KR19990004094A - Piping purge device of semiconductor device manufacturing equipment and its purging method and cleaning method of manufacturing equipment using these purge device and purging method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pipe purging device and a purge method of a semiconductor device manufacturing facility for preventing air, including particles and the like, from entering the piping of the manufacturing facility during maintenance, repair and cleaning of the semiconductor device manufacturing facility used in the manufacture of the semiconductor device. And a cleaning method of a manufacturing facility using these purge apparatuses and purge methods.

The pipe purge device of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment according to the present invention includes a gas pipe 11, a mixing chamber 15, a reaction chamber 16 through which etching or deposition proceeds, a load lock chamber 17, and a main control valve 18. And at least one purge gas pipe 21 directly connected to the gas pipes 11, thereby purging the purge gas. Supplying the gas pipe 11 into the gas pipe 11 prevents the air containing particles and the like from entering the gas pipe 11 opened at atmospheric pressure, thereby preventing contamination of the gas pipe 11.

Description

Piping purge device of semiconductor device manufacturing equipment and its purging method and cleaning method of manufacturing equipment using these purge device and purging method

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a piping purge apparatus of a semiconductor device manufacturing facility, a purge method thereof, and a cleaning method of a manufacturing facility using the purge device and the purge method, and more particularly, to maintain a semiconductor device manufacturing facility used for manufacturing a semiconductor device. A pipe purge device of a semiconductor device manufacturing facility and a purge method thereof and a method of cleaning the manufacturing facility using the purge device and the purge method for preventing air, including particles, from entering the piping of the manufacturing facility during the maintenance, cleaning and cleaning. will be.

In manufacturing a semiconductor device, an etching technique or plasma chemical vapor phase in which the top layer of the wafer is selectively removed through the hole of the photoresist formed on the wafer by the use and exposure of the photoresist to form a physical device having appropriate electrical characteristics. Application of deposition techniques such as deposition is essential, and all of these etching techniques and deposition techniques require the use of highly reactive reaction gases.

Figure 1 schematically shows an example of the configuration of the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition device (PECVD), the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition device is a gas pipe 11 for the introduction of the reaction gases, the gas pipe Mixing chamber 15 for mixing the plurality of valves 12, the flow control valves 13 and the filters 14, and the reaction gases introduced via the gas pipes 11 in advance. And a reaction chamber 16 in which etching or deposition is performed using the mixed reaction gases, a load lock chamber 17 for entering and exiting the reaction chamber 16 of the wafer subjected to etching or deposition, and the mixing chamber. It consists of a main intermittent valve 18 to control the supply of the reaction gases to the (15) and a fitting (19) for opening the reaction chamber (16), equipment for using a plasma in the case of etching equipment Has a similar configuration It is.

All of the deposition apparatuses and etching apparatuses described above should use high purity reaction gases to increase the yield of semiconductor devices sensitive to particles, etc., and these high purity reaction gases can be obtained by physical and / or chemical treatment. Of course it can be understood.

However, due to chemical reactions in the reaction chamber 16, many reaction products or reaction by-products are generated in the reaction chamber 16, and since these may themselves act as a contaminant for wafers in the process, Semiconductor device manufacturing facilities that produce semiconductor devices always require maintenance, repair and cleaning operations.

However, even in the air in the clean room to which the fresh air is supplied, particles that cause contamination of the wafer are always present. In particular, vapors of various cleaning solutions or other chemicals used during the cleaning operation may greatly reduce the yield of the semiconductor device. Act as a possible pollutant.

Therefore, the air including the steam of the particles or other cleaning solution may be introduced into the gas pipe 11 including the reaction chamber 16 open to atmospheric pressure for cleaning operation and connected thereto to supply the reaction gas. In the case of the reaction chamber 16, most particles and the like can be easily removed by the supply of a conventional purge gas, but particles introduced into the gas pipe 11 connected thereto are difficult to be completely removed. Due to this, there was a problem that the yield of the semiconductor device in the reaction chamber 16 after the opening was significantly lowered.

Accordingly, a pipe purge apparatus of a semiconductor device manufacturing facility capable of purging the chambers including gas pipes 11 for supplying a reactive gas and a purging method thereof, and a cleaning method of the manufacturing facility using these purge devices and purge methods are described. There is a need to develop.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a pipe purge device of a semiconductor device manufacturing facility capable of sufficiently purging the entire semiconductor device manufacturing facility including a gas chamber and a reaction chamber and a load lock chamber.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pipe purging method of a semiconductor device manufacturing facility capable of sufficiently purging the entire semiconductor device manufacturing facility including a gas chamber and a reaction chamber and a load lock chamber.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning method for a manufacturing facility using the purge apparatus and the purge method as described above.

1 is a schematic diagram showing a piping of a conventional semiconductor device manufacturing facility.

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the piping of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment equipped with a purge device according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

11 gas pipe 12 valve

13: flow control valve 14: filter

15: mixing chamber 16: reaction chamber

17: load lock chamber 18: main control valve

19: fitting

21: purge gas pipe 22: purge gas control valve

23 pressure control means 24 purge gas filter

Piping purge device of the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object, the gas pipe, the mixing chamber, the reaction chamber, the etching or deposition, such as a plurality of valves, flow control valves and filters are mounted, rod A semiconductor device manufacturing facility comprising a lock chamber, a main control valve for intermitting supply of reaction gases to the mixing chamber, and a fitting for opening the reaction chamber, the apparatus further comprising at least one purge gas pipe directly connected to the gas pipes. It is made.

The purge gas supplied through the purge gas pipe may be an inert gas, preferably filtered fresh air, helium gas or nitrogen gas may be used, and more preferably nitrogen gas may be used.

The purge gas pipe may be provided with at least one purge gas control valve and at least one pressure regulating means.

The purge gas control valve may be a general electronic valve, and the purge gas control valve may be connected to be opened and closed by a control means or a switch installed in a door of a chamber such as a load lock chamber or a reaction chamber.

The purge gas pipe may be further provided with a purge gas filter.

The pipe purge device of the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention includes a gas pipe, a mixing chamber, an etching chamber, a reaction chamber, a load lock chamber, and the like, in which a plurality of valves, flow control valves, and filters are mounted. A semiconductor device manufacturing facility comprising a main intermittent valve for controlling the supply of reactive gases and a fitting for opening the reaction chamber, the gas pipe being connected to the mixing chamber and at least one purge gas pipe directly connected to each of the gas pipes. It further comprises at least one purge gas pipe directly connected to.

Piping method of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment according to the present invention, pressure control step of adjusting the inside of the reduced pressure reaction chamber; Reaction gas supply blocking step of blocking the reaction gas supplied to the reaction chamber adjusted to the atmospheric pressure; And a purge gas supplying step of supplying a purge gas into the gas pipe in which the supply of the reaction gas is blocked. Is made of.

The purge gas supplied through the purge gas pipe may be an inert gas, preferably filtered fresh air, helium gas or nitrogen gas may be used, and more preferably nitrogen gas may be used.

In addition, the cleaning method of the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, the pressure control step of adjusting the inside of the pressure-reduced reaction chamber to atmospheric pressure; Reaction gas supply blocking step of blocking the reaction gas supplied to the reaction chamber adjusted to the atmospheric pressure; A purge gas supplying step of supplying a purge gas into a gas pipe in which supply of the reaction gas is blocked; An opening step of opening the fitting of the reaction chamber for cleaning and the gas pipe connected thereto; A cleaning step using a normal cleaning solution or the like; A closing step of closing the fitting of the reaction chamber and the gas pipe which has been cleaned; And a purge gas supply blocking step of blocking supply of purge gas supplied into the gas pipe. Is made of.

The purge gas supplied through the purge gas pipe may be an inert gas, preferably filtered fresh air, helium gas or nitrogen gas may be used, and more preferably nitrogen gas may be used.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, the pipe purge device of the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention includes a gas pipe 11 to which a plurality of valves 12, flow control valves 13, and filters 14 are mounted. The mixing chamber 15, the reaction chamber 16 through which etching or deposition proceeds, the load lock chamber 17, the main intermittent valve 18 for controlling supply of the reaction gases to the mixing chamber 15, and the reaction chamber. A semiconductor device manufacturing facility comprising a fitting 19 for opening 16, characterized in that it further comprises at least one purge gas pipe 21 directly connected to the gas pipes 11.

A plurality of valves 12, flow control valves 13, and a gas pipe 11 on which the filters 14 are mounted, a mixing chamber 15, a reaction chamber 16 through which etching or deposition proceeds, and a load lock chamber (17), the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment as described above, which includes a main intermittent valve 18 for controlling the supply of reaction gases to the mixing chamber 15 and a fitting 19 for opening the reaction chamber 16. It can be understood as known in the art to the extent that it is produced by domestic and foreign leading manufacturers and can be purchased and used commercially, and such semiconductor device manufacturing equipment reacts particularly with deposition apparatus and etching apparatus. It can be understood to have a structure almost common in devices that mainly use gas.

In the present invention, as described above, the reaction gas is supplied to the reaction chamber 16 through the gas pipe 11 to maintain, repair, and maintain the device in the apparatus for performing a process for manufacturing a semiconductor device in the reaction chamber 16. When opening for a cleaning operation, it is characterized in that the one or more purge gas pipe 21 that can effectively purge the remaining reactive gases to the gas pipes (11).

The purge gas pipe 21 is connected to a purge gas supply source (not shown for the sake of simplicity) to supply the purge gas supplied from the purge gas supply source including the gas pipe 11 and the reaction chamber 16. The purge gas may be supplied to the purge gas while the purge gas is supplied by supplying the purge gas into the gas pipe 11 that is opened at atmospheric pressure after the main supply valve 18 and purging the gas pipe 11. The pressure of the air to prevent the air, including the particles from entering into the gas pipe (11).

As the purge gas supplied through the purge gas pipe 21 as described above, any of the inert gas may be used, and precier, helium gas, or nitrogen gas filtered mainly for a clean room may be used, and preferably nitrogen. Gas can be used.

The purge gas pipe 21 may be provided with at least one purge gas control valve 22, the purge gas control valve 22 is to perform a substantially purge function, that is, maintenance, repair, etc. In order to open the facility itself for the purpose of control, the flow of the purge gas is intermittent in order to be able to purge the reaction gas in the facility in advance.

Of course, the purge gas control valve 22 may be a conventional electronic valve 12, thereby enabling regular opening and closing to perform a regular purge function, the control of the regular opening and closing is conventional It can be understood that it can be controlled by a control means (not shown) such as a microprocessor.

In addition, the purge gas control valve 22 may be opened and closed by a switch installed in a door of a chamber such as a load lock chamber 17 or a reaction chamber 16, thereby allowing an operator to arbitrarily manipulate the door of the chamber. In this case, it can be configured to automatically perform the purge function.

The purge gas pipe 21 may be provided with one or more pressure regulating means 23, and the pressure regulating means 23 may be adjusted as an element for controlling the flow rate of the purge gas.

The purge gas pipe 21 may further include a purge gas filter 24, and the purge gas filter 24 may prevent impurities such as particles, which may be included in the purge gas, from flowing into the semiconductor device manufacturing facility. It can be understood to function.

In addition, the pipe purge device of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment according to the present invention, a plurality of valves 12, the flow control valve 13 and the filter 14, the gas pipe 11, the mixing chamber 15, etching For opening the reaction chamber 16, the load lock chamber 17, the main intermittent valve 18, and the reaction chamber 16, which control the supply of the reaction gases to the mixing chamber 15. In a semiconductor device manufacturing facility comprising a fitting 19, at least one purge gas pipe 21 directly connected to each of the gas pipes 11 and a gas pipe 11 directly connected to the mixing chamber 15 are directly connected. At least one purge gas pipe 21 is further provided.

The purge gas pipe 21 directly connected to the gas pipe 11 may mainly purge the inside of the gas pipe 11, and the purge gas pipe 21 directly connected to the gas pipe 11 connected to the mixing chamber 15. Is mainly configured to purge the mixing chamber 15 and the reaction chamber 16 and the like connected to the mixing chamber 15. Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously purge the inside of each chamber below the gas pipes 11 through which the reaction gas passes and the mixing chamber 15 in which the mixed gases of the reaction gases remain, thereby rapidly and whole semiconductor device manufacturing facilities. It will be able to purge enough.

The pipe purging method of the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention includes a pressure adjusting step of controlling the inside of the reduced pressure reaction chamber 16 to an atmospheric pressure; Reaction gas supply blocking step of blocking the reaction gas supplied to the reaction chamber 16 adjusted to the atmospheric pressure; And a purge gas supplying step of supplying a purge gas into the gas pipe 11 in which supply of the reaction gas is blocked. Characterized in that made.

The pressure adjusting step is to adjust the pressure-reduced reaction chamber 16 to a normal pressure to maintain a high degree of vacuum, to facilitate the opening of the reaction chamber 16 in which the vacuum is formed and at the same time the pressure of the reaction chamber 16 when opening the reaction chamber 16. It can be understood to prevent external air from entering the reaction chamber 16 by the difference.

The purge gas supplied through the purge gas pipe 21 may be an inert gas, preferably filtered fresh air, helium gas or nitrogen gas may be used, and more preferably nitrogen gas may be used. The use of an inert gas as the purge gas does not participate in the reaction with the wafer even when the purge gas remains after purging, and the yield reduction of the semiconductor device due to the residual purge gas can be prevented. It is obvious that nitrogen gas is suitable for use as a purge gas for semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, and can be easily understood by those skilled in the art.

As described above, by purging the purge gas into the gas pipe 11, it is possible to prevent the inflow of air including particles and the like into the gas pipe 11 due to the pressure of the purge gas.

In addition, the cleaning method of the semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, the pressure control step of adjusting the inside of the pressure-reduced reaction chamber 16 to the normal pressure; Reaction gas supply blocking step of blocking the reaction gas supplied to the reaction chamber 16 adjusted to the atmospheric pressure; A purge gas supplying step of supplying a purge gas into the gas pipe 11 in which supply of the reaction gas is blocked; An opening step of opening the reaction chamber 16 for cleaning and the fitting 19 of the gas pipe 11 connected thereto; A cleaning step using a normal cleaning solution or the like; A closing step of closing the fitting 19 of the reaction chamber 16 and the gas pipe 11 which have been cleaned; And a purge gas supply blocking step of blocking supply of the purge gas supplied into the gas pipe 11. Characterized in that made.

The purge gas supplied through the purge gas pipe 21 may be an inert gas, preferably filtered fresh air, helium gas or nitrogen gas may be used, and more preferably nitrogen gas may be used.

Therefore, the inside of the gas pipe 11 can be prevented from being contaminated by preventing backflow of air including particles into the gas pipe 11 exposed to atmospheric pressure by opening the reaction chamber 16 and the fitting 19. .

Therefore, the gas pipe 11 is prevented from being contaminated during the opening step and the subsequent normal cleaning step, and the gas pipe 11, the reaction chamber 16, the fitting 19, and the like, which are opened to atmospheric pressure again after cleaning, are closed by In addition, it may be possible to perform a process for normal semiconductor device production.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the purge gas is supplied through the purge gas pipe 21 into the gas pipe 11 so that the gas pipe opened to atmospheric pressure during the maintenance and repair of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, in particular during the cleaning of the reaction chamber 16. (11) There is an effect of preventing the air containing particles and the like to be drawn in to prevent contamination of the gas pipe (11).

Although the present invention has been described in detail only with respect to the described embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations are possible within the technical scope of the present invention, and such modifications and modifications are within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (19)

A plurality of valves, a flow control valve and a gas pipe on which the filters are mounted, a mixing chamber, a reaction chamber through which etching or deposition proceeds, a load lock chamber, a main intermittent valve for controlling supply of reaction gases to the mixing chamber, and the reaction A semiconductor device manufacturing facility comprising a fitting for opening a chamber, wherein the pipe purge device of the semiconductor device manufacturing facility further comprises at least one purge gas pipe directly connected to the gas pipes. The piping purge device of claim 1, wherein the purge gas supplied through the purge gas pipe is an inert gas. 3. The piping purge device of claim 2, wherein the purge gas is filtered fresh air, helium gas, or nitrogen gas. 4. The piping purge device of claim 3, wherein the purge gas is nitrogen gas. The piping purge device of claim 1, wherein the purge gas pipe is provided with at least one purge gas control valve. The pipe purge device of claim 1, wherein the purge gas pipe is provided with at least one pressure regulating means. 7. The piping purge device of claim 6, wherein the purge gas control valve is an electronic valve. 8. The piping purge device according to claim 7, wherein the purge gas control valve is connected to be opened and closed by a control means. 8. The piping purge device according to claim 7, wherein the purge gas control valve is connected to be opened and closed by a switch provided in a door of a chamber such as a load lock chamber or a reaction chamber. The pipe purge device of claim 1, wherein a purge gas filter is further provided in the purge gas pipe. A plurality of valves, a flow control valve and a gas pipe on which the filters are mounted, a mixing chamber, a reaction chamber through which etching or deposition proceeds, a load lock chamber, a main intermittent valve for controlling supply of reaction gases to the mixing chamber, and the reaction A semiconductor device manufacturing facility comprising a fitting for opening a chamber, And at least one purge gas pipe directly connected to each of the gas pipes, and at least one purge gas pipe directly connected to a gas pipe connected to the mixing chamber. A pressure control step of controlling the inside of the reduced pressure reaction chamber to an atmospheric pressure; Reaction gas supply blocking step of blocking the reaction gas supplied to the reaction chamber adjusted to the atmospheric pressure; And a purge gas supplying step of supplying a purge gas into the gas pipe in which the supply of the reaction gas is blocked. Piping method of semiconductor device manufacturing equipment characterized in that consisting of. The pipe purge method according to claim 12, wherein the purge gas supplied through the purge gas pipe is an inert gas. The method of claim 13, wherein the purge gas is filtered fresh air, helium gas, or nitrogen gas. 15. The piping purge method of claim 14, wherein the purge gas is nitrogen gas. A pressure control step of controlling the inside of the reduced pressure reaction chamber to an atmospheric pressure; Reaction gas supply blocking step of blocking the reaction gas supplied to the reaction chamber adjusted to the atmospheric pressure; A purge gas supplying step of supplying a purge gas into a gas pipe in which supply of the reaction gas is blocked; An opening step of opening the fitting of the reaction chamber for cleaning and the gas pipe connected thereto; A cleaning step using a normal cleaning solution or the like; A closing step of closing the fitting of the reaction chamber and the gas pipe which has been cleaned; And a purge gas supply blocking step of blocking supply of purge gas supplied into the gas pipe. Method of cleaning a semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, characterized in that consisting of. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the purge gas supplied through the purge gas pipe is an inert gas. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the purge gas is filtered fresh air, helium gas, or nitrogen gas. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the purge gas is nitrogen gas.