JPH10214828A - Semiconductor production device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent dust from rising in opening a gate valve between a load lock chamber and a reaction chamber of a semiconductor production device. SOLUTION: In a semiconductor production device 11 which is provided with a load lock chamber 2 where a first gas supply port 2a, a first gas exhaust port 13 and a first gate valve 5 for carrying in and taking out a sample from/to the outside are arranged, a reaction chamber 6 where a second gas supply port 6a and a second gas exhaust port 14 are arranged, and a second gate valve 9 to communicate the chambers 2 and 6 with each other so that the sample can be carried in and taken out, one of both terminals of a differential manometer 12 is connected to the chamber 2 and the other is connected to the chamber 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which a reaction chamber and a load lock chamber are connected via a gate valve. In particular, the present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus suitable for a CVD apparatus, an epitaxial growth apparatus, and an ion etching apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-275535, and its structure will be described.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a CVD apparatus, 2 denotes a first gas supply port 2a for supplying nitrogen, and a load lock chamber capable of maintaining airtightness, and 3 denotes a first valve 3a for exhausting the load lock chamber 2. Connected first exhaust pump, 13
A first valve connected to the load lock chamber 2 via the valve 13a
The exhaust port 4 is a first pressure gauge for measuring the pressure of the load lock chamber 2, and the reference numeral 5 is an opening and closing port for supplying a semiconductor wafer (not shown) to the load lock chamber 2 and removing the semiconductor wafer from the load lock chamber 2. This is the first gate valve to be operated.

[0004] Reference numeral 6 denotes a second gas supply port 6a for switchingably supplying nitrogen and a reaction gas, and a reaction chamber capable of maintaining airtightness. Reference numeral 7 denotes a second chamber connected via a second valve 7a for exhausting the reaction chamber 6. 2 is an exhaust pump, 14 is a second exhaust port connected to the reaction chamber 6 via a fifth valve 14a, and 8 is a second pressure gauge for measuring the pressure in the reaction chamber 6.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a connection between the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6 so that airtightness can be maintained, and a robot (not shown) disposed in the load lock chamber transfers the semiconductor wafer to the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber. The second to open when exchanging between six
The gate valve 10 is a bypass pipe that connects the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6 via the third valve 10a and the air filter 10b.

A feature of the method of using this apparatus is that when a semiconductor wafer is transferred between the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6, the pressure in the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6 is measured by the first pressure gauge 4 and the second pressure gauge. When it is determined by the pressure gauge 8 that the pressure has become the same, the third valve 10a is opened, and the gas is caused to flow through the bypass pipe 10 from the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6 to the low pressure chamber from the high pressure chamber. , Load lock room 2
And the pressure in the reaction chamber 6 are made the same.

Thereafter, the second gate valve 9 is opened to transfer the semiconductor wafer from the load lock chamber 2 to the reaction chamber 6, or to transfer the semiconductor wafer from the reaction chamber 6 to the load lock chamber 2.
In this way, the gas can flow through the bypass pipe 10 before the second gate valve 9 is opened, and the pressure difference between the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6 can be eliminated. Therefore,
When the second gate valve 9 is opened, no air flow is generated, and dust is prevented from rising and adhering to the semiconductor wafer, thereby adversely affecting the semiconductor wafer.

[0008]

In the above-described semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, pressure gauges are provided in the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber, respectively. Depending on the amount and speed of the flowing gas, dust in the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber may be rolled up and adhere to the sample due to the gas flow when the gas flows out or flows in.

Also, it has not been easy to control the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber to the same pressure.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and comprises a first gas supply port, a first gas exhaust port, an outside, and a first gate valve for taking in and out a sample. Load lock chamber, the second gas supply port and the second
In a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a reaction chamber provided with a gas exhaust port, a load lock chamber, and a second gate valve connected to the reaction chamber so that a sample can be taken in and out, one of both terminals of the differential pressure gauge is connected to the load lock chamber. Provided is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which the other is connected to a reaction chamber. As a result, the pressure difference between the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber can be confirmed with one differential pressure gauge between the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber. Therefore, there is no equipment difference, and the second gate valve between the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber is opened. However, the movement of gas between the two chambers is very small, and it is possible to prevent dust from being rolled up.

In addition, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which a gas flow control device is provided at a gas supply port and / or a gas exhaust port of a load lock chamber and / or a reaction chamber. As a result, the pressure in the load lock chamber and the pressure in the reaction chamber can be easily controlled to the same value, and the pressure difference between the two chambers can be easily reduced to zero because the same pressure can be maintained for a long time.

In addition, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which a reaction chamber and a load lock chamber are connected to each other by a bypass line via a valve. As a result, even if there is a slight pressure difference between the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber, if the two chambers are set to the same pressure via the bypass line, the moving gas can flow to a place where dust will not be lifted. Can be.

In addition, there is provided a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus in which an air filter is provided in a bypass line. This prevents dust from moving through the bypass pipe and increases the resistance of the bypass pipe, thereby reducing the moving speed of the gas, thereby preventing dust from being rolled up.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, and the structure will be described. In the figure, the same parts as those in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a CVD apparatus of the present invention, and reference numeral 12 denotes a differential pressure gauge in which one of both terminals is connected to the load lock chamber 2 and the other is connected to the reaction chamber 6.

The CVD apparatus 1 described in the prior art of this apparatus.
The structure different from that described above will be described. In addition to the first pressure gauge 4 in the load lock chamber 2 and the second pressure gauge 7 in the reaction chamber of the conventional CVD apparatus 1, the CVD apparatus 11 of the present invention includes a differential pressure gauge 12 between the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6. It is connected. Although not shown, a gas flow control device is provided in all of the gas supply ports 2a and 6a and the gas exhaust ports 13 and 14.

The gas flow control device controls the gas flow rates of the gas supply ports 2a and 6a and the gas exhaust ports 13 and 14 so that the scales of the pressure gauges 4 and 8 indicate a pressure higher than the outside pressure near 1 atm. Works automatically like so. The reason why the pressure is set to be higher than 1 atm is to prevent dust from entering the load lock chamber 2 with air from the outside when the first gate valve 5 is opened. When the scale of the differential pressure gauge 12 is greatly deviated from zero, the gas flow control device greatly changes the flow rate so that the scale quickly approaches zero. The flow rate is changed little by little so as to gradually approach. When the scale becomes zero, it works as a steady state so as not to fluctuate the flow rate.

A method of using the CVD apparatus will be described.

With the second gate valve 9 and the fifth valve 14a of the second gas exhaust port 14 closed and the supply of nitrogen from the second gas supply port 6a stopped, the second valve 7a is opened and the second exhaust pump is opened. At 7, the reaction chamber 6 is evacuated. Subsequently, the second valve 7a is closed, and nitrogen is supplied to the reaction chamber 6 from the second gas supply port 6a until the second pressure gauge 8 indicates 1 atm. Subsequently, the supply of nitrogen is stopped, the second valve 7a is opened again, and the second exhaust pump 7 is evacuated. The supply of nitrogen and the evacuation are repeated to make the reaction chamber 6 a 1 atmosphere nitrogen atmosphere without impurity gas.

At the same time as the operation of the reaction chamber 6, the first gate valve 5 is closed, and the supply of nitrogen from the first gas supply port 2a is stopped.
3a, open the load lock chamber 2 to the same atmospheric pressure
The gate valve 5 is opened, a semiconductor wafer (not shown) is placed at a predetermined position in the load lock chamber 2, and the first gate valve 5 is closed. Subsequently, the fourth valve 13a is closed,
The first valve 3 a is opened, and the load lock chamber 2 is evacuated by the first exhaust pump 3. Subsequently, the first valve 3a is closed, and nitrogen is supplied to the load lock chamber 2 until the first pressure gauge 8 indicates 1 atm. Next, stop supplying nitrogen,
The first valve 3a is opened again to make the first exhaust pump 3 vacuum. The supply of nitrogen and the evacuation are repeated to make the load lock chamber 2 a nitrogen atmosphere containing no impurities.

Subsequently, the first gas supply port 2a and the second
The flow rate of nitrogen is gradually changed while confirming the flow rate of nitrogen with the differential pressure gauge 12 by the gas inflow control device of the gas supply port 6a and the gas discharge limit devices of the first gas exhaust port 13 and the second gas exhaust port 14, and the load lock chamber. 2 is controlled to the same pressure as the pressure of the reaction chamber 6. At this time, the pressure in the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6 falls below the external pressure, and the air flows from the outside to the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6 through the first gas exhaust port 13 and the second gas exhaust port 14. This is because it is necessary to prevent the entry.

Subsequently, the third valve 10a is opened. At this time, the pressure control is insufficient and the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6
If there is a slight pressure difference between the pressures, nitrogen flows from the higher pressure chamber to the lower pressure chamber via the bypass pipe 10. The pressure difference is small, the amount of flowing nitrogen is very small, and no dust will be rolled up. Further, since the air filter 10b is provided in the bypass pipe 10, it has the effect of preventing the movement of dust, the effect of reducing the moving speed of nitrogen, and the effect of preventing the dust from being rolled up.

Subsequently, the second gate valve 9 is opened,
The robot disposed in the load lock chamber 2 transfers the semiconductor wafer from the load lock chamber 2 to a predetermined position on a heater (not shown) in the reaction chamber 6, and closes the second gate valve 9. Subsequently, the third valve 10a is closed.

Subsequently, nitrogen is supplied from the second gas supply port 6a, and the heater is energized with the fifth valve 14a opened to heat the semiconductor wafer. When the temperature of the semiconductor wafer reaches a predetermined temperature, the nitrogen in the second gas supply port 6a is switched to a reaction gas to deposit a silicon oxide film on the semiconductor wafer. When the deposition of the silicon oxide film to a predetermined thickness is completed, the reaction gas is switched to nitrogen, and the power supply to the heater is stopped to cool the semiconductor wafer.

Subsequently, a gas flow control device for the first gas supply port 2a and the second gas supply port 6a and the first gas exhaust port 1
3. The gas flow rate control device at the second gas exhaust port 14 gradually changes the nitrogen flow rate and exhaust rate while checking with the differential pressure gauge 12 to control the pressure of the reaction chamber 6 to the same pressure as that of the load lock chamber 2. I do.

Subsequently, the third valve 10a is opened. At this time, if there is a small pressure difference between the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6, nitrogen flows from the higher pressure chamber to the lower pressure chamber via the bypass pipe 10. Subsequently, the second gate valve 9 is opened. Subsequently, the semiconductor wafer is transferred from the reaction chamber 6 to a predetermined position in the load lock chamber 2 by the robot in the load lock chamber 2. Subsequently, the second gate valve 9 and the third valve 10a are closed. Subsequently, the first gate valve 5 is opened, the semiconductor wafer is taken out, and the first gate valve 5 is closed again. Also, the first gas supply port 2
The supply of nitrogen from a is stopped.

When the first gate valve 5 is opened and a sample is taken out to the outside, if the dust attached from the outside cannot be removed in a later step due to a high temperature of the semiconductor wafer or the like, the load lock chamber is required. It is preferable to dispose a differential pressure gauge across the outside and the outside, control the load lock chamber 2 to the same atmospheric pressure as the outside (about 1 atm), and then open the first gate valve 5. Further, a bypass pipe may be provided between the load lock chamber 2 and the outside via a valve and a filter.

When the valve 10a of the bypass pipe 10 is opened, if a state in which there is no pressure difference between the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 2 can be reliably ensured, nitrogen from the first gas supply port 2a and the second gas supply port 6a To stop the supply of
The fourth valve 13a of the first gas exhaust port 13 and the fifth valve of the second gas exhaust port 14 may be arbitrarily stopped so that the pressure can be easily adjusted. The load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6
May be controlled, or both chambers 2 and 6 may be controlled simultaneously. Further, the gas flow control device may be provided only at an arbitrary position among the gas supply ports 2a and 6a and the gas exhaust ports 13 and 14.

The bypass pipe 10 may have a thickness determined in consideration of the moving speed of the gas, and may be disposed at both ends thereof in the load lock chamber 2 and the reaction chamber 6 at locations where it is difficult to wind up dust.

When the scale becomes zero, the supply of nitrogen from the gas supply ports 2a and 6a may be stopped, and the valves 13a and 14a of the gas exhaust ports 13 and 14 may be closed. At this time, it is preferable that the control of each supply amount and each exhaust amount is automatically performed in conjunction with the differential pressure gauge 12.
Also, the pressure in both chambers 2 and 6 may be adjusted at an arbitrary pressure. Further, it is preferable that the third valve 10a also operates in conjunction.

Although nitrogen is used as the inert gas, it is not limited to nitrogen but may be argon or the like.

The deposition in the CVD apparatus is not limited to an oxide film.
A nitride film, a metal film, or the like may be used. In addition, not only a CVD apparatus but also an epitaxial apparatus, an ion etching apparatus, or the like may be used.

[0033]

According to the present invention, the difference between the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber is determined by the differential pressure gauge.
Check that the pressure difference has disappeared with the differential pressure gauge
Even if the gate valve between the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber is opened, no gas moves and no dust is rolled up.

Further, since the flow rate is changed little by little by the gas flow control device, it is easy to control to eliminate the pressure difference between the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Load lock chamber 2a First gas supply port 5 First gate valve 6 Reaction chamber 6a Second gas supply port 9 Second gate valve 11 CVD apparatus (semiconductor manufacturing apparatus) 12 Differential pressure gauge 13 First gas exhaust port 14 Second gas exhaust port

Claims (4)

[Claims] A load lock chamber provided with a first gas supply port, a first gas exhaust port, an outside, and a first gate valve for taking a sample in and out; a second gas supply port and a second gas exhaust port; In a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a reaction chamber disposed therein, and a second gate valve connecting the load lock chamber and the reaction chamber so that the sample can be taken in and out, one of two terminals of a differential pressure gauge is connected to the load lock chamber. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having the other connected to the reaction chamber. 2. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a gas flow control device is provided at said gas supply port and / or said gas exhaust port of said load lock chamber and / or said reaction chamber. 3. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber and the load lock chamber communicate with each other through a bypass line via a valve. 4. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein an air filter is provided in said bypass line.