The present application relates to a reaction chamber for processing semiconductor wafers, and in particular, to wafer-supporting pins for lifting semiconductor wafers inside a reaction chamber.
Currently, most semiconductor processing devices are single-wafer-devices processing type devices which process semiconductor wafers sheet by sheet. These single-wafer-processing type devices generally possess a susceptor inside a reaction chamber on which processing is performed while heating semiconductor wafers at a given temperature on the susceptor.
A typical susceptor in a single-wafer-processing type device comprises a disc-shaped body made of metal or ceramic having high heat conductivity, and has a built-in heating element such as an electric heater. This type of susceptor has at least three through-bores into which substrate-supporting pins are inserted vertically such that the pins can move freely. When an external transfer device carries a semiconductor wafer into the reaction chamber, the substrate-supporting pins extend upwards from the through-bores to receive the semiconductor wafer. The substrate-supporting pins then retract, setting the semiconductor wafer onto the susceptor.
When removing a processed semiconductor wafer from the reaction chamber, the substrate-supporting pins reextend from the through-bores, supporting the semiconductor wafer, whereupon the transfer device carries the semiconductor wafer out of the reaction chamber.
To extend and retract the substrate-supporting pins out of and into the through-bores of the susceptor, a horizontal support engaging the lower end of each substrate-supporting pin is provided immediately beneath the susceptor. This horizontal support is raised and lowered by a driving device such as an air cylinder.
The through-bores are typically provided on the inward side away from the periphery of a semiconductor wafer, and are blocked off from the processing environment by the semiconductor wafer during the semiconductor wafer processing.
In ultrafine and high-density semiconductor devices, particle contamination on the back of the semiconductor wafer is a problem. Conventional substrate-supporting pins directly contact the back of the semiconductor wafer. Particles often adhere to the back of the wafer at these points of contact.
The head of the wafer-supporting pin may be tapered to block-off the through-bore of the susceptor. Because the wafer-supporting pin is seated solely by its own weight, the pin may bind and not properly seat.
If the wafer-supporting pin is situated at the periphery of the semiconductor wafer, a step in the head of the wafer-supporting pin must be provided to hold the edge of the semiconductor wafer, necessitating a whirl-stop.
One preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a reaction chamber with substrate-supporting pins that stably raise and lower a semiconductor wafer without the substrate-supporting pin getting caught.
A second embodiment provides a reaction chamber with substrate-supporting pins having a reduced contact area with the semiconductor wafer to minimize particle contamination.
A third embodiment provides a reaction chamber with substrate-supporting pins that block off the through-bores from reaction gases during semiconductor wafer processing.
A reaction chamber for processing semiconductor wafers according to the present invention comprises:
Preferably, a wafer-lift pin comprises a head with a columnar shape and a columnar body with a diameter smaller than that of the head forming a step between the head and the body.
Preferably, the top of the head of the wafer-lift pin has a step for engaging the edge of a semiconductor wafer.
Preferably, the disclosed mechanism comprises an elastic member to which the lift member is dynamically connected.
The elevating mechanism comprises a power source and a power transmission means. The power source is a cylinder driven electrically or pneumatically.
FIG. 1(a) is a cross section of a preferred embodiment of a reaction chamber.
FIG. 1(b) is an detail view of area “B” of FIG. 1(a).
FIG. 1(c) is a cross section of FIG. 1(b) across section “C”.
The present invention is described in detail by reference to the accompanying figures. FIG. 1(a) provides a cross section of a preferred embodiment of a reaction chamber according to the present invention. FIG. 1(b) is a detail view of area “B” of FIG. 1(a). Inside the reaction chamber 1, a disk-shaped susceptor 4 for supporting a semiconductor wafer is provided. Above the susceptor 4, a shower plate 2 for emitting a jet of reaction gas toward the semiconductor wafer is provided facing the susceptor 4. In plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD), both the susceptor and the shower plate comprise electrodes of a high-frequency power source. The susceptor 4 is raised and lowered by a susceptor drive motor 7. During the deposition process, the susceptor 4 is raised to provide a reduced reaction area (see FIG. 3).
On the surface of the susceptor 4, a top plate 3 having about the same diameter as the susceptor is installed. The top plate 3 is preferably made of ceramic or aluminum. In an alternative embodiment, a top plate is unnecessary.
Near the periphery of the susceptor 4 and the top plate 3, at least three through-bores 16 are formed vertically at roughly even intervals. Preferably, the through-bores 16 each have a diameter of from about 10 mm to about 15 mm in the top plate 3, and a diameter of about 6 mm to about 10 mm in the susceptor 4. The diameter of the through-bore 16 is preferably larger in the top plate 3 than in the susceptor 4. A shoulder portion 17 is formed at the boundary between the top plate 3 and the susceptor 4.
Inside the through-bore 16, a wafer-lift pin 5 is inserted. The wafer-lift pin 5 comprises a head 18 with a columnar shape and a columnar body 19 with a diameter smaller than the diameter of the head 18. The diameter of the head 18 preferably is slightly smaller than the diameter of the through-bore in the top plate. The diameter of the body 19 is preferably slightly smaller than the diameter of through-bore in the susceptor. The wafer-lift pin 5 is preferably ceramic, for example Al2O3 or AlN. Preferably, a bushing 13 is installed in the gap between the body 19 of the wafer-lift pin 5 and the through-bore 16. Bushing 13 is preferably ceramic, for example Al2O3 or AlN. The bushing prevents binding of the wafer-lift pin 5 in the susceptor 4 at high temperatures if the susceptor 4 is aluminum. A step 15 is formed between the head 18 and the body 19 of the wafer-lift pin 5. The step 15 engages with the shoulder portion 17 of the through-bore 16. On the top surface of the head 18 of the wafer-lift pin 5, a step 14 is provided to engage the edge a semiconductor wafer. Preferably, the surface shape of the head 18 conforms with or is similar to the surface shape of the top plate 3. Accordingly, the head 18 is minimally affected by deposition.
FIG. 1(c) is a cross section of FIG. 1(b) along section “C”. In one preferred embodiment, the lower end 23 of the body 19 of the wafer-lift pin has flattened profile. The lower end 23 is slidably engaged in a corresponding hole 22 provided in a toric wafer-lift bar 6, preventing rotation of the wafer-lift pin 5. The hole 22 of the wafer-lift bar 6 is elongated 24 to accommodate movement of the wafer-lift pin 5 from thermal expansion of the susceptor 4.
Accordingly, binding of the wafer-lift pin 5 inside the through-bore 16 is eliminated. Furthermore, because the wafer-lift pin 5 does not rotate, the orientation of step 14 on the head 18 does not vary, thus maintaining engagement with the edge of the semiconductor wafer.
The wafer-lift bar 6 is raised and lowered by an elevating mechanism. The elevating mechanism preferably comprises a power source 8, driven electrically or pneumatically, and a power transmission portion that transmits the vertical motion from power source 8 to the wafer-lift bar 6. The transmission portion comprises a vertically extending cylinder 12 joined with the wafer-lift bar 6, a piston 11 inserted into the cylinder 12, and an elevating plate 20, joined to the lower end of the piston 11, which transmits the vertical motion from the power source 8 to the piston 11. The transmission portion is preferably isolated by bellows 10. As described below, between the cylinder 12 and the elevating plate 20, is provided a spring 9.
The embodiments illustrated and described above are provided as example of certain preferred embodiments of the present invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments presented herein by those skilled in the art without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention, the scope of which is limited only the claims appended hereto.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2001-240732 | Aug 2001 | JP | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4134255 | McBain et al. | Jan 1979 | A |
4724621 | Hobson et al. | Feb 1988 | A |
4764076 | Layman et al. | Aug 1988 | A |
4790258 | Drage et al. | Dec 1988 | A |
4842683 | Cheng et al. | Jun 1989 | A |
4902531 | Nakayama et al. | Feb 1990 | A |
4908095 | Kagatsume et al. | Mar 1990 | A |
4951601 | Maydan et al. | Aug 1990 | A |
5034199 | Zavracky et al. | Jul 1991 | A |
5060354 | Chizinsky | Oct 1991 | A |
5100502 | Murdoch et al. | Mar 1992 | A |
5199483 | Bahng | Apr 1993 | A |
5226056 | Kikuchi et al. | Jul 1993 | A |
5252807 | Chizinsky | Oct 1993 | A |
5310453 | Fukasawa et al. | May 1994 | A |
5352294 | White et al. | Oct 1994 | A |
5366002 | Tepman | Nov 1994 | A |
5444217 | Moore et al. | Aug 1995 | A |
5460684 | Saeki et al. | Oct 1995 | A |
5516367 | Lei et al. | May 1996 | A |
5556476 | Lei et al. | Sep 1996 | A |
5558736 | Lee et al. | Sep 1996 | A |
5566744 | Tepman | Oct 1996 | A |
5589224 | Tepman et al. | Dec 1996 | A |
5611865 | White et al. | Mar 1997 | A |
5665166 | Deguchi et al. | Sep 1997 | A |
5683518 | Moore et al. | Nov 1997 | A |
5695568 | Sinha et al. | Dec 1997 | A |
5710407 | Moore et al. | Jan 1998 | A |
5800686 | Littau et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5856240 | Sinha et al. | Jan 1999 | A |
5882419 | Sinha et al. | Mar 1999 | A |
5935338 | Lei et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
5994678 | Zhao et al. | Nov 1999 | A |
6113704 | Satoh et al. | Sep 2000 | A |
6146463 | Yudovsky et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6374508 | Yudovsky et al. | Apr 2002 | B1 |
6416647 | Dordi et al. | Jul 2002 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
288992632 | Oct 1999 | JP |
2001135713 | May 2001 | JP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040026041 A1 | Feb 2004 | US |