JPH0280569A - Milling equipment with load lock mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the mounting of a load lock and to develop the title milling device having excellent productivity by providing a gate valve between a preparation chamber and a treating chamber, and furnishing a means for holding a sample to be introduced into the treating chamber through the gate valve in the device wherein the sample in the preparation chamber is introduced into the treating chamber and irradiated by an ion beam. CONSTITUTION:A wafer 4 to be irradiated by an ion beam from an ion source 9 is fixed to a cooling block 5 provided to a rotary holder 3 in the treating chamber 1, the holder 3 is rotated by a rotating device 10 and rotated around the center axis in direction of the arrow A, and the water is irradiated by an ion beam. In this case, a mounting frame 6 on which plural wafers 4 are set is raised by a transfer rod 8 in the preparation chamber 2 communicating with the treating chamber 1 through the gate valve 12, the wafers 4 are mounted one by one on a transfer rod 7, moved in the direction G, and introduced into the treating chamber 1 through the gate valve 12. By such a load locking mechanism, the productivity by ion beam treatment is improved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a milling device that uses active gas, and particularly to a milling device that is equipped with a load lock mechanism that can efficiently transfer wafers from a transfer preparation chamber to a processing chamber. Regarding.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as a milling device, the wafers placed inside the transfer preparation chamber were grabbed one by one with an arm.

It has been proposed to transport the device as it is to the processing chamber and attach it to a holder in the processing chamber (for example, Hideaki Kambara et al., ``Monthly Sem1conductor WorldJ
.

(January 1988), Semiconductor Art.

P38-40).

Note that a semi-load lock is known as a mechanism for transporting wafers, but this semi-load lock is of a type in which the holder is transported with the holder exposed to the outside air.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, when attempting to achieve sufficient thermal contact between the wafer and the holder within the processing chamber, the structure of the holder becomes complicated and expensive.

Furthermore, even if an attempt was made to attach a load lock mechanism to a conventional milling apparatus, the structure would be too complicated and mechanically impossible for a milling apparatus in which the wafer rotates around its axis.

Furthermore, in a semi-load lock, the holder is exposed to the atmosphere, so there is a problem that the load lock becomes meaningless in the case of a large holder in a mass-production device.

Note that it is possible to adsorb the wafer with a vacuum chuck, but since the wafer must be fixed to the holder in a vacuum, a vacuum chuck cannot be used.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a simple structure and good thermal contact between the wafer and the holder, even for a rotating/revolutionary holder, which was previously impossible.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a milling device equipped with a load lock mechanism that can also be applied to mass-produced machines.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a milling apparatus that irradiates an ion beam onto the sample while cooling it in the processing chamber after carrying the sample in the carrying-in preparation room into the processing chamber. A gate valve is installed between the chamber and a sample holding means for holding the sample, and a sample transport means is provided for transporting the sample holding means between the carry-in preparation chamber and the processing chamber via the gate valve. This is what was installed.

[Effect]

According to the above configuration, after setting a plurality of wafers (samples) in the loading preparation chamber, the loading preparation chamber is evacuated, and when the loading preparation chamber is sufficiently evacuated, the gate valve is opened and the loading preparation chamber is opened. and the processing chamber.

Then, the sample transport means is operated and the sample holding means holds the wafers one by one. Next, the sample holding means that held the wafers was carried into the processing chamber through the gate valve, and the wafers were fixed to the holder by repeating the steps 6 or more several times. Afterwards, the gate valve is closed and ion beam irradiation is performed in the processing chamber to perform milling. Furthermore, while milling is being performed in the processing chamber, a wafer to be processed next is set in the carry-in preparation chamber.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of the milling device.

As shown in the figure, the processing chamber 1 and the loading preparation chamber 2 are separated by a gate valve 12 . A holder 3 is disposed inside the processing chamber 1, and a plurality of cooling blocks 5 holding wafers 4 can be screwed onto the holder 3. The holder 3 can rotate as shown by arrow A around its central axis, and each cooling block 5 can also rotate as shown by arrow B. Also, the holder 3 is
It can also be rotated like this. The rotational force of the holder 3 and the cooling block 5 is transmitted by a holder rotation and tilting mechanism 10 provided outside the processing chamber 1.

Furthermore, a mounting frame 6 is provided inside the carry-in preparation chamber 2, and a large number of cooling blocks 5 with wafers 4 integrated therein can be mounted on this mounting frame 6. The mounting frame 6 can be rotated by the transfer rod 8 in the direction of the arrow E, and can also be linearly reciprocated in the direction of the arrow E. 2 shows the details of the mounting frame 6, a cavity 15 is formed inside the mounting frame 6, and this cavity 15 can be evacuated or air can be forced into the cavity 15. It is now possible to do things like Further, 13 is a vacuum chuck rubber interposed between the wafer 4 and the cooling block 5.

As shown in FIG. 1, the carry-in preparation chamber 2 is provided with a transfer rod 7, and a jig 14 for holding the cooling block 5 is fixed to the tip of the transfer rod 7. The transfer rod 7 rotates in the direction of arrow F and moves linearly back and forth in the direction of arrow G. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, notches 14A are formed at several locations on the outer peripheral surface of the jig 14.
A is adapted to engage with a pin 5A provided on the cooling block 5. In the figure, 3 indicates a part of the holder.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 is an opening that is opened when the wafer 4 is set in the mounting frame 6.

In this embodiment, the transfer rod 7 constitutes a sample transport means, and the cooling block 5 and vacuum chuck rubber 13 constitute a sample holding means.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

When the cooling block 5 is attached to the mounting frame 6, the vacuum chuck rubber 13 is placed on top of it, and the wafer 4 is placed on top of it and the inside of the cavity 15 is evacuated, the wafer 4 is pushed by atmospheric pressure and the rubber 13 is further Cooling block 5 and rubber 1 due to suction power
3, a firm thermal contact is made. A plurality of cooling blocks 5 can be attached to the mounting frame. Next, the opening 11
The chamber 2 is closed and the loading preparation chamber 2 is evacuated, and when the specified value is reached, the mounting frame 6 is attached to the center of the transfer rod 7 by the transfer rod 8, and moved so that the center position of the wafer 4 is aligned. Then, one cooling block 5 is removed from the mounting frame 6 using the transfer rod 7, the gate valve 12 is opened, and the cooling block 5 is attached to the inverted holder 3.

After the installation is completed, the holder 3 is rotated through a certain angle, and the cooling blocks 5 are sequentially installed onto the holder 3 from the mounting frame 6.

When all the attachments are completed, the holder 3 is reversed, the gate valve 12 is closed, and milling is started. By doing this, it becomes possible to load-lock even a very complicated holder such as a rotation-revolution holder with a simple mechanism.

Note that as the sample holding means, a mechanical chuck may be used to hold the sample instead of the vacuum chuck rubber.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, a load lock mechanism can be easily attached to a device with a complicated mechanism such as a rotation-revolution holder, so it is suitable for mass production machines for milling processes using active gas. can also be applied, and the milling processing time can be shortened.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a milling device according to the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is a detailed view of the mounting frame and the cooling block, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the transfer rod and the cooling block. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Processing chamber, 2... Loading preparation room, 3... Holder, 4... Wafer, 5... Cooling block, 6... Mounting frame, 7.8... Transfer rod, 9... Ion source, 10... Holder rotation and tilt mechanism, 11... Opening, 12... Gate valve, 13... Rubber for vacuum chuck, 14... Jig, 15... cavity.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a milling apparatus that carries a sample in a carry-in preparation room into a processing chamber and then irradiates the sample with an ion beam while cooling the sample in the process chamber, there is a space between the carry-in preparation room and the processing chamber. A gate valve is attached to the gate, a sample holding means for holding the sample is provided, and a sample transporting means is provided for transporting the sample holding means between the carry-in preparation chamber and the processing chamber via the gate valve. A milling device equipped with a load lock mechanism. 2. The milling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample conveying means is axially movable and rotatable about the axis. 3. The milling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample holding means is provided with a vacuum conduit for adsorbing the sample. 4. The milling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample holding means is provided with a mechanical chuck for holding the sample. 5. The milling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sample holding means and a holder for fixing the sample holding means inside the processing chamber are formed with threaded portions that are screwed into each other. Milling device equipped with a load lock mechanism.