JP3950084B2 - High pressure processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a high-pressure processing apparatus used for processing a wafer or a liquid crystal glass substrate, such as a semiconductor manufacturing process.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As this type of high-pressure processing apparatus, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-206485 discloses an apparatus that cleans microfabricated parts such as semiconductor devices and liquid crystal displays with a supercritical fluid (hereinafter referred to as “Prior Art 1”). Called).
In this conventional system, the supply system of the processing fluid supplied to the high-pressure vessel is divided into two systems: a first system for pressurization and discharge having an inlet and an outlet, and a second system for performing a cleaning process while circulating. It was. And in the circulation washing process by the second system, in order to make the flow of the processing fluid in the container uniform, a uniformizing means comprising a laminar flow duct and slats is provided in the container.
[0003]
In this prior art, it is not specified whether the object to be processed is singular or plural, and no specific contact between the processing fluid and the object to be processed after passing through the uniformizing means is disclosed.
On the other hand, as a disclosure of a specific configuration in which a processing fluid is uniformly brought into contact with a plurality of objects to be processed, for example, one disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-77074 is known (hereinafter referred to as “Prior Art 2”). ").
This conventional apparatus is an apparatus for cleaning an object to be cleaned, such as a semiconductor wafer, with the cleaning fluid in a cleaning container into which cleaning fluid can flow in and out, and a plurality of objects to be cleaned are accommodated in the cleaning container. A storage container is provided, and the storage container is provided with a plurality of inlets for allowing the cleaning fluid to flow into the storage container and a plurality of outlets for discharging the cleaning fluid to the outside of the storage container. The opening area and / or the number of openings of the inflow port and the discharge port are different from each other in the mounting direction of the body to be cleaned so that the amount of the cleaning fluid flowing on the surface of the body is substantially uniform. .
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the prior art 2, in order to pressurize the inside of the cleaning container, if a large flow rate of processing fluid is supplied, the flow rate of the processing fluid from the inlet of the storage container becomes too high, and the object to be processed stored in the inside of the cleaning container There was a problem that the pressure increase speed could not be increased because of the possibility of breakage.
This problem was the same in the prior art 1. That is, since the processing fluid passes through the same homogenizing means in both the first system and the second system, if a large amount of processing fluid is supplied at the time of pressurization, the flow speed of the processing fluid passing through the homogenizing means becomes too high, and the flow rate is increased. There was a fear of damaging the treated body.
[0005]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a high-pressure processing apparatus that can increase the pressure increase speed without damaging the object to be processed, thereby shortening the processing time.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has taken the following measures. That is, the present invention is characterized in that a high-pressure processing apparatus including a high-pressure container that houses a plurality of objects to be processed and a supply device that supplies a processing fluid to the high-pressure container, A pressure increase introduction unit that supplies a processing fluid to increase the internal pressure and a processing introduction unit that individually supplies the processing fluid to the plurality of objects to be processed are provided independently.
According to the present invention having the above configuration, since the boost introduction part and the process introduction part are provided independently, the boost introduction part can be provided without being affected by the process introduction part, that is, from the boost introduction part. The pressurizing introduction part can be provided so that the processing fluid does not affect the object to be processed.
[0007]
By providing such a pressure increase introduction part, even if the flow rate of the processing fluid from the pressure increase introduction part is increased and the pressure increase time is shortened, the object to be processed is prevented from being damaged by the process fluid. .
It is preferable that the pressurization introducing portion has a processing fluid supply hole having an opening that opens to the inner surface of the high-pressure vessel, and an opening / closing device that allows the opening to be opened and closed.
The opening / closing device preferably includes an opening / closing member that seals the opening by an internal pressure of the high-pressure vessel.
[0008]
The opening has a counterbore recess having a diameter larger than that of the supply hole, and the opening / closing device is flush with the inner surface of the high-pressure vessel when the opening is fitted to close the opening. It is preferable to have.
It is preferable that the driving unit performs the operation of the opening / closing member by a magnetic force.
The most preferable technical means is a high-pressure processing apparatus including a high-pressure container that houses a plurality of objects to be processed and a supply device that supplies a processing fluid to the high-pressure container. Each of the plurality of objects to be processed is provided independently from each other, and a pressure introducing part for supplying a processing fluid to the plurality of objects to be processed is provided independently. Holding means for individually holding the processing objects is provided, and the holding means holds the plurality of support columns arranged in the circumferential direction in the high-pressure vessel and the processing object provided in a stack in the vertical direction. It is preferable that the processing fluid supplied from the pressurizing introduction unit is supplied from the entire outer peripheral surface of the object to be processed between the objects to be processed held in a stacked shape. .
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
The high-pressure processing apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a supercritical cleaning apparatus for semiconductor wafers. The high-pressure processing apparatus has a high-pressure vessel 1, and the high-pressure vessel 1 is composed of a cylindrical main body 2, and an upper lid 3 and a lower lid 4 that close the upper and lower openings of the main body 2. The inside of the main body 2 is a processing chamber 5. The upper lid 3 and the lower lid 4 of the container 1 are supported by a frame or the like (not shown) to keep the processing chamber 5 sealed.
[0010]
A target object 6 is accommodated in the processing chamber 5.
In this embodiment, the object 6 is a disk-shaped semiconductor wafer. A plurality of the workpieces 6 are stored in the processing chamber 5. Holding means 7 for holding the plurality of workpieces 6 is provided on the upper surface of the lower lid 4. The processing chamber 5 has a circular cross section, and the holding means 7 has support columns 8 arranged concentrically with the processing chamber 5 and having a predetermined circumferential interval. The support 8 is provided with a holding portion 9 that holds the object 6 in a stacked manner with equal intervals in the vertical direction.
[0011]
When the support of the frame is released, the lower lid 4 can be moved up and down by an elevating device (not shown), and the object 6 can be stored in or removed from the processing chamber 5.
A supply device for supplying a processing fluid to the processing chamber 5 is provided. For example, a supercritical fluid is used as the processing fluid. This supply device includes a pressure introducing part 10 for supplying a processing fluid to the processing chamber 5 to increase the internal pressure of the high-pressure vessel 1 and a processing introducing part 11 for supplying the processing fluid individually to the plurality of objects to be processed 6. Each is provided independently.
[0012]
The pressurizing introduction unit 10 includes a processing fluid supply hole 13 having an opening 12 that opens to the inner surface of the high-pressure vessel 1, and an opening / closing device 14 that allows the opening 12 to be opened and closed. In this embodiment, a processing fluid supply hole 13 is provided in the upper lid 3 so as to penetrate in the vertical direction, and the opening 12 is located on the lower surface of the upper lid 3. The opening 12 has a counterbore 15 having a diameter larger than that of the supply hole 13. The recess 15 is formed in a circular shape concentric with the supply hole 13.
The opening / closing device 14 has an opening / closing member 16 that is flush with the inner surface of the high-pressure vessel 1 when the opening 12 is closed by fitting in the recess 15. The opening / closing member 16 is formed in a disk shape having substantially the same thickness as the depth of the recess 15, and a face seal member 17 is interposed between the upper surface of the disk and the lower surface of the recess 15. That is, the opening / closing member 16 has a self-sealing structure that seals the opening 12 by the internal pressure in the processing chamber 5.
[0013]
A shaft 18 is fixed to the center of the upper surface of the opening / closing member 16, and the shaft 18 is inserted into the supply hole 13. A passage through which the processing fluid can pass is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 18 and the inner surface of the supply hole 13.
The shaft 18 projects upward from the upper surface of the upper lid 3, and the projecting end of the shaft 18 is supported by a bearing 19 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The bearing 19 is fixed to the upper lid 3 so as to seal the upper opening of the processing fluid supply hole 13. The bearing 19 is provided with a processing fluid inlet 20 of the pressure increasing introduction unit 10 so that the processing fluid supplied from the inlet 20 can be supplied into the processing chamber 5.
[0014]
The opening / closing device 14 includes a drive unit 21 that controls the opening / closing operation of the opening / closing member 16. In this embodiment, the drive unit 21 operates the opening / closing member 16 by a magnetic force.
That is, a magnetic body 22 is provided at the upper end of the shaft 18, and a magnet 23 is provided on the bearing 19 so as to be movable up and down. Then, by moving the magnet 23 up and down, the opening and closing member 16 moves up and down to open or close the opening 12 or to control its opening degree. The vertical movement of the magnet 23 is automatically controlled.
[0015]
Of the processing fluid supply device, the processing introducing portion 11 is erected and fixed to the lower lid 4 and has a supply pipe 24 therein. The processing introducing portion 11 is arranged on the concentric circle with the center of the processing chamber 5 at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction. And this process introduction part 11 is arrange | positioned in the position which does not interfere with the support | pillar 8 of the said holding means 7. FIG.
The processing introduction part 11 is provided with a nozzle 25 at a position corresponding to the holding part 9 of the support column 8. From this nozzle 25, the ejected processing fluid is supplied between the upper or lower surface or the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece 6 held by the holding means 7. A channel 26 for supplying a processing fluid to the supply pipe 24 is provided in the lower lid 4.
[0016]
The high-pressure vessel 1 is provided with a discharge hole 27 for discharging the processing fluid in the processing chamber 5. In this embodiment, the discharge hole 27 is provided in the lower lid 4, but this position is not particularly limited. For example, the discharge hole 27 may be shared with the processing fluid inlet 20.
According to the embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the opening 12 of the pressure increasing introduction unit 10 is opened, and the processing fluid is supplied into the processing chamber 5. At this time, even if a large amount of processing fluid is supplied, the processing fluid is supplied from the entire outer peripheral surface between the processing objects 6 stacked while raising the liquid level. There will be no damage.
[0017]
When the inside of the processing chamber 5 reaches a predetermined pressure, the opening / closing member 16 is moved upward by moving the magnet 23 of the driving unit 21 of the opening / closing device 14 upward to close the opening 12 of the supply hole 13.
At this time, the force for moving the opening / closing member 16 is sufficient as the minimum force capable of initial sealing. Since the sealing function seals itself, the processing fluid in the high-pressure processing chamber 5 does not leak from the opening 12.
[0018]
FIG. 2 shows a state in which the pressurization is finished, the opening / closing member 16 closes the opening 12, and the processing fluid is introduced from the processing introducing portion 11. At this time, since the opening / closing member 16 is housed in the recess 15 of the opening 12 and the inner surface of the high-pressure vessel 1 is flush, there is no dead space in the processing chamber 5, and a large number of covered objects with a compact design. The processing body 6 can be accommodated.
3, the main body 2 and the lower lid 4 are integrally molded, the holding means 7 is suspended from the upper lid 3, and the processing introduction part 11 is also provided on the upper lid 3. Other configurations are the same as those shown in FIG.
[0019]
In addition, this invention is not limited to what is shown to each said embodiment.
[0020]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, it is possible to shorten the processing time by increasing the pressure increasing speed without damaging the object to be processed.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which an opening / closing member is open.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which an opening / closing member is closed.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 High pressure vessel 6 To-be-processed object 7 Holding means 10 Pressure | voltage rise introduction part 11 Process introduction part 12 Opening part 13 Supply hole 14 Opening and closing device 15 Recessed part 16 Opening / closing member 17 Face seal member 21 Drive part 23 Magnet

Claims (6)

In a high-pressure processing apparatus including a high-pressure container that stores a plurality of objects to be processed and a supply device that supplies a processing fluid to the high-pressure container,
The supply device is independently provided with a pressurization introduction unit that supplies a processing fluid to increase the internal pressure of the high-pressure vessel and a processing introduction unit that individually supplies the processing fluid to the plurality of objects to be processed ,
Holding means for individually holding the plurality of objects to be processed is provided in the high-pressure vessel,
The holding means includes a plurality of support columns arranged in the circumferential direction in the high-pressure vessel, and a holding unit that is provided on the support columns and holds the object to be processed in a vertical stack.
The high-pressure process is characterized in that the processing fluid supplied from the pressurizing introduction part is supplied from the entire outer peripheral surface of the object to be processed between the objects to be processed held in a laminated form. apparatus.   2. The high pressure according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-introducing part has a processing fluid supply hole having an opening that opens to the inner surface of the high-pressure vessel, and an opening / closing device that allows the opening to be opened and closed. Processing equipment.   The high-pressure processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the opening / closing device includes an opening / closing member that seals the opening by an internal pressure of the high-pressure vessel.   The opening has a counterbore recess having a diameter larger than that of the supply hole, and the opening / closing device is flush with an inner surface of the high-pressure vessel when the opening is fitted to close the opening. The high-pressure processing apparatus according to claim 2, comprising:   5. The high-pressure processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the opening / closing device includes a drive unit that controls an opening / closing operation of the opening / closing member.   The high-pressure processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the driving unit is configured to operate the opening / closing member by a magnetic force.

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