JPH08306603A - Semiconductor processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To make the temperature within the wafer uniform. [Structure] The pressure of the vacuum container 4 is controlled by a pressure control means 8 to provide a gas filling portion 9a of a sample table 9 opened in the vacuum container 4.
The wafer 11 is closed by the wafer 11, the temperature of the sample stage 9 is controlled by the temperature control means 15, and the gas supply means 20 is supplied with a gas having a good thermal conductivity lower than the pressure in the vacuum container 4 in the gas sealing portion 9a.
Supplied by. As a result, the inside of the vacuum container 4 and the gas sealing portion 9 are
The wafer 11 can be fixed to the sample stage 9 by the pressure difference from the inside of a, and the in-plane temperature of the wafer can be made uniform through the gas having good thermal conductivity enclosed in the gas enclosure 9a.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a semiconductor processing apparatus used in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 4 shows, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-10711.
This is a conventional semiconductor processing apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. FIG.
In the above, 1 is a decompression chamber, which is held at 100 Pa, for example. Reference numeral 2 denotes a hot plate disposed in the decompression chamber 1, which heats the wafer 3 by selecting it in the range of 20 ° C to 100 ° C. In the above configuration, for example, a wafer 3 coated with a resist is placed in the decompression chamber 1 in the hot plate 2
Is heated to 60 ° C. to remove the thinner solvent contained in the resist.

[0003]

Since the conventional semiconductor processing apparatus is constructed as described above, since the adhesion between the wafer and the hot plate is poor, the thermal conductivity between the wafer and the hot plate is poor and the wafer surface is poor. There is a problem that the internal temperature becomes non-uniform and the quality of parts varies.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and provides a semiconductor processing apparatus capable of improving the uniformity of the temperature within the wafer surface.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor processing apparatus in which a vacuum container, pressure control means for supplying gas to the vacuum container to control the pressure, and gas filling with an opening in the vacuum container. Unit having a gas filling unit and a vacuum container that can be closed with a wafer, temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the sample stage, and the gas filling unit of the sample stage has a pressure lower than the pressure in the vacuum container. And a gas supply means for supplying a gas having good pressure and thermal conductivity.

A semiconductor processing apparatus according to the invention of claim 2 is
Vacuum container, pressure control means for supplying gas to the vacuum container to control the pressure, sample stage having a gas filling part opened in the vacuum container, and a wafer mounted on the gas filling part of the sample stage The electrostatic chuck, the temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the sample stage, and the gas supply means for supplying a gas having good thermal conductivity to the gas-filled portion of the sample stage.

A semiconductor processing apparatus according to the invention of claim 3 is
A vacuum container, pressure control means for supplying gas to the vacuum container to control the pressure, and a sample table having a gas filling part opened in the vacuum container and capable of closing the gas filling part and the inside of the vacuum container with a wafer. A clamper that presses the wafer mounted on the gas filling portion of the sample table, a temperature control unit that controls the temperature of the sample table, and a gas supply that supplies a gas with good thermal conductivity to the gas filling portion of the sample table. And means.

[0008]

According to the invention of claim 1, the pressure of the vacuum container is controlled by the pressure control means, the gas sealing portion of the sample stage opened in the vacuum container is closed by the wafer, and the temperature of the sample stage is controlled by the temperature control means. By controlling and supplying a gas having a good thermal conductivity, which is lower than the pressure in the vacuum container, to the gas filling part by the gas supply means, the wafer is set on the sample stage by the pressure difference between the vacuum container and the gas filling part. The temperature in the wafer surface is uniformly heated through the gas that has been fixed and sealed in the gas sealing section and has good thermal conductivity.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the pressure of the vacuum container is controlled by the pressure control means so that the gas-filled portion of the sample stage opened in the vacuum container is closed by the wafer adsorbed on the electrostatic chuck, and the sample stage is closed. The temperature is controlled by the temperature control means, and a gas having good thermal conductivity is supplied to the gas filling portion by the gas supply means, so that the wafer is fixed by the attraction force of the electrostatic chuck and the heat conduction sealed in the gas filling portion. The temperature within the wafer surface is uniformly heated through a gas having good properties.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the pressure of the vacuum container is controlled by the pressure control means so that the gas-filled portion of the sample stage opened in the vacuum container is closed by the wafer pressed by the clamper, and the temperature of the sample stage is controlled. By controlling the temperature control means and supplying a gas having good thermal conductivity to the gas filled portion by the gas supply means, the wafer is fixed by the clamper, and the gas having good thermal conductivity is filled in the gas filled portion. The temperature within the wafer surface is uniformly heated.

[0011]

【Example】

Example 1. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, a vacuum container 4 is supplied with a gas such as nitrogen (N ₂ ) or dry air through a valve 5, and is held at 100 Pa by a vacuum pump 6 and a pressure controller 7. . The valve 5, the vacuum pump 6 and the pressure controller 7 constitute a pressure control means 8. Reference numeral 9 is a sample stage having a gas filling portion 9a opened in the vacuum container 4, and a gas introducing portion 9b communicating with the gas filling portion 9a is provided.
10 is a packing that surrounds the periphery of the gas filled portion 9a of the sample table 9, 11 is a wafer placed so as to be in close contact with the packing 10, 12 is a heater embedded in the sample table 9, and 13 is a sample table near the heater 12. Temperature sensor for detecting the temperature of 9,
A temperature control circuit 14 controls the temperature of the wafer 11 according to a signal from the temperature sensor 13 so that the temperature of the wafer 11 becomes a predetermined value. In addition,
The heater 12, the temperature sensor 13, and the temperature control circuit 14 constitute a temperature control means 15. Reference numeral 16 is a vacuum pump for evacuating the inside of the gas filled portion 9a closed by the wafer 11,
Is a pressure controller, which controls the pressure in the gas filling portion 9a to the vacuum container 4
Control to a pressure lower than the internal pressure. A gas cylinder 18 is filled with a gas having a good thermal conductivity, for example. 19
Is a valve, which supplies the gas in the gas cylinder 18 to the gas filling portion. The vacuum pump 16, the pressure controller 17, the gas cylinder 18, and the valve 19 form a gas supply unit 20.

Next, the operation will be described. In FIG. 1, a wafer 11 is placed on a sample table 9 which is brought to a predetermined temperature by a temperature control means 15, and nitrogen (N ₂ is supplied through a valve 5 into a vacuum container 4 which is made a predetermined pressure by a pressure control means 8. ), And enclose a gas such as dry air. Then, the gas supply unit 20 causes the gas filling portion 9a to have an H value lower than the pressure in the vacuum container 4.
A gas having good thermal conductivity such as e-gas is supplied. As a result, the wafer 11 comes into close contact with the packing 10 due to the pressure difference between the inside of the vacuum container 4 and the inside of the gas sealing portion 9a, so that the space between the vacuum container 4 and the gas sealing portion 9a is sealed and the wafer 11
Are fixed to the sample table 9. When the temperature in the surface of the wafer 11 is made uniform as described above, the heating of the wafer 11
By evaporating the solvent or the like of the wafer 11 or stabilizing the properties after exposure, a high quality product can be produced.

As described above, since the wafer 11 is fixed to the sample table 9 by utilizing the pressure difference between the inside of the vacuum container 4 and the inside of the gas filled portion 9a, the pressure inside the vacuum container 4 and the inside of the gas filled portion 9a is kept constant. By controlling them separately and changing the differential pressure ratio, the in-plane temperature of the wafer 11 can be made uniform by the gas having good thermal conductivity in the gas sealing portion 9a. Even if the packing 10 is not arranged, the same effect can be expected due to the pressing force of the pressure difference.

Example 2. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the second embodiment. In FIG. 2, 4 to 9 and 11 to 20 are the same as those in the first embodiment. Reference numeral 21 is an electrostatic chuck arranged near the gas filling portion 9a of the sample table 9, and an insulating layer is provided on the sample table 9 side and the wafer 11 side of the electrode, and the sample table 9 side communicates with the gas introducing section 9b. Forming a gas filled portion 9a such as a groove
A gas having good thermal conductivity such as He gas is uniformly filled. 22 is a direct current high voltage source, and 23 is a switch, which is connected between the electrostatic chuck 21 and the high voltage source 22.

Next, the operation will be described. In FIG. 2, the electrostatic chuck 21 is closed by closing the switch 23.
Since a high voltage is applied to the wafer 11, an electrostatic attraction force is generated between the wafer 11 and the electrostatic chuck 21, and the wafer 11 is fixed to the sample table 9 via the electrostatic chuck 21. As a result, the pressure inside the vacuum container 4 and the pressure inside the gas sealing portion 9a can be controlled separately. Then, the gas supply means 20 supplies a gas having good thermal conductivity such as He gas to the gas sealing portion 9a. In such a state where the in-plane temperature of the wafer 11 is made uniform, by heating the wafer 11, evaporating the solvent or the like of the wafer 11 or stabilizing the properties after exposure, a high quality product can be produced. it can.

As described above, since the wafer 11 is held on the sample table 9 by the electrostatic chucking force of the electrostatic chuck 21, the pressure of the gas filling portion 9a can be controlled without depending on the pressure in the vacuum container 4. The in-plane temperature of the wafer 11 can be made uniform by the gas having good thermal conductivity in the gas sealing portion 9a. In the second embodiment, the pressure inside the gas filling portion 9a does not have to be lower than the pressure inside the vacuum container 4.

Embodiment 3. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of the third embodiment. In FIG. 3, 4 to 20 are the same as those in the embodiment, but the pressure in the gas sealing portion 9a does not have to be lower than the pressure in the vacuum container 4. Reference numeral 24 denotes a clamper provided on the sample table 9, which presses the wafer 11 against the sample table 9 through the packing 10 to seal between the gas sealing portion 9a and the vacuum container 4 and fix the wafer 11 to the sample table 9. To do.

Next, the operation will be described. In FIG. 3, the clamper 24 presses the wafer 11 to fix the wafer 11 to the sample table 9. As a result, the pressure inside the vacuum container 4 and the pressure inside the gas sealing portion 9a can be controlled separately. Then, the gas supply means 20 supplies a gas having good thermal conductivity such as He gas to the gas sealing portion 9a. In such a state where the in-plane temperature of the wafer 11 is made uniform, by heating the wafer 11, evaporating the solvent or the like of the wafer 11 or stabilizing the properties after exposure, a high quality product can be produced. it can.

As described above, since the wafer 11 is fixed and held on the sample table 9 by the clamper 24, the pressure of the gas filling portion 9a can be controlled without depending on the pressure in the vacuum container 4, and thus the wafer 11 can be controlled. It is possible to set a pressure at which no distortion occurs in the surface of the wafer 11 to make the temperature within the surface of the wafer 11 uniform. Even if the packing 10 is not arranged, the same effect can be expected due to the pressing force of the clamper.

[0020]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, by supplying a gas having a good thermal conductivity, which is lower than the pressure in the vacuum container, to the gas sealing portion, the pressure difference between the vacuum container and the gas sealing portion can be prevented. The wafer can be fixed to the sample table. Further, the temperature in the plane of the wafer can be made uniform by the gas having good thermal conductivity enclosed in the gas enclosure.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the wafer can be held on the sample table by the attraction force of the electrostatic chuck.
Further, the temperature in the plane of the wafer can be made uniform by the gas having good thermal conductivity enclosed in the gas enclosure.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the wafer can be held on the sample table by the clamper. Further, the temperature in the plane of the wafer can be made uniform by the gas having good thermal conductivity enclosed in the gas enclosure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an invention according to a first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment 2 invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an invention according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a conventional semiconductor processing apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 vacuum container, 8 pressure control means, 9 sample stage, 9a
Gas sealing part, 11 wafer, 15 temperature control means, 20
Gas supply means, 21 electrostatic chuck, 24 clamper.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A vacuum container, pressure control means for supplying a gas to the vacuum container to control the pressure, a gas filling part opened in the vacuum container, and the gas filling part and the inside of the vacuum container. A sample table that can be closed with a wafer, temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the sample table, and a gas with good thermal conductivity lower than the pressure in the vacuum container to the gas enclosure of the sample table. Semiconductor processing apparatus having a gas supply means for controlling. 2. A vacuum container, pressure control means for supplying a gas to the vacuum container to control the pressure, a sample stage having a gas filling part opened in the vacuum container, and the gas filling part of the sample stage. An electrostatic chuck for adsorbing the wafer placed on the substrate, temperature control means for controlling the temperature of the sample stage, and gas supply means for supplying a gas with good thermal conductivity to the gas sealing part of the sample stage. Semiconductor processing equipment. 3. A vacuum container, a pressure control means for supplying a gas to the vacuum container to control the pressure, a gas filling part opened in the vacuum container, and the gas filling part and the inside of the vacuum container. With a wafer, a clamper that presses the wafer mounted on the gas filling portion of the sample stage, a temperature control unit that controls the temperature of the sample stage, and the gas filling of the sample stage. And a gas supply unit for supplying a gas having good thermal conductivity to the semiconductor processing unit.