TWI496213B - Substrate processing device - Google Patents

Description

Substrate processing device

This invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that performs processing on a substrate to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer.

In the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, in order to form an integrated circuit on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, simply referred to as a wafer) of a substrate to be processed, a process of forming a thin film such as an insulating film, a metal film, or a metal compound film is performed. The film formation process is performed using a film formation apparatus such as a CVD apparatus, a PVD apparatus, or an ALD apparatus as a substrate processing apparatus.

The film forming apparatus uses a majority of process gases in order to form a film. For example, a high dielectric constant insulating film (High-k film) used for a gate insulating film or the like is used as a process gas using a precursor, a reducing agent, a plasma gas, an additive, or the like. In the process gas system, as described in Patent Document 1, the process gas supply source is supplied to the process gas introduction portion of the substrate processing apparatus via the gas pipe.

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-530796

The supply of the process gas to the substrate processing apparatus is performed by a gas pipe, but the gas pipe not only has a pipe or a hose, but also requires a plurality of angle materials or elbows, for example, for direction conversion, for diverging T-shaped divergence or Various joints such as crosses. These joints and pipes or hoses are connected by automatic welding and assembled.

As a result, the parts required for the gas piping become a majority. Moreover, since many parts are assembled and processed, the structure becomes complicated, and for example, a pipe cover or the like must be processed and formed into a complicated shape. Further, although the gas heater is also equipped with a heating process gas and a cover heater, depending on the piping structure, it is necessary to prepare a cover heater of a special shape.

Due to these main reasons, there is a case where the cost of the substrate processing apparatus, for example, the film forming apparatus, is likely to increase.

Further, since gas piping uses a large number of parts, for example, at the time of maintenance, it takes a lot of labor and time to disassemble, inspect and reassemble parts. Therefore, it also hinders the labor saving and short-term maintenance of maintenance.

The object of the invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus which can reduce the cost of a product and can contribute to labor saving and short-time maintenance.

In order to solve the above problems, a substrate processing apparatus according to an aspect of the invention includes a processing chamber for applying a majority of gas to a substrate to be processed, and a gas introduction portion provided in the processing chamber. The plurality of gases are introduced into the processing chamber; and the inlet port block is disposed in the processing chamber, and has a plurality of gas flow paths for guiding the plurality of gases from the gas supply mechanism to the gas introduction portion, and heating flow a heater for gas of at least one of the gas flow paths.

According to the invention, it is possible to provide a substrate processing apparatus which can reduce the cost of the product and can save labor and maintenance for a short period of time.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are given to the same parts throughout the drawings. In this description, the present invention is applied to a substrate processing apparatus, and is applied to a film forming apparatus in which a thin film is formed on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, simply referred to as a wafer). An example of the film forming apparatus is an ALD device in which a high dielectric constant insulating film such as a lanthanum high dielectric constant insulating film is formed on a wafer. However, the present invention is not limited to being applied to an ALD apparatus, and may be applied to other film forming apparatuses such as a CVD apparatus and a PVD apparatus, and is not limited to a film forming apparatus, and may be applied to an etching apparatus or the like, and other substrate processing apparatuses.

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is along the first A cross-sectional view of line 3-3 in the figure.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the substrate processing apparatus 10 includes a processing chamber 11 that applies a process gas to the wafer W, and is disposed in the processing chamber 11 to introduce a process gas into the processing chamber. The gas introduction portion 12 in the eleventh portion is provided in the processing chamber 11, and the process gas is guided from the process gas supply mechanism 14 to the introduction port block 13 of the gas introduction portion 12.

The processing chamber 11 of this example is mainly composed of a chamber 11a, and an exhaust ring 11b provided in the chamber 11a for exhausting the gas in the processing space 15, and a cover 11c provided on the exhaust ring 11b. Composition.

A mounting table 16 on which the wafer W is placed is provided inside the chamber 11a, and a loading/unloading portion 17 that carries the wafer W into and out of the processing chamber 11 is provided on the side wall of the chamber 11a. The mounting table 16 is vertically moved in the chamber 11a, and the wafer W is moved up and down between the chamber 11a side and the processing space 15 side.

The exhaust ring 11b has an exhaust path 18. The exhaust path 18 is formed in an annular shape above the chamber 11a. In this example, the periphery of the processing space 15 that surrounds the cylindrical shape is formed. At least one of the exhaust paths 18 is connected to an exhaust mechanism such as a non-drawing exhaust pipe. A side wall-shaped buffer ring 19 is provided between the exhaust path 18 and the processing space 15. A plurality of exhaust holes 19a for exhausting the process gas released to the processing space 15 are formed in the buffer ring 19.

The lid body 11c is provided on the exhaust ring 11b. The processing space 15 is surrounded by the lid body 11c and the exhaust ring 11b. In this example, the buffer ring 19 and the mounting table 16 which rises to the bottom of the buffer ring 19 are surrounded and formed. In the present example, the processing space 15 is formed as described above, but the formation of the processing space 15 is not limited thereto. Even if the exhaust ring 11b is not provided, the process gas is exhausted from below the chamber 11a, and the general configuration of the chamber 11a and the lid 11c forming the processing space 15 may be employed.

An upper flat plate 20a and a lower flat plate 20b are provided on the processing space 15 side of the lid body 11c. The surface of the lower flat plate 20b on the side of the processing space 15 is a disk-shaped recess, and a gas releasing portion 21 for releasing a process gas is provided at a central portion thereof. The gas release portion 21 of the present embodiment is of a hemispherical shape, but the gas release portion 21 is not limited to a hemispherical shape, and may be any shape such as a shower head type.

The gas introduction portion 12 is a portion that introduces the process gas guided through the inlet port block 13 into the gas release portion 21. In this example, the gas introduction portion 12 is formed as a gas flow path on the lid body 11c, the upper flat plate 20a, and the lower flat plate 20b.

The control unit 50 controls each component of the substrate processing apparatus 10. The control unit 50 includes a process controller 51 including a microprocessor (computer) that controls each component, and a keyboard for an operator to perform an input operation of a command to manage the substrate processing apparatus 10, or a substrate processing apparatus. The user interface 52 of the display or the like which is displayed by visualizing the operation state of 10, and the control program for realizing various processes performed by the substrate processing apparatus 10 under the control of the process controller 51, or memory useful for various data. The program that performs the processing by the respective components of the processing device is the memory unit 53 of the processing program. The user interface 52 and the memory unit 53 are connected to the process controller 51. The processing program is memorized in the memory medium in the storage unit 53. Even if the memory medium is a hard disk, it can be carried by a CD-ROM, a DVD, a flash memory or the like. Furthermore, even if the processing program is appropriately transferred from another device via, for example, a dedicated circuit to the memory medium. Any processing program is called by the self-reporting unit 53 according to the instruction from the user interface 52, and the process controller 51 is executed. Accordingly, the substrate processing apparatus 10 is executed under the control of the process controller 51. Desirable substrate processing.

The introduction port 13 is configured to introduce a process gas from the gas supply unit 22 that is disposed in the processing chamber 11 and that receives the process gas supplied from the self-contained gas supply unit 14 to the gas introduction unit 12 via the processing chamber 11. Part. This portion has been conventionally processed by assembling a gas pipe, but in this example, it is composed of one block (integral product). One example of the block is a metal, and one of the metals is aluminum having good thermal conductivity. This is referred to as the introduction port block 13 in this description. Fig. 4A shows an example of the inlet port block 13. Further, in the reference example, an example of a gas pipe is shown in FIG. 4B. 4A and 4B are each a cross-sectional view.

As shown in FIG. 4A, the inlet port block 13 is provided with, for example, a metal base material 13a, and has a hole formed in the inside of the metal base material 13a, for example, a metal base material 13a is hollowed out. Gas flow path 13b. In this example, for example, four gas flow paths 13b are provided, and four kinds of process gases generated in the process gas supply mechanism 14 are guided from the gas supply unit 22 to the gas introduction unit 12. It is possible to flow, for example, as a process gas precursor, a reducing agent, a plasma gas, an additive, or the like in the four gas flow paths 13b. As an example of the film formed using such a process gas, a high dielectric constant insulating film such as a lanthanum-based insulating film can be given.

Similarly to the reference example shown in FIG. 4B, four types of process gases are guided from the gas supply unit 22 to the gas introduction unit 12 via the four gas pipes 113. However, most of the gas pipes 113 are formed by interconnecting the pipes 113a and the joints 113b connecting the pipes 113a. Therefore, most parts are required.

On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 4A, since the plurality of gas flow paths 13b are formed by opening the holes in the metal base material 13a, the metal base material 13a is basically only required. Therefore, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost of the product can be reduced.

Further, since the number of parts is reduced, it is easier to disassemble, check, and reassemble the parts than when the number of parts is large. Therefore, it also promotes labor saving and short-term maintenance. For example, in this example, the disassembly is only to remove the inlet port block 13 from the processing chamber 11, and in the case of reassembly, only the inlet port block 13 is attached to the processing chamber 11.

Further, in the reference example shown in the fourth circle B, the automatic fusion welding connection line 113a and the joint 113b are used. In the reference example, the four gas pipes 113 are disposed in the height direction. However, when the plurality of gas pipes 113 are disposed in the height direction, the gas pipes 113 must be spaced apart from each other by the distance d between the automatic welding machines. Therefore, the height of the gas pipe 113 tends to be high, which hinders the miniaturization of the substrate processing apparatus.

On the other hand, in the example shown in the fourth circle A, since a plurality of gas flow paths 13b arranged in the height direction are formed by opening holes in the metal base material 13a, it is not necessary to form the gas flow path 13b. Automatic fusion machine. Therefore, even if the plurality of gas flow paths 13b are arranged in the height direction, the distance d between the gas flow paths 13b can be made narrower than the gas pipe 113. Therefore, the substrate processing apparatus can be downsized compared to the substrate processing apparatus using the gas piping 113.

In this way, by providing the introduction port block 13 in an embodiment, the cost of the product can be reduced and the labor saving and short-term maintenance can be promoted compared to the substrate processing apparatus using the gas pipe 113.

Further, according to an embodiment, when the plurality of gas flow paths 13b are provided in a plurality of layers in the height direction, the distance between the gas flow paths 13b and the d can be narrowed compared to the substrate processing apparatus using the gas piping 113. The substrate processing apparatus is miniaturized.

However, in the process gas, for example, a gas generated by heating the process gas supply means 14 to vaporize the liquid, and a process gas which must be heated to an appropriate temperature in order to cause internal reaction in the processing space 15 may be employed. For such a process gas, it is necessary to heat the temperature so that the temperature does not drop in the gas pipe. From this point of view, in the apparatus using the gas pipe 113, the gas pipe 113 is covered with a pipe cap made of aluminum. The cover heater is wound around the outside of the pipe cover to heat the gas pipe 113. Fig. 5 to Fig. 5C show a piping cover as a reference example. Fig. 5A is a cross-sectional view, Fig. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5B-5B of Fig. 5A, and Fig. 5C is a perspective view showing a state in which a cover heater is wound around a pipe cover.

As shown in Fig. 5 to Fig. 5C, in the pipe cover 114, a portion 114a passing through the pipe 113a, a portion 114b for accommodating the joint 113b, and the like must be formed. Therefore, the shape of the piping cover 114 becomes complicated and it is difficult to process. Further, in the case where the bent portion or the like is difficult to process, there is a case where the pipe cover for the bent portion is to be connected to the pipe cover for the straight portion. By using the piping cover in this way, the number of parts becomes more, and the cost of the product is increased.

On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 4A, since the gas flow path 13b is formed in the main body of the metal base material 13a, the piping cover is not required. For the point where the piping cover is not required, the increase in the cost of the product can be suppressed compared to the substrate processing apparatus that requires the piping cover.

Further, in an embodiment, in the design of the heating gas flow path 13b, a heater is provided inside the inlet port block 13. In this example, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a rod heater 23 which is simpler in shape than the outer cover heater and which is cheaper than the outer cover heater is used. One example of the rod heater 23 may be a one in which a nickel-chromium wire is contained in a metal sheath (sleeve) as a heating body. In order to provide the rod heater 23 in the inside of the inlet port block 13, the rod body heater insertion hole 13c is linearly opened in the metal base material 13a as shown in Fig. 4, and the rod is made. The body heater 23 is inserted into the rod heater insertion hole 13c.

Further, in this example, the gas flow path 13b is formed by a combination of the vertical gas flow path 13bv formed in the height direction of the inlet port block 13 and the lateral gas flow 13bh formed in the plane direction of the inlet port block 13. Composition. In the example of the formation of the rod heater insertion hole 13c in this configuration, in this example, the rod heater insertion vertical hole 13cv and the rod heater insertion lateral hole 13ch are formed.

The rod heater insertion vertical hole 13cv is formed in the height direction of the introduction port block 13 along the vertical gas flow path 13bv, and the rod heater insertion lateral hole 13ch is formed along the horizontal gas flow path 13bh. Introduce the plane direction of the mouth block. The rod heater insertion vertical hole 13cv is formed along the vertical gas flow path 13bv, and the rod heater insertion lateral hole 13ch is formed along the lateral gas flow path 13bh, and accordingly, even if the process gas flows through the vertical gas flow path 13bv, When both of the process gases flowing through the horizontal gas flow path 13bh are rod heaters, they can be heated efficiently. Further, in order to heat efficiently, the metal base material 13a may be selected from materials having good thermal conductivity. An example of a material having good thermal conductivity is aluminum or an alloy containing aluminum.

Further, the lateral gas flow path 13bh is likely to be longer than the vertical gas flow path 13bv. The length of the horizontal gas flow path 13bh is increased by using a long-length rod heater, and the number of the rod heaters can be reduced as compared with when only the rod heater insertion vertical hole 13cv is formed. The advantages.

Furthermore, even if a planar heater such as a mica heater is attached to the inlet port block 13, the price of the planar heater is higher than that of the rod heater. From this point of view, the use of a rod heater as a heater also helps to suppress the cost of the product.

As a result, in this example, even when the process gas to be heated is used, the structure required for heating can be easily obtained as compared with the substrate processing apparatus using the gas pipe 113. Therefore, for example, the cost of the product for the heater can be suppressed.

Also, in an embodiment, there is a design that facilitates the processing of the inlet port block 13. This design is such that the mounting surface 11d of the inlet port block 13 placed on the processing chamber 11 is flat as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, in this example, the surface of the lid body 11c. When there is unevenness on the mounting surface 11d, it is necessary to match the unevenness to process the lower surface of the introduction opening block 13.

On the other hand, if the unevenness is removed from the mounting surface 11d, it is flat, and only the lower surface of the inlet port block 13 can be flattened. It is also possible to suppress the increase in the cost of the product from such a constitution.

Further, the mounting surface 11d is made flat, for example, by heat-insulating or heat-insulating the process gas passing through the inlet port block 13, even if the heat insulating material is inserted into the mounting surface 11d and below the inlet port block 13. In the meantime, it is also easy to process the heat insulating material, which effectively suppresses the cost of the product.

Further, when the unevenness is removed from the mounting surface 11d, even if the entire surface of the lid body 11c is not flattened, at least the portion on which the inlet port block 13 is placed is flat on the surface of the lid body 11c.

Next, an example of formation of one of the inlet port blocks 13 will be described.

6A to 6D are cross-sectional views showing an example of formation of one of the inlet port blocks 13.

First, as shown in Fig. 6A, a metal base material 13a which is the inlet port block 13 is prepared. One example of the metal base material 13a is made of aluminum or aluminum alloy.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6B, the gas introduction portions 12 connected to the metal base material 13a and the gas supply portions 22 are connected to the vertical gas flow paths 13bv-1 and 13bv-2. The rod heater has a vertical hole 13cv-1. The vertical gas flow paths 13bv-1 and 13bv-2 and the rod heater insertion vertical holes 13cv-1 are formed in the height direction. In the present example, the vertical gas flow paths 13bv-1 and 13bv-2 are formed from the lower surface of the metal base material 13a to the base material 13a, and the rod heater insertion vertical hole 13cv-1 is in this example from the metal. The upper surface of the base material 13a is formed on the way to the base material 13a.

Next, as shown in Fig. 6C, a lateral gas flow path 13bh and a rod heater insertion lateral hole 13ch are formed from the side surface of the metal base material 13a. The lateral gas flow paths 13bh and 13ch are formed in the planar direction. The horizontal gas flow path 13bh passes through the upper ends of the vertical gas 13bv-1 and 13bv-2. The horizontal gas flow path 13bh is formed from the side surface of the metal base material 13a to the base material 13a, and is formed in the present example to the vertical gas flow path 13bv-1. The rod heater insertion lateral hole 13ch is formed along the lateral gas flow path 13bh, and is formed in the same manner as the lateral gas flow path 13bh from the side surface of the metal base material 13a to the base material 13a.

Next, as shown in Fig. 6D, one end of the cross-flow gas passage bh is sealed by sealing the one end of the inlet port block 13 of the cross gas passage 13b with the seal member 24. Further, the rod heater 23 is inserted into the rod heater insertion lateral hole 13ch and the rod heater insertion vertical hole 13cv-1.

In this way, the gas flow path 13b of the introduction port block 13 can be constituted by a combination of the vertical gas flow paths 13bv-1, 13bv-2 and the lateral gas flow path 13bh.

Further, for example, by sealing one end of the lateral gas flow path 13bh by the sealing member 24, the introduction port block 13 having the gas flow path 13b can be formed, and the gas flow path is below the introduction port block 13, and one end can be connected The gas introduction unit 12 is connected to the gas supply unit 22 at the other end. In this example, the gas introduction unit 12 is connected to the vertical gas flow path 13bv-1, and the gas supply unit 22 is connected to the vertical gas flow path 13bv-2. For example, in this way, the inlet port block 13 can be formed.

Although the invention has been described above by way of an embodiment, the invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various modifications can be made. Furthermore, in the embodiment of the invention, the above-described embodiment is not the only embodiment.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, although the substrate processing apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer is exemplified as a substrate processing apparatus, it is used for a flat panel display (FPD) which processes, for example, a glass substrate for a liquid crystal display (LCD). Of course, a substrate processing apparatus such as a substrate can also be applied.

10. . . Substrate processing device

11. . . Processing room

12. . . Gas introduction

13. . . Import port block

14. . . Process gas supply mechanism

15. . . Processing space

16. . . Mounting table

twenty three. . . Heater (rod heater)

twenty four. . . Sealing material

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an inlet port block, and Fig. 4B is a cross-sectional view showing a gas pipe according to a reference example.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a piping gas according to a reference example.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of formation of one of the inlet port blocks.

10. . . Substrate processing device

11. . . Processing room

11a. . . Chamber

11b. . . Exhaust ring

11c. . . Cover

11d. . . Mounting surface

12. . . Gas introduction

13. . . Import port block

13b. . . Gas flow path

14. . . Process gas supply mechanism

15. . . Processing space

16. . . Mounting table

18. . . Exhaust path

19. . . Buffer ring

19a. . . Vent

20a. . . Upper side plate

20b. . . Lower side plate

twenty one. . . Gas release

twenty two. . . Gas supply department

twenty three. . . Heater (rod heater)

Claims (10)

A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a processing chamber that applies a plurality of gas application processes to a substrate to be processed; and a gas supply mechanism that is provided in the processing chamber and that is supplied from the gas supply mechanism a plurality of gas; a gas introduction unit provided in the processing chamber to introduce the plurality of gases from the gas supply unit into the processing chamber; and an inlet port block disposed in the processing chamber and having a inside The plurality of gases are guided from the gas supply means to the plurality of gas channels of the gas introduction portion, and a heater that heats the gas flowing through at least one of the gas channels, and the processing chamber is placed on the gas The mounting surface of the inlet block is flat, the gas flow path is connected to the gas supply portion, and the gas flow path is connected to the gas introduction portion, and is disposed below the introduction port block. The underside of the above-mentioned introduction port block is flat. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas flow path plurality of layers are provided in a height direction of the inlet port block. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heater is a rod heater. The inlet port block has a rod heater insertion hole, and the rod heater is inserted into the rod heater insertion hole. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gas flow path is formed by a vertical gas flow path formed in a height direction of the inlet port block, and formed in a plane direction of the inlet port block. It is composed of a combination of transverse gas flow paths. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the heater is a rod heater, and the inlet port block has a height direction formed along the vertical gas flow path in the inlet port block. a rod heater insertion vertical hole, and a rod heater insertion lateral hole formed in a plane direction of the introduction port block along the lateral gas flow path, the rod heater being inserted into the rod body heating The vertical hole for insertion of the device and the horizontal hole for insertion of the above-mentioned rod heater. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inlet port block is made of aluminum or an alloy containing aluminum. The substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is a device that forms a thin film on the substrate to be processed. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein The apparatus for forming the above film is a device for forming the above film by an ALD method. The substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the gas flow path is formed by at least two first and second vertical gas flow paths formed in a height direction of the inlet port block, and A combination of at least one of the transverse gas flow paths of the introduction port block in the planar direction. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein one end of the first vertical gas flow path communicates with one of the horizontal gas flow paths, and the other end of the first vertical gas flow path and the introduction port The outside of the block is connected to the other end of the first vertical gas flow path, and the gas is supplied from the gas supply source, and one end of the second vertical gas flow path is in communication with the other of the horizontal gas flow paths. The other end of the vertical gas flow path communicates with the outside of the inlet port block, and the other end of the second vertical gas flow path is connected to the gas introduction portion, and at least one end of the lateral gas flow path and the introduction port block The outside is communicated, and one end of the horizontal gas flow path is sealed by a sealing material.