JPS5851386B2 - Semiconductor device manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device, and particularly to an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device by implanting ions into a semiconductor substrate.

It is well known that ion implantation is now widely used as a manufacturing technology for semiconductor devices.

The manufacturing equipment for this purpose is configured to accelerate and implant the required ions, which are analyzed from among the ions generated from the ion source, into the semiconductor substrate carried into the highly vacuumed implantation chamber. has been done.

By the way, this type of implantation chamber requires maintenance of a high vacuum, but if the inside of the implantation chamber is opened to the atmosphere each time a semiconductor substrate is loaded or unloaded, the interior of the implantation chamber once opened to the atmosphere It takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour to bring the vacuum to a high level again, and productivity is extremely poor.

In order to solve this problem, we have separately proposed a configuration in which vacuum preliminary chambers for loading and unloading are placed adjacent to the injection chamber, and each vacuum preliminary chamber and the injection chamber are freely communicated via a gate pulp. According to this method, a semiconductor substrate is inserted into a vacuum preliminary chamber on the loading side (at this time, the vacuum preliminary chamber is opened to the atmosphere).

), and the inside is evacuated to a certain degree (this degree of vacuum is much lower than the curvature of the injection chamber).

), the gate pulp is opened, and the semiconductor substrate is guided into the injection chamber by a transport drive mechanism operated by an external operation, where the required ion processing is performed.

After the process is completed, the injection chamber and the vacuum preliminary chamber on the carry-out side (this has been evacuated in advance to the same degree as the vacuum preliminary chamber on the carry-in side).

), the semiconductor substrate in the injection chamber is transported into the vacuum preparation chamber by the same transport drive mechanism as described above, and after closing the gate pulp, the semiconductor substrate in the vacuum preparation chamber is removed. Take it out.

According to this configuration, the injection chamber is not opened to the atmosphere and is simply communicated with the vacuum preparatory chamber, so the time required to create a high vacuum after communication is the time required to open it to the atmosphere. This is much shorter than the time required to create a high vacuum afterwards, and therefore productivity is improved accordingly.

However, in such a configuration, in order to carry the semiconductor substrate from the preliminary vacuum chamber on the loading side to the injection chamber, and to carry it out from the injection chamber to the preliminary vacuum chamber on the unloading side, it is necessary to An actuated drive mechanism is essential.

Due to the seed part movement mechanism of the rod, a sealing material such as an O-ring or a metal bellows is required to prevent damage to the vacuum, making the entire device larger and more expensive. However, there are disadvantages in that reliability problems arise in terms of the lifespan of such sealing materials.

An object of the present invention is to omit a drive mechanism for loading and unloading semiconductor substrates, which requires an external operation, thereby reducing the size and cost of the entire device.

In this invention, a vacuum preliminary chamber on the carry-in side and a vacuum preliminary chamber on the carry-out side are arranged adjacent to the injection chamber via gate valves, and a vacuum preliminary chamber on the carry-in side is connected to the injection chamber, and a vacuum preliminary chamber on the carry-out side is connected to the injection chamber, and from the injection chamber to the carry-out side. The present invention is characterized in that the semiconductor substrate is transferred to the vacuum preliminary chamber by natural sliding of the semiconductor substrate.

In practice, it is common for a plurality of semiconductor substrates to be transported at the same time, so the cartridges that house them side by side are allowed to slide down naturally as described above.

If the object is conveyed by such natural sliding, the above-mentioned drive mechanism can be completely omitted.

The cartridge carried into the injection chamber is subjected to ion processing.
It is necessary to take out the semiconductor substrates individually from the cartridge and transfer them to the injection position, and because of the transfer mechanism, it is necessary to transfer the cartridge by a fixed pitch when processing is completed for each semiconductor substrate.

Therefore, the cartridge transferred to the injection chamber must be stopped at a fixed position within the same chamber.

Therefore, another object of the present invention is to stop the natural sliding of the cartridge carried into the injection chamber at a fixed position within the same chamber.

Stopping at such a fixed position ensures that the individual semiconductor substrates are subsequently transferred to the ion processing position.

The present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. On both sides of the injection chamber 10, a preliminary vacuum chamber 2 on the carry-in side and a preliminary vacuum chamber 3 on the discharge side are arranged in communication with each other via gate pulps 4 and 5, respectively.

The injection chamber 1 is composed of a main body and a lid 1B that hermetically seals the upper end of the chamber.An ion projection window 6 is provided in a part of the main body 1A, and the required ions from the ion source shown in the figure are analyzed and accelerated. , is projected onto this projection window.

Therefore, by facing each semiconductor substrate to the projection window 6, the required ion implantation can be performed.

A semiconductor substrate holding mechanism 1 is separately installed, and a feeding device (not shown) is inserted through an opening 8.

), the semiconductor substrates housed in the inserted cartridge are sent one by one to the holding mechanism 7.

This holding mechanism 1 holds the semiconductor substrate sent and reciprocates it at a position 1 aligned with the projection window 6.

The feeding device returns the semiconductor substrate that has been processed and returned to the initial holding position of the holding mechanism into the cartridge.

Since the feeder is in a fixed position, each time one semiconductor substrate is processed and returned to the cartridge, the cartridge is transferred so that the next semiconductor substrate can be fed by the feeder into the holding mechanism's position box. Ru.

For this transfer, a female screw 10 is screwed into the feed screw shaft 9 arranged along the transfer direction of the cartridge, and the female screw 10 is fixed to the feed base 11 and pressed. The cartridge 12 is mounted on the feed screw shaft 9 as shown in FIG.
4, and this rotation causes the feed table 11. The barrel 12 is therefore transported.

By appropriately controlling the number of rotations of the rotary drive shaft 130, the feed table 11 can be transferred at a fixed pitch.

Gate pulps 4 and 5 are both valve bodies 4A.

5A and connecting links 4B, 5B, the connecting links 4B, 5B are operated by an appropriate drive mechanism, and the valve bodies 4A, 5A open and airtightly close the inlet port 15 and outlet port 16 of one main body. .

The injection chamber 1 includes a vacuum exhaust system (not shown).

) are connected, and during injection processing, for example, 5X10
The pressure is kept below 'T orr.

The vacuum preliminary chamber 2 has an inlet for inserting the IJ screw 12 and a door that hermetically closes it, and the vacuum preliminary chamber 3 has an outlet for taking out the internal cartridge and a door that hermetically closes it. (Each not shown.

) is provided. There are rails 21 inside both vacuum preliminary chambers 2 and 3.
．． According to the invention, the rails 21 in the vacuum prechamber 2 are inclined so as to descend toward the injection chamber 1, and the rails 21 in the vacuum prechamber 3 are laid down.
2 is inclined so as to descend from the injection chamber 1 side to the opposite side, and the feed table 11 is also inclined in the same direction.

In the illustrated example, the entirety of both the vacuum preparatory chambers 2, 3 and the injection chamber 1 is inclined, so that the rails 21, 22 and the feed table 11 are substantially inclined with respect to the horizontal line.

Therefore, the feed screw shaft 9 is also inclined in the same direction.

However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is sufficient that at least the rails 21 and 22 and the feed platform 11 cars are inclined.

Due to this inclination, the car was placed in the vacuum preliminary chamber 2)
The IJ tube 12 naturally slides down the rail 21 toward the injection chamber 1, and the car sent from the injection chamber 1 to the vacuum preliminary chamber 3) The IJ tube 12 slides along the rail 22 inside the vacuum preliminary chamber 3. Natural downhill.

In order to make this natural downhill slide smoothly, rails 21.22
It is desirable to make it from a material with a small coefficient of friction.
For example, those made of fluororesin, glass, etc. are preferable.

Further, it is preferable to install rollers 23 between the rails 21 and the feed stand 11 and from the feed stand 11 to the rail 22 so that the cartridge 12 can be smoothly transferred.

Also, rollers may be used in place of the rails 21, 22.

As part of the IJ joint 12 is shown in FIG. A substrate 33 is supported and housed.

A claw 35 that can swing freely around a shaft 34 is provided at the tip of the rail 21 (the end of one example of the injection chamber), and the end 35a of this claw 35 on the side of the injection chamber 1 is always lowered. This is so that a tilting force is generated.

Therefore, the end portion 35a side 35a side b'' - the opposite end portion 35a side is made heavier in weight, or it is biased by a spring.

A pin 36 is provided to restrain the button from tilting beyond a certain angle.

Due to this tilting, the end portion 35b comes into contact with the tip of the cartridge 12 that has slid down the rail 21 naturally, so that even if the cartridge 12 slides down naturally, it is stopped at the fixed position where the claw 35 is installed. Become.

To release this stop, a pin 37 is fixed to the rear end of the feed table 11 (the end on the preliminary vacuum chamber 12 side), and the rail 2
When the feed table 11 moves toward the preliminary vacuum chamber 2 side by 90 rotations of the feed screw shaft in order to receive the cartridge 12 on the feed table 11, the pin 37 scoops up the end 35a of the claw 35. (See Figure 4).

As a result, the contact between the other end 35a and the cartridge 12 is released, and the cartridge 12 again naturally slides down onto the feed table 11, and further naturally slides down thereon.

At the tip of the feed table 11 (the end on the vacuum preliminary chamber 2 side) there is a claw 41 similar to the claw 35 described above, and at the rear end of the rail 22 (
A pin 42 similar to the pin 37 described above is installed at the end on the injection chamber 1 side.

Therefore, the leading end of the cartridge 12 which has naturally slid down on the feed base 11 as described above comes into contact with the claw 35 and is stopped.

Since the claw 35 is installed at a fixed position on the feed table 11, the cartridge 12 ends up in the injection chamber 1 and stopped at the fixed position.

When all of the semiconductor substrates in the cartridge 12 have completed ion processing and the feed table 11 is sent toward the preliminary vacuum chamber 3, the pin 42 of the rail 22 immediately lifts the claw 41 and moves it in the opposite direction. It is tilted to release contact with the cartridge 12.

Then, the cartridge 12 naturally slides down from the feed table 11 onto the rail 22 and enters the vacuum preliminary chamber 3.

To carry the cartridge 12 into the injection chamber 1, close the gate pulps 4 and 5, and then move the inside of the injection chamber 1 using a 5x10
Make a high vacuum to the extent that the pressure is below Torr, and roughly vacuum the inside of the preliminary vacuum chamber 3 to the extent that the pressure is about 5 x 10-2 Torr.

This is done by a vacuum evacuation system 52.

Next, the cartridge 12 containing a plurality of semiconductor substrates is placed in the preliminary vacuum chamber 2 and then sealed.

At this time, the cartridge 12 naturally slides down on the rail 21 and comes into contact with the claw 35.

Next, the inside of the preliminary vacuum chamber 2 is roughly evacuated to a pressure of about 5×1 O” Torr (this is performed by the evacuation system 51).

) and first open the gate pulp 4.

Then, the feed table 11 is sent toward the preliminary vacuum chamber 2.

As a result of this feeding, the engagement by the pawl 35 is released, the cartridge 12 rides on the feed base 11, and comes into contact with the pawl 41 and stops.

Next, the feed table 11 is drawn into the injection chamber 1, and the gate valve 4 is closed to bring the injection chamber 1 into high vacuum again.

When the gate valve 4 is opened as described above, the injection chamber 1 and the preliminary vacuum chamber 2 are communicated with each other, so the vacuum inside the injection chamber 1 is lowered, but the gate valve 4 is not opened to the atmosphere. The time required to create a high vacuum in the injection chamber 1 after closing the injection chamber 1 is much shorter than the time required from the time it is opened to the atmosphere.

When all the semiconductor substrates have been ion-processed, the gate valve 5 is opened and the feed table 11 is moved toward the preliminary vacuum chamber 3 side.

During this process, the claw 41 is tilted in the opposite direction by the pin 42 and is released from the cartridge 12, so that the cartridge 12 naturally slides down from the feed table 11 to the rail 22 and enters the preliminary vacuum chamber 3.
Go inside.

Thereafter, after closing the gate valve 5, the door of the preliminary vacuum chamber 3 is opened and the cartridge 12 inside is taken out.

By opening the gate valve 5, the injection chamber 1 is communicated with the pre-vacuum chamber 3, but since the pre-vacuum chamber 3 has been roughly evacuated in advance and is not open to the atmosphere, the high vacuum of the injection chamber 1 thereafter The time required for conversion is short, as described above.

The above explanation was about manufacturing a semiconductor device when ions are implanted into a semiconductor substrate, but it is not limited to this.
For example, the present invention is applicable even when a semiconductor device is manufactured by forming a thin film on the surface of a semiconductor substrate by vapor deposition, sputtering, or the like.

It goes without saying that the vacuum chamber in this case corresponds to the injection chamber in the illustrated embodiment.

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the main vacuum chamber is configured with the preliminary vacuum chambers on the loading side and the discharge side, so that it is possible to naturally transfer the cartridge containing the semiconductor substrate between the vacuum chambers. Since the system is operated by sliding downhill, the conventional drive mechanism for transport is omitted, thereby avoiding an increase in size and cost as much as possible, and reliability is improved by reducing the number of parts where there is a risk of vacuum leakage. It has the effect of making you feel better.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a side sectional view showing an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 is a partial plan view, Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a third sectional view.
FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing different operating states corresponding to the figures; 1...Main vacuum chamber (injection chamber), 2...Preliminary vacuum chamber on the carry-in side, 3...Preliminary vacuum chamber on the carry-out side, 4.5... ...Gate valve, 11...
Feeding base, 12... Cartridge, 21.22.
...Rail, 23...Roll 35...
...Claw, 37...Pin.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A main vacuum chamber, preliminary vacuum chambers on the carry-in side and carry-out side adjacent to the main vacuum chamber via a gate valve, a feed stage arranged in the main vacuum chamber, and a preliminary vacuum chamber on the carry-in side. a transfer device for transferring cartridges storing a plurality of semiconductor substrates from the preliminary vacuum chamber to the conveying table and from the conveying table to the preliminary vacuum chamber on the carry-out side by natural sliding; A stop device is arranged on a transfer path by a transfer device that transfers the cartridge to the feed table, and stops the natural sliding of the cartridge at a fixed position, and the stop device stops the cartridge by transferring it to the preliminary vacuum chamber side on the carry-in side of the feed table. A semiconductor device manufacturing device comprising a release device that releases at a fixed position. 2. The stop device is a pawl installed in a fixed position and biased and tilted so that one end abuts the end of the cartridge, and the release device is mounted on the feed platform and causes the water to be deflected by the bias. 2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor device is a pin that scoops up the other end of the claw so as to be tilted against the pressure.