JP6820766B2 - Gas introduction mechanism and heat treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a gas introduction mechanism and a heat treatment apparatus.

Conventionally, there has been known a substrate processing apparatus in which a straight pipe-shaped injector is attached to a manifold that supports the lower end of the processing container, and gas is supplied into the processing container via the injector (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-185578

By the way, in a substrate processing apparatus having a straight tube-shaped injector, a slight gap may be provided at a connection portion between the manifold and the injector so that the injector can be easily attached to the manifold. In this case, when the gas is introduced into the processing container via the injector, the gas may leak into the processing container through the above gap.

Therefore, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a gas introduction mechanism capable of preventing gas leakage at a connecting portion between a manifold and an injector.

In order to achieve the above object, the gas introduction mechanism according to one aspect of the present invention is spaced from the vertically long processing container and the inner peripheral wall at least in the lower portion of the processing container along the longitudinal direction of the inner peripheral wall of the processing container. An injector provided with the above, a manifold that supports the injector from below, a pressing force generating member that applies a pressing force downward to upward to the injector at the lower part of the injector, and the injector being upward. have a, a regulating member for regulating the movement of the said injector includes an insertion portion formed in a lower end portion, is formed extending radially outwardly from the outer peripheral surface at the upper side of the insertion portion, wherein The manifold has a flange portion capable of contacting the regulating member, the manifold has a recess capable of externally supporting the insertion portion, and the recess has a small diameter portion into which the insertion portion is inserted and the small diameter portion. It has a large-diameter portion that is provided above the portion and has an opening diameter larger than that of the small-diameter portion, and a step portion that connects the small-diameter portion and the large-diameter portion .

According to the disclosed gas introduction mechanism, it is possible to prevent gas leakage at the connection portion between the manifold and the injector.

Schematic diagram of an example of the gas introduction mechanism and the heat treatment apparatus according to the first embodiment Schematic diagram of an example of the gas introduction mechanism according to the first embodiment (1) Schematic diagram of an example of the gas introduction mechanism according to the first embodiment (2) Schematic diagram of an example of the gas introduction mechanism according to the first embodiment (3) Schematic diagram of an example of the gas introduction mechanism according to the second embodiment (1) Schematic diagram of an example of the gas introduction mechanism according to the second embodiment (2) Schematic diagram of an example of the gas introduction mechanism according to the second embodiment (3) Schematic diagram of an example of the gas introduction mechanism according to the second embodiment (4)

Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present specification and the drawings, substantially the same configuration is designated by the same reference numerals to omit duplicate explanations.

[First Embodiment]
The gas introduction mechanism and the heat treatment apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example of a gas introduction mechanism and a heat treatment apparatus according to the first embodiment.

The gas introduction mechanism according to the first embodiment is not particularly limited in the processing target and the processing content, and can be applied to various substrate processing devices that supply gas into the processing container for processing. Then, a case where it is applied to a heat treatment apparatus which heat-treats a substrate will be described as an example.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heat treatment apparatus has a vertically long processing container 10 for accommodating a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter, simply referred to as “wafer W”).

The processing container 10 is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape from quartz having high heat resistance, and has an exhaust port 11 on the ceiling. The processing container 10 is configured in a vertical shape extending in the vertical direction (vertical direction). The diameter of the processing container 10 is set in the range of about 350 to 450 mm, for example, when the diameter of the wafer W to be processed is 300 mm. A gas exhaust port 20 is connected to the exhaust port 11 on the ceiling of the processing container 10.

The gas exhaust port 20 is formed of, for example, a quartz tube extending from the exhaust port 11 and bent at a right angle in the lateral direction in an L shape. A vacuum exhaust system 30 that exhausts the atmosphere in the processing container 10 is connected to the gas exhaust port 20.

The vacuum exhaust system 30 has a gas exhaust pipe 31 connected to the gas exhaust port 20. The gas exhaust pipe 31 is made of a metal such as stainless steel. An on-off valve 32, a pressure adjusting valve 33 such as a butterfly valve, and a vacuum pump 34 are sequentially interposed in the middle of the gas exhaust pipe 31 so that the gas can be exhausted to a vacuum while adjusting the pressure in the processing container 10. It has become. The inner diameter of the gas exhaust port 20 is set to be the same as the inner diameter of the gas exhaust pipe 31.

The heating means 40 is provided on the outer periphery of the processing container 10 so as to surround the processing container 10. The heating means 40 can heat the wafer W located in the processing container 10. A heat insulating material 50 is provided on the outer periphery of the heating means 40 to ensure thermal stability.

The lid 60 is provided so that the opening at the lower end of the processing container 10 can be opened and closed. The wafer W can be carried in and out by moving the lid 60 to open the opening.

The elevating mechanism 70 is, for example, a boat elevator and supports an arm 71 having a rotating shaft 72 attached to its tip. The elevating mechanism 70 integrally elevates the lid 60, the wafer boat 80, and the like.

The wafer boat 80 holds a plurality of wafers W in a vertically separated state. The number of wafers held by the wafer boat 80 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, 50 to 150. The wafer boat 80 is placed on the table 74 via a heat insulating cylinder 75 made of quartz. The table 74 is supported by the upper end of the rotating shaft 72 that penetrates the lid 60 that opens and closes the lower end opening of the processing container 10. For example, a magnetic fluid seal 73 is interposed in the penetrating portion of the rotating shaft 72 to rotatably support the rotating shaft 72 in a state of being airtightly sealed. Further, a sealing member 61 such as an O-ring is interposed between the peripheral portion of the lid 60 and the lower end portion of the processing container 10 to maintain the sealing property inside the processing container 10. The table 74 may be fixedly provided on the lid 60 side so that the wafer W can be processed without rotating the wafer boat 80.

The manifold 90 is provided at the lower end of the processing container 10 and has a portion extending along the inner peripheral wall of the processing container 10 and a flange-shaped portion extending outward in the radial direction. Although the manifold 90 is composed of a separate part from the processing container 10, it is provided integrally with the side wall of the processing container 10 and is provided so as to form a part of the side wall of the processing container 10. The manifold 90 supports the injector 100.

The injector 100 is a gas supply means for supplying gas into the processing container 10, and is made of quartz. That is, the injector 100 can be a quartz tube. The injector 100 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the inner peripheral wall of the processing container 10 at least at the lower part of the processing container 10 at a distance from the inner peripheral wall. A plurality of discharge holes 102 are formed in the injector 100 with a predetermined interval along the length direction thereof, so that gas can be discharged substantially uniformly in the horizontal direction from each discharge hole 102. It has become.

The gas supply system 110 supplies gas to the injector 100. The gas supply system 110 has a gas pipe 111 that communicates with the injector 100. The gas pipe 111 is made of a metal such as stainless steel. A flow rate controller 113 such as a mass flow controller and an on-off valve 112 are sequentially interposed in the middle of the gas pipe 111 so that the flow rate of the processing gas can be controlled and supplied. Other processing gases required for the heat treatment are also supplied via the same gas supply system 110 and the manifold 90.

The base plate 120 is a member that supports the peripheral portion of the manifold 90 at the lower end of the processing container 10, and is formed of, for example, stainless steel. The base plate 120 supports the load of the processing container 10. Below the base plate 120 is a wafer transfer chamber having a wafer transfer mechanism (not shown), which has a nitrogen gas atmosphere of substantially atmospheric pressure. Further, above the base plate 120, there is an atmosphere of clean air in a normal clean room.

The regulating member 130 is a member that restricts the injector 100 supported by the manifold 90 from moving upward. Details of the regulating member 130 will be described later.

Next, the gas introduction mechanism in the heat treatment apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described in detail. 2 to 4 are schematic views of an example of the gas introduction mechanism according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the gas introduction mechanism, FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the gas introduction mechanism before mounting the regulating member in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 shows the gas introduction mechanism of FIG. 3 from the direction of arrow A. It is a schematic perspective view when viewed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the gas introduction mechanism includes a manifold 90, an injector 100, a regulating member 130, and a welded bellows 140.

The manifold 90 has an injector support portion 91 and a gas introduction portion 98. The injector support portion 91 is a portion extending in the vertical direction along the inner peripheral wall of the processing container 10, and has a recess 92 capable of externally supporting the lower end portion of the injector 100. The recess 92 has a height that allows the injector 100 to be supported in a vertically standing state when the lower end portion of the injector 100 is inserted. The injector 100 is supported by inserting the insertion portion 103, which is the lower end portion of the injector 100, into the recess 92. The recess 92 has a small diameter portion 93, a large diameter portion 94 having an opening diameter larger than that of the small diameter portion 93, and a step portion 95 connecting the small diameter portion 93 and the large diameter portion 94. The large diameter portion 94 is formed above the small diameter portion 93. The gas introduction portion 98 is a portion that extends outward in the radial direction from the injector support portion 91 and is exposed to the outside of the processing container 10, and has a gas introduction path 99.

The injector 100 has a straight pipe portion 101, a discharge hole 102, an insertion portion 103, a flange portion 104, and an opening 105. The straight pipe portion 101 is provided along the longitudinal direction of the inner peripheral wall of the processing container 10. A plurality of discharge holes 102 are formed at predetermined intervals along the length direction of the straight pipe portion 101, and gas can be discharged substantially uniformly from each discharge hole 102 in the horizontal direction. (See Fig. 1). The insertion portion 103 is formed at the lower end portion of the injector 100 and is a portion to be inserted into the small diameter portion 93. The outer diameter of the insertion portion 103 is formed so as to be the same as or slightly smaller than the opening diameter of the small diameter portion 93. As a result, the insertion portion 103 can be inserted into the small diameter portion 93. The length of the insertion portion 103 is formed so as to be longer than the height of the small diameter portion 93 and smaller than the total height of the large diameter portion 94 and the small diameter portion 93. Therefore, a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the insertion portion 103 and the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 94. The flange portion 104 is a portion formed between the straight pipe portion 101 and the insertion portion 103 so as to extend outward in the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface. A space S surrounded by the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 94, the step portion 95, the outer peripheral surface of the insertion portion 103, and the lower surface of the flange portion 104 is formed between the lower surface of the flange portion 104 and the step portion 95. ing. The collar portion 104 can be engaged with the step portion 95 via a welded bellows 140 arranged in the space S. The outer diameter of the flange portion 104 is formed so as to be larger than the opening diameter of the small diameter portion 93 and slightly smaller than the opening diameter of the large diameter portion 94. As a result, when the injector 100 is inserted into the recess 92, a gap D is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the flange portion 104 and the inner peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 94. Further, the upper surface of the flange portion 104 can be brought into contact with the lower surface of the regulating member 130 by the elastic force of the weld bellows 140. The opening 105 is formed on the side surface of the insertion portion 103 and communicates with the gas introduction path 99. The gas supplied from the gas supply system 110 is supplied into the processing container 10 through the gas introduction path 99, the opening 105, and the discharge hole 102.

The regulating member 130 is a member that restricts the injector 100 inserted into the recess 92 from coming out of the recess 92. The regulating member 130 has an insertion hole 131 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the straight pipe portion 101 and smaller than the outer diameter of the flange portion 104. After inserting the injector 100 into the recess 92, the restricting member 130 is attached to the upper surface of the injector support portion 91 by using a fixing screw or the like. As a result, when a force is applied in the direction in which the injector 100 exits the recess 92 upward, the upper surface of the flange portion 104 comes into contact with the lower surface of the regulating member 130, and the injector 100 is restricted from exiting the recess 92. Further, from the viewpoint of aligning the flange portion 104 and the regulating member 130 and preventing misalignment, it is preferable to form engaging portions such as irregularities on the upper surface of the collar portion 104 and the lower surface of the regulating member 130.

The weld bellows 140 is a pressing force generating member provided in the recess 92 and applying a pressing force in the direction of exiting the recess 92 to the injector 100 to bring the injector 100 into contact with the regulating member 130. The weld bellows 140 is provided in the space S, one end (lower end) is fixed to the step portion 95, and the other end (upper end) is fixed to the lower surface of the flange portion 104. As a result, the space S is separated into a space S1 on the insertion portion 103 side and a space S2 on the side surface side of the recess 92 with the weld bellows 140 interposed therebetween. As a result, even if gas leaks from the communication portion between the gas introduction path 99 and the opening 105 into the space S1 in the recess 92, the space S1 is sealed by the weld bellows 140, so that the space S1 can be used. It is possible to prevent gas from leaking into the space S2. Further, the elastic force of the weld bellows 140 applies a pressing force to the flange portion 104, so that the upper surface of the flange portion 104 is in contact with the lower surface of the regulation member 130. As described above, the flange portion 104 is constantly pressed against the lower surface of the regulating member 130 by the force generated by the elastic deformation of the weld bellows 140, so that the rattling of the injector 100 with respect to the manifold 90 can be suppressed.

As described above, in the gas introduction mechanism according to the first embodiment, in the space S in the recess 92, one end is fixed to the step portion 95 and the other end is fixed to the lower surface of the flange portion 104. Has. As a result, even if gas leaks into the space S1 from the communication portion between the gas introduction path 99 of the manifold 90 and the opening 105 of the injector 100, the space S1 is sealed by the weld bellows 140, so that the space is a space. It is possible to prevent gas from leaking from S1 to space S2. That is, it is possible to prevent gas leakage at the connection portion between the manifold 90 and the injector 100.

Further, since it is possible to prevent gas from leaking into the processing container 10 from the connection portion between the manifold 90 and the injector 100, gas is discharged to the wafer W in the processing container 10 only from the discharge hole 102 of the injector 100. Therefore, the in-plane uniformity and the inter-plane uniformity of the film formed on the wafer W are improved. On the other hand, when there is a gas leak from the connection portion between the manifold 90 and the injector 100 into the processing container 10, the wafer W in the processing container 10 is not only from the discharge hole 102 of the injector 100 but also from the processing container 10. Gas is also discharged from below. Therefore, in the wafer W located below the processing container 10, the in-plane uniformity may be deteriorated, for example, the film thickness of the peripheral portion is thicker than that of the central portion. Further, since the balance between the amount of gas discharged to the wafer W located above the processing container 10 and the amount of gas discharged to the wafer W located below is lost, the inter-plane uniformity may deteriorate. is there.

Further, in the gas introduction mechanism according to the first embodiment, a pressing force is applied to the flange portion 104 by the elastic force of the weld bellows 140, and the upper surface of the flange portion 104 is in contact with the lower surface of the regulation member 130. As described above, the flange portion 104 is constantly pressed against the lower surface of the regulating member 130 by the force generated by the elastic deformation of the weld bellows 140, so that the rattling of the injector 100 with respect to the manifold 90 can be suppressed. In particular, when a large flow rate of gas is supplied to the injector 100, it is possible to prevent the injector 100 from floating or moving in the vertical direction.

[Second Embodiment]
The gas introduction mechanism and the heat treatment apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described. 5 to 8 are schematic views of an example of the gas introduction mechanism according to the second embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view when the gas introduction mechanism is disassembled, FIG. 6 is a schematic top view of the gas introduction mechanism, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view cut along the alternate long and short dash line AA in FIG. Is a cross-sectional view taken along the alternate long and short dash line BB in FIG.

The gas introduction mechanism and the heat treatment apparatus according to the second embodiment are different from the first embodiment in that they have a regulation unit 96 which is a regulation member formed integrally with the manifold 90. Since the other configurations are the same as those of the gas introduction mechanism and the heat treatment apparatus according to the first embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the corresponding components and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the gas introduction mechanism is formed integrally with the manifold 90, and the injector 100 has a regulating portion 96 having a fitting hole 97 and a flange portion 104 fitting into the fitting hole 97. And have.

The regulating portion 96 is formed above the recess 92 (large diameter portion 94) formed in the manifold 90. The regulating portion 96 is a portion that restricts the injector 100 supported by the manifold 90 from coming out of the recess 92. The regulating portion 96 is formed with a fitting hole 97 that penetrates in the vertical direction. The fitting hole 97 is configured so that the insertion portion 103 and the flange portion 104 can be inserted. The fitting hole 97 may be a two-sided cut hole formed in a two-sided cut shape, for example, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Further, the fitting hole 97 may be a D-cut hole in which the shape of the hole is D-shaped.

The collar portion 104 is configured to fit into the fitting hole 97 and abut on the regulating portion 96 when the elastic force of the weld bellows 140 is applied. For example, when the fitting hole 97 is a two-sided cut hole, the flange portion 104 can be a two-sided cut portion whose outer peripheral shape is processed into a two-sided cut shape corresponding to the two-sided cut hole. Then, the insertion portion 103 and the flange portion 104 of the injector 100 are inserted into the fitting hole 97 and rotated by 90 °, so that the upper surface of the flange portion 104 comes into contact with the lower surface of the regulation portion 96 due to the elastic force of the weld bellows 140. Further, for example, when the fitting hole 97 is a D-cut hole, the flange portion 104 can be a D-cut portion whose outer peripheral shape is processed into a D-shape corresponding to the D-cut hole. Then, the insertion portion 103 and the flange portion 104 of the injector 100 are inserted into the fitting hole 97 and rotated by 90 °, so that the upper surface of the flange portion 104 comes into contact with the lower surface of the regulation portion 96 due to the elastic force of the weld bellows 140. Further, from the viewpoint of aligning the flange portion 104 and the regulating portion 96 and preventing misalignment, it is preferable to form engaging portions such as irregularities on the upper surface of the collar portion 104 and the lower surface of the regulating portion 96.

As described above, in the gas introduction mechanism according to the second embodiment, one end is fixed to the step portion 95 and the other end is the lower surface of the flange portion 104 in the space S in the recess 92, as in the first embodiment. Has a welded bellows 140 fixed to. As a result, even if gas leaks into the space S1 from the communication portion between the gas introduction path 99 of the manifold 90 and the opening 105 of the injector 100, the space S1 is sealed by the weld bellows 140, so that the space is a space. It is possible to prevent gas from leaking from S1 to space S2. That is, it is possible to prevent gas leakage at the connection portion between the manifold 90 and the injector 100.

Further, since it is possible to prevent gas from leaking into the processing container 10 from the connection portion between the manifold 90 and the injector 100, gas is discharged to the wafer W in the processing container 10 only from the discharge hole 102 of the injector 100. Therefore, the in-plane uniformity and the inter-plane uniformity of the film formed on the wafer W are improved. On the other hand, when there is a gas leak from the connection portion between the manifold 90 and the injector 100 into the processing container 10, the wafer W in the processing container 10 is not only from the discharge hole 102 of the injector 100 but also from the processing container 10. Gas is also discharged from below. Therefore, in the wafer W located below the processing container 10, the in-plane uniformity may be deteriorated, for example, the film thickness of the peripheral portion is thicker than that of the central portion. Further, since the balance between the amount of gas discharged to the wafer W located above the processing container 10 and the amount of gas discharged to the wafer W located below is lost, the inter-plane uniformity may deteriorate. is there.

Further, in the gas introduction mechanism according to the second embodiment, a pressing force is applied to the flange portion 104 by the elastic force of the weld bellows 140, and the upper surface of the collar portion 104 is in contact with the lower surface of the regulation portion 96. In this way, the flange portion 104 is constantly pressed against the lower surface of the regulation portion 96 by the force generated by the elastic deformation of the weld bellows 140, so that the rattling of the injector 100 with respect to the manifold 90 can be suppressed. In particular, when a large flow rate of gas is supplied to the injector 100, it is possible to prevent the injector 100 from floating or moving in the vertical direction.

In particular, in the second embodiment, the injector 100 is attached to the manifold 90 by inserting the insertion portion 103 and the flange portion 104 of the injector 100 into the fitting hole 97 of the regulation portion 96 and then rotating the injector 100 by 90 °. be able to. That is, the injector 100 can be attached and detached with one touch. Therefore, the man-hours required for mounting the injector 100 can be reduced. Moreover, since the number of members can be reduced, the cost can be reduced.

Although the embodiment for carrying out the present invention has been described above, the above contents do not limit the contents of the invention, and various modifications and improvements can be made within the scope of the present invention.

In each of the above embodiments, the case where the pressing force generating member is the weld bellows 140 has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. The pressing force generating member may be provided in the recess 92, and it may be possible to apply a pressing force in the direction of exiting the recess 92 to the injector 100 to bring the injector 100 into contact with the regulating member 130 (or the regulating portion 96). For example, it may be another elastic member. Even when another elastic member is used, the pressing force is applied to the injector 100 by the elastic force of the pressing force generating member provided in the recess 92, and the upper surface of the flange portion 104 of the injector 100 is the regulating member 130 ( Alternatively, it abuts on the lower surface of the regulating portion 96). Therefore, even when gas leaks into the space S from the communication portion between the gas introduction path 99 and the opening 105, there is a gap between the upper surface of the flange portion 104 and the lower surface of the regulating member 130 (regulating portion 96). Since there is no gas, it is possible to prevent gas from leaking from the space S to the outside.

10 Processing container 40 Heating means 90 Manifold 92 Recessed 93 Small diameter part 94 Large diameter part 95 Step part 96 Regulation part 97 Fitting hole 100 Injector 103 Insert part 104 Flange part 130 Regulation member 140 Welding bellows

Claims (9)

With a vertically long processing container
An injector provided along the longitudinal direction of the inner peripheral wall of the processing container at least at the lower part of the processing container at a distance from the inner peripheral wall.
A manifold that supports the injector from below,
At the lower part of the injector, a pressing force generating member that applies a pressing force from the lower side to the upper side with respect to the injector.
A regulatory member that regulates the movement of the injector upwards,
Have a,
The injector has an insertion portion formed at the lower end portion, and a collar portion formed above the insertion portion so as to extend outward in the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface and can come into contact with the regulation member.
The manifold has a recess that can externally support the insertion portion.
The recess is
The small diameter part into which the insertion part is inserted and
A large diameter portion provided above the small diameter portion and having a larger opening diameter than the small diameter portion,
It has a step portion that connects the small diameter portion and the large diameter portion.
Gas introduction mechanism. The outer diameter of the collar portion is larger than the opening diameter of the small diameter portion and smaller than the opening diameter of the large diameter portion.
The gas introduction mechanism according to claim 1 . The pressing force generating member is an elastic member having one end fixed to the step portion and the other end fixed to the lower surface of the flange portion.
The gas introduction mechanism according to claim 1 or 2 . The elastic member is a welded bellows.
The gas introduction mechanism according to claim 3 . The regulating member is fixedly provided on the upper surface of the manifold.
The gas introduction mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . The regulating member is formed integrally with the manifold above the large diameter portion, and has a fitting hole through which the insertion portion and the collar portion can be inserted.
The gas introduction mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . The fitting hole is a two-sided cut hole formed in a two-sided cut shape.
The collar portion is a two-sided cut portion whose outer peripheral shape is processed into a two-sided cut shape corresponding to the fitting hole.
The gas introduction mechanism according to claim 6 . The fitting hole is a D-cut hole formed in a D-cut shape.
The collar portion is a D-cut portion whose outer peripheral shape is processed into a D-cut shape corresponding to the fitting hole.
The gas introduction mechanism according to claim 6 . The gas introduction mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8 .
A heating means for heating the processing container from the outside and
A heat treatment device equipped with.

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