KR101879230B1 - Apparatus for polishing semiconductor wafers - Google Patents

Abstract

A machining apparatus for polishing a semiconductor substrate is provided. The substrate polishing apparatus includes a polishing apparatus, a cleaning apparatus, and a substrate transfer apparatus for transferring a substrate therebetween. Wherein the polishing apparatus comprises two polishing units arranged in a line optimized for one-stage polishing, the cleaning apparatus comprising at least one substrate cleaning unit including two cleaning chambers arranged in a line and two drying chambers And a substrate drying unit. The substrates to be polished in the polishing apparatus for substrate polishing are divided into the two polishing parts, polished in the respective polishing tables, and then sent to the cleaning device by the substrate transfer device. In the cleaning apparatus, the substrates are divided into two cleaning chambers of the at least one substrate cleaning section and cleaned. Then, the substrates are divided into two drying chambers of the substrate drying section and dried. The substrate polishing apparatus provided by the present invention is optimized for one-stage polishing, thereby providing high productivity and efficient clean room space utilization.

Description

[0001] APPARATUS FOR POLISHING SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERS [0002]

This application is assigned the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2012-0013549, filed February 10, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to a processing apparatus for a semiconductor substrate, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for polishing and cleaning a semiconductor substrate.

A processing apparatus for polishing a substrate for polishing a semiconductor wafer includes a polishing apparatus and a cleaning apparatus. The polishing apparatus includes a plurality of polishing tables and polishing heads. The polishing heads use an abrasive on the polishing pad attached to the polishing table to polish the insulating film or metal film on the substrate surface. The cleaning apparatus comprises a cleaning chamber for cleaning the polished substrate and a drying chamber for drying the cleaned substrate.

There is a demand for a polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate which provides high productivity as semiconductor substrate polishing processes are used more frequently in semiconductor device manufacturing processes. In addition, since the polishing apparatus for substrate polishing is installed in a clean room requiring expensive construction and operation costs, a small-sized apparatus is preferred for the same productivity. In order to provide a small-area apparatus, it is important to design and arrange the polishing apparatus and the cleaning apparatus in the polishing processing apparatus to efficiently utilize the space.

In the polishing apparatus, a three-stage polishing apparatus is used in which the substrate is divided into three stages while sequentially passing through three polishing tables. However, in the three-stage polishing apparatus, the first-stage polishing used for removing the surface roughness of the substrate and the removal of the particles generated in the insulating film deposition process, for example, the polishing of the substrate surface It is inefficient for reforming.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for polishing a substrate for polishing and cleaning a semiconductor substrate which is suitable for one-stage polishing and provides high productivity and efficient space utilization.

A substrate polishing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is a substrate polishing apparatus for polishing a substrate including a first and a second polishing section which are arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the substrate polishing apparatus and each include one polishing table and one substrate loading section A cleaning apparatus comprising a polishing apparatus, a substrate drying section including at least one substrate cleaning section and two drying chambers, which are arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the substrate polishing processing apparatus and including two cleaning chambers, And a substrate transferring unit disposed between the apparatus and the cleaning apparatus for transferring the substrate from the polishing apparatus to the cleaning apparatus. Wherein the first substrate loading portion and the first polishing table of the first polishing portion and the second substrate loading portion and the second polishing table of the second substrate polishing portion are arranged in a line in the longitudinal direction of the substrate polishing processing device .

According to the present invention, it is possible to secure a machining apparatus and method for polishing a semiconductor substrate, which provides high productivity and efficient space utilization and is suitable for one-stage polishing.

1 is a plan view of a substrate polishing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a side view of a polishing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a side view of a cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a plan view of a substrate polishing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, reference numerals are added to reference numerals, and reference numerals are denoted by adding a prime (') or double prime (") symbol to components having the same function. A second polishing apparatus having the same function is denoted by 100a and 100a ', respectively, and the first drying chamber and the second and third drying chambers having the same function are denoted by 145a' and 145a ', respectively.

Referring to Fig. 1, a substrate polishing apparatus 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Fig. 1 is a plan view of a substrate polishing apparatus 500. Fig. The substrate polishing apparatus 500 includes a first substrate transfer section 20, a second substrate transfer section 30, a polishing apparatus 100, and a cleaning apparatus 200.

The first substrate transfer unit 20 includes a substrate transfer device 20a and the substrate transfer device 20a can be fastened to the track 20b to be movable. The first substrate transfer section 20 is disposed in the front portion of the substrate polishing processing apparatus 500. A substrate storage device 10 for storing the substrate 5 is attached to the first substrate transfer part 20.

The second substrate transfer section 30 includes an input substrate holder 25 and a substrate transfer device 30a. The substrate transferring section 30 is disposed between the polishing apparatus 100 and the cleaning apparatus 200 along the longitudinal direction of the substrate polishing processing apparatus 500. The second substrate transfer unit 30 is disposed such that the first end 30x of the second substrate transfer unit 30 is adjacent to the first substrate transfer unit 20. An input substrate holder 25 is disposed at the first end 30x to receive the substrate from the substrate transfer device 20a of the first substrate transfer unit 20. The substrate transfer device 30a can be fastened to the track 30b so as to be movable. The substrate transfer device 30a transfers the substrate from the input substrate holder 25.

The polishing apparatus 100 includes first and second polishing units 100a and 100a '. The polishing apparatus 100 is disposed on the opposite side of the cleaning apparatus 200 with the second substrate transfer section 30 therebetween along the longitudinal direction of the substrate polishing apparatus 500. [ The polishing apparatus 100 is disposed so that the first end 100x thereof is adjacent to the first substrate transferring section 20.

The first polishing portion 100a includes a polishing table 110, two polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b, a loading station 130 and a circular track 140, . The second polishing portion 100a 'includes one polishing table 110', two polishing head assemblies 120a 'and 120b', one substrate loading portion 130 'and one circular track 140' .

The polishing table 110 of the first polishing section 100a is disposed at the first end 100x of the polishing apparatus 100 and the polishing table 110 'of the second polishing section 100a' 100x of the polishing apparatus 100, which is opposite to the second end 100y. The polishing table 110 of the first polishing section 100a, the substrate loading section 130 of the first polishing section 100a, the substrate loading section 130 'of the second polishing section 100a' The polishing table 110 'of the polishing pad 100a' is arranged in the order of the polishing table 110, the substrate loading part 130, the substrate loading part 130 'and the polishing table 110' Are arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the polishing processing device (500). According to the embodiment of the present invention, the polishing table 110 and the substrate loading unit 130 of the first polishing unit 100a may be arranged in a different position. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the polishing table 110 'and the substrate loading part 130' of the second polishing part 100a 'may be arranged in a different position.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the first polishing portion 100a is further described. 2 is a side view of the first polishing portion 100a. The second polishing part 100 'is configured similarly to the first polishing part 100a. The polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b of the first polishing section 100a are provided with respective polishing heads 122a and 122b, respective rotational shafts 123a and 123b, respective polishing head driving devices 124a and 124b, And guide blocks 125a and 125b (guide blocks). The polishing heads 122a and 122b are connected to the respective polishing head driving devices 124a and 124b by respective rotation shafts 123a and 123b. The polishing head driving devices 124a and 124b rotate the substrates attracted to the respective polishing heads 122a and 123b on the polishing table 110 by rotating the respective rotating shafts 123a and 123b, To polish the substrate on the polishing table 110 by applying pressure through a fluid tube formed within the polishing table 123b.

The polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b are retractably coupled to the circular track 140 by respective guide blocks 125a and 125b. The polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b can move along the circular track 140 by means of feed drives (not shown in Figures 1 and 2) connected to each. A substrate loading portion 130 and a polishing table 110 are disposed below the circular track 140. The polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b are disposed along the circular track 140 between a substrate loading portion 130 and a polishing table 110 are reciprocated between each other.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b are connected to each other by one cradle (not shown in Figures 1 and 2) (Not shown in Figs. 1 and 2) to swap between the substrate loading portion 130 and the polishing table 110 at the same time.

The polishing table 110 is connected to the rotation driving device 114 by the rotation shaft 113 and rotated. The polishing table 110 is provided with an abrasive pad (not shown in Fig. 2) and an abrasive (not shown in Fig. 2) are supplied onto the polishing pad so that the polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b can polish the substrate .

The substrate loading portion 130 is configured to load the substrate to the polishing heads 122a and 122b or to move the polishing heads 122a and 122b to the substrate loading portions 130a and 120b when the polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b are positioned on the substrate loading portion 130. [ The substrate to be unloaded is received.

Taking the case of the polishing section 100a as an example, a method of polishing the substrate in the polishing sections 100a and 100a 'includes the following steps.

(1) positioning the polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b on the substrate loading portion 130 and the polishing table 110, respectively,

(2) transferring the substrate to the substrate loading part 130 by the substrate transfer device 30a of the second substrate transfer part 30,

(3) the polishing head assembly 120a sucking the substrate from the substrate loading portion 130,

(4) transferring the polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b along the circular track 140 and moving them to the polishing table 110 and the substrate loading part 130, respectively,

(5) unloading the substrate from the polishing head assembly 120b and lowering it to the substrate loading portion 130,

(6) removing the substrate from the substrate loading part (130) by the substrate transfer device (30a) of the second substrate transfer part (30) and providing a new substrate,

(7) the polishing head assembly 120b adsorbs the new substrate from the substrate loading portion 130,

(8) swapping by transferring the polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b along the circular track 140 and positioning them on the substrate loading portion 130 and the polishing table 110, respectively,

(9) unloading the substrate from the polishing head assembly 120a to the substrate loading portion 130 and lowering the substrate into the substrate loading portion 130, and

(10) removing the substrate from the substrate loading part (130) by the substrate transfer device (30a) of the second substrate transfer part (30) and providing a new substrate.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, a cleaning apparatus 200 of a substrate polishing apparatus 500 will be described. 3 is a side view of the cleaning apparatus 200. Fig.

The cleaning apparatus 200 is arranged opposite to the polishing apparatus 100 with the second substrate transfer section 30 therebetween along the longitudinal direction of the substrate polishing processing apparatus 500. The first end 200x of the cleaning apparatus 200 is disposed adjacent to the first substrate transfer unit 20 and the second end 200y opposite thereto is disposed away from the first substrate transfer unit 20. The substrate input unit 210 of the cleaning apparatus 200 is disposed at the second end 200y and the substrate drying unit 145 of the cleaning apparatus 200 is disposed at the first end 200x.

The cleaning apparatus 200 further includes at least one, e.g., three, substrate cleaners 220, 230, and 240 disposed in series between the substrate input 210 and the substrate drying unit 145. 3, the substrate input unit 210, the substrate cleaning units 220-240, and the substrate drying unit 145 may include a substrate input unit 210, a first substrate cleaning unit 220, The second substrate cleaning unit 230, the third substrate cleaning unit 240 and the substrate drying unit 145 are arranged in a line and fixed to the lower frame 202 of the cleaning apparatus 200. The substrate input unit 210, the substrate cleaners 220-240 and the substrate drying unit 145 may vertically erase the substrate so that the front surface of the semiconductor substrate may contact the first end 200x or the second end 200x of the cleaning apparatus 200 200y.

The first substrate cleaner 220 includes two cleaning chambers 220a and 220a '. The second substrate cleaning section 230 includes two cleaning chambers 230a and 230a '. The third substrate cleaning section 240 includes two cleaning chambers 240a and 240a '. The substrate drying unit 145 includes three drying chambers 145a, 145a 'and 145a ".

The cleaning chambers 220a-240a 'are configured to clean while supporting the substrate vertically. Chemical cleaning agents such as SC1 (mixed aqueous solution of fruit and ammonia) and HF (aqueous solution of HF) may be used for cleaning the substrate. Ultrapure water may be used for cleaning after cleaning. During the cleaning and cleaning process. A PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) brush can be used to wipe the substrate. A megasonic wave may be applied to the substrate to facilitate cleaning. The first, second, and third substrate cleaners 220, 230, and 240 may be configured to clean the substrate with different cleaning methods, respectively. The cleaning chambers 220a and 220a 'of the first substrate cleaner 220 are configured to clean the substrate by the same cleaning method. The cleaning chambers 230a and 230a 'of the second substrate cleaner 230 are configured to clean the substrate by the same cleaning method. The cleaning chambers 240a and 240a 'of the third substrate cleaning section 240 are configured to clean the substrate by the same cleaning method.

The drying chambers 145a and 145a 'are configured to support the substrate vertically and configured to dry by rotating the substrate or by the Marangoni method of spraying and drying IPA (isopropyl alcohol) on the substrate It is possible. The drying chambers 145a and 145a 'are configured to dry the substrate in the same manner.

The cleaning apparatus 200 further includes a linear transfer device 270. The linear transfer device 270 transfers the substrates from the substrate input 210 to the substrate cleaners 220-240 sequentially through at least one substrate gripping device secured to the straight track 274, 145, respectively. For example, the linear transport device 270 includes four substrate gripping devices 272a-272d fastened to a straight track 274 as shown in FIG. The substrate gripping devices 272a-272d may be configured such that the linear feed motion on the linear track 274 is individually controlled by the respective linear feed drive devices 275a-275d.

The linear track 274 is installed on the upper part of the cleaning apparatus 200 and the linear track 274 may be divided into a plurality of linear tracks in which at least one of the substrate gridding devices 272a-272d is fastened.

The substrate gripping devices 272a-272d include respective substrate gripping arms 272a'-272d 'as shown in FIG. The substrate gripping arms 272a'-272d 'are connected to the respective substrate gripping devices 272a, 272d so as to be able to exchange substrates with the substrate input 210, the substrate cleaners 220-240, -272d.

The linear transfer device 270 is configured such that the first substrate gridding device 272a is connected to the cleaning chambers 220a and 220a 'of the first substrate cleaner 220 from the substrate input 210, 272b are moved from the cleaning chambers 220a and 220a 'of the first substrate cleaner 220 to the cleaning chambers 230a and 230a' of the second substrate cleaner 230 and the third substrate gridding device 272c Are transferred from the cleaning chambers 230a and 230a 'of the second substrate cleaner 230 to the cleaning chambers 240a and 240a' of the third substrate cleaner 240 and to the fourth substrate gripper 272d Is configured to transfer the substrate from the cleaning chambers 240a and 240a 'of the third substrate cleaning section 240 to the drying chambers 145a and 145a' of the substrate drying section 145.

The cleaning apparatus 200a uses the linear transfer apparatus 270 to transfer the first group of substrates including the first substrate from the substrate input unit 210 to the cleaning chambers 220a and 220a ' One of the cleaning chambers 230a and 230a 'of the second substrate cleaning section 230, one of the cleaning chambers 240a and 240a' of the third substrate cleaning section 240, For example, one of the drying chambers 145a and 145a 'of the first drying chamber 145, for example, the first drying chamber 145a, and the second group of substrates, including the second substrate, Another one of the cleaning chambers 220a and 220a 'of the first substrate cleaner 220, another one of the cleaning chambers 230a and 230a' of the second substrate cleaner 230, One of the cleaning chambers 240a and 240a 'of the substrate cleaning section 240 and the other of the drying chambers 145a and 145a' of the substrate drying section 145, The sequence is constructed and sent to a second drying chamber (145a ') for cleaning and drying.

1, the substrate transfer device 30a of the second substrate transfer unit 30 transfers substrates from the substrate input holder 25 to the substrate loading units 130 and 130 'of the first and second polishing apparatuses 100a and 100a' And transfers the polished substrates from the first and second polishing apparatuses 100a and 100a 'from the substrate loading units 130 and 130' to the substrate input unit 210 of the cleaning apparatus 200 .

The substrate transfer apparatus 20a of the first substrate transfer unit 20 transfers the substrate 5 to be polished from the substrate storage apparatus 10 to the input substrate holder 25 of the second substrate transfer unit 30, The substrate is taken out from the drying chambers 145a and 145a 'of the substrate drying unit 145 of the substrate storage unit 200 through the respective side surfaces 146a and 146a' The substrate drying chambers 145a and 145a 'may be disposed on the respective sides 145a and 145a' of the substrate drying chambers 145a and 145a 'so that the substrate transfer apparatus 20a of the first substrate transfer unit 20 can take out the substrate. 146a 'are disposed so as to face the substrate transfer device 20a of the first substrate transfer unit 20. In addition, openings having doors may be formed on the side surfaces 146a and 146a 'of the drying chambers 145a and 145a', respectively, for the entrance and exit of the substrate.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning apparatus 200 of the polishing apparatus for substrate polishing 500 may further include the substrate output unit 260 at the first end 200x as shown in FIG. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the substrate polishing apparatus 500. Fig. The substrate output section 260 is disposed adjacent to the substrate drying section 145 at the first end 200x of the cleaning apparatus 200. [ The substrate output section 260 is configured to vertically support the substrate. The substrate output section 260 is disposed so that a side surface 262 of the substrate transfer section 20a faces the substrate transfer apparatus 20a of the first substrate transfer section 20 so that the substrate transfer apparatus 20a of the first substrate transfer section 20 can take out the substrate. .

The linear transfer device 270 of the cleaning apparatus 200 includes a fifth substrate gripping device (not shown) configured to transfer substrates from the drying chambers 145a and 145a 'of the substrate drying portion 145 to the substrate output portion 260 272e. The fifth substrate gridding device 272e is fastened to the linear track 274 and the movement of the linear track 274 is controlled by the linear motion driving device 275e (not shown in Fig. 4). The substrates dried in the drying chambers 145a and 145a 'of the substrate drying section 145 are transferred to the substrate output section 260 by the fifth substrate gridding device 272e, Is removed from the substrate output section (260) by the substrate transfer apparatus (20a) of the transfer unit (20) and transferred to the substrate storage apparatus (10).

While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not to be limited by the specific embodiments described, but may be advantageously applied to modified embodiments which are within the scope of the invention. For example, devices and methods for polishing and cleaning semiconductor substrates have been described, but the devices and methods can be used to polish and clean other objects than semiconductor substrates.

100 abrasive machine
100a and 100a '
110 and 110 'polishing table
200 Cleaning device
500 Polishing machine for substrate
210, 220 and 230 substrate cleaning section
145 substrate drying section

Claims (12)

1. A polishing apparatus for polishing a surface of a substrate for polishing and cleaning,
A first substrate transfer section (20) for supplying a substrate to be polished;
A substrate loading unit 130 to which the substrate is supplied, a polishing table 110, two polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b, one substrate loading unit 130, And a closed loop track (not shown) for guiding two of the polishing head assemblies 120a and 120b to move alternately to either the polishing table 110 or the substrate loading section 130, 140), wherein the polishing head assembly moves along the closed loop track (140) to polish the substrate loaded on the polishing head assembly on a polishing pad attached to the polishing table located below the closed loop track A first polishing section 100a in which a process is performed;
The substrate is supplied to the substrate loading unit of the first polishing unit from the first substrate by receiving the substrate from the transfer unit, and the substrate is supplied with the width A second substrate transfer section (30) disposed adjacent to the transfer section in the longitudinal direction and adjacent to the transfer section;
A plurality of substrate cleaning units and substrate drying units are arranged in a line, wherein the substrate drying unit is disposed at an end in the longitudinal direction of the first substrate toward the transmitting unit, and the second substrate is opposed to the first polishing unit A cleaning device (200) arranged in a line in the longitudinal direction of the second substrate adjacent to the transmitting portion in a width direction of the first substrate;
And a substrate on which the second substrate is polished by the sending unit is supplied to the cleaning apparatus.
The method according to claim 1,
A substrate loading part 130 'for receiving the substrate from the second substrate transfer part 30, a polishing table 110', two or more polishing head assemblies 120a 'and 120b' The polishing head assembly 120a 'and 120b' are connected to the polishing table 110 and the substrate loading unit 130 (130 ') by connecting only the substrate loading unit 130' and one of the polishing tables 110 ' , The polishing head assembly (120a ', 120b') moving along the closed loop track (140 ') to guide the alternating movement of the closed loop track A second polishing portion 100b on which a polishing process of the substrate loaded on the polishing head assembly is performed on a polishing pad attached to the polishing table located at a lower portion of the polishing head 140 ';
Wherein the substrate having been polished in the second polishing part (100b) is cleaned by the cleaning device (200) transferred through the transfer part (30) Processing device.
3. The method of claim 2,
Wherein the second substrate transfer section is provided with an input substrate holder for holding the substrate to which the first substrate is supplied from the transfer section at a position adjacent to the first substrate in the longitudinal direction of the transfer section;
Wherein the substrate transfer device (30a) of the second substrate transfer unit transfers the substrate placed on the input substrate holder to one of the first polishing unit and the second polishing unit .
The method of claim 3,
The substrate transfer device 30a of the second substrate transfer unit is installed in a straight track 30b and is transferred from the input substrate holder to a first polishing unit and a second polishing unit in a linear path, Wherein the substrate polishing apparatus further comprises:
The method according to claim 1,
A linear track provided on an upper portion of the cleaning apparatus, and a plurality of substrate gripping devices linearly transported along the linear track, respectively; Further comprising a gripping arm capable of grasping the substrate, holding the substrate, and gripping the substrate.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the substrate cleaning section includes a first substrate cleaning section and a second substrate cleaning section, wherein at least two cleaning chambers are disposed in the first substrate cleaning section.
The method according to claim 6,
And the substrate is cleaned in a standing state in the cleaning chamber.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein a substrate output portion disposed adjacent to the substrate drying portion is disposed at a first end of the cleaning device, and the substrate output portion is disposed facing the substrate transfer device (20a) of the transfer portion. Processing device.
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