KR20060077975A - Apparatus for manufacturing a wafer - Google Patents

Abstract

The wafer processing apparatus includes a process chamber for receiving the wafer to perform a machining process on the wafer. A gas supply unit is connected to the process chamber to supply a process gas used in the processing process to the process chamber, and a nozzle is connected to the gas supply unit and extends along the extending direction of the process chamber inside the process chamber. The process gas is supplied to the wafer. A plurality of nozzle fixtures are disposed on the inner side of the process chamber to secure the nozzle inside the process chamber and to change the relative supply position of the process gas supplied from the nozzle relative to the process chamber. Alternately fix it.

Description

Wafer processing apparatus {Apparatus for manufacturing a wafer}

1 is a block diagram for explaining a wafer processing apparatus according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the nozzle fixing part of FIG. 1. FIG.

3 is a block diagram illustrating a wafer processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a plan view illustrating the nozzle fixing part of FIG. 3.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

210: process chamber 212: outer tube

214: inner tube 220: manifold

230: boat 240: outside heater

250: vacuum providing unit 252: vacuum line

254: main valve 256: vacuum pump

260: reaction gas supply unit 270: gas nozzle

280: nozzle fixing portion W: semiconductor wafer

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a wafer processing apparatus, and more particularly, to a wafer processing apparatus for depositing a film uniformly on a wafer.

Recently, the manufacturing technology of semiconductor devices has been developed to improve the degree of integration, reliability, response speed, etc. in order to meet various needs of consumers. Generally, a semiconductor device is manufactured by forming a predetermined film on a silicon wafer used as a semiconductor wafer, and forming the film in a pattern having electrical characteristics.

The deposition process for forming the film is divided into physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition. The chemical vapor deposition process is a process of forming a film on a semiconductor wafer by a chemical reaction of a gas provided into the process chamber, and classified into various process conditions such as temperature, pressure, and state of a reactive gas.

Among the chemical vapor deposition processes, the low pressure chemical vapor deposition (PLCVD) process has a low pressure of 200 to 700 mTorr when a film is formed on a semiconductor wafer, and simply reacts by using thermal energy. The advantages of the low pressure chemical vapor deposition process are good film uniformity and step coverage, good quality films can be formed on a large number of semiconductor wafers at one time, and are widely used for polycrystalline silicon layer, nitride film and oxide film deposition. The low pressure chemical vapor deposition apparatus is classified into a vertical type or a horizontal type according to the shape of the process chamber. Currently, the low pressure chemical vapor deposition apparatus has a merit of taking up less installation space. In the vertical low pressure chemical vapor deposition apparatus, when a source gas is introduced into a space in a high temperature vacuum atmosphere, the injected gases react with each other to form a reactant, and are simultaneously diffused in a vacuum space to be deposited as a film on a wafer in the process. To use.

As the vertical low pressure chemical vapor deposition apparatus, a vertical type furnace is installed in which a tube of quartz is installed in a space inside a heater wall and a wafer is placed in the tube to create a high temperature process environment. As the vertical type, a batch method in which a large amount of wafers are introduced into the process space at one time is used. In the semiconductor device manufacturing process, a thermal oxidation film is formed or a diffusion furnace for diffusing injected elements is used.

An example of such a vertical low pressure chemical vapor deposition apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,902,406 to Uchiyama, et.al.

1 is a block diagram for explaining a wafer processing apparatus according to the prior art.

Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional wafer processing apparatus 100 discharges a process chamber 110 that accommodates a semiconductor wafer W, and reaction by-products and unreacted gases generated during the deposition process, and the process chamber 110. It includes a vacuum providing unit 150 for adjusting the pressure inside. The process chamber 110 includes a manifold 120 to which the reaction gas supply unit 160 is connected, an inner tube 114 and an outer tube 112 provided on the manifold 120. ). Inside the inner tube 114, a boat 130 for supporting a plurality of semiconductor wafers W is provided, and the boat 130 is moved up and down through the manifold 120 by an elevator (not shown). . The vacuum providing unit 150 is connected to the manifold 120 through a vacuum line 152 connected to the manifold 120, a main valve 154 installed in the vacuum line 152, and a vacuum line 152. A vacuum pump 156.

The gas nozzle 170 is connected to the gas providing unit 160 and extends in the vertical direction inside the inner tube 114. The gas nozzle 170 injects a reaction gas into the inner tube 114. The nozzle fixing unit 180 is provided on the inner wall of the inner tube 114 to fix the gas nozzle 170. The nozzle fixing unit 180 prevents the gas nozzle 170 from being broken due to the bending or vibration of the quartz gas nozzle 170 as the temperature of the inner tube 114 rises.

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the nozzle fixing part of FIG. 1. FIG.

Referring to FIG. 2, only one nozzle fixing unit 180 is provided so that the gas nozzle 170 is always fixed to the nozzle fixing unit 180. That is, the position of the gas nozzle 170 is always fixed. Therefore, when the reaction gas is injected from the gas nozzle 170, over deposition occurs in the portion of the inner tube 114 in the direction in which the reaction gas is injected.

After the deposition process is completed in the wafer processing apparatus 100, the process chamber 110 is cleaned. At this time, during the cleaning of the inner tube 114, the excessively deposited portion is etched more than the portion of the other inner tube 114. Therefore, a problem occurs that the life of the inner tube 114 is shortened.

An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a wafer processing apparatus for preventing a portion of the inner tube of the process chamber is over-deposited by the reaction gas sprayed from the gas nozzle.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention for achieving the object of the present invention, a wafer processing apparatus includes a process chamber for receiving the wafer to perform a processing process for the wafer. A gas supply unit is connected to the process chamber to supply a process gas used in the processing process to the process chamber. The nozzle is connected to the gas supply part and extends along the extending direction of the process chamber in the process chamber and supplies the process gas to the wafer. A plurality of nozzle fixtures are disposed on the inner side of the process chamber to secure the nozzle inside the process chamber and to change the relative supply position of the process gas supplied from the nozzle relative to the process chamber. Alternately fix it.

In the wafer processing apparatus, the process chamber preferably includes an inner tube for receiving the wafer and an outer tube disposed to surround the inner tube.

In the wafer processing apparatus according to the present invention configured as described above, since a plurality of nozzle fixing parts are provided, the gas nozzles are not fixed to only one nozzle fixing part, but are alternately fixed to the plurality of nozzle fixing parts. Therefore, a portion that is over-deposited on the inner tube alternately occurs. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the shortening of life due to etching during the cleaning of the inner tube.

Hereinafter, a wafer processing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 is a block diagram illustrating a wafer processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the wafer processing apparatus 200 includes a process chamber 210, a gas providing unit 250, a gas nozzle 270, and a nozzle fixing unit 280.

The process chamber 210 is formed of a quartz material and is divided into an inner tube 212 and an outer tube 214 and provided in a vertical direction at a predetermined interval. The inner tube 212 is a cylindrical shape of the top and bottom open respectively. On the other hand, the outer tube 214 is formed in a sealed form to block the inflow of internal and external air. The process chamber 210 accommodates a boat 230 supporting a plurality of semiconductor wafers W in the inner tube 214, and a gas providing unit 260 and a vacuum providing unit 250 are connected to each other. A manifold 210 that supports the inner tube 214 and the outer tube 212.

The boat 230 is generally cylindrical in shape, and the diameter of the cylinder is smaller than the diameter of the inner tube 214. In addition, the boat 230 has a structure in which a plurality of slits are formed and has a frame shape through which the reaction gas can be freely ventilated. The boat 230 moves up and down the inner tube 214 through the manifold 220 in a state in which a plurality of wafers W are stacked in the plurality of slits in a horizontal direction.

Although not shown, it is preferable that an elevator is provided below the boat 230. The elevator lowers the boat 230 for loading and unloading the semiconductor wafer W and ascends for nitride deposition to raise the boat 230 into the inner tube 214. In addition, the lower portion of the boat 230 is preferably provided with a rotation drive for rotating the boat 230 in the inner tube 214.

The outer side of the outer tube 212 is provided with a heater 240 for maintaining the temperature inside the outer tube 212 and the inner tube 214 at the deposition temperature. The heater 240 is provided to form an outer wall around the outer tube 214 to heat the inside of the process chamber 210. The heater 240 is connected to a heating controller in order to perform electrical heating control. The process temperature of the process chamber 210 is set to 500 to 1000 占 폚 in the chemical vapor deposition process, and 800 to 1200 占 폚 in the oxidation process and the diffusion process.

The vacuum provider 250 includes a vacuum line 252 connected to the manifold 220, a main valve 254, and a vacuum pump 256. The main valve 254 regulates the pressure inside the process chamber 210 during the wafer processing process, and is closed during cleaning to prevent impurities from cleaning from flowing into the vacuum pump 256. On the other hand, the vacuum line 252 is formed with a discharge port (not shown) for discharging impurities by cleaning. The outlet is closed during the wafer processing process and open during cleaning.

The discharge port is provided in the manifold 220 under the inner tube 214 and the outer tube 212 as well as the vacuum line 252 to discharge the reaction by-products and unreacted gas of the wafer processing process.

The gas provider 260 supplies the reaction gas for the deposition process to the process chamber 210. For example, the gas providing unit 260 provides dichlorosilane gas and ammonia gas to the process chamber 210 to form a nitride film on the semiconductor wafer W. Each supply line connected to the gas providing unit 260 is provided with a flow control unit (not shown) and an air valve (not shown), respectively, to control the flow rate.

The gas nozzle 270 supplies the reaction gas supplied from the gas providing unit 260 into the inner tube 214. The gas nozzle 270 penetrates through the manifold 220 to an inner side of the inner tube 214, and extends along an inner wall of the inner tube 214 to an upper end of the inner tube 214 in a vertical direction. Is extended. The gas nozzle 270 is formed of quartz material.

4 is a plan view illustrating the nozzle fixing part of FIG. 3.

3 and 4, the nozzle fixing part 280 is provided in plurality, preferably four, in the upper end of the inner wall of the inner tube 214. The nozzle fixing part 280 protrudes from an inner wall of the inner tube 214, and a hole 282 for fixing the gas nozzle 270 is formed. Two holes 282 are formed in each nozzle fixing part 280. The two holes 282 are formed even if a part of the nozzle fixing part 280 is damaged due to an accident, so that one hole 282 cannot be used, the gas nozzle 270 using the remaining holes 282. ) Can be fixed.

The plurality of nozzle fixing parts 280 are spaced apart from each other at the same interval. When four nozzle fixing parts 280 are provided, the nozzle fixing parts 280 are spaced apart by 90 degrees with respect to the central axis of the inner tube 214.                     

The nozzle fixing part 280 fixes the gas nozzle 270 not to move. Therefore, the portion where the gas nozzle 270 is supported is limited to the lower portion of the inner tube 214, and the gas nozzle 270 is supported by the action of the center of gravity of the gas nozzle 270 itself and the pressure difference between the inner tube 214. An upper end portion of the gas nozzle 270 may be prevented from inclining toward the center of the inner tube 214. Therefore, the inclined gas nozzle 270 may be prevented from being damaged or broken by colliding with the boat 230 that is lifted.

In addition, since the plurality of nozzle fixing parts 280 are provided to be spaced apart from each other at equal intervals, the nozzle fixing parts 280 may be alternately mounted when the gas nozzle 270 is mounted. As shown in FIG. 4, when the gas nozzle 270 is first mounted, the gas nozzle 270 is mounted on the first nozzle fixing part 280a. The process chamber 210 is cleaned after performing a wafer processing process in a state in which the gas nozzle 270 is mounted on the first nozzle fixing part 280a. When the gas nozzle 270 is mounted again after the process chamber 210 is cleaned, the gas nozzle 270 is mounted on the second nozzle fixing part 280b. Thereafter, the gas nozzles 270 are mounted in the order of the third nozzle fixing part 280c and the fourth nozzle fixing part 280d. After the gas nozzle 270 is mounted up to the fourth nozzle fixing part 280d, the first, second, and fourth nozzle fixing parts 280b, 280c, and 280d of the second nozzle fixing part 280a may be replaced. In order to repeat the mounting of the gas nozzle 270.

Therefore, the position of the gas nozzle 270 is not fixed and flows. Therefore, even if a reactive gas is injected from the gas nozzle 270, over deposition occurs on only one portion of the inner tube 214. Therefore, even if the process chamber 210 is cleaned after the deposition process is completed in the wafer processing apparatus 200, the overdeposited portion of the inner tube 214 may be more etched than that of the other inner tube 214. Can be. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the problem that the life of the inner tube 214 is shortened.

Hereinafter, a process of forming a film on the semiconductor wafer W using the wafer processing apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 3 will be described.

First, the temperature inside the process chamber 210 is increased by using the outer heater 240 provided outside the process chamber 210.

Subsequently, the boat 230 supporting the 50 semiconductor wafers W is loaded into the inner tube 214 of the process chamber 210, and the main valve 250 is opened to reduce the pressure inside the process chamber 210. Maintain 0.3torr.

Subsequently, a purge gas such as nitrogen gas for discharging contaminants in the process chamber 210 is provided into the process chamber 210 for a predetermined time, and then reaction gases for chemical vapor deposition are supplied to the process chamber 210. Provide it internally. The reaction gases provided into the process chamber 210 cause a chemical reaction using thermal energy provided from the outer heater 240, and thus a predetermined film is formed on the semiconductor wafer W. Reaction by-products after the chemical vapor deposition process are discharged through vacuum line 252.

When the predetermined film formation on the semiconductor wafer W is completed, the main valve 254 in the vacuum line 254 is closed, and a purge gas is again provided inside the process chamber 210 to increase the internal pressure. Next, the elevator is operated to move the boat 230 to a position for unloading the semiconductor wafer W.

As described above, the wafer processing apparatus according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of nozzle fixing portions to alternately fix the gas nozzles. Therefore, overdeposition occurs only at a certain portion of the inner tube to prevent excessive etching during cleaning. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the phenomenon that the life of the inner tube is shortened.

While the foregoing has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will be able to variously modify and change the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. It will be appreciated.

Claims (6)

A process chamber containing the wafer to perform a machining process on the wafer; A gas supply unit connected to the process chamber for supplying a process gas used in the processing process to the process chamber; A nozzle connected to the gas supply part and extending in an extension direction of the process chamber in the process chamber to supply the process gas to the wafer; And A plurality of alternately fixing nozzles for changing the relative supply positions of the process gases supplied from the nozzles with respect to the process chamber to fix the nozzles within the process chamber; Wafer processing apparatus comprising a nozzle fixing portion of the. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the process chamber comprises an inner tube for receiving the wafer and an outer tube disposed to surround the inner tube. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the process chamber extends in a substantially vertical direction. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nozzle fixing portions are spaced apart from each other by the same interval. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nozzle fixing portions are formed of quartz material. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the nozzle fixing parts are provided on an inner surface of the process chamber.

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