Temperature sensor, heater unit, substrate processing apparatus, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and program product

Abstract

The present application provides a temperature sensor, a heater unit, a substrate processing apparatus, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a storage medium, that is, a structure in which a temperature of a heater does not break even if the temperature of the heater is increased and the temperature of the heater can be measured. With respect to a structure provided on a mounting member provided with an opening portion, there are a main body portion connected to the mounting member in a manner provided with a minute space and penetrating the opening portion, and a first positioning portion and a second positioning portion respectively installed in the main body portion in a manner separated by the mounting member, so that the main body portion can move within a range determined by the minute space, the first positioning portion, and the second positioning portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to manufacturing methods and processes for temperature sensors, heater units, substrate processing apparatus, and semiconductor devices. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, batch heat treatment apparatuses are widely used to process wafers (hereinafter also referred to as substrates). For example, according to Patent Document 1, in the processing furnace of such a heat treatment apparatus, a substrate holder (hereinafter also referred to as a crystal boat) carrying multiple substrates is inserted from below into the interior of a generally cylindrical reaction tube that is closed at the top and open at the bottom, and the wafers on the crystal boat are heat-treated using a heating mechanism (hereinafter also referred to as a heater) arranged to surround the outside of the reaction tube.

[0003] Furthermore, in the aforementioned heat treatment apparatus, thermocouples (hereinafter also referred to as heater thermocouples, first thermocouples (first temperature sensors)) are placed near the heater to measure the temperature on the heating side, and thermocouples (also referred to as cascaded thermocouples, second thermocouples (second temperature sensors)) are placed near the wafer or reaction tube to measure the temperature of the heated body. Feedback control of the heater is performed based on these measured temperatures. However, during the operation of the aforementioned heat treatment apparatus, if the heater temperature rises, thermal stress will be generated due to the thermal expansion of components near the heater, potentially causing the thermocouples (first temperature sensors) placed near the heater to break.

[0004] Existing technical documents

[0005] Patent documents

[0006] Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2020 / 145183 Summary of the Invention

[0007] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0008] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a structure that will not break even when the temperature of the heater rises and is capable of measuring the temperature of the heater.

[0009] Solution for solving the problem

[0010] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a structure is provided for mounting member having an opening, comprising: a main body connected to the mounting member in such a way as to have a small space and pass through the opening; and a first positioning part and a second positioning part, which are respectively mounted on the main body in a way that is separated by the mounting member, so that the main body can move within a range determined by the small space, the first positioning part, and the second positioning part.

[0011] The effects of the invention

[0012] According to this structure, the temperature near the heater can be measured independently of the heater's temperature. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the processing furnace of the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the processing furnace of the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a temperature control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] Figure 4 This is an example illustrating the temperature change characteristics within the processing furnace during each step of the process performed using the substrate processing apparatus according to the present disclosure.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of the device controller according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 6 This is an external view of a thermocouple (temperature sensor) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019] Figure 7 This is a diagram illustrating the installation of a thermocouple (temperature sensor) in the processing furnace of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] Figure 8 This is an example of a cross-section of a major part of a thermocouple (temperature sensor) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Figure 9 This is an example of a front section view of a thermocouple (temperature sensor) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] Figure 10 This is an example of the connection portion of a thermocouple (temperature sensor) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 11 This diagram illustrates an example of heat treatment performed on a thermocouple (temperature sensor) according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0024] In the picture:

[0025] 264—First temperature sensor (heater thermocouple). Detailed Implementation

[0026] The substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that in the following description, the same symbols may be used for the same constituent elements, and repeated descriptions may be omitted. Furthermore, the accompanying drawings are used to make the description clearer; therefore, compared to the actual situation, the width, thickness, shape, etc., of each part may be schematically shown, but they are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the interpretation of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of the processing furnace 202 of the substrate processing apparatus, shown as a longitudinal sectional view. Figure 1 As shown, the processing furnace 202 has a heater 206 as a heating mechanism (heater unit). The heater 206 is cylindrical in shape and is vertically mounted by being supported by a heater base 251, which serves as a retaining plate.

[0028] Inside the heater 206, a process tube 203, serving as a reaction tube, is arranged concentrically with the heater 206. The reaction tube 203 is configured to include: an inner tube 204 serving as an internal reaction tube (hereinafter referred to as the inner tube); and an outer tube 205, serving as an external reaction tube (hereinafter referred to as the outer tube), disposed outside the inner tube 204. The inner tube 204 is made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz (SiO2) or silicon carbide (SiC), and is formed into a cylindrical shape with openings at the top and bottom. A processing chamber 201 is formed in the hollow portion of the inner tube 204, and is configured to house the wafer 200 in a horizontal orientation and arranged in multiple layers in the vertical direction using a crystal boat 217 described later. The outer tube 205 is made of a heat-resistant material such as quartz or silicon carbide, and is formed into a cylindrical shape with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the inner tube 204 and a closed top and open bottom, and is arranged concentrically with the inner tube 204.

[0029] A manifold 209 is arranged concentrically with the outer tube 205 below it. The manifold 209 is made of, for example, stainless steel and is formed into a cylindrical shape with open top and bottom. The manifold 209 engages with the inner tube 204 and the outer tube 205 and is configured to support the inner tube 204 and the outer tube 205. Furthermore, an O-ring 220a, which serves as a sealing component, is provided between the manifold 209 and the outer tube 205. Since the manifold 209 is supported by the heater base 251, the reaction tube 203 is vertically positioned. The reaction tube 203 and the manifold 209 form a reaction vessel.

[0030] A nozzle 230, serving as a gas inlet, is connected to the sealing cover 219 (described later) in communication with the processing chamber 201, and the nozzle 230 is connected to the gas supply pipe 232. On the upstream side of the gas supply pipe 232, opposite to the side connected to the nozzle 230, a processing gas supply source (not shown) and an inert gas supply source are connected via an MFC (mass flow controller) 241, which functions as a gas flow controller. The MFC 241 is electrically connected to the gas flow control unit 235 and is configured to control the flow rate of the supplied gas at the desired time. Furthermore, an on / off valve (e.g., an air valve, not shown) is provided on at least one of the upstream and downstream sides of the MFC 241.

[0031] An exhaust pipe 231 for exhausting the ambient air in the processing chamber 201 is provided on the manifold 209. The exhaust pipe 231 is located at the lower end of the cylindrical space 250 formed by the gap between the inner pipe 204 and the outer pipe 205, and communicates with the cylindrical space 250. On the opposite side of the exhaust pipe 231 from the manifold 209, i.e., downstream, a vacuum exhaust device 246, such as a vacuum pump, is connected via a pressure sensor 245 (which serves as a pressure detector) and a pressure adjustment device 242, and is configured to perform vacuum exhaust so that the pressure in the processing chamber 201 reaches a predetermined pressure (vacuum level). The pressure adjustment device 242 and the pressure sensor 245 are electrically connected to the pressure control unit 236, and the pressure control unit 236 is configured to control the pressure at the required time based on the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 245, so that the pressure in the processing chamber 201 reaches the required pressure via the pressure adjustment device 242.

[0032] A sealing cover 219, serving as a cover, is provided below the manifold 209, which can airtightly seal the lower opening of the manifold 209. The cover 219 can abut against the lower end of the manifold 209 from the lower vertical direction. The cover 219 is made of a metal such as stainless steel and is formed in a disc shape. An O-ring 220b, serving as a sealing member, is provided on the upper surface of the cover 219 and abuts against the lower end of the manifold 209. A rotation mechanism 254 for rotating the wafer boat is provided on the opposite side of the cover 219 from the processing chamber 201. The rotation shaft 255 of the rotation mechanism 254 passes through the cover 219 and is connected to the wafer boat 217 (described later), and is configured to rotate the wafer 200 by rotating the wafer boat 217. The cover 219 is configured to be vertically raised and lowered using a crystal boat lift 215, which is vertically mounted outside the reaction tube 203, thereby enabling the crystal boat 217 to be moved in and out of the processing chamber 201. The rotating mechanism 254 and the crystal boat lift 215 are electrically connected to the drive control unit 237 and are configured to be controlled at the required time to perform the required actions.

[0033] The crystal boat 217 is made of heat-resistant materials such as quartz or silicon carbide, and is configured to hold multiple wafers 200 arranged in a horizontal orientation and with their centers aligned in multiple layers. Furthermore, multiple heat-insulating plates 216, made of heat-resistant materials such as quartz or silicon carbide and in a circular plate shape, are arranged horizontally in multiple layers at the bottom of the crystal boat 217 as heat-insulating components, and are configured to prevent heat from the heater 206 from being easily conducted to the manifold 209 side.

[0034] A cascaded thermocouple (second temperature sensor) 263, serving as a furnace temperature detector, is installed inside the reaction tube 203. A heater thermocouple 264 (first temperature sensor), serving as a temperature detector for the heater 206, is also installed. A temperature control unit 238 is electrically connected to the heater 206, the heater thermocouple 264, and the cascaded thermocouple 263. The unit is configured to calculate the target temperature for the heater 206 based on the furnace temperature information detected by the cascaded thermocouple 263, and to adjust the energizing state of the heater 206 based on the target temperature and the heater temperature information from the heater thermocouple 264. This allows for control at the desired time, ensuring that the temperature in the processing chamber 201 achieves the desired temperature distribution.

[0035] The gas flow control unit 235, pressure control unit 236, drive control unit 237, and temperature control unit 238 are electrically connected to the main control unit 239, which controls the entire substrate processing apparatus. These gas flow control unit 235, pressure control unit 236, drive control unit 237, temperature control unit 238, and main control unit 239 constitute a controller 240.

[0036] Next, a method for forming a film on a wafer 200 using a processing furnace 202 with the above-described structure as one of the manufacturing processes of a semiconductor device will be described. Furthermore, in the following description, the operation of each component constituting the substrate processing apparatus is controlled by a controller 240.

[0037] After loading multiple wafers 200 into the wafer boat 217 (wafer loading), as Figure 1 As shown, the crystal boat 217, which holds multiple wafers 200, is lifted by the crystal boat elevator 215 and moved into the processing chamber 201 (crystal boat import).

[0038] Vacuum exhaust device 246 is used to exhaust vacuum, so that processing chamber 201 reaches the required pressure (vacuum level). At this time, pressure sensor 245 measures the pressure of processing chamber 201, and pressure regulator 242 is controlled based on the measured pressure. Additionally, heater 206 heats processing chamber 201 to the required temperature. At this time, based on temperature information detected by cascaded thermocouple 263, feedback control is performed on the energization state of heater 206 to achieve the required temperature distribution in processing chamber 201. Next, rotating mechanism 254 rotates boat 217, thereby rotating wafer 200.

[0039] Next, gas supplied from the processing gas supply source and controlled to the required flow rate by MFC241 is allowed to flow through gas supply pipe 232 and introduced into processing chamber 201 through nozzle 230. The introduced gas rises within processing chamber 201, flows out from the upper opening of inner pipe 204 into cylindrical space 250, and is exhausted from exhaust pipe 231. As the gas passes through processing chamber 201, it contacts the surface of wafer 200, where a thin film, for example, is deposited on the surface of wafer 200.

[0040] After a preset processing time has elapsed, inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply source to replace the processing chamber 201 with inert gas, and the pressure in the processing chamber 201 is restored to normal pressure.

[0041] Next, the sealing cover 219 is lowered using the crystal boat lift 215, opening the lower end of the manifold 209, and the processed wafer 200 is moved from the lower end of the manifold 209 to the outside of the process tube 203 while still in the crystal boat 217 (crystal boat export). Then, the processed wafer 200 is removed from the crystal boat 217 (wafer unloading).

[0042] Next, as Figure 5 As shown, the controller 240, which serves as the control unit, is connected via communication lines to the gas flow control unit 235, pressure control unit 236, drive control unit 237, temperature control unit 238, and main control unit 239, respectively. Here, the gas flow control unit 235, pressure control unit 236, drive control unit 237, and temperature control unit 238 have the same structure as the main control unit 239, so their description is omitted here. The structure of the main control unit 239 will be described below.

[0043] The main controller 239, serving as the main control unit, is a computer comprising a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 239a, RAM (Random Access Memory) 239b, a storage device 239c, and I / O ports 239d. The RAM 239b, storage device 239c, and I / O ports 239d are configured to exchange data with the CPU 239a via an internal bus. An input / output device 131, such as a touch panel, serving as an operation unit, is connected to the control unit 239.

[0044] The storage unit 239c is configured such as flash memory or HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The storage unit 239c stores in a readable manner control programs that control the operation of the substrate processing apparatus, and process recipes, such as those describing the steps or conditions of substrate processing. These process recipes are combined in a way that enables the controller 239 to execute each step of the substrate processing steps described later and obtain a predetermined result, and function as a program. Hereinafter, the process recipes or control programs will be collectively referred to as "programs." Furthermore, the RAM 239b is configured as a storage area (working area) that temporarily holds programs or data read by the CPU 239a.

[0045] I / O port 239d is connected to the aforementioned MFC 241, valve (not shown), APC valve 242, pressure sensor 245, vacuum pump 246, heater 207, second temperature sensor 263, first temperature sensor 264, rotating mechanism 254, crystal boat lift 215, etc.

[0046] The CPU 239a reads and executes the control program from the storage unit 239c, and is configured to read the process recipe from the storage device 239c according to the operation instructions input from the operation unit 131. Furthermore, the CPU 239a is configured to control the gas flow control unit 235, pressure control unit 236, drive control unit 237, and temperature control unit 238 according to the read process recipe, thereby controlling the following: various gas flow adjustment operations using the MFC 241; opening and closing operations of valve 3 (not shown); opening and closing operations of APC valve 242 and pressure adjustment operations of APC valve 242 based on pressure sensor 245; temperature adjustment operations of heater 206 based on second temperature sensors 263 and 264; starting and stopping of vacuum pump 246; rotation and rotation speed adjustment operations of crystal boat 217 via rotating mechanism 254; and lifting and lowering operations of crystal boat 217 via crystal boat elevator 215. Furthermore, details regarding the temperature adjustment operation of the heater 206 performed by the temperature control unit 238 based on the second temperature sensor 263 and the second temperature sensor 264 will be explained later.

[0047] The control unit 239 is not limited to being configured as a dedicated computer, but can also be configured as a general-purpose computer. For example, the control unit 240 of this embodiment can be configured by using an external storage device (e.g., a semiconductor memory such as a USB memory) 133, which stores the above-described program, as an external storage unit to install the program onto a general-purpose computer.

[0048] The method of providing programs to the computer is not limited to providing them via external storage unit 133. For example, programs may be provided using communication methods such as the Internet or dedicated lines instead of external storage unit 133. Furthermore, storage unit 239c or external storage unit 133 constitutes a storage medium that can be read by a computer. Hereinafter, they will be simply referred to collectively as storage media. In addition, the term "storage medium" in this specification includes: referring only to storage unit 239c, referring only to external storage unit 133, or both.

[0049] Reference Figure 2 The structure of the heater 206 in this embodiment will be described in detail. The heater 206 can be divided into multiple zones in the longitudinal direction for control (in... Figure 2The tube is divided into five sections, allowing multiple heaters 206 to be stacked. These are referred to as "heater sections (heating areas)". Each heater section is equipped with a "heater thermocouple" 264 to measure the temperature of the heater 206 in each section. A "cascaded thermocouple" 263 is installed inside the outer tube to measure the temperature inside the tube. This cascaded thermocouple 263 is configured such that a number of thermocouples (temperature sensors) corresponding to the number of heater sections are housed within a quartz tube. Furthermore, its temperature measuring point is positioned opposite the heater sections. Figure 2 In the middle, heater 206 is divided into U, CU, C, CL and L regions from top to bottom. And the corresponding "heater thermocouples" are respectively named 264-1, 264-2, 264-3, 264-4 and 264-5 from top to bottom. When referring to "heater thermocouples" collectively, they are called heater thermocouple 264.

[0050] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a temperature control system that includes a temperature control unit 238 based on a cascaded control loop. Figure 3 The cascaded PID control method includes: a "main temperature control unit loop" for controlling the temperature of cascaded thermocouples 263 that measure the temperature near the wafer 200 in the processing chamber 201, and a "heater temperature control unit loop" for controlling the temperature of the heater 206. The main temperature control unit (first PID regulator) operates on the setpoint of the heater temperature control unit to make the temperature of the cascaded thermocouples 263 match the target value. The heater temperature control unit (second PID regulator) controls the heater power output (in... Figure 3 The power quantity (denoted as Z) is used to operate so that the temperature of the heater thermocouple 264 is consistent with the temperature set by the main temperature control unit (first PID control unit).

[0051] about Figure 3 The cascaded control loop shown is configured to include: a first adder 501, which outputs the deviation between the target temperature Y and the detected temperature from the cascaded thermocouple 263; a first PID regulator 502, which performs PID (proportional, integral, derivative) calculations according to the output level of the first adder 501 and controls the detected temperature from the heater thermocouple 264 to the value it should follow; a second adder 503, which outputs the deviation between the output level of the first PID regulator 502 and the detected temperature from the heater thermocouple 264; and a second PID regulator 504, which performs PID calculations according to the output level of the second adder 503 and controls the amount of power Z supplied to the heater 206.

[0052] Figure 3 Only shown Figure 2The cascaded control loop for any one of the heater division zones (U, CU, C, CL, L zones) in the system. When heater 206 is divided into five zones, there exists a cascaded control loop for each zone. Figure 3 The same cascaded control loop is constructed. In this way, the temperature detection of the heater thermocouple 264, which has a relatively fast response speed, and the temperature detection of the cascaded thermocouple 263, which has a relatively slow response speed, can be used to construct... Figure 3 The cascaded control loop shown enables rapid and stable control of the detection temperature of the cascaded thermocouple 263 to the target temperature.

[0053] Next, refer to Figure 4 For usually in Figure 1 The processing timing used in the processing furnace 202 will be explained. Figure 4 A summary of the temperature changes within the processing furnace 202 during each step of the process is shown. Furthermore, Figure 4 The symbols S1 to S6 in the text correspond to the S1 to S6 steps of the process.

[0054] Step S1 is the process of stabilizing the temperature inside the processing furnace 202 at a relatively low temperature T0. In step S1, the wafer boat 217 has not yet been inserted into the reaction tube 203 inside the processing furnace 202. Step S2 is the process of inserting the wafer boat 217, which holds the wafer 200, into the reaction tube 203 (wafer boat introduction). The temperature of the wafer 200 is usually lower than temperature T0, so inserting the wafer boat 217 into the reaction tube 203 results in the temperature inside the processing furnace 202 temporarily becoming lower than T0. However, through the temperature control described above, the temperature inside the furnace will stabilize back at temperature T0 after a certain period of time.

[0055] Step S3 is a process of raising the temperature inside the processing furnace 202 from temperature T0 to a target temperature T1 for performing processes such as film deposition on the wafer 200 (heating). Step S4 is a process of stabilizing the temperature inside the processing furnace 202 at the target temperature T1 in order to process the wafer 200. Step S5 is a process of lowering the temperature inside the processing furnace 202 from the target temperature T1 back to a lower temperature T0 after the processing is completed (cooling). Step S6 is a process of removing the wafer boat 217 carrying the processed wafer 200 from the processing chamber 201. Then, the processed wafer 200 on the wafer boat 217 is replaced with an unprocessed wafer 200. This series of processes (i.e., steps S1 to S6) is performed on all wafers 200.

[0056] Typically, steps S1 through S6 are repeated, thus increasing productivity by performing each step in a shorter time. Especially for the temperature of heater 206, which is prone to heating but difficult to cool, the key to increasing productivity lies in shortening the time required for the cooling step in step S5.

[0057] The following is for reference Figures 6-10 The first temperature sensor 264 disposed near the heater 206 in this embodiment will be described. The first temperature sensor 264 is as follows: Figure 2 The sensors are set in five zones, but for the sake of illustration, we will focus on one of them, the first temperature sensor 264.

[0058] like Figure 6 As shown, the first temperature sensor 264 includes: an insulating tube (insulating tube) 101 made of alumina with a bare thermocouple wire 110 inside as the main body; a mounting member 102 made of SUS and including a mounting plate, which has a flat opening (opening) for mounting the first temperature sensor 264 to the heater 206; a first insulating material 107 and a second insulating material 108 as a buffer member, which have excellent buffering properties, thermal insulation properties and sealing properties (described later); and a connection part (not shown) connected to the temperature control unit 238.

[0059] Regarding the first temperature sensor 264 in this embodiment, the protective tube present in the conventional heater thermocouple is eliminated, and the insulating tube 101 is movable. Specifically, it is configured to be able to move up and down around a point (movable fulcrum) on the insulating tube 101. This structure will be described later. In addition, a small gap (small space) is provided between the opening of the mounting plate 102 and the insulating tube 101, and this small space will also be described later. Regarding the front end side (front end) of the insulating tube 101, a temperature measuring part is formed by passing the bare thermocouple wire 110 through the insulating tube 101 and combining the front end of the bare wire. Then, the bare thermocouple wire 110 (temperature measuring part) is embedded in alumina cement and fixed by adhesive in a manner that does not expose it to the ambient gas of the processing furnace 202.

[0060] The connection portion comprises at least the following parts: a cover portion 109 having an end portion of an insulating tube 101 internally disposed therein, and a connector portion 111 for outputting temperature data to a temperature control unit 238 (not shown). Inside the cover portion 109, the bare thermocouple wire 110 exposed from the end portion of the insulating tube 101 is connected to the connector portion 111. The bare thermocouple wire 110 extending to the connector portion 111 is insulated by covering it with an insulating component such as a polyimide tube. The portion of the cover portion 109 surrounding the bare thermocouple wire 110 is configured to have a larger cross-sectional area than the portion of the cover portion 109 surrounding the insulating tube 101.

[0061] Figure 7 It shows that Figure 6 The first temperature sensor 264 shown is mounted in the processing furnace 202, specifically in the heater 206. The insulating tube 101 is configured not to contact the cylindrical ceramic mounting tube 113. Furthermore, the insulating tube 101 is configured to pass through the SUS-made heater cover panel (mounting panel) 114 (which serves as the panel portion) and the heat insulation material 112, respectively, and the front end of the insulating tube 101 is located inside the processing furnace 202.

[0062] Regarding the insulation material 112 and the mounting tube 113, a type capable of withstanding even high processing temperatures, such as those exceeding 1000°C inside the processing furnace 202, was selected. Furthermore, the mounting tube 113 also functions as a protective tube for the insulating tube 101. It is also designed to prevent the front end of the insulating tube 101 from contacting the heating element 115 and to prevent damage to the insulating tube 101, as will be described in detail later.

[0063] When the first temperature sensor 264 is installed on the heater 206, a buffer component is provided to bury the gap between the mounting panel 114 and the mounting plate 102. In particular, the buffer component is provided in a dual manner using a first insulating material 107 and a second insulating material 108. This is to improve the airtightness between the furnace interior gas and the external gas.

[0064] Regarding the first insulation material 107 and the second insulation material 108, a through hole is provided in the central part for the insulating tube 101 to pass through, and a hole is also provided at the position for the screw, i.e. the fastener 116, to fix the first temperature sensor 264 to the heater 206 to pass through.

[0065] The first insulating material 107 is inserted from the front end of the insulating tube 101, and then the second insulating material 108 is similarly inserted from the front end of the main body 101. Then, the first temperature sensor 264 (the main body 101) in this state is inserted from the outside of the mounting panel 114 into the mounting tube 113 at the position where it abuts against the mounting panel 114, separated by the first and second insulating materials 107 and 108. A hole is cut in the mounting panel 114, and the mounting plate 102 is fixed using the fastener 116, thereby mounting the first temperature sensor 264 onto the heater 206.

[0066] Furthermore, when inserting the first insulation material 107 and the second insulation material 108 into the insulating tube 101, adhesives such as alumina cement are not used.

[0067] When the front end of the insulating tube 101 is pushed upward as described later, the insulating tube 101 inside the cover 109 descends downward. Furthermore, the bare thermocouple wire 110 descends downward together with the insulating tube 101. Considering this situation, as... Figure 7 The bare thermocouple wire 110 exposed from the insulating tube 101 inside the cover 109 is wired in a pre-maintained flexed manner. Furthermore, this flexing can absorb the movement of the bare thermocouple wire 110.

[0068] The thermocouple bare wire 110 is a metallic wire, and significant bending will cause it to develop a bending habit. Therefore, in Figure 7 The wiring of the bare thermocouple wire 110 is kept flexible, thereby allowing the bare thermocouple wire 110 from the insulating tube 101 to the thermocouple connector 111 to be extended, thus reducing the bending behavior of the first temperature sensor 264 when it moves.

[0069] Reference Figure 8 The movable structure of the first temperature sensor 264 (insulating tube 101) will be described. For example... Figure 8 As shown, the first temperature sensor 264 includes: an insulating tube 101 connected to the mounting plate 102 with a small space (less than 1 mm gap, for example, about 0.1 mm) extending through an opening; a washer portion 103, cylindrical in shape and made of ceramic at the front end of the insulating tube 101 with the mounting plate 102 as the center, serving as a first positioning portion; and a spacer portion 104, cylindrical in shape and made of stainless steel at the end of the insulating tube 101 with the mounting plate 102 as the center, serving as a second positioning portion. The insulating tube 101 is movable within a range determined by the small space, the first positioning portion 103, and the second positioning portion 104. Specifically, it is configured to restrict the movement of the insulating tube 101 using the small space, the first positioning portion 103, and the second positioning portion 104.

[0070] Because of this structure, the connection between the mounting plate 102 and the insulating tube 101 is only made through part A, which has an opening. Therefore, the insulating tube 101 inserted into part A of the opening constitutes a fulcrum (movable fulcrum), and the insulating tube 101 can move up and down.

[0071] Here, the insulating tube 101 and the washer portion 103, and the insulating tube 101 and the spacer portion 104 are respectively fixedly connected using an adhesive, for example, alumina cement. In addition, it is configured so that the insulating tube 101, which is installed between the washer portion 103 and the spacer portion 104, can be inserted into the opening of the mounting plate 102.

[0072] The length between the end of the washer portion 103 on the mounting plate 102 side and the end of the spacer portion 104 on the mounting plate 102 side is configured to be larger than the width of the opening (the axial length of the insulating tube 101 in the opening). Furthermore, the diameter of each portion of the insulating tube 101 where the washer portion 103 and the spacer portion 104 are mounted is configured to be larger than the diameter of the opening provided on the mounting plate 102.

[0073] The connection between the mounting plate 102 and the insulating tube 101 is made only through the portion with an opening, and is adjusted to maintain a small space between the mounting plate 102 and the insulating tube 101. Furthermore, the diameter or width of the opening is set to ensure an appropriate diameter or width for the tilt range of the insulating tube 101 when it is tilted up or down, as described later.

[0074] According to this embodiment, by setting the diameter of the opening of the mounting plate 102 to a minimum value that forms a tiny space relative to the outer diameter of the insulating tube 101, the portion A of the insulating tube inserted into the opening constitutes a fulcrum (movable fulcrum), around which the insulating tube 101 can move. Therefore, the first temperature sensor 264 can measure the temperature near the heater 206 in a manner that will not cause damage even if the front end of the insulating tube 101 moves up and down.

[0075] Furthermore, as described above, a washer portion 103 and a spacer portion 104 are arranged on the insulating tube 101 in such a way that the mounting plate 102 is clamped from the front and rear of the opening. This allows the washer portion 103 and the spacer portion 104 to act as stops, preventing the insulating tube 101 from moving in the thickness direction of the hole (the axial direction of the insulating tube 101 at the opening). Additionally, this allows the insulating tube 101 to move like a seesaw. Therefore, the first temperature sensor 264 can measure the temperature near the heater 206 in such a way that it would break even if the front end of the insulating tube 101 moves up and down.

[0076] The components constituting the washer portion 103 are made of ceramic for heat resistance, and the spacer portion 104, being a thin-walled stop, is made of stainless steel. However, there are no restrictions on the materials, dimensions, etc., of these components, and they can be appropriately selected according to the usage conditions.

[0077] Furthermore, when the washer portion 103 and the spacer portion 104 are fixed to the insulating tube 101 using adhesive, it is generally preferable to use them on the side opposite to the mounting plate 102. This is because if the first temperature sensor 264 is movable by using the portion of the insulating tube 101 inserted into the opening as a movable fulcrum, and the small space between the opening of the mounting plate 102 and the portion of the insulating tube 101 inserted into the opening is buried and sealed by adhesive, the first temperature sensor 264 may not be able to move. Furthermore, if the insulating tube 101 is fixedly connected to the mounting plate 102 using adhesive, the first temperature sensor 264 may not be able to move.

[0078] Furthermore, the mounting plate 102 and the cover 109 are mounted by welding, with the cover 109 embedded in the mounting plate 102. Additionally, a spacer 104 is provided within the cover 109.

[0079] The gasket portion 103 is covered by a first insulating material 107. The gasket portion 103 and the first insulating material 107 are tightly attached to the mounting plate 102. A second insulating material 108 is provided in such a way that it is tightly attached to the first insulating material 107 and covers the insulating tube 101. Specifically, the first insulating material 107 is provided so that the gasket portion 103 can penetrate from the opening of the mounting plate 102 into the center of the processing furnace 202. The second insulating material 108, which can penetrate the insulating tube 101 through the first insulating material 107 into the processing furnace 202, is provided in close contact with the first insulating material. This results in a double layer of insulating material, thereby ensuring the airtightness between the ambient air inside the processing furnace 202 and the outside of the mounting plate 102. The mounting panel 114 is connected to the furnace 202 via the mounting tube 113. Therefore, for the first insulation material 107 and the second insulation material 108, a flexible component is selected that has excellent durability and airtightness even at high temperatures and does not hinder the movement of the first temperature sensor 264 (the main body 101).

[0080] Reference Figure 9 The front end of the first temperature sensor 264 (insulating tube 101) will be described. Figure 9 The bare thermocouple wire 110 or the temperature measuring part shown is not exposed from the insulating tube 101 due to alumina cement, but the illustration is for illustrative purposes only.

[0081] If the amount of the insulating tube 101 protruding from the heat insulation material 112 decreases, the influence of the heat insulation material 112 increases, leading to a decrease in responsiveness. In addition, it will also cause the temperature difference between the insulating tube 101 and the heat-generating element 115, which serves as the heating element, to increase.

[0082] Therefore, as Figure 9As shown, a bare thermocouple wire 110 is provided inside the insulating tube 101, and a temperature measuring part is provided at the front end of the insulating tube 101. Furthermore, the front end containing the temperature measuring part is positioned closer to the inside of the processing furnace 202 than the heating element 115 of the heater 206. For example, the front end of the insulating tube 101 is positioned near the reaction tube 203. Therefore, within a range that does not interfere with the reaction tube 203, the insulating tube 101 is positioned closer to the inside of the processing furnace 202 than the heating element 115, thereby ensuring that the amount of the insulating tube 101 protruding from the insulation material 112 can be detected with good responsiveness at temperatures close to the temperature of the heating element 115.

[0083] The mounting tube 113, like the insulating tube 101, is positioned further inward than the heating element 115 towards the interior of the processing furnace 202. This is because, after prolonged use, the heating element 115 may shift inwards towards the interior of the processing furnace 202 due to plastic deformation. Therefore, the mounting tube 113 also extends further inwards than the heating element 115. This reduces interference between the heating element 115 and the insulating tube 101 and suppresses damage to the first temperature sensor 264.

[0084] Figure 10 This is a detailed view of the end portion of the main body, showing an in-depth study of the wiring of the bare thermocouple wire 110 exposed from the end portion of the insulating tube 101. (Example:) Figure 10 As shown, the thermocouple bare wire 110 exposed from the insulating tube 101 is wound in a spiral shape at least once and connected to the connector 111.

[0085] exist Figure 10 In the structure shown, when the end of the insulating tube 101 descends, the distance between the outlet of the insulating tube 101 and the connector 111 extends, and the tightening screw is activated accordingly and the screw moves downward, so the bending angle of the bare thermocouple wire 110 at the end of the insulating tube 101 decreases.

[0086] As a result, the bending stress of the bare thermocouple wire 110 caused by the movement of the first temperature sensor 264 is reduced, thus suppressing wire breakage and extending the lifespan of the bare thermocouple wire 110.

[0087] In addition, such as Figure 7 As shown, the exposed bare thermocouple wire 110 at the end of the insulating tube 101 remains bent. When the furnace temperature is high, a bending habit will form on the bare thermocouple wire 110 at the outlet of the insulating tube 101. Therefore, when the furnace temperature drops, the front end of the main body 101 cannot return to its original position. As a result, the insulating tube 101 may be damaged due to contact with the upper surface of the mounting tube 113.

[0088] In addition, because the insulating tube 101 is in contact with the upper surface of the mounting tube 113 and is continuously pushed by the mounting tube 113, the insulating tube 101 will be subjected to tensile stress when it returns to its original position, which may cause the bare thermocouple wire 110 to break.

[0089] Therefore, according to Figure 10 Publicly available research has shown that the exposed thermocouple wire 110 from the insulating tube 101 is spirally wired, thereby reducing the degree of bending of the exposed thermocouple wire 110. Therefore, the insulating tube 101, along with the mounting tube 113, returns to its original position. This prevents contact between the insulating tube 101 and the mounting tube 113 when the furnace temperature drops.

[0090] Thus, according to Figure 10 The structure shown can prevent damage to the first temperature sensor 264 and breakage of the thermocouple wire 110 due to the bending behavior of the bare thermocouple wire 110.

[0091] Figure 11 It shows in Figure 4 The temperature T1 during processing in each of the steps (S1 to S6) shown is the first temperature sensor 264 during step S4. Furthermore, sometimes for... Figure 7 Repeated descriptions of identical elements have been omitted.

[0092] The heater 206 includes: an insulating material 112 constituting the main body of the heater; a heating element 115 disposed near the insulating material 112; a ceramic mounting tube 113 disposed through the insulating material 112; and an SUS mounting panel 114 for mounting a first temperature sensor 264. The insulating material 112, for example, constitutes a laminated structure made of stacked insulating materials. Furthermore, an SUS housing is mounted around the insulating material 112, and the mounting panel 114 is disposed on the housing.

[0093] When the furnace temperature T1 rises, the heating element 115 moves upward. Along with this movement, the mounting tube 113 is pushed upward. Since the insulating material 112 is softer than the mounting tube 113, the mounting tube 113, pushed upward by the heating element 115, can embed into the upper insulating material 112. This pushed-up mounting tube 113 is configured to contact and be pushed upward by the insulating tube 101. As a result, the front end of the insulating tube 101 moves upward. At this point, the mounting tube 113 prevents direct contact between the heating element 115 and the insulating tube 101.

[0094] The insulating tube 101 moves within a range limited by the washer portion 103 and the spacer portion 104 installed on the insulating tube 101. Here, the insulating tube 101 is typically supported only in the portion inserted into the opening of the mounting plate 102, and is configured to tilt like a seesaw with this portion as a movable fulcrum. In this configuration, the front end of the insulating tube 101 moves upward, and thus the end end of the insulating tube 101 tilts downward. In this way, the insulating tube 101 is movable and prevents breakage as the components constituting the heater unit (including the insulation material 112, the mounting tube 113, and the heating element 115) move due to thermal expansion.

[0095] Furthermore, the first insulating material 107 and the second insulating material 108, which are arranged to cover the insulating tube 101, do not impede the movement of the insulating tube 101 due to their cushioning properties.

[0096] The end of the insulating tube 101 is inclined downwards, and the bare thermocouple wire 110 extending from the end moves downwards. However, the bare thermocouple wire 110 is routed in a flexed manner, which does not hinder the operation of the insulating tube 101. That is, by maintaining flexion, the length of the bare thermocouple wire 110 can be extended. As a result, the stress generated with the operation of the insulating tube 101 can be reduced, and the breakage of the bare thermocouple wire 110 can be suppressed.

[0097] As described above, even if the furnace temperature T1 rises and the components constituting the heater unit move due to thermal expansion, the first temperature sensor 264 can be prevented from breaking, and the temperature inside the processing furnace 202 can be measured when the wafer 200 is processed in step S4.

[0098] Here, the connector 111 is connected to a temperature control unit 238 (not shown), thus enabling the output of temperature detection values ​​to the temperature control unit 238, which, for example, uses... Figure 3 The feedback control shown controls the temperature.

[0099] Furthermore, when step S4 ends and the furnace temperature drops (e.g., temperature T0), the heating element 115, which had previously moved upwards due to thermal expansion, will gradually descend back to its original position (115a). Consequently, the inclined mounting tube 113 also returns to its original position, and the insulating tube 101 returns to its original position along with the mounting tube 113, thus preventing contact between the insulating tube 101 and the mounting tube 113.

[0100] According to this embodiment, at least one of the following effects (a) to (k) is achieved.

[0101] (a) According to this embodiment, by simply inserting the insulating tube 101 into the opening provided on the mounting plate 102 for the heater thermocouple 264 to pass through, it is supported within the opening of the mounting plate 102. Therefore, even if the front end of the insulating tube 101 is not fixed to the mounting plate 102 in a non-movable manner and is moved vertically, it can be tilted around the portion of the insulating tube 101 corresponding to the opening. Thus, the risk of damage to the heater thermocouple 264 can be reduced.

[0102] (b) According to this embodiment, with the portion of the insulating tube 101 connected to the mounting plate 102 as the boundary, a gasket portion 103 is provided inside the processing furnace 202 and a spacer portion 104 is provided outside the processing furnace 202, thereby restricting the movable range of the insulating tube 101 when the front end of the insulating tube 101 moves in the up and down direction and tilts with the portion of the insulating tube 101 corresponding to the opening hole as the center.

[0103] (c) According to this embodiment, a buffer member 107 that can pass through the gasket portion 103 at the center is provided inside the processing furnace 202 at the opening of the mounting plate 102, and a buffer member 108 that can pass through the insulating tube 101 is provided inside the processing furnace 202 of the buffer member 107. This ensures the airtightness between the ambient air inside the processing furnace 202 and the mounting plate 102.

[0104] (d) According to this embodiment, the insulating tube 101, the washer portion 103, and the spacer portion 104 are fixed on the mounting plate 102 and cannot move. Therefore, it does not hinder the front end of the insulating tube 101 from moving up and down and tilting around the portion of the insulating tube 101 corresponding to the opening hole. Therefore, the risk of damage to the heater thermocouple 264 can be reduced.

[0105] (e) According to this embodiment, the thermocouple bare wire 110 exposed from the end of the insulating tube 101 is connected to the connector 111 in such a way that the length of the thermocouple bare wire 110 is increased relative to the distance from the insulating tube 101 to the connector 111 while maintaining a flexed shape. Therefore, the inclination of the insulating tube 101 can absorb thermal stress, such as tensile stress, caused by the thermal expansion of the thermocouple bare wire 110. As a result, breakage of the thermocouple bare wire 110 can be prevented.

[0106] (f) According to this embodiment, by routing the exposed thermocouple wire 110 from the end of the insulating tube 101 in a spiral shape and connecting it to the connector 111, not only can the increased length of the thermocouple wire 110 and the tilt of the insulating tube 101 absorb the thermal stress of the thermocouple wire 110, but the vertical movement of the spiral-shaped thermocouple wire 110 can also absorb the thermal stress. This configuration reduces the degree of bending of the thermocouple wire 110, thereby further reducing the risk of breakage of the thermocouple wire 110.

[0107] (g) According to this embodiment, the exposed thermocouple wire 110 from the end of the insulating tube 101 is spirally wired and configured to reduce the degree of bending of the thermocouple wire 110. As a result, when the wafer 200 is processed, the front end of the insulating tube 101 moves upward and when the wafer 200 processing is finished, the insulating tube 101 returns to its original position, thereby reducing the risk of the thermocouple wire 110 breaking.

[0108] (h) According to this embodiment, a heater thermocouple 264 is installed on the heater 206 such that it is inserted into a ceramic tube 113 that is provided in a manner that penetrates the insulating material 112. As a result, the front end of the insulating tube 101 does not directly contact the heating element 315, thereby reducing the risk of damage to the heater thermocouple 264.

[0109] (i) According to this embodiment, the front end of the insulating tube 101 of the heater thermocouple 264 has a temperature measuring part for measuring the temperature, and the front end of the insulating tube 101 is configured to extend to the vicinity of the reaction tube 203, so that the temperature inside the processing furnace 202 can be measured.

[0110] (j) According to this embodiment, the processing furnace 202 is at a high temperature. Even if the components constituting the heater 206 (e.g., ceramic tube 113, heating element 115) move due to thermal expansion (upward at this time), the risk of breakage can be suppressed to a low level because the heater thermocouple 264 is a movable structure.

[0111] (k) According to this embodiment, regarding the components constituting the heater 206 that move due to thermal expansion (e.g., ceramic tube 113, heating element 115), for example, after the processing of the wafer 200 is completed and the temperature drops to a lower temperature (e.g., temperature T0), these components return to their original positions, and the heater thermocouple 264 also returns to its original position. In this way, since the heater thermocouple 264 is a movable structure, the risk of breakage can be suppressed to a low level.

Claims

1. A temperature sensor disposed on a mounting component having an opening. The aforementioned temperature sensor is characterized by having: The main body is connected to the mounting component in such a way that a small space is provided between it and the opening of the mounting component and it passes through the opening. A first positioning part is mounted on the front end side of the main body, centered on the aforementioned mounting component; and The second positioning part is installed on the end portion side of the main body, centered on the aforementioned mounting component. The main body portion where the first positioning part is installed and the main body portion where the second positioning part is installed are connected to the mounting component, and the connection between the mounting component and the main body portion is only through the portion provided with the opening. Using the main body portion connected to the aforementioned mounting component as a fulcrum, the main body portion can move up and down within the range determined by the aforementioned microspace, the aforementioned first positioning portion, and the aforementioned second positioning portion.

2. The temperature sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length between the end of the first positioning part on the mounting component side and the end of the second positioning part on the mounting component side is greater than the length of the main body part of the opening in the axial direction.

3. The temperature sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of each part of the main body on which the first positioning part and the second positioning part are mounted is larger than the diameter of the opening provided in the mounting component.

4. The temperature sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, A first heat-insulating material is also provided, which covers the aforementioned first positioning part. The first positioning part and the first heat insulation material are closely attached to the mounting component.

5. The temperature sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that, A second heat insulation material is also provided, which covers the main body in a manner that is in close contact with the first heat insulation material.

6. The temperature sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The main body, the first positioning part, and the second positioning part are not fixed to the mounting components using adhesive.

7. The temperature sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The main body, the first positioning part, and the mounting component are not fixed to the first insulation material using adhesive.

8. The temperature sensor according to claim 4, characterized in that, The main body and the first positioning part are not fixed to the first insulation material using adhesive.

9. The temperature sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also has a connecting portion, which includes: a cover portion having at least the end portion of the main body portion inside; and a connector portion. The bare wires exposed from the aforementioned ends are covered by insulating components.

10. The temperature sensor according to claim 9, characterized in that, The wiring of the bare wire from the aforementioned end portion to the aforementioned connector portion includes bending.

11. The temperature sensor according to claim 9, characterized in that, The bare wires from the aforementioned end portion to the aforementioned connector portion are wound in a spiral shape.

12. The temperature sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bare wires that form the temperature measuring unit are also connected inside the main body. The temperature measuring unit is located at the front end of the main body.

13. A heater unit, characterized in that, It includes a temperature sensor, which is disposed on a mounting component having an opening. The above temperature sensor has the following features: The main body is connected to the mounting component in such a way that a small space is provided between it and the opening of the mounting component and it passes through the opening. A first positioning part is mounted on the front end side of the main body, centered on the aforementioned mounting component; and The second positioning part is installed on the end portion side of the main body, centered on the aforementioned mounting component. The main body portion where the first positioning part is installed and the main body portion where the second positioning part is installed are connected to the mounting component, and the connection between the mounting component and the main body portion is only through the portion provided with the opening. Using the main body portion connected to the aforementioned mounting component as a fulcrum, the main body portion can move up and down within the range determined by the aforementioned microspace, the aforementioned first positioning portion, and the aforementioned second positioning portion.

14. A processing apparatus, characterized in that, The heater unit includes a temperature sensor, which is mounted on a mounting component with an opening. The above temperature sensor has the following features: The main body is connected to the mounting component in such a way that a small space is provided between it and the opening of the mounting component and it passes through the opening. A first positioning part is mounted on the front end side of the main body, centered on the aforementioned mounting component; and The second positioning part is installed on the end portion side of the main body, centered on the aforementioned mounting component. The main body portion where the first positioning part is installed and the main body portion where the second positioning part is installed are connected to the mounting component, and the connection between the mounting component and the main body portion is only through the portion provided with the opening. Using the main body portion connected to the aforementioned mounting component as a fulcrum, the main body portion can move up and down within the range determined by the aforementioned microspace, the aforementioned first positioning portion, and the aforementioned second positioning portion.

15. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, characterized in that, The process includes heating a substrate using a heater unit, which has a temperature sensor disposed on a mounting component having an opening. The above temperature sensor has the following features: The main body is connected to the mounting component in such a way that a small space is provided between it and the opening of the mounting component and it passes through the opening. A first positioning part is mounted on the front end side of the main body, centered on the aforementioned mounting component; and The second positioning part is installed on the end portion side of the main body, centered on the aforementioned mounting component. The main body portion where the first positioning part is installed and the main body portion where the second positioning part is installed are connected to the mounting component, and the connection between the mounting component and the main body portion is only through the portion provided with the opening. Using the main body portion connected to the aforementioned mounting component as a fulcrum, the main body portion can move up and down within the range determined by the aforementioned microspace, the aforementioned first positioning portion, and the aforementioned second positioning portion.

16. A program product, characterized in that, The computer executes a step of heating a substrate using a heater unit, which has a temperature sensor disposed on a mounting component having an opening. The above temperature sensor has the following features: The main body is connected to the mounting component in such a way that a small space is provided between it and the opening of the mounting component and it passes through the opening. A first positioning part is mounted on the front end side of the main body, centered on the aforementioned mounting component; and The second positioning part is installed on the end portion side of the main body, centered on the aforementioned mounting component. The main body portion where the first positioning part is installed and the main body portion where the second positioning part is installed are connected to the mounting component, and the connection between the mounting component and the main body portion is only through the portion provided with the opening. Using the main body portion connected to the aforementioned mounting component as a fulcrum, the main body portion can move up and down within the range determined by the aforementioned microspace, the aforementioned first positioning portion, and the aforementioned second positioning portion.

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