JPH05218186A - Support structure of substrate boat for longitudinal substrate heat treatment device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a substrate boat from being accidentally inverted in the state of the substrate boat being placed and supported on a support member owing to any trouble caused by earthquake and on a driving system. CONSTITUTION:A substrate boat is constructed by providing a plurality of columns 8 over an opposing mounting plate 10 and forming a groove in each column separated longitudinally at a predetermined interval for internally supporting an external peripheral edge of the substrate. Further, a hole 15 is formed in the lower mounting plate 10, while an invsersion prevention pin 17, which is fitted into the hole 15, is provided on an uppermost heat insulating plate 12 of a heat insulating support member for placing and supporting the substrate boat from being interrupted with the aid of contact between the inversion prevention pin 17 and the internal peripheral of the hole 15.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a vertical substrate heat treatment for performing various heat treatments such as oxidation, annealing, CVD (chemical vapor deposition), and diffusion on various substrates such as semiconductor substrates and ceramics substrates. For use in an apparatus, a supporting member for a substrate boat is provided in which a plurality of columns are provided across opposing mounting plates, and each of the columns is formed with a groove at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction for internally fitting and supporting the outer peripheral edge of the substrate. The present invention relates to a support structure for a substrate boat for a vertical substrate heat treatment apparatus that is supported by a substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a substrate is conveyed in a vertical substrate heat treatment apparatus to be continuously processed, a substrate contained in a cassette on a cassette stage is transferred onto a transfer stage by a substrate transfer apparatus. Is transported and supported in a substrate boat placed on, and after transporting a predetermined number, the lower end side of the substrate boat is supported by a boat transfer device that is rotatable about a vertical axis and is capable of moving up and down by a predetermined amount, The substrate boat is conveyed between the furnace core tube of the vertical substrate heat treatment apparatus and the heat insulation support member installed on the elevator that has moved below, and then the boat transfer device is lowered to insulate the substrate boat. Place and support on top.

After that, the boat transfer device is moved to a position where it does not hinder the lifting and lowering of the elevator, the elevator supporting the heat insulating support member is raised in that state, and the substrate boat is carried into the furnace core tube to a predetermined position. Heat treatment is performed.

On the other hand, while the heat treatment is being performed, a predetermined number of substrates to be heat-treated next are carried in the substrate boat mounted and supported on the transfer stage in the same procedure as described above.

Then, the substrate transfer apparatus accommodates the unprocessed substrate in a boat transfer apparatus, rotationally displaces it to the side opposite to the transfer stage, and then descends to place the substrate boat on the retreat stage. To support. Then, in order to rotationally displace the boat transfer device to the transfer stage side, the retract stage is retracted in the horizontal direction while the substrate boat is mounted and supported.

After the heat treatment is completed in the furnace core tube as described above, the elevator is lowered to extract the substrate boat below the furnace core tube, and the boat transfer device is lowered below the substrate boat in a state where it is lowered to a predetermined position. The substrate boat accommodating the substrate after the heat treatment is supported by the boat transfer device by being raised after being made to enter.

Next, the boat transfer device for supporting the substrate boat accommodating the processed substrate is moved to the transfer stage, and the substrate boat is mounted and supported on the transfer stage.

After that, the processed substrate accommodated in the substrate boat is accommodated in the cassette by the substrate transfer device, while it is placed and supported on the retracting stage by the boat transfer device and accommodates the unprocessed substrate. The boat is loaded into the furnace core tube and a series of processes is completed.

[0009]

However, in the conventional example, when a substrate boat is mounted and supported on a supporting member such as a transfer stage, a heat insulating support member, and a retracting stage, an earthquake or the like occurs. When an oscillating force is applied from the outside, or when the retracting stage that supports the substrate boat is displaced to the retracted position, the retractable stage suddenly moves or stops due to a computer runaway. When a trouble of the drive system such as occurs, the substrate boat may fall down, the substrate boat or the substrate may be damaged, or the substrate may be scattered and contaminated, resulting in a defective product.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and in the state where the substrate boat is mounted and supported on the support member, the substrate boat is unexpectedly caused due to an earthquake or trouble in the drive system. The purpose is to be able to prevent falling.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a plurality of support columns across opposing mounting plates, each of the support columns being spaced apart in the longitudinal direction by a predetermined distance. In a support structure for a substrate boat for a vertical substrate heat treatment apparatus in which a substrate boat having a groove for internally fitting and supporting the outer peripheral edge of is supported by a supporting member, a recess is formed on one side of a lower mounting plate or supporting member. At the same time, a protrusion member is provided on the other side to prevent the substrate boat from falling over by fitting into the recess and contacting the inner peripheral wall thereof.

[0012]

According to the structure of the substrate boat supporting structure for the vertical substrate heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, the projecting member fits into the recess while the substrate boat is mounted and supported on the supporting member, and an earthquake or drive system trouble occurs. For example, even if a force that horizontally displaces the support member is applied to the substrate boat, it is possible to prevent the protrusion member from coming into contact with the inner peripheral wall of the recess and causing the substrate boat to fall.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is an overall schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a vertical substrate heat treatment apparatus using a substrate boat according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which the tube axis is oriented vertically. 1 is provided with a furnace core tube 1 formed of a quartz glass material having infrared transparency, and an opening 2 is provided at the lower end side of the furnace core tube 1 in the tube axis center direction. Through the openings 2, a large number of substrates W ... It is configured so that the substrate boat 3 holding the can be inserted and removed.

Further, a gas introduction hole 4 is provided on the upper end side of the furnace core tube 1 in the axial direction of the tube axis, and a purge gas supply means (not shown) and a process gas supply means are connected so as to be selectively communicatively connectable to each other. Gas such as N ₂ gas
It is configured to supply r gas and process gas.

Around the furnace core tube 1, a first heater 5a that is short in the axial direction of the tube, a second heater 5b that is long, and a third heater that is short in the axial direction.
The heater unit 5 including the heater 5c is provided.

An exhaust pipe 6 is provided near the opening 2 of the furnace core tube 1 so as to communicate with the inside of the furnace core tube 1, and a substrate boat 3 holding the substrates W is inserted into the furnace core tube 1. When the process gas or the like is flown from the gas introduction hole 4 with the opening 2 covered with the furnace port cap 7, the process gas is discharged from the exhaust pipe 6. An exhaust means (not shown) is connected to the exhaust pipe 6 so as to communicate therewith.

The substrate boat 3 is made of quartz glass for supporting substrates, which is provided at intervals in the circumferential direction, and has a plurality of transparent circular circular cross sections, for example, three columns 8 ... Quartz mounting plates 9 and 10 are integrally provided so as to face each other. The pillar 8
Alternatively, four may be provided.

Although quartz glass is desirable as the material of the pillars 8, polysilicon, silicon carbide (SiC) or the like can be used.

Grooves (not shown) for inserting a substrate are formed in each of the columns 8 at a fine pitch in the longitudinal direction.
The outer peripheral required part is inserted so that it can be mounted and supported at three points (four points when four columns 8 are provided).

On the side of the lower mounting plate 10 is a column 11
A heat insulating support member 13 in which a heat insulating plate 12 is attached is provided. The heat insulating support member 13 is not limited to the plate-shaped member as in this embodiment, and for example, the heat insulating plate 12 is formed in a container shape having an opening on the lower side, and the inside thereof is filled with ceramic fiber wool. It may have a so-called plug (plug) shape whose opening is closed by the furnace port cap 7. In the figure, reference numeral 14 denotes an elevating and lowering support arm. The elevating and lowering support arm 14 is driven and moved up and down by an elevator to hold the furnace opening cap 7, and the heat insulating support member 13 and the substrate boat 3 supported on the furnace opening cap 7. Is moved up and down to be inserted into and removed from the furnace core tube 1.

As shown in the enlarged sectional view of the main part of FIG. 2 and the horizontal sectional view of the main part of FIG. 3, a hole 15 as a recess is formed in the central part of the lower mounting plate 10. ing. On the other hand, a cylindrical body 16 ... Is integrally provided on the uppermost heat insulating plate 12 of the heat insulating support member 13, and the lower ends of the columns 8 as the legs of the substrate boat 3 are fitted in a predetermined positioning state. Is configured to. Also,
A fall prevention pin 17 as a protruding member that fits into the hole 15 is provided at the center of the protrusion.

The upper end side of each of the tubular bodies 16 is formed with a tapered surface F that widens upward, and the guide action of the tapered surface F places the substrate boat 3 on the heat insulating plate 12 in a predetermined posture. It is configured to be supportable.

The height of the tip-prevention pin 17 is determined by the board boat 3
When the upper end of the inner peripheral wall of the hole 15 comes into contact with the overturning prevention pin 17 when the user tries to incline with the lower end of one of the columns 8 tilted while being mounted and supported on the heat insulating plate 12, The height is set to prevent the above inclination and prevent the substrate boat 3 from falling over.

<Second Embodiment> FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the essential part of the second embodiment, in which the uppermost heat insulating plate 12 of the heat insulating support member 13 is integrally formed with a cylindrical body 18 as a recess. On the other hand, on the other hand, on the substrate boat 3 side, the lower mounting plate 1 is provided.
A leg portion 8a of the substrate boat 3 is provided as a projecting member having a large amount of protrusion below 0.

The upper end side of each of the tubular bodies 18 is formed into a tapered surface F that widens upward, and the guide action of the tapered surface F places the substrate boat 3 on the heat insulating plate 12 in a predetermined posture. It is constructed so that it can be formed and the hole depth thereof is deeper than that in the ordinary substrate boat 3. Further, the length of the leg portion 8a described above is set to a length such that the lower end of the leg portion 8a can reach the lowermost portion in the tubular body 18.

Further, according to the distance between the columns 8 ...
The diameter of the leg portion 8a and the hole diameter of the tubular body 18 are set to predetermined dimensions, and due to the synergistic effect of the above-described relative relationship between the hole depth of the tubular body 18 and the length of the leg portion 8a, the substrate boat 3 While being mounted and supported on the heat insulating plate 12, when attempting to fall while tilting about the lower end of one leg 8a, the leg 8a comes into contact with the inner peripheral wall of the tubular body 18 and The above-mentioned inclination is prevented and the substrate boat 3 is prevented from falling.

In the second embodiment, the cylindrical members 18 into which the leg portions 8a of the support columns 8 are fitted in a predetermined positioning state.
Is also used as the recessed portion in the constitution of the claims of the present invention, while the leg portions 8a of the columns 8 are also used as the protrusion members in the constitution of the claims of the present invention,
It has an advantage that the structure can be simplified as compared with the case of the first embodiment.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the structure in which the substrate boat 3 is supported by the heat insulating support member 13 is shown, but the present invention is as follows.
It can also be applied to a structure in which it is supported by a transfer stage or a retreat stage, and is collectively referred to as a support member including a transfer stage, a heat insulating support member, a retreat stage, and the like.

As described above, according to the support structure for a substrate boat for a vertical substrate heat treatment apparatus of the present invention, the protrusion member is fitted into the recess between the substrate boat and the support member,
Since it is possible to prevent the board boat from tipping over due to an earthquake or the occurrence of a trouble in the drive system, it is possible to avoid damage to the board boat and the board, which is economical. Further, it is possible to prevent the substrate from scattering due to the substrate boat falling, and it is possible to reduce the occurrence of defective products due to the contamination of the substrate, which is also economical in this respect, The work can be prevented from being interrupted due to the treatment, and the production efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic vertical sectional view of a vertical substrate heat treatment apparatus using a substrate boat according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 ... Substrate boat 8 ... Strut 9 ... Mounting plate 10 ... Mounting plate 13 ... Insulating support member which is an example of a supporting member 15 ... Hole as a concave portion 17 ... Fall prevention pin 18 as a protruding member 18 ... Cylindrical body as a concave portion 8a ... Legs as protrusion members W ... Substrate

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A substrate boat is supported by a support member, wherein a plurality of support columns are provided across opposing mounting plates, and each support column is provided with a groove at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction for internally fitting and supporting the outer peripheral edge of the substrate. A supporting structure for a substrate boat for a vertical substrate heat treatment apparatus, wherein a recess is formed in one of the lower mounting plate and the support member, and the other is fitted into the recess to form an inner peripheral wall thereof. A support structure for a substrate boat for a vertical substrate heat treatment apparatus, characterized in that a protrusion member is provided to prevent the substrate boat from tipping over when contacted.