JPH04225517A - Semiconductor process equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the occurrence and the absorption of dust such as powder, film pieces, etc., and remove the occurrence of inferiority, in a semiconductor processing equipment, which has structure of introducing gas into a reaction chamber. CONSTITUTION:This is so constituted as to have, at least, a reaction chamber, a gas introduction part 6, which introduces gas to become material gas into that reaction chamber, and a heating means 23, which heats the gas introduction part 6 and its vicinity.

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 having a mechanism for introducing gas into a reaction chamber.

0002

[Prior Art] Examples of conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment are shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.
and shown in FIG.

In FIG. 4, 1 is a reaction chamber in which reactions such as etching and thin film formation occur, 2 is a semiconductor substrate to be processed, 3 is an upper electrode necessary to generate plasma, and 4 is a similar case. This is the lower electrode. 5 is a vacuum pump necessary for adjusting the pressure inside the reaction chamber 1, and 6 is a gas introduction part for introducing gas necessary for causing a reaction. Further, FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the gas introduction section 6 in FIG. 4, where 7 is an outer wall of the reaction chamber and 8 is a gas pipe.

In the conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus configured as described above, the substrate 2 is placed on the lower electrode 4, and necessary gas is introduced into the reaction chamber 1 through the gas inlet 6 and evacuated using the vacuum pump 5. By keeping at the desired pressure. after that,
A reaction occurs by generating electric discharge between the upper electrode 3 and the lower electrode 4, and processing such as film formation or etching can be performed. Here, the gas inlet 6 is installed in a shape and position that allows appropriate gas flow within the reaction chamber, and is connected to a gas pipe outside the reaction chamber.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a conventional parallel plate type plasma CVD apparatus having a front chamber. In FIG. 6, the same parts as those in FIG. 4 are given the same numbers, and explanations thereof will be omitted. 11 is the front chamber, 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes an opening/closing door for communicating the outside air with the front chamber and between the front chamber and the reaction chamber. Further, 13 is an N2 gas inlet for purging introduced to increase the pressure inside the front chamber 11, and 14 is a vacuum pump for drawing the inside of the front chamber 11 into a vacuum. In the conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus configured as described above, a semiconductor substrate 2 is first inserted into the front chamber 11 maintained at atmospheric pressure through the opening/closing door 12.
After that, the inside of the front chamber 11 is evacuated by the vacuum pump 14. Further, the substrate 2 is put into the reaction chamber 1 through the opening/closing door 12 and then processed. Thereafter, the substrate 2 is transferred to the front chamber 11 through the opening/closing door 12, and then introduced into the front chamber 11 from the purge N2 gas inlet 13 to bring the pressure inside the front chamber 11 to atmospheric pressure.

[0006]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In such conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment, when gas is introduced into the reaction chamber 1, the area around the gas inlet 6 is cooled by adiabatic expansion of the gas, and the gas generated by the reaction is cooled. The products are formed around the inlet 6 with a weak adhesion force, and are later peeled off to form particles or flakes. These particles or flakes (hereinafter referred to as dust) adhere to the semiconductor substrate 1 and cause defects. Furthermore, even in the configuration shown in FIG. 6, N
When the two gases are introduced, the area around the gas inlet 13 or inside the front chamber 11 is cooled, so moisture in the gas condenses and water droplets tend to adhere. These water droplets tend to cause dust to adhere, which also causes defects in the semiconductor substrate.

The present invention solves the above problems by preventing the generation and adsorption of dust such as powder or film fragments,
The purpose of the present invention is to provide semiconductor manufacturing equipment that does not cause defects.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a reaction chamber, a gas introduction section for introducing a raw material gas into the reaction chamber, and a heating means for heating the gas introduction section. or a structure having a reaction chamber, a front chamber whose pressure can be adjusted by introducing and exhausting gas, and a heating means for heating the wall surface of the front chamber.

[0009]

[Function] With the above-described configuration, the present invention cools the entire gas introduction part or the front chamber when introducing gases such as raw material gas or N2 gas for purging into the reaction chamber or the front chamber, and the surface temperature decreases. prevent from doing. If the surface temperature does not decrease, water droplets due to condensation of moisture in the gas or peeling of the film attached to the surface will be less likely to occur, and dust generation can be prevented.

0010

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) The feature of the present invention lies in the vicinity of the gas introduction section 6 in the conventional example shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 1 shows an enlarged sectional view thereof. The same parts as in the conventional example are given the same numbers. 7 is the outer wall of the reaction chamber as in FIG. 5, and 21 is the outer wall of the gas inlet. 22 is a gas pipe connected to the gas inlet 6, and 23 is a heater for heating the outer wall 21 of the gas inlet.

[0012] By heating the gas inlet outer wall 21 with the heater 23, the temperature of the gas inlet outer wall 21 is prevented from decreasing when gas is introduced, and a film with weak adhesion strength is prevented from adhering and peeling to that part. can do.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 31 is a reaction tube, 32 is a substrate holder, and 33
indicates a semiconductor substrate. 34 is a vacuum pump for evacuating the inside of the vacuum tube, 35 is a gas inlet, and 36 is a sealing plate for sealing the reaction tube 31. 37 is an infrared lamp, and 38 is infrared light emitted from the infrared lamp 37.

In this embodiment, low pressure CVD is taken as an example, and the inside of the reaction tube 31 is kept at a constant temperature, and the reaction gas is injected from the gas inlet 35 while maintaining the vacuum inside the reaction tube 31 with the sealing plate 36. The semiconductor substrate 33 on the substrate holder 32 inside the reaction tube 31 can be processed by evacuation using the vacuum pump 34 . Here, when gas is introduced, gas inlet 3
Although the area around 5 is cooled, heating with the infrared lamp 37 can prevent the temperature from decreasing. The method of this example does not require processing the shape of a complicated gas inlet, and is very effective when using a quartz reaction tube that allows infrared rays to pass through.

(Embodiment 3) FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. The same parts as the conventional example in FIG. 6 are given the same numbers,
The explanation will be omitted. That is, the feature of the third embodiment is that a heater 41 for heating the wall surface of the front chamber 11 is provided. With this configuration, when N2 for purging is introduced when returning the front chamber 11 from a vacuum state to atmospheric pressure and when removing residual gas of air or material gas in the front chamber 11, the surroundings of the gas introduction part 13 are removed. Also, the entire inner wall of the front chamber 11 is cooled, but by heating it with the heater 41,
It can prevent the surface temperature from decreasing. By preventing a drop in temperature, condensation of moisture contained in the air can be prevented. That is, adsorption and re-release of dust by water droplets can be prevented.

[0016]

Effects of the Invention The present invention has a structure comprising a reaction chamber, a gas introduction section for introducing a raw material gas into the reaction chamber, and a heating means for heating the gas introduction section, or a reaction chamber;
The structure has at least a front chamber whose pressure can be adjusted by introducing and exhausting gas, and a heating means for heating the wall surface of the front chamber, which prevents the generation and adsorption of dust such as powder or film fragments, and prevents defects. We can provide semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged sectional view of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 4] Cross-sectional view of conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment

[Fig. 5] Partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the gas introduction part of the conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment shown in Fig. 4.

[Fig. 6] Cross-sectional view of another conventional semiconductor manufacturing device having a front chamber

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Reaction chamber 6,35 Gas introduction part 11　Anteroom 12 Opening/closing door 23, 41 Heater (heating means) 37 Infrared lamp (heating means)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising at least a reaction chamber, a gas introduction section for introducing a raw material gas into the reaction chamber, and a heating means for heating the vicinity of the gas introduction section. [Claim 2] A reaction chamber, a front chamber provided adjacent to the reaction chamber via an opening/closing door and whose pressure can be adjusted by introducing and exhausting gas, and heating means for heating the wall surface of the front chamber. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising at least one of the following.