Substrate processing apparatus, method of manufacturing semiconductor device, and recording medium

Abstract

The substrate processing apparatus of the present application can reduce the total consumption amount of the cooling fluid and stably supply the cooling fluid to a plurality of cooling units. A plurality of first cooling units are provided in a processing furnace or its periphery that processes a substrate and are cooled by a cooling fluid. A second cooling unit is provided in the processing furnace or its periphery that processes a substrate and is cooled by the cooling fluid and is not included in the plurality of first cooling units. A distribution section distributes the cooling fluid supplied from a cooling fluid supply port to the plurality of first cooling units and an auxiliary system that bypasses the plurality of first cooling units. A confluence section confluences the cooling fluid after passing through the plurality of first cooling units and the auxiliary system and supplies the second cooling unit.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor device manufacturing methods, a substrate processing apparatus is used to heat a processing furnace to perform a predetermined process. Sometimes, cooling water is flowed to the parts of the heated processing furnace that need to be cooled for cooling (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2011-171657 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] Although the required cooling water flow rate varies depending on the cooling unit that needs to be cooled, when there are multiple cooling units, increasing the cooling water flow rate supplied to one cooling unit can sometimes cause changes in the cooling water flow rate supplied to other cooling units that are adjusted to a constant flow rate due to the opening and closing of valves supplying cooling water to the unit with the higher flow rate. Furthermore, there is also a desire to reduce the total cooling water consumption.

[0008] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a technology that can reduce the total consumption of cooling fluid while stably supplying cooling fluid to multiple cooling units.

[0009] Solution for solving the problem

[0010] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a technology is provided in which a substrate processing apparatus has:

[0011] Multiple first cooling units are located in or around the processing furnace of the processing substrate and are cooled by cooling fluid;

[0012] The second cooling unit is located in or around the processing furnace of the processing substrate, and is cooled by the aforementioned cooling fluid, and is not included in the plurality of first cooling units.

[0013] A distribution unit that distributes cooling fluid supplied from the cooling fluid supply port to the plurality of first cooling units and an auxiliary system that bypasses the plurality of first cooling units; and

[0014] The confluence section allows the cooling fluids that have passed through the aforementioned plurality of first cooling units and the aforementioned auxiliary system to merge and be supplied to the aforementioned second cooling unit.

[0015] The effects of the invention are as follows.

[0016] According to this disclosure, the total consumption of cooling fluid can be reduced, and cooling fluid can be stably supplied to multiple cooling units. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing a substrate processing apparatus preferably used in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a side view showing a substrate processing apparatus preferably used in one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a longitudinal sectional view of a processing furnace preferred in one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram showing a water-cooling system preferably used in one embodiment of this disclosure.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a simplified structural diagram of the controller of a substrate processing apparatus preferably used in one embodiment of this disclosure, and a diagram showing the control system of the controller in block form.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a substrate processing step preferably used in one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a variation of a processing furnace preferred in one embodiment of the present disclosure, and is shown in a longitudinal sectional view.

[0024] In the picture:

[0025] 1—Substrate processing apparatus; 12, 72—Processing furnaces; 31—Wafer (substrate); 400—Water cooling system; 600—Controller (control unit). Detailed Implementation

[0026] The embodiments will now be described using the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the drawings used in this description are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements shown may not necessarily correspond to reality. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships and ratios of the elements may not be consistent between different drawings.

[0027] (1) Structure of the substrate processing device

[0028] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, the substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a housing 13. A front maintenance opening 15 is provided on the lower part of the front wall 14 of the housing 13, which is an opening for maintenance. The front maintenance opening 15 is opened and closed by a front maintenance door 16.

[0029] A wafer cassette loading / unloading outlet 17 is provided on the front wall 14 of the housing 13 to connect the inside and outside of the housing 13. The wafer cassette loading / unloading outlet 17 is opened and closed by a front gate 18. A loading port 19 is provided on the front side of the wafer cassette loading / unloading outlet 17. The loading port 19 is configured to align the position of the wafer cassette 21 it is loaded with.

[0030] The wafer cassette 21 is a closed substrate holder that is moved into or out of the loading port 19 by an in-process transport device (not shown).

[0031] A rotating wafer cassette shelf 22 is provided at the upper part of the approximately central portion in the front-to-back direction inside the housing 13. This rotating wafer cassette shelf 22 is configured to store multiple wafer cassettes 21. Alternatively, a pre-loaded wafer cassette shelf 23 is provided inside the front maintenance opening 15 and below the loading port 19. This pre-loaded wafer cassette shelf 23 is configured to store multiple wafer cassettes 21.

[0032] The rotating wafer cassette shelf 22 includes: a vertically erected support column 24 that rotates intermittently; and multiple shelves 25 radially supported at upper, middle, and lower positions within the support column 24. The shelves 25 are configured to store wafer cassettes 21 in a manner that holds multiple wafer cassettes 21.

[0033] Below the rotating wafer cassette shelf 22 is a wafer cassette opener 26, which has a structure that holds the wafer cassette 21 and can open and close the cover of the wafer cassette 21.

[0034] A wafer cassette transport device 27 is provided between the loading port 19 and the rotary wafer cassette shelf 22 and the wafer cassette opener 26. Alternatively, the wafer cassette transport device 27 holds the wafer cassette 21 and is capable of lifting, moving forward and backward, and moving laterally, thereby enabling it to transport the wafer cassette 21 between the loading port 19, the rotary wafer cassette shelf 22, and the wafer cassette opener 26.

[0035] A sub-box 28 is provided in the lower part of the sub-box 13, near the rear end, extending to the rear end. On the front wall 29 of the sub-box 28, a pair of wafer loading and unloading outlets 32 are arranged vertically in two layers. The wafer loading and unloading outlets 32 are used to load and unload wafers (substrates) 31 into and out of the sub-box 28. A wafer cassette opener 26 is provided for the upper and lower wafer loading and unloading outlets 32 respectively.

[0036] The wafer cassette opener 26 includes a mounting stage 33 for holding the wafer cassette 21 and an opening / closing mechanism 34 for opening and closing the cover of the wafer cassette 21. The wafer cassette opener 26 is configured to open and close the wafer inlet / outlet of the wafer cassette 21 by opening and closing the cover of the wafer cassette 21 placed on the mounting stage 33 through the opening / closing mechanism 34.

[0037] The secondary housing 28 forms an airtight transfer chamber (loading area) 35 relative to the space (wafer cassette transport space) equipped with the wafer cassette transport device 27 and the rotating wafer cassette shelf 22. A transfer machine (wafer transport mechanism) 36 is provided in the front region of this transfer chamber 35. The transfer machine 36 has a wafer carrier plate (substrate support) 37 that holds the required number of wafers 31 (five in the figure). This wafer carrier plate 37 can move linearly in the horizontal direction, rotate in the horizontal direction, or move up and down in the vertical direction. The transfer machine 36 is configured to load and unload wafers 31 relative to the boat (substrate holder) 38.

[0038] Above the transfer chamber 35, a heating chamber 45 is provided across the cleaner 74, and a vertical processing furnace 12 is disposed therein. The processing furnace 12 forms a processing chamber inside, and the furnace opening near the lower part of the processing chamber is located inside the cleaner 74. The lower end of the furnace opening is opened and closed by a furnace opening gate 41.

[0039] A boat-and-dish lift 42 for raising and lowering the boat-and-dish 38 is provided on the side of the sub-box 28. A sealing cover 44, which serves as a cover, is horizontally mounted on the lifting rod 43 connected to the lifting platform of the boat-and-dish lift 42. This sealing cover 44 vertically supports the boat-and-dish 38 and can airtightly seal the furnace opening when the boat-and-dish 38 is loaded into the processing furnace 12. The boat-and-dish 38 is configured to align multiple wafers 31 (e.g., about 50 to 175 wafers) at its center and hold them in a horizontal position as a multilayer structure.

[0040] A cleaning unit (not shown) is provided opposite to the vessel lift 42. This cleaning unit consists of a supply fan and a dust filter to supply clean air as a clean atmosphere or inert gas. Between the transfer machine 36 and the cleaning unit, a notch alignment device (not shown) is provided as a substrate alignment device to align the circumferential position of the wafer 31.

[0041] Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 1 will be explained.

[0042] When a wafer cassette 21 is supplied to loading port 19, the wafer cassette inlet / outlet 17 is opened by the front gate 18. The wafer cassette 21 on loading port 19 is moved into the housing 13 by wafer cassette transport device 27 through wafer cassette inlet / outlet 17 and placed on the designated shelf 25 of the rotating wafer cassette shelf 22. After being temporarily stored on the rotating wafer cassette shelf 22, the wafer cassette 21 is moved by wafer cassette transport device 27 from shelf 25 to either wafer cassette opener 26 and transferred to the loading stage 33, or directly transferred from loading port 19 to loading stage 33.

[0043] The wafer cassette 21 placed on the mounting stage 33 is pressed against the front wall 29 of the sub-cassette 28 and moved into the opening edge of the loading outlet 32. The cover is removed by the opening and closing mechanism 34, thereby opening the wafer inlet and outlet.

[0044] When wafer cassette 21 is opened by wafer cassette opener 26, transfer machine 36 removes wafer 31 from wafer cassette 21 and loads it into boat 38. After handing over wafer 31 to boat 38, transfer machine 36 returns to wafer cassette 21 and loads the next wafer 31 into boat 38.

[0045] When the pre-specified number of wafers 31 are loaded into the boat 38, the furnace opening of the processing furnace 12, which is closed by the furnace opening gate 41, is opened. Then, the boat 38 is raised by the boat elevator 42 and loaded into the processing furnace 12.

[0046] After loading, the wafer 31 undergoes arbitrary processing within the processing furnace 12. After processing, the wafer 31 and wafer cassette 21 are removed from the housing 13 by steps that are the reverse of those described above.

[0047] (2) Structure of the processing furnace (air cooling system)

[0048] Figure 3A longitudinal sectional view of the periphery of the processing furnace 12 is shown. The processing furnace 12 is cylindrical and includes: a reaction tube 203 into which a boat 38 is housed; a heat spreader 204 that houses the reaction tube 203 internally; an insulating wall 300, on which a cylindrical reaction tube housing chamber 205, which houses the heat spreader 204 as an example of a reactor housing chamber, is formed, and is composed of side insulating material 300A forming the side wall surface of the reaction tube housing chamber 205 and top insulating material 300B forming the top surface of the reaction tube housing chamber 205; a heater 206 disposed within the inner wall of the reaction tube housing chamber 205 in the insulating wall 300; and an air circulation system. A flow path 302 is formed concentrically with the inner wall of the reaction tube receiving chamber 205 in the vertical direction inside the side insulation material 300A; an upper chamber 304 is connected to the air flow path 302 at its upper end and forms part of the air circulation flow path 306 described below; a lower chamber 308 is connected to the air flow path 302 at its lower end and forms part of the air circulation flow path 306 described below; and an air circulation flow path 306 connects the upper chamber 304 and the lower chamber 308.

[0049] In the lower chamber 308, there is an air inlet valve 310 that serves as an open / close valve for communicating with the outside air.

[0050] On the other hand, a radiator 312, which serves as an example of an air cooling device, is installed near the upper chamber 304 on the air circulation path 306, and a fan 314, which serves as an example of an air circulation device, is installed near the lower chamber 308.

[0051] An on / off valve 316 is provided between the upper chamber 304 and the radiator 312 in the air circulation path 306, and an on / off valve 318 is provided between the fan 314 and the lower chamber 308. Furthermore, between the radiator 312 and the fan 314, an exhaust valve 320, serving as an on / off valve connected to the equipment's exhaust system, and an intake valve 322, serving as an on / off valve connected to external air, are provided. Additionally, an exhaust valve 324, serving as an on / off valve connected to the equipment's exhaust system, is provided between the fan 314 and the on / off valve 318, and an on / off valve 326 is provided between the exhaust valve 320 and the intake valve 322.

[0052] In the processing furnace 12, the inlet valves 310, 322 and the on / off valve 318 are equivalent to the first valve of the present invention, and the exhaust valves 320, 324 and the on / off valve 316 are equivalent to the second valve.

[0053] That is, the processing furnace 12 has an air cooling system that circulates air, which serves as the heat medium for cooling the furnace body.

[0054] The processing furnace 12 is further provided with a gas inlet pipe 328 for introducing raw material gas and / or inert gas into the reaction tube 203, and a gas outlet pipe 330 for discharging the raw material gas and / or inert gas introduced into the reaction tube 203 to the outside of the reaction tube 203. Below the processing furnace 12, an inlet flange 332 is arranged concentrically with the reaction tube 203. An O-ring, serving as a sealing component, is provided between the inlet flange 332 and the reaction tube 203. The gas inlet pipe 328 and the gas outlet pipe 330 are configured to penetrate the sidewall of the inlet flange 332.

[0055] On the side of the sealing cap 44 opposite to the inside of the reaction tube 203, a boat rotation mechanism 334 is provided to rotate the boat 38 containing the wafer 31. The rotation shaft 335 of the boat rotation mechanism 334 passes through the sealing cap 44 and is connected to the boat 38. The boat rotation mechanism 334 is configured to rotate the wafer 31 by rotating the boat 38.

[0056] (3) Structure of the water cooling system

[0057] Next, use Figure 4 A preferred water cooling system used in one embodiment of this disclosure will be described.

[0058] The water cooling system 400 supplies cooling fluid (salt water) to multiple units that are parts of the substrate processing apparatus 1 that require cooling in order to cool each unit.

[0059] The water cooling system 400 is mainly composed of the following components: supply pipe 404; water supply manifold 408 as a distribution section; first unit 440, second unit 442, third unit 444 and fourth unit 446 as multiple first cooling units; the auxiliary system described below; drain manifold 450 as a confluence section; drain pipe 452; and fifth unit 456 as a second cooling unit.

[0060] A valve 406, serving as an on / off valve or a regulating valve, is provided at the connection point between the supply pipe 404 and the plant equipment supplying the cooling fluid. The valve 406, for example, is a ball valve or a ball valve, used to fine-tune the overall usage of the cooling fluid among multiple substrate processing devices 1, or to shut off the cooling fluid during maintenance.

[0061] The water supply manifold 408 distributes the cooling fluid supplied from the cooling fluid supply port 402 to the first unit 440, the second unit 442, the third unit 444, the fourth unit 446, and the piping 418 as an auxiliary system.

[0062] The drain manifold 450 allows the cooling fluids that have passed through the first unit 440, the second unit 442, the third unit 444, the fourth unit 446 and the piping 418 to merge and are supplied to the fifth unit 456 through the drain pipe 452.

[0063] Pipes 410, 412, 414, 416, and 418 are respectively connected between the water supply manifold 408 and the drainage manifold 450.

[0064] In piping 410, 412, 414, and 416, needle valves 420, 422, 424, and 426, flow meters 430, 432, 434, and 436, a first unit 440, a second unit 442, a third unit 444, and a fourth unit 446 are sequentially installed from the upstream side. The first unit 440, the second unit 442, the third unit 444, and the fourth unit 446 supply cooling fluid in parallel. Here, needle valves 420, 422, 424, and 426 are regulating valves that are automatically opened and closed by controller 600, configured to continuously change the opening degree by electric control. After the needle valves adjust the flow rate to ensure the required flow rate of each unit, they are used in a fixed manner, and controller 600 monitors the flow rate of the flow meters. Furthermore, the controller is configured to issue an alarm or automatically readjust if the monitored flow rate deviates from a predetermined range. Here, the required flow rate refers to the flow rate required to maintain each unit or its cooled object at a desired temperature below the specified level.

[0065] Additionally, a needle valve 428 is provided in piping 418. That is, piping 418 is configured to directly connect the supply-side manifold 408 to the drain-side manifold 450 via the needle valve 428. Piping 418 serves as an auxiliary system bypassing the first to fourth units, wherein the first to fourth units open and close the needle valve 428 as needed, allowing cooling fluid to flow from the supply-side manifold 408 to the drain-side manifold 450. As explained below, the flow rate of piping 418 is set to minimize the energy consumed by air cooling and water cooling.

[0066] In the drain pipe 452, a heat exchanger 454, a fifth unit 456, a flow meter 458, and a valve 460 are sequentially arranged from the upstream side. The heat exchanger 454 is located between the drain manifold 450 and the fifth unit 456 to cool the cooling fluid. The heat exchanger 454 is configured to cool the cooling fluid after it merges with the drain manifold 450 by exchanging heat with the gas (high-concentration inert gas) discharged from the ambient air or the transfer chamber 35 to the equipment exhaust system. The valve 460 can be used for the same purpose as the valve 406. Alternatively, the heat exchanger 454 may not be installed. For example, if the piping between the first to fourth units and the fifth unit 456 is long enough to achieve the lower water temperature required for cooling the fifth unit 456, the heat exchanger 454 can be omitted. In this case, the flow rate of the cooling fluid can be increased by controlling the needle valve 428 of the piping 418, which serves as an auxiliary system.

[0067] The first unit 440, the second unit 442, the third unit 444, and the fourth unit 446 cool different objects respectively, and at least one unit cools the furnace opening of the processing furnace 12. The first unit 440, the second unit 442, the third unit 444, and the fourth unit 446 are units provided in or around the processing furnace 12 for processing wafers 31, and are cooled using a small flow rate of cooling fluid.

[0068] The fifth unit 456 is a cooler located in or around the processing furnace 12 that processes the wafer 31, and uses a large flow rate of cooling fluid to cool the furnace body of the processing furnace 12 or air, which serves as the heat transfer medium after cooling the furnace body. In other words, among the first unit 440, the second unit 442, the third unit 444, the fourth unit 446, and the fifth unit 456, the fifth unit 456 has the highest required flow rate of cooling fluid or the largest amount of heat released to the cooling fluid.

[0069] Based on the temperature and cooling rate of the processing furnace 12, the change in heat acquired by the cooling fluid per unit time in the fifth unit 456 is determined. In other words, the fifth unit 456 cools objects where the amount of heat received changes, and heat exchange occurs between the furnace body or air and the cooling fluid. Air heated by the furnace body heats its surroundings en route to the equipment exhaust system, accelerating the release of gases containing electronic equipment malfunctions and impurities such as phosphorus. Therefore, it is preferable that the air be cooled immediately after flowing out of the processing furnace 12 by the fifth unit 456. Furthermore, sufficiently cooled air can be reused for cooling, reducing the amount of air discharged in the air-cooled system and thus reducing the energy consumed by the air.

[0070] The first unit 440, the second unit 442, the third unit 444, and the fourth unit 446 are used, for example, for the furnace opening of the cooling furnace 12, or for the cooling inlet flange 332, the sealing cover 44, the boat rotating mechanism 334, the outer shell of the processing furnace 12, the atmosphere in the transfer chamber 35, etc.

[0071] For example, a submerged flow path for cooling fluid is formed in the inlet flange 332, configured to cool the O-rings and the like at the furnace opening of the enclosed processing furnace 12. Furthermore, the cooling fluid passes around the sealing cover 44, the boat rotation mechanism 334, the outer shell of the processing furnace 12, the transfer chamber, etc., to cool them. It can also be configured to cool a radiator that cools the atmosphere inside the transfer chamber 35. It can also be used as a cooling sleeve that can be installed on the parts requiring cooling.

[0072] The fifth unit 456, for example, is a radiator 312, configured to cool the air flowing inside the processing furnace 12 during rapid cooling. The auxiliary system semi-fixedly sets the opening of the needle valve 428 based on the maximum heat received by the radiator 312, maintaining the air passing through the radiator 312 below a predetermined temperature. Alternatively, the opening of the needle valve 428 can be configured to change according to changes in the heat received by the radiator 312, and the opening of the needle valve 428 can be set to zero at times other than rapid cooling. This allows for substantial maintenance of cooling capacity during rapid cooling of the processing furnace 12 while conserving cooling fluid. Furthermore, since the water flow of the auxiliary system is switched according to the operating status of the fifth unit 456, an on / off valve can also be installed in series with the needle valve 428. In this case, the auxiliary system includes piping 418, needle valve 428, and the on / off valve.

[0073] That is, the cooling flow path system 400 distributes the cooling fluid obtained from the cooling fluid supply port 402 to five pipes 410, 412, 414, 416, and 418 via the needle valve 406 and the water supply manifold 408.

[0074] Then, the cooling fluids distributed to pipes 410, 412, 414, and 416 respectively pass through needle valves 420, 422, 424, and 426, flow meters 430, 432, 434, and 436, and through first unit 440, second unit 442, third unit 444, and fourth unit 446, before converging at the drain manifold 450. Furthermore, the cooling fluids distributed to pipe 418 converge at the drain manifold 450 via needle valve 428.

[0075] Then, the cooling fluid that has merged at the drain manifold 450 passes through the fifth unit 456 and returns to the plant equipment via the flow meter 458 and valve 460.

[0076] That is, the cooling fluid supplied to the first unit 440, the second unit 442, the third unit 444, and the fourth unit 446 with a small flow rate is combined, and then supplied to the fifth unit 456 with the largest flow rate. This reduces the amount of cooling fluid used compared to supplying cooling fluid to all units in parallel. Furthermore, compared to disconnecting the cooling fluid supply to the fifth unit 456 to conserve cooling fluid, the variation in the overall cooling fluid flow rate of the substrate processing apparatus 1 can be reduced. This allows for a stable supply of cooling fluid to each unit and suppresses water hammer, piping damage caused by water hammer, and leaks.

[0077] Here, the minimum required flow rate of the cooling fluid in the fifth unit 456 is preferably set to be less than or equal to the sum of the minimum required flow rates of the first unit 440, the second unit 442, the third unit 444, and the fourth unit 446. Thus, the amount of cooling fluid used can generally be minimized without the use of an auxiliary system.

[0078] Furthermore, if the combined required flow rate of the cooling fluid in the first unit 440, the second unit 442, the third unit 444, and the fourth unit 446 is less than the required flow rate of the cooling fluid in the fifth unit 456, the cooling fluid can be supplemented by adjusting the opening of the needle valve 428 of the piping 418 in the auxiliary system. The cold cooling fluid from the piping 418 of the auxiliary system, which bypasses the cooling unit, can lower the temperature of the cooling fluid in the fifth unit 456.

[0079] In this way, by employing a cascaded structure in the water supply to each unit, the total consumption of cooling fluid used in the water cooling system 400 can be reduced.

[0080] Furthermore, in the water-cooling system 400, even during water-saving periods, the flow rate of the cooling fluid in all piping is never zero, maintaining a small flow rate. This prevents the cooling fluid from becoming stagnant, algae from growing, and rust from accumulating. Additionally, even if the total heat released to the cooling fluid remains constant, reducing the flow rate of the cooling fluid also saves energy, as shown in SEMI / ISMI specification S23 as energy conversion factors (ECF). That is, when cooling water (above 25°C) is supplied from a cooling tower, energy consumption is determined by the flow rate used, regardless of the rise in drainage temperature; similarly, when cooling water (below 25°C) is supplied from a chiller, energy consumption is also determined by the flow rate used. In the processing furnace 12 of this disclosure, the air from the processing furnace 12 is cooled using the cooling fluid; therefore, the higher the flow rate of the cooling fluid, the colder the circulating air becomes, and the less air is drawn from the outside and the less is exhausted.

[0081] (4) Controller Structure

[0082] The substrate processing apparatus 1 includes a controller 600 that controls the operation of each part of the substrate processing apparatus 1.

[0083] Figure 5 An overview of the controller 600 is shown. The controller 600, as a control unit (control device), is configured as a computer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 600a, RAM (Random Access Memory) 600b, a storage device 600c, and an I / O port 600d. The RAM 600b, storage device 600c, and I / O port 600d are configured to exchange data with the CPU 600a via an internal bus 600e. The controller 600 can be connected, for example, to an input / output device 602 configured as a touch panel, and an external storage device 603 such as a data storage device.

[0084] The storage device 600c is composed of, for example, flash memory or HDD (Hard Disk Drive). Within the storage device 600c, a control program that controls the operation of the board processing apparatus 1, and a process flow describing the steps and conditions of the board processing described below are stored in a readable manner. The process flow is a combination of steps in the board processing process executed by the controller 600 to obtain a predetermined result, and functions as a program. Hereinafter, the process flow, control program, etc., will be collectively referred to as a program. In this specification, the term "program" may refer only to the process flow unit, only to the control program unit, or both. RAM 600b is configured as a memory area (working area) that temporarily holds the program, data, etc., read by the CPU 600a.

[0085] I / O port 600d is connected to the aforementioned wafer cassette handling device 27, transfer machine 36, boat lift 42, heater 206, radiator 312, fan 314, inlet valves 310 and 322, exhaust valves 320 and 324, on / off valves 316, 318 and 326, needle valves 420, 422, 424, 426 and 428, flow meters 430, 432, 434, 436 and 458, valves 406 and 460, heat exchanger 454, etc.

[0086] CPU 600a is configured to read and execute control programs from storage device 600c, and to read process data from storage device 600c based on inputs such as operation instructions from input / output device 602. CPU600a is configured to control the wafer cassette transport device 27, the wafer cassette transfer device 36, the boat lifting device 42, the boat rotating device 38, the temperature adjustment device of heater 206, the opening and closing of inlet valves 310 and 322, on / off valves 316, 318 and 326, exhaust valves 320 and 324, the start and stop of radiator 312 and fan 314, the opening and closing of needle valves 420, 422, 424, 426 and 428, valves 406 and 460, the flow rate adjustment of cooling fluid by flow meters 430, 432, 434, 436 and 458, and the start and stop of heat exchanger 454, etc., according to the read process information.

[0087] (5) Substrate processing steps using a substrate processing apparatus

[0088] Next, an example sequence of a process for forming a film on a wafer 31 using the substrate processing apparatus 1 described above (hereinafter also referred to as film formation process) as a step in the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device will be described. Here, an example of forming a film on the wafer 31 by supplying a raw material gas to the wafer 31 will be described. Furthermore, in the following description, the operation of each part constituting the substrate processing apparatus 1 is controlled by the controller 600.

[0089] (S10: Wafer loading and boat loading)

[0090] First, the standby state of the device is released, and multiple wafers 31 are loaded into the boat 38 (wafer loading). The boat 38 is then moved into the processing furnace 12 by the boat lift 42 (boat loading).

[0091] (S11: Pressure Adjustment)

[0092] Vacuum exhaust (pressure reduction exhaust) is performed by a vacuum pump located in the gas outlet pipe 330 to bring the space within the reaction tube 203, i.e., the space where the wafer 31 exists, to a predetermined pressure (vacuum level). During this time, the pressure within the reaction tube 203 is measured by a pressure sensor, and the APC valve is controlled based on this measured pressure information. The vacuum pump remains operational at least until the processing of the wafer 31 is completed.

[0093] (S12: Temperature rise)

[0094] Furthermore, the heater 206 heats the reaction tube 203 so that the wafer 31 inside the reaction tube 203 reaches a predetermined temperature. At this time, the energization of the heater 206 is controlled by feedback based on the temperature information detected by the temperature detection unit so that the reaction tube 203 achieves a predetermined temperature distribution. The heating of the reaction tube 203 by the heater 206 continues at least until the processing of the wafer 31 is completed.

[0095] From the start of the heating of wafer 31 until the temperature inside the reaction tube 203, i.e., the temperature of wafer 31, reaches the target temperature, the controller 600 closes the intake valve 310, the on / off valve 316, and the on / off valve 318. At this time, a predetermined amount of cooling fluid flows through the heat sink 312. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of reducing power consumption, it is preferable to set the state where the on / off valve 320, the exhaust valves 320 and 324 are also closed and the fan 314 stops.

[0096] As a result, the connection between the airflow path 302 and the external air and the equipment exhaust system is disconnected, and the airflow in the airflow path 302 also stops. Not only does the airflow path 302 function as insulation material, forming the insulation wall 300, but the air itself also functions as insulation material, causing the temperature inside the reaction tube 203 to rise rapidly.

[0097] (S13: Raw material gas supply)

[0098] After the temperature inside the reaction tube 203 is maintained at a preset processing temperature, a raw material gas is supplied to the wafer 31 inside the reaction tube 203. The raw material gas, introduced into the reaction tube 203 through the gas inlet pipe 328, flows down inside the reaction tube 203 and is discharged to the outside of the reaction tube 203 through the gas outlet pipe 330. As the raw material gas passes through the reaction tube 203, it comes into contact with the surface of the wafer 31, for example, performing oxidation, diffusion, or other treatments on the wafer 31.

[0099] (S14: Cooling down)

[0100] In this step, the heating in step S12, which continues during the film-forming process, is stopped, and the temperature inside the reaction tube 203 is rapidly cooled.

[0101] The controller 600 opens the on / off valve 316 and starts the fan 314, and also opens the intake valve 310, the on / off valve 326, and the exhaust valve 324. As a result, air, which has flowed out of the airflow path 302 and been cooled by the radiator 312, is drawn in and discharged from the exhaust valve 324 into the equipment exhaust system (equipment exhaust pipe). Alternatively, the intake valve 322 and the exhaust valve 320, located between the radiator 312 and the fan 314, are opened, pressurizing the air obtained from the intake valve 322 and delivering it into the airflow path 302, after which the air flowing out of the airflow path 302 and cooled by the radiator 312 is discharged. In the former flow path, by opening the on / off valve 326 and the intake valve 322, room temperature air is mixed with exhaust air, which reduces the temperature of the exhaust air discharged into the equipment exhaust system. In the latter flow path, by opening the on / off valve 326, some or all of the air is circulated, which reduces the amount discharged into the equipment exhaust system. The controller 600 optimizes the flow path, the speed of the fan 314, and the opening of the intake valves 310 and 322, the exhaust valves 320 and 324, and the on / off valve 326 so that the temperature of the reaction tube receiving chamber 205 decreases at a desired rate, and maintains the temperature of the air discharged to the equipment exhaust system (equipment exhaust duct) and the temperature of the air discharged from the fan 314 below a predetermined level, while minimizing the amount of air taken in or discharged.

[0102] At this time, the water cooling system 400, controlled by the controller 600, distributes the cooling fluid obtained from the cooling fluid supply port 402 to five pipes via the supply pipe 404, needle valve 406, and water supply manifold 408. This causes the cooling fluid, after passing through the furnace opening of the processing furnace 12 and the periphery of the inlet flange 332, sealing cap 44, and boat rotation mechanism 334, to converge in the drain manifold 450 and be supplied to the radiator 312. Thus, the cooling fluid supplied to the radiator 312 exchanges heat with the air flowing through the air circulation path 306, cooling the air inside the processing furnace 12. Furthermore, when the total flow rate of the cooling fluid supplied through the furnace opening of the processing furnace 12 and the periphery of the inlet flange 332, sealing cover 44, boat rotating mechanism 334, etc. is less than the flow rate required in the radiator 312, the opening degree of the needle valve 428 of the piping 418 in the auxiliary system is adjusted, and when the temperature of the converging cooling fluid is high, the radiator 312 exchanges heat between the air, which is the heat medium, and the cooling fluid to reduce the temperature of the cooling fluid.

[0103] The controller 600 can also perform optimal control between the air-cooled system and the water-cooled system 400 to minimize energy consumption. The energy consumption C and the heat H that can be discharged during rapid cooling are shown below.

[0104] C=f(U air U water) = ECF air ×U air +ECF water ×U water

[0105] H=g(U air U water ) = Const

[0106] Here, U air and U water These are the amounts of air and water used [m] 3 ], U air =0.1507 [kWh / m 3 ], U water =0.26 [kWh / m 3 ]. H is U air with U water The function, U, is set to a predetermined value to obtain the desired cooling rate. air with U water The relationship is derived empirically. The U that minimizes C... air and U water It can be solved numerically using methods such as Lagrange's method of indeterminate multipliers. Furthermore, ECF... air and ECF water This is the aforementioned energy conversion factor, used to calculate the energy consumed during the use of the device, as defined by SEMI / ISMI specification S23. In this embodiment, ECF air This is the energy required to prepare clean, dry air for the cleanroom (0.147 kWh / m²). 3 The energy required for exhaust (0.0037 kWh / m³) 3 ) and ECF water This refers to the energy required to prepare (supply and recover) the circulating cooling water, equivalent to the electricity cost of the cooling tower and circulating pump. Among these, when g(U air U water When the model is modeled as shown in Equation 1, an analytical solution can be obtained.

[0107] Formula 1

[0108]

[0109] In the above formula, a, b, c, and d represent constants. The controller 600 can achieve a U-value similar to this. air and U water The speed of fan 314 and the opening of needle valve 428 are controlled in a consistent manner.

[0110] (S15: Atmospheric pressure recovery)

[0111] If the preset processing time has elapsed, inert gas is supplied through gas inlet pipe 328, the reaction tube 203 is replaced with inert gas, and the pressure inside the reaction tube 203 returns to atmospheric pressure. Furthermore, steps S14 and S15 can be performed in parallel, or their starting order can be changed.

[0112] (S16: Unloading of the wafer and unloading of the wafer)

[0113] The boat 38 is slowly lowered by the boat elevator 42, with the lower end of the inlet flange 332 opening. Then, the processed wafer 31, supported by the boat 38, is moved from the lower end of the inlet flange 332 to the outside of the reaction tube 203 (boat unloading). The processed wafer 31 is then removed from the boat 38 by the transfer machine 36 (wafer unloading).

[0114] (6) Other implementation methods

[0115] Next, use Figure 7 A variation of the processing furnace in one embodiment of this disclosure will be described. Here, the differences from the embodiment described above will be mainly described, and other points will be omitted.

[0116] In the processing furnace 72, there is no air circulation path 306 connecting the upper chamber 304 and the lower chamber 308.

[0117] An exhaust flow path 706 is connected to the upper chamber 304, and a radiator 712A and a radiator 712B are provided in the exhaust flow path 706. An on / off valve 316 is provided between the upper chamber 304 and the radiator 712A in the exhaust flow path 706.

[0118] Cooling fluid from piping 418, which is an auxiliary system in the aforementioned water-cooling system 400, is supplied to radiator 712B. The cooling fluid that cools radiator 712B and flows through piping 418 (which is part of the auxiliary system) merges with a small flow rate of cooling fluid flowing through the first unit 440, second unit 442, third unit 444, and fourth unit 446, and is then supplied to radiator 712A. Thus, cooling fluid is supplied to radiators 712A and 712B, and heat exchange occurs between the cooling fluid and air, which is the heat medium flowing through exhaust path 706, before the cooled air is discharged. In other words, in this modified example, a merging section is provided in radiator 712A to allow the cooling fluids flowing through the first to fourth units to merge.

[0119] Even when using the processing furnace 72 described above, film formation can be performed using the same substrate processing steps and processing conditions as when using the processing furnace 12 described above, thereby achieving the same effects as the above-described embodiments.

[0120] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, an example of film formation using a substrate processing apparatus that is a batch processing vertical device for processing multiple substrates at a time has been described. However, this disclosure is not limited to this, and it can also be appropriately applied to the case of forming a film using a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus that processes one or several substrates at a time. That is, even when using a single-wafer substrate processing apparatus, substrate processing can be performed using the same processing steps and processing conditions as in the above embodiments, thereby obtaining the same effects as described above.

[0121] Furthermore, the processes used in the substrate processing are preferably prepared individually according to the processing requirements and pre-stored in the storage device 600c via electrical communication lines and external storage device 603. Moreover, when substrate processing begins, the CPU 600a preferably selects an appropriate process from among the multiple processes stored in the storage device 600c according to the substrate processing requirements. This allows for the reproducible formation of films of various types, compositions, qualities, and thicknesses using a single substrate processing apparatus. Furthermore, it reduces operator workload, avoids operational errors, and enables rapid initiation of processing.

[0122] The aforementioned process is not limited to newly created processes; for example, it can be prepared by modifying an existing process already installed in the substrate processing apparatus. In the case of process modification, the modified process can be installed in the substrate processing apparatus via an electrical communication line or a recording medium containing the modified process. Furthermore, the existing input / output device 602 of the substrate processing apparatus can be operated to directly modify an existing process already installed in the substrate processing apparatus.

[0123] The above describes various typical embodiments of this disclosure, but this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and can also be used in appropriate combinations.

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus characterized by comprising: has: a plurality of first cooling units provided at a processing furnace for processing a substrate or a periphery thereof, and cooling using a cooling fluid; a second cooling unit provided at the processing furnace for processing the substrate or the periphery thereof, and cooling using the cooling fluid, and disposed at a position separate from the plurality of first cooling units; a distribution section that distributes the cooling fluid supplied from a cooling fluid supply port to the plurality of first cooling units and an auxiliary system that bypasses the plurality of first cooling units; a merging section that merges the cooling fluid after passing through the plurality of first cooling units and the auxiliary system, and supplies the second cooling unit; and the auxiliary system directly links between the distribution section and the merging section via an on-off valve.

2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein among the plurality of first cooling units and the second cooling unit, the second cooling unit has the largest required flow rate of the cooling fluid, or the largest amount of heat released to the cooling fluid.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second cooling unit cools an object that receives a variable amount of heat, and the auxiliary system is configured to open and close the communication between the distribution section and the merging section according to the amount of heat received by the object.

4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a heat exchanger provided between the merging section and the second cooling unit, and cooling the cooling fluid.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second cooling unit cools a furnace body of the processing furnace or a heat medium that has cooled the furnace body using the cooling fluid.

6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a flow rate of the auxiliary system is set to minimize energy consumed by air cooling and water cooling.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a cooling system that circulates a heat medium that cools the furnace body, and the second cooling unit performs heat exchange between the heat medium and the cooling fluid.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cooling system further comprises: a fan that sucks the heat medium cooled by the second cooling unit and pressurizes and delivers it to the processing furnace; a first valve provided between the second cooling unit and the fan, and acquires the heat medium from the outside; a second valve provided between the fan and the processing furnace, and releases the heat medium to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus; and a control section that optimizes a speed of the fan and an opening degree of the first valve and the second valve so as to maintain a temperature of the heat medium in the fan to be lower than a predetermined temperature, and to minimize an amount of the heat medium acquired or released.

9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of first cooling units supply the cooling fluid in parallel.

10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The minimum required flow rate of the cooling fluid of the second cooling unit is lower than the total of the minimum required flow rates of the first cooling units.

11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The first cooling units each cool a different object, and at least one of the first cooling units cools a mouth portion of the processing furnace.

12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The first cooling units each cool at least four of an entrance flange provided to the mouth portion of the processing furnace, a lid, a boat rotation mechanism, an outer shell of the processing furnace, and an atmosphere in a transfer chamber.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The merging portion is provided in the second cooling unit.

14. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using a substrate processing apparatus, the substrate processing apparatus having: first cooling units provided to a processing furnace or a periphery thereof that processes a substrate, and that cool using a cooling fluid; and a second cooling unit provided to the processing furnace or the periphery thereof that processes the substrate, and that cools using the cooling fluid, and that is disposed at a position separate from the first cooling units, The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein: a step of distributing the cooling fluid supplied from a cooling fluid supply port to the first cooling units and an auxiliary system at a distributor; and a step of causing the cooling fluid that has passed through the first cooling units and the auxiliary system to merge at a merging portion and to be supplied to the second cooling unit, The auxiliary system directly links the distributor and the merging portion via an on-off valve.

15. A recording medium that can be read by a computer that stores a computer program, the recording medium comprising: when the program is executed by a processor included in a substrate processing apparatus, the following steps are executed: a step of distributing the cooling fluid supplied from a cooling fluid supply port to first cooling units and an auxiliary system at a distributor, the first cooling units being provided to a processing furnace or a periphery thereof that processes a substrate, and cooling using a cooling fluid; and a step of causing the cooling fluid that has passed through the first cooling units and the auxiliary system to merge at a merging portion and to be supplied to a second cooling unit, the second cooling unit being provided to the processing furnace or the periphery thereof that processes the substrate, and cooling using the cooling fluid, and being disposed at a position separate from the first cooling units, The auxiliary system directly links the distributor and the merging portion via an on-off valve.

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