JP3323168B2 - Semiconductor manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly, to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for performing a process such as a heat treatment and a film forming process on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, referred to as a wafer).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (conventional example 1) for performing a process such as a heat treatment or a film forming process on a wafer is described with reference to a schematic diagram showing a basic structure of FIG. As shown in FIG.
The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes an I / O port 11 serving as a supply / export unit for a carrier 22 containing a wafer into and out of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a carrier stocker 12 for storing the carrier 22 containing a wafer inside the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and a wafer. , A carrier transfer machine 14 for transporting the carrier 22 between the I / O port 11, the carrier stocker 12 and the transfer stage 13, and the carrier 22
Transfer stage 1, which is a carrier stage for transferring a wafer between a wafer and a wafer boat (hereinafter referred to as a boat)
3. A boat 1 on which a wafer is placed for performing a process such as a heat treatment or a film forming process on the wafer, and a transfer stage 13.
A wafer transfer device 15 for transferring wafers between the carrier 22 placed on the boat 1 and the boat 1, and a processing furnace (reaction in FIG. 1) for performing heat treatment and film formation processing of the wafer 21 placed on the boat 1 Only a process tube 16 serving as a chamber is shown), and a boat elevator 17 for moving and transferring the wafer 1 between the wafer transfer position of the boat 1 and the wafer processing position (within the process tube 16).

Here, the boat 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 which is a perspective view showing a further structure. As shown in FIG. 2, the boat 1 is a vertical wafer boat, and includes a bottom plate 2 and a top plate 3, which are two parallel plates, and a plurality of boat posts 4 which are vertically connected to the bottom plate 2 and the top plate 3. ing. Grooves 5 which become a plurality of shelves at predetermined intervals are provided on the inner surface of the boat of each boat support 4.
Is provided. Then, the wafer 21 is mounted with the outer peripheral portion supported by the groove portions 5 of the same height of each boat support 4. Therefore, the wafer transfer device 15 moves in the vertical direction to transfer the wafer 21 to the boat 1. Each component of the boat 1 is formed of a material such as quartz glass, SiC, or silicon to prevent contamination of the wafer.

[0004] After the wafers 21 stored in the carrier 22 are supplied into the present semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the wafers 1 are sequentially transferred one by one from the carrier 22 mounted on the transfer stage 13 by the wafer transfer machine 15. Will be transferred to
The boat 1 on which the wafer 21 is placed is a process tube 1
6 is moved by boat elevator 17. Then, in the process tube 16, processing such as heat treatment and film forming processing of the wafer 21 placed on the boat 1 is performed.
After the processing is completed, the boat 1 on which the wafers 21 are mounted returns (moves) from between the wafer processing positions (in the process tubes 16) to the wafer transfer position by the boat elevator 17. Then, the wafer 21 placed on the boat 1
Is returned (transferred) to the carrier 22 placed on the transfer stage 13 one by one sequentially by the wafer transfer machine 15. Then, the processed wafer 21 stored in the carrier 22 is carried out of the present semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (to the next processing step).

[0005]

In the general semiconductor manufacturing apparatus described above, the wafer 21 is transferred from the carrier 22 to the boat 1 and processed. At this time, as shown in a cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 showing a state in which the wafer 21 is placed on the boat 1, the wafer 21 is placed on the groove 5 of the same height serving as a shelf provided on the plurality of boat posts 4 of the boat 1. , The outer peripheral portion is supported and placed horizontally. Therefore, the boat elevator 17 and the wafer transfer machine 1 of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus
5. The wafer 21 is displaced due to vibration during operation of a pump or the like (not shown) and vibrations from peripheral installation devices, an automatic transfer device in a factory, a power device for a factory, and the like.

At this time, as shown in a top view showing the state of mounting the wafer 21 on the boat 1 in FIG. 6, the wafer 21 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6B, when the wafer 21 is displaced in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 6B and the amount of displacement is larger than the width of the groove 5 of the boat support 4, the wafer 2 is moved as indicated by A.
The outer peripheral portion of the wafer 1 comes off the groove 5 of the boat support 4, and the wafer 21 falls or falls off. Therefore, there is a problem that the wafer 21 is damaged or a transfer error occurs when the wafer 21 is transferred by the wafer transfer device 15.

In order to solve this problem, for example, a boat 1 (conventional example 2) shown in a cross-sectional view showing a state of mounting the wafer 21 on the boat 1 in FIG. 7 is shown. In this case, a groove 5a provided on the boat support 4 on the left side in the drawing.
Groove 5a provided in the boat support 4 on the center side from the position
It is disclosed that the wafer 21 is mounted so as to be inclined and raised from the horizontal by setting the position at a high position.

In the prior art 2, the wafer 21 is mounted on the boat 1 with the wafer 21 tilted upright from the horizontal.
This is effective in preventing the fall of the camera.

However, in the conventional example 2, the boat 1
In order to mount the wafer 21 at an angle with respect to the wafer transfer mechanism 15, it is necessary to add a special mechanism such as a wafer attitude changing mechanism and a further chuck mechanism to the wafer transfer machine 15. Further, it is necessary to increase the vertical pitch of the groove 5a provided on the boat support 4 of the boat 1, and the like. In addition, there are also problems such as a small transfer margin in the wafer transfer device 15 during the work, difficulty in teaching the wafer mounting position of the wafer transfer device 15 on the boat 1 and confirming the teaching position. In addition, the processing performance of the wafer 21 is also reduced.
Are inclined in the process tube 16, and a variation in the temperature distribution in the process tube 16 causes a problem such as deterioration of the film thickness uniformity on the wafer surface in the case of a film forming process, for example.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device which does not require the addition of a special mechanism to a wafer transfer machine, does not affect the performance of a wafer processing process, and can prevent a wafer from dropping or dropping in a boat. It is to provide a manufacturing apparatus.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising: a carrier transfer means for transferring a carrier containing a semiconductor wafer; a wafer boat for mounting the semiconductor wafer; A semiconductor wafer transfer means for transferring the semiconductor wafer, and a wafer processing means for processing the semiconductor wafer mounted on the wafer boat, wherein the wafer boat comprises two parallel plates. And a plurality of groove portions serving as shelves on which the semiconductor wafers are mounted at predetermined intervals on the inner surface of each of the boat posts, the bottom plate and the top plate, and a plurality of boat posts vertically connected to the bottom plate and the top plate. Is provided,
The groove is provided on the groove as a wafer protrusion prevention part.
Projecting along the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer placed and mounted
A protruding plate portion provided.

[0012] Further, the wafer jumping-out preventing portion provided in the groove provided in the boat support is provided at a position outside the outer circumferential portion of the semiconductor wafer mounted on the outer peripheral portion supported by the groove of each boat support. The distance between the wafer protrusion preventing portions provided on the adjacent boat supports is provided at a position smaller than the diameter of the mounted semiconductor wafer.

[0013]

Further, the height of the wafer protrusion preventing portion provided on the groove portion is substantially the same as the thickness of the mounted semiconductor wafer.

According to the present invention as described above, the wafer protrusion preventing portion is provided in the groove provided on the boat support of the wafer boat, and the wafer protrusion preventive portion is mounted with the outer peripheral portion supported by the groove of each boat support. At a position outside the outer peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer, the interval between the wafer protrusion preventing portions provided on the adjacent boat supports is provided at a position smaller than the diameter of the mounted semiconductor wafer.

[0016]

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a basic structure of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes an I / O port 11 which is a supply / unloading section for supplying / unloading a carrier 22 containing a wafer into and out of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. The carrier stocker 12 for storing the carrier 22 containing the wafer, the I / O port 11 of the carrier 22 for containing the wafer, the carrier transfer machine 14 for carrying the carrier 22 between the carrier stocker 12 and the transfer stage 13, and the carrier 22 are placed. A transfer stage 13 which is a carrier stage for transferring a wafer between the carrier 22 and the boat; a boat 1 on which a wafer is mounted for performing a process such as a heat treatment or a film forming process on the wafer; and a carrier 22 mounted on the transfer stage 13 And boat 1
A wafer transfer machine 15 for transferring wafers between them, and a processing furnace (a process tube 16 serving as a reaction chamber in FIG.
Only shown), the wafer transfer position and the wafer processing position of the boat 1 on which the wafer 21 is mounted (in the process tube 16).
It is composed of a boat elevator 17 for carrying and moving between them.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of the boat 1 further, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the structure of a boat support 4 which is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a top view showing the mounting state.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, a boat 1 is a vertical wafer boat, and a bottom plate 2 and a top plate 3 which are two parallel plates, and a plurality of boat posts 4 which are vertically connected thereto.
It is composed of A plurality of shelves 5 are provided on the inner surface of each boat support 4 at predetermined intervals. Then, the wafer 21 is mounted with the outer peripheral portion supported by the groove portions 5 of the same height of each boat support 4.

In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 3, the wafer protruding prevention portion shown in FIG. 3 (b), or a protrusion 8 for preventing the wafer from popping out as shown in FIG. 3 (c).

A groove 5 provided in the boat support 4
The stepped portion 6 for preventing the wafer from popping out provided in FIG.
As shown in (a), at a position outside the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 21, the outer peripheral portion of which is supported by the groove portion 5 of each boat column 4, the stepped portion 6 provided on the adjacent boat column 4. Is smaller than the diameter Dw of the placed wafer 21. The height of the step 6 provided in the groove 5 is preferably substantially the same as the thickness of the placed wafer 21.

A groove 5 provided on the boat support 4
As shown in FIG. 4B, the protruding plate portion 7 for preventing the wafer from popping out is provided outside the outer peripheral portion of the wafer 21 placed on the outer peripheral portion supported by the groove portion 5 of each boat support 4. Is provided at a position where the distance Db between the protruding plate portions 7 provided on the adjacent boat supports 4 is smaller than the diameter Dw of the wafer 21 placed thereon. Here, the shape of the protruding plate portion 7 provided in the groove portion 5 is not particularly limited.
The shape along the outer peripheral shape is preferable. Further, the height of the protruding plate portion 7 provided in the groove portion 5 is the same as that of the mounted wafer 2.
The thickness is preferably about the same as the thickness of 1.

The projection 8 for preventing the wafer from popping out provided in the groove 5 provided on the boat support 4
As shown in FIG. 4 (c), a protrusion provided on the adjacent boat support 4 at a position outside the outer circumference of the wafer 21, the outer support of which is supported by the groove 5 of each boat support 4. The interval Dc of the portion 8 is provided at a position where the interval Dc is smaller than the diameter Dw of the placed wafer 21. Here, the shape of the protrusion 8 provided in the groove 5 is not particularly limited, but a hemispherical or columnar shape is preferable. Further, it is preferable that the height of the protrusion 8 provided in the groove 5 is substantially the same as the thickness of the wafer 21 placed thereon.

Therefore, the wafer transfer device 15 also moves in the vertical direction to transfer the wafers 21 to the boat 1, and the step portion for preventing the wafer from popping out provided in the groove 5 provided in the boat support 4. 6. The wafer 21 is transported so as to straddle the projecting plate 7 or the projecting portion 8 without making contact with the wafer 21.

The components of the boat 1 include a stepped portion 6 for preventing the wafer from popping out, a protruding plate portion 7 or a protruding portion 8 provided in a groove portion 5 provided in the boat support 4, for preventing wafer contamination. Therefore, it is formed of a material such as quartz glass, SiC, or silicon.

After the wafers 21 stored in the carrier 22 are supplied into the present semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, the wafers 1 are sequentially transferred one by one from the carriers 22 mounted on the transfer stage 13 by the wafer transfer machine 15. Will be transferred to
The boat 1 on which the wafer 21 is placed is a process tube 1
6 is moved by boat elevator 17. Then, in the process tube 16, processing such as heat treatment and film forming processing of the wafer 21 placed on the boat 1 is performed.
After the processing is completed, the boat 1 on which the wafers 21 are mounted returns (moves) from between the wafer processing positions (in the process tubes 16) to the wafer transfer position by the boat elevator 17. Then, the wafer 21 placed on the boat 1
Is returned (transferred) to the carrier 22 placed on the transfer stage 13 one by one sequentially by the wafer transfer machine 15. Then, the processed wafer 21 stored in the carrier 22 is carried out of the present semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (to the next processing step).

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, a wafer protrusion preventing portion (a step portion, a projecting plate portion or a projecting portion) is provided in a groove provided in a boat support of a boat, and the wafer protrusion preventing portion is provided. Is the outer diameter of the wafer placed and supported on the groove of each boat support, and the distance between the wafer pop-out prevention parts provided on adjacent boat support is the diameter of the mounted wafer. Since the wafer is provided at a smaller position, even if the wafer is displaced, the outer surface (outer periphery) of the wafer comes into contact with the wafer pop-out preventing portion, and the wafer is not displaced any further. The effect of preventing the wafer from dropping or dropping in the boat without being detached from the groove of the column can be obtained. In addition, there is no change in the method of transferring wafers to the boat by the wafer transfer machine, so there is no need to add a special mechanism to the wafer transfer machine. There is also obtained an effect that there is no influence on the processing process performance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a basic structure of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional technique.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a structure of a boat of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view illustrating a conventional technique.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 2 and is a perspective view showing the structure of a boat support of the boat of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a top view together with FIG. 3 showing a state in which a wafer is placed on a boat in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a wafer is placed on a boat in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the related art.

FIG. 6 is a top view showing the state of placing a wafer on a boat in a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus together with FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating another conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Boat 2 Bottom plate 3 Top plate 4 Boat support 5, 5a Groove part 6 Step part 7 Projection plate part 8 Projection part 11 I / O port 12 Carrier stocker 13 Transfer stage 14 Carrier transfer machine 15 Wafer transfer machine 16 Process tube (processing furnace) 17 boat elevator 21 wafer 22 carrier

Continuation of the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H01L 21/205 H01L 21/22 511 H01L 21/68

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A carrier for accommodating a semiconductor wafer.
Carrier transferring means for mounting the semiconductor wafer
A wafer boat, between the carrier and the wafer boat
A wafer transfer means for transferring the semiconductor wafer;
Processing the semiconductor wafer placed on the wafer boat.
A semiconductor processing apparatus having
The wafer boat has two parallel plates, a bottom plate and a top plate.
And a plurality of boats vertically connected to the bottom plate and the top plate
And a predetermined distance on the inner surface of each boat support.
A plurality of grooves serving as shelves on which the semiconductor wafers are placed
The groove portion is provided with a wafer pop-out prevention portion.
And has a semiconductor manufacturing device that the wafer jumping out prevention portion provided in the groove, said a projecting plate portion provided so as to protrude along the outer periphery of the semiconductor wafer mounted is provided in the upper groove Semiconductor manufacturing equipment characterized by the above-mentioned . 2. The projection provided on the adjacent boat support at a position outside the outer circumference of the semiconductor wafer placed and supported on the groove of each boat support with the outer circumference supported.
2. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the plate portions is provided at a position smaller than a diameter of the mounted semiconductor wafer. 3. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the height of the protruding plate provided on the groove is substantially the same as the thickness of the mounted semiconductor wafer.