KR100752148B1 - Substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, wherein the substrate processing apparatus of the present invention includes a process tube in which a wafer boat is loaded / unloaded and a flange installed at a bottom of the process tube to support the process tube, wherein the flange is an annular body. And, it comprises a plurality of exhaust ports are formed at regular intervals along the inner surface of the body so that uniform exhaust from the process tube. In the diffusion furnace installation having the above-described configuration, since the residual gas is uniformly exhausted to obtain a film having a uniform thickness on the wafers, the quality and reliability are improved and the yield is significantly increased.

Diffusion Furnace, Bolt, Flange, Gas Exhaust

Description

Substrate Processing Facility {SUBSTRATE PROCESSING APPARATUS}

Figure 1a is a schematic diagram showing a typical diffusion furnace equipment.

FIG. 1B is a plan sectional view of the flange for explaining gas exhaust from the flange shown in FIG. 1A.

2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a diffusion furnace installation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the flange shown in FIG. 2.

4 is a sectional view showing a gas flow in a diffusion furnace installation.

5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line a-a shown in FIG. 4.

6 is a view showing another example of the flange.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

110: process tube

120: flange

124: exhaust port

125: annular space

126: exhaust port

130: wafer boat

140: cap flange

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly to a vertical substrate processing equipment.

In general, a wafer is fabricated into a semiconductor device after repeatedly performing a semiconductor manufacturing process such as photography, diffusion, etching, chemical vapor deposition, and metal deposition.

The diffusion process of the semiconductor manufacturing process described above is a process in which impurity particles are diffused on a wafer so that the wafer has the required electrical characteristics. The diffusion of materials moves from a high concentration to a low concentration equilibrium. It is a process using development.

This diffusion process is generally accomplished by placing the wafers in a vertical or horizontal diffusion furnace and injecting a process gas containing impurity particles into the diffusion furnace to diffuse the impurity particles onto the wafer.

Figure 1a is a schematic view showing a diffuser installation according to the prior art, Figure 1b is a plan sectional view of the flange shown in Figure 1a.

1A and 1B, a diffusion furnace installation 10 according to the prior art is composed of outer and inner tubes 11a and 11b that are sealed to the outside and provide space for performing a diffusion process on a plurality of wafers. The process tube 11, the flange 12 which supports a process tube, the wafer boat 13 etc. which several wafers are stacked and layered at regular intervals are included.

In the diffusion furnace facility 10 having the above configuration, the process gas is supplied to the inside of the inner tube 11b through the nozzle 12b provided on the flange 12 and then sprayed to the side of the boat 12 so that diffusion occurs. You lose. At this time, the diffused process gas deposits a film on the surface of the wafers seated inside the boat 12, and the remaining gas is formed on the inner tube 11b and the inner tube 11b at the upper end of the inner tube 11b. After being moved through the passage between the outside and the discharge is made through the exhaust port (12a).

However, such a diffusion path facility 10 exhausts residual gas using a single exhaust port 12a, so that the gas flow between the positions becomes uneven as the exhaust of gas is biased to one side, and thus the boat 13 Various problems are inherent, such as not only the deposition rate of the film quality deposited on the surface of each wafer loaded on the wafer) but also the uneven thickness of the film quality, thereby increasing the defective rate. In addition, when pressure fluctuations in the exhaust line 18 occur, there is a problem in that the dust remaining inside the exhaust line 18 is immediately scattered into the process tube 11.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus for uniformly evacuating gas exhausted from inside a process tube.

An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus that can improve the uniformity of the thickness and film quality of the specific film deposited on the wafer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of preventing contamination of a process tube due to a sudden change in exhaust pressure.

Substrate processing equipment for achieving the above object is a process tube is loaded / unloaded wafer boat; And a flange installed at the bottom of the process tube to support the process tube; The flange includes an annular body and a plurality of exhaust ports are formed along the inner surface of the body at regular intervals so that uniform exhaust from the process tube is achieved. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate processing equipment is applicable to diffusion furnace equipment.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the flange further comprises an annular space formed between the outer side and the inner side of the body.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the exhaust vents are connected to the annular space.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the flange comprises an annular space formed between the outer side and the inner side of the body and connected to the exhaust ports; The apparatus further includes an exhaust port connected to an exhaust line for forced exhaust of the inside of the process tube and connected to the annular space.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the process tube has an upper and a lower opening, and an inner tube in which a wafer boat is loaded and unloaded therein, and spaced outwardly of the inner tube, between the inner tube and the inner tube. It includes an outer tube that is blocked at the top and opened at the bottom to form a process gas flow passage.

Diffusion furnace equipment for achieving the above object is a process tube is loaded / unloaded wafer boat; And a flange installed at the bottom of the fixed tube to support the process tube. The flange has an annular body; An exhaust port formed on an outer surface of the body and connected to an exhaust line for forced exhaust of the inside of the process tube; Exhaust ports formed in the inner surface of the body; And an inner space formed between the outer and inner surfaces of the body and connecting the exhaust port and the exhaust ports.

For example, embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. This embodiment is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the shape of the elements in the drawings and the like are exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 6. In addition, in the drawings, the same reference numerals are denoted together for components that perform the same function.

The basic intention of the present invention is to improve the film quality by uniformizing the pressure inside the process tube, to maintain a constant temperature of the flange and to achieve a balanced exhaust of unreacted gas. The diffusion furnace facility is characterized by having a double wall flange to provide an annular space therein and having a plurality of exhaust ports on the inner wall.

2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a diffusion furnace installation according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the flange shown in FIG. 2.

2 and 3, the diffusion furnace installation of the present invention is a process tube 110, flange 120, wafer boat 130, cap flange 140, drive unit 150, and heater 160 ).

The process tube 110 includes an outer tube 112 and an inner tube 114 that is received at a predetermined interval inside the outer tube 112. The inner tube 114 is shaped like a cylindrical tube of quartz, and the inner tube 114 is loaded with a wafer boat 130 loaded with a wafer w to provide an internal space where chemical vapor deposition proceeds on the wafers. . The inner tube 114 is supported by the first support end 128a formed in the inner wall 122a of the flange 120. The outer tube 112 is formed in a closed cylindrical tube installed on the outside of the inner tube 114 to seal the inside thereof, and is supported by the second support end 128b of the upper end of the flange 120.

The heater 160 provides predetermined heat to the process tube 110 outside the process tube 110 to maintain the temperature inside the process tube 110 required for the diffusion process. To this end, the heater 160 is provided with a control unit (not shown) outside the diffusion furnace facility 100, and the control unit senses the temperature of the process tube 110, and then the temperature of the process tube 110 is required for the process. When the temperature is lowered below, the heater 160 controls the heating of the process tube 110.

The flange 120 is installed below the process tube 110 to support the process tube 110 and at the same time process gases used in the diffusion furnace facility 100 leak between the process tube 110 and the flange 120. It is sealed to prevent it from going out. The flange 120 has a gas nozzle 129 for injecting a process gas into the inner tube 114 on one side, and an exhaust port 124 for forcibly sucking and exhausting internal air to depressurize the inside of the process tube 110. For example, an exhaust part 123 including an annular space 125 and an exhaust port 126 is provided. In the present exemplary embodiment, the gas nozzle 129 is illustrated and described as being short. However, this is only one example, and the gas nozzle may be a long nozzle extended to the upper end of the outer tube in a direction perpendicular to the inside of the process tube. When using such a long nozzle, the inner tube can be removed and applied with only the outer tube.

3 to 5, the flange 120 has a body 122 having a double wall structure including an inner wall 122a and an outer wall 122b. An annular space 125 is formed between the inner wall 122a and the outer wall 122b of the body 122. The flange is expected to have a warming effect because the body is made of a double structure having an annular space.

Forced suction (exhaust) of unreacted gas (hereinafter referred to as residual gas) from the exhaust space 116 formed between the outer tube 112 and the inner tube 114 on the inner wall 122a of the body 122. A plurality of vents 124 are formed, which are connected to the annular space 125. In addition, an exhaust port 126 is formed in the outer wall 122b of the body 122 and connected to the annular space 125 and connected to an external exhaust line 190. Thus, residual gas (unreacted gas, etc.) flowing into the exhaust space 116 between the outer tube 112 and the inner tube 114 is sucked through the exhaust ports 124 and collected in the annular space 125 and then exhausted. It is exhausted to the exhaust line 190 through the port 126. In particular, the annular space acts as a buffer space when a pressure change occurs in the exhaust line, thereby minimizing dust (particle) scattering into the process tube due to a sudden pressure change.

The exhaust ports 124 are disposed at predetermined angles about an inner center of the flange 120. Here, in the present embodiment, the number of the exhaust ports 124 formed in the inner wall 122a of the body 122 of the flange 120 is illustrated and described as 14, but is not limited thereto, 14 or less than 14 exhaust ports ( 124 may be disposed on the inner wall 122b of the body 122, and the arrangement and shape of the exhaust ports 124 may be variously applied. As such, the diffusion furnace facility 100 of the present invention forms a plurality of exhaust ports 124 on the inner wall 122b of the flange 120 so that the internal pressure and the exhaust flow are uniformly formed.

6 is a view showing another example of the flange.

As shown in FIG. 6, the flange 124 ′ is provided with a heater 180 on the outside of the body 122, thereby keeping the body 122 of the flange constant. Therefore, powder generation in the annular space 125 can be prevented. In addition, as the size of the exhaust port 124 is further away from the exhaust port 126, the exhaust port 126 is formed to have a uniform exhaust as a whole.

2 and 4, the wafer boat 130 mounts the plurality of wafers w in parallel up and down. The wafer boat 130 is made of, for example, a quartz material of high heat resistance and low chemical change, and is inserted into the process tube 110 while a plurality of wafers are loaded to fix and support the wafers for the diffusion process. It plays a role.

The cap flange 140 couples and supports the wafer boat 130. In addition, the cap flange 140 is tightly supported by the drive unit 150 to the lower portion of the flange 120, and seals the lower end of the flange 120 so that the process gas used in the process does not leak to the outside. One side of the cap flange 140 is coupled to the driving unit 150 to be moved up and down by the driving unit 150. The driving unit 150 is an assembly including a lead screw and a motor or an air cylinder, and moves the cap flange 140 up and down to enter and exit the wafer boat 130 to and from the process tube 110.

Hereinafter, the operation and action of the diffusion furnace installation 100 having the above-described configuration.

4 is a sectional view showing a gas flow in a diffusion furnace installation, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line a-a shown in FIG.

4 and 5, in order to perform the diffusion process, the plurality of wafers w are mounted on the wafer boat 130. The wafer boat 130 on which the plurality of wafers w are mounted is lifted by the driver 150 and loaded into the inner tube 112. When the wafer boat 130 is loaded into the inner tube 112, the process gas is supplied to the inner tube 112 through the gas nozzle 129 provided in the flange 120. The process gas deposits a film on the surface of the wafers seated on the wafer boat 130, and the residual gas is raised to the open top of the inner tube 112 and then between the inner tube 112 and the outer tube 114. It descends again along the exhaust passage 116 provided in the air, and flows into the annular space 125 through the exhaust ports 124 formed in the inner wall 122a of the flange 120. Residual gas or the like introduced into the annular space 125 is exhausted to the exhaust line 190 through the exhaust port 126.

As described above, in the diffusion furnace installation 100 of the present invention, since the residual gas is forcibly sucked through the exhaust ports 124 formed in the inner wall 122a of the flange 120, the exhaust flow in the exhaust passage 116 is reduced. Uniform. In particular, the body 122 of the flange 120 is composed of a double wall structure having an annular space 125 to keep the body temperature of the flange 120, the product by the unreacted gas (residual gas) (Powder) Deposition can be suppressed.

The diffusion furnace equipment according to the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited by the above-described embodiment. The technical idea of the present invention is to provide a flange of a double wall structure having an annular space therein in a diffusion furnace installation that performs a diffusion process.

As described above, the present invention can obtain a film having a uniform thickness on the wafers by uniformly evacuating residual gas, thereby improving quality and reliability and significantly increasing yield.

According to the present invention, even if the pressure changes in the exhaust line, the annular space acts as a buffering space, and thus the special effect of minimizing dust (particle) scattering into the process tube due to the rapid pressure change can prevent contamination inside the process tube. have.

Claims (9)

delete In substrate processing equipment: A process tube into which a wafer boat is loaded / unloaded; And A flange installed at the bottom of the process tube to support the process tube; The flange An annular body and a plurality of exhaust ports formed at regular intervals along an inner side surface of the body to achieve uniform exhaust from the process tube; And And an annular space formed between the outer side and the inner side of the body. The method of claim 2, And said vents are connected to said annular space. In substrate processing equipment: A process tube into which a wafer boat is loaded / unloaded; And A flange installed at the bottom of the process tube to support the process tube; The flange An annular body and a plurality of exhaust ports formed at regular intervals along an inner side surface of the body to achieve uniform exhaust from the process tube; And An annular space formed between the outer side and the inner side of the body and connected to the exhaust ports; And an exhaust port connected to an exhaust line for forced evacuation inside the process tube and connected to the annular space. The method according to claim 2 or 4, The process tube has an upper and a lower opening, and an inner tube in which a wafer boat is loaded and unloaded into the inner tube and spaced outwardly of the inner tube to form a process gas flow path between the inner tube and the inner tube. And an outer tube which is blocked and whose bottom is opened. In substrate processing equipment: A process tube into which a wafer boat is loaded / unloaded; And A flange installed at the bottom of the fixed tube to support the process tube; The flange Annular body; An exhaust port formed on an outer surface of the body and connected to an exhaust line for forced exhaust of the inside of the process tube; Exhaust ports formed in the inner surface of the body; And And an inner space formed between an outer surface and an inner surface of the body and connecting the exhaust port and the exhaust ports. The method of claim 6, The exhaust ports are formed along the inner surface of the body at regular intervals, substrate processing equipment, characterized in that the exhaust of the process tube is uniform. In substrate processing equipment: A process tube into which a wafer boat is loaded / unloaded; And A flange installed at the bottom of the process tube to support the process tube; The flange An annular body and a plurality of exhaust ports formed at regular intervals along an inner side surface of the body to achieve uniform exhaust from the process tube; And An exhaust port connected to the exhaust line for forced exhaust, And the exhaust ports become larger as they move away from the exhaust port. In substrate processing equipment: A process tube into which a wafer boat is loaded / unloaded; And A flange installed at the bottom of the process tube to support the process tube; The flange An annular body and a plurality of exhaust ports formed at regular intervals along an inner side surface of the body to achieve uniform exhaust from the process tube; And Substrate processing equipment comprising a heater for keeping the temperature constant on the outer peripheral surface.

Images