JPH113862A - Semiconductor manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To downsize a device for moving a reactor of a semiconductor manufacturing device with a simplified structure. SOLUTION: A supporting axis 12 is vertically fixed and supported on a stationary base 10. A rotatable case 14 is rotatably supported by the supporting axis 12 through a bearing 60. A bracket 16 is fixed on one of outer sides of the rotatable case 14. A heater base 18 is mounted on the bracket 16. A heater chamber 20 and a quartz tube placed in the heater chamber 20 are mounted on the heater base 18. The quartz tube which is integrated with the rotatable case 14 is rotatable through the bearing 60 along an arc around the supporting axis 12 between a set position A and a maintenance position C. A carriage of an elevator 25 is detachable from/attachable to the bracket 24. A boat chamber is placed under the heater base 18 and a boat in the boat chamber is coupled to the carriage.

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 in which an airtight chamber (a chamber for accommodating a wafer to be processed) is disposed below a quartz tube serving as a reaction furnace.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of the type described above, there is one shown in FIGS. In this semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, a heater 81 is housed in a housing (heater chamber) 80, and an airtight chamber 92 is arranged below the housing 80. The heater 81 and the furnace port assembly 82 are fixed to a heater base 84. Heater base 8
4 is fixed to a plate 86 with a pillar 85,
A total of four cylinders 87 (only two cylinders 87 are visible in FIG. 10) are driven in the vertical direction. The moving mechanism unit 83 includes a horizontally arranged 2
It has a guide shaft 88 and an air cylinder 89. The guide shaft 88 is supported by the frame 90. The air cylinder 89 has a cylinder body attached to the frame 90, and a piston rod connected to the heater 81 side. By driving the air cylinder 89, the heater 81 and the furnace port assembly 82 can move horizontally between the set position and the maintenance position, as shown in FIG. When the heater base 84 is driven in the vertical direction by the four cylinders 87 at the set position, the heater 81 enters (downs) or escapes from the hermetic chamber 92 containing the wafer to be processed. (Rise). Further, at the maintenance position, maintenance of the quartz tube (reactor, not shown) in the heater chamber 80 is performed. As shown in FIG. 11, the above-mentioned airtight chamber 92 is attached to a boat elevator 91. The wafer stored in the cassette shelf is taken out by the wafer take-out mechanism 100, and the airtight chamber 92 is taken out.
Set in. The boat 61 is a boat elevator 91
As a result, the wafers are raised one by one, and the wafers are sequentially set from the window of the hermetic chamber 92 to the respective stages of the internal multi-stage wafer accommodating portion. FIG. 11 shows a state where the heater 81 is raised.

[0003]

However, in the conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus as described above, when the reactor is maintained, a space for maintenance (the reactor is taken out of the heater chamber 80) is provided below the reactor. However, since the airtight chamber 92 is disposed below the reactor as described above, there is a problem that the reactor cannot be moved downward for maintenance. Therefore, it is necessary to move the heater chamber 80 including the reaction furnace in the horizontal direction between the set position and the maintenance position. Further, in order to move the heater chamber 80 in the horizontal direction, the heater chamber 8
Since the guide shafts 88 for guiding the movement of 0 are arranged on both the left and right sides (up and down in FIG. 8) of the heater chamber 80, the size of the apparatus is twice as large as the width of the guide shaft 88 in the width direction ( Since the size of the device is increased in the vertical direction in FIG. 8 and the frames 90 for fixing and supporting both ends of the guide shaft 88 are required, the size of the device also increases in the longitudinal direction (horizontal direction in FIG. 8). . In addition, there is also a problem that the space required for the maintenance work at the maintenance position is increased in order to prevent the guide shaft 88 and the frame 90 from obstructing the maintenance. Further, since four cylinders 87 are used to move the heater base 84 in the vertical direction, there is a problem that synchronous control is required, the mechanism becomes complicated, and the apparatus becomes larger. . The present invention
The purpose is to solve such a problem.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a reactor is rotated about a vertically fixed support shaft, and the reactor is horizontally moved in an arc between a predetermined set position and a maintenance position. With such a configuration, the above-described problem is solved. That is, in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, an airtight chamber (boat room 50) is disposed below the reaction furnace (quartz tube 22).
A horizontal moving device for moving the wafer horizontally between a predetermined position (A) for normal processing and a maintenance position (C) for maintenance work, and a wafer storage unit (boat) in the airtight chamber (50). 61) is provided with a vertical moving device (elevator device 25) having a movable part (carriage 26) capable of moving the vertical moving device 61) in the vertical direction. It is characterized in that the reaction furnace is rotatable so as to be movable in an arc between the set position and the maintenance position. According to a second aspect of the present invention, the horizontal movement device (25) is configured such that the support shaft (1) attached to the fixed portion (base 10) such that the axis is oriented in the vertical direction.
2) and a rotary case (14) supported by a support shaft (12) so as to be rotatable around its axis. The reaction furnace (22) is provided with the rotary case (14). ) Is fixed to the side wall surface. In addition,
Reference numerals in parentheses indicate corresponding members of the embodiment.

[0005]

When the reaction furnace is rotated about the support shaft, it moves in an arc between the set position and the maintenance position on the same horizontal plane. This eliminates the need to provide a guide shaft or a frame for supporting the guide shaft that protrudes to the side of the reaction furnace as in the case where the reaction furnace is reciprocated linearly, so that the apparatus is smaller than before. . In addition, since there is no obstacle around the reaction furnace other than the part where the reaction furnace is rotatably supported during the maintenance work, the maintenance space can be smaller than before.

[0006]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. On the fixed base 10, a hollow support shaft 12 is fixedly supported vertically by bolts 51 on the right end side in the figure. The rotating case 14 in the shape of a square tube has a bearing 60.
And is rotatably supported by the support shaft 12. That is, the rotating case 14 has a quadrangular prism shape on the outside,
The inner peripheral side is formed in a cylindrical shape with a circular hole (to be fitted with the outer diameter of the bearing 60 described above). Rotating case 14
The bracket 16 is fixed to one of the outer surfaces thereof (the surface facing upward in FIG. 1) with a bolt 52 on the downward mounting surface in the drawing. A pentagonal heater base 18 is attached to the bracket 16 on a support surface facing left in the figure. That is, the mounting portion 18 a on the right end side of the heater base 18 in FIG. 1 is fixedly supported on the support surface of the bracket 16 with the bolt 53. A heater chamber 20 is attached to the heater base 18. A quartz tube (reaction furnace) 22 is attached to the heater base 18 so as to be located inside the heater chamber 20 (FIG. 4).
reference). In the case of this embodiment, the support shaft 12, the bearing 60, the rotating case 14, and the bracket 16 constitute a horizontal moving device. With such a configuration, the quartz tube 22 is integrated with the heater chamber 20, the heater base 18, the bracket 16, the rotating case 14, and the like, and the vertical support shaft 12
It is rotatable around the arc between the setting position A and the maintenance position C. As shown in FIG. 2, the bracket 24 is mounted on the base 10 at the left end side in the figure with bolts 54. A carriage (movable part) 26 of an elevator device (vertical moving device) 25 is attached to the bracket 24 with a bolt 55. As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 26 has guide holes 26a.
And a ball nut portion 26b, and a guide shaft 29 is slidably fitted in the guide hole 26a. A ball screw 27 is screwed into the ball nut 26b. The lower end of the ball screw 27 is connected to the drive unit 35. The lower end of the guide shaft 29 is connected to the base of the elevator device 25. The elevator device 25 is configured by the carriage 26, the ball screw 27, the guide shaft 29, and the driving unit 35. As shown in FIG. 4, the carriage 26
It is connected to a boat 61 in a boat room (airtight chamber) 50 by a shaft 31. Thus, the boat 61 can move in the vertical direction in the drawing while being integrated with the carriage 26. The bottom of the carriage 26 and the boat room 50
A bellows 33 is provided so as to surround the outer periphery of the shaft 31 between the upper surface and the top plate. In FIG. 1, a ball spline mechanism 28 is disposed at a position opposite to a side where the elevator device 25 is disposed when viewed from the support shaft 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the axis of the ball spline mechanism 28 is arranged so as to be parallel to the axis of the support shaft 12. The ball spline mechanism 28 is connected to the heater base 18 by the elevator device 25 as described later.
Is provided so as to function as a guide when moving in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 5, on the base 10, a set position detection sensor 48 for detecting that the rotating case 14 is located at the set position A, and similarly, a maintenance for detecting that the rotating case 14 is located at the maintenance position C. The position detection sensor 47 and the shock absorber 4 for absorbing a shock when the heater base 18 moves from the maintenance position C and stops at the set position A.
9, and shock absorbers 41 for absorbing shock when the heater base 18 moves from the set position A side and stops at the maintenance position C are also provided. As shown in FIG. 6, the heater base 18 and
The top plate of the boat room 50 is fixed integrally with the top plate of the boat room 50 with fixing screws 56. With this configuration, the heater base 18 is moved up and down by the carriage 26 of the elevator device 25 in a state where the fixing screw 56 is loosened and the heater base 18 and the top plate of the boat room 50 are separated. Similarly, it is possible to raise and lower the boat 61 in the boat room 50 by the carriage 26 of the elevator device 25 in a state where the heater base 18 and the top plate of the boat room 50 are connected.
Each is possible. That is, the elevator device 25
Is a combination of a vertical movement mechanism for moving the heater base 18 in the vertical direction and a vertical movement mechanism for moving the boat 61 in the boat room 50 in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 7, the joining surface between the quartz tube 22 and the inlet chamber 32 is sealed by an O-ring 58, and is fixed in a state of being joined to each other by a fixing ring 46. The inlet chamber 32
It is an exhaust and gas introduction part, and is fixed to the block 36 with arms (three places) 34 and retaining screws 57. The block 36 includes a cylinder device 38 and a guide shaft 4.
0, guide bush 42, and shock absorber 44
Is attached. During maintenance, the cylinder device 38 keeps the inlet chamber 32 integral with the arm 34 or the like by a predetermined distance from the upper surface of the O-ring 59 of the base flange 21 (the lower surface of the inlet chamber 32 does not shear the O-ring 59 during rotation). It is provided in order to be able to separate by a vertical clearance distance that can be used.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
When moving the heater chamber 20 containing the quartz tube 22 from the set position A shown in FIG.
First, the cylinder body of the cylinder device 38 is moved upward (the piston is shortened) to separate the inlet chamber 32 from the O-ring 59 surface of the base flange 21 by a predetermined distance.
Keep 9 intact. Loosen the bolt 54 and slide the bracket 24 to the left in FIG.
To the carriage 26. Next, fixation screw 5
6 (see FIG. 6), the carriage 26 of the elevator apparatus 25 is moved upward in FIG. 3, and the heater base 18 is separated from the boat room 50. In this state, the bracket 16
The bracket 16, the heater base 18, the heater chamber 20, and the quartz tube 2 are gripped by hand and pivoted about the support shaft 12 via the bearing 60.
2. The intermediate case B
And moves horizontally in a circular arc to a position (maintenance position C) where the maintenance position detection sensor 47 operates, and is buffered by the shock absorber 41 when stopped. Thus, the heater chamber 20 is located at the maintenance position C without receiving an impact.
Next, a carriage for taking out a quartz tube (not shown) is positioned below the heater base 18, the retaining screw 57 (see FIG. 7) is removed, the inlet chamber 32 is removed, and the quartz tube 22 in the heater chamber 20 is removed. Is taken out on a quartz tube take-out cart and necessary maintenance is performed. To return the reassembled heater chamber 20 and the like from the maintenance position C shown in FIG. 1 to the set position A after maintenance is completed, the return operation may be performed in the reverse order of the above description. In this case, the bracket 16 is moved from the maintenance position C side to the set position A, and the set position sensor 48 is operated and stopped, and at the time of stop, the shock is absorbed by the shock absorber 49. The heater chamber 20 and the like are located at the set position A without receiving an impact.

In the description of the above embodiment,
Although the bracket 16 is fixed to the rotating case 14 and the heater base 18 is attached to the bracket 16, this is a configuration in a case where the mounting surface of the heater base 18 is significantly larger than the mounting surface of the rotating case 14. When the mounting surface of the heater base 18 is relatively small,
The heater base may be directly attached to the rotating case.

[0009]

As described above, according to the present invention, the reactor is rotated about the support shaft, thereby moving in an arc between the set position and the maintenance position on the same horizontal plane. This eliminates the need for a guide shaft or a frame that extends around the reaction furnace as in the case where the conventional reaction furnace is reciprocated linearly, so that the apparatus can be downsized. In addition, around the reaction furnace, except for the part that rotatably supports the reaction furnace,
Since there is no obstacle to the maintenance work, the maintenance space can be made smaller than before.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the vicinity of a support shaft shown in a partial cross section.

FIG. 3 is a side view around the elevator device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement relationship of a heater room, an elevator device, a boat room, and the like.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an arrangement relationship between a sensor and a shock absorber on a base.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a connection portion between a base and a boat room.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view around a furnace opening including a quartz tube.

FIG. 8 is a plan view around a heater of a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a side view around a heater of a conventional semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing a conventional heater chamber vertical movement mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a moving direction of a conventional heater chamber.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 base (fixed portion) 12 support shaft 14 rotating case 16 bracket 18 heater base 20 heater chamber 22 quartz tube (reactor) 24 bracket 25 elevator device (vertical moving device) 26 carriage (movable portion) 28 ball spline mechanism 30 fixed Hardware 32 Inlet chamber 34 Arm 36 Block 38 Cylinder device 40 Guide shaft 41, 49 Shock absorber 42 Guide bush 44 Shock absorber 46 Fixing ring 47 Maintenance position detection sensor 48 Set position detection sensor 50 Boat room (airtight chamber) 60 Bearing 61 Boat

Claims (2)

[Claims] An airtight chamber is disposed below a reactor, and a horizontal moving device for horizontally moving the reactor between a predetermined position for a normal process and a maintenance position for a maintenance operation. And a vertical movement device having a movable portion capable of vertically moving a wafer accommodating portion in an airtight chamber, wherein the horizontal movement device includes the reaction furnace. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus characterized by being rotatable so as to be movable in an arc shape between the set position and the maintenance position. 2. The rotating device according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal moving device includes a support shaft attached to the fixed portion such that the axis is oriented in a vertical direction, and a rotating case supported by the support shaft so as to be rotatable around the axis. 2. The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reaction furnace is fixed to a side wall surface of the rotating case. 3.