JPS6396919A - Apparatus for plasma processing - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten the cleaning time and to improve the quality of a device by a method wherein both open ends, which are located face to face with each other at a processing container of an apparatus for plasma processing, can be opened and closed and a cleaning operation to remove a product which is generated during a process and is deposited can be executed easily by opening and closing the front and rear lids with a view to preventing the damage of the processing container. CONSTITUTION:The front and rear ends which are located face to face with each other at a cylindrical horizontal-type plasma processing container 10 are constructed in such a way that they can be opened, and projected collars 11, 11' of a larger diameter are installed at the edges of the open ends. In addition, the front and rear ends are opened and closed by the front and rear lids 12, 12' which are installed at the front and rear parts of the processing container 10. An L-shaped latches 15 for opening and closing the lid are connected to the front opening/closing lid 12 via a connecting piece 14. In addition, a support plate 16 is connected to the other opening/closing lid 12' via a connecting piece 14', and this support plate 16 is installed at an appropriate place at the upper and lower ends of a mounting piece 17. Because both open ends can be opened and closed by the opening/closing lids 12, 12', it becomes easy to clean a product which is generated and adheres to the container, and it is possible to prevent the damage of the processing container 10.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention involves evacuating the inside of a plasma processing container to create a vacuum, introducing a reaction gas into the plasma processing container, and causing the reaction gas to become a plasma discharge. The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus that performs plasma processing on a substrate to be processed.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art In semiconductor manufacturing technology for integrated circuits and the like, as circuit patterns become finer, there is a shift from conventional wet processing to dry processing.

In this process, after the inside of the processing container is evacuated, a reaction gas is introduced into the processing container, a plasma discharge is caused between the electrodes, and the substrate to be processed is processed using the reaction gas excited by this discharge. Processing apparatuses are the mainstream, and among them, batch processing systems that use cylindrical processing containers that process a large number of sheets at the same time are frequently used because of their high throughput.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

This cylindrical processing container is used for ashing (ashing of photoresist, etc.), etching, and CV'D processing. Therefore, various reactive substances generated during processing of a wafer, which is a substrate to be processed, adhere to the inner peripheral wall surface of the processing container.

This deposit re-diffuses into the processing container during wafer processing, contaminates the wafer, and causes a serious problem of deteriorating the yield of devices.

As a countermeasure to this problem, it is currently necessary to thoroughly clean the inside of the processing container every day at the earliest, or every few weeks at the most.

However, this cleaning work is time-consuming because these devices are used in a clean room, and many of the devices have structures that are difficult to access.

In particular, it is extremely difficult to sufficiently clean a processing container having a long depth, and as a result, deposits cannot be sufficiently removed, which has been a problem in improving the yield of devices.

Additionally, cleaning takes time, which is a factor in reducing productivity.

The present invention has been made in view of these conventional problems, and its purpose is to improve the yield of devices by making it possible to clean the inside of a cylindrical processing container easily and thoroughly in a short time. An object of the present invention is to provide a plasma processing apparatus that can achieve the following objectives.

[Means for solving problems]

To achieve this object, one aspect of the present invention is a cylindrical plasma processing apparatus characterized by a configuration in which both opposing opening surfaces of a plasma processing chamber for a substrate to be processed can be opened and closed.

〔Example〕

It goes without saying that the apparatus of the present invention includes not only an apparatus having a horizontal plasma processing container but also an apparatus having a vertical plasma processing container.

Embodiments of the present invention apparatus having a horizontal cylindrical plasma processing vessel will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram from a plane view of an example of a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram from a partially sectional side view. A cylindrical horizontal plasma processing vessel (hereinafter referred to as the processing vessel), with a slightly large diameter brim-like body 11.1 at the front and rear opening edges.
1' is integrally provided in a protruding manner.

Reference numeral 12.12' denotes front and rear lids that open and close the front and rear openings of the processing container 10, and are sealed by an O-ring 13.13' provided in the recess of the collar-like body 11.11' to maintain the vacuum inside the processing container 10. It has become so. 1. The front lid 12 is connected to a generally laminated lid opening/closing rack 15 via a connecting member 14, and the rack 15 is connected along a passage provided on the axially outer side of the processing container 10, as shown in FIGS.
The front opening of the processing container is opened and closed by the front lid 12 by reciprocating in the direction of the solid arrow indicated by the number 100 in the figure.

On the other hand, the rear lid 12' facing the front lid 12 is connected to the connecting member 1.
4', and a hinge attachment member 17 is connected to the support body 16 so that the attachment member 1
7 has its upper and lower ends pivoted at appropriate positions on the back body 19 via a hinge 18, and pivots about the hinge 18 in the direction of the solid arrow shown by the numeral 200 in FIG.
The rear opening is opened and closed by a rear lid 12'.

Note that the rear opening of the processing container 10 may be opened and closed by the rear lid 12' in a sliding manner via an opening/closing rack similarly to the front lid 12, and although not particularly shown,
Both the front and rear differences 12 and 12' may be of a vertical (vertical) sliding type.

In any case, any structure may be used as long as the opposing front and rear openings of the processing container 10 can be opened and closed by the lids 12 and 12'.

20 is a reaction gas introduction pipe, 21 is a vacuum exhaust pipe, 22.23
1 shows electrodes arranged around the outer periphery of the processing container 10.

In the above configuration, the wafer boat 25 in which wafers 24, which are substrates to be processed, are arranged vertically is placed in the processing container 10, the processing container 10 is sealed with the double-sided lid 12, 12', and the inside of the container 10 is evacuated. After evacuation through the tube 21, a predetermined amount of reaction gas is introduced through the gas introduction tube 20 to bring the inside of the processing container 10 to a predetermined gas pressure, and high-frequency power is applied to the electrodes 22, 23 from a high-frequency power source (not shown). Then, a plasma discharge is caused in the processing container 10, and the wafer 24 is processed by the reactive gas excited by the discharge. By the way, in this plasma processing step, the generated products adhere to the inner circumferential wall of the processing container 10, and the inside of the processing container 10 is cleaned to remove the adhered products by opening and closing the front lid 12. 15, the rear lid 12' is also opened by rotating about the hinge 18, and both the front and rear sides of the processing container 10 are opened, and the cleaning operation is performed from both sides.

In this case, since the processing container 10 is open on both sides and has a cylindrical shape, there is no risk of damaging the quartz glass processing container even if it is pushed hard, and since it can be reached from both sides, it is easy to use. In addition to being able to perform sufficient cleaning, the processing container 10 can be removed from the tube and have no corners, so cleaning can be performed easily and thoroughly.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, both opening surfaces of the plasma processing vessel for the substrate to be processed can be opened and closed. The inside of the container can be cleaned by opening the front and rear lids and removing the inside of the processing container, so cleaning can be done safely, quickly, easily, and thoroughly without damaging the processing container. This is extremely effective in improving device manufacturing yield and quality.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the configuration seen from the top, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration seen from the side with a portion cut away. 10... Plasma processing container 12.12'... Opening/closing lid

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical plasma processing apparatus characterized by a configuration in which both opposing opening surfaces of a plasma processing container for a substrate to be processed can be opened and closed.