KR20070073390A - Equipment for manufacturing semiconductor device - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided to prevent particles generation by supplying purge gas at uniform pressure through a shower head of a reaction chamber. A reaction chamber(110) provides a sealed space in order to form a thin film on a semiconductor substrate by using reaction gas. A gas source(120) generates a first gas and a second gas to be supplied to the inside of the reaction chamber. A first and second supply lines(130,140) are used for supplying transferring the first and second gases. A dummy line(150) is branched from the first gas supply line and is connected to the second gas supply line. A valve(160,170) is formed at the second gas supply line connected to the dummy line in order to supply the second gas through the dummy line and the first gas supply line to the inside of the reaction chamber when the first gas is not supplied to the first and second supply lines.

Description

Equipment for manufacturing semiconductor device

1 is a diagram schematically showing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a reaction gas supply line and a purge gas supply line of FIG. 1.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

100: wafer 110: reaction chamber

120: gas source 130: reaction gas supply line

140: purge gas supply line 150: dummy line

160: first valve 170: second valve

180: bypass line

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly, to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for forming a predetermined thin film on a semiconductor substrate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

Recently, in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, the minimum line width applied to the semiconductor integrated circuit process has been steadily decreasing to increase the operation speed of the semiconductor chip and increase the information storage capability per unit area. In addition, the size of a semiconductor device such as a transistor integrated on a semiconductor semiconductor substrate is reduced to less than a sub half micron.

Such a semiconductor device may be manufactured through a deposition process, a photo process, an etching process, and a diffusion process, and at least one semiconductor device may be formed when these processes are repeated several times several times. In particular, the deposition process is an essential process requiring improvement in the reproducibility and reliability of semiconductor device fabrication, such as a sol-gel method, a sputtering method, an electroplating method, and an evaporation method. , A process of forming the processed film on a semiconductor substrate by a chemical vapor deposition method, a molecular beam epitaxy method, an atomic layer deposition method, or the like.

Among them, chemical vapor deposition is most commonly used because of better deposition characteristics such as step coverage, uniformity, and mass production of thin films formed on semiconductor substrates than other deposition methods. Such chemical vapor deposition methods include LPCVD (Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition), APCVD (Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition), LTCVD (Low Temperature Chemical Vapor Deposition), PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition), MOCVD (Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition) ) And the like.

For example, the MOCVD is a process of forming a metal compound on a semiconductor substrate using a thermal decomposition reaction of an organic metal. In recent years, as semiconductor devices are highly integrated and high performance is required, new materials are required to be introduced. After the MOCVD process is performed on the semiconductor substrate, residual gases and reaction products present in the chemical vapor deposition facility are introduced. A cleaning and purging process is performed to remove this. Therefore, the chemical vapor deposition process such as the MOCVD process is a process for introducing a raw material into the reaction chamber in a gaseous state to deposit a predetermined film quality through a chemical reaction on the semiconductor substrate.

In this case, when the raw material is in a gaseous state in a chemical vapor deposition facility, it may be directly connected to the reactor and supplied. However, when the raw material is in a liquid state condensed at room temperature, a bubble method and a vapor flow controller are used. Raw material is vaporized using a liquid delivery method, an injection method, or an injection method, and then supplied to the shower head of the reaction chamber.

For example, in the vapor flow control method, a liquid raw material is heated to a predetermined temperature in a vaporizer, and then cooled again to room temperature or higher than room temperature, and an oxide having a predetermined pressure lower than the normal pressure is supplied to the shower head at the top of the reaction chamber. That's how. At this time, the purge gas is supplied into the reaction chamber through a purge line connected to the side wall of the reaction chamber separately from the vaporizer and the supply of the reaction gas such as the oxide supplied to the reaction chamber chamber is stopped. The purge gas is also not supplied into the reaction chamber.

However, the semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to the prior art had the following problems.

First, in the conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment, if the reaction gas supplied through the shower head of the reaction chamber is not supplied into the reaction chamber, the purge gas is supplied again with a subsequent process after the supply of the purge gas is stopped. There was a problem that the production yield falls because it causes particles by the pressure difference inside the reaction chamber in the process.

Second, in the conventional semiconductor manufacturing equipment, if purge gas continues to flow into the side wall of the reaction chamber irrespective of the reaction gas, the production yield is lowered because air flow may be generated in the side wall of the reaction chamber to cause particles. There was a downside.

An object of the present invention for solving the problems according to the prior art described above, the production by preventing the particle caused by the pressure difference in the reaction chamber caused by the supply and interruption of the reaction gas and purge gas supplied into the reaction chamber It is to provide a semiconductor manufacturing equipment that can increase or maximize the yield.

In addition, another object of the present invention, even if the purge gas is continuously introduced into the reaction chamber irrespective of the reaction gas, semiconductor production that can increase or maximize the production yield by preventing particles without generating air flow on the side wall inside the reaction chamber To provide facilities.

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object comprises a reaction chamber for providing a predetermined closed space to form a thin film on a semiconductor substrate using a reaction gas; A gas source generating a first gas and a second gas supplied inside the reaction chamber; First and second gas supply lines for respectively flowing a first gas and a second gas supplied from the gas source to the reaction chamber; A dummy line branched from the first gas supply line and connected to the second gas supply line; And the second gas is formed in the second gas supply line to which the dummy line is connected, and when the supply of the first gas flowing through the first and second gas supply lines is stopped, the second gas is connected to the dummy line; And a valve which is opened and closed to be supplied into the reaction chamber through the first gas supply line.

Hereinafter, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the embodiments described below. This embodiment is provided to more completely explain the present invention to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the shape of the elements in the drawings are exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description.

1 is a diagram schematically showing a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the reaction gas supply line and purge gas supply line of FIG.

1 to 2, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the reaction chamber 110 to provide a predetermined closed space to form a thin film on the semiconductor substrate 100 using the reaction gas, A gas source 120 generating a reaction gas (first gas) and a purge gas (second gas) supplied into the reaction chamber 110, and the gas source 120 is supplied to the reaction chamber 110. In the reaction gas supply line 130, the first gas supply line and the purge gas supply line 140, the second gas supply line for flowing the reaction gas and the purge gas, respectively, in the reaction gas supply line 130 A dummy line branched and connected to the purge gas supply line 140, and formed in the purge gas supply line 140 to which the dummy line is connected, and the reaction gas supply line 130 and the purge gas supply line ( Supply of the reaction gas flowing through 140 When this is stopped, the purge gas is configured to include a dummy valve 150 and a first valve 160 which is opened and closed to be supplied into the reaction chamber 110 through the reaction gas supply line 130. .

Here, the reaction chamber 110 is formed independently from the outside in order not to receive any interference from the outside, and in order to prevent contamination by the air inside during the manufacturing process of the semiconductor substrate 100 is performed. It is pumped at a predetermined pressure by the pumping unit 116 formed in the exhaust line 119 in communication with the reaction chamber 110. For example, the pumping unit 116 may be a dry pump or a rotor pump, and the inside of the reaction chamber 110 may be lower than normal pressure from about 1 Torr to about 10 ⁻³ during the manufacturing process of the semiconductor substrate 100. Pump to a degree of vacuum of Torr. In addition, the pumping unit 116 exhausts the reaction gas or purge gas pumped in the reaction chamber 110 to the scrubber 118 formed at the end of the exhaust line 119, the scrubber 118 is the reaction The gas and purge gas are purified and released into the atmosphere. The semiconductor manufacturing process performed in the reaction chamber 110 may be of various types. When the semiconductor manufacturing process is performed using the MOCVD method, the shower head 112 formed on the top of the reaction chamber 110 may be used. What is the flow rate and temperature control of the reaction gas flowing to the surface of the semiconductor substrate 100 supported by the chuck 114 or the susceptor formed at the bottom of the reaction chamber 110 opposite to the shower head 112 More important. In addition, when performing a semiconductor manufacturing process using a PECVD method, although not shown, the reaction chamber 110 is sprayed through the shower head 112 by receiving a radio frequency power (radio frequency power) to the semiconductor substrate ( At least one formed on the shower head 112 and a chuck or susceptor below the semiconductor substrate 100 in order to bring the reaction gas flowing into the plasma 100 into a high temperature plasma state. The above plasma electrode may be further formed.

The gas source 120 is a reactant supply unit 122 for supplying a material for generating the reaction gas, and a vaporizer for vaporizing the material supplied from the reactant supply unit 122 to generate the reaction gas at a predetermined pressure 124 and a purge gas supply unit 126 for supplying the purge gas. For example, the reactant supply unit 122 supplies a liquid substance such as a metal oxide required in a MOCVD process to the vaporizer 124, and the vaporizer 124 is the liquid phase supplied from the reactant supply unit 122 The material of is heated to a predetermined temperature to vaporize, the reaction gas consisting of the vaporized material is cooled and supplied to the temperature required by the reaction chamber 110. Although not shown, the reactant supply unit 122 may flow a purge gas, such as argon (Ar), to the vaporizer 124 to dilute the liquid material. In addition, when the semiconductor manufacturing process of the semiconductor substrate 100 is completed in the reaction chamber 110, the reaction gas is supplied into the reaction chamber 110 to provide an inner wall of the reaction chamber 110 and the semiconductor substrate 100. The reaction gas is bypassed through the bypass line 180 connected to the exhaust line 119 from the lower part of the vaporizer 124 because it may contaminate. At this time, the reaction gas supplied through the vaporizer 124 to the reaction gas supply line 130 or the bypass line 180 by the opening and closing operation of the second valve 170 formed under the vaporizer 124. Can be flowed. For example, the second valve 170 and the reaction gas supplied to the reaction gas supply line 130 according to the request caused by whether the reaction gas supplied through the vaporizer 124 in the reaction chamber 110 or not. It includes a three-way valve that is opened and closed to flow to any one of the bypass line 180. Although not shown, the reaction gas supply line 130 is formed between a portion connected to the dummy line 150 and the reaction chamber 110 to flow through the reaction gas supply line 130. It comprises at least one heater (heater) for heating the.

The purge gas supply unit 126 supplies the purge gas at a predetermined flow rate into the reaction chamber 110. For example, the purge gas supply unit 126 is a purge gas of a predetermined pressure into the reaction chamber 110 through the purge gas supply line 140 in a storage container in which liquid argon or liquid nitrogen is compressed at low temperature and high pressure. To supply. Although not shown, the purge gas supply unit 126 may include a pressure control valve for controlling the pressure of argon gas or nitrogen gas by reducing the pressure generated when the liquid argon or liquid nitrogen is vaporized. The purge gas is mixed with the reaction gas supplied to the inside of the reaction chamber 110 during the semiconductor manufacturing process and has some influence on the semiconductor manufacturing process, and when the semiconductor manufacturing process is completed, the reaction chamber ( While the reaction chamber 110 is pumped in the 110, the reaction gas remaining in the reaction chamber 110 is continuously supplied into the reaction chamber 110 such that all of the remaining reaction gas is pumped. In addition, the reaction gas may serve to maintain the vacuum degree of the reaction chamber 110 by compensating for the pressure of the reaction gas or air pumped through the pumping unit 116 in the reaction chamber 110. .

The purge gas supply line 140 connected to the purge gas supply unit 126 and the reaction chamber 110 receives the purge gas through a port formed on a sidewall of the reaction chamber 110. ) Can be supplied inside. In addition, the purge gas supply line 140 is branched from a portion adjacent to the reaction gas supply line 130 and connected by the dummy line 150 connected to the reaction gas supply line 130. In this case, the first valve 160 is formed in the purge gas supply line 140 branched to the dummy line 150. For example, when the reaction gas flows through the reaction gas supply line 130, the first valve 160 passes through the purge gas supply line 140 to the sidewall of the reaction chamber 110. When the reaction gas is opened and closed to operate and the reaction gas does not flow through the reaction gas supply line 130, the purge gas supplied to the side wall of the reaction chamber 110 through the purge gas supply line 140 is The dummy line 150, the reaction gas supply line 130 and the three-way valve (way valve) is opened and closed to flow to the shower head 112 of the reaction chamber (110). That is, the first valve 160 reacts through the purge gas supply line 140 when the reaction gas is supplied through the reaction gas supply line 130 during the semiconductor manufacturing process in the reaction chamber 110. The purge gas supply line 140 is connected to the reaction chamber 110 so that the purge gas is supplied to the side wall of the chamber 110. In this case, the first valve 160 closes the portion connected to the dummy line 150 to prevent the purge gas from flowing through the dummy line 150 as shown in FIG. 2A. On the other hand, when the semiconductor manufacturing process is completed in the reaction chamber 110 and the reaction gas is not supplied through the reaction gas supply line 130, the first valve 160 opens the purge gas supply line 140. The part connected to the dummy line 150 is opened so that the purge gas supplied through the dummy line 150, the reaction gas supply line 130, and the shower head 112 flow. In this case, the first valve 160 closes the purge gas supply line 140 connected to the side wall of the reaction chamber 110 as shown in FIG. 2B. When the purge gas flows through the reaction gas supply line 130, the reaction gas remaining in the reaction gas supply line 130 is exhausted to the reaction chamber 110 through the shower head 112. Thereafter, only the pure reaction gas generated from the vaporizer 124 may flow into the reaction chamber 110 in a subsequent semiconductor manufacturing process, and the contaminated reaction gas remains while remaining in the reaction gas supply line 130. It may be prevented from being supplied into the reaction chamber 110 to prevent defective semiconductor manufacturing.

Accordingly, the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention includes a dummy line 150 formed to connect the reaction gas supply line 130 and the purge gas supply line 140, and the purge gas line to which the dummy line 150 is connected. And a first valve 160 formed in the reaction chamber 110 so as to selectively open and close the purge gas to be selectively supplied through the reaction gas supply line 130 and the purge gas supply line 140. Since it is possible to prevent the generation of particles due to the pressure difference inside the reaction chamber 110 caused by the supply and interruption of the reaction gas and the purge gas can be increased or maximized production yield.

In addition, when the reaction gas and the purge gas supplied into the reaction chamber 110 during the semiconductor manufacturing process are completed with the reaction gas supplied to the inside of the reaction chamber 110 when the semiconductor manufacturing process is completed, the conventional reaction or the reaction is stopped. The purge gas, which is supplied to the side wall of the chamber 110 to induce air flow, is supplied at a uniform pressure through the shower head 112 inside the reaction chamber 110 to prevent generation of particles due to the pressure difference. As a result, production yield can be increased or maximized.

The inventive concepts and embodiments disclosed in the present invention may be used by those skilled in the art as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Such modifications or equivalent equivalent structures made by those skilled in the art may be variously changed, substituted, and changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention described in the claims.

As described above, according to the present invention, a dummy line is formed to connect a reaction gas supply line and a purge gas supply line, and the purge gas line is connected to the dummy line so that the purge gas is connected to the reaction gas supply line. And a first valve which is opened and closed to selectively supply through the purge gas supply line to cause particles due to a pressure difference in the reaction chamber caused by supply and interruption of the reaction gas and the purge gas supplied into the reaction chamber. Because it can prevent the effect is to increase or maximize the production yield.

In addition, when the semiconductor manufacturing process is completed, the reaction gas and the purge gas supplied into the reaction chamber during the semiconductor manufacturing process are stopped with the reaction gas supplied into the reaction chamber or supplied to the sidewall of the reaction chamber. Since the purge gas which caused the air flow is supplied at a uniform pressure through the shower head inside the reaction chamber, it is possible to prevent the generation of particles due to the pressure difference, thereby increasing or maximizing the production yield.

Claims (5)

A reaction chamber providing a predetermined closed space to form a thin film on the semiconductor substrate using the reaction gas; A gas source generating a first gas and a second gas supplied inside the reaction chamber; First and second gas supply lines for respectively flowing a first gas and a second gas supplied from the gas source to the reaction chamber; A dummy line branched from the first gas supply line and connected to the second gas supply line; And The second gas is formed in the second gas supply line to which the dummy line is connected, and the supply of the first gas flowing through the first and second gas supply lines is stopped. And a valve which is opened and closed to be supplied into the reaction chamber through a first gas supply line. The method of claim 1, And the first gas supply line is formed to be connected to a shower head formed at an upper end of the reaction chamber, and the second gas supply line is formed to be connected to a side wall of the reaction chamber. The method of claim 2, And the dummy line is branched from the first supply line adjacent to the gas source and connected to the second gas supply line. The method of claim 3, wherein The reaction gas supply line includes at least one heater for heating the reaction gas flowing between the portion connected to the dummy line and the reaction chamber. The method of claim 2, And the first valve includes a three-way valve that is opened and closed to flow the purge gas into the second gas supply line or the dummy line connected to the side wall of the reaction chamber.

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