21/68 N (58) Investigation field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 21/22 501 C23C 16/44 H01L 21/205 H01L 21/31 H01L 21/68

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A pair of upright ends formed at both side ends.
A wafer holding jig for holding a plurality of semiconductor wafers between the pair of ends in a state of being continuously mounted at a predetermined mounting interval, and a state in which the plurality of wafer holding jigs are serially connected. A mother boat to be accommodated in the reaction chamber; and an outer peripheral end surface shape substantially equal to the end surface shape of the semiconductor wafer, and the predetermined mounting distance from an outermost semiconductor wafer held by each of the mutually adjacent wafer holders. Both sides are located at the same distance from each other
A wafer processing jig interposed between the plurality of wafer holders such that a fixing portion is engaged with each end of the wafer holding jig. 2. The semiconductor wafer supporting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wafer processing jig is configured such that a dummy plate having the same outer diameter and thickness as a semiconductor wafer has the same interval as the predetermined mounting interval. A semiconductor wafer supporting device formed in parallel with a required number of sheets. 3. The semiconductor wafer support device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor wafer support device is made of quartz, silicon, or silicon carbide.