Substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method capable of dealing with various processing gases when processing a substrate using the processing gas.SOLUTION: A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate comprises: a mounting table on which the substrate is placed; a partition wall which surrounds the mounting table; an inner chamber which is provided outside the partition wall; an outer chamber which is provided outside the inner chamber; a processing gas supply unit which supplies processing gas to the substrate placed on the mounting table; a lifting mechanism which raises and lowers the partition wall; and a sealing member which is provided on a lower surface of a shower head of the processing gas supply unit. The inner chamber is configured to be attachable / detachable to / from the outer chamber, and the outer chamber is arranged so as not to come into contact with the processing gas supplied into the inner chamber. In a state where the partition wall is raised, an upper surface of the partition wall abuts on the sealing member. The lifting mechanism comprises a drive shaft that raises and lowers the partition wall, and a shaft seal portion provided on the drive shaft.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a substrate processing apparatus that processes substrates housed in a chamber. The chamber is typically made of aluminum (Al), and the inner surface of the chamber is subjected to a surface oxidation treatment. When hydrogen fluoride gas is supplied into the chamber, part or all of the inner surface of the chamber is made of Al or an Al alloy that has not been subjected to a surface oxidation treatment. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2007 / 072708 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The technology according to the present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can accommodate various processing gases when processing a substrate using the processing gas. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, the apparatus including: a mounting table for mounting a substrate thereon; a partition wall surrounding the mounting table; an inner chamber disposed outside the partition wall; an outer chamber disposed outside the inner chamber; a process gas supply unit for supplying a process gas to the substrate mounted on the mounting table; a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the partition wall; and a seal member provided on a lower surface of a shower head of the process gas supply unit, wherein the inner chamber is configured to be detachably attached to the outer chamber and the outer chamber is configured not to come into contact with the process gas supplied inside the inner chamber, and when the partition wall is raised, an upper surface of the partition wall abuts against the seal member, and the lifting mechanism includes a drive shaft for raising and lowering the partition wall and a shaft seal member provided on the drive shaft.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, when a substrate is processed using a processing gas, a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can accommodate various processing gases can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an outline of the configuration of a wafer processing apparatus. [Figure 2] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an outline of the configuration of a wafer processing apparatus. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a gas system in the wafer processing apparatus. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an outline of the configuration of a partition wall and a lifting mechanism. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an outline of the partition wall and its surrounding configuration. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an outline of the partition wall and its surrounding configuration. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an outline of the configuration of a chamber and its surroundings. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an outline of the configuration of a chamber. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an outline of the configuration of a chamber. [Figure 10]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the outline of the configuration of an inner chamber. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the outline of the configuration of the inner chamber. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the outline of the configuration of an outer chamber. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the outline of the configuration of the outer chamber. [Figure 14] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a sealing structure of a sealed space at a loading / unloading port of an inner chamber. FIG. [Figure 15] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a sealing structure of a sealed space at a loading / unloading port of an inner chamber. FIG. [Figure 16] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a sealing structure of a sealed space at a loading / unloading port of an inner chamber. FIG. [Figure 17] 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an outline of the configuration of a flange portion of an inner chamber and a portion of a side wall of an outer chamber. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] 2. Description of the Related Art In a manufacturing process for semiconductor devices, various processes such as etching are performed on a semiconductor wafer (substrate; hereinafter referred to as a "wafer") using a processing gas in a vacuum atmosphere (reduced pressure atmosphere), for example.

[0009] Etching has traditionally been performed using a variety of methods. In recent years, with the trend toward miniaturization of semiconductor devices, a method called chemical oxide removal (COR) processing, which enables finer etching, has been adopted in place of conventional etching techniques such as plasma etching and wet etching.

[0010] COR processing is a process in which a process gas is supplied to a wafer in a chamber maintained in a vacuum atmosphere, and the process gas reacts with, for example, a film formed on the wafer to generate a product. The product generated on the wafer surface by COR processing is sublimated by heat treatment in the next step, thereby removing the film on the wafer surface.

[0011] In the future, the frequency of using highly corrosive process gases in COR processes will increase. In substrate processing apparatuses (wafer processing apparatuses), the inner surface of the chamber will need to be treated to be corrosion-resistant against the process gas. Furthermore, different processes may be required for the inner surface of the chamber to accommodate various process gases. For example, in the substrate processing apparatus (COR processing apparatus) disclosed in Patent Document 1, the inner surface of the chamber is usually subjected to a surface oxidation process. However, when hydrogen fluoride gas is used, the inner surface of the chamber is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy that has not been subjected to a surface oxidation process.

[0012] However, since the conventional substrate processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, has only one chamber, it is necessary to replace the chamber every time the processing gas is changed. This chamber replacement is a laborious task that requires the complete shutdown of the system in which the substrate processing apparatus is installed, the undocking of the substrate processing apparatus, and the rewiring of gas supply lines, power supply lines, water supply lines, etc.

[0013] The substrate processing apparatus also includes a so-called partition wall. The partition wall surrounds a wafer mounting table and forms a processing space for performing an etching process on a wafer mounted on the mounting table. This partition wall structure allows for control of the exhaust path from the processing space to the exhaust pipe during etching, even when a single exhaust pipe for exhausting the interior of the chamber is provided for the chamber. Furthermore, during etching, it is possible to ensure the airtightness of the processing space while uniformly distributing the flow of processing gas within the processing space.

[0014] However, the partition wall is not taken into consideration in the conventional substrate processing apparatus disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the conventional substrate processing apparatus, particularly in the chamber configuration including the partition wall.

[0015] The technology disclosed herein provides a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method that can accommodate various processing gases when processing substrates using processing gases. Hereinafter, a wafer processing apparatus as a substrate processing apparatus and a wafer processing method as a substrate processing method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that in this specification and the drawings, elements having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0016] <Configuration of wafer processing device> First, the configuration of a wafer processing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described. Figures 1 and 2 are vertical cross-sectional views each showing an outline of the configuration of a wafer processing apparatus 1. In this embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 1 will be described as a COR processing apparatus that performs COR processing on a wafer W.

[0017] This embodiment is characterized in that the chamber 10 has a double structure, as will be described later, and furthermore, by providing a partition wall 40 inside the chamber 10, the wafer processing apparatus 1 has a triple structure. This triple structure realizes a wafer processing apparatus 1 that can handle a variety of processing gases. Therefore, other structures of the wafer processing apparatus 1 can be designed arbitrarily. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, one wafer W mounting table 20, which will be described later, may be provided, or as shown in FIG. 2, two mounting tables 20 may be provided.

[0018] 1, even when the wafer processing apparatus 1 has only one mounting table 20, the partition wall 40, inner wall 50, and lifting mechanism 70 are provided. In this case, as will be described later, a processing space S is formed surrounded by the mounting table 20, partition wall 40, and shower head 30, which allows the flow of processing gas in the processing space S to be uniform and also allows the exhaust path from the processing space S to be controlled. Furthermore, regardless of the shape of the chamber 10, the partition wall 40 forms the processing space S having a substantially circular planar shape, allowing stable etching processing in the processing space S. Furthermore, since the volume of the processing space S is smaller than the internal space of the chamber 10, the amount of processing gas supplied can also be reduced.

[0019] The configuration of the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 will be described below, and the reference numerals of the components of the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 2 correspond to the reference numerals of the components of the wafer processing apparatus 1 shown in FIG.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 2, the wafer processing apparatus 1 has a chamber 10. The chamber 10 has a double structure and includes an inner chamber 11 and an outer chamber 12. A sealed space T (hereinafter referred to as "sealed space T") is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. A heater ring 13 for heating the inner chamber 11 is provided on the upper surface of the inner chamber 11. Furthermore, a lid 14 is provided on the upper surface of the heater ring 13, airtightly covering the upper surface of the heater ring 13 and capable of sealing the inside of the inner chamber 11. The outer chamber 12 is provided with an outer heater 391 (described below) for heating the outer chamber 12. The outer heater 391 may be provided at any position, for example, at each of the four corners of the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. The detailed configuration of the chamber 10 and its surroundings will be described later.

[0021] The outer chamber 12 is provided with a gas supply pipe 15 that supplies an inert gas to the sealed space T, and an intake pipe 16 that evacuates the sealed space T. The gas supply pipe 15 and the intake pipe 16 are each provided at any position in the outer chamber 12, for example, on the bottom plate. Details of an air supply system that supplies an inert gas to the sealed space T via the gas supply pipe 15 and a pressure reduction system (exhaust system) that evacuates the sealed space T via the intake pipe 16 will be described later.

[0022] The inner chamber 11 is provided with a plurality of mounting tables 20, 20 on which wafers W are placed, two in this embodiment. The mounting table 20 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape and includes an upper table 21 having a mounting surface on which the wafer W is placed, and a lower table 22 fixed to the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12 and supporting the upper table 21. The upper table 21 includes, for example, an electrostatic chuck, which adsorbs and holds the wafer W. The upper table 21 has a built-in temperature adjustment mechanism 23 that adjusts the temperature of the wafer W. The temperature adjustment mechanism 23 adjusts the temperature of the mounting table 20 by circulating a coolant such as water, thereby controlling the temperature of the wafer W on the mounting table 20.

[0023] Although the mounting table 20 is fixed in this embodiment, it may be configured to be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism (not shown).

[0024] A support pin unit (not shown) is provided below the mounting table 20 on the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. The support pins (not shown) are driven up and down by the support pin unit, and the wafer W can be transferred between the support pins (not shown) and a transfer mechanism (not shown) provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1.

[0025] A shower head 30 is provided on the lower surface of the lid 14 to supply a processing gas to the wafer W placed on the mounting table 20. The shower heads 30 are individually provided above the mounting tables 20, 20.

[0026] The shower head 30 includes, for example, a substantially cylindrical frame 31 having an open bottom and supported by the bottom surface of the lid 14, and a substantially disc-shaped shower plate 32 fitted into the inner surface of the frame 31. The shower plate 32 is provided at a desired distance from the ceiling of the frame 31. This forms a space 30a between the ceiling of the frame 31 and the upper surface of the shower plate 32. The shower plate 32 also has a plurality of openings 32a penetrating the shower plate 32 in the thickness direction. A gas supply pipe 33 is connected to the space 30a between the ceiling of the frame 31 and the shower plate 32. The gas supply system that supplies a process gas to the wafer W placed on the mounting table 20 via the shower head 30 and the gas supply pipe 33 will be described in detail later.

[0027] A seal member 34 is provided on the underside of the shower head 30, more specifically, on the underside of the frame 31. The seal member 34 is, for example, a lip seal made of resin. This seal member 34 airtightly seals the gap between the heater plate 42 and the frame 31 when the partition wall 40 is raised by the lifting mechanism 70, as will be described later, so that the heater plate 42 of the partition wall 40 comes into contact with the frame 31. A seal member 34 is provided corresponding to each mounting table 20.

[0028] A partition wall 40 that can be raised and lowered is provided on the outer periphery of the mounting tables 20, 20. The partition wall 40 has two partition walls 41, 41 that surround the two mounting tables 20, 20 individually, and a heater plate 42 provided on the upper surfaces of the partition walls 41, 41. The inner diameter of the partition wall 41 is set larger than the outer surface of the mounting table 20, so that a gap is formed between the partition wall 41 and the mounting table 20. The detailed configuration of the partition wall 40 will be described later.

[0029] As described above, when the frame 31 and the heater plate 42 come into contact with each other, the seal member 34 provided on the frame 31 airtightly seals the gap between the frame 31 and the heater plate 42. Furthermore, a seal member 43 such as a resin O-ring is provided on the protruding portion 52 of the inner wall 50 (described later) corresponding to each mounting table 20. The seal member 43 airtightly seals the gap between the protruding portion 52 and the partition wall 41 (a lower flange portion 202 (described later)) when the protruding portion 52 comes into contact with the partition wall 41. The partition wall 40 is then raised to bring the heater plate 42 and the seal member 34 into contact with each other, and further to bring the lower flange portion 202 and the seal member 43 into contact with each other, thereby forming a processing space S surrounded by the mounting table 20, the partition wall 40, and the shower head 30.

[0030] Inner walls 50, 50 fixed to the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12 are provided around the outer periphery of the mounting tables 20, 20. The inner wall 50 has a substantially cylindrical main body 51 and a protrusion 52 provided at the upper end of the main body 51 and protruding outward from the inner wall 50. The inner walls 50, 50 are arranged to surround the lower bases 22, 22 of the mounting tables 20, 20, respectively. The inner diameter of the main body 51 of the inner wall 50 is set larger than the outer diameter of the lower base 22, and an exhaust space V is formed between the inner wall 50 and the lower base 22. In this embodiment, the exhaust space V also includes the space between the partition wall 40 and the upper base 21. As shown in FIG. 2, the height of the inner wall 50 is set so that a seal member 43 provided on the protrusion 52 abuts against a lower flange portion 202 of the partition wall 41 when the partition wall 40 is raised to the wafer processing position by a lifting mechanism 70 described later. This brings the inner wall 50 and the partition wall 40 into airtight contact with each other.

[0031] A plurality of slits 53 are formed at the lower end of the inner wall 50. The slits 53 are exhaust ports through which the processing gas is discharged. In this embodiment, the slits 53 are formed at approximately equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the inner wall 50.

[0032] The inner wall 50 is fixed to the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. The outer chamber 12 is configured to be heated by an outer heater 391, which will be described later, and the inner wall 50 is also heated by this outer heater 391. The inner wall 50 is heated to a desired temperature so that foreign matter contained in the processing gas does not adhere to the inner wall 50.

[0033] An exhaust pipe 60 is provided in the outer chamber 12 to exhaust the interior of the partition wall 40 and the interior of the inner chamber 11. The exhaust pipe 60 is provided on the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12, inside the inner chamber 11 and outside the partition wall 40 and the inner wall 50. The exhaust pipe 60 is provided in common to the two inner walls 50, 50. That is, the processing gas from the two exhaust spaces V, V is exhausted from the common exhaust pipe 60. The exhaust system that exhausts the interior of the inner chamber 11 via the exhaust pipe 60 will be described in detail later.

[0034] As described above, the wafer processing apparatus 1 has an elevator mechanism 70 that raises and lowers the partition wall 40. The elevator mechanism 70 has an actuator 71 arranged outside the chamber 10, a drive shaft 72 connected to the actuator 71, which penetrates the bottom plates of the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 and extends vertically upward within the inner chamber 11, and a plurality of (for example, two) guide shafts 73, each having a tip connected to the partition wall 40 and a base end extending to the outside of the outer chamber 12. The guide shafts 73 prevent the partition wall 40 from tilting when the partition wall 40 is raised and lowered by the drive shaft 72. The detailed configuration of the elevator mechanism 70 will be described later.

[0035] The wafer processing apparatus 1 described above is provided with a control unit 80. The control unit 80 is, for example, a computer equipped with a CPU, a memory, etc., and has a program storage unit (not shown). The program storage unit stores a program for controlling the processing of wafers W in the wafer processing apparatus 1. The program may be recorded on a computer-readable storage medium (not shown) and installed into the control unit 80 from the storage medium. The storage medium may be temporary or non-temporary.

[0036] <Gas system configuration> Next, a description will be given of the gas system in the above-mentioned wafer processing apparatus 1. Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the gas system in the wafer processing apparatus 1. In this embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 1 has a gas system (gas supply and exhaust) for the interior of the inner chamber 11, and a gas system (gas supply and decompression) for the sealed space T between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 3 , the process gas supply unit 100, which supplies a process gas into the inner chamber 11, includes the shower head 30 and gas supply pipe 33. The gas supply pipe 33 is connected to a process gas supply source 101 configured to be able to supply a process gas. The process gas is selected depending on the film to be etched. The gas supply pipe 33 is also provided with a flow rate adjustment mechanism 102 that adjusts the amount of process gas supplied, so that the amount of process gas supplied to each wafer W can be individually controlled. In the process gas supply unit 100, the process gas supplied from the process gas supply source 101 is supplied toward the wafers W placed on each mounting table 20 via the gas supply pipe 33 and the shower head 30.

[0038] The inert gas supply unit 110, which supplies an inert gas to the sealed space T, has the above-mentioned gas supply pipe 15. The gas supply pipe 15 is connected to an inert gas supply source 111 configured to be able to supply an inert gas. Examples of the inert gas that can be used include nitrogen gas, argon gas, and helium gas. The gas supply pipe 15 is also provided with a flow rate adjustment mechanism 112 that adjusts the amount of inert gas supplied, so that the amount of inert gas supplied to the sealed space T can be controlled. In the inert gas supply unit 110, the inert gas supplied from the inert gas supply source 111 is supplied to the sealed space T via the gas supply pipe 15.

[0039] The exhaust unit 120, which exhausts the inside of the inner chamber 11, has the above-mentioned exhaust pipe 60. The exhaust pipe 60 is provided with a pressure adjustment valve 121, a turbo molecular pump 122, and a valve 123, and is further connected to a dry pump 124. In the exhaust unit 120, the dry pump 124 exhausts the internal pressure of the inner chamber 11 to about a medium vacuum, and the turbo molecular pump 122 exhausts the internal pressure of the inner chamber 11 to a high vacuum.

[0040] The decompression unit 130 that evacuates the sealed space T has the above-mentioned intake pipe 16. The intake pipe 16 is provided with a valve 131, and is further connected to a dry pump 124. The decompression unit 130 evacuates the sealed space T using the dry pump 124, thereby reducing the pressure in the sealed space T to a desired degree of vacuum. By reducing the pressure in the sealed space T to a desired degree of vacuum in this manner, the sealed space T can function as a vacuum insulation layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, as will be described later.

[0041] In this embodiment, the dry pump 124 is provided in common to the exhaust unit 120 and the pressure reduction unit 130. However, since the exhaust unit 120 includes a valve 123 and the pressure reduction unit 130 includes a valve 131, the exhaust of the interior of the inner chamber 11 by the exhaust unit 120 and the pressure reduction of the sealed space T by the pressure reduction unit 130 can be controlled separately.

[0042] <Configuration of partition wall and lifting mechanism> Next, the configurations of the partition wall 40 and the lifting mechanism 70 will be described. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an outline of the configurations of the partition wall 40 and the lifting mechanism 70. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an outline of the configuration of the partition wall 40 and its surroundings. Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing an outline of the configuration of the partition wall 40 and its surroundings.

[0043] As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the partition wall 40 is divided into upper and lower parts, and has two partition walls 41, 41 and one heater plate .

[0044] The two partition walls 41, 41 each individually surround the two mounting tables 20, 20. Each partition wall 41 has a cylindrical portion 200, an upper flange portion 201, and a lower flange portion 202. The cylindrical portion 200 surrounds the mounting table 20. The upper flange portion 201 is provided at the upper end of the cylindrical portion 200 and extends radially outward from the cylindrical portion 200. The lower flange portion 202 is provided at the lower end of the cylindrical portion 200 and extends radially inward from the cylindrical portion 200.

[0045] The heater plate 42 is provided in common to the two partition walls 41, 41, and has a shape of two joined rings in plan view. The heater plate 42 is provided on the upper surfaces of the upper flange portions 201, 201. A partition wall heater 210, such as a sheath heater or a cartridge heater, is built into the heater plate 42. The partition wall heater 210 adjusts the temperature of the partition wall 40 to, for example, 120°C to 140°C. This makes it possible to prevent foreign matter contained in the process gas from adhering to the partition wall 40.

[0046] With the partition wall 40 having such a configuration, by raising the partition wall 40 and bringing the heater plate 42 into contact with the seal member 34, and further bringing the lower flange portion 202 into contact with the seal member 43, it is possible to form a highly airtight processing space S. In addition, it is possible to make the flow of processing gas in the processing space S uniform, and further to control the exhaust path from the processing space S.

[0047] Furthermore, because the partition wall 40 has an upper and lower divided structure, it is possible to change only the exhaust structure of the lower partition wall 41 without changing the specifications of the upper heater plate 42. For example, an exhaust flow path is formed inside the partition wall 41, and multiple openings are further formed on the inner surface of the partition wall 41 to communicate the exhaust flow path with the processing space S. In this case, the processing gas in the processing space S flows into the exhaust flow path inside the partition wall 41 through the multiple openings and is exhausted through the exhaust pipe 60.

[0048] Furthermore, since the partition wall 40 has a structure in which it is separated into upper and lower parts, for example, the partition wall 41 and the heater plate 42 can be processed separately, improving workability and procurement efficiency.

[0049] The partition wall 41 and heater plate 42 of the partition wall 40 are each formed of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. The surfaces of the partition wall 41 and the heater plate 42, i.e., the gas-contacting surfaces that come into contact with the process gas, are coated with a coating that is corrosion-resistant to the process gas. The type of this coating is determined depending on the type of process gas, and is, for example, nickel plating.

[0050] Considering the temperature effect from the partition wall 40 on the wafer W, it is preferable that the distance between the partition wall 40 and the wafer W placed on the mounting table 20 is large. As shown in FIG. 3, the distance L between the partition wall 40 and the wafer W is larger than conventionally, for example, 10 mm or more, and more preferably 15 mm or more. In this case, the distance between the partition wall 40 and the wafer W can be increased, thereby reducing the temperature effect from the partition wall 40 on the wafer W. As a result, the process performance can be maintained with high precision.

[0051] Furthermore, in the past, a sealing member was provided on the partition wall, and both the sealing member and the partition wall heater were present above the partition wall, so if the inner diameter of the partition wall was increased, it was difficult to achieve a layout that allowed both the sealing member and the partition wall heater to function. In this regard, in the present embodiment, the sealing member 34 is provided on the frame 31 of the shower head 30, so even if the heater plate 42 becomes smaller by increasing the distance between the partition wall 40 and the wafer W, the partition wall heater 210 can be appropriately laid out inside the heater plate 42.

[0052] The partition wall 40 may be provided with an air supply unit (not shown) that supplies air to the partition wall 40. In this case, the partition wall 40 can be cooled by the air, and the time required for cooling the partition wall 40 during maintenance, for example, can be shortened.

[0053] 4 to 6, the lifting mechanism 70 has an actuator 71, one drive shaft 72, and a plurality of, for example, two guide shafts 73. The actuator 71 raises and lowers the drive shaft 72, thereby raising and lowering the partition wall 40. At this time, the two guide shafts 73 prevent the partition wall 40 from tilting.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 2, the tip of the drive shaft 72 is connected to the heater plate 42, and the other base end is connected to the actuator 71. The actuator 71 is provided outside the outer chamber 12. The drive shaft 72 passes through the bottom plates of the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 and extends vertically upward within the inner chamber 11. An adapter 360 is provided at the portion of the drive shaft 72 that passes through the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, i.e., at openings 314 and 334 (connection portions of the drive shaft 72) as described below. Furthermore, a shaft seal portion 220 is provided on the adapter 360 of the drive shaft 72. A seal member 221, such as a resin O-ring, is provided inside the shaft seal portion 220 to separate the vacuum atmosphere from the atmospheric atmosphere.

[0055] The tip of the guide shaft 73 is connected to the heater plate 42, and the other base end extends to the outside of the outer chamber 12. The guide shaft 73 penetrates the bottom plates of the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 and extends vertically upward within the inner chamber 11. An adapter 360 is provided at the portion of the guide shaft 73 that passes through the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, i.e., at openings 315 and 335 (connection portions of the guide shaft 73) as described below. Furthermore, a shaft seal portion 222 is provided on the adapter 360 of the guide shaft 73. A seal member 223, such as a resin O-ring, is provided inside the shaft seal portion 222 to separate the vacuum atmosphere from the atmospheric atmosphere.

[0056] In this way, shaft seal portions 220 and 222 are provided on drive shaft 72 and guide shaft 73, respectively, which allows for cost reduction compared to, for example, a conventional bellows seal structure. Furthermore, with a conventional bellows seal structure, a heater must be provided around the bellows to prevent foreign matter from adhering, but with the shaft seal structure of this embodiment, such a heater is unnecessary.

[0057] <Chamber configuration> Next, the configuration of the above-mentioned chamber 10 and its surroundings will be described. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an outline of the configuration of the chamber 10 and its surroundings. Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views showing an outline of the configuration of the chamber. Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing an outline of the configuration of the inner chamber, and Fig. 11 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of the inner chamber. Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing an outline of the configuration of the outer chamber, and Fig. 13 is a plan view showing an outline of the configuration of the outer chamber. Note that in Figs. 7 to 13, the internal configuration of the inner chamber 11 is omitted to facilitate explanation of the configuration of the chamber 10.

[0058] [Configuration of inner and outer chambers] As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the chamber 10 has a double structure and includes an inner chamber 11 and an outer chamber 12. The inner chamber 11 is configured to be detachable from the outer chamber 12. Specifically, the inner chamber 11 can be attached to and detached from the upper part of the outer chamber 12. When the inner chamber 11 is attached to the outer chamber 12, a sealed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. The outer chamber 12 is arranged so as not to be exposed to the inside of the inner chamber 11 and not to come into contact with the processing gas supplied into the inner chamber 11.

[0059] 10 and 11 is made of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. The inner surface of the inner chamber 11, i.e., the gas-contacting surface that comes into contact with the process gas inside the inner chamber 11, is coated with a coating that is corrosion-resistant to the process gas. The coating is determined depending on the type of process gas, and is, for example, nickel plating.

[0060] The inner chamber 11 is a generally rectangular parallelepiped container with an open top. The inner chamber 11 has a generally cylindrical side wall 300, a flange 301 that protrudes outward from the upper end of the side wall 300, and a bottom plate 302 that is provided at the lower end of the side wall 300 to cover the lower surface of the opening.

[0061] A loading / unloading port 310 for the wafer W is formed on one side surface of the side wall 300. A plurality of, for example, three ports 311 are formed on the other side surface of the side wall 300. The ports 311 are ports for connecting, for example, members inside the inner chamber 11 with external equipment.

[0062] The flange portion 301 is provided in an annular shape above a sidewall 320 (described later) of the outer chamber 12. The outer surface of the flange portion 301 is exposed to the outside of the wafer processing apparatus 1.

[0063] A plurality of openings 312 to 315 are formed in the bottom plate 302. The openings 312 are openings for installing the mounting table 20 and the inner wall 50, and are formed in two locations on the bottom plate 302. The openings 313 are openings for inserting the exhaust pipe 60. The openings 314 are openings for inserting the drive shaft 72. The openings 315 are openings for inserting the guide shaft 73, and are formed in two locations on the bottom plate 302.

[0064] 12 and 13 is made of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel. As described above, the outer chamber 12 is not exposed to the process gas supplied to the inside of the inner chamber 11, and therefore, the surface of the outer chamber 12 is not coated. In other words, the outer chamber 12 is made of a solid metal.

[0065] The outer chamber 12 is a generally rectangular parallelepiped container with an open top. The outer chamber 12 has a generally cylindrical side wall 320 and a bottom plate 321 provided at the lower end of the side wall 320 so as to cover the lower surface of the opening.

[0066] On one side of the side wall 320, a loading / unloading port 330 for wafers W is formed at a position corresponding to the loading / unloading port 310. On the other side of the side wall 320, a plurality of ports 331, for example, three ports 331, are formed at positions corresponding to the ports 311.

[0067] A plurality of openings 332 to 335 are formed in the bottom plate 321. These openings 332 to 335 are formed at positions corresponding to the openings 312 to 315, respectively.

[0068] [Configuration of enclosed space] As shown in Fig. 7, a sealed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. The sealed space T is formed between the side wall 300 and the side wall 320, between the flange portion 301 and the side wall 320, and between the bottom plate 302 and the bottom plate 321. The sealed space T is sealed by a plurality of adapters and a plurality of sealing members, which will be described later. The sealing structure of this sealed space T will be described below.

[0069] The adapter connects the inner chamber 11 to the outside of the inner chamber 11 (e.g., the outer chamber 12) when the inner chamber 11 is attached to the outer chamber 12. The adapter may be attached from the inside or the outside of the inner chamber 11 depending on the attachment position. The adapter is made of a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel, and the surface of the adapter, i.e., the gas-contacting surface inside the inner chamber 11 that comes into contact with the process gas, is coated with a coating that is corrosion-resistant to the process gas. The sealing member is, for example, an O-ring made of resin.

[0070] First, the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the loading / unloading ports 310, 330 for the wafer W will be described. An adapter 340 is provided at the loading / unloading port 310 of the inner chamber 11. The adapter 340 connects the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11 and the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12. The adapter 340 has a substantially cylindrical main body 341 with open end faces, and a locking portion 342 that protrudes outward from the main body 341. The main body 341 extends horizontally from the loading / unloading port 310 to the loading / unloading port 330 along the inner side surfaces of the loading / unloading ports 310, 330. The locking portion 342 extends vertically along the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11.

[0071] 14 to 16 are explanatory diagrams showing the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the loading / unloading port 310 of the inner chamber 11. In FIG. 16, the adapter 340 is not shown in order to explain the configuration of the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11. As shown in FIGS. 14 to 16, the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11 and the locking portion 342 of the adapter 340 are fastened together by a plurality of first fastening members 343. Furthermore, the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11 and the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12 are fastened together by a plurality of second fastening members 344. These fastening members 343, 344 may be, for example, screws.

[0072] A seal member 345 is provided between the inner surface of the side wall 300 of the inner chamber 11 and the side surface of the locking portion 342 of the adapter 340. The seal member 345 is provided in an annular shape so as to surround the loading / unloading port 310.

[0073] The first fastening member 343 is provided outside the seal member 345. Here, when the first fastening member 343 fastens from the locking portion 342 of the adapter 340 to the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12, the process gas inside the inner chamber 11 leaks into the sealed space T through a gap between the first fastening member 343 and its screw hole. Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to prevent the process gas from leaking into the sealed space T and coming into contact with the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12, the first fastening member 343 that fastens the inner chamber 11 and the adapter 340 is provided outside the seal member 345.

[0074] Furthermore, the second fastening member 344 is provided inside the seal member 345. If the second fastening member 344 were provided outside the seal member 345, the second fastening member 344 would be in communication with the interior of the inner chamber 11, causing the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 to leak into the sealed space T through a gap between the second fastening member 344 and its screw hole. Therefore, in order to prevent the processing gas from leaking into the sealed space T and coming into contact with the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12, the second fastening member 344 is provided inside the seal member 345 in this embodiment.

[0075] 16, sealing member 345 is curved near second fastening member 344 to avoid interference with second fastening member 344, but the layout of sealing member 345 is not limited to this. For example, if second fastening member 344 is provided more inward (closer to loading / unloading port 310) than in the example of FIG. 16, the curvature of sealing member 345 can be omitted.

[0076] Furthermore, although a single seal member 345 is provided in this embodiment, multiple seal members may be provided. For example, in addition to the seal member 345 provided in an annular shape to surround the loading / unloading port 310, seal members (not shown) may be provided to individually surround the outer peripheries of the second fastening members 344.

[0077] 7, an adapter 346 is provided at the loading / unloading port 330 of the outer chamber 12. This adapter 346 is fastened to the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12 by fastening members (not shown), such as screws. A seal member 347 is provided between the adapter 346 and the side wall 320. In addition, a seal member 348 is also provided between this outer adapter 346 and the inner adapter 340. These seal members 347, 348 are each provided in an annular shape so as to surround the loading / unloading port 330.

[0078] With the above-described sealing structure, the sealed space T is sealed at the loading / unloading ports 310 and 330, and the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 is prevented from leaking into the sealed space T.

[0079] Next, the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the openings 313, 333 (connection portions of the exhaust pipe 60) will be described. An adapter 350 is provided in the openings 313, 333. The adapter 350 connects the bottom plate 302 of the inner chamber 11 and the bottom plate 321 of the outer chamber 12. The adapter 350 extends vertically from the bottom plate 321 of the outer chamber 12 to the exhaust pipe 60.

[0080] A seal member 351 is provided between the lower surface of the bottom plate 302 of the inner chamber 11 and the upper surface of the adapter 350. The seal member 351 is provided in an annular shape so as to surround the openings 313 and 333.

[0081] With the above-described sealing structure, the sealed space T is sealed at the openings 313 and 333, and the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 is prevented from leaking into the sealed space T.

[0082] Next, the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the openings 314, 334 (connection portions of the drive shaft 72) will be described. An adapter 360 is provided in the openings 314, 334. The adapter 360 connects the bottom plate 302 of the inner chamber 11 to the bottom plate 321 of the outer chamber 12. The adapter 360 extends vertically from the bottom plate 321 of the outer chamber 12 to the drive shaft 72.

[0083] A seal member 361 is provided between the lower surface of the bottom plate 302 of the inner chamber 11 and the upper surface of the adapter 360. The seal member 361 is provided in an annular shape so as to surround the openings 314 and 334.

[0084] With the above-described sealing structure, the sealed space T is sealed at the openings 314, 334, and the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 is prevented from leaking into the sealed space T. Note that an adapter 360 is also provided at the openings 315, 335 (connection portions of the guide shaft 73) to seal the sealed space T.

[0085] The sealing structure of the sealed space T at the other openings 312, 332 (the installation portions of the mounting table 20 and the inner wall 50) and the sealing structure of the sealed space T at the ports 311, 331 are all the same as the above-described sealing structure. That is, an adapter and a sealing member are provided at each opening.

[0086] Next, we will explain the sealing structure of the sealed space T between the flange portion 301 and the upper surface of the side wall 320. A seal member 370 is provided between the lower surface of the flange portion 301 and the upper surface of the side wall 320. The sealed space T is sealed so that the outside atmosphere does not flow into the sealed space T.

[0087] 17, a gap G is formed between the lower surface of the flange portion 301 and the upper surface of the side wall 320. This gap makes it possible to suppress heat transfer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. Here, as described above, the sealed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum level by the decompression unit 130, and the sealed space T functions as a vacuum insulation layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. In this embodiment, the gap G suppresses heat transfer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, so that the function of the vacuum insulation layer of the sealed space T can be maintained.

[0088] As described above, the sealed space T is sealed with a plurality of adapters and a plurality of sealing members, which will be described later. Therefore, the processing gas inside the inner chamber 11 does not flow into the sealed space T, and as a result, the outer chamber 12 is prevented from being exposed to the processing gas.

[0089] A plurality of spacers 380 are provided in the sealed space T. The spacers 380 are in contact with the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. The spacers 380 are formed of, for example, stainless steel. The spacers 380 are able to maintain the strength of the inner chamber 11. In other words, providing the spacers 380 also makes it possible to reduce the thickness of the inner chamber 11. The spacers 380 may be provided at any position. For example, the spacers 380 may be provided in a portion of the inner chamber 11 where the strength is weak.

[0090] [Heater configuration] As shown in FIG. 7 , a heater ring 13 for heating the inner chamber 11 is provided on the upper surface of the flange portion 301 of the inner chamber 11. The heater ring 13 is provided in an annular shape. The heater ring 13 is exposed to the outside. The interior of the heater ring 13 is maintained at atmospheric pressure, and an inner heater 390, such as a sheath heater or a cartridge heater, is built into the heater ring 13. The outer chamber 12 is provided with an outer heater 391, such as a sheath heater or a cartridge heater, for heating the outer chamber 12. The outer heater 391 can be provided at any position, for example, at each of the four corners of the bottom plate of the outer chamber 12. The inner heater 390 and the outer heater 391 are individually controlled and can be adjusted to individual temperatures.

[0091] The inner heater 390 (heater ring 13) adjusts the temperature of the inner chamber 11 to, for example, 100° C. to 120° C. This makes it possible to prevent foreign matter contained in the processing gas from adhering to the inner chamber 11, for example.

[0092] As described above, the sealed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum level by the decompression unit 130, and functions as a vacuum insulation layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. The sealed space T, which is a vacuum insulation layer, makes it possible to thermally isolate the inner chamber 11, and allows for efficient temperature control of the inner chamber 11.

[0093] The outer heater 391 adjusts the temperature of the outer chamber 12 to, for example, 80°C to 100°C. Here, the inner chamber 11 is thermally isolated by the sealed space T, which is a vacuum insulation layer, but there is some heat transfer between the inner chamber 11 and the sealed space T. In particular, the volume of the outer chamber 12 is large, and the outer chamber 12 is connected to a wafer transfer device or the like outside the wafer processing apparatus 1, so some heat escapes from the inner chamber 11 via the outer chamber 12. Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature of the outer chamber 12 is adjusted in advance, thereby appropriately controlling the temperature of the inner chamber 11. In other words, the outer heater 391 functions as an assist in adjusting the temperature of the inner chamber 11.

[0094] The temperature of the outer chamber 12 adjusted by the outer heater 391 is arbitrary. However, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is controlled to be higher than the temperature of the outer chamber 12. For example, when the chamber has a single structure like the wafer processing apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the temperature of the chamber is adjusted to, for example, 120°C to 150°C. In this regard, in the present embodiment, the chamber 10 has a double structure, so the temperature of the outer chamber 12 can be kept lower than in the past.

[0095] As described above, the partition wall 40 is adjusted to, for example, 120°C to 140°C by the partition wall heater 210. That is, the temperature of the partition wall 40 is controlled to be higher than the temperature of the inner chamber 11. By providing a temperature difference between the partition wall 40 and the inner chamber 11 in this way, controlling the partition wall heater 210 makes it easier to control the temperatures of the partition wall 40 and the inner chamber 11. Note that the temperature of the partition wall 40 does not necessarily have to be higher than the temperature of the inner chamber 11, and may be the same, for example.

[0096] <Wafer processing method> Next, the wafer processing (COR processing) in the wafer processing apparatus 1 configured as above will be described.

[0097] First, with the partition wall 40 lowered to the retracted position, a wafer W is transported into the chamber 10 (inner chamber 11) by a transport mechanism (not shown) provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1, and placed on each of the mounting tables 20, 20.

[0098] Thereafter, the partition 40 is raised to the wafer processing position, whereby the processing space S is formed by the partition 40.

[0099] Then, the inside of the inner chamber 11 is evacuated to a desired pressure by the exhaust unit 120, and the processing gas is supplied from the processing gas supply unit 100 into the inside of the inner chamber 11 to perform the COR processing on the wafer W. The processing gas in the processing space S passes through the exhaust space V and the slits 53 in each inner wall 50, and is exhausted from the exhaust unit 120.

[0100] During the COR process, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 is adjusted to, for example, 120°C to 150°C by the inner heater 390 (heating ring 13), and the temperature of the outer chamber 12 is adjusted to, for example, 80°C or less by the outer heater 391. In addition, the sealed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum level by the decompression unit 130, and functions as a vacuum insulation layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. As a result, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 can be efficiently adjusted by the vacuum insulation layer.

[0101] Furthermore, during the COR process, in order to adjust the pressure in the sealed space T, an inert gas may be supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T. For example, if a pressure difference occurs between the inside of the inner chamber 11 and the sealed space T, the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T to adjust this pressure difference. Specifically, in order to prevent the processing gas from flowing into the sealed space T, the pressure in the sealed space T is adjusted so that the inside of the inner chamber 11 does not become higher in pressure than the sealed space T. Alternatively, for example, the pressure in the sealed space T is monitored with a pressure gauge (not shown), and when the pressure falls below a threshold, the inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T.

[0102] When the COR process is completed, the partition 40 descends to the retreat position, and the wafer W on each of the mounting tables 20, 20 is carried out of the wafer processing apparatus 1 by a wafer transfer mechanism (not shown). Thereafter, the wafer W is heated by a heating device provided outside the wafer processing apparatus 1, and reaction products generated by the COR process are vaporized and removed. This completes the COR process sequence.

[0103] <Wafer processing equipment maintenance> Next, maintenance of the wafer processing apparatus 1 will be described. In this maintenance, for example, the inner chamber 11 is replaced. Replacement of the inner chamber 11 includes a case where the corrosion-resistant coating of the inner chamber 11 is changed when, for example, a processing gas is changed. Alternatively, for example, after COR processing is performed on multiple wafers W, the inner chamber 11 that has deteriorated over time may be replaced.

[0104] First, the vacuuming of the sealed space T by the pressure reducing unit 130 is stopped, and an inert gas is supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T. The supply of the inert gas is continued until the pressure inside the sealed space T reaches atmospheric pressure.

[0105] Thereafter, the lid 14 is removed to open the interior of the inner chamber 11 to the atmosphere, and then the partition wall 40 is removed and the inner chamber 11 is replaced. Then, after forming a sealed space T between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, the sealed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum level by the depressurization unit 130. In this way, preparation for the COR process is completed.

[0106] <Effects of this embodiment> According to the above embodiment, the triple structure of the partition wall 40, the inner chamber 11, and the outer chamber 12 is provided, and therefore, while enjoying the effects of the double structure of the chamber 10 described below, the flow of the processing gas in the processing space S can be made uniform, and exhaust from the processing space S can also be appropriately controlled.

[0107] In addition, since conventional wafer processing apparatuses have only one chamber, the heat from the partition wall is dissipated to the chamber side. In this regard, according to the present embodiment, the inner chamber 11 is provided between the partition wall 40 and the outer chamber 12, so that the partition wall 40 is less susceptible to the influence of external heat (heat from the outer chamber 12), and the temperature uniformity of the partition wall 40 is improved.

[0108] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the distance between the partition wall 40 and the wafer W can be increased, reducing the temperature influence from the partition wall 40 to the wafer W. As a result, the process performance can be maintained with high precision.

[0109] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the chamber 10 has a double structure, even if the type of process gas changes and the coating on the chamber surface needs to be changed, this can be accommodated by simply replacing the inner chamber 11. In other words, there is no need to replace the outer chamber 12. This reduces the burden of chamber replacement, which is required in conventional wafer processing apparatuses, such as completely shutting down the system in which the wafer processing apparatus is installed, undocking the wafer processing apparatus, and rewiring gas supply lines, power supply lines, water supply lines, etc. In this way, the wafer processing apparatus 1 is configured to be able to handle a variety of process gases (various gas processes) in a simple manner.

[0110] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the outer chamber 12 does not come into contact with the process gas supplied to the inside of the inner chamber 11. Therefore, there is no need to apply a corrosion-resistant coating to the surface of the outer chamber 12, and the outer chamber 12 can be made of a solid metal material.

[0111] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a sealed space T is formed between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12, and this sealed space T is sealed by a plurality of adapters and a plurality of sealing members. In particular, at the wafer W loading / unloading ports 310 and 330, a first fastening member 343 that fastens the inner chamber 11 and the adapter 340 is provided outside the sealing member 345, and a second fastening member 344 that fastens the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 is provided inside the sealing member 345. This prevents processing gas from flowing into the sealed space T through the screw holes of the first fastening member 343 and the second fastening member 344, thereby ensuring a reliable seal of the sealed space T. As described above, with a simple structure, the sealing performance of the sealed space T can be ensured.

[0112] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the sealed space T is depressurized to a desired vacuum level by the decompression unit 130, and functions as a vacuum insulation layer between the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12. Furthermore, a gap G is formed between the lower surface of the flange portion 301 of the inner chamber 11 and the upper surface of the side wall 320 of the outer chamber 12, and the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 are not in contact with each other at other locations either, thereby maintaining the function of the vacuum insulation layer of the sealed space T. This makes it possible to thermally isolate the inner chamber 11, allowing for efficient temperature adjustment of the inner chamber 11. As a result, the load on the inner heater 390 can be reduced.

[0113] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pressure in the sealed space T can be adjusted by the inert gas supply unit 110. Therefore, during wafer processing, the pressure difference between the inside of the inner chamber 11 and the sealed space T can be reduced, and the inflow of processing gas into the sealed space T can be suppressed. Furthermore, even when replacing the inner chamber 11, an inert gas can be supplied from the inert gas supply unit 110 to the sealed space T, making the inside of the sealed space T atmospheric pressure, and thus the replacement of the inner chamber 11 can be performed smoothly.

[0114] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the exhaust of the interior of the inner chamber 11 by the exhaust unit 120 and the decompression of the sealed space T by the decompression unit 130 can be controlled separately. Therefore, the pressure inside the inner chamber 11 and the pressure in the sealed space T can be appropriately adjusted.

[0115] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the temperature of the inner chamber 11 by the inner heater 390 (heating ring 13) and the temperature of the outer chamber 12 by the outer heater 391 can be controlled individually. Therefore, the temperatures of the inner chamber 11 and the outer chamber 12 can be appropriately adjusted.

[0116] In particular, in this embodiment, since the chamber 10 has a double structure with a sealed space T, the temperature of the outer chamber 12 can be kept lower than the temperature of the inner chamber 11. This reduces the load on the outer heater 391. Furthermore, for example, the time from when the wafer processing apparatus 1 is heated out until maintenance is performed can be shortened, and the time until the wafer processing apparatus 1 is restored after maintenance can also be shortened.

[0117] In the above embodiment, the wafer processing apparatus 1 is described as having two mounting tables 20 as shown in FIG. 2, but the above effects can also be obtained for a wafer processing apparatus 1 having one mounting table 20 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0118] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, an example has been described in which one or two mounting tables 20 are provided, but the number of mounting tables 20 is not limited to these. For example, the number of mounting tables 20 may be three or more.

[0119] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive, and the above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

[0120] Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, an example of performing COR processing on a wafer W has been described, but the technology disclosed herein can also be applied to other wafer processing apparatuses that use processing gases, such as plasma processing apparatuses. [Explanation of symbols]

[0121] 1. Wafer processing equipment 11 Inner chamber 12 outer chamber 20 Mounting table 40 Bulkhead 100 Processing gas supply unit W wafer

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, a mounting table on which a substrate is placed; a partition wall surrounding the mounting table; an inner chamber provided outside the partition wall; an outer chamber provided outside the inner chamber; a processing gas supply unit that supplies a processing gas to the substrate placed on the mounting table; a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the partition wall; a seal member provided on a lower surface of the shower head of the processing gas supply unit, The inner chamber is configured to be detachable from the outer chamber, the outer chamber is provided so as not to come into contact with the processing gas supplied to the inside of the inner chamber; When the partition wall is raised, the upper surface of the partition wall comes into contact with the sealing member, The lifting mechanism includes: a drive shaft for raising and lowering the partition wall; a shaft seal portion provided on the drive shaft.

2. a partition wall heater that heats the partition wall; an inner heater for heating the inner chamber; an outer heater for heating the outer chamber; The substrate processing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the inner heater is higher than the temperature of the outer heater.

3. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the temperature of the partition heater is higher than the temperature of the inner heater.

4. 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a coating having corrosion resistance against the processing gas is applied to a gas contact surface of said partition wall and a gas contact surface of said inner chamber.

5. an exhaust pipe for exhausting the interior of the partition wall and the interior of the inner chamber; 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust pipe is provided at one location inside the inner chamber and outside the partition wall.

6. A sealed space is formed between the inner chamber and the outer chamber, The substrate processing apparatus includes: a pressure reducing unit that evacuates the space; 6. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an inert gas supply unit that supplies an inert gas to the space.

7. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising a control unit that controls the pressure reducing unit to evacuate the space, causing the space to function as a vacuum heat insulating layer.

8. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the control unit controls the inert gas supply unit to supply the inert gas to the space, and adjusts the pressure in the space.

9. A substrate processing method for processing a substrate using a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: The substrate processing apparatus includes: a mounting table on which a substrate is placed; a partition wall surrounding the mounting table; an inner chamber provided outside the partition wall; an outer chamber provided outside the inner chamber; a processing gas supply unit that supplies a processing gas to the substrate placed on the mounting table; a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the partition wall; a seal member provided on a lower surface of the shower head of the processing gas supply unit, When the partition wall is raised, the upper surface of the partition wall comes into contact with the sealing member, The lifting mechanism includes: a drive shaft for raising and lowering the partition wall; a shaft seal portion provided on the drive shaft, The substrate processing method includes: housing a substrate within the inner chamber; forming a processing space with the partition wall and the processing gas supply unit; and processing the substrate while supplying a processing gas to the processing space without the processing gas contacting the outer chamber.

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