METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MINIMIZING CONTAMINATION IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING CHAMBER

• US 20100202860A1
• Filed: 02/09/2009
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM America Incorporated (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: Reed, Joseph C., Shero, Eric J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,287,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 414/221
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68742 characterised by a lifting arrangement, e.g. lift pins
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68764 characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating caroussel

Abstract

A semiconductor processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber, a loading chamber, a movable support, a drive mechanism, and a control system. The reaction chamber includes a baseplate. The baseplate includes an opening. The movable support is configured to hold a workpiece. The drive mechanism is configured to move a workpiece held on the support towards the opening of the baseplate into a processing position. The control system is configured to create a positive pressure gradient between the reaction chamber and the loading chamber while the workpiece support is in motion. Purge gases flow from the reaction chamber into the loading chamber while the workpiece support is in motion. The control system is configured to create a negative pressure gradient between the reaction chamber and the loading chamber while the workpiece is being processed. Purge gases can flow from the loading chamber into the reaction chamber while the workpiece support is in the processing position, unless the reaction chamber is sealed from the loading chamber in the processing position.

Claims

1. A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:

a cross-flow reaction chamber located above a loading chamber, separated by a baseplate including an opening;

a movable workpiece support configured to hold a semiconductor workpiece;

a drive mechanism configured to move the workpiece support between a loading position and a processing position; and

a control system configured to control the pressure of the reaction chamber to be higher than that of the loading chamber while the workpiece support is moving.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a reaction chamber inlet;

a reaction chamber outlet;

a loading chamber inlet; and

a loading chamber outlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising two or more independently controlled valves configured to allow the regulation of relative pressure and/or the direction of flow between the reaction chamber and the loading chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control system is further configured to control the pressure of the reaction chamber to be lower than that of the loading chamber while the workpiece support is in the processing position.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control system is further configured to:

maintain a purge gas flow through the reaction chamber inlet while the workpiece support is moving; and

maintain gas flow through the loading chamber outlet while the workpiece support is moving.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the control system is further configured to:

maintain a purge gas flow through the loading chamber inlet while the workpiece support is in the processing position; and

maintain gas flow through the reaction chamber outlet while the workpiece support is in the processing position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the workpiece support engages the baseplate opening when the workpiece support is in the processing position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein engaging comprises maintaining a gap between the baseplate and the workpiece support.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein engaging comprises creating a seal between the baseplate and the workpiece support.

10. A semiconductor processing apparatus comprising:

a reaction chamber located above a loading chamber, separated by a baseplate including an opening;

a movable workpiece support configured to move between a loading position and a processing position, wherein the workpiece support engages the baseplate opening to create a seal between the workpiece support and the baseplate opening when the workpiece support is in the processing position; and

a control system configured to control the pressure of the reaction chamber to be higher than that of the loading chamber while the workpiece support is moving.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the reaction chamber is a cross-flow reaction chamber.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control system is further configured to control the pressure of the reaction chamber to be lower than that of the loading chamber while the workpiece support is in the processing position.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a reaction chamber inlet;

a reaction chamber outlet;

a loading chamber inlet;

a loading chamber outlet, wherein the control system is further configured to;

maintain a purge gas flow through the reaction chamber inlet while the workpiece support is moving; and

maintain gas flow through the loading chamber outlet while the workpiece support is moving.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a reaction gas inlet located in the reaction chamber; and

a reaction gas outlet located in the reaction chamber;

wherein the reaction gas inlet is located approximately opposite to the reaction gas outlet, such that reaction gas that flows from the inlet to the outlet travels approximately parallel to a face of the workpiece.

15. A method of processing a semiconductor workpiece in a semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a cross-flow reaction chamber located above a loading chamber, separated by a baseplate including an opening, the method comprising:

loading a semiconductor workpiece onto a moveable workpiece support when the support is in a loading position;

moving the workpiece support between the loading position and a processing position;

maintaining a higher pressure in the reaction chamber than in the loading chamber while the workpiece support is moving; and

processing the workpiece after the workpiece support is moved to the processing position, wherein processing comprises flowing a reaction gas approximately parallel to a face of the workpiece.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising maintaining a lower pressure in the reaction chamber than in the loading chamber during processing.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

flowing a purge gas into the reaction chamber while the workpiece support is moving; and

pumping gas out of the loading chamber while the workpiece support is moving.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

flowing purge gas into the loading chamber during processing; and

pumping gas out of the reaction chamber during processing.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

moving the workpiece support from the processing position to the loading position after processing

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the workpiece support engages the baseplate opening when the workpiece support is in the processing position.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein engaging comprises maintaining a gap between the baseplate and the workpiece support.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein engaging comprises creating a seal between the baseplate and the workpiece support.

23. A method of processing a workpiece in a semiconductor processing apparatus comprising a reaction chamber located above a loading chamber, separated by a baseplate including an opening, the method comprising:

loading a semiconductor workpiece onto a moveable workpiece support when the support is in a loading position;

moving the workpiece support between the loading position and a processing position;

creating a seal between the workpiece support and the baseplate opening when the workpiece support is in the processing position; and

flowing gas from the reaction chamber into the loading chamber while the workpiece support is moving.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

flowing gas from the loading chamber into the reaction chamber when the workpiece support is in the processing position.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

flowing a purge gas into the reaction chamber while the workpiece support is moving; and

pumping gas from the loading chamber while the workpiece support is moving.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

flowing a purge gas into the loading chamber while the workpiece support is in the processing position; and

pumping gas from the reaction chamber while the workpiece support is in the processing position.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein processing comprises flowing a reaction gas approximately parallel to a face of the workpiece.