JP3657386B2 - Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and semiconductor manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and a semiconductor manufacturing method for performing diffusion and chemical vapor deposition belonging to a pretreatment process of a semiconductor manufacturing process .
[0002]
[Prior art]
One of the processing steps of the semiconductor manufacturing process is a diffusion and chemical vapor deposition process, and a vertical reactor is an apparatus for performing such a process.
[0003]
An outline of a vertical semiconductor manufacturing apparatus equipped with a vertical furnace will be described with reference to FIG.
[0004]
A vertical furnace 2 is provided above the rear part inside the housing 1, and a boat elevator 3 is provided below the vertical furnace 2. A furnace mouth lid 5 that forms a part of the vertical furnace 2 is attached to the lift slider 4 of the boat elevator 3, and a quartz boat 7 is placed on the furnace mouth lid 5 via a boat cap 6. In the boat 7, wafers 8 as processing objects are loaded and held in multiple stages in a horizontal posture.
[0005]
A wafer transfer device 9 is provided in front of the boat elevator 3, and a cassette shelf 11 is provided in front of the wafer transfer device 9 with a heat shielding shutter 10 interposed therebetween.
[0006]
The cassette shelf 11 stores a required number of wafer cassettes 12, and the wafer 8 is carried into and out of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus while being loaded into the wafer cassette 12.
[0007]
The boat elevator 3 is loaded with the boat 7 loaded with the wafers 8 in the vertical furnace 2, and the furnace port lid 5 is placed in the furnace port portion of the vertical furnace 2 by loading the boat 7. Occlude. In the vertical furnace 2, the wafer 8 is subjected to required processing, and when the processing is completed, the boat elevator 3 pulls out the boat 7.
[0008]
Immediately after the boat 7 is pulled out, the boat 7 and the wafer 8 are at a high temperature, and the heat shield shutter 10 prevents the cassette shelf 11 from being affected by heat on the wafer 8. The wafer transfer device 9 transfers unprocessed wafers from the cassette shelf 11 to the boat 7 and transfers processed wafers from the boat 7 to the cassette shelf 11.
[0009]
Next, a conventional vertical furnace 2 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0010]
In the figure, reference numeral 13 denotes a soaking tube. A quartz reaction tube 14 is concentrically disposed inside the soaking tube 13, and a reaction chamber 15 is defined by the reaction tube 14. A cylindrical heater 16 is provided concentrically so as to surround the soaking tube 13, the heater 16 is erected on a heater base 17, and a ring seat 19 is attached to the heater base 17 via a seat receiver 18. The heat equalizing tube 13 is erected on the ring seat 19.
[0011]
The reaction tube 14 has an outer flange-shaped flange portion 20 at the lower end, a flange cover 21 that covers the outer peripheral end and the upper end of the flange portion 20, and a flange receiving ring 22 that abuts the lower surface outer peripheral end portion of the flange portion 20. Thus, the flange portion 20 is clamped. A rectangular first cooling water passage 23 having a horizontally long cross section is formed concentrically and doublely in the flange cover 21, and a cooling water supply pipe (not shown) is connected to the first cooling water passage 23. .
[0012]
A furnace lid 5 capable of closing the lower end opening of the reaction tube 14 is supported by the elevating slider 4 of the boat elevator 3 via a pedestal 24. A boat cradle 25 is fitted on the pedestal 24, and a cap receiving ring 26 is fixed on the boat cradle 25 concentrically. A base 27 is concentrically disposed on the upper surface of the cap receiving ring 26, and the base 27 is held by an annular O-ring presser 28 whose peripheral portion is slightly thicker than the plate thickness of the base 27. The cap receiving ring 26 is fixed. A groove 29 is formed on the upper surface of the base 27 along the outer peripheral edge, and an O-ring 30 is fitted into the groove 29. The flange portion 20 and the O-ring presser 28 are connected to the O-ring 30. It is possible to tightly contact with each other. In addition, a rectangular second cooling water channel 31 having a horizontally long cross section is formed in the cap receiving ring 26 concentrically on the entire outer periphery and inner portion over the entire circumference, and the second cooling water channel 31 is illustrated in the figure. The cooling water supply pipe is not connected.
[0013]
A scavenger 32 made of sheet metal is provided on the lower surface of the heater base 17 so as to cover the periphery of the reaction tube 14 up to the lower end of the flange receiving ring 22, and the inner peripheral end of the scavenger 32 is at the outer peripheral end of the flange receiving ring 22. A duct (not shown) is provided adjacent to the scavenger 32.
[0014]
The boat elevator 3 raises and lowers the elevating slider 4 to load and withdraw the boat 7 into and from the reaction chamber 15, and the furnace opening cover 5 closes the lower end opening of the reaction tube 14. The reaction chamber 15 is kept airtight. During the processing, the inside of the scavenger 32 is connected to the duct (not shown) so that gas leakage can be detected when NO, NOx gas, etc. generated during the processing in the reaction chamber 15 leaks from the lower end opening of the reaction tube 14. A) through.
[0015]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the conventional reaction furnace described above, the gas tightness in the opening / closing portion of the furnace opening is maintained only by the O-ring 30, so that the gas in the reaction chamber 15 may leak from the opening / closing portion of the furnace opening. In addition, it takes a certain amount of time to detect a leak, and when the gas supply is stopped after the leak is confirmed, the gas is already filled in the semiconductor device, making it difficult to identify the leak location. Therefore, there is a problem that it takes a long time to recover.
[0016]
FIG. 4 shows an example in which leakage is suppressed and detection is possible immediately when leakage occurs. This is because two concentric first O-ring grooves 33 and second O-ring grooves 34 are formed on the upper surface of the base 27 over the entire circumference, and the first O-ring grooves 33 and the second O-ring grooves 34 are respectively provided with the first O-ring grooves 33 and the second O-ring grooves 34. A ring 35 and a second O-ring 36 are fitted, and the space between the flange portion 20 and the base 27 is kept airtight via the first O-ring 35 and the second O-ring 36, and the first O-ring 35 and the second O-ring 36 are retained. The suction pipe 38 is communicated with the gap 37 formed between the suction pipe 36 and the inside of the gap 37 is evacuated through the suction pipe 38 to make the inside of the gap 37 a negative pressure. Is to prevent leakage. However, in this case, there is a problem that the structure of the furnace opening is complicated, the production cost increases, and maintenance becomes difficult.
[0017]
In view of such a situation, the present invention prevents gas from leaking from the furnace port portion to the outside, and can instantaneously detect gas leakage, thereby facilitating maintenance.
[0018]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention, the reaction chamber and can be closed in an airtight manner via an O-ring by a furnace palate, in order to detect the components of the leakage gas from the reaction chamber to the outside of the O-ring at the boundary between the reaction chamber and the furnace palate provided the detection channel, it communicates the detection port on the detected known passage relates to a semiconductor production equipment configured as to be sucked from the sensing port, and the O-ring, the detection channel at the boundary the relates to a semiconductor manufacturing device provided only on the reaction chamber side, and the furnace palate periphery before and Symbol O-ring and the outer peripheral side wall surface of the detection knowledge flow path distance between the center side wall of the detection channel than It relates to a semiconductor manufacturing equipment which is shorter than the distance between the end, also the reaction chamber and can be closed hermetically by a furnace palate through the O-ring, for detecting the outside of the O-ring at the boundary between the reaction chamber and the furnace palate A flow path is provided, and a detection port is communicated with the detection flow path to detect the detection. Configured such that the suction from over preparative, the O-ring Ri engaged largely the semiconductor manufacturing equipment from the outer peripheral side portion of the side portion, the article to be treated into the reaction chamber increases the Mataro palate cross-sectional shape of the detection channel A step of charging a boat loaded with a reaction vessel, a step of airtightly closing the reaction chamber through the O-ring through the furnace port lid, a step of processing the object to be processed in the reaction chamber, and a reaction with the furnace port lid A step of sucking through a detection port from a detection flow path provided to detect a gas component leaked from the reaction chamber at the boundary with the chamber and outside the O-ring; The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing method including a step of detecting a component by a gas detector, and a step of pulling out the boat from the reaction chamber when the processing of the object to be processed is completed , and the O in the detection flow path. Reduce ring side exhaust resistance Prevents leakage of gas to the outside from the reactor, to detect the leakage of gas instantaneously.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
[0020]
In the figure, reference numeral 45 denotes a cylindrical heater. Inside the heater 45, a soaking tube 46 made of quartz and a reaction tube 47 made of quartz are arranged concentrically, and a reaction chamber 48 is formed by the reaction tube 47. It is defined. The heater 45 is erected on a heater base 49, a ring seat 51 is fixed to the heater base 49 via a seat receiver 50, and a heat equalizing tube 46 is erected on the ring seat 51.
[0021]
The reaction tube 47 has a flange portion 52 having an outer casing shape at the lower end, and the reaction tube 47 is erected on the furnace port flange 53 via the flange portion 52. A first O-ring groove 54 is formed on the upper surface of the furnace port flange 53 concentrically with the reaction tube 47 over the entire circumference. The first O-ring groove 54 includes a first O-ring 55 and a backup material 56 from the center side. Is inserted. The flange portion 52 is sandwiched between a flange cover 57 fixed to the furnace port flange 53 and the furnace port flange 53, and the flange portion 52 and the furnace port flange 53 are hermetically sealed via the first O-ring 55. Sealed. An annular first cooling water channel 58 is provided around the entire circumference of the flange cover 57, and a cooling water supply pipe (not shown) is connected to the first cooling water channel 58. Below the first O-ring groove 54, a second cooling water channel 59 on an annular ring is provided over the entire circumference. The second cooling water channel 59 is connected to a cooling water supply pipe (not shown), and the furnace port flange 53 is provided. An annular first detection groove 60 is engraved on the lower surface of the entire surface.
[0022]
A furnace opening 61 capable of closing the lower end opening of the reaction tube 47 is supported by a lift elevator of a boat elevator (not shown) via a pedestal 62. A boat pedestal 63 is fitted on the pedestal 62, and a cap receiving ring 64 is fixed concentrically on the boat receiving base 63, and a base 65 is concentrically disposed on the upper surface of the cap receiving ring 64. When the furnace port lid 61 is closed on the lower surface of the furnace port flange 53, the outer surface of the base 65 is located outside the inner surface of the reaction tube 47 without being in contact with the furnace port flange 53. The thickness of the peripheral edge of the base 65 is slightly smaller than the thickness of the furnace port flange 53 so that the peripheral upper surface of the base 65 is not in contact with the lower surface of the flange 52.
[0023]
An annular second detection groove 66 is formed on the upper surface of the cap receiving ring 64 over the entire circumference, and the central side wall surface of the second detection groove 66 is on the center side of the first detection groove 60. The first detection groove 66 is located at the same position as the wall surface, and the width of the second detection groove 66 is larger than the width of the first detection groove 60, and when the furnace port lid 61 closes the lower surface of the furnace port flange 53. A detection channel 67 is formed by the groove 60 and the second detection groove 66, and the cross section of the detection channel 67 has an L shape having a convex portion on the center side. Two detection ports 68 passing through the furnace port flange 53 communicate with the detection flow path 67 from the stepped surface of the detection flow path 67 at two symmetrical positions.
[0024]
A second O-ring groove 69 is provided on the upper surface of the cap receiving ring 64 at the center side of the second detection groove 66 and in the vicinity of the second detection groove 66. The distance from the central side wall surface of the second detection groove 66 is shorter than the distance between the outer peripheral side wall surface of the second detection groove 66 and the outer peripheral end of the cap receiving ring 64. A second O-ring 70 is fitted in the second O-ring groove 69, and the furnace port flange 53 and the furnace port lid 61 can be hermetically closed via the second O-ring 70. An annular third cooling water channel 71 is provided over the entire circumference of the cap receiving ring 64 and immediately below the second O-ring groove 69.
[0025]
The operation will be described below.
[0026]
A boat (not shown) is loaded and withdrawn into the reaction chamber 48 by raising and lowering the furnace port lid 61 by the boat elevator (not shown).
[0027]
In a state where the boat (not shown) is completely charged into the reaction chamber 48, the cap receiving ring 64 contacts the lower surface of the furnace port flange 53, and the second O-ring 70 contacts the furnace port flange 53. By closely contacting, the inside and outside of the reaction chamber 48 are kept airtight.
[0028]
The inside of the detection flow path 67 is evacuated by a pump (not shown) through the detection port 68 and kept at a negative pressure. The component of the sucked gas is always detected by a gas detector (not shown). Further, the cross-sectional shape of the detection flow path 67 is larger at the second O-ring 70 side part than the outer peripheral side part where the detection port 68 is communicated, and the distance between the detection flow path 67 and the second O-ring 70 is larger. Since it is short, the exhaust resistance on the second O-ring 70 side becomes small. Therefore, even if the gas tightness of the second O-ring 70 is lowered and the gas in the reaction chamber 48 leaks into the detection flow path 67, the gas in the detection flow path 67 leaks to the outside. Moreover, since the component of the sucked gas is always detected by the gas detector, the leakage of the gas is detected instantaneously.
[0029]
In the above embodiment, the vertical furnace has been described. However, the vertical furnace may be used for a furnace port of another reaction furnace. Further, the detection groove may be formed on either the furnace port lid or the furnace port flange.
[0030]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, even when the airtightness of the O-ring at the opening and closing part of the furnace port portion is reduced, gas can be instantaneously detected even if it leaks into the detection flow path without leaking outside. At the same time, it is easy to specify the leak location, and it becomes easy to restore and start up the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus after the gas leaks. In addition, it exhibits various excellent effects such as suppressing an increase in production cost required for improving airtightness and facilitating maintenance.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory view of a conventional vertical semiconductor manufacturing apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional example.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing another conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
53 Furnace port flange 57 Flange cover 60 First detection groove 61 Furnace port cover 64 Cap receiving ring 65 Base 66 Second detection groove 67 Detection flow path 68 Detection port

Claims (5)

The reaction chamber and can be closed hermetically by a furnace palate through the O-ring, the detection flow for detecting the component of the leaked gas from the reaction chamber to the outside of the O-ring at the boundary between the reaction chamber and the furnace palate A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus characterized in that a path is provided, a detection port is communicated with the detection flow path, and suction is performed from the detection port.   The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the O-ring is provided only on the reaction chamber side with respect to the detection flow path at the boundary.   The semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the O-ring and a central side wall surface of the detection flow path is shorter than a distance between an outer peripheral side wall surface of the detection flow path and the outer peripheral end of the furnace cover. The reaction chamber can be hermetically closed with a furnace lid through an O-ring, and a detection channel is provided outside the O-ring at the boundary between the furnace lid and the reaction chamber, and a detection port communicates with the detection channel. is allowed to configure such that the suction from the sensing port, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is characterized in that the O-ring portion of the cross-sectional shape of the detection channel is greater than the outer peripheral portion.   A step of raising a furnace lid and charging a boat loaded with an object into the reaction chamber; a step of airtightly closing the reaction chamber via the O-ring through the furnace port lid; and the object to be processed in the reaction chamber Through a detection port from a detection flow path provided to detect a gas component leaked from the reaction chamber at the boundary between the furnace lid and the reaction chamber and outside the O-ring. And a step of detecting a component of the sucked gas by a gas detector, and a step of pulling out the boat from the reaction chamber when the processing of the object to be processed is completed. Method.

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