JPH01109724A - Decompression anteroom device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the retention of a foreign matter by forming a sample- susceptor periphery and/or a room wall oppositely faced to the periphery in a curved surface. CONSTITUTION:A load locking room in a semiconductor production unit shapes an airtight room by a movable upper external wall 1, to which one part of a drive section is connected, and a lower external wall 2, one part of which has a sample mount for a wafer W, etc. Surfaces constituting the inside of the load locking room are composed of smooth curved surfaces 7-9 so that the generators of the surfaces shape one parts of hyperbolas or straight lines. Consequently, narrow recessed sections and indented corners are removed completely, a gas flowing in the load locking room does not stay, and as discharged quickly on exhaust, and a foreign matter is discharged rapidly together with the gas without remaining in the room even when there is the foreign matter in the gas. Accordingly, the remaining region of foreign matters is removed.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 （産業上の利用分野〕 本発明は、減圧準備室装置に係り、特に半導体素子基板
等の試料を処理するのに好適な減圧準備室装置に関する
。DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a reduced pressure preparation chamber apparatus, and particularly to a reduced pressure preparation chamber apparatus suitable for processing samples such as semiconductor element substrates.

〔従来の技術〕[Conventional technology]

基板等の試料をドライプロセスに処理する装置としては
１例えば特公昭５８−１２３４０号公報に記載のように
、主真空の一部にロック室を設け、このロック室を介し
て主真空室に試料を搬入出するようにしたものが知られ
ている。この装置はロック室内をリークして大気圧に戻
して開放し、開放されたロック室内に試料を搬入して再
びロック室を気密封止し、板書封止されたロック室内を
減圧排気した後にロック室内と主真空室内とを連通させ
て試料をロック室から主真空室に、また逆操作により主
真空室内からロック室を通して搬出するものである。For example, as described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-12340, a lock chamber is provided in a part of the main vacuum, and the sample is transferred to the main vacuum chamber through the lock chamber. It is known that the system is designed to carry in and out. This device leaks the inside of the lock chamber, returns it to atmospheric pressure, opens it, carries the sample into the opened lock chamber, hermetically seals the lock chamber again, and then locks the locked chamber after depressurizing and exhausting the sealed lock chamber. The chamber is communicated with the main vacuum chamber, and the sample is transferred from the lock chamber to the main vacuum chamber, and vice versa from the main vacuum chamber through the lock chamber.

〔発明が解決しようとする問題点〕[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

上記従来技術におけるロック室（減圧準備室）において
は、その室内は狭い空間を有し、多くの角部を有してい
る。このためこの部分により、気体の流れが滞り、異物
が残留する。そして、この残留した異物の層に、更に異
物が溜って層を作った場合、その上層の異物は壁面に付
着する異物よりも飛散する。この異物により、試料が汚
染されるという問題があった。The lock chamber (decompression preparation chamber) in the prior art described above has a narrow space and has many corners. For this reason, this portion obstructs the flow of gas and leaves foreign matter behind. If further foreign matter accumulates in this remaining layer of foreign matter to form a layer, the foreign matter in the upper layer is more likely to scatter than the foreign matter adhering to the wall surface. There was a problem in that the sample was contaminated by this foreign material.

本発明は上記の事柄にもとづき、異物の滞留を生じない
減圧準備室装置を提供することを目的と゛する。The present invention is based on the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a decompression preparation chamber device that does not cause the accumulation of foreign matter.

〔問題点を解決するための手段〕[Means for solving problems]

本発明の上記目的は、真空の処理室の一部に。 The above object of the present invention is to provide a part of a vacuum processing chamber.

この処理室に試料を搬入出するため減圧準備室を設け、
前記減圧準備室は、室内を画成する壁とこの室内を移動
する試料支持台と前記室内の気圧を下げるための排気口
部と気圧を上げるための給気口部とを備える減圧準備室
装置において、前記試料支持台周縁および／またはこれ
に対向する前記室壁を曲面で形成することにより達成さ
れる。A depressurization preparation room is installed to transport samples into and out of this processing chamber.
The decompression preparation room is a decompression preparation room device that includes a wall that defines a room, a sample support that moves within the room, an exhaust port for lowering the air pressure in the room, and an air supply port for increasing the air pressure. This is achieved by forming the peripheral edge of the sample support stand and/or the chamber wall opposite thereto into a curved surface.

（作用〕 前記試料支持台周縁および／またはこれに対向する前記
室壁部は曲面で形成されているので、この部での気体の
流れは滞留せず、速やかに室外に排出される。このため
、異物の残留域がなくなり、ウェハ等の試料の汚染を防
止することができる。(Function) Since the periphery of the sample support stand and/or the chamber wall portion opposite thereto is formed of a curved surface, the gas flow in this portion is not stagnated and is quickly discharged outside the room. , there is no residual area of foreign matter, and contamination of samples such as wafers can be prevented.

゛〔実施例〕 以下、本発明の実施例を図面に従って説明する。゛ [Example] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

第１図〜第３図は本発明の一実施例を示すもので、この
実施例での減圧準備室（ロック室）の例では、半導体製
造装置内のロードロック室であり、駆動部の一部が接続
されている可動の上部外壁１とウェハＷ等の試料支持台
をその一部に持った下部外壁２によって気密な室を形成
する。この気密な室内部の気体は、複数の排気口４によ
り室外へ排気され、また複数の給気口３より清浄な気体
が供給される。複数の排気口４にはロードロック室外に
真空ポンプを含む排気機構が接続されており、排気の流
量は変えられる。また複数の給気口３はロードロック室
外に、清浄な気体を供給する機構と接続されており、給
気の流量も変えることができる。1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the depressurization preparation chamber (lock chamber) is a load lock chamber in a semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and is a part of a drive unit. An airtight chamber is formed by a movable upper outer wall 1 to which parts are connected and a lower outer wall 2 having a sample support such as a wafer W in a part thereof. The gas inside this airtight room is exhausted to the outside through a plurality of exhaust ports 4, and clean gas is supplied through a plurality of air supply ports 3. An exhaust mechanism including a vacuum pump is connected to the plurality of exhaust ports 4 outside the load lock chamber, and the flow rate of exhaust gas can be changed. Further, the plurality of air supply ports 3 are connected to a mechanism for supplying clean gas to the outside of the load lock chamber, and the flow rate of the air supply can also be changed.

上部外壁１及び下部外壁２の、ロードロック室内を構成
する面は、面の母線が双曲線の一部または直線となるよ
うな、なめらかな曲面７，８．９で構成されているため
に、狭い凹部や凹状の角が全くない、従って、ロードロ
ック室内を流れる気体は滞ることなく、排気の際、速や
かに排出され、たとえ気体中に異物が存在していても、
室内に残留することなく速やかに気体とともに排出され
る。The surfaces of the upper outer wall 1 and the lower outer wall 2 that make up the inside of the load lock chamber are narrow because they are composed of smooth curved surfaces 7 and 8.9 whose generating lines are part of a hyperbola or a straight line. There are no recesses or concave corners, so the gas flowing inside the load lock chamber does not stagnate and is quickly discharged during exhaust, even if there are foreign objects in the gas.
It is quickly exhausted along with the gas without remaining in the room.

異物は残留する際、異物粒子が多く溜って層を作った場
合の方が、異物粒子が単独に壁面に直接付着する場合よ
りも非常に飛散しやすい、このロードロック室内部の形
状では、異物の層が全く生じないので、異物の再飛散の
確率が激減し、ウェハの異物汚染防止に著しい効果があ
る。When foreign matter remains, it is much easier to scatter when a large number of foreign matter particles accumulate and form a layer than when the foreign matter particles stick directly to the wall surface. Since no layer is formed, the probability of foreign matter re-scattering is drastically reduced, and this is extremely effective in preventing foreign matter contamination of the wafer.

排気口４は本実施例では４ケ所に設置している。In this embodiment, the exhaust ports 4 are installed at four locations.

設置位置も、異物が重力沈降等で最も付着、残留しやす
い下部外壁２に、ウェハＷ上面が向いている方向と逆方
向に気体が排気の際、流れる方向に向けて設置している
。従って壁面に付着していた異物で気体の力で再飛散し
浮遊したものや、室内下方部の空間に沈降しつつある異
物、下部外壁２の底面付近に付着する異物も、室内の気
体を排気する際に効率よく、確実に排出できろ、これは
排気の時の気体の流れがウェハＷの方向へ逆流せずに速
やかに排出されるためである。The installation position is also on the lower outer wall 2, where foreign matter is most likely to adhere and remain due to gravitational settling, etc., and in the opposite direction to the direction in which the upper surface of the wafer W faces, and in the direction in which the gas flows when being exhausted. Therefore, foreign matter that has adhered to the wall surface and has been re-dispersed and suspended by the force of the gas, foreign matter that is settling in the lower space of the room, and foreign matter that is attached near the bottom of the lower outer wall 2 can be removed by exhausting the indoor gas. The gas can be efficiently and reliably discharged during the evacuation process because the gas flow during evacuation is quickly exhausted without flowing back toward the wafer W.

給気口３も本実施例では４ケ所に設置している。In this embodiment, the air supply ports 3 are also installed at four locations.

これらは、ウェハがロードロツタ室内に設置されている
時に、室内の異物が再飛散してウェハに付着することを
防止するために効果的な、スロー排気、スロー給気（排
気及び給気速度を異物が再飛散しない程度にまで遅くす
る方法）を、ｌｌｊｉ時間で行えること、及び室内をこ
れらの給気口、排気口を使って流体力で洗浄する時に、
室内を隅々まで洗浄できることの２つの効果をあげるた
めに設置した。スロー排気、スロー給気を短時間で行え
るため、十分低速な流速にしても、時間がががり過ぎる
ことはなく、生産性を少しも損わずにウェハの異物汚染
防止ができる。When wafers are installed in the load rotator chamber, slow exhaust and slow air supply (lower exhaust and air supply speeds are used to prevent foreign matter from flying off and adhering to the wafers) are effective. (a method for slowing down the air flow rate to the extent that it does not re-splatter) can be carried out in a short period of time, and when cleaning a room with fluid power using these air supply ports and exhaust ports,
It was installed to achieve two effects: cleaning every corner of the room. Since slow air exhaust and slow air supply can be performed in a short time, even if the flow rate is sufficiently low, the time will not be too long, and the wafers can be prevented from being contaminated by foreign substances without any loss in productivity.

尚、室内をクリーニングする際は、前に述べた複数の給
気、排気口による効果に加えて、本文最初で述べたよう
に、内壁を曲面にして狭い凹部をなくしたこともクリー
ニングに大きな効果がある。When cleaning a room, in addition to the effects of the multiple air supply and exhaust ports mentioned earlier, as mentioned at the beginning of the text, the curved interior walls and elimination of narrow recesses also have a great effect on cleaning. There is.

すなわち、流体の流れが滞ることなく流れるため、流体
力によるクリーニングが更に効果的になり。In other words, since the fluid flows without stagnation, cleaning by fluid power becomes more effective.

その他の例えば用具を使用したふきとりによるクリーニ
ングを行っても、ふきとり面がロードロック室内内壁面
に余すところなく接して、ふきのこしを作ることがなく
、効果があがる。Even if other types of cleaning, such as wiping with a tool, are performed, the wiping surface thoroughly contacts the inner wall surface of the load lock chamber, and no wiping is created, which increases the effectiveness.

以上述べたような構成が、ウェハの異物汚染の原因を極
力取り除くことで、ウェハの異物汚染防止に大きな効果
をあげることができるが、それでも何らかの原因で室内
を流れる気体に異物が混入することがある。この異物を
含んだ気体を多くウェハ上面に近づけないことで、いっ
そうウェハの汚染を防止するために、ロードロック室内
にウェハを設置した時に、ウェハＷ上面に直接接する空
間（主室）１０を、室内を構成するその他の空間（補助
室）１１よりも極端に小さくした。これにより、ロード
ロック室内を排気もしくは給気した際に生じた気流が、
たとえロードロック室内を浮遊している異物や再飛散し
た異物を含んだとしても、生じた気流のほとんどは、ウ
ェハＷから離れた空間を流れ、ウェハＷには少量の気流
しか触れることがなく、ウェハの異物汚染防止に非常に
効果的である。Although the configuration described above can be highly effective in preventing wafer foreign object contamination by eliminating the causes of foreign object contamination on wafers as much as possible, it is still possible for foreign objects to get mixed into the gas flowing in the room for some reason. be. In order to further prevent contamination of the wafer by keeping a large amount of the gas containing foreign matter from approaching the top surface of the wafer, the space (main chamber) 10 that is in direct contact with the top surface of the wafer W when the wafer is installed in the load lock chamber is It is extremely smaller than the other spaces (auxiliary rooms) 11 that make up the room. This allows the airflow generated when exhausting or supplying air into the loadlock chamber to
Even if the airflow contains floating foreign matter or re-splattered foreign matter within the load lock chamber, most of the generated airflow flows in a space away from the wafer W, and only a small amount of the airflow touches the wafer W. Very effective in preventing foreign matter contamination of wafers.

つまり１本実施例の特徴をまとめると、ウェハの異物汚
染の原因を効率よく取り除いてしまい。In other words, to summarize the features of this embodiment, the cause of foreign matter contamination of the wafer is efficiently removed.

更に何らかの原因で異物が混入、飛散しても、それらを
極力ウェハに近づけないことで、ウェハの異物汚染防止
に最大の効果を持つようなロードロック室である。Furthermore, even if foreign matter gets mixed in or scattered for some reason, the load-lock chamber is designed to have the greatest effect on preventing foreign matter contamination of the wafer by keeping it as close to the wafer as possible.

°この他の実施例としては、複数の給気口３と複数の排
気口４を、対向させずに、少しずつ位置をずらし、給気
口３からの流れが、排気口と排気口の間に当たることで
、より一層クリーニング効果を高めたものがある。また
給気口を排気口と対向した位置に設置し、他にも排気口
と排気口の間に当たる位置にも対向させて設置すること
で給気口の数を排気口の２倍にしたものもある。これは
、排気口に対向した半数を、ウェハがロードロック室内
にある時だけ使用し、クリーニングの際は、全給気口を
使用してクリーニング効果を上げることができるよう、
給気口の使用数を目的別に切り変えることが可能なもの
である。　　　　　　　　　４外壁内部の面を構成する
曲面を変えた他の実施例としては第４図に示すように給
気口近傍の壁面を曲面９，９′　で構成したものである
。° In another embodiment, the positions of the plurality of air supply ports 3 and the plurality of exhaust ports 4 are shifted little by little without facing each other, so that the flow from the air supply ports 3 is between the exhaust ports and the exhaust ports. Some products have even greater cleaning effects when exposed to water. In addition, the number of air supply ports is doubled as the number of exhaust ports by installing the air supply port in a position facing the exhaust port, and also installing the air supply port in a position facing between the exhaust ports. There is also. This means that the half facing the exhaust port is used only when the wafer is in the load lock chamber, and when cleaning, all air supply ports are used to increase the cleaning effect.
The number of air supply ports used can be changed depending on the purpose. 4. Another embodiment in which the curved surfaces constituting the inner surface of the outer wall are changed is as shown in FIG. 4, in which the wall surface near the air supply port is constructed with curved surfaces 9, 9'.

この構成によると、ウェハＷ付近には給気口３から供給
された清浄な気体が、清浄度を保ったまま最初に流れて
行き易いので、−度他の壁面に接触して異物を含んだ気
体が逆流してウェハに近づくことが一層防止できる。According to this configuration, the clean gas supplied from the air supply port 3 is likely to first flow near the wafer W while maintaining its cleanliness, so that it may come into contact with other wall surfaces and contain foreign matter. This further prevents gas from flowing backward and approaching the wafer.

〔発明の効果〕〔Effect of the invention〕

本発明によれば、異物が局所的に多く吹き溜ることが全
くなくなり、異物は速やかに排出されるので、ウェハの
異物汚染防止に大きな効果がある。According to the present invention, there is no possibility that a large amount of foreign matter accumulates locally at all, and the foreign matter is quickly discharged, which is highly effective in preventing contamination of wafers with foreign matter.

また、気体の流体力によるクリーニングや、ふきとり等
のクリーニングをロック室内で行う際、気体の力が及ば
なかったりクリーニング用具が到達しない場所が皆無で
室内全域をムラなくクリーニングできるので、ロック室
内は常に高清浄度が保たれ、ロック室におけるウェハの
異物汚染が防止できる。In addition, when performing cleaning using the fluid force of gas or wiping inside the lock chamber, there is no place where the gas force or cleaning tools cannot reach, and the entire room can be cleaned evenly, so the lock chamber is always clean. High cleanliness is maintained and foreign matter contamination of wafers in the lock chamber can be prevented.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of the drawing]

第１図は本発明の一実施例を示す断面図、第２図は第１
図の■−■矢視図、第３図は第１図の■−ＩＩＩ矢視図
である。第４図は本発明のその他の一実施例を示す断面
図である。 一層―− 一層 １・・・上部外壁、２・・・ウェハ設置台を含む下部外
壁、３・・・給気口、４・・・排気口、５・・・上部外
壁可動部の一部、６・・・０リング、７・・・下部外壁
内部曲面、８・・・下部外壁内部曲面、９・・・上部外
壁内部曲面。 ９′・・・上部外壁内部曲面、１０・・・ウェハＷ上面
に直接接触する主室、１１・・・気体の主流が流れる補
助室、Ｗ・・・ウェハ、１２・・・ロック室（ロードロ
ック室）、１２’　・・・ロック室（アンロードロック
室）、１３・・・処理室、１４・・・給気装置、１５・
・・排気装置率　１　凹 ＄２図 トー・」：舎ｐ外】戸 ｚＳ２デ・・・ａ面FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a view taken along arrows ■--III in FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention. One layer - Layer 1... Upper outer wall, 2... Lower outer wall including wafer installation stand, 3... Air supply port, 4... Exhaust port, 5... Part of upper outer wall movable part, 6... 0 ring, 7... Lower outer wall inner curved surface, 8... Lower outer wall inner curved surface, 9... Upper outer wall inner curved surface. 9'... Inner curved surface of upper outer wall, 10... Main chamber in direct contact with the upper surface of wafer W, 11... Auxiliary chamber through which the main flow of gas flows, W... Wafer, 12... Lock chamber (load lock chamber), 12'... lock chamber (unload lock chamber), 13... processing chamber, 14... air supply device, 15...
...Exhaust equipment rate 1 concave $2 figure toe: outside building p] door zS2 de... a side

Claims (1)

【特許請求の範囲】 １、真空の処理室の一部に、この処理室に試料を搬入出
するための減圧準備室を設け、前記減圧準備室は室内を
画成する壁とこの室内を移動する試料支持台と、前記室
内の気圧を下げるための排気口部と、気圧を上げるため
の給気口部とを備える減圧準備室装置において、前記試
料支持台周縁および／またはこれに対向する前記室壁を
曲面で形成したことを特徴とする減圧準備室装置。 ２、前記支持台周縁に、前記室壁とにより補助室を画成
し、この補助室を画成する壁面を曲面で形成したことを
特徴とする特許請求の範囲第１項記載の減圧準備室装置
。 ３、前記排気口部はその開口部が前記試料支持台の周縁
においてその試料支持台面下に配置したことを特徴とす
る特許請求の範囲第１項または第２項記載の減圧準備室
装置。[Claims] 1. A vacuum preparation chamber is provided in a part of the vacuum processing chamber for transporting samples into and out of the processing chamber, and the vacuum preparation chamber is movable between walls that define the chamber and this chamber. In the depressurization preparation chamber apparatus, the apparatus includes a sample support stand for lowering the pressure in the chamber, an exhaust port section for lowering the atmospheric pressure in the chamber, and an air supply port section for increasing the air pressure. A decompression preparation chamber device characterized in that the chamber wall is formed with a curved surface. 2. The decompression preparation chamber according to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary chamber is defined by the chamber wall around the support base, and a wall surface defining the auxiliary chamber is formed with a curved surface. Device. 3. The decompression preparation chamber apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the opening of the exhaust port is disposed at the periphery of the sample support and below the surface of the sample support.