Semiconductor processing apparatus comprising chamber partitioned into reaction and transfer sections

• US 7,021,881 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ASM Japan K.K. (ASM International NV)
• Original Assignee: ASM Japan K.K. (ASM International NV)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Takeshi, Suwada, Masaei, Yamagishi, Takayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Kramer, Dean J.
• Application Number:
  US11/021,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20050118001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 414/217, 414/217.1, 414/221, 414/939, 414/805
• US Class Current: 414/217
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67748 horizontal transfer of a single workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/139 including wafer charging or discharging means for vacuum chamber

Abstract

Semiconductor processing equipment that has increased efficiency, throughput, and stability, as well as reduced operating cost, footprint, and faceprint is provided. Other than during deposition, the atmosphere of both the reaction chamber and the transfer chamber are evacuated using the transfer chamber exhaust port, which is located below the surface of the semiconductor wafer. This configuration prevents particles generated during wafer transfer or during deposition from adhering to the surface of the semiconductor wafer. Additionally, by introducing a purge gas into the transfer chamber during deposition, and by using an insulation separating plate 34, the atmospheres of the transfer and reaction chambers can be effectively isolated from each other, thereby preventing deposition on the walls and components of the transfer chamber. Finally, the configuration described herein permits a wafer buffer mechanism to be used with the semiconductor processing equipment, thereby further increasing throughput and efficiency.

Claims

1. A method of processing a semiconductor wafer, the method comprising:

providing a load lock chamber, a transfer chamber, and a reaction chamber that is located above the transfer chamber;

moving the semiconductor wafer from the load lock chamber to the transfer chamber, and from the transfer chamber to the reaction chamber;

exhausting the reaction chamber and the transfer chamber through a transfer chamber exhaust port during a first period;

exhausting the reaction chamber and the transfer chamber through a reaction chamber exhaust port during a second period, wherein the semiconductor wafer undergoes a wafer processing operation in the reaction chamber during the second period.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising closing the transfer chamber exhaust port after the first period and before the second period.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

introducing an inactive gas into the transfer chamber during the wafer processing operation;

flowing the inactive gas from the transfer chamber to the reaction chamber during the wafer processing operation; and

exhausting the inactive gas through the reaction chamber exhaust port during the wafer processing operation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an insulating material on an interior surface of the reaction chamber.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising pressurizing the transfer chamber with an inactive gas during the wafer processing operation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching an active exhaust port from the transfer chamber exhaust port to the reaction chamber exhaust port before the wafer processing operation.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the transfer chamber exhaust port is lower than the semiconductor wafer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein deposition on an interior surface of the transfer chamber is reduced by isolating the transfer chamber from the reaction chamber.

9. An apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer, the apparatus comprising:

a load lock chamber;

a transfer chamber having a transfer chamber exhaust port that is positioned lower than a wafer processing position, wherein the transfer chamber is configured to exhaust gases from within the transfer chamber and a reaction chamber out of the transfer chamber exhaust port before a wafer processing operation; and

a wafer transfer arm that is adapted to transfer the semiconductor wafer between the load lock chamber, the transfer chamber and the reaction chamber;

wherein the reaction chamber is located above the transfer chamber, and the reaction chamber is configured to exhaust gases from within the reaction chamber and the transfer chamber out of a reaction chamber exhaust port during the wafer processing operation.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further configured to supply an inert gas to the transfer chamber during the wafer processing operation, and to exhaust the inert gas around the semiconductor wafer, into the reaction chamber, and out of the reaction chamber exhaust port during the wafer processing operation.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further configured to switch an active exhaust port from the transfer chamber exhaust port to the reaction chamber exhaust port before the wafer processing operation.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein an insulating material is disposed on an interior surface of the reaction chamber.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein there is no seal between the transfer chamber and the reaction chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the reaction chamber is located completely above the transfer chamber.

15. A wafer processing apparatus comprising:

a load lock chamber;

a transfer chamber having a transfer chamber exhaust port configured to exhaust the transfer chamber before a wafer processing operation; and

a reaction chamber having a reaction chamber exhaust port configured to exhaust the transfer chamber during the wafer processing operation, wherein the reaction chamber is configured to hold a semiconductor wafer in a processing position that is above the transfer chamber exhaust port during the wafer processing operation.

16. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a wafer transfer arm configured to move the semiconductor wafer from the load lock chamber to the transfer chamber, and from the transfer chamber to the reaction chamber.

17. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 15, further configured to switch an active exhaust port from the transfer chamber exhaust port to the reaction chamber exhaust port before the wafer processing operation.

18. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the reaction chamber exhaust port is also configured to exhaust the reaction chamber during the wafer processing operation.

19. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an insulation separating plate positioned between the transfer chamber and the reaction chamber.

20. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an insulation separating plate positioned between the transfer chamber and the reaction chamber, wherein the insulation separating plate has an opening larger than the semiconductor wafer, and wherein the semiconductor wafer sits in the opening during the wafer processing operation.

21. The wafer processing apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an insulating material provided on an interior surface of the reaction chamber.

22. A method comprising:

moving a semiconductor wafer from a load lock chamber to a transfer chamber using a wafer transfer arm;

moving the semiconductor wafer from the transfer chamber to a reaction chamber;

exhausting gases from the reaction chamber and the transfer chamber through a transfer chamber exhaust port that is positioned below the semiconductor wafer before a wafer processing operation;

performing a wafer processing operation while the semiconductor wafer is in the reaction chamber; and

exhausting the reaction chamber and the transfer chamber through a reaction chamber exhaust port during the wafer processing operation.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising supplying an inert gas to the transfer chamber during the wafer processing operation.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

supplying an Inert gas to the transfer chamber during the wafer processing operation; and

exhausting the inert gas from the transfer chamber, around edges of the semiconductor wafer, into the reaction chamber, and out of the reaction chamber exhaust port during the wafer processing operation.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising providing an insulating material on an interior surface of the reaction chamber.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein an insulation separating plate is provided between the transfer chamber and the reaction chamber.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising switching an active exhaust port from the transfer chamber exhaust port to the reaction chamber exhaust port.

28. A method comprising:

moving a semiconductor wafer from a load lock chamber to a transfer chamber using a wafer transfer arm;

holding the semiconductor wafer in a transfer holding position in the transfer chamber;

exhausting gases from a reaction chamber and the transfer chamber through a transfer chamber exhaust port that is positioned below the transfer holding position;

moving the semiconductor wafer from the transfer chamber to the reaction chamber;

supplying an inert gas to the transfer chamber; and

exhausting the reaction chamber and the transfer chamber through a reaction chamber exhaust port during a wafer processing operation.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising providing an insulating material on an interior surface of the reaction chamber.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein an insulation separating plate is provided between the transfer chamber and the reaction chamber.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising switching an active exhaust port from the transfer chamber exhaust port to the reaction chamber exhaust port.