KR20060128171A - Load lock for eliminating fume using plasma - Google Patents

Abstract

Loadlock equipment is provided to remove effectively fumes by using an improved plasma generating mechanism. Loadlock equipment includes a chamber(110) capable of supplying a sealed space for a wafer. The chamber is capable of removing fumes by predetermined plasma, wherein the fumes are generated from a remaining gas of the chamber. An RF source(210) is installed at an inner upper portion of the chamber. A plate is installed at an inner lower portion of the chamber. The RF source and the plate are capable of generating and distributing the predetermined plasma in the chamber.

Description

LOAD LOCK FOR ELIMINATING FUME USING PLASMA}

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a load lock facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a perspective view showing a part of a load lock facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Major Parts of Drawings>

100; Load lock facility 110; chamber

120; Throttle valves 130, 150; Isolation Valve

140; Turbo pump 160; Dry pump

170; Pumping line 210; High frequency source

220; Gas distribution plate 240; Low temperature pedestal

250; Focus ring 260; High frequency bias cathode

270; Inner slit valve door

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and more particularly to a load lock facility having a fume removal function.

Polysilicon films are often used to form transistors or capacitors in semiconductor circuits. Dry etching equipment using plasma is used to process the polysilicon film into a desired shape. In the semiconductor industry, polysilicon membranous dry etching devices use Br, Cl, and F series process gases, which are not 100% reactive but only partially reacted and the remainder is exhausted through the pumping line.

However, these process gases remain in the form of a fume on the wafer in which the process is performed and cannot be removed in a subsequent process, and cause process defects by acting as pattern lifting or particles. In the case of the 300 mm semiconductor facility, the severity of the above problems is increased in comparison with the 200 mm semiconductor facility, and thus, a separate chamber for removing residual gas is attached and used to significantly suppress the cost and productivity.

For example, a 2: 2 connection structure in which two process chambers and two fume removal chambers are provided is a general semiconductor equipment structure. Meanwhile, in order to increase productivity, most semiconductor manufacturers use a 3: 1 connection structure in which process chambers and fume removal chambers are connected by three and one, respectively. Therefore, the throughput of the chamber for removing fume influences the productivity of the entire equipment, and there is a problem in that the economy is inferior due to a separate investment for providing the apparatus.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems in the prior art, an object of the present invention to provide a load lock facility having a fume removal function as part of improving productivity and reducing costs.

The load lock facility according to the present invention for achieving the above object is characterized by having a function of removing fume by mounting a plasma source for removing fume as well as a wafer transfer function.

Load lock facility according to an embodiment of the present invention that can implement the above features, the load lock facility having a chamber for providing a closed place where the wafer stays, the chamber by the residual gas introduced with the wafer The produced fume is characterized by removing the plasma.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the chamber includes a high frequency source disposed above the chamber to generate the plasma and distribute the plasma into the chamber. The chamber includes a plate for distributing the plasma generated by the high frequency source in the chamber. The chamber includes a low temperature pedestal on which a wafer is actually mounted, and a high frequency bias cathode disposed on the low temperature pedestal.

Load lock facility according to a modified embodiment of the present invention that can implement the above features, provides a closed space, the chamber having a low temperature pedestal to which the wafer is mounted therein, and disposed above the outer of the chamber plasma A high frequency source for generating a gas source, a gas distribution plate disposed above the inner side of the chamber and distributing the plasma generated in the high frequency source in the chamber, and a lower portion of the low temperature pedestal to supply the plasma to the wafer. And a high frequency bios cathode to which a bias is applied to descend.

In a variant of the invention, the low temperature pedestal further comprises a focus ring for uniformly distributing the plasma on the wafer. A pump is connected to the lower part of the chamber, and a pumping line is disposed between the chamber and the pump to provide a flow path of the exhaust gas. The pumping line is provided with a valve for controlling the flow of the exhaust gas.

According to the present invention, the load lock facility is responsible for the removal of the fume using the plasma as well as the wafer transfer function by adding the chamber shape function equipped with the plasma source. Thereby, it is not necessary to provide a separate fume removal chamber.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the load lock facility according to the present invention will be described in detail.

Advantages over the present invention and prior art will become apparent through the description and claims with reference to the accompanying drawings. In particular, the present invention is well pointed out and claimed in the claims. However, the present invention may be best understood by reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Like reference numerals in the drawings denote like elements throughout the various drawings.

(Example)

1 is a cross-sectional view showing a load lock facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the load lock facility 100 of the present embodiment operates to evacuate a chamber 110 that is responsible for transfer of a wafer between a process chamber and a FOUP, and to exhaust gas inside the chamber 110. The turbo pump 140 and the dry pump 160, the pumping line 170 that is the path of the gas flow, the throttle valve 120 and the isolation valve 130 is installed in the pumping line 170 to control the flow of gas 150).

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing in detail a portion of the load lock facility according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a high frequency source (RF source) 210 that dissociates oxygen and directs the plasma down is disposed above the chamber 110. In the chamber 110, a low temperature pedestal 240 for mounting a wafer is disposed. An RF bias cathode is disposed below the low temperature pedestal 240 and a focus ring 250 is provided at the edge of the low temperature pedestal 240 to uniformly distribute the plasma on the wafer. . A gas distribution plate 220 is installed above the chamber 110 to control a uniform plasma atmosphere and gas flow. An inner slit valve door 270 is installed at the side of the chamber 110.

The load lock facility configured as described above operates as follows.

In the process chamber (not shown), the wafer, which has received a specific process, is transferred to the load lock facility 100 and loaded into the low temperature pedestal 240. At this time, process gas may be introduced into the chamber 110 such as a wafer to generate fume. When the wafer is loaded into the low temperature pedestal 240, plasma is generated from the high frequency source 210 to remove fume by the plasma. The wafer from which the fume is removed by the plasma is unloaded from the load lock facility 100 and transferred to the FOUP. Atmospheric gas in the chamber 110 is exhausted to the outside through the pumping line 170.

The foregoing detailed description illustrates the present invention. In addition, the foregoing description merely shows and describes preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments. And, it is possible to change or modify within the scope of the concept of the invention disclosed in this specification, the scope equivalent to the written description, and / or the skill or knowledge in the art. The above-described embodiments are for explaining the best state in carrying out the present invention, the use of other inventions such as the present invention in other state known in the art, and the specific fields of application and uses of the present invention. Various changes are also possible. Accordingly, the detailed description of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed embodiments. Also, the appended claims should be construed to include other embodiments.

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the load lock facility is responsible for removing the fume using the plasma as well as the wafer transfer function by adding the chamber shape function equipped with the plasma source. Accordingly, since it is not necessary to provide a separate fume removal chamber, there is an effect of not only improving productivity but also improving economic efficiency.

Claims (8)

A load lock facility comprising a chamber providing a closed location in which a wafer resides, wherein the chamber removes fumes generated by residual gas introduced with the wafer using plasma. The method of claim 1, And a high frequency source disposed above the chamber to generate the plasma and distribute the plasma into the chamber. The method of claim 2, And a plate distributing the plasma generated by the high frequency source in the chamber. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, And a low temperature pedestal on which the wafer is actually mounted, and a high frequency bias cathode disposed on the low temperature pedestal. A chamber providing an enclosed space and having a low temperature pedestal therein into which the wafer is mounted; A high frequency source disposed at an outer upper portion of the chamber to generate a plasma; A gas distribution plate disposed in the upper portion of the chamber and distributing the plasma generated in the high frequency source in the chamber; A high frequency bios cathode disposed below the low temperature pedestal and biased to direct the plasma toward the wafer; Load lock facility comprising a. The method of claim 5, The low temperature pedestal further comprises a focus ring for uniformly distributing the plasma on the wafer. The method according to claim 5 or 6, A pump is connected to a lower portion of the chamber, and a pumping line is disposed between the chamber and the pump to provide a flow path of the exhaust gas. The method of claim 7, wherein The pumping line is a load lock facility, characterized in that the valve for controlling the flow of the exhaust gas is installed.

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