JPH0425017A - Vacuum film formation equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the number of substrates processed without increasing the size of the equipment by installing counter electrodes so located as to face each other and a substrate holder which is located between the counter electrodes and is electrically insulated and has first and second primary planes to hold a substrate. CONSTITUTION:High-frequency electric power is supplied to electrodes 2 and 3 from a high-frequency supply 15 through a matching circuit 4 to generate a glow discharge between the electrodes 2 and 5 and between the electrodes 3 and 6. As a result of this, a plasma area is formed between the electrode 2 and a substrate holder 7 and between the electrode 3 and a substrate holder 8. Under such a condition, substrates 9 are in the electrically floating condition at the positive plasma potential. As a result, a plasma area is formed between the substrate holder and the electrode 5 and between the substrate holder 8 and the electrode 6. Then, a film is formed on each of the substrates 9 which are held on second primary planes 7b and 8b of the substrate holders 7 and 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a vacuum film forming apparatus for performing a film forming process on a substrate.

[Conventional technology and its problems]

As an apparatus for forming a thin film on a substrate, for example, a vacuum film forming apparatus such as a plasma CVD apparatus is used. This vacuum film forming apparatus generally includes a substrate holder for holding a substrate and a counter electrode disposed opposite to the substrate holder. During the film formation process, glow discharge is caused between the substrate holder and the counter electrode while the substrate is held by the substrate holder. As a result, a film is formed on the substrate.

On the other hand, there has been a strong demand for increasing the number of substrates processed (ie, throughput). However, with the conventional apparatus, there is a limit to the number of substrates that can be processed.

Therefore, it is conceivable to increase the number of substrates to be processed by making the substrate holder larger, but making the substrate holder larger is not preferable because it increases the size of the entire apparatus.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum film forming apparatus that can increase the number of substrates processed without increasing the size of the apparatus.

[Failure to solve the problem]

A vacuum film forming apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for performing a film forming process on a substrate, and includes a counter electrode arranged to face each other,
and a substrate holder. The substrate holder is disposed between opposing electrodes, is electrically insulated, and has first and second main surfaces for holding the substrate.

[Effect]

In the vacuum film forming apparatus according to the present invention, the substrate to be film-formed is placed in the first position of the substrate holder. It is held on the second main surface. Then, a discharge is caused between each opposing electrode.

Then, a plasma state is formed between one of the opposing electrodes and the first main surface facing thereto. As a result, film formation is performed on the substrate held on the first main surface. Also, in this case, the substrate holder is electrically insulated. Therefore, a plasma state is also formed between the other opposing electrode and the second main surface facing thereto. As a result, a film is formed on the substrate held on the second main surface.

In this case, since the film formation process can be performed on each substrate held on both main surfaces of the substrate holder, the number of substrates processed in one cycle can be increased, and throughput can be improved. Furthermore, there is no need to increase the size of the device in order to improve throughput.

[Embodiment] FIG. 1 shows a plasma CVD apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Here, a parallel plate type device with substrates placed vertically will be taken as an example.

In FIG. 1, electrodes (cathode electrodes) 2 and 3 are provided in the center of a film forming chamber 1. Each electrode 2.3 has
A high frequency power supply 15 (frequency 13
．． 56MH2) is connected. The matching circuit 4 is for efficiently supplying power to the plasma generated in the film forming chamber 1, and includes a variable capacitor and the like.

Anode electrodes 5 and 6 are provided on the left and right side walls of the film forming chamber 1, respectively, so as to face the cathode electrodes 2 and 3. Anode electrodes 5 and 6 are each connected to ground. Further, a heater is provided on the back side of the anode electrodes 5 and 6, and this heater is connected to a heater power source. Substrate holders 7.8 are arranged between electrodes 2 and 5 and between electrodes 3 and 6, respectively.

Each substrate holder 7.8 is supported by an insulating member such as glass, and is electrically insulated and in a floating state within the film forming chamber l. Also, the first major surface 7a of each substrate holder 7.8.

8a and second main surfaces 7b, 8b are capable of holding a substrate 9, respectively. In addition, film forming chamber 1
An exhaust ``110'' is formed in the exhaust ``110'' and is connected to an exhaust system (not shown).

Next, the operation of this film forming apparatus will be explained.

First, the inside of the film forming chamber 1 is evacuated, a reactive gas is introduced into the film forming chamber 1, and the predetermined film forming conditions are maintained.Meanwhile, the heater is turned on to maintain the substrate at a predetermined temperature.

Next, high frequency power is supplied from the high frequency power supply 15 to the electrodes 2.3 through the matching circuit 4. Then, glow discharge occurs between electrodes 2 and 5 and between electrodes 3 and 6. As a result, between the electrode 2 and the substrate boulder 7,
A plasma region is formed between the electrode 3 and the substrate holder 8. Thereby, film formation is performed on each substrate 9-F held on each first main surface 7a and Ba of each substrate holder 7.8.

On the other hand, the correspondence between the plasma potential and the position of the substrate 9 during film formation is estimated to be as shown in FIG. Although FIG. 2 shows the electrode 2 side, the same applies to the electrode 3 side. In Figure 2 °
C, the vertical axis shows the plasma potential and the horizontal axis shows the distance. According to this, the substrate 9 is located approximately in the middle of the positive plasma potential. Note that FIG. 3 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 2 of the conventional device. In the conventional device, the substrate is connected to ground, so the substrate is located at a position where the plasma potential is zero.

In this way, in this device, the substrate 9 is in an electrically floating state at the positive plasma potential. As a result, plasma regions are also formed between the substrate holder 7 and the electrode 5 and between the substrate holder 8 and the electrode 6.

As a result, film formation is also performed on the substrate 9 held on the second main surface 7b, Bb of the substrate holder 7.8.

In addition, as a result of using an electrode 2.3 of approximately 650 x 650 mm and performing the film forming process while maintaining the distance between electrode 2 and electrode 5 and between electrode 3 and electrode 6 at approximately 4511II11, each Regarding the substrate 9, the ζ film formation rate was approximately 0.
There were 8 people/sec. In addition, it is compatible with conventional equipment,
It is thought that a film with less ion damage can be obtained.

In this embodiment, the film forming process is performed on each substrate held on both main surfaces of the substrate holder, so the number of end plates processed in one cycle can be increased without increasing the size of the apparatus. can improve throughput.

[Other Examples]

In the embodiment described above, the present invention is applied to a vertically installed plasma CVD apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this.

For example, the present invention can be similarly applied to a horizontal type device as shown in FIG. In addition, in the apparatus shown in FIG.
An electrode 21 is placed on the top of the film forming chamber 20 , and an electrode 22 on the ground side opposite thereto is placed on the top of the film forming chamber 20 . A substrate holder 23 is arranged between the electrode 2 and the electrode 22.

The substrate boulder 23 is supported within the film forming chamber 20 by an insulating member similarly to the apparatus of the embodiment. Even in this case, since the film formation process can be performed on each substrate 9 held on both main surfaces of the substrate boulder 23, throughput can be improved.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the vacuum film forming apparatus according to the present invention, the first
．． Since the film formation process can be performed on each substrate held on the second main surface, the number of substrates to be processed can be increased, and the throughput can be improved to 1.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional configuration diagram of a plasma CVD apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the correspondence relationship between plasma potential and substrate position, and FIG.
FIG. 4, which corresponds to FIG. 4, is a schematic vertical cross-sectional configuration diagram of a plasma CVD apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. 2.3... Electrode (Ka-1' electrode), 5.6... Anode electrode, 7, 8... Substrate boulder, 7a, 8a...
- First main surface, 7b, 8b... second main surface. Patent applicant: Shima Ritsu Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A vacuum film-forming apparatus for performing a film-forming process on a substrate, comprising: a counter electrode disposed opposite to each other; A vacuum film forming apparatus comprising: a substrate holder having first and second main surfaces for holding the substrate;