JPH03134176A - Unit for vacuum treating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily and highly efficiency apply plural treatments to a number of materials by connecting plural units consisting of a sender provided with a shutoff gate, receiver, process chamber, post-treating chamber and further handling arm. CONSTITUTION:The unit 1A having the sender 2, process chamber 26A, post- treating chamber 27A and handling arm 21A and the unit 1B having a receiver 3, process chamber 26B, post-treating chamber 27B and handling arm 21B are connected with a gate 35 and gate connection 36. Many wafers in the sender 2 are placed one by one on an alignment station 22A, conveyed into the process chamber 26A by the handling arm 21A, etched, post-treated in the chamber 27A, transferred into the process chamber 26B of the unit 1B by an alignment station 22B of the unit 1B to form a film on the wafer surface by CVD, post- treated in the chamber 27B and discharged from the unit 1B. The atmosphere is adjusted by opening and closing many shutoff gates between the movements, and the surface of the wafer is treated by this simple process.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a unit for a vacuum processing apparatus.

[Conventional technology]

Various vacuum processing apparatuses are known that process objects to be processed one by one in a vacuum atmosphere. ) and a load-lock container, which is a vacuum reserve container, on the unloading side (outside) to increase throughput. That is, the wafers are loaded into the inner load-lock container in an open state, and after this load-lock container is brought to the same vacuum pressure as the processing container, the gate between the processing container and the inner load-lock container tonnage is opened. Then, the wafer is loaded into the processing container. After processing the wafers, the outside load-lock container is brought to the same vacuum pressure as the processing container, and then the gate between the processing container and the outside load-lock container is opened, and the wafers are transferred from the processing container to this outside load-lock container. Transfer to a load-lock container. Thereafter, the outside load-lock container is opened to the atmosphere, and the processed wafer is transferred from this load-lock container to the receiver. In this way, the load-lock container is alternately exposed to the atmosphere and in a vacuum state for each semiconductor wafer, but the inside of the processing container for the object to be processed can always maintain a predetermined vacuum state, and the throughput will improve.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the case of the conventional vacuum processing equipment described above, the vacuum pressure in the load lock container is monitored for each semiconductor wafer, and when the vacuum pressure reaches the same level as that of the processing container, the gate between the load lock container and the processing container is opened. In addition, each wafer must pass through multiple gates from the sender to the receiver. For this reason, in the conventional device, time is required for gate driving and vacuum pressure monitoring control, resulting in deterioration of throughput. In addition, in the semiconductor manufacturing process, there are various cases in which processing is performed in a vacuum atmosphere, but currently, each process is generally performed individually using processing equipment for each process, and after each process, the semiconductor wafer is -Then, the material is taken out into the atmosphere and transported to the next processing equipment, where it is processed in the next step. Therefore, when the semiconductor wafer is in the atmosphere, a natural oxide film is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. For example, in the case of a CVD film deposition system, the natural oxide film must be removed by etching before the film formation process, but if the wafer from which this natural oxide film has been removed is exposed to the atmosphere again, Since there is no point in removing the oxide film, multiple processing containers are provided and these are connected via a load lock container, and the wafers whose natural oxide film has been removed in the etching processing container can be processed without being taken out into the atmosphere from the etching processing container. It is transported to a membrane processing container. However, this increases the number of gates as the number of processing vessels increases, causing further deterioration of the throughput. It also has the disadvantage of being expensive. In view of the above points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a unit that can easily construct a vacuum processing apparatus with improved throughput.

[Means to solve the problem]

In the present invention, at least a first processing chamber section for the object to be processed, a positioning station, a conveying means for the object to be processed, and a center section, a receiver section, or a second processing chamber section are provided under the same vacuum. A unit comprising a unit chamber formed in an atmosphere, a gate provided in the vicinity of the alignment station, and a gate connection part provided at any other predetermined position, the gate connection part Another feature is that the gates of other units can be connected.

[Effect]

If multiple treatments are required, the unit according to the invention can be
Connect at the gate location near the alignment station. Once connected, open the gate and store the object to be processed in the center section. After storing the object to be processed, apply vacuum suction,
Make the same vacuum pressure in all connected units. By this vacuum suction, the entire system including the processing chamber for the object to be processed, the center section, the receiver section, and the transport mechanism is accommodated within the same vacuum system. The plurality of objects to be processed stored in the center section are all processed in this vacuum atmosphere. In this case, there is no need for a conventional load lock chamber, therefore no gate is required, and there is no need to drive the gate to open and close, so the number of vacuum suctions is only needed once, and the throughput can be improved. . In addition, a gate is provided between the center section or receiver section and the unit chamber to allow loading of objects to be processed. By closing the gate during unloading, the unit chamber can be kept at a predetermined vacuum pressure, and only the center section or receiver section can be vacuumed and exposed to the atmosphere.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of a unit according to the present invention. In this example, a handling arm 21, an alignment station 22, a buffer station 23 (accommodated), and two center It consists of receiver parts 24 and 25, a process chamber part 26, and a post-processing chamber part 27.It is also possible to connect two process chamber parts or two post-processing chamber parts. Possible. In this example, the center part or the resin part 24.2
5 is used as either a center part or a receiver part when in use, and in this example, the unit room 20
It is possible to separate them by a vacuum atmosphere and gates 28° and 29. Similarly, the process chamber part 26 and the post-processing chamber part 27 can also be separated from the vacuum atmosphere of the unit chamber 20 by a gate 30.31. When the center section or receiver section 24.25 is used as the center section, a carrier 33 containing a plurality of unprocessed semiconductor wafers 32, for example 20 to 30, is carried therein. . Further, when the center section or the receiver section 24 or 25 is used as a receiver section, an empty carrier 34 for storing the above number of wafers that have undergone etching processing is carried therein. The gate 28 and two are the center part or receiver part 24
．． When replacing the carrier 33 or 34 in the unit chamber 25, these gates 28 and 29 are closed to maintain a vacuum atmosphere in the unit chamber 20. It is not necessary to provide these gates 28 and 29 if the entire unit chamber 20 is opened to the atmosphere and vacuumed for each of the plurality of tools stored in the carrier 33. In addition, game) 30.31 is a part of the process chamber 26
It is for maintenance such as cleaning and repair of the post-processing chamber part 27, and when cleaning or repairing, these games) 30
．． 31 is closed to maintain a vacuum atmosphere within the unit chamber 20. Further, in this example, the process chamber portion 26 and the post-processing chamber 27 have a double chamber structure to prevent contamination of other wafers during processing. FIG. 2 shows an example of this double chamber structure, in which, for example, a plasma etching process is performed in a part 26 of the process chamber. That is, an electrode 41 made of aluminum, for example, is provided on the bottom side of the process chamber portion 26. This electrode 4
1, a semiconductor wafer 32 as an example of an object to be processed is placed. A predetermined space 4 is provided around this aluminum electrode 41.
A step portion 43 is formed in an annular shape with the two portions separated from each other. This stepped portion 43 is configured to be integrated with the side wall of the process chamber portion 26 except for the gate 30 side. For example, a gas exhaust port 44 is provided in the side wall portion on the opposite side to the gate 30 side, penetrating through this stepped portion 43 . Moreover, above the aluminum electrode 41, this electrode 4
For example, an amorphous carbon electrode 45 facing 1
An aluminum counter electrode body 46 is disposed. In this case, the aluminum counter electrode body 46 has an annular side wall portion 4 whose tip abuts against the annular step portion 43.
7, and is configured to be raised and lowered within the process chamber portion 26 by a lifting mechanism 50. An O-ring 48 for airtightness, which will be described later, is provided at the abutting portion between the step portion 43 and the side wall portion 47. The elevating mechanism 50 may be a mechanism that allows a hanging member 51 whose tip end is connected to the aluminum counter electrode body 46 to be vertically movable through the upper surface plate 26A of the process chamber part 26. . In this example, the aluminum counter electrode body 46 and the top plate 26A of the process chamber part 26 are connected by a bellows 52. The hanging member 51 and the connecting portion between the hanging member 51 and the upper surface plate 26A are made to enter the space within the bellows 52 which is isolated from the vacuum atmosphere by the bellows 52, and are connected to the process chamber. The vacuum atmosphere inside the unit chamber 26 and, by extension, the unit chamber 20 is maintained. Although not shown, a high frequency power source is connected between the aluminum electrode 41 and, for example, the amorphous carbon electrode 45 of the counter electrode body 46, so that the electrodes 41.4
Power is applied between 5 and 5. During the etching process, the aluminum counter electrode body 46 is lowered by the lifting mechanism 50, and the side wall 47 of the aluminum counter electrode body 46 is lowered.
The tip thereof is made to abut against the stepped portion 43. At this time, an O-ring 48 is fitted into the step 43 , and an airtight chamber 53 is formed by the aluminum counter electrode body 46 and its side wall 47 and the step 43 . Incidentally, an etching gas supply pipe 54 is introduced into the airtight chamber 53 through the upper surface plate 26A of the process chamber part 26 and the aluminum counter electrode body 46. Further, in this example, the upper plate 2 of the process chamber part 26 is
6A can be opened and closed by a hinge part 26B, so that when the inside of the airtight chamber 53 becomes dirty, it can be easily cleaned, and the aluminum counter electrode body 46 can also be replaced. is being used. Further, the gas exhaust port 44 is connected to an exhaust pump (not shown) to forcibly exhaust the gas. Similarly, the post-processing chamber portion 27 has a double chamber structure. In this case, it is possible to vary the number of configurations in the inner chamber depending on the processing performed in the dual chamber. For example, a structure such as a CVD film forming process or other heat treatment apparatus may be used. Then, the alignment station 2 in the unit room 20
A gate 35 is provided on the left side wall in the figure near the buffer station 2 and the buffer station 23. This is normally closed. Further, a gate connection portion 3 is provided on the side wall of the unit chamber 20 on the opposite side from the alignment station of the handling arm 21 and the buffer station 23.
6 is provided. In this case, the gate 35 and the gate connecting portion 36 are of the same size, and the gate 35 of another unit having the same structure as that in FIG.
5 can be connected to the gate connection part 36. The gate connection part 36 is normally closed in an airtight state, but when it is connected to the gate 35, by opening the gate 35, the wall part of the gate connection part 36 is also opened, and the walls of the gate connection part 36 are opened. It is possible to maintain the same atmosphere inside the unit. As an example of a vacuum processing apparatus using the unit described above, a case where a CVt+ film forming apparatus is configured will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 3, two units shown in FIG. 1 are prepared, and these units IA and IB are connected to the gate 35.
and are connected at the gate connection portion 36. Then, the gate 35 is opened to bring the unit chambers of both units IA and IB into communication. In this example, the process chamber part 26A of unit IA constitutes a double chamber so as to be used as an etching treatment chamber for removing a native oxide film, and
Part B of the process chamber 26B constitutes a double chamber so as to be used as a CVD film-forming processing chamber. In this example, the sender section or receiver section 24.25 of unit IA is both used as the sender section 2.2, and the center section or receiver section 24.25 of unit IB is both used as the receiver section 3, 3. Use as. The operation of the vacuum processing apparatus configured as above will be explained below. First, the gate 28A between the center section 2.2 and the units IA and IB of the receiver section 3.3. With 28B, 29A, and 29B closed, unit) IA
Then, the inside of IB is vacuumed to bring the inside of units IA and IB into a predetermined vacuum pressure state. In addition, the center part 2.2 was opened to the atmosphere, and 20
Each carrier contains ~30 unprocessed wafers. Further, the receiver sections 3, 3 are each opened to the atmosphere, and empty carriers 34 are stored in each of them. After that, after making the inside of the sender QB 2.2 and receiver part 3.3 the same vacuum state as the unit IA and IB rooms, the respective gates 28A, 28B and gate 29
A. Open 29B. Then, in unit IA, handling arm 2
1A, one semiconductor wafer is taken out from one carrier of the center portion 2.2, placed on the alignment station 22A, and aligned. After the positioning is completed, the handling arm 21A carries it into the process chamber part 26A. If this process chamber portion 26A has the structure shown in FIG. 2, the wafer is transferred onto the electrode 41 thereof. And the lifting mechanism 50
to lower the aluminum counter electrode body 46,
The side wall 47 and the stepped portion 43 are butted against each other, and an airtight chamber 53 is formed by the 01J ring 48. Then, power is applied from a high frequency power supply between the aluminum electrode 41 and the amorphous carbon electrode 45 of the counter electrode body 46, and a predetermined etching gas is supplied into the airtight chamber 53 from the gas supply pipe 54. Then, this processed gas! The processing gas is turned into plasma, and the surface of the semiconductor wafer is etched by the processing gas turned into plasma. At this time, the exhaust gas is forcibly exhausted from the gas exhaust port 44 by the exhaust pump. When the etching process as described above is completed, the supply of the processing gas is stopped, the exhaust line is shielded by a valve (not shown), and the exhaust pump is also stopped).
50, the aluminum counter electrode body 46 is raised. The processed wafer is then transported to the alignment station 22B (or buffer stage gin 23B) of the unit IB by the handling arm 21A. And handling arm 2 of unit IB
1B, the wafer on this alignment station 22B is transferred to the process chamber part 26B, and CVD film formation processing is performed in this chamber part 26B. After that, the processed wafer is transferred to the handling arm 2.
1B to a part of the post-processing chamber 27B, where predetermined post-processing is performed. The wafer after this post-processing is
Receiver part 3.3 by handling arm 21B
Store it in one of the carriers. The above processing is sequentially performed on all the wafers in the center section 2.degree. 2 of the unit IA, and the wafers are stored in the carriers of the receiver sections 3,3. When all the wafers on the carriers in the center parts 2 and 2 of unit IA have been processed, the gates 28A and 2
9A, replace the carriers in the center sections 2, 2 with carriers containing a plurality of unprocessed wafers, and also take out the carrier containing processed wafers in the receiver section 3.3 of unit IB. , replace it with an empty carrier. As described above, regarding the plurality of wafers stored in the center section, the center sections 2, 2 and the receiver section 3,
3, the etching process can be carried out by just one exposure to the atmosphere and one vacuum suction. Therefore, there is no need to perform a vacuum suction operation for each wafer, and there is no need to open or close a gate for processing and transporting semiconductor wafers, so throughput can be improved. In the above explanation, only the center section or receiver section 24.25 of the unit is opened to the atmosphere, so gates 28.29 are provided and opened and closed when carrying in and transporting the carrier. The gates 28 and 29 may not be provided if the entire system unit chamber 20 is opened to the atmosphere and vacuumed each time a carrier is loaded or unloaded. However, as in the above example, if only the center part or the receiver part 24, 25 is opened to the atmosphere and vacuum suction is performed, the volume to be vacuumed is small, and the desired vacuum pressure can be achieved in a short time. be able to. In the case of the above example, the process chamber part 26 and the post-processing chamber part 2
7, gates 30 and 31 are provided, and by closing these gates 30 and 31 during maintenance such as cleaning of these chambers 26 and 27, the unit chamber 2
A certain level of cleanliness can always be maintained within the vacuum chamber at a predetermined vacuum pressure. In the illustrated example, only one handling arm is provided in the unit, but a plurality of handling arms may be provided. In addition, when connecting multiple units, since a center part or a receiver part is not necessary in the unit connected in the middle, a part of the processing chamber is provided in place of the center part or receiver part 24, 25, and a plurality of processing chambers are provided. It may be configured as follows. Further, the processing device of the present invention can be used for CVD processing such as the above example.
Not only film forming equipment, but also etching equipment, ashing equipment,
Of course, it is applicable to other vacuum processing apparatuses.

【Effect of the invention】

As explained above, according to the present invention, by connecting a plurality of units in which a processing section for an object to be processed, a positioning station, a center section or a receiver section, and a transport mechanism are housed, a plurality of units can be easily connected. It is possible to construct a processing device that can perform the following processing steps. Moreover, by opening the gates between units, you can access all the rooms in multiple units.
Since the vacuum pressure can be the same, there is no need for a gate as in devices using conventional load lock chambers. This eliminates the need to drive the gate to open and close and monitor the vacuum pressure in the load lock chamber, and the processing time can be shortened accordingly. In addition, there is no need to open the atmosphere or vacuum suction for each of the plurality of objects to be processed stored in the carrier housed in the center section. Since only one vacuum suction is required, this also leads to a reduction in processing time, and the overall throughput can be improved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a unit for vacuum processing equipment according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a partial configuration example thereof, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a vacuum processing using the unit according to the present invention. It is a figure showing an example of a device. IA, IB; unit 20; system unit chamber 21; handling arm 22; alignment station 24; center section 25; receiver section 26; process chamber part 27: post-processing chamber part 28-31; gate 32; semiconductor wafer 33. 34. career

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] At least a first processing chamber section for the object to be processed, a positioning station, a conveying means for the object to be processed, and a center section, a receiver section, or a second processing chamber section, A unit in which unit chambers are formed so as to be in the same vacuum atmosphere, a gate is provided near the alignment station, and a gate connection portion is provided at any other predetermined position, wherein the gate A unit for vacuum processing equipment, characterized in that a gate of another unit can be connected to a connecting part.