Substrate processing apparatus, rotation state detection method, semiconductor device manufacturing method, and recording medium
By introducing the function of detecting and controlling the rotation state into the substrate processing device, the problem of processing quality deviation during the rotation process of multiple substrates is solved, and the effect of maintaining a stable state during the rotation process is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202410933191.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-08-31
- Filing Date
- 2024-07-12
- Publication Date
- 2025-02-28
AI Technical Summary
When performing processing while rotating a plurality of substrates, the rotation state of the substrate may cause a deviation in processing quality.
A substrate processing device is designed, including a processing chamber, a gas supply portion, a rotary support portion and a detection portion. By detecting the rotational state of the substrate support portion and controlling it based on the detection result, it is ensured that the substrate remains stable during rotation.
Even when a plurality of substrates are rotated, it is possible to ensure that each substrate obtains the desired processing quality, and avoid processing quality deviations caused by abnormal rotational state.
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Figure CN119542179A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing device, a rotation state detection method, a semiconductor device manufacturing method and a recording medium. Background Art
[0002] As a substrate processing apparatus used in the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, for example, there is a substrate processing apparatus that is configured to perform predetermined processing (film forming processing, etc.) on each substrate by arranging a plurality of substrates in a circular configuration and supplying gas to each substrate while rotating the substrates (for example, refer to patent document 1).
[0003] Prior art literature
[0004] Patent Literature
[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-134224 Summary of the invention
[0006] When processing a plurality of substrates while rotating them, it is expected that the processing quality of each substrate may vary depending on the rotation state. The present invention provides a technique for obtaining a desired processing quality for each substrate even when processing a plurality of substrates while rotating them.
[0007] According to one solution of the present invention, a technology is provided, comprising:
[0008] a processing chamber for processing substrates;
[0009] a gas supply unit capable of supplying gas to the processing chamber;
[0010] a substrate support portion rotatably provided in the processing chamber and capable of supporting the plurality of substrates in a circumferential shape; and
[0011] A detection unit detects the rotation state of the substrate support unit.
[0012] Effects of the Invention
[0013] According to the present invention, even when a plurality of substrates are processed while being rotated, desired processing quality can be obtained for each substrate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from above.
[0015] Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 α-α' line cross-sectional view.
[0016] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram showing a first specific example of the detection unit in the substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a normal state of the substrate support unit.
[0017] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram showing a first specific example of a detection unit in a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a state in which an abnormality has occurred in a substrate support unit.
[0018] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram showing a second specific example of the detection unit in the substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a normal state of the substrate support unit.
[0019] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram showing a second specific example of the detection unit in the substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a state in which an abnormality has occurred in the substrate support unit.
[0020] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram showing a third specific example of the detection unit in the substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a normal state of the substrate support unit.
[0021] Figure 8 It is a schematic diagram showing a third specific example of the detection unit in the substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention, and is a diagram showing a state in which an abnormality has occurred in the substrate support unit.
[0022] Fig. 9 It is an explanatory diagram for explaining a configuration example of a gas supply unit in a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] Fig.10 This is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of a controller in a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] Fig.11 This is a flowchart showing an example of a sequence of a substrate processing step executed by a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] Fig.12 This is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of the timing of executing the rotation state monitoring during the operation of the substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] Description of Reference Numerals
[0027] 100 substrates
[0028] 200 substrate processing device
[0029] 240 first gas supply unit
[0030] 250 second gas supply unit
[0031] 260 Purge gas supply unit (inactive gas supply unit)
[0032] 270 third gas supply unit
[0033] Processing Room 301
[0034] 302 chamber (processing container)
[0035] 306a First processing area (first area)
[0036] 306b Second processing area (second area)
[0037] 307a The first purge area (purge area)
[0038] 307b Second purge area (purge area)
[0039] 317 substrate support
[0040] 318 substrate mounting plate (rotating part)
[0041] 319 lifting and rotating part
[0042] 319f Rotometer (Detection Unit)
[0043] 322 shaft (support shaft)
[0044] 351 sensor (detection unit)
[0045] 352 sensor (detection unit)
[0046] 353 sensor (detection unit)
[0047] 380 Heater (heater unit)
[0048] 400 controller (control unit) DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0049] Below, while referring to the attached Figure 1 One embodiment of the present invention will be described below.
[0050] (1) Structure of substrate processing apparatus
[0051] Main Use Figure 1 , Figure 2The structure of a substrate processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is described below. In addition, the drawings used in the following description are all schematic drawings, and the dimensional relationship and proportion of each element in the drawings are not necessarily consistent with the actual situation. In addition, the dimensional relationship and proportion of each element in multiple drawings are not necessarily consistent with each other.
[0052] Figure 1 It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the substrate processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment as viewed from above. Figure 2 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment. Figure 1 The α-α' line cross-sectional view in FIG. In addition, the α-α' line is a line passing through the center of the chamber 302 from α and toward α'.
[0053] The specific structure of the substrate processing apparatus 200 will be described. The substrate processing apparatus 200 is controlled by a controller 400 described later.
[0054] (Chamber)
[0055] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the substrate processing apparatus 200 is mainly composed of a chamber 302 which is a cylindrical airtight container (processing container). A processing chamber 301 for processing the substrate 100 is formed in the chamber 302. A gate valve 305 is connected to the chamber 302, and the substrate 100 is carried in and out by the wafer transfer machine 500 through the gate valve 305. The gate valve 305 is adjacent to the passage 305a. The substrate 100 moves through the passage 305a.
[0056] A processing area 306 as a slice (area) for supplying a processing gas and a purge area 307 as a slice (area) for supplying a purge gas are set in the processing chamber 301. Here, the processing area 306 and the purge area 307 are arranged alternately in a circular shape. For example, the first processing area 306a as the first slice, the first purge area 307a as the purge slice, the second processing area 306b as the second slice, and the second purge area 307b as the purge slice are arranged in this order. As described later, the first gas is supplied to the first processing area 306a, the second gas is supplied to the second processing area 306b, and the inactive gas is supplied to the first purge area 307a and the second purge area 307b. Thus, according to the gas supplied to each area, a prescribed process is performed on the substrate 100.
[0057] The purge area 307 is an area that spatially separates the first processing area 306a and the second processing area 306b. The top 308 of the purge area 307 is configured to be lower than the top 309 of the processing area 306. The first purge area 307a is provided with a top 308a, and the second purge area 307b is provided with a top 308b. By lowering each top, the spatial pressure of the purge area 307 is increased. By supplying purge gas to the space, the adjacent processing areas 306 are divided. In addition, the purge gas also has the function of removing excess gas on the substrate 100.
[0058] A substrate support 317 that supports the substrate 100 is provided in the chamber 302. The substrate support 317 has a heat-transmitting property and transmits heat radiated from a heater 380 described later. The transmitted heat heats the substrate 100.
[0059] The substrate support 317 is rotatably provided in the chamber 302. The substrate support 317 is configured to be able to arrange a plurality of (eg, five) substrates 100 on the same plane and in the same circle along the rotation direction in the processing chamber 301.
[0060] Therefore, the substrate support part 317 includes a substrate mounting plate 318 as a plate-shaped rotating part that supports the substrate 100, thereby being able to support a plurality of substrates 100 in a circumferential shape. Furthermore, the substrate mounting plate 318 is supported by a support shaft, which will be described later, disposed near the center of the chamber 302, and is configured to be able to rotate with the support shaft as a rotation axis. In other words, the substrate support part 317 is configured to include at least the substrate mounting plate 318 and a shaft 322, which will be described later, which serves as a support shaft and supports the substrate mounting plate 318.
[0061] The surface of the substrate mounting plate 318 is composed of a substrate mounting surface 311 on which the substrate 100 is mounted and other non-substrate mounting surfaces 325. The substrate mounting surfaces 311 are arranged at equal intervals (e.g., intervals of 72°) at positions concentric with the center of the substrate mounting plate 318. Figure 1 In the figure, the illustration is omitted for convenience of explanation.
[0062] The substrate mounting surface 311 is provided on the bottom surface of the recessed portion 312. Each recessed portion 312 is circular when viewed from, for example, the upper surface of the substrate mounting plate 318, and is concave when viewed from the side. It is preferable that the diameter of the recessed portion 312 is slightly larger than the diameter of the substrate 100. By placing the substrate 100 in the recessed portion 312, the substrate 100 can be placed on the substrate mounting surface 311.
[0063] The substrate mounting plate 318 is fixed to the core 321. The core 321 is provided at the center of the substrate mounting plate 318 and has the function of fixing the substrate mounting plate 318 to the shaft 322 described later. A shaft 322 is arranged below the core 321 as a support shaft for supporting the substrate mounting plate 318. The shaft 322 supports the core 321.
[0064] The lower part of the shaft 322 passes through a hole 323 provided at the bottom of the chamber 302, and is covered by a bellows 304 that can achieve airtightness outside the chamber 302. In addition, at the lower end of the shaft 322, a lifting and rotating part 319 is provided.
[0065] The lifting and rotating unit 319 mainly includes a support shaft 319a supporting the shaft 322 and an operating unit 319b that lifts or rotates the support shaft 319a. The operating unit 319b includes a lifting mechanism 319c including a motor for lifting and lowering, and a rotating mechanism 319d such as a gear for rotating the support shaft 319a.
[0066] The lifting and rotating unit 319 may include an instruction unit 319e for instructing the operation unit 319b to lift and rotate as a part of the lifting and rotating unit 319. The instruction unit 319e is electrically connected to the controller 400. The instruction unit 319e controls the operation unit 319b based on the instruction of the controller 400.
[0067] The substrate support part 317 can rotate the substrate 100 placed on the substrate placement surface 311 in the circumferential direction by operating the lifting and rotating part 319 to rotate the shaft 322 and the substrate placement plate 318. In addition, the substrate support part 317 can lift the substrate 100 placed on the substrate placement surface 311 by operating the lifting and rotating part 319 to lift the shaft 322 and the substrate placement plate 318.
[0068] The lifting and rotating section 319 may also be provided with a rotation meter 319f for detecting a value related to the rotation of the support shaft 319a or the shaft 322 supported by the support shaft 319a as a part of the lifting and rotating section 319. The rotation meter 319f is configured to detect, as a value related to the rotation, for example, the number of rotations or the value of the rotation speed when the support shaft 319a rotates, and their value changes over time.
[0069] A posture control unit 350 for controlling the posture of the substrate support unit 317 (i.e., a portion including at least the substrate mounting plate 318 and the shaft 322) is provided between the shaft 322 and the lifting and rotating unit 319. The posture control unit 350 includes a base member 351 for supporting the shaft 322 and the lifting and rotating unit 319, and a plurality of actuators 352 for connecting the base member 351 to the lower surface of the chamber 302.
[0070] A plurality of actuators 352 (e.g., four or six) are evenly arranged to surround the shaft 322. Each actuator 352 is configured to be independently retractable, and the distance between the base member 351 and the chamber 302 is changed by the extension and retraction of each actuator 352 to control the inclination of the base member 351 relative to the chamber 302, thereby adjusting the posture of the substrate support 317 (especially the inclination of the rotation axis generated by the shaft 322). In addition, as the actuator 352, for example, a motor, an electromagnetic solenoid, a cylinder, etc. can be used.
[0071] The posture control unit 350 may include a tilt adjustment unit 353 for instructing each actuator 352 to perform a telescopic operation as a part of the posture control unit 350. The tilt adjustment unit 353 is electrically connected to the controller 400. The tilt adjustment unit 353 controls the telescopic operation of each actuator 352 based on the instruction of the controller 400.
[0072] In the chamber 302, a heater unit 381 having a built-in heater 380 as a heating unit (heater unit) is arranged below the substrate mounting plate 318. The heater 380 is arranged in a manner facing the lower surface of the substrate mounting plate 318, and heats each substrate 100 mounted on the substrate mounting plate 318. The heater 380 is arranged in a circular shape along the shape of the chamber 302. The heater 380 can also be divided into a plurality of partitions along the circumferential direction. A heater temperature control unit 387 is connected to the heater 380. The heater temperature control unit 387 is electrically connected to the controller 400 described later, and controls the power supply to the heater 380 according to the instructions of the controller 400 to perform temperature control. When the heater 380 is divided into a plurality of partitions, the heater temperature control unit 387 is configured to be able to perform temperature control separately for the plurality of partitions.
[0073] An exhaust buffer structure 386 is disposed on the outer periphery of the substrate mounting plate 318. The exhaust buffer structure 386 includes an exhaust groove 388 and an exhaust buffer space 389. The exhaust groove 388 and the exhaust buffer space 389 are formed in a circular shape along the shape of the chamber 302.
[0074] An exhaust hole 392 is provided at the bottom of the exhaust buffer structure 386. The exhaust hole 392 exhausts the gas supplied into the processing container 304. Each gas is exhausted from the exhaust hole 392 via the exhaust groove 388 and the exhaust buffer space 389.
[0075] (Detection Department)
[0076] Next, the main use Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8The detection unit that detects the rotation state of the substrate support unit 317 will be described.
[0077] Figure 3 and Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first specific example of the detection unit in the substrate processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment. Figure 5 and Figure 6 1 is a schematic diagram showing a second specific example of the detection unit in the substrate processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment. Figure 7 and Figure 8 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first specific example of the detection unit in the substrate processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment.
[0078] The substrate processing apparatus 200 of the present embodiment has a detection unit for detecting the rotation state of the substrate support 317 in the chamber 302. The rotation state of the substrate support 317 refers to the state of the substrate mounting plate 318 and the shaft 322 when the substrate mounting plate 318 rotates with the shaft 322 as the rotation axis. More specifically, the rotation state of the substrate support 317 refers to whether there is an abnormality in the state of the rotating substrate mounting plate 318. Examples of the abnormality include tilting of the rotation axis when the substrate mounting plate 318 rotates, bending of the substrate mounting plate 318, and rotational variation of the substrate mounting plate 318.
[0079] As a detection unit, for example Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the chamber 302 has a sensor 361 for detecting the position of the outer peripheral edge of the substrate mounting plate 318, that is, the edge portion 318a. The sensor 361 is, for example, a transmissive photoelectric sensor having a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion configured in such a manner that the sensing detection light passes along the edge portion 318a from the side of the edge portion 318a. However, as long as the position of the edge portion 318a can be detected, a reflective photoelectric sensor instead of a transmissive one may be used. In addition, as long as the position of the edge portion 318a can be detected, a sensor of another detection form (such as a proximity sensor) may be used instead of a photoelectric sensor.
[0080] The sensor 361 can detect the presence or absence of the edge portion 318a by passing the sensing detection light from the side of the edge portion 318a of the substrate mounting plate 318. Figure 4 As shown, when the rotation axis is tilted when the substrate mounting plate 318 rotates, the edge portion 318 a blocks the sensing detection light, and thus the tilt of the rotation axis is detected by the sensor 361 .
[0081] In addition, it is preferable that a plurality of sensors 361 are arranged along the outer peripheral shape of the substrate mounting plate 318. This is because by arranging a plurality of sensors, the tilt of the rotation axis can be detected in any direction. The number of arrangements is not particularly limited as long as the direction dependency of the tilt detection can be eliminated.
[0082] In addition, as a detection unit, for example Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the chamber 302 has a sensor 362 configured in such a manner that the sensing detection light passes along the plate surface of the substrate mounting plate 318 (particularly, the lower surface 318b located on the side opposite to the substrate mounting surface 311). The sensor 362 is, for example, a transmission type photoelectric sensor configured with a light emitting portion and a light receiving portion in such a manner that the sensing detection light passes along the lower surface 318b from the vicinity of the lower surface 318b of the substrate mounting plate 318. However, as long as the position of the lower surface 318b of the substrate mounting plate 318 can be detected, a photoelectric sensor other than a transmission type but a reflection type may be used. In addition, as long as the position of the plate surface of the substrate mounting plate 318 can be detected, a sensor of other detection forms (such as a proximity sensor) may be used instead of a photoelectric sensor.
[0083] The sensor 362 can detect the presence or absence of the board surface by passing the sensing detection light near the board surface of the substrate mounting plate 318. Figure 6 As shown in the figure, when the rotation axis tilts during the rotation of the substrate mounting plate 318, the lower surface 318b of the substrate mounting plate 318 blocks the sensing light, and the tilt of the rotation axis is detected by the sensor 362. Moreover, not only when the substrate mounting plate 318 tilts, for example, when the substrate mounting plate 318 bends (droops in the direction of gravity), the lower surface 318b of the substrate mounting plate 318 blocks the sensing light, and the bending is detected by the sensor 362.
[0084] In addition, as a detection unit, for example Figure 7 , Figure 8 As shown in FIG. 1 , the chamber 302 includes a sensor 363 for detecting the distance of the gap 318c between the substrate mounting plate 318 and the heater 381. The sensor 363 is, for example, a laser length measuring sensor that is disposed near the heater 381 and detects the distance from the position to the lower surface of the substrate mounting plate 318. However, as long as the size of the gap 318c can be quantitatively detected, a length measuring sensor of another detection form (e.g., a proximity sensor) may be used instead of the laser length measuring sensor.
[0085] The sensor 363 can detect whether the size of the gap 318c is constant (i.e., whether it maintains a predetermined size) by detecting the distance between the substrate mounting plate 318 and the heater 381. Figure 8 As shown in the figure, when the rotation axis tilts during the rotation of the substrate mounting plate 318, the distance between the substrate mounting plate 318 and the heater 381 changes, and the tilt of the rotation axis is detected by the sensor 363. Moreover, not only when the substrate mounting plate 318 tilts, for example, when the substrate mounting plate 318 bends (droops in the direction of gravity), the distance between the substrate mounting plate 318 and the heater 381 changes, and the bending is detected by the sensor 363.
[0086] As described above, the detection unit is configured to detect at least one of the tilt and the deflection of the substrate mounting plate 318. As long as at least one of the tilt and the deflection can be detected, any one of the sensors 361, 362, and 363 may be provided, or a plurality of sensors 361, 362, and 363 may be appropriately combined. If the sensors 361, 362, and 363 are appropriately combined, both the tilt and the deflection of the substrate mounting plate 318 can be reliably detected.
[0087] The detection of the inclination and deflection of the substrate mounting plate 318 is not necessarily limited to the detection based on the above-mentioned sensors 361, 362, 363, and may be as follows. For example, the detection unit may be a structure having a sensor for detecting the distance between at least one of the nozzles 341, 342, 344, 345 of the gas supply unit described later and the substrate mounting plate 318. The sensor may be configured in the same manner as the above-mentioned sensor 363. Even with such a structure, the detection unit can detect the inclination and deflection of the substrate mounting plate 318.
[0088] The detection unit is not necessarily limited to detecting the tilt and bend of the substrate mounting plate 318 as long as it detects the rotation state of the substrate support unit 317. For example, the detection unit may detect the rotation change when the substrate mounting plate 318 rotates as the rotation state of the substrate support unit 317. The detection of the rotation change may be performed in addition to the detection of the tilt and bend of the substrate mounting plate 318, or may be performed instead of the detection of the tilt and bend.
[0089] As a detection unit for detecting rotational variation, for example, a detection unit is configured to use Figure 2 The rotation meter 319f of the lifting and rotating part 319 shown monitors the rotation number or rotation speed of the substrate mounting plate 318 when it rotates, and detects the occurrence of rotation variation when the change in the rotation number or rotation speed exceeds a preset allowable value.
[0090] In addition, as another example of a detection unit for detecting rotational variation, for example, Figure 2 In the case where the working portion 319b of the lifting and rotating portion 319 shown has an electric motor that serves as a driving source for rotating the shaft 322 and the supporting shaft 319a, the amount of power supplied to the electric motor is monitored, and when the change in power exceeds a preset allowable value, a rotation change is detected.
[0091] The detection unit may also perform the following detection as the rotation state of the substrate support unit 317. For example, the detection unit may be a structure having a vibration sensor that detects the vibration of the shaft 322 and the support shaft 319a when the substrate mounting plate 318 rotates. In this case, by comparing the magnitude of the vibration value obtained by the vibration sensor with a preset threshold value, it is possible to perform a warning detection of a defect in the bearing (fluid seal, etc.) of the shaft 322 or the support shaft 319a and / or eccentricity of the rotating shaft, thereby indirectly detecting the rotation state of the substrate support unit 317.
[0092] (Gas supply unit)
[0093] Next, the main use Figure 1 , Fig. 9 A gas supply unit that supplies gas to the chamber 302 will be described.
[0094] Fig. 9 It is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration example of a gas supply unit in the substrate processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment.
[0095] The chamber 302 is provided with nozzles 341 , 342 , 344 and 345 . Figure 1 The "A" in Fig. 9 That is, the nozzle 341 is connected to the supply pipe 241. Figure 1 The "B" in Fig. 9 That is, the nozzle 342 is connected to the supply pipe 251. Figure 1 The "C" in Fig. 9 That is, the nozzles 344 and 345 are connected to the supply pipe 261, respectively.
[0096] Fig. 9 (a) shows a structural example of the first gas supply unit 240 as a part of the gas supply unit. On the first gas supply pipe 241 in the first gas supply unit 240, a first gas supply source 242, an MFC 243 as a flow controller (flow control unit), and a valve 244 as an opening and closing valve are provided in order from the upstream direction.
[0097] The first gas supply pipe 241 in the first gas supply unit 240 mainly supplies a gas containing the first element (hereinafter referred to as "first gas"). That is, the first gas is supplied to the nozzle 341 via the MFC 243, the valve 244, and the first gas supply pipe 241. Then, the first gas is supplied to the first processing area 306a through the nozzle 341.
[0098] The first gas is a type of processing gas, and is a raw material gas containing a first element. Here, the first element is, for example, silicon (Si). That is, the first gas is Si gas (also called Si-containing gas), which is a gas with Si as the main component. Specifically, dichlorosilane (DCS, SiH2Cl2) gas is used.
[0099] The first gas supply unit 240 is mainly composed of the first gas supply pipe 241, the MFC 243, the valve 244, and the nozzle 341. The first gas supply source 242 may be included in the first gas supply unit 240.
[0100] Fig. 9 (b) shows a structural example of a second gas supply unit 250 as a part of the gas supply unit. On the second gas supply pipe 251 in the second gas supply unit 250, a second gas supply source 252, an MFC 253 as a flow controller (flow control unit), and a valve 254 are provided in order from the upstream direction.
[0101] The reaction gas (hereinafter referred to as "second gas") that reacts with the first gas is mainly supplied from the second gas supply pipe 251 in the second gas supply unit 250. That is, the second gas is supplied to the nozzle 342 via the MFC 253, the valve 254, and the second gas supply pipe 251. And, the second gas is supplied to the second processing area 306b through the nozzle 342.
[0102] The second gas is a type of processing gas and is, for example, a nitrogen-containing gas having nitrogen as a main component. As the nitrogen-containing gas, for example, ammonia (NH 3 ) gas is used.
[0103] The second gas supply unit 250 is mainly composed of the second gas supply pipe 251, MFC 253, valve 254, and nozzle 342. The second gas supply source 252 may be included in the second gas supply unit 250. In addition, since the second gas supply unit 250 is a structure for supplying a reaction gas, it is sometimes also called a reaction gas supply unit.
[0104] Fig. 9(c) shows a structural example of a purge gas (inert gas) supply unit 260 as a part of the gas supply unit. On a purge gas supply pipe 261 in the purge gas supply unit 260, a purge gas supply source 262, an MFC 263 as a flow controller (flow control unit), and a valve 264 are provided in order from the upstream direction.
[0105] The purge gas (inert gas) is supplied from the purge gas supply pipe 261 in the purge gas supply unit 260. That is, the purge gas is supplied to the nozzle 344 and the nozzle 345 respectively via the MFC 263, the valve 264, and the purge gas supply pipe 261. Furthermore, while the purge gas is supplied to the first purge region 307a through the nozzle 344, it is also supplied to the second purge region 307b through the nozzle 345.
[0106] The purge gas is a gas that does not react with the first gas, the second gas, etc., and is a type of purge gas for purging the ambient gas in the processing chamber 301, and is, for example, nitrogen (N2) gas.
[0107] The purge gas supply unit 260 is mainly composed of the purge gas supply pipe 261, the MFC 263, the valve 264, the nozzle 344, and the nozzle 345. The purge gas supply source 262 may be included in the purge gas supply unit 260.
[0108] The first gas supply unit 240 and the second gas supply unit 250 are also collectively referred to as a process gas supply unit. The process gas supply unit may include a purge gas supply unit 260.
[0109] (Gas exhaust section)
[0110] Next, the main use Figure 1 , Figure 2 The gas exhaust unit that exhausts gas from the chamber 302 will be described.
[0111] An exhaust hole 392 is provided at the bottom of the chamber 302. The exhaust hole 392 is provided in each processing area 306. An exhaust hole 392a is provided corresponding to the first processing area 306a, and an exhaust hole 392b is provided corresponding to the second processing area 306b.
[0112] An exhaust pipe 334a is provided as a part of the exhaust section 334 in such a manner as to communicate with the exhaust hole 392a. A vacuum pump 334b as a vacuum exhaust device is connected to the exhaust pipe 334a via a valve 334d as an on-off valve and an APC (Auto Pressure Controller) valve 334c as a pressure regulator (pressure regulating section), so that vacuum exhaust can be performed in such a manner that the pressure in the processing chamber 301 becomes a predetermined pressure (vacuum degree).
[0113] The exhaust hole 392b is similarly connected to the exhaust section 335 so as to communicate with the exhaust port 392a. The exhaust pipe 335a, the valve 335d, and the APC valve 335c are collectively referred to as the exhaust section 335. In addition, the vacuum pump 335b may be included in the second exhaust section 335.
[0114] (Control Department)
[0115] The substrate processing apparatus 200 configured as described above is controlled by a controller 400 serving as a control unit (control means).
[0116] The following are mainly used Fig.10 The controller 400 will be described.
[0117] Fig.10 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration example of the controller 400 in the substrate processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment.
[0118] The substrate processing device 200 has a controller 400 for controlling the operation of each part such as a microwave supply part, a lifting and rotating part, a valve, and an MFC. The controller 400 has at least a computing unit (CPU) 401, a temporary storage unit (RAM, Random Access Memory) 402, a storage unit 403, and a transceiver 404. The controller 400 is connected to each structure of the substrate processing device 200 via the transceiver 404, and calls out a program or recipe from the storage unit 403 according to the instructions of the upper controller and the user, and controls the operation of each structure according to its content. In addition, the controller 400 can be configured as a dedicated computer or a general-purpose computer. For example, by preparing an external storage device (such as a magnetic disk such as a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk such as a CD, a DVD, an optical magnetic disk such as an MO, a USB memory (USB Flash Drive), a semiconductor memory such as a memory card) 412 storing the above-mentioned program, and using the external storage device 412 to install the program on a general-purpose computer, the controller 400 of this mode can be constructed. In addition, the means for supplying the program to the computer is not limited to the case of supplying via the external storage device 412. For example, a communication means such as the Internet or a dedicated line may be used, or information may be received from the upper device 420 via the transceiver 411 to supply the program without passing through the external storage device 412. In addition, the input / output device 413 such as a keyboard or a touch panel may be used to instruct the controller 400.
[0119] In addition, the storage unit 402 and the external storage device 412 constitute a computer-readable recording medium. Hereinafter, they are also collectively referred to as recording media. In addition, when the term recording medium is used in this specification, there is a case where only the storage unit 402 is included, only the external storage device 412 is included, or both are included.
[0120] (2) Substrate processing steps
[0121] Next, the sequence of performing a substrate processing step as one of the manufacturing steps of a semiconductor device (semiconductor element) using the substrate processing apparatus 200 with the above structure is described. Here, a case where a silicon nitride (SiN) film is formed as a thin film on a substrate 100 using a Si-containing gas as a first gas and an NH3 gas as a second gas in the substrate processing step is taken as an example.
[0122] The following are mainly used Fig.11 The substrate processing steps are described.
[0123] Fig.11 1 is a flowchart showing an example of a sequence of substrate processing steps executed by the substrate processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment.
[0124] In the following description, the operations of the various components constituting the substrate processing apparatus 200 are controlled by the controller 400 .
[0125] (Substrate loading and loading process)
[0126] In the substrate processing process, the substrate loading and loading process is first performed. Fig.11 In the figure, the illustration of the substrate carrying-in and placing process is omitted.
[0127] In the substrate carrying-in and placing step, the substrate placing plate 318 is rotated to move the recessed portion 312 to a position adjacent to the gate valve 305. Then, the substrate 100 is placed on the substrate placing surface 311 from the transfer chamber using the wafer transfer machine 500.
[0128] After the substrate 100 is placed on the substrate placement surface 311, the substrate placement plate 318 is rotated so that the substrate placement surface 311 on which no substrate 100 is placed faces the gate valve 305. Then, a substrate is similarly placed on the substrate placement surface 311. This operation is repeated until the substrate 100 is placed on all the substrate placement surfaces 311.
[0129] When the substrate 100 is placed on the substrate mounting plate 318, power is supplied to the heater 380 in advance, and the surface of the substrate 100 is controlled to be at a predetermined temperature. The temperature of the substrate 100 is, for example, 400° C. or higher and 500° C. or lower. The heat radiated from the heater 380 is irradiated to the back surface of the substrate 100 via the substrate mounting plate 318. The heater 380 is set to be always powered on at least from the substrate loading and loading process to the end of the substrate unloading process described later.
[0130] (Substrate mounting plate rotation start step)
[0131] After the substrate 100 is placed in each recess 312, the substrate mounting plate rotation start step (S110) is performed. In the substrate mounting plate rotation start step (S110), the lifting and rotating unit 319 rotates the substrate mounting plate 318 in the R direction. By rotating the substrate mounting plate 318, the substrate 100 moves in the order of the first processing area 306a, the first purge area 307a, the second processing area 306b, and the second purge area 307b.
[0132] (Gas supply start process)
[0133] After the substrate 100 is heated to a desired temperature in the substrate loading and loading process and the substrate mounting plate 318 reaches a desired rotation speed in the substrate mounting plate rotation starting process (S110), the gas supply starting process (S120) is performed. In the gas supply starting process (S120), the valve 244 is opened to start supplying the Si-containing gas into the first processing area 306a. In parallel, the valve 254 is opened to supply NH3 gas into the second processing area 306b.
[0134] At this time, the MFC 243 is adjusted so that the flow rate of the Si-containing gas becomes a predetermined flow rate. The supply flow rate of the Si-containing gas is, for example, 50 sccm or more and 500 sccm or less.
[0135] In addition, the MFC 253 is adjusted so that the flow rate of the NH 3 gas becomes a predetermined flow rate. The supply flow rate of the NH 3 gas is, for example, not less than 100 sccm and not more than 5000 sccm.
[0136] After the substrate carrying-in and placing steps, the processing chamber 301 is continuously exhausted by the exhaust units 334 and 335 , and N 2 gas is supplied as a purge gas from the inert gas supply unit 260 into the first purge region 307 a and the second purge region 307 b .
[0137] (Film Forming Process)
[0138] Next, a film forming step (S130) is performed. In the film forming step (S130), a Si-containing layer is formed in the first processing region 306a on each substrate 100, and the Si-containing layer reacts with the NH3 gas in the rotated second processing region 306b to form a Si-containing film on the substrate 100. Then, the substrate mounting plate 318 is rotated a predetermined number of times so that the Si-containing film on the substrate 100 has a desired film thickness.
[0139] (Gas supply stop process)
[0140] After the substrate mounting plate 318 is rotated a predetermined number of times in the film forming process (S130), a gas supply stopping process (S140) is performed. In the gas supply stopping process (S140), the valve 244 and the valve 254 are closed to stop the supply of the Si-containing gas to the first processing area 306a and the supply of the NH3 gas to the second processing area 306b.
[0141] (Substrate mounting plate rotation stopping process)
[0142] After the gas supply stop step ( S140 ), the substrate mounting plate rotation stop step ( S150 ) is performed. In the substrate mounting plate rotation stop step ( S150 ), the rotation of the substrate mounting plate 318 is stopped.
[0143] (Substrate removal process)
[0144] After the substrate mounting plate rotation stopping step (S150), the substrate unloading step is performed. Fig.11 In the figure, the illustration of the substrate carrying-out process is omitted.
[0145] In the substrate unloading step, the substrate mounting plate 318 is rotated so as to move the substrate 100 to be unloaded to a position adjacent to the gate valve 305. Then, the substrate 100 is unloaded in the reverse order of the substrate loading. These operations are repeated to unload all the substrates 100.
[0146] (3) Rotation control processing
[0147] As described above, in the substrate processing step, each substrate 100 on the substrate mounting plate 318 is processed by rotating the substrate mounting plate 318. Therefore, depending on the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318, there is a possibility that the processing quality of each substrate 100 may vary.
[0148] For example, if the rotation axis of the substrate mounting plate 318 is tilted, the substrate mounting surface 311 on the substrate mounting plate 318 will also be tilted accordingly. If the substrate mounting plate 318 is rotated in this state, the distance between the substrate 100 on the substrate mounting surface 311 and the heater 380, the distance between the substrate 100 and the nozzles 341, 342, 344, and 345 for supplying gas, etc. will vary due to the influence of the tilt. As a result, the substrate processing state will differ between each substrate 100 mounted on the substrate mounting plate 318 or between batches of substrates 100 to be processed, and as a result, there is a risk of variation in the processing quality of each substrate 100.
[0149] In addition, the substrate mounting plate 318 may bend if heat from the heater 380 accumulates. If the substrate mounting plate 318 is bent, similar to the above-mentioned tilting, the substrate processing state will be different between each substrate 100 or between batches, so there is a risk of deviation in the processing quality of each substrate 100.
[0150] In addition, if the substrate mounting plate 318 undergoes rotational variation (variation in rotational speed, etc.) during rotation, the time for the substrate 100 to pass through each area 306a, 307a, 306b, 307b may vary. As a result, the exposure amount of the gas to the substrate 100 may vary, such as, for example, the exposure amount of a specific gas may increase and the exposure amount of other gases may decrease. The substrate processing state may vary between substrates 100 or between batches, and there is a risk of variation in the processing quality of each substrate 100.
[0151] That is, during the substrate processing step, if there is an abnormality in the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318 , the processing quality of the substrate 100 may be affected by deviations, and thus the substrate 100 of the desired processing quality may not be obtained.
[0152] Therefore, the substrate processing apparatus 200 of the present embodiment performs a rotation control process using a detection unit as described below, before the substrate processing step, while following the control by the controller 400. The rotation control process is a process of monitoring the rotation state of the substrate support unit 317 by the detection unit and controlling the rotation state of the substrate support unit 317 based on the monitoring result. After the rotation control process is performed, a substrate processing step including supplying gas into the processing chamber 301 is performed.
[0153] (Surveillance)
[0154] In the rotation control process, the rotation state of the substrate support part 317 is first monitored. The monitoring is performed by the detection unit. Specifically, in the monitoring as a rotation state detection method, a process of rotating the substrate mounting plate 318 of the substrate support part 317 and a process of detecting the rotation state of the rotation support part 317 by the detection unit are performed.
[0155] For example, if the sensor 361 is provided as the detection unit, then Figure 4 When the rotation axis of the substrate mounting plate 318 is tilted as shown, the situation is detected by the sensor 361. Therefore, by monitoring the detection result based on the sensor 361, it is detected whether the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318 is abnormal (especially the tilt of the rotation axis). In particular, if a plurality of sensors 361 are provided, it is possible to detect whether the rotation state is abnormal with high accuracy.
[0156] For example, if the sensor 362 is provided as the detection unit, then Figure 6 When the rotation axis of the substrate mounting plate 318 is tilted as shown, the situation is detected by the sensor 362. The same is true when the substrate mounting plate 318 is bent (drooped in the direction of gravity). Therefore, by monitoring the detection result based on the sensor 362, it is detected whether there is an abnormality in the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318 (especially the tilt or bending of the rotation axis, etc.).
[0157] For example, if the sensor 363 is provided as the detection unit, then Figure 8 As shown, when the rotation axis of the substrate mounting plate 318 is tilted or the substrate mounting plate 318 is bent (drooped in the direction of gravity), the interval 318c between the substrate mounting plate 318 and the heater 381 is no longer constant, and the sensor 363 detects this condition. Therefore, by monitoring the detection result based on the sensor 363, it is detected whether there is an abnormality in the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318 (especially the change in the distance from the heater 381 caused by the tilt or bending of the rotation axis). This is also the same when the distance detection of the interval between the nozzles 341, 342, 344, and 345 is performed.
[0158] In addition, for example, if the rotation meter 319f is used as a detection unit to monitor the number of rotations or the rotation speed of the substrate mounting plate 318, or the amount of power supplied to the electric motor of the working unit 319b is monitored, when the rotation of the substrate mounting plate 318 changes, this situation is detected. Therefore, by monitoring using the detection unit, it is detected whether there is an abnormality in the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318 (for example, a rotation change of the substrate mounting plate 318 accompanied by a motor failure).
[0159] In addition, for example, if a vibration sensor is provided as a detection unit, when a bearing (fluid seal, etc.) of the shaft 322 or the support shaft 319a fails or the rotating shaft is eccentric, the vibration sensor detects the situation. Therefore, by monitoring the detection result based on the vibration sensor, it is detected whether the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318 is abnormal (especially bearing failure and rotating shaft eccentricity, etc.).
[0160] The rotation state of the substrate support portion 317 may be monitored by at least one of the above-mentioned plurality of methods, and preferably, a plurality of methods may be combined.
[0161] (Timing of implementation)
[0162] The monitoring of the rotation state of the substrate support portion 317 may be performed at the implementation timing described below.
[0163] As a timing for implementing monitoring, for example, the detection unit detects the rotation state of the substrate support part 317 before the device is started. Before the device is started refers to a certain time point before the substrate processing process is started in the substrate processing device 200. Specifically, before starting the operation of the substrate processing device 200, for example, when the test operation of the substrate processing device 200 is performed, the rotation state of the substrate support part 317 is detected. As long as the rotation state is detected at such an implementation timing, even if there is a difference in the rotation state due to a mechanical error of the substrate processing device 200, the difference caused by the mechanical error can be accurately grasped.
[0164] The monitoring may also be performed during the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 200 .
[0165] Fig.12 This is an explanatory diagram showing a specific example of the timing of executing the rotation state monitoring performed during the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment.
[0166] For example, consider a case where the rotation state of the substrate support 317 is monitored from the upper side of the substrate support 317, such as by detecting the intervals between the nozzles 341, 342, 344, and 345. In this case, the rotation state of the substrate support 317 may be monitored at least at one of the time point before the substrate mounting plate 318 supports the substrate 100 in the substrate carrying-in and mounting process, the time point when the substrate mounting plate 318 supports the substrate 100 in the substrate carrying-in and mounting process, the time point when the rotation of the substrate mounting plate 318 is started in the substrate mounting plate rotation start process (S110), and the time point after the film formation on the substrate 100 is completed in the film forming process (S130).
[0167] In addition, for example, a case where the rotation state of the substrate support 317 is monitored from the position side of the heater 381, such as by detecting the interval between the substrate support 317 and the heater 381. In this case as well, the rotation state of the substrate support 317 may be monitored at least at one of the time point before the substrate mounting plate 318 supports the substrate 100 in the substrate carrying-in and loading process, the time point when the substrate mounting plate 318 supports the substrate 100 in the substrate carrying-in and loading process, the time point when the rotation of the substrate mounting plate 318 is started in the substrate mounting plate rotation start process (S110), and the time point after the film formation on the substrate 100 is completed in the film forming process (S130).
[0168] In addition, for example, a case where the rotation state of the substrate support 317 is monitored mainly based on the rotation axis of the substrate mounting plate 318, such as using the sensor 361 or the sensor 362 to monitor the rotation state of the substrate support 317, is considered. In this case, the rotation state of the substrate support 317 may be monitored at least at one of the time point before the substrate mounting plate 318 supports the substrate 100 in the substrate loading and loading process, the time point when the substrate mounting plate 318 supports the substrate 100 in the substrate loading and loading process, the time point when the rotation of the substrate mounting plate 318 is started in the substrate loading and loading process (S110), during the film formation on the substrate 100 in the film forming process (S130), and the time point after the film formation on the substrate 100 is completed in the film forming process (S130).
[0169] By detecting the rotation state at such an execution timing, even if the rotation state changes over time during the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 200 , this fact can be accurately grasped.
[0170] When monitoring is performed during the operation of the substrate processing device 200, it is desirable to detect the rotation state of the substrate support 317 in a state where gas is supplied from the gas supply unit. The gas referred to here refers to a processing gas or an inactive gas. In more detail, it is configured to supply gas to the processing chamber 301 in such a manner that the pressure in the processing chamber 301 becomes the pressure when the substrate 100 is processed when the rotation state of the substrate support 317 is detected. In this way, as long as the rotation state is detected under the same conditions as when the substrate 100 is processed in the substrate processing step, the rotation state can be detected with high accuracy. For example, during device maintenance, there is a situation where the pressure in the processing chamber 301 is lower than that during substrate processing. Therefore, during monitoring, the rotation state of the substrate support 317 may be different from that during substrate processing. If this aspect is taken into consideration, it is desirable to monitor the rotation state of the substrate support 317 under the same conditions (environment) as when the substrate is processed.
[0171] (Control of rotation state)
[0172] After the monitoring is performed, the controller 400 as the control unit controls the rotation state of the substrate support unit 317 based on the detection result of the detection unit obtained through the monitoring.
[0173] Specifically, the controller 400 controls the substrate support 317 so that the rotation state becomes constant based on the detection result of the detection unit. The constant rotation state means that, for example, the inclination of the rotation axis of the substrate mounting plate 318, the deflection of the substrate mounting plate 318, the distance between the substrate mounting plate 318 and the heater 381, the distance between the substrate mounting plate 318 and the nozzles 341, 342, 344, 345, the rotation variation of the substrate mounting plate 318, etc. are within the pre-conceived allowable range and the state is maintained.
[0174] For example, when the detection unit detects an abnormality in which the number of rotations or the rotation speed of the substrate mounting plate 318 deviates from the allowable range, the controller 400 gives an action instruction to the working part 319b of the lifting and rotating part 319 in a manner that restores the rotation abnormality (i.e., in a manner that it becomes within the allowable range). If the rotation of the substrate mounting plate 318 slows down, the time for the substrate 100 to pass through each area 306a, 307a, 306b, and 307b increases, and the substrate processing time in each area 306a, 307a, 306b, and 307b increases. As a result, there is a hidden danger that the desired processing cannot be achieved for the substrate 100. In response to this, if the substrate mounting plate 318 is controlled in a manner that keeps the rotation constant, the gas supply amount in each area 306a, 307a, 306b, and 307b can be maintained constant, so that the desired processing can be performed on each substrate 100. If such a rotation state control is performed based on the detection results obtained by monitoring before the device is started, it is possible to eliminate the rotation abnormality caused by the mechanical error of the substrate processing device 200, and the device is started in a state taking the mechanical error into consideration. In addition, if such a rotation state control is performed based on the detection results obtained by monitoring during the operation of the device, it is also possible to appropriately deal with the rotation abnormality that may occur due to time-dependent changes.
[0175] In addition, for example, when the heater 381 is divided into a plurality of zones, if the detection unit detects an abnormality that the tilt of the rotation axis of the substrate mounting plate 318 deviates from the allowable range, the controller 400 gives an operation instruction to the heater temperature control unit 387 in such a manner that the heater temperature of the zone where the distance between the substrate mounting plate 318 and the heater 381 is close is reduced. The same is true when an abnormality that the substrate mounting plate 318 is bent or an abnormality that the distance between the substrate mounting plate 318 and the heater 381 deviates from the allowable range is detected. By performing such heater zone control, the rotation abnormality of the substrate mounting plate 318 can be restored, so that the desired processing can be performed on the substrate 100.
[0176] In addition, for example, in the case where the posture control unit 350 is provided, if the detection unit detects an abnormality that the tilt of the rotation axis of the substrate mounting plate 318 deviates from the allowable range, the controller 400 gives an operation instruction to the tilt adjustment unit 353 in a manner of adjusting the posture of the substrate support unit 317 (especially the tilt of the rotation axis caused by the shaft 322). If the control is performed in a manner of adjusting the angle of the rotation axis, the substrate support unit 317 can be made to be a predetermined substrate processing angle (that is, within the allowable range), so the rotation abnormality of the substrate mounting plate 318 can be restored. If such posture control is performed based on the detection result obtained by monitoring before the device is started, the rotation abnormality caused by the mechanical error of the substrate processing device 200 can be eliminated, and the device can be started in a state in which the mechanical error is taken into consideration. In particular, although the tilt of the rotation axis of the substrate mounting plate 318 is easily caused by the mechanical error of the substrate processing device 200 due to the relationship between the device manufacturing, the difference in such tilt condition can be absorbed by the posture control. Furthermore, if such posture control is performed based on the detection results obtained by monitoring during the operation of the device, it is also possible to appropriately deal with rotation abnormalities that may occur due to changes over time.
[0177] In addition, in the case where a posture control unit 350 is provided, the controller 400 may also use machine learning to perform posture control of the substrate support unit 317 based on the posture control unit 350. In the case of using machine learning, a recording unit for storing and accumulating information related to the detection results of the detection unit is prepared in the controller 400 or in a location accessible to the controller 400. The information stored and accumulated as the recording unit (i.e., information related to the detection results of the detection unit) includes, for example, information about the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318 determined from the detection results of the detection unit, information about the processing conditions of the substrate processing when the information is obtained, information about the processing results of the substrate processing, and the like. In addition, based on the stored accumulated information in the recording unit, the controller 400 analyzes the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318 and the device operation history (implementation history of the substrate processing) through machine learning, and determines model data about the posture of the substrate support unit 317 based on the analysis results. After the model data is determined, the controller 400 gives an operation instruction to the tilt adjustment unit 353 in such a manner as to adjust the posture of the substrate support unit 317 (especially the tilt of the rotation axis caused by the shaft 322) based on the determined model data before the next substrate processing step is started. In this way, if the posture control of the substrate support unit 317 is performed using machine learning, other information (historical information, etc.) can be reflected in addition to the detection result of the detection unit for the posture control, which is preferable in terms of appropriately performing substrate processing.
[0178] The controller 400 may also control, in addition to or instead of the above control, to carry out the substrate 100 carried into the processing chamber 301 from the processing chamber 301 after the detection unit detects an abnormality in the rotation state of the substrate support unit 317. By performing such a control of carrying out the substrate 100, a substrate 100 that may not be subjected to a desired process due to an abnormality in the rotation state can be distinguished from a normal substrate 100.
[0179] (4) Effects of this embodiment
[0180] According to the present embodiment, one or more of the following effects are achieved.
[0181] (a) According to the present embodiment, when processing each substrate 100 while rotating the substrate support 317 supporting the plurality of substrates 100, the detection unit detects the rotation state of the substrate support 317. Therefore, even if the rotation state of the substrate support 317 is abnormal, the detection unit detects the abnormality, and thus the influence of the processing quality of each substrate 100 caused by the abnormal rotation state can be eliminated. That is, when processing the plurality of substrates 100 while rotating, the desired processing quality can be obtained for each substrate 100.
[0182] (b) According to the present embodiment, a heater 380 is provided so as to face a substrate mounting plate 318 as a rotating portion constituting a substrate support portion 317, and a detection portion detects the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318. Therefore, if an abnormality occurs in the rotation state of the substrate mounting plate 318, there is a risk of deviation between the relationship between each substrate 100 on the substrate mounting plate 318 and the heater 380. However, since this situation is detected by the detection portion, the influence of the deviation can be eliminated. That is, when a plurality of substrates 100 are placed on the substrate mounting plate 318 and the substrate mounting plate 318 is rotated for processing, the desired processing quality can be obtained for each substrate 100.
[0183] (c) As described in the present embodiment, if a detection unit includes at least one of a sensor 361 for detecting the position of an edge portion 318a of a substrate mounting plate 318, a sensor 362 configured so that a sensing detection light passes along the plate surface of the substrate mounting plate 318, and a sensor 363 for detecting the distance of an interval 318c between the substrate mounting plate 318 and the heater 381, the tilt or deflection of the substrate mounting plate 318 can be reliably detected.
[0184] (d) As described in the present embodiment, if the detection unit is configured to detect a change in the power supplied to the electric motor, it is possible to reliably detect a rotational change when the substrate mounting plate 318 rotates.
[0185] (e) According to the present embodiment, based on the detection result of the detection unit, the controller 400 controls the rotation state of the substrate support 317. Therefore, even if an abnormality occurs in the rotation state of the substrate support 317, each substrate 100 can be processed while the rotation state is controlled in a manner that does not cause an influence caused by the abnormality, so that the desired processing quality can be obtained for each substrate 100.
[0186] (f) As described in this embodiment, by performing monitoring to obtain detection results by the detection unit before starting the apparatus, even if a rotation state varies due to a mechanical error of the substrate processing apparatus 200 , the variation due to the mechanical error can be accurately grasped.
[0187] (g) When controlling the rotation state of the substrate support 317 , as described in this embodiment, if the rotation state of the substrate support 317 is controlled to be constant, the influence of variations in processing quality of each substrate 100 can be reliably eliminated.
[0188] (h) As described in this embodiment, when the heater 381 is divided into a plurality of partitions, if the temperatures of the plurality of partitions are adjusted individually based on the detection results of the detection unit, the rotation abnormality of the substrate mounting plate 318 can be restored so that the desired processing can be performed on the substrate 100.
[0189] (i) As described in the present embodiment, when the posture control unit 350 is provided, the posture of the substrate support unit 317 (particularly, the inclination of the rotation axis due to the shaft 322) is adjusted so that the substrate support unit 317 is at a predetermined substrate processing angle based on the detection result of the detection unit, thereby enabling the restoration of the rotation abnormality of the substrate mounting plate 318. In particular, when such posture control is performed based on the detection result obtained by monitoring before the start-up of the apparatus, the rotation abnormality caused by the mechanical error of the substrate processing apparatus 200 can be eliminated, and the apparatus can be started in a state in which the mechanical error is taken into consideration.
[0190] (j) As described in the present embodiment, if the rotation state of the substrate support portion 317 is detected by the detection portion while gas is supplied from the gas supply portion, the rotation state can be detected under the same conditions as those when the substrate 100 is processed in the substrate processing step, and thus the rotation state can be detected with high precision.
[0191] (k) As described in the present embodiment, when the rotation state of the substrate support portion 317 is detected based on the detection portion, if the gas is supplied to the processing chamber 301 in such a manner as to achieve a pressure when the substrate 100 is processed in the processing chamber 301, the rotation state can be detected under the same conditions as when the substrate 100 is processed in the substrate processing step, and thus the rotation state can be detected with high precision.
[0192] (5) Modifications, etc.
[0193] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been specifically described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.
[0194] For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, although the case where the substrate mounting plate 318 carrying a plurality of substrates 100 rotates, that is, the case where each substrate 100 revolves, is cited as an example, it is not limited to this. Each substrate 100 can also be supported in a manner of self-rotation in addition to revolution. In this case, the substrate support portion 317 has a rotating portion (for example, a substrate mounting plate 318) that can support a plurality of substrates 100 in a revolving manner, and a self-rotating portion that can support each substrate 10 in a self-rotating manner. The self-rotating portion can be constructed using known technology. For the substrate support portion 317 of such a structure, the detection portion can detect the rotation state of at least one of the rotating portion and the self-rotating portion, and preferably detects the rotation state of both. Thus, not only can the abnormality of the rotation state of the rotating portion be dealt with, but also the abnormality of the rotation state of the self-rotating portion can be dealt with, which is very preferred in terms of ensuring that the desired processing of the substrate 100 can be performed.
[0195] In addition, for example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, DCS gas is cited as an example as the first gas, i.e., the raw material gas, but it is not limited to this. As the raw material gas, in addition to DCS gas, hexachlorodisilane (Si2C6, abbreviated as: HCDS) gas, monochlorosilane (SiH3Cl, abbreviated as: MCS) gas, trichlorosilane (SiHCl3, abbreviated as: TCS) gas, tetrachlorosilane (SiCl4, abbreviated as: STC) gas, octachlorotrisilane (Si3Cl8, abbreviated as: OCTS) gas, etc., which contain Si-Cl bonds, can also be used.
[0196] In addition, for example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, NH3 gas is cited as an example as the second gas, i.e., the reaction gas, but it is not limited thereto. As the reaction gas, in addition to NH3 gas, diimide (N2H2) gas, hydrazine (N2H4) gas, N3H8 gas, and other NH-bond-containing hydrogen nitride-based gases can also be used.
[0197] In addition, for example, in the above embodiment, N2 gas is cited as an example of the inert gas, but the present invention is not limited thereto. As the inert gas, in addition to N2 gas, a rare gas such as Ar gas, He gas, Ne gas, or Xe gas can also be used.
[0198] In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case of performing film forming on the substrate 100 as a substrate processing step is cited as an example, but it is not limited to this, and other processes can also be applied as long as the process requires the supply and exhaust of gas. Examples of other processes include diffusion processing, oxidation processing, nitridation processing, nitrogen oxidation processing, reduction processing, oxidation-reduction processing, etching processing, and heating processing.
Claims
1. A substrate processing device, characterized in that: have: a processing chamber for processing substrates; a gas supply unit capable of supplying gas to the processing chamber; A substrate support portion rotatably provided in the processing chamber and capable of supporting the plurality of substrates in a circumferential shape; and A detection unit detects a rotation state of the substrate support unit.
2. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The substrate support portion includes a plate-shaped rotating portion that supports the substrate and a support shaft that rotatably supports the rotating portion. A heater for heating the substrate is disposed so as to face the rotating part. The detection unit can detect whether there is an abnormality in the state of the rotating unit.
3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The detection unit includes a sensor that detects the position of an edge portion of the rotating unit.
4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: A plurality of the sensors are arranged along the outer peripheral shape of the rotating part.
5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The detection unit includes a sensor arranged to sense detection light passing along a plate surface of the rotating unit.
6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The detection unit includes a sensor that detects a distance between the rotating unit and the heater.
7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The detection unit detects at least one of the inclination and the deflection of the rotating unit.
8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: A control unit is provided which is configured to be able to control the rotation state of the substrate support unit based on the detection result of the detection unit.
9. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: An electric motor is provided as a driving source for rotating the support shaft. The detection unit detects a change in electric power supplied to the electric motor.
10. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The detection unit detects a rotation state of the substrate support unit before starting the device.
11. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein: The control unit performs control based on the detection result of the detection unit so that the rotation state of the substrate support unit becomes constant.
12. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein: The heater is divided into a plurality of sections along the circumferential direction of the rotating unit, and is configured to be able to individually adjust the temperatures of the plurality of sections based on the detection result of the detection unit.
13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: A posture control unit is provided for adjusting the angle of a shaft supporting the substrate support unit based on the detection result of the detection unit so that the substrate support unit reaches a predetermined substrate processing angle.
14. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein: The posture control unit adjusts the angle of the axis based on a detection result of the detection unit before the device is activated.
15. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein: A recording unit is provided for storing and accumulating information related to the detection result of the detection unit. The posture control unit adjusts the angle of the axis before processing the substrate in the processing chamber based on an analysis result of the information stored and accumulated in the recording unit.
16. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The detection unit detects a rotation state of the substrate support unit in a state where the gas is supplied from the gas supply unit.
17. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein: The gas supply unit supplies gas to the processing chamber so as to achieve a pressure during processing of the substrate when the rotation state of the substrate support unit is detected based on the detection unit.
18. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: The substrate support portion comprises: a rotating unit that supports the plurality of substrates in a revolvable manner; and a rotating portion that supports the substrate in a rotatable manner, The detection unit is capable of detecting a rotation state of at least one of the rotating unit and the rotation unit.
19. A rotation state detection method, characterized in that: have: A step of rotating a substrate support portion capable of supporting a plurality of substrates in a circumferential shape within a processing chamber for processing the substrates; and A step of detecting a rotation state of the rotation support portion.
20. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, characterized in that: The method comprises the steps of the rotation state detection method according to claim 19, The process further includes supplying a gas into the processing chamber in a state where the substrate is supported by the substrate support portion.
21. A recording medium, which is a computer-readable recording medium and has a program recorded thereon, characterized in that: The program enables the substrate processing device to execute the following steps through a computer: A step of rotating a substrate support portion capable of supporting a plurality of substrates in a circumferential shape within a processing chamber for processing the substrates; and The step of detecting the rotation state of the rotation support portion.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Substrate processing apparatus, manufacturing method of semiconductor device, and program
JP2022134224A
