JPH05251543A - Semiconductor processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce particles generated at the time of conveying a semiconductor wafer in an apparatus for processing the wafer in a vacuum chamber. CONSTITUTION:A gas inlet 11 is provided in a conveying chamber 6. A flowrate controller 9 is operated under the control of a control circuit 8 in response to a difference of an output of a vacuum meter 5 of a processing chamber 1 and an output of a vacuum meter 12 of the chamber 6. Thus, an internal pressure of the chamber 1 is equalized to that of the chamber 6. Then, a gate valve 13 is opened to reduce particles generated in the respective chambers.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor processing apparatus,
In particular, it relates to a semiconductor processing apparatus having a processing chamber and a transfer chamber.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a semiconductor processing apparatus of this type has a processing chamber 1 and a transfer chamber 6 capable of transferring a wafer to the processing chamber 1 as shown in FIG.
And a gate valve 13 capable of transferring a wafer between the processing chamber 1 and the transfer chamber 6. The processing chamber 1 includes a vacuum pump 2, a gas inlet 4, and a vacuum gauge 5, and the transfer chamber 6 includes a vacuum pump 7 and a pressure gauge 12.

In this type of semiconductor processing apparatus, the pressures in the processing chamber 1 and the transfer chamber 6 are independently controlled, and when the gate valve 13 is opened in order to transfer a wafer between the chambers. , The gas flows from the chamber with the higher pressure to the chamber with the lower pressure. Therefore, a large amount of particles are generated in each chamber, and the particles may adhere to the wafer to reduce the yield of semiconductor products.

[0004]

The problem to be solved is that particles are generated by the gas flow between the chambers,
This is a possibility of reducing the yield of semiconductor products.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a transfer chamber having a structure capable of transferring a wafer to a processing chamber is provided with a gas inlet for controlling the internal pressure, and The pressure in the transfer chamber is controlled according to the pressure in the chamber.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a semiconductor processing apparatus according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a processing chamber, 2 is a vacuum pump, 3 is a processing gas, 4 is a gas inlet,
5 is a vacuum gauge, 6 is a transfer chamber, 7 is a vacuum pump, 8
Is a control circuit, 9 is a flow controller, 10 is gas, 11
Is a gas inlet, 12 is a vacuum gauge, and 13 is a gate valve.

The processing chamber 1 is decompressed by a vacuum pump 2, and a processing gas 3 for processing a wafer is contained therein.
Is introduced from the gas introduction port 4, and the semiconductor wafer is processed at a constant pressure. The pressure at this time is monitored by the vacuum gauge 5. At this time, the inside of the transfer chamber 6 is depressurized by the vacuum pump 7, but the internal pressure of the processing chamber 1 monitored by the vacuum gauge 5 is input to the control circuit 8. According to this internal pressure, the flow rate controller 9 operates under the control of the control circuit 8 to introduce the gas 10 into the inside of the transfer chamber 1 from the gas introduction port 11, and
Control the internal pressure of.

Then, the internal pressure of the transfer chamber 6
The pressure of each chamber is input to the control circuit 8 from the pressure gauges 5 and 12 of each chamber so that the internal pressure of the processing chamber 1 becomes equal. Then, under the control of the control circuit 8,
The flow rate of the gas 10 introduced into the transfer chamber 6 is controlled using the flow rate controller 9. In this state, the processing of the semiconductor wafer is completed, and the gate valve 13
After opening, the semiconductor wafer is transferred from the processing chamber 1 to the transfer chamber 6.

[0009]

As described above, according to the present invention, since a semiconductor wafer is transferred between the transfer chamber and the processing chamber, a turbulent gas flow does not occur when the gate valve is opened, and a particle There is an advantage that the generation can be reduced and the yield of semiconductor products can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a semiconductor processing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a semiconductor processing apparatus according to a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Processing Chamber 2,7 Vacuum Pump 3 Processing Gas 4,11 Gas Inlet 5,12 Vacuum Gauge 6 Transfer Chamber 8 Control Circuit 9 Flow Controller 10 Gas 13 Gate Valve

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A processing chamber having a first vacuum pump and a gas inlet for processing a semiconductor wafer, and a second vacuum pump for carrying the semiconductor wafer to the processing chamber. A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising: a transfer chamber capable of performing the operation; and a gate valve that acts as a gate when the semiconductor wafer is transferred between the processing chamber and the transfer chamber. A pair of vacuum gauges provided in each of the transfer chambers for measuring the degree of vacuum in each chamber, and a control circuit for controlling the internal pressure of the transfer chamber according to the internal pressure of the processing chamber. And a second gas introduction port for controlling the internal pressure in the transfer chamber. 2. The control circuit controls the internal pressure of the transfer chamber to be equal to the internal pressure of the processing chamber, so that the internal pressure of the second chamber is controlled from the second gas introduction port according to the difference between the internal pressures. A flow rate controller for controlling the flow of the gas is provided so that control is performed so as to introduce gas into the transfer chamber, and control of the control circuit can be realized at the second gas introduction port. The semiconductor processing apparatus according to claim 1, which is connected. 3. The gate valve is opened after the internal pressures of both chambers become equal to each other so that the semiconductor wafer can be transferred between the chambers.
The semiconductor processing apparatus described.