KR200264825Y1 - Exhaust system of a rapid thermal processing chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an exhaust system of the RTP chamber, the exhaust system of the RTP chamber 100 is provided with an oxygen analyzer 300 for measuring the oxygen concentration of the gas exhausted from the RTP chamber 100 through the gas exhaust pipe (200) In the, it is installed in the analysis gas supply pipe 310 is branched from the gas exhaust pipe 200 and connected to the oxygen analyzer 300, pneumatic valve 400 for opening and closing the flow of gas passing through the analysis gas supply pipe 310 )Wow; A solenoid valve 500 connected to the pneumatic valve 400 and supplying air for controlling the pneumatic valve 400; In addition to opening and closing the cover of the RTP chamber 100, and includes a chamber opening and closing switch 600 for controlling the solenoid valve 500, when the RTP chamber is opened for maintenance of the equipment oxygen introduced into the oxygen By blocking the supply to the analyzer to prevent overloading the oxygen analyzer, the oxygen analyzer accurately measures the oxygen concentration to ensure a stable process and prolong the life of the oxygen analyzer. By measuring the oxygen concentration of the flowing gas immediately without waiting time has the effect of increasing the operation rate of the equipment.

Description

EXHAUST SYSTEM OF A RAPID THERMAL PROCESSING CHAMBER}

The present invention relates to the exhaust system of the RTP chamber in the RTP (Rapid Thermal Processing) equipment, and more particularly, when the RTP chamber is opened for maintenance of the equipment, An exhaust system of an RTP chamber.

The manufacturing process of the semiconductor device consists of repetition of heat treatment, and the processes requiring heat treatment include thermal oxidation, thermal diffusion, and various annealing. Annealing has a wide range of applications such as annealing crystallinity recovery after impurity ions, annealing to improve contact properties of Al.Si and Si.SiO ₂ interfacial properties, and sintering to form silicides.

In addition to the furnace, Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) equipment is used as the equipment to perform the heat treatment process. The RTP equipment uses a high temperature to achieve a desired effect and at the same time a short time ( Since the heat treatment process is usually carried out for about 10 seconds to several minutes), the side effect of the diffusion of impurities is reduced to a minimum, and thus, it is widely used in the heat treatment process.

The RTP equipment includes an RTP chamber (Rapid thermal processing chamber) for performing the wafer RTP process, a cooldown chamber for cooling the wafer having completed the RTP process from the RTP chamber, and a wafer for transferring the wafer to each chamber. The transfer robot is provided with a transfer chamber (Transfer chamber), among which the RTP chamber is provided with an exhaust system for discharging the reaction gas and purge gas supplied to the inside.

Referring to the exhaust system of the conventional RTP chamber with reference to the accompanying drawings as follows.

1 is a block diagram showing an exhaust system of a conventional RTP chamber. As shown, the RTP chamber 10 is connected to the gas exhaust pipe 20 to exhaust the reaction gas and purge gas supplied to the inside to the outside, the pressure gauge for measuring the pressure inside the gas exhaust pipe 20 Block the gas flow of the gas exhaust pipe 20 when the pressure in the RTP chamber 10 and the PCV (Pressure Control Valve) 22 to maintain a constant pressure in the RTP chamber 10 during the process 21 and the process proceeds. The exhaust gas shutoff valve 23 is installed.

In addition, the bypass pipe 24 is installed in the gas exhaust pipe 20 to bypass the PCV 22, and the bypass pipe 24 is provided with a pressure higher than a predetermined pressure in the RTP chamber 10. A vent valve 25 for bypassing the reaction gas and the purge gas in the RTP chamber 10 and a check valve 26 for suppressing the backflow of the gas exhausted through the bypass pipe 24 are provided. Is installed.

On the other hand, the gas exhaust pipe 20 is branched to the analysis gas supply pipe 31 is connected to the oxygen analyzer 30, the analysis gas supply pipe 31 is provided with a pneumatic valve 32 for opening and closing the flow of the gas inside do.

The oxygen analyzer 30 is a gas exhausted through the gas exhaust pipe 20 in order to prevent the natural oxide film is generated on the surface of the wafer due to the excessive supply of oxygen in the RTP chamber 10 during the heat treatment process to adversely affect the process This is to adjust the oxygen concentration to be supplied to the RTP chamber 10 to an appropriate level by measuring the oxygen concentration of the resin.

In the exhaust system of the RTP chamber having such a structure, when the power is turned off, the pneumatic valve 32 is closed so that the gas flowing into the oxygen analyzer 30 through the analysis gas supply pipe 31 is blocked, but the RTP Maintenance of the chamber 10 is difficult to work in the power off state (off), so the work proceeds in the power (on) state.

Therefore, when the cover of the RTP chamber 10 is opened by pressing the chamber opening / closing switch 11 while the power is turned on for the maintenance of equipment, air is introduced into the RTP chamber 10 and the gas exhaust pipe It is introduced into the oxygen analyzer 30 through the 20 and the gas supply pipe 31 for analysis.

Excessive load is placed on the expensive oxygen analyzer 30 by the oxygen contained in the air flowing into the oxygen analyzer 30, thereby increasing the error of the oxygen concentration measured by the oxygen analyzer 30, thereby stably processing the process. Not only difficult to proceed, but the problem of shortening the life of the oxygen analyzer 30 occurred.

In addition, since a large amount of oxygen is introduced into the oxygen analyzer 30 when the RTP chamber 10 is opened, the measured value of the oxygen concentration of the oxygen analyzer 30 has a larger value than the actual value. Since the process must be stopped for several tens of minutes until it falls normally, the operation rate of the equipment was significantly lowered.

The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the purpose of the present invention is to prevent the oxygen introduced into the oxygen analyzer when the RTP chamber is opened for maintenance of the equipment to overload the oxygen analyzer By avoiding the jam, the oxygen analyzer accurately measures the oxygen concentration, which not only proceeds the process stably, but also extends the life of the oxygen analyzer. During the process, the oxygen analyzer immediately measures the oxygen concentration of the gas flowing in the exhaust pipe without waiting time. It is to provide an exhaust system of the RTP chamber by increasing the operation rate of the equipment.

The present invention for achieving the above object, in the exhaust system of the RTP chamber equipped with an oxygen analyzer for measuring the oxygen concentration of the gas exhausted through the gas exhaust pipe from the RTP chamber, branched from the gas exhaust pipe is connected to the oxygen analyzer A pneumatic valve installed in the analytical gas supply pipe and opening and closing a flow of gas passing through the analytical gas supply pipe; A solenoid valve connected to the pneumatic valve and supplying air for controlling the pneumatic valve; In addition to opening and closing the cover of the RTP chamber characterized in that it comprises a chamber opening and closing switch for controlling the solenoid valve.

1 is a configuration diagram showing an exhaust system of a conventional RTP chamber,

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an exhaust system of the RTP chamber according to the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

100; RTP chamber 200; Gas exhaust pipe

300; Oxygen analyzer 310; Analytical Gas Supply Pipe

400; Pneumatic valve 500; Solenoid valve

510; Air supply unit 600; Chamber switch

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the most preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an exhaust system of the RTP chamber according to the present invention. As shown, the exhaust system of the RTP chamber according to the present invention is connected to the gas exhaust pipe 200 coupled to one side of the RTP chamber 100, the gas supply pipe 310 for branching from the gas exhaust pipe 200 Opening and closing the oxygen analyzer 300, the pneumatic valve 400 installed in the gas supply pipe 310 for analysis, the solenoid valve 500 connected to the pneumatic valve 400, and the RTP chamber 100, and the solenoid And a chamber open / close switch 600 for controlling the valve 500.

The RTP chamber 100 performs a heat treatment by rapidly heating the wafer loaded into the inside, and exhausts the reaction gas and the purge gas supplied during the process through the gas exhaust pipe 200 connected to one side.

The gas exhaust pipe 200 includes a pressure gauge 210 for measuring an internal pressure, a PCV (Pressure Control Valve) 220 for maintaining a constant pressure in the RTP chamber 100 during the process, and a pressure in the RTP chamber 100. An exhaust gas shutoff valve 230 for blocking the gas flow of the gas exhaust pipe 200 when the pressure is lower than the predetermined pressure and a bypass tube 240 for bypassing the PCV 220 are provided.

The bypass pipe 240 is a vent valve 250 for bypassing the reaction gas and the purge gas in the RTP chamber 100 when the pressure in the RTP chamber 100 is higher than a predetermined pressure, and the bypass pipe 240. Check valve (260) is installed to suppress the back flow of the gas exhausted through.

In addition, the gas exhaust pipe 200 is branched to the analysis gas supply pipe 310, the gas supply pipe 310 is connected to the oxygen analyzer 300.

The oxygen analyzer 300 measures the oxygen concentration of the gas supplied from the gas exhaust pipe 200 through the analysis gas supply pipe 310 to adjust the oxygen concentration supplied into the RTP chamber 100 to an appropriate level.

An analytical gas supply pipe 310 for supplying gas to the oxygen analyzer 300 is provided with a pneumatic valve 400 for opening and closing a flow of gas passing therethrough.

Pneumatic valve 400 is controlled by the air supplied by the solenoid valve 500.

The solenoid valve 500 receives air from the air supply unit 510 by an operation of the chamber opening / closing switch 600 for opening and closing the cover of the RTP chamber 100.

The chamber opening / closing switch 600 opens and closes the cover of the RTP chamber 100 by an operator's operation, and applies the constant power to the solenoid valve 500 when opening the RTP chamber 100 so that the pneumatic valve 400 is closed. do.

In the exhaust system of the RTP chamber, the chamber opening / closing switch 600 opens and closes the cover of the RTP chamber 100 by operation and simultaneously applies a constant power to the solenoid valve 500 so that the solenoid valve 500 is a pneumatic valve ( Supply air to 400).

Pneumatic valve 400 is closed by the supply of air to block the flow of gas in the gas supply pipe 310 for analysis. Therefore, even when the cover of the RTP chamber 100 is opened, oxygen in the air introduced into the exhaust pipe 200 through the RTP chamber 100 is not supplied to the oxygen analyzer 300, thereby overloading the oxygen analyzer 300. By preventing the oxygen analyzer 300 to accurately measure the oxygen concentration, it is to extend the life of the oxygen analyzer 300.

In addition, since the oxygen in the air is not supplied to the oxygen analyzer 300 during the process by closing the cover of the RTP chamber 100, the oxygen analyzer 300 is exhausted through the gas exhaust pipe 200 without waiting time. Oxygen concentration can be measured, increasing the operation rate of the equipment.

As described above, the exhaust system of the RTP chamber according to the present invention prevents the oxygen analyzer from being overloaded by blocking the oxygen introduced into the oxygen analyzer when the RTP chamber is opened for maintenance of the equipment. Oxygen analyzer ensures accurate measurement of oxygen concentration, which not only makes the process stable but also extends the life of the oxygen analyzer. During the process, the oxygen analyzer measures the oxygen concentration of the gas flowing in the exhaust pipe immediately without waiting time. It has the effect of increasing the operation rate.

What has been described above is only one embodiment for implementing the exhaust system of the RTP chamber according to the present invention, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, as claimed in the utility model registration claims below Without departing from the gist of the invention, anyone with ordinary knowledge in the field to which the invention belongs will have a technical spirit of the present invention to the extent that various modifications can be made.

Claims (1)

In the exhaust system of the RTP chamber having an oxygen analyzer for measuring the oxygen concentration of the gas exhausted from the RTP chamber through the gas exhaust pipe, A pneumatic valve branched from the gas exhaust pipe and installed in an analysis gas supply pipe connected to the oxygen analyzer, and configured to open and close a flow of gas passing through the analysis gas supply pipe; A solenoid valve connected to the pneumatic valve and supplying air for controlling the pneumatic valve; A chamber opening / closing switch for opening and closing a cover of the RTP chamber and controlling the solenoid valve; Exhaust system of the RTP chamber comprising a.