KR20020063664A - Muti-chamber system of apparatus for fabricating semiconductor device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A multi-chamber system is provided to easily perform various engineering processes by improving a structure. CONSTITUTION: A multi-chamber system(100) comprises a transfer path(125) having a necessary space for a wafer transfer, a number of process chambers(150) arrayed on both side of the transfer path(125) and the first FOUP(Front Open Unified Pod) index(120) connected with one end of the transfer path(125) for stably mounting wafer stacked first FOUPs(110). The multi-chamber system(100) further includes the second FOUP index(190) connected with the other end of the transfer path(125) for stably mounting wafer stacked second FOUP(180), a wafer transfer part(160) capable of loading and unloading wafers of the first and second FOUP indexes(120,190) to the process chambers(150). At this point, the process chamber is installed on the transfer path(125). The multi-chamber system(100) further includes gates(170) capable of selectively opening and shutting for the wafer transfer between the process chambers(150) and the transfer path(125) respectively installed on the process chambers(150).

Description

Multi-chamber system of apparatus for fabricating semiconductor device

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to equipment for manufacturing semiconductor devices, and more particularly, to a multichamber system of equipment for manufacturing semiconductor devices with which various engineering activities are easy.

In general, in the semiconductor device manufacturing process, in order to increase the efficiency of the process and the utilization of space, a multi-chamber system that allows wafer processing operations to be simultaneously performed in multiple chambers is adopted. To illustrate a conventional multichamber system, FIG. 1 illustrates a centralized multichamber system included in an etching facility for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the conventional centralized multichamber system 10, four process chambers 20 are connected to an angular side of a hexagonal central chamber 16. The process chamber 20 and the central chamber 16 are provided with a vacuum pressure forming apparatus (not shown), the process chamber 20 is in a high vacuum state for plasma generation, the central chamber 16 is the process chamber ( It is kept in a low vacuum state to reduce the vacuum pressure loss of 20). The in-chamber transfer device 30 installed in the central chamber 16 is selectively provided to each process chamber 20 through a gate (not shown) provided between the central chamber 16 and each process chamber 20. Wafers are loaded and unloaded. A carrying load lock chamber 13 on which a wafer before processing is loaded and a carrying load lock chamber 13 'on which a wafer after processing is loaded are provided on the remaining angled sides of the central chamber 16, respectively. The loading load lock chamber 13 is an intermediate waiting place of the wafer to change the environment of the wafer from atmospheric pressure to a vacuum state, and the loading load lock chamber 13 'changes the environment of the wafer from vacuum to atmospheric pressure. A pull index (12) on which a pull (11) loaded with wafers is seated on the loading and unloading load lock chamber (13, 13 ') to facilitate wafer transport in a unit of front open unified pod (FOUP). It is connected and installed.

Accordingly, in the centralized multichamber system 10, an operator or an automatic transfer device installed in the loading rod lock chamber 13 may load the wafer in the pool 11 seated at the pool index 12. The transfer to the load load chamber 13 is carried. When the incoming load lock chamber 13 is closed and the vacuum state is reached, the wafer is transferred to the in-chamber transfer device 30, and the in-chamber transfer device 30 is transferred to a specific process chamber 20. Transfer the wafer. When the wafer is transferred into the process chamber 20, the process is performed in a high vacuum state after the gate is sealed. After the process is completed, the wafer is again transported by the in-chamber transfer device 30 and loaded into the unloading load lock chamber 13 '.

It is a means which loads and conveys a plurality of 12-inch wafers unwound here. Logistics automation systems for 12-inch wafers include: OHT (Over Head Transfer) using pull, Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), Rail Guided Vehicle (RGV), or AGV using cassettes as with 8-inch wafers. RGV and the like are examined.

2 is a view for explaining the loosening.

Referring to FIG. 2, a plurality of wafers W are horizontally loaded in the pool 40. The wafer W enters and exits through a door 43 formed in front of the pull 40. In the case of using a cassette, the loaded wafer is exposed, and the pull 40 has excellent sealing characteristics for the loaded wafer and does not require a separate auxiliary device such as a carrier box, compared to the case where the loaded wafer is exposed.

However, in addition to transporting wafers for production, processing non-regular lot flows for complex engineering activities with OHT, AGV or RGV introduces logistical losses to be handled for production activities. Even if a separate device such as a sorting stocker is prepared to process an irregular lot, the wafer is still moved through OHT or AGV, which still affects the logistics flow. Simplifying engineering activities by not being able to handle various irregular lots reduces the logistics flow, but has a fatal effect on necessary tasks such as changing equipment and improving processes.

Therefore, it is necessary to rely on the manual labor of the operator for the processing of the irregular lot. However, in the centralized multichamber system 10, the pull index 12 is structurally disposed in front of the facility to be installed in a working area. Therefore, pull loading must only be carried out in the work area. In order for an operator to handle an irregular lot, the worker in the service area must either go directly to the work area or communicate with another worker in the work area to load the pool. Therefore, there is a problem that a lot of manpower loss and time loss. In addition, it is a safety problem that the worker and the wafer transport vehicle work simultaneously in the work area.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a multi-chamber system of a facility for manufacturing a semiconductor device easy to various engineering activities.

1 is a view for explaining a concentrated multi-chamber system of a conventional etching apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices.

2 is a diagram for explaining a FOUP (Front Open Unified Pod).

3 is a view for explaining a multi-chamber system of the etching facility for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a view for explaining a multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

100, 200: multi-chamber system of the etching equipment for manufacturing semiconductor devices,

110, 210: first pull, 120, 220: first pull index,

125, 225: transfer passage, 230: load lock chamber,

240: transfer device in the chamber, 150, 250: process chamber,

160, 260: wafer transfer device, 170, 270a, 270b: gate,

180, 280: second pull, 190, 290: second pull index

In order to achieve the above technical problem, a multi-chamber system of a device for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the present invention includes a transfer passage having a space necessary for transferring a wafer, a plurality of process chambers arranged side by side on both sides of the transfer passage, and one end of the transfer passage. A first pull index (FOUP), which is connected to the part and seats a first pull (FOUP) on which the wafer is loaded, and a second pull which is connected to the other end of the transfer path and loads the wafer is seated. And a second pull index, and a wafer transfer device installed in the transfer passage and capable of loading and unloading the wafers seated in the first and second pull indexes into the plurality of process chambers, respectively.

In the present invention, the second unwind index is installed in the service area.

In the present invention, the second pull is characterized in that the pull for an irregular lot.

In the present invention, the process chamber may be provided with a gate that can be selectively opened and closed to allow the wafer to enter and exit between the process chamber and the transfer passage.

In the present invention, the wafer may further include a load lock chamber connected to one side of the process chamber so that the wafer can wait. In this case, the load lock chamber may be connected to each of the plurality of chambers to be shared by the plurality of process chambers. Inside the load lock chamber may be installed in the chamber transfer apparatus for transferring the wafer. The load lock chamber is provided with a first gate that is selectively openable to allow wafer entry and exit between the load lock chamber and the transfer passage, and selectively enters and exits the wafer between the load lock chamber and the process chamber. A second gate that can be opened and closed may be formed. In addition, the load lock chamber may be provided with a vacuum pressure forming apparatus for forming a vacuum pressure therein.

In the present invention, the process chamber may be an etching chamber for performing an etching process for manufacturing a semiconductor device.

According to the present invention, pull loading for engineering activities is performed in the service area, so that various engineering activities can be easily performed.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, embodiments of the present invention may be modified in many different forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. Embodiments of the present invention are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements all the time. Furthermore, various elements and regions in the drawings are schematically drawn. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited by the relative size or spacing drawn in the accompanying drawings.

3 is a view for explaining a multi-chamber system of the etching facility for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the multichamber system 100 of an etching apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first pull index 120 on which a first pull 110 on which a wafer is loaded is seated. . The first pull index 120 is installed to be connected to one end of the transfer passage 125 having a space necessary for transferring the wafer. On both sides of the transfer passage 125, two process chambers 150 are arranged side by side. The process chamber 150 is an etch chamber, and the process chamber 150 has a gate 170 that can be selectively opened and closed to allow the wafer to enter and exit between the process chamber 150 and the transfer passage 125. The other end of the transfer passage 125 is connected to the second pull index 190 on which the second pull 180 on which the wafer is loaded is seated. The second pull index 190 is installed in the service area. The transfer path 125 is provided with a wafer transfer device 160 capable of loading and unloading the wafers seated on the first and second release indexes 120 and 190 into the process chamber 150, respectively.

The first pull 110 is a general lot pull for production is mounted on the first pull index 120 by a logistics automation system, for example, OHT, AGV, RGV. The wafer transfer device 160 transfers the wafer loaded in the first pool 110 into the process chamber 150 through the gate 170. When the gate 170 is closed, a vacuum pressure forming apparatus (not shown) provided in the process chamber 150 makes the process chamber 150 in a vacuum state, and the etching process is performed in the process chamber 150. This is going on. After the etching process is completed, the process chamber 150 is changed to an atmospheric pressure state, and the gate 170 is opened. The wafer is transferred back to the first unwind index 120 by the wafer transfer device 160.

The second pool 180 is an irregular lot pool for engineering activities and is seated on the second pool index 190 by an operator in the service area. The wafer transfer device 160 transfers the test wafer loaded in the second pool 180 into the process chamber 150 through the gate 170. When the gate 170 is sealed, the vacuum pressure forming apparatus makes a vacuum in the process chamber 150, and tests for checking whether or not equipment replacement or process improvement is necessary in the process chamber 150. The process proceeds. After the test process is completed, the process chamber 150 is changed to an atmospheric pressure state, and the gate 170 is opened. The test wafer is transferred back to the second release index 190 through the gate 170 by the wafer transfer device 160.

4 is a view for explaining a multi-chamber system of an etching facility for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the multichamber system 200 of an etching apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a first pull index 220 on which a first pull 210 loaded with a wafer is seated. . The first pull index 220 is installed to be connected to one end of the transfer passage 225 having a space necessary for transferring the wafer. On both sides of the transfer passage 225, two process chambers 250 are arranged side by side. The load lock chamber 230 is connected to the two process chambers 250 so as to be shared by the two process chambers 250 arranged side by side. In this embodiment, two process chambers share one load lock chamber, but it is also possible to configure three or more process chambers to share one load lock chamber. The load lock chamber 230 is provided with a first gate 270a that can be selectively opened and closed to allow wafer entry and exit between the load lock chamber 230 and the transfer passage 225. The load lock chamber 230 is formed. ) And a second gate 270b that is selectively openable and closed to allow wafer entry and exit between the process chamber 250 and the process chamber 250. When the second gate 270b is opened and the wafer is transferred, a vacuum pressure forming device (not shown) is installed inside the load lock chamber 230 so that a sudden high vacuum offset phenomenon does not occur in the process chamber 250. . The transfer path 225 is provided with a wafer transfer device 260 capable of loading and unloading the wafers seated on the first and second release indexes 220 and 290 into the process chamber 250, respectively. In the load lock chamber 230, an in-chamber transfer apparatus 240 for receiving a wafer from the wafer transfer apparatus 260 and transferring the wafer to the process chamber 250 is installed. The other end portion of the transfer passage 225 is connected to the second pull index 290 on which the second pull 280 loaded with the wafer is seated. The second pull index 290 is installed in the service area.

The first pull 210 is a general lot pull for production, and is mounted on the first pull index 220 by a logistics automation system, for example, OHT, AGV, RGV, or the like. The wafer transfer device 260 transfers the wafer loaded in the first pull 210 to the in-chamber transfer device 240 of the load lock chamber 230 through the first gate 270a. After the load lock chamber 230 is in a vacuum state, when the second gate 270b is opened, the in-chamber transfer device 240 transfers the wafer to the process chamber 250. The process chamber 250 After the etching process is performed, the wafer is transferred to the load lock chamber 230 through the second gate 270b by the in-chamber transfer device 240. When the load lock chamber 230 is in a low pressure or atmospheric pressure state, the first gate 270a is opened, and the in-chamber transfer device 240 takes over the wafer to the wafer transfer device 260. The wafer is transferred back to the first pull index 220 by the wafer transfer device 260.

The second pool 280 is an irregular lot pool for engineering activities and is seated at the second pool index 290 by an operator in the service area. The wafer transfer device 260 transfers the test wafer loaded in the second pull 280 to the in-chamber transfer device 240 of the load lock chamber 230 through the first gate 270a. . After the load lock chamber 230 is in a vacuum state, when the second gate 270b is opened, the in-chamber transfer device 240 transfers the wafer to the process chamber 250. After the test process is performed to check whether the equipment needs to be replaced or improved in the process chamber 250, the second gate 270b is opened and the test wafer is transferred to the in-chamber transfer device 240. By the load lock chamber 230. When the load lock chamber 230 is in a low or atmospheric pressure state, the first gate 270a is opened, and the in-chamber transfer device 240 takes over the test wafer to the wafer transfer device 260. The test wafer is transferred back to the second unwind index 290 by the wafer transfer device 260.

According to the embodiments described above, when the worker wants to deal with an irregular lot for engineering activities so as not to affect the logistics flow for production, pull loading for engineering activities can be made in the service area.

As mentioned above, the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art within the technical idea of the present invention. It is obvious.

According to the invention described above, pull loading for engineering activities takes place in the service area. When a worker wants to deal with an irregular lot for engineering activities so as not to affect the logistics flow, there is no need to go directly to the work area or communicate with other workers in the work area. Thus, various engineering activities can be easily performed without losing manpower and time. In addition to processing wafers for production activities, a variety of test tasks can be performed, allowing equipment to be replaced or process improvements in a timely manner.

Claims (10)

A transfer passage having a space necessary for transferring the wafer; A plurality of process chambers arranged side by side on both sides of the transfer passage; A first pull index connected to one end of the transfer path and seated with a first pull (FOUP: Front Open Unified Pod) on which a wafer is loaded; A second pull index connected to the other end of the transfer path and seated with a second pull loading the wafer; And And a wafer transfer device installed in the transfer path and capable of loading and unloading the wafers seated in the first and second unwinding indexes into the plurality of process chambers, respectively. Chamber system. The method of claim 1, And the second unwind index is installed in a service area. The method of claim 1, The second chamber is a multi-chamber system of a device for manufacturing a semiconductor device, characterized in that the pool for the irregular lot (lot). The method of claim 1, The process chamber is a multi-chamber system of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, characterized in that the gate is formed between the process chamber and the transfer passage can be selectively opened and closed. The method of claim 1, And a load lock chamber connected to one side of the process chamber to allow the wafer to wait. The method of claim 5, And the load lock chamber is connected to the plurality of chambers so as to be shared by the plurality of process chambers. The method of claim 5, In the chamber of the load lock chamber is a multi-chamber system of the semiconductor device manufacturing equipment, characterized in that the transfer device is installed in the chamber for transferring the wafer. The method of claim 5, The load lock chamber has a first gate selectively openable to allow wafer entry and exit between the load lock chamber and the transfer passage, and selectively enter and exit a wafer between the load lock chamber and the process chamber. And a second gate that can be opened and closed by a second chamber. The method of claim 5, The load lock chamber is a multi-chamber system of a device for manufacturing a semiconductor device, characterized in that a vacuum pressure forming apparatus for forming a vacuum pressure therein is installed. The method of claim 1, The process chamber is a multi-chamber system of a device for manufacturing a semiconductor device, characterized in that the etching chamber for performing an etching process for manufacturing a semiconductor device.