KR20020044187A - a powder exclusion system of semiconductor equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus for eliminating particles in semiconductor equipment is provided to prevent a wafer from being contaminated by a backward flow of dust and to increase a maintenance period of a vacuum pump and a scrubber, by making exhausting gas generated from a reaction chamber stagnated in a powder trap for a long time and by eliminating particles of the exhausting gas before the particles are induced to the vacuum pump. CONSTITUTION: The powder trap eliminates the particles of the exhausting gas, installed between the reaction chamber to which process gas is injected and the vacuum pump. The scrubber purifies the exhausting gas, installed in the rear part of the vacuum pump. A housing(11) has an inlet and an outlet of the exhausting gas, including a gas path(19) of a zigzag type between the inlet and the outlet of the exhausting gas. A condensation pipe(18) is bent as a zigzag type along the gas path of the housing, having a coil type. Coolant flows through the condensation pipe.

Description

Debris removal device of semiconductor manufacturing equipment {a powder exclusion system of semiconductor equipment}

The present invention relates to an apparatus for removing foreign substances in semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and more particularly, is installed between a reaction chamber and a vacuum pump to effectively remove and remove toxic gases and corrosive foreign substances in exhaust gases generated during semiconductor manufacturing processes. It is about powder traps that improve the service life and extend the life of the machine.

Generally, in the semiconductor manufacturing process, the deposition, diffusion, and etching processes are performed at high temperature by using noble gases such as silane, arsine and boron chloride, and process gases such as hydrogen. At this time, hydrogen and silane gas are burned. In addition to the generation of ignitable gases, corrosive foreign substances and toxic gases containing toxic components, the reaction by-product gas reacted with the wafer remains. If such harmful gas is discharged to the atmosphere together with the exhaust gas, it adversely affects the human body and environmental pollution. Therefore, the used process gas should be properly purified and discharged to the atmosphere.

Accordingly, in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, as shown in FIG. 1, the first and second screwdrivers S1 and S2 are disposed in the exhaust line of the reaction chamber C into which the process gas is injected. It is installed and purified after exhaust gas is emitted.

By the way, the exhaust gas is fine when moved to a high temperature state, but when it comes into contact with the atmosphere or the temperature drops sharply, it is condensed instantaneously, thereby producing a powder with the contained dust. These powders are attached to the exhaust line to increase the exhaust pressure and flow into the vacuum pump (P) to cause a breakdown, and cause backflow of the exhaust gas to contaminate the wafer as well as to the screwer (S1) (S2). It causes a variety of problems, such as to reduce the operating efficiency.

Therefore, a powder trap T is provided between the process chamber C and the vacuum pump P for adhering and removing dust in the exhaust gas discharged from the process chamber C with powder in advance.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a conventional configuration of such a powder trap T, which receives the adhesive pipe 6 bent in a zigzag form inside the body 2 of the housing 1 and closes with the lid 3. After that, the cooling water is caused to flow through the adhesion pipe 6. As a result, the exhaust gas introduced from the reaction chamber C through the inlet port 4 of the body 2 exits the outlet port 5 while being in contact with the adhesion pipe 6, thereby releasing foreign substances in the exhaust gas into the adhesion pipe 6. ) Is attached and removed.

However, such a conventional powder trap (T) simply contains a condensation pipe (6) in the housing (1), because the stagnation time in the trap of the exhaust gas is very short, so that the powder is not sufficiently adhered to the vacuum pump ( Not only did it escape to P), but the powder did not adhere firmly. As a result, the dust, which is not firmly attached, is introduced into the reaction chamber C in which the process is inverted and attached to the wafer, thereby causing a decrease in yield. In addition, the generated powder flows into the pipe after the trap (T) and the vacuum pump (P) to shorten the life of the pump, shorten the period of regular disassembly and cause the pump to stop unexpectedly. In addition, the generated powder flows through the vacuum pump (P) to the scrubber (S1) (S2) to shorten the inspection period to cause a decrease in productivity due to the decrease in the operation rate of the equipment.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and greatly increases the adhesion efficiency of foreign substances in the powder trap, thereby preventing wafer contamination due to backflow of dust, and increasing the maintenance period of the vacuum pump and the screwer to increase the operation rate of the equipment. It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for removing foreign substances in semiconductor manufacturing equipment that can improve wafer quality and productivity by improvement.

1 is a block diagram schematically showing an example of semiconductor manufacturing equipment;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional foreign material removal apparatus,

3 is a cross-sectional view showing a foreign material removal apparatus according to the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing>

C: reaction chamber P: vacuum pump

S1, S2: Screwer T: Powder Trap

11: housing (of powder trap) 14, 15: bulkhead (of housing)

18: Adhesion pipe (of powder trap) 19: Gas passage (of housing)

In order to achieve the above objects, the foreign material removing apparatus of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to the present invention includes a powder trap installed between a reaction chamber into which a process gas is injected and a vacuum pump to adhere and remove foreign substances in exhaust gas, and a vacuum pump. In the foreign material removal apparatus of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment provided with the screwer which purifies exhaust gas, the powder trap has the inflow and outflow port of exhaust gas, and the gas cylinder partitioned by the zigzag between the exhaust gas inflow and outflow port is provided. A housing having a furnace; It is configured in a coil form is bent in a zigzag form along the gas passage of the housing, characterized in that consisting of a condensation pipe: flowing coolant.

Accordingly, the present invention not only causes the exhaust gas generated in the reaction chamber to be stagnated for a long time in the powder trap, but also greatly increases the contact area of the exhaust gas of the condensation pipe and concentrates condensation before introducing foreign substances in the exhaust gas into the vacuum pump. It can be removed to prevent wafer contamination due to backflow of dust as well as to increase the maintenance intervals of vacuum pumps and scrubbers, which greatly contributes to the improvement of wafer quality and productivity by improving the operation rate of equipment.

Such specific features and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 3, the foreign material removal apparatus of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to the present invention, for example, is installed in the exhaust line of the reaction chamber (C) performing the nitriding process or metal etching process, the reaction chamber (injected) A powder trap (T) is installed between C) and the vacuum pump (P) that forms a vacuum therein, before the foreign matter in the exhaust gas is introduced into the vacuum pump (P), thereby adhering and removing the powder trap (T). The primary and secondary screwers S1 and S2 for purifying the toxic gas in the exhaust gas generated in the reaction chamber C are provided to the rear side of the.

On the other hand, the powder trap T has an exhaust gas inlet 16 on one side and a housing 11 having an outlet 17 on the other side, and is housed inside the housing 11 to allow the coolant to flow in the exhaust gas. It consists of an adhesion pipe 18 for adhering foreign matters.

The housing 11 is composed of a body 12 having one side open so that the adhesive pipe 18 can be accommodated, and a lid 13 closing the body 12. In the interior of the body 12, a zigzag gas passage 19 in which the exhaust gas introduced from the reaction chamber C moves is formed in accordance with a feature of the present invention. The gas passage 19 may be configured in various forms. Preferably, as illustrated, a plurality of gas passages 19 are alternately protruded from each other on opposite sides of the body 12 and the lid 13. The inner space of the body 12 is partitioned by the partitions 14 and 15.

In addition, the adhesion pipe 18 is bent and arranged in a zigzag form along the gas passage 19 of the housing 11, and is configured in a coil form in all sections of the gas passage 19.

Accordingly, the powder trap T of the present invention increases the reaction area and length of the adhesion pipe 18 in contact with the passage of the exhaust gas as compared with the prior art, and also the time for stagnating in the exhaust gas trap T It will be that long. Therefore, when the exhaust gas introduced into the trap T from the reaction chamber C through the inlet 16 passes through the trap T and exits the outlet 17, foreign substances such as dust contained therein are adhered to the adhesion pipe ( 18) It is sufficiently adhered to 18) and flows out in a removed state.

That is, when the high temperature exhaust gas generated in the reaction chamber (C) passes the powder trap (T), it is rapidly cooled by the cooling water flowing through the adhesion pipe (18) so that foreign matters such as dust contained therein are transferred to the adhesion pipe (18). In the present invention, the adhesive pipe 18 is configured in the form of a coil so that the contact area with the exhaust gas is very large, and the exhaust gas must sequentially pass through the zigzag gas passage 19 unlike the conventional trap. Since the stagnation time in T) is quite long, foreign matter contained therein can be sufficiently adhered over the entire portion of the adhesion pipe 18.

Therefore, the exhaust gas passing through the powder trap T is in a state where most foreign matters are removed, thereby minimizing the inflow of powder into the subsequent vacuum pump P or the screwers S1 and S2. This can effectively prevent unnecessary and frequently occurring preventive maintenance time and personnel input. In addition, the powder can be firmly attached to the entirety of the sufficiently long adhesion pipe 18, thereby preventing contamination of the wafer due to the backflow of dust as in the prior art.

As described above, according to the present invention, not only the exhaust gas generated in the reaction chamber is stagnated for a long time in the powder trap, but also the exhaust gas contact area of the condensation pipe is greatly increased to introduce foreign substances in the exhaust gas into the vacuum pump. It can be concentrated and removed beforehand. As a result, wafer contamination due to backflow of dust can be prevented, and the maintenance intervals of vacuum pumps and scrubbers can be extended, and consequently, it greatly contributes to the improvement of wafer quality and productivity by improving the operation rate of equipment.

Claims (2)

The semiconductor manufacturing equipment includes a powder trap installed between the reaction chamber into which the process gas is injected and a vacuum pump to adhere and remove foreign substances in the exhaust gas, and a screwer installed at the rear side of the vacuum pump to purify the exhaust gas. In the foreign material removal device, The powder trap, A housing having an inlet and an outlet of exhaust gas, the housing having a gas passage zigzag partitioned between the exhaust gas inlet and outlet; Contaminated in the form of a coil is bent in a zigzag form along the gas passage of the housing, the condensation pipe flowing coolant; foreign material removal apparatus of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment, characterized in that consisting of. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gas passage is formed by a plurality of partition walls protruding from the body and the lid of the housing, respectively, and alternately arranged.