KR20140006137A - Thin layer deposition apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thin layer deposition apparatus. According to the present invention, the thin layer deposition apparatus includes a process chamber for performing an atomic layer deposition process on a substrate; a main gas supply unit supplying the front part of the process chamber; a purging unit discharging and absorbing a gas in the chamber; and an additional gas supply unit supplying gas to a cassette contact space.

Description

[0001] THIN LAYER DEPOSITION APPARATUS [0002]

The present invention relates to a thin film deposition apparatus, and more particularly, to a thin film deposition apparatus in which a predetermined reaction gas is injected into a process chamber having a structure in which a plurality of cassettes are continuously charged such that a laminar flow of gas is performed, The atomic layer deposition process is performed on a plurality of substrates while a space inside the process chamber is virtually divided by the gases and a virtually divided space moves through the space inside the chamber by directly injecting the purge gas, To a thin film deposition apparatus having a short process time and improved uniformity of a thin film by supplying the process gas at the front end and the intermediate point of the process chamber.

BACKGROUND ART [0002] In general, a semiconductor device, a flat panel display device, and the like are subjected to various manufacturing processes. In particular, a process for depositing a predetermined thin film on a wafer or glass (hereinafter referred to as a "substrate") is essential. The thin film deposition process is mainly performed by sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or atomic layer deposition (ALD).

First, the sputtering method injects an inert gas such as argon into the process chamber while applying a high voltage to the target to generate argon ions in a plasma state. At this time, the argon ions are sputtered on the surface of the target, and the atoms of the target are separated from the surface of the target and deposited on the substrate.

Although a high purity thin film having excellent adhesion with a substrate can be formed by such a sputtering method, when a highly integrated thin film having a process difference is deposited by a sputtering method, it is very difficult to ensure uniformity over the entire thin film. There is a limit to the application of

Next, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is the most widely used deposition technique, in which a thin film having a desired thickness is deposited on a substrate using a reaction gas and a decomposition gas. For example, the chemical vapor deposition method first deposits a thin film having a desired thickness on a substrate by injecting various gases into a reaction chamber and chemically reacting gases induced by high energy such as heat, light or plasma.

In addition, the chemical vapor deposition method increases the deposition rate by controlling the reaction conditions through the ratio and amount of the plasma or gases applied as the reaction energy.

However, in the chemical vapor deposition method, since the reactions are rapid, it is very difficult to control the thermodynamic stability of the atoms, and the physical, chemical and electrical characteristics of the thin film are deteriorated.

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is an atomic layer deposition method in which two or more reactants are sequentially introduced into a reaction chamber to form a thin film, By volume. That is, the first reaction gas is supplied in a pulsing manner and is chemically deposited on the lower film in the chamber, and then the remaining first reaction gas physically bonded is removed in a purge manner. Then, the second reaction gas is also chemically bonded to the first reaction gas (first reaction material) through pulsing and purge processes, so that a desired thin film is deposited on the substrate. Al ₂ O ₃ , Ta ₂ O 3, TiO _2, and Si ₃ N ₄ are typical examples of thin films that can be formed by the atomic layer deposition method.

The atomic layer deposition is a new process technology that is expected to be used in a process for manufacturing a next-generation semiconductor device because it can form a thin film having excellent step coverage even at a low temperature of 600 ° C or less. In the above-described atomic layer deposition process, the time during which each reaction gas is subjected to pulsing and purge is referred to as a cycle.

A general atomic layer deposition apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

As shown, the atomic layer deposition apparatus 100 is loaded with a cassette inside the process chamber 110. In the cassette, a plurality of substrates S are vertically stacked. The cassette is carried in or out by using the cassette moving means (120).

A gas supply means 130 for supplying the first and second reaction gases and purge gas to the process chamber 110, a diffusion plate 131 for uniformly injecting the gases into the process chamber, Exhausting means 140 for exhausting the chamber 110 is also provided.

A plurality of injection holes 132 are formed in the diffusion plate 131 in order to uniformly spray the entire surface of the substrate. Particularly, the diffusion plate 131 is sprayed in parallel with the direction in which the substrate S is arranged.

The operating state of the conventional atomic layer deposition apparatus constructed as described above will be described.

First, the gate valve is opened to bring the cassette into the process chamber.

Next, while the process chamber is evacuated using the evacuation means, the purge gas and the source gas are alternately supplied to perform atomic layer deposition on the substrate.

The cassette thus completed is taken out of the process chamber.

However, since the conventional atomic layer deposition apparatus supplies gas in a dot form rather than a plane shape through the injection hole of the diffusion plate, the uniformity of the thin film is lowered because the gas injected in the process chamber is not uniformly sprayed, There is a problem that the purging time is long and the process time is prolonged.

Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem [8] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for dispensing a predetermined reactive gas into a process chamber having a structure in which a plurality of cassettes are continuously charged so as to form a laminar flow of gas, The atomic layer deposition process is performed on the plurality of substrates while the space inside the process chamber is virtually divided by the gases and the virtual divided space moves through the space inside the chamber, The present invention also provides a thin film deposition apparatus which improves the uniformity of a thin film by supplying both the front end and the intermediate point and has a short process time.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a thin film deposition apparatus including: a plurality of cassettes for uniformly stacking a plurality of substrates such that a gap between the substrates is in a laminar flow interval; A process chamber in which the plurality of cassettes are accommodated in such a manner that a distance between the cassette and the inner wall of the chamber becomes the layered flow interval and each cassette is continuously contacted and an atomic layer deposition process is performed on the substrate; A plurality of cassettes mounted on the one side wall of the process chamber, the plurality of cassettes including a plurality of cassettes disposed on a front side of the process chamber, A main gas supply means for supplying a gas to the front end of the process chamber so that a stratified flow occurs in the space of the process chamber; An exhaust means installed at a downstream end of the process chamber for sucking and exhausting gas inside the process chamber at a rear end of the substrate; And an additional gas supply unit installed at a position where a specific cassette contacts among a plurality of cassettes loaded in the process chamber among the process chamber side walls and supplying gas to the cassette contact space.

In the present invention, the additional gas supply means may include gas supply means for supplying gas to the gas supply means side wall of the side wall of the process chamber, It is preferable to provide a supply groove.

And the additional gas supply means is formed on a sidewall of the side wall of the process chamber adjacent to the sidewall adjacent to the side of the additional gas supply means and is provided with a gas diffusion And a gas supply port formed at one end of the gas diffusion supply groove for supplying gas from the outside to the gas diffusion supply groove.

Further, it is preferable that a plurality of the additional gas supply means are provided, and each of the additional gas supply means is provided for each cassette contact point.

The thin film deposition apparatus according to the present invention may further include an additional supply controller for controlling the type, supply time, and supply amount of the gas supplied into the process chamber through the plurality of additional gas supply means.

Preferably, the additional supply control unit controls the supply of the reaction gas through the additional gas supply unit by a specific amount at a specific time for each of the additional gas supply units.

Since the thin film deposition apparatus of the present invention further includes the additional gas supply means, uniform gas flow is achieved for all charged substrates even when a plurality of cassettes are loaded in one process chamber, thereby improving the uniformity of the thin film .

Therefore, the number of substrates processed by one process can be drastically increased, and the production amount is explosively increased.

1 and 2 show a conventional atomic layer deposition apparatus.
3 to 5 show the structure of a thin film deposition apparatus according to the present invention.
6 to 8 show the operating states of the apparatus shown in Fig.
Fig. 9 shows an example of a gas supply line of the thin-film deposition apparatus according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3 and 4, a thin film deposition apparatus 1 according to the present invention includes a plurality of cassettes C, a process chamber 10, a main gas supply means 20, an exhaust means 50, And a gas supply means (60).

A plurality of cassettes C stacked in a standing state (a state in which the substrates S are inclined at a predetermined angle from the vertical or vertical direction) are brought into the process chamber 10 in a plurality of inline form to simultaneously process a plurality of substrates .

That is, in the process chamber 10, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of rows of substrates are stacked in line. In addition, the substrates are stacked in a plurality of rows so that a space between each row forms a flow path through which the gases can flow while forming a layered flow. Here, 'to be loaded side by side in an inline form' means that a plurality of cassettes having the same size are arranged in a line, and at the point where each cassette is contacted, the cassette faces exactly coincide with each other, As shown in Fig. 9, it refers to being connected as a whole.

Specifically, in the present embodiment, the distance between the cassette C and the chamber wall in a state in which a plurality of cassettes C are loaded in the process chamber 10, the distance between the cassette C and the chamber wall, Are spaced a laminar flow interval.

Herein, the term "laminar flow" refers to a flow of gas that flows in a direction with almost no disturbance in a certain direction without being diffused freely by being injected into a space between narrow spaces.

The term 'laminar flow interval' refers to 'the distance between two plate materials in which the gas moves in the form of a laminar flow'. In this embodiment, the laminar flow interval is preferably 0.2 to 10 mm. In the case where the layer flow interval is less than 0.2 mm, there is a problem that processing and manufacture are difficult and control of gas supply is difficult. In the case where the layer flow interval is more than 10 mm, the layer flow of gas is broken, .

The distance between the cassette C and each chamber wall and the distance between the leading end of the cassette C or the substrate S and the distance between the leading end of the cassette C and the substrate S, The gap between the gas straight supply grooves 33 is also made and loaded so as to have the lamellar flow spacing.

Next, the main gas supply means 20 includes a tank for storing the first reaction gas, a second reaction gas, a purge gas, and the like, and a valve for selectively injecting the gases according to a process sequence.

Particularly, a gas diffusion supply groove 30 is formed in one side wall 11 of the process chamber 10 to transfer the gas injected through the gas supply port 17 to the front end of the side wall along the side wall.

The gas diffusion supply grooves 30 are formed by forming stepped grooves 31 on the outer wall of one side wall 11 of the process chamber and sealing the upper portion of the grooves 31 with the lid 32. Of course, even if the lid 32 is hermetically closed, the lid 32 is not in close contact with the bottom surface of the groove 31, thereby forming a space through which gas can flow.

The gas diffusion supply grooves 30 can be formed on any of the side walls of the process chamber 10 such as the left and right side walls 12 and 11 and the upper and lower side walls 13 and 14.

The gas diffusion supply groove 30 is formed to have a larger cross-sectional area from the gas supply port 17 formed on the side wall toward the front end of the side wall 11. This is to ensure that the gas is sufficiently uniformly diffused through the gas diffusion supply grooves 30 before entering the front surface of the process chamber 10, that is, the gas straight supply grooves 33. And the gas supplied by the gas supply port 17 maintains a laminar flow even though the gas diffusion supply groove 30 is passed. Therefore, the gap between the gas diffusion supply grooves 30 and the lid 32 is also formed so as to maintain a laminar flow spacing.

Next, the gas straight supply groove 33 may be formed to have a rectangular shape with a predetermined depth on the side wall of the front end of the process chamber. As shown in FIG. 8, the gas straight supply groove 33 is formed The depth is formed such that the distance from the front end of the substrate S is such as to maintain the layer flow spacing. Therefore, the gas sufficiently diffused to the entire width of the side wall of the front end of the process chamber through the gas diffusion supply groove 31 is simultaneously supplied to the entire gas straight supply groove 33, 33). ≪ / RTI >

The exhaust means 50 is for evacuating the process chamber 10, and may be a vacuum pump or the like.

3, the additional gas supply means 60 is installed at a point where a specific cassette contacts among a plurality of cassettes C loaded in the process chamber among the sidewalls of the process chamber 10 And is a component that supplies gas to the cassette contact space. That is, the additional gas supply unit 60 supplies a process gas or the like to the process chamber 10 together with the main gas supply unit 20 to improve process efficiency and uniformity of the thin film .

To this end, the additional gas supply means 60 supplies a process gas or the like with a layered flow in the same manner as the main gas supply means 20 described above. Therefore, the additional gas supply means 60 includes a gas straight supply groove 62, a gas diffusion supply groove 64, and a gas supply port 67 similarly to the main gas supply means 20. However, the gas straight supply groove 62 of the additional gas supply means 60 is a one-shaped groove formed through the gas supply means side wall in the thickness direction. And the reaction gas or the like diffused into the groove is uniformly supplied to the cassette contact point.

In the present embodiment, the main gas supply means 20 and the additional gas supply means 60 may have various supply line arrangements in relation to the external gas supply portion. For example, as shown in FIG. 9 , The purge gas may be supplied only from the main gas supply means 20 and the remaining process gases may be supplied through all the gas supply means including the main gas supply means 20 and the additional gas supply means 60 .

In addition, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the additional gas supply means 60 is provided for each of the cassette contact points. Here, the 'cassette contact point' refers to a point at which the cassettes contact each other in a state where a plurality of cassettes are loaded in the process chamber so as to be in close contact with each other in a row. These cassette contact points are precisely fine, but form a constant linear contact space, through which the gas is supplied while maintaining a layered flow.

The thin film deposition apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment is provided with an additional supply controller 60 for controlling the type of gas supplied to the process chamber 10 through the plurality of additional gas supply means 60, (Not shown in the figure). 3 and 4, in the thin film deposition apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, a plurality of the additional gas supply means 60 may be provided for each cassette contact point, but each of the additional gas supply means 60 ) May vary depending on process conditions. The additional supply control unit controls the plurality of additional gas supply units 60 according to the specific process conditions.

For example, the additional supply control unit can control so that each reaction gas is supplied to each of the additional gas supply units by a specific amount at a specific time without supplying the purge gas through the additional gas supply unit 60 .

Hereinafter, the operating state of the thin film deposition apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described.

First, when gas is supplied to the gas supply port 17 formed on one side wall of the process chamber 10 using the main gas supply means 20, the gas is supplied to the front surface of the process chamber 10 along the gas diffusion supply groove 30 (Distal end portion of the sidewall), and is uniformly diffused by the shape of the gas diffusion supply groove 30 during the movement.

Next, the gas sufficiently diffused through the gas diffusion supply grooves 30 moves along the gas straight supply grooves 33 of the sidewalls formed on the front surface of the process chamber 10 in a layer flow manner in the direction of the opposite sidewall.

Next, the gas that has reached the front of the substrate, that is, the gas straight supply groove 33, moves in the form of a layer flow through a space between each row of the substrates to form a thin film on the substrate.

So that the space between each row is a flow path that maintains a laminar flow spacing so that the gas moves in a layered flow form within the process chamber 10. [ In addition, a plurality of cassettes C1 to C6 are stacked in close contact with each other in an in-line manner. At this time, the substrates S1 to S6 stacked on the adjacent cassettes are closely adhered to each other so that a plurality of cassettes are uniformly .

At this time, the first process gas may be additionally supplied to the required point among the cassette contact points through the additional gas supply means 60 as necessary.

In this embodiment, after the supply of the first process gas is stopped, without pumping or purging the first process gas to remove all of the first process gas present in the process chamber, immediately after the first process gas Since the purging gas is supplied into the process chamber through the main gas supply means, the first process gas and the purging gas coexist in a vacuum chamber while virtually dividing the space in the vacuum chamber.

In this embodiment, the first process gas space refers to a virtual space filled with the first process gas in the space within the process chamber, and the first purging gas space is filled with the purging gas The second process gas space is a virtual space filled with the second process gas and the second purging gas space is a virtual space filled with the purging gas in succession to the second process gas space, . In the present embodiment, the first process gas space, the first purging gas space, the second process gas space, and the second purging gas space do not remain at a constant position, but move at a constant speed and at a constant speed.

The process of forming the gas space will be described in detail as follows. First, when a first process gas is supplied into the process chamber, a virtual first process gas space filled with the first process gas is formed in the vacuum chamber, and the first process gas space is moved in a predetermined direction And sequentially moved.

When the purging gas is supplied, the first purging gas space is formed in the vacuum chamber in succession to the first process gas space, and the first process gas space is moved in the moving direction, Move along the gas space. At this time, the interface between the first process gas space and the first purging gas space is not completely divided, but a section where the first process gas and the purging gas are mixed exists to some extent, The concentration of one process gas is high and the concentration of the purging gas is higher toward the center of the first purging gas space.

In this embodiment, as described above, the purging gas for forming the first purging gas space is injected in an excessively larger amount than the first processing gas for complete purging of the first processing gas, So that the first process gas is completely moved in the direction opposite to the gas straight supply groove 33.

The second process gas is supplied to the first purging gas space to form a second process gas space. Also, the second purging gas space is formed by supplying the purging gas in excess to the second process gas space, and the second process gas is completely removed by the movement of the second purging gas space.

In this embodiment, the atomic layer deposition process is performed while the first process gas space, the first purging gas space, the second process gas space, and the second purging gas space sequentially move through the process chamber interior space. Accordingly, in this embodiment, as compared with the conventional method in which the process gas supply and purging process is intermittently performed for the entire process chamber, the process gas supply and purging are continuously performed as if scanning the substrate in one process chamber, The process time is remarkably shortened and the thrurout is greatly improved.

If necessary, the above-described process can be repeatedly performed in a plurality of cycles. Of course, the exhaust operation is always performed while supplying each gas.

1: Thin film deposition apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention
C: cassette 10: process chamber
20: main gas supply means 50: exhaust means
60: Additional gas supply means

Claims (6)

A plurality of cassettes for uniformly loading a plurality of substrates such that a gap between the substrates is a layered flow gap;
A process chamber in which the plurality of cassettes are accommodated in such a manner that a distance between the cassette and an inner wall of the chamber becomes the layered flow interval and each cassette is continuously contacted and an atomic layer deposition process is performed on the substrate;
A plurality of cassettes mounted on the one side wall of the process chamber, the plurality of cassettes including a plurality of cassettes disposed on a front side of the process chamber, A main gas supply means for supplying a gas to the front end of the process chamber so that a stratified flow occurs in the space of the process chamber;
An exhaust means installed at a downstream end of the process chamber for sucking and exhausting gas inside the process chamber at a rear end of the substrate; And
And an additional gas supply means installed at a point at which a specific cassette is in contact among a plurality of cassettes inserted into the process chamber among the sidewalls of the process chamber and supplying gas to the cassette contact space. Device.
2. The fuel cell system according to claim 1,
And a gas straight supply groove formed in a sidewall of the side wall of the process chamber so as to allow the gas to flow in the form of a layer flow in one side of the sidewall, Deposition apparatus.
The method of claim 2, wherein the additional gas supply means,
A gas diffusion supply groove formed in a sidewall of the sidewall of the process chamber adjacent to the sidewall adjacent to the additional gas supply means and diffusing and supplying gas uniformly to one side of the gas supply groove,
And a gas supply port formed at one end of the gas diffusion supply groove for supplying gas from the outside to the gas diffusion supply groove.
The method of claim 2, wherein the additional gas supply means,
Wherein a plurality of cassettes are provided for each cassette contact point. 5. The method of claim 4,
Further comprising an additional supply controller for controlling the type, supply time, and supply amount of gas supplied into the process chamber through the plurality of additional gas supply units. 6. The apparatus according to claim 5,
Wherein the control unit controls the reaction gas to be supplied to the additional gas supply unit by a specific amount at a specific time through the additional gas supply unit.

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