KR20100089312A - Loadlock chamber in a semi-conductor manufacturing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A loadlock chamber in a semiconductor manufacturing system is provided to reduce the pumping time of a loadlock chamber and to shorten board processing time by improving a structure and a pumping line of a loadlock chamber module. CONSTITUTION: A first load lock chamber module(200) comprises a first sub chamber(201) and a second sub chamber(202). The second load lock chamber module(300) comprises a third sub-chamber(301) and a fourth sub-chamber(302). A first pumping area(210) pumps the first sub chamber and the second sub chamber. A second pumping area(310) pumps the third sub-chamber and the fourth sub-chamber. The first sub chamber and the second sub chamber are vertically separated in a predetermined housing.

Description

Loadlock chamber in a semi-conductor manufacturing system.

The present invention relates to a load lock chamber, and more particularly, to a load lock chamber of a semiconductor manufacturing equipment that can improve the processing speed of the substrate.

In general, a semiconductor device is a deposition process for forming a thin film on a semiconductor substrate, a photo lithography process for forming a pattern on the surface of the thin film on the semiconductor substrate using a pattern of a mask or a reticle According to the pattern on the surface of the thin film, the etching is performed by repeatedly performing an etching process for selectively removing the thin film using a reaction gas or a chemical solution.

Therefore, in order to perform all of these processes, the semiconductor substrates must be transferred to the next process after each process. To this end, a substrate transfer device for transferring a semiconductor substrate from a process module in which a semiconductor device manufacturing process is performed to a load lock chamber or another process module storing the semiconductor substrate may be used.

On the other hand, to increase the number of process modules that perform a predetermined semiconductor process or to increase the overall process processing speed, it is necessary to improve the processing speed on the substrate in the load lock chamber, transfer module, and the like.

In general, in the load lock chamber, a pumping process or a purge process may be performed to convert to a so-called vacuum state or an atmospheric state. Such a process can take a relatively long time to vary the pressure in the chamber extensively, changing the pressure and changing the interior of the chamber to a desired state.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to improve the chamber structure and the purge line in the load lock chamber, reducing the purge time of each load lock chamber by reducing the load processing chamber substrate processing time in the semiconductor manufacturing process To provide.

The objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects that are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

One aspect of the load lock chamber of the semiconductor manufacturing equipment of the present invention to achieve the above object is a first load lock chamber module comprising a first sub chamber and a second sub chamber; A second load lock chamber module including a third sub chamber and a fourth sub chamber; A first pumping part for pumping the first subchamber and the second subchamber; And a second pumping part for pumping the third subchamber and the fourth subchamber, wherein the first pumping part pumps any one of the first subchamber and the second subchamber, and the second pumping part One of the third subchamber and the fourth subchamber is pumped.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, by improving the structure of the load lock chamber module and the pumping line, it is possible to reduce the substrate processing time by reducing the pumping time of the load lock chamber even if no additional module or pump is installed.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and the drawings. Advantages and features of the present invention and methods for achieving them will be apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but can be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments make the disclosure of the present invention complete, and the general knowledge in the art to which the present invention belongs. It is provided to fully inform the person having the scope of the invention, which is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

When an element is referred to as being "connected to" or "coupled to" with another element, it may be directly connected to or coupled with another element or through another element in between. This includes all cases. On the other hand, when one device is referred to as "directly connected to" or "directly coupled to" with another device indicates that no other device is intervened. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. “And / or” includes each and all combinations of one or more of the items mentioned.

Although the first, second, etc. are used to describe various elements, components and / or sections, these elements, components and / or sections are of course not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component or section from another element, component or section. Therefore, the first device, the first component, or the first section mentioned below may be a second device, a second component, or a second section within the technical spirit of the present invention.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. In the present specification, the singular form includes plural forms unless otherwise specified in the specification. As used herein, “comprises” and / or “comprising” refers to the presence of one or more other components, steps, operations and / or elements. Or does not exclude additions.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the present specification may be used in a sense that can be commonly understood by those skilled in the art. In addition, the terms defined in the commonly used dictionaries are not ideally or excessively interpreted unless they are specifically defined clearly.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a plan view of a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus having a load lock chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a device for manufacturing a semiconductor device may include a load port 10, a loader 20, a load lock chamber 30, a transfer module 40, and a process module 50.

The load pod 10 is a device in which a plurality of (for example, 25 sheets) of semiconductor substrates W are placed, and the load pod 10 is used to store a large diameter (for example, 300 mm wafer) semiconductor substrates W. 10) Since the plurality of slits are spaced apart at predetermined intervals therein, the plurality of semiconductor substrates W may be horizontally stored. The load port 10 is typically a front open-type integrated pod (FOUP) method by integrating a carrier in which the semiconductor substrates W are stored and a carrier box for transferring the carrier.

The loader 20 provides the semiconductor substrate W stored in the load port 10 in the standby state to the load lock chamber 30 which is a vacuum space. The loader part 20 is formed in a chamber shape to suppress exposure to contaminants when the semiconductor substrate W is transferred, and one side of the loader part 20 is connected to an open front surface of the load port 10. The opposite side is connected to the load lock port 30. In the loader unit 20, an aligner (not shown) for aligning the transfer robot 22 for transferring the semiconductor substrates W one by one and the semiconductor substrate W transferred by the transfer robot 22. Is provided. The loader 20 is typically represented by an Equipment Front End Module (EFEM) system.

The load lock chamber 30 is an environmental condition close to an environmental condition in the process module 50 before transferring the semiconductor substrates W to the process modules 50 in which the unit process for manufacturing the semiconductor device is performed. It can be contacted, and serves to block the environmental conditions in the process module 50 from being influenced from the outside. One surface of the load lock chamber 30 is connected to the loader 20 and the other surface is connected to the transfer module 40. Therefore, the semiconductor substrates W before and after the unit process are transferred into the load lock chamber 210 and positioned in the load lock chamber 30.

For example, the load lock chamber 30 may be composed of two load lock chamber modules 200 and 300, and each load lock chamber module 200 and 300 may be configured as a predetermined number of sub-chambers. Can be. For example, each load lock chamber module 200, 300 may be composed of sub chambers vertically separated in one housing. In an embodiment of the present invention, the pumping part and the venting part provided in each of the load lock chamber modules 200 and 300 are independently or alternately performed with respect to the subchambers. You can save time.

The transfer module 40 is a member connecting the load lock chamber 30 and the process module 50 to transfer the semiconductor substrate W in a constant vacuum state. The substrate transfer device 100 is provided in the transfer module 40. Therefore, the semiconductor substrates W in the load lock chamber 210 are transferred to the process module 50 one by one by the substrate transfer device 100, and the semiconductor substrates W in the process module 50 having finished the unit process are loaded. It is transferred to the lock chamber 30.

The process module 50 is a space in which end-to-end processes for manufacturing a semiconductor device are performed and is maintained in a constant atmosphere according to the process conditions of each unit process. Accordingly, in the process module 50, the semiconductor substrate W may be transferred one by one through the substrate transfer apparatus 100, and the diffusion, etching, or cleaning process may be performed on the semiconductor substrate W. FIG.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of a load lock chamber in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2, the load lock chamber 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention is the first load lock chamber module 200, the second load lock chamber module 300, the first pumping unit 210, the first The second pumping part 310, the first venting part 260, and the second venting part 360 may be included. The load lock chamber 400 is disposed between the loader portion 20 and the transfer module 40 as shown in FIG. 1 to form a vacuum similar to that of the transfer module 40 or to the loader portion 20. A similar atmospheric pressure is formed to act as a medium in the transfer of the substrate between the loader portion 20 and the transfer module 40.

The first load lock chamber module 200 may include a first sub chamber 201 and a second sub chamber 202. Each of the subchambers 201 and 202 may serve as a load lock chamber which is located in one housing and is separated from each other. Therefore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first load lock chamber module 200 is composed of a first sub chamber 201 and a second sub chamber 202, the second load lock chamber module 300 to be described later The third sub-chamber 301 and the fourth sub-chamber 302 may be configured such that a total of four sub-chambers may be separated to serve as independent load lock chambers. However, the four subchambers in one embodiment of the present invention are merely one example, and may include a set of four or more even subchambers.

Each of the subchambers 201 and 202 may include a stage 230 for temporarily storing a substrate, and may include a step 231 for stacking the substrate on the stage 230 at predetermined intervals.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first pumping unit 210 and the first ben have the first subchamber 201 and the second subchamber 202 of the first load lock chamber module 200 as one unit. The sharing unit 260 may be shared.

The first pumping unit 210 serves to make the first sub-chamber 201 or the second sub-chamber 202 into a so-called vacuum state which is below a predetermined pressure. The first pumping unit 210 may include a first pump 220, a branch valve 213, and a pumping line 215. When the branch valve 213 is opened to only one of the first sub chamber 201 or the second sub chamber 202, the branch valve 213 serves as a switch to close the other chamber. Accordingly, the first pumping unit 210 may perform a pumping process for converting one of the first sub chambers 201 or the second sub chambers 202 into a so-called vacuum state. . Thus, the time required for pumping can be significantly reduced compared to a general load lock chamber that pumps two subchambers 201 and 202 simultaneously.

The first venting unit 260 injects a purge gas into the first sub chamber 201 or the second sub chamber 202 so that the first sub chamber 201 or the second sub chamber 202 has a predetermined pressure or more. It acts to lead to the so-called standby state. The first venting unit 260 may include a first gas storage unit 261, a first flow regulator 262, a branch valve 263, and a venting line 265. The branch valve 263 opens only one chamber of the first sub chamber 201 or the second sub chamber 202. Therefore, the purge gas stored in the first gas storage unit 261 is supplied to one of the first sub chamber 201 or the second sub chamber 202 by the branch valve 263. Thus, as compared with purging two subchambers 201 and 202 at the same time, purge gas can be significantly reduced by supplying purge gas to one subchamber 201 and 202. The purge gas may be an inert gas having low reactivity, and may be, for example, nitrogen (N ₂ ), argon (Ar), air, or the like. The first flow controller 262 may adjust the flow rate of the purge gas supplied along the venting line 265. The first flow regulator 262 serves to prevent damage to the subchambers 201 and 202, damage to the substrate, and the like by shock waves caused by sudden pressure changes in the subchambers 201 and 202. The first flow regulator 262 may include a slow valve and / or a fast valve (not shown) to control the flow of purge gas.

Meanwhile, the second load lock chamber module 300 may include the same configuration as the first load lock chamber module 200. In the second load lock chamber module 300 according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the second pumping unit 310 and the second sub chamber 301 and the fourth sub chamber 302 are used as one unit. The venting unit 360 may be shared.

Therefore, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the second pumping unit 310 is to pump to one of the third sub-chamber 301 and the fourth sub-chamber 302, which is substantially used for pumping You can save time. In addition, the second venting unit 360 may purge one of the third subchamber 301 and the fourth subchamber 302 by a gas supply, thereby reducing a time for a predetermined purge process. .

3 illustrates an operation of transferring a substrate to a load lock chamber by a substrate transfer apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the substrate transfer apparatus 500 may include an upper robot arm 510 and a lower robot arm 520. Here, the upper robot arm 510 and the lower robot arm 520 may load and unload a substrate. For example, when the upper robot arm 510 loads the substrate in the load lock chamber and transfers the substrate to the processor chamber, the lower robot arm 520 loads the substrate on which the process is completed in the processor chamber to load the chamber. The substrate can be unloaded with.

Accordingly, the upper robot arm 510 should load the substrate before the process is performed from the vacuum load lock chamber, and the lower robot arm 520 may unload the substrate after the process is completed to the load lock chamber in the standby state. There is a need.

As such, the substrate transfer apparatus 500 including the upper robot arm 510 and the lower robot arm 520 may be configured to simultaneously load or unload the substrate in real time, as shown in FIG. 2. One subchamber 201 and a second subchamber 202 are formed as one unit, one of each of the subchambers 201 and 202 is pumped to switch to a vacuum state, and the other chamber is atmospheric. A purge process to switch to the state needs to be performed.

Therefore, as in an embodiment of the present invention, by configuring the subchambers 201 and 202 independently separated from each other up and down in the first load lock chamber module 200 as one unit, the first subchamber 201 In the pumping is performed to switch to a vacuum state, the second sub-chamber 202 may be purged to switch to the standby state. As described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first pumping unit 210 and the first venting unit in both the first sub chamber 201 and the second sub chamber 202 of the first load lock chamber module 200. Although 260 is connected, it may operate on one of the two subchambers 201, 202 during actual operation, thereby significantly reducing the time required for substantial pumping or purging. In general, when pumping or purging is performed in both the subchambers 201 and 202, the two subchambers 201 and 202 should be filled or emptied. In one embodiment of the present invention, It can take much more time. For example, one pumping part and a venting part are connected to the first sub chamber 201 and the third sub chamber 301, and the other one is pumped to the second sub chamber 202 and the fourth sub chamber 302. When the part and the venting part are connected, a case of pumping or venting the first subchamber 201 and the third subchamber 301 occurs at the same time, so that a relatively long time is required to pump or vent the two subchambers. It can take. Therefore, as in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the pumping part and the venting part are arranged using a pair of subchambers arranged up and down as one unit, thereby significantly reducing the substrate processing time.

Meanwhile, the second load lock chamber module 300 may be pumped or purged in one of the two subchambers 301 and 302 with the subchambers 301 and 302 separated up and down as one unit. Can be performed. Accordingly, an operation of the second pumping unit 310 that pumps the second load lock chamber module 300 and the second venting unit 360 that performs the purge process on the second load lock chamber module 300 is performed. The time can be significantly reduced.

As another example, by alternately performing a pumping or purging process for each of the subchambers 201, 202, 301 and 302, the time required for the pumping or purging process is reduced, thereby reducing the overall substrate processing time. Can be.

4A-4D show arrangements of pumps and valves in a load lock chamber of semiconductor manufacturing equipment in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

First, referring to FIG. 4A, a pumping process for one subchamber among a pair of subchambers 201, 202, 301 and 302 may be performed by the pumps 220 and 320 and the branch valves 213 and 313. Can be. For example, when performing a pumping process for the first subchamber 201, the branch valve 213 is opened to the first subchamber 201 by the controller and closed to the second subchamber 202. At the same time, the pump 220 may be operated to lower the pressure in the first sub chamber 201 to convert the vacuum to a vacuum state.

Referring to FIG. 4B, a pair of subchambers 201 and 202 are provided by on / off valves 421, 422, 423 and 424 that open and close the pumps 220 and 320 and pump lines of respective subchambers. A pumping process for one of the subchambers 301 and 302 may be performed. The on-off valves 421, 422, 423, 424 are connected to each subchamber 201, 202, 301, 302 to open or close a pumping line to each subchamber to determine whether to pump to the subchamber. You can decide. On the other hand, the on-off valves 421, 422, 423, 424 may further include a control unit (not shown) for controlling the on-off operation.

Referring to FIG. 4C, pumps 220 and 320, branch valves 213 and 313, and speed valves 431 for selectively pumping one subchamber among a pair of subchambers 201 and 202 and 301 and 302. , 432). A pumping process for one subchamber among the pair of subchambers 201 and 202 (301 and 302) may be performed by the pumps 220 and 320 and the branch valves 213 and 313. In addition, the flow rate or speed pumped by the speed valves 431 and 432 positioned between the pumps 220 and 320 and the branch valves 213 and 313 may be adjusted. The speed valves 431 and 432 may be composed of a slow valve 432 and a fast valve 431. Combination of the slow valve 432 and the fast valve 431 or on / off of each may prevent damage to the pump or the subchamber due to shock waves that may be generated when pumping in the predetermined subchamber.

Referring to FIG. 4D, each of the subchambers is adjusted to each of the subchambers 201, 202, 301, and 302 by adjusting the speed valves 451, 452, 453, 454, 461, 462, 463, 464. It may be determined whether 201, 202, 301, and 302 are pumped. The controller may further include a controller (not shown) for determining whether the speed valves are opened or closed to operate the speed valves. Thus, in the operating state of the pumps 220 and 320 pumping against the pair of subchambers 201 and 202 (301 and 302), the slow valves 452, 454, 462 and 464 and the fast valves 451, By controlling the 453, 461, 463, respectively, it is possible to perform a pumping process for one subchamber. For example, when pumping the first subchamber 201, the second speed valves 453 and 454 are closed, and the first speeds 451 and 452 are opened to open the first subchamber 201. Can only be switched to vacuum. In addition, the slow valve 352 and the fast valve 451 may be controlled to prevent an impact in the pump 220 or the sub chamber 201 due to the sudden operation of the pump 220.

As described above, the various combinations of the pump and the valve can reduce the time required to switch to the vacuum state in the load lock chamber without mounting an additional pump or module. Therefore, the substrate can be smoothly supplied to the process module in accordance with the processing speed of the substrate in the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains have various permutations, modifications, and modifications without departing from the spirit or essential features of the present invention. It is to be understood that modifications may be made and other embodiments may be embodied. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive.

1 is a view schematically showing a substrate processing apparatus for collecting a chemical liquid fume according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view schematically illustrating a middle portion and a collecting line of a piping line in a substrate processing apparatus for collecting chemical liquid fume according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a middle portion and a collecting line of a piping line in a substrate processing apparatus for collecting chemical liquid fume according to another embodiment of the present invention.

4A to 4D are diagrams showing arrangements of pumps and valves in a load lock chamber of semiconductor manufacturing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

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

10: load port 20: loader portion

30: load lock chamber 40: transfer module

50: processor module

200, 300: load lock chamber module

210, 310: pumping part

260, 360: venting part

220, 320: pump

213, 263: branch valve

262: flow regulator

Claims (5)

In the load lock chamber disposed between the loader portion and the transfer module, A first load lock chamber module comprising a first sub chamber and a second sub chamber; A second load lock chamber module including a third sub chamber and a fourth sub chamber; A first pumping part for pumping the first subchamber and the second subchamber; And A second pumping part configured to pump the third sub chamber and the fourth sub chamber, Wherein the first pumping part pumps any one of the first sub chamber and the second sub chamber, and the second pumping part pumps any one of the third sub chamber and the fourth sub chamber. Load lock chamber. The method of claim 1, The first sub-chamber and the second sub-chamber are separated up and down in a predetermined housing, And performing a purge process with respect to the second subchamber when the first subchamber is pumped by the first pumping unit. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pumping unit A branch valve connecting a pumping line to one of the first subchamber and the second subchamber; And And a pump for converting the inside of one of the first subchamber and the second subchamber into a vacuum state along the connected pumping line. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pumping unit A branch valve connecting a pumping line to one of the first subchamber and the second subchamber; A pump for converting the inside of one of the first subchamber and the second subchamber into a vacuum state along the connected pumping line; And And a slow valve and a fast valve disposed in parallel between the branch valve and the pump to regulate the flow of the pumped flow in accordance with the operation of the pump. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pumping unit A first slow valve and a first fast valve disposed in parallel between the first subchamber and the pump; A second slow valve and a second fast valve disposed in parallel between the second subchamber and the pump; And Controlling the operation of the first slow valve, the first fast valve, the second slow valve, and the second fast valve to convert one of the first sub chamber and the second sub chamber into a vacuum state; Load lock chamber of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

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