Film deposition apparatus and film deposition method

Abstract

To provide a film deposition apparatus that enables stable processing in the processing chamber. [Solution] The film deposition apparatus of the embodiment comprises a chamber, a lid, a target, a film deposition chamber, a transport body, a cylindrical part that moves the work holder from the transport body to a position in contact with the lid, an inward-facing flange formed at the lower end of the cylindrical part and extending inward from the lower end, an outward-facing flange provided inside the cylindrical part and extending outward in the cylindrical part, overlapping with the inward-facing flange so as the cylindrical part moves, and suppressing exhaust into the chamber, a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the cylindrical part so as to move it toward and away from the work holder, and an exhaust section provided at the opening at the bottom of the chamber for vacuum exhaust, wherein the lifting mechanism raises the cylindrical part, brings the work holder into contact with the lower edge of the lid, overlaps the outward-facing flange so as to be in close proximity to the inward-facing flange, and connects the inside of the cylindrical part to the exhaust section from the film deposition chamber via a first through-hole to perform vacuum exhaust of the processing space of the film deposition chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a film forming apparatus and a film forming method.

Background Art

[0002] As an apparatus for forming a film on the surface of a workpiece such as a substrate, a film forming apparatus by sputtering is widely used. Sputtering generates ions by plasmaizing a process gas introduced into a vacuum chamber, and the generated ions collide with the surface of a target which is a film forming material, so that the film forming material flies and adheres to the workpiece.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In recent years, a sputtering type film forming apparatus having a plurality of film forming chambers is used. In such a film forming apparatus, a workpiece is placed on an intermittently rotating rotary table arranged in a transfer space common to the plurality of film forming chambers, and film forming processes are sequentially performed in each film forming chamber by the intermittent rotation of the rotary table. In the case of such a film forming apparatus, contamination may occur in the process gas used in each film forming chamber through the transfer space. In such a case, the film forming process becomes unstable.

[0005] [[ID=3⑧]] Therefore, embodiments of the present invention provide a film forming apparatus and a film forming method capable of performing a stable film forming process.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The film deposition apparatus of the embodiment includes a chamber capable of creating a vacuum inside, a lid provided opposite to the chamber through an opening at the top of the chamber, a target provided on the lid and formed containing a film deposition material to be deposited on a workpiece to be processed by sputtering, a film deposition chamber formed inside the chamber by the lid and a workpiece holder including a first through hole, which sputters the target with plasma to form a film on the workpiece placed on the workpiece holder, a transport body on which the workpiece holder is placed and rotates intermittently to position the workpiece holder at a position corresponding to the lid, a cylindrical portion that moves the workpiece holder from the transport body to a position in contact with the lid, and a portion formed at the lower end of the cylindrical portion, extending inward from the lower end The device comprises an inward-facing flange extending in the direction, an outward-facing flange provided inside the cylindrical portion and extending outward in the cylindrical portion, overlapping with the inward-facing flange so as the cylindrical portion moves and bringing it into close proximity with the inward-facing flange, thereby suppressing exhaust into the chamber, a lifting mechanism for raising and lowering the cylindrical portion so as to move it toward and away from the work holder, and an exhaust section provided at the opening at the bottom of the chamber opposite the film deposition chamber for vacuum exhaust, wherein the lifting mechanism raises the cylindrical portion, brings the work holder into contact with the lower edge of the lid, and overlaps the outward-facing flange so as to bring it into close proximity with the inward-facing flange, thereby forming a first exhaust line that connects the inside of the cylindrical portion to the exhaust section via the first through-hole from the film deposition chamber and performs vacuum exhaust of the processing space of the film deposition chamber. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the film deposition apparatus in this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 1, showing the configuration of the film-forming section in this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram of the control unit in this embodiment. [Figure 4] This diagram illustrates the plasma processing flow in this embodiment. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates the plasma processing flow in this embodiment. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates the plasma processing flow in this embodiment. [Figure 7] This diagram illustrates the plasma processing flow in this embodiment. [Figure 8] This diagram illustrates the plasma processing flow in this embodiment. [Figure 9] This diagram illustrates the plasma processing flow in this embodiment. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates the plasma processing flow in this embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart of the plasma processing in this embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view of the first modified example of this embodiment, showing the formation of a dedicated exhaust line by the film-forming section. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view of the formation of the entire exhaust line by the film-forming portion in the first modified example of this embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a cross-sectional view of the formation of a dedicated exhaust line by the film-forming section in a second modified example of this embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a cross-sectional view of the formation of the entire exhaust line by the film-forming portion in a second modified example of this embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a cross-sectional view of the third modified example of this embodiment, showing the formation of a dedicated exhaust line by the film-forming section. [Figure 17] This is a cross-sectional view of the formation of the entire exhaust line by the film-forming portion in a third modified example of this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. These embodiments are not limiting to the present invention. The drawings are schematic or conceptual, and the proportions of each part may not necessarily be the same as those of reality. In some drawings, lines visible in cross-sections may be omitted. In the specification and drawings, elements similar to those described above with respect to previously shown drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions are omitted as appropriate.

[0009] Furthermore, in this disclosure, the terms "greater than or equal to" and "less than or equal to" may be interpreted as "greater than" and "less than," respectively.

[0010] Furthermore, the X, Y, and Z axes described below represent axes perpendicular to each other, with the direction along the X axis being the X direction, the direction along the Y axis being the Y direction, and the direction along the Z axis being the Z direction. Note that the direction along each axis does not necessarily indicate a parallel direction. The X and Y directions intersect each other and correspond to the horizontal direction perpendicular to the direction of gravity, while the Z direction is the vertical direction intersecting the X and Y directions, i.e., the direction of gravity. However, this does not necessarily indicate that it is parallel to the direction of gravity. Also, the +Z direction corresponds to the upward direction, and the -Z direction corresponds to the downward direction. The X direction is an example of the first direction, the Y direction is an example of the second direction, and the Z direction is an example of the third direction.

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the film deposition apparatus 1 in this embodiment.

[0012] The film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is, for example, a plasma processing apparatus that performs film formation on the film formation target surface WS of each workpiece W using plasma. In the present embodiment, the film forming apparatus 1 includes a chamber 2, a rotary table 3, a load lock unit 120, a pretreatment unit 200, a film forming unit 300 (300A, 300B), and a control unit 70. The film forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment has a rotary table 3 that holds the workpiece W in a chamber 2 that can be evacuated and intermittently rotates every 90°. The film forming apparatus 1 performs various processes on the workpiece W at stop positions (four) where the rotary table 3 stops every 90°. The processes at each position are performed simultaneously or non-simultaneously. Therefore, each processing unit is preferably arranged evenly around the rotary table 3 on a concentric circle centered on the rotary table 3. Each processing unit may be one or a plurality. The number of stop positions is not limited to the example of FIG. 1, and various stop positions may be provided.

[0013] The film forming apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 shows an example in which there is one load lock unit 120 and one pretreatment unit 200, and two film forming units 300. The unprocessed workpiece W is carried into the chamber 2 by the load lock unit 120, and the carried-in workpiece W is intermittently conveyed clockwise in the drawing by the rotary table 3. The workpiece W carried into the chamber 2 is first pretreated before the film forming process by the pretreatment unit 200, and the same / different film forming processes (sputtering) are performed by the film forming units 300A and 300B. The processed workpiece W is carried out of the chamber 2 by the load lock unit 120. The operations and processes of each unit are controlled by the control unit 70.

[0014] The film forming apparatus 1 in the present embodiment can process while simultaneously conveying a plurality of workpieces W, but in the following description, the description will focus on one workpiece W.

[0015] A load lock unit 120, a pretreatment unit 200, a film forming unit 300A, and a film forming unit 300B are respectively installed at each stop position. The load lock unit 120 carries an untreated workpiece W into the chamber 2 while maintaining the vacuum inside the chamber 2, and carries out the processed workpiece W to the outside of the chamber 2.

[0016] The film deposition apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is a so-called multi-chamber film deposition apparatus having a plurality of film deposition sections 300A to 300B. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, a configuration having two film deposition sections 300A to 300B is illustrated, but each processing section may be one or more.

[0017] In this embodiment, a flat ceramic substrate is used as an example of the workpiece W to be processed. However, the type, shape, and material of the workpiece W are not limited to any particular type. For example, the substrate shape may be a substrate that is partially or entirely concave and / or convex, or a substrate that is curved to be concave and / or convex, and is not limited to a flat plate. Also, the substrate is not limited to a rectangular shape, but may be polygonal or circular. Furthermore, the substrate material may be a solid, and may include conductive materials such as metal and carbon, insulating materials such as glass and rubber, or semiconductors such as silicon. Furthermore, the composition and application of the film to be deposited are not limited to any particular type. The deposited film may be used for various purposes such as decoration and protection, optical applications such as anti-reflective coatings, or for recording information. Also, the number of workpieces W that undergo plasma processing simultaneously at each stop position is not limited to a particular number.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the chamber 2 is a container capable of creating a vacuum inside. In this embodiment, the chamber 2 is a rectangular box shape, with a bottom plate 21 on the installation side and a lid plate 22 on the opposite side. In this embodiment, it is rectangular, but the chamber 2 may be any shape. For example, the shape of the chamber may be cylindrical, that is, it may follow the shape of the rotary table 3. The chamber 2 is provided with exhaust sections 360 at the bottom of each film-forming section 300A and 300B. The exhaust section 360 in this embodiment has piping connected to an opening 380 formed in the bottom plate 21 of the chamber 2. The exhaust section 360 is configured to include a pneumatic circuit (not shown) and enables vacuum evacuation of the chamber 2 by exhaust processing. In addition to this exhaust section 360, there may also be an exhaust section 370 that evacuates the entire chamber 2.

[0019] During film deposition, this exhaust unit 360 becomes a dedicated exhaust unit 360 for each of the respective deposition units 300A and 300B, enabling exhaust of the processing space in the corresponding deposition chamber. When not in use during film deposition, it performs exhaust treatment for the entire chamber 2, evacuating the air from within the chamber 2.

[0020] The rotary table 3 is a conveying device that rotates in the θ direction, which is the rotational direction with the Z direction as the axis of rotation, and conveys the workpiece W within the chamber 2. The rotary table 3 is a circular plate and rotates intermittently (intermittent conveying) around the shaft 31 by a drive source (not shown). The rotary table 3 has openings with grooves on which workpiece holders 400 are placed at equally spaced positions around the circumference. There are four openings, spaced at 90° intervals, corresponding to the load lock section 120, the pre-processing section 200, the film deposition section 300A, and the film deposition section 300B. The space between the shaft 31 and the bottom plate 21 is sealed by a sealing material 3a such as an O-ring, as shown in Figure 2. The rotary table 3 is an example of a conveying body.

[0021] The load lock unit 120 is a device that, while maintaining a vacuum in the chamber 2, uses a transport means (not shown) to load a work holder 400 loaded with an unprocessed workpiece W into the chamber 2 from the outside, and to unload a work holder 400 loaded with a processed workpiece W to the outside of the chamber 2.

[0022] The pre-treatment unit 200 performs a bombardment treatment on the workpiece W. In the bombardment treatment, plasma is generated in the treatment chamber, and this plasma is used to modify the surface of the workpiece W. By performing the bombardment treatment, moisture, contaminants (organic matter), and foreign matter are removed from the film-forming surface of the workpiece W, thereby improving the adhesion of the film formed in the next film-forming process.

[0023] The film deposition units 300A and 300B are apparatuses that deposit films onto the workpiece W to be processed. In the film deposition chambers within the film deposition units 300A and 300B, a voltage is applied to the process gas G in the processing space to generate plasma, and ions in the plasma knock out sputtered particles from a target composed of the film material source, depositing the sputtered particles onto the workpiece W to form a film. The film deposition unit 300A performs film deposition on the workpiece W, which has been bombarded by the pre-processing unit 200 and then intermittently transported from the rotary table 3. In this embodiment, the film deposition unit 300B performs film deposition on the workpiece W using a different target in the same manner as the film deposition unit 300A. Alternatively, the film deposition unit 300A or 300B may perform reactive sputtering, in which a voltage is applied to the process gas G in the processing space to generate plasma, and a compound film is produced by a chemical reaction between ions in the plasma and the film. In the film deposition section 300B, the same or different film deposition process (sputtering) as in the film deposition section 300A is performed.

[0024] The process gas G is a gas used to deposit a film-forming material onto the surface of a workpiece W by applying a voltage to an antenna (not shown) to create a plasma, which then collides with the target. For example, an inert gas such as argon can be used as the process gas G.

[0025] In this embodiment, the film deposition units 300A and 300B are arranged, for example, in a continuous manner in the transport direction (dashed arrow shown in Figure 1). The number of film deposition units may be determined by the number of types of film deposition materials to be deposited on the workpiece. In addition, multiple film deposition units may each be equipped with targets for different film deposition materials, or they may each be equipped with targets for the same type of film deposition material.

[0026] The control unit 70 controls each part of the film deposition apparatus 1. The control unit 70 is programmed with the control contents for the plasma processing and is executed by a processing unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). For example, the control unit 70 controls the exhaust of the chamber 2, the pre-processing unit 200, and the film deposition units 300A and 300B.

[0027] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along line AA showing the configuration of the film-forming section 300A in this embodiment.

[0028] Figure 2 shows the state after preprocessing by the preprocessing unit 200 is completed, and the control unit 70 controls the rotary table 3 to intermittently transport it, positioning the work holder 400 in the opening 311 of the film deposition unit 300A.

[0029] In this embodiment, the film-forming sections 300A and 300B include a film-forming chamber 310, a cylinder 320, a cylindrical section 340, an inflow suppression section 341, a bellows mechanism 342, a process gas introduction section 350, and an exhaust section 360.

[0030] The deposition chamber 310 is a processing space in which a film is deposited on a workpiece W by sputtering a target 4 with ions generated when the process gas G introduced by the process gas introduction unit 350 is plasma-activated. As shown in Figure 2, the deposition chamber 310 consists of an opening 311, a lid 313, and a workpiece holder 400 intermittently transported by a rotary table 3. The opening 311 is a through hole provided in the lid plate 22 of the chamber 2. The lid 313 is a housing provided in the opening 311 and seals the upper part of the workpiece holder 400. The lid 313 is also provided so that the underside 313c of the lid faces the bottom plate 21 of the chamber 2. The lid 313 is supported by the lid plate 22. A sealing material 313b is provided on the lid 313 side, and the space between the lid plate 22 and the lid 313 is sealed by the airtight contact between this sealing material 313b and the lid plate 22. The space between the cover plate 22 and the cover body 313 is sealed by a sealing material 313b such as an O-ring. Furthermore, a sealing material 313b is provided on the lower edge 313d of the cover body 313, and the space between the work holder 400 and the lower edge 313e of the cover body 313 is sealed by a sealing material 313a such as an O-ring. A target 4 is provided on the underside 313c of the cover body 313. The target 4 is held facing the workpiece W by a backing plate (not shown).

[0031] Target 4 is a component formed from a film-forming material that is deposited on the workpiece W to form a film. Examples of film-forming materials include silicon, niobium, tantalum, titanium, and aluminum. However, various materials can be used as long as they can be formed by sputtering. When multiple targets 4 are provided, they may be made of the same material or different materials. Also, target 4 is, for example, cylindrical in shape. However, it may be an oblong cylinder, a prismatic shape, or other three-dimensional shapes. When a high voltage is applied to each target 4, the process gas G supplied between target 4 and workpiece W is plasma-generated, and the film-forming material can be deposited on the workpiece W. In this embodiment, the power supply unit is, for example, a DC power supply, but it may also be an RF power supply that applies a high-frequency voltage. In the DC power supply system, a ground connection (not shown) is provided on the lid 313 side.

[0032] The cylindrical portion 340 moves toward and away from the work holder 400 as the cylinder 320 operates, forming an exhaust line that connects the processing space 312 in the film deposition chamber 310 with the cylindrical portion 340. The processing space 312 is the space formed between the work holder 400 and the lid 313 when the work holder 400 comes into contact with the lid 313 via the sealing material 313a. The surface where the cylindrical portion 340 and the lower surface of the work holder 400 come into contact is sealed by a sealing material 340a such as an O-ring. If the direction of movement of the cylindrical portion 340 is the axial direction, the cylindrical portion 340 is provided with inward-facing flanges 340b and 340c at its upper and lower ends, respectively, extending radially inward from the axial end of the cylindrical portion 340, that is, inward from the upper and lower ends of the cylindrical portion 340. The direction radially inward of the cylindrical portion 340 is also called the inward direction. The inward-facing flanges 340b and 340c each have openings 340f and 340e in the center, respectively. The inward-facing flange 340b also has a support portion 340d that protrudes in a direction toward contact with the work holder 400. This support portion 340d is provided in a ring shape on the upper surface of the inward-facing flange 340b so as to face the work holder 400. A sealing material 340a is provided at the upper end of the support portion 340d. The support portion 340d contacts the work holder 400 via the sealing material 340a.

[0033] The cylinder 320 is a component that is movably provided to move the cylindrical portion 340 toward and toward the work holder 400. As the cylindrical portion 340 moves, the work holder 400 moves toward and toward the lower edge 313e of the lid 313. The space between the cylinder 320 and the bottom plate 21 is sealed by a sealing material 320a such as an O-ring. The cylinder 320 is an example of a moving mechanism.

[0034] The process gas introduction unit 350 has piping for introducing process gas G. The process gas introduction unit 350 includes a gas supply circuit (not shown) and, based on the control of the control unit 70, introduces process gas G from the supply source into the processing space 312 within the film deposition chamber 310. The process gas introduction unit 350 is also equipped with a vacuum gauge 351 for measuring the pressure inside the film deposition chamber 310. The vacuum gauge 351 is an example of a first vacuum gauge.

[0035] The inflow suppression section 341 is a disc-shaped member positioned on the cylindrical section 340 to suppress the inflow of plasma into the cylindrical section 340. In this embodiment, the inflow suppression section 341 is positioned inside the support section 340d of the inward flange 340b and is provided with a plurality of through holes 341a. For example, four through holes 341a are provided along the circumference of the inflow suppression section 341. However, the number of through holes 341a is not limited to this and may be of various numbers.

[0036] The work holder 400 is a dish-shaped member that holds the workpiece W. The work holder 400 in this embodiment is provided with a plurality of through holes 400a. The through holes 400a are provided, for example, on the outside of the portion of the work holder 400 where the workpiece W is placed. For example, four through holes 400a are provided along the circumference.

[0037] The through-holes 341a and 400a are positioned so as not to overlap in the Z direction. The through-holes 341a and 400a are positioned so as to be offset in the circumferential and / or radial directions between the inflow suppression section 341 and the work holder 400. Furthermore, the number of through-holes 341a and 400a may differ as long as they are positioned so as not to overlap in the Z direction. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, they are positioned offset in the radial direction.

[0038] Furthermore, the support portion 340d ensures that a gap is created between the inflow suppression portion 341 and the work holder 400 when the work holder 400 and the cylindrical portion 340 are in contact.

[0039] During sputtering, the cylindrical portion 340 raises the work holder 400, causing the edge of the work holder 400 to contact the lid 313. At this time, the cylindrical portion 340 and the work holder 400 come into contact. Also, the inward flange 340c comes into contact with the outward flange 342b, which will be described later. Furthermore, during sputtering, the process gas G fills the deposition chamber 310. At this time, film deposits also accumulate in the through holes 400a and 341a. If the through holes 400a and 341a are aligned on the same line, sputtered particles may flow into the through holes 400a and 341a and deposit film, potentially blocking the through holes. If either through hole becomes blocked, the suction force of the exhaust section 360 will pull the work holder 400 towards the exhaust section 360. Ultimately, this can result in damage such as cracking of the work holder 400 or the workpiece W. Furthermore, if the through-hole 341a of the inflow suppression section 341 is blocked, the suction force of the exhaust section 360 will similarly pull the inflow suppression section 341 towards the exhaust section 360, causing the inflow suppression section 341 to crack. For this reason, the film-forming section 300A of this embodiment has a space between the work holder 400 and the inflow suppression section 341. In addition, the through-hole 400a and the through-hole 341a are positioned so that they are not on the same line.

[0040] Furthermore, the diameters of the through-holes 341a and 400a can be any size, as long as the holes are not blocked by sputtered particles. Through-hole 400a is an example of a first through-hole, and through-hole 341a is an example of a second through-hole.

[0041] The exhaust unit 360 is located in an opening 380 at the bottom of the chamber 2. This position is directly below the film deposition chamber 310. The exhaust unit 360 is equipped with, for example, a turbopump, enabling vacuum evacuation of the film deposition chamber 310 through exhaust processing. A vacuum gauge 361 is also provided in the chamber 2 to measure the pressure change due to the exhaust. The vacuum gauge 361 is an example of a second vacuum gauge.

[0042] The bellows mechanism 342 comprises a bellows 342a and an outward flange 342b. The outward flange 342b is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion 340 and extends radially outward from the inside of the cylindrical portion 340. The direction toward the radially outward direction of the cylindrical portion 340 is also called the outward direction. It extends outward from the opening 340e at the bottom of the chamber 2 where the exhaust section 360 is located. An opening 342c is provided in the center of the outward flange 342b. The outward flange 342b is also supported by the bellows 342a. The bellows mechanism 342 is provided in the opening 380 at the bottom of the chamber 2 and expands and contracts the bellows 342a that extends toward the inside of the cylindrical portion 340 to form an exhaust path connecting the cylindrical portion 340 and the exhaust section 360. The bellows mechanism 342 is connected to the upper part of the exhaust section 360, and is structured so that when the cylindrical section 340 moves in the +Z direction, the outward flange 342b overlaps with the inward flange 340c provided on the inner surface of the cylindrical section 340 so as to be in close proximity. On the inward flange 340c, a sealing material 343a such as an O-ring is provided on the surface that overlaps with the outward flange 342b (in this embodiment, the inner surface of the cylindrical section 340). As shown by the dashed line in the figure, the structure that uses the inward flange 340c of the cylindrical section 340 and the outward flange 342b of the bellows mechanism 342 to prevent suction and exhaust from the gap between the inward flange 340c and the outward flange 342b will be referred to below as the trap structure 343.

[0043] When the cylindrical portion 340 moves in the +Z direction, the outward flange 342b is lifted by the inward flange 340c, and the bellows 342a extends in the +Z direction. The bellows 342a allows the cylindrical portion 340 to move up and down while forming an exhaust line. When the cylindrical portion 340 rises due to the cylinder 320, the outward flange 342b and the inward flange 340c come into contact via the sealing material 343a, preventing a gap from forming between the outward flange 342b and the inward flange 340c due to tolerances. In other words, by providing the sealing material 343a, exhaust leakage from the gap between the outward flange 342b and the inward flange 340c is prevented. Also, when the cylindrical portion 340 rises, the cylindrical portion 340 comes into contact with the work holder 400 via the sealing material 340a, and the work holder 400 comes into contact with the lid 313 via the sealing material 313a. At this time, the processing space 312 within the film deposition chamber 310 communicates with the through-hole 400a of the work holder 400, the through-hole 341a of the inflow suppression section 341, and the inside of the cylindrical section 340 (from opening 340f to opening 340e), forming an exhaust line for this space. This exhaust line is connected to the exhaust section 360, and the processing space 312 within the film deposition chamber 310 is evacuated. This dedicated exhaust line is also called the first exhaust line.

[0044] When the cylinder 320 lowers the cylindrical portion 340 and separates it from the work holder 400, a gap is formed between the cylindrical portion 340 and the work holder 400. From this gap, an exhaust line for the entire chamber 2 is formed, passing through the inflow suppression portion 341 and through the inside of the cylindrical portion 340 (from opening 340f to opening 340e) (see Figure 9). This exhaust line is connected to the exhaust portion 360, and vacuum evacuation is performed. This exhaust line for the entire chamber 2 is also called the second exhaust line. Furthermore, when the cylinder 320 lowers the cylindrical portion 340, a gap is also formed between the lid 313 and the work holder 400 before a gap is formed between the cylindrical portion 340 and the work holder 400. From this gap, an exhaust line for the entire chamber is also formed, passing through the through hole 400a, the through hole 341a, and the inside of the cylindrical portion 340. This exhaust line for the entire chamber 2 is also called the third exhaust line.

[0045] Figure 3 is a block diagram of the control unit 70 in this embodiment.

[0046] The control unit 70 can be implemented, for example, by installing a program for the control unit 70 on a PC (Programmable Controller). The CPU within the control unit 70 executes the program for the control unit 70, thereby realizing the functions of the mechanism control unit 71, gas control unit 73, storage unit 74, setting unit 75, and input / output control unit 76. The storage unit 74 is built on a storage device such as an HDD (Hard Disk Drive).

[0047] The mechanism control unit 71 controls the drive sources for the rotary table 3, the load lock unit 120, the pre-processing unit 200, and the film deposition units 300A and 300B. The power supply control unit 72 controls the power supply unit (not shown). For example, the power supply control unit 72 controls the voltage applied to the target 4. By increasing the applied voltage, the film thickness formed on the workpiece W can be increased, and by decreasing the applied voltage, the film thickness can be decreased.

[0048] The gas control unit 73 controls the amount of process gas G introduced by controlling the gas supply source and valves. The storage unit 74 stores information used for control in this embodiment. The setting unit 75 sets information input from the operator via the input device 77, for example, in the storage unit 74. For example, the setting unit 75 sets the voltage applied to the target 4.

[0049] The input / output control unit 76 is an interface that controls signal conversion and input / output between the control unit and each unit to be controlled. Furthermore, an input device 77 and an output device 78 are connected to the control unit 70. The input device 77 is an input means such as a switch, touch panel, keyboard, or mouse for the operator to operate the film deposition apparatus 1 via the control unit 70.

[0050] The output device 78 is an output means such as a display, lamp, or meter that makes information for checking the status of the device visible to the operator. For example, the output device 78 can display an input screen for information received from the input device 77.

[0051] The plasma processing flow in this embodiment will be explained using Figures 4 to 11. Since the processing in the film deposition sections 300A and 300B is the same, the flow of the film deposition section 300A will be explained.

[0052] As shown in Figure 4, in the film deposition apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the workpiece W placed on the workpiece holder 400 is positioned to correspond to the opening 311 of the film deposition section 300A by the intermittent transport of the rotary table 3. This workpiece W will be described as having been transported from the load lock section 120 to the pre-processing section 200 for pre-processing. Furthermore, the chamber 2 is evacuated by the exhaust section 370 to a predetermined pressure by the load lock section 120 before the workpiece W is transported into the chamber 2.

[0053] After the workpiece W has undergone surface treatment by the pre-treatment unit 200, it is transported by the rotary table 3 in an intermittent manner to a position facing the opening 311 of the film-forming unit 300A (step S1).

[0054] In Figure 4, the cylinder 320 is lowering the cylindrical section 340. At this time, a gap is created between the cylindrical section 340 and the work holder 400. The exhaust section 360 operates, and as shown in the direction of arrow 1000, a line is formed from the chamber 2 through this gap, passing through the inflow suppression section 341 and the exhaust section 360, which forms the exhaust line for the entire chamber 2. In this state, the chamber 2 is evacuated by the exhaust section 360 so that it is maintained at a predetermined pressure (step S2). Note that, as shown in the direction of arrow 1001, the chamber 2 is constantly evacuated by the exhaust line passing through the gap between the lid 313 and the work holder 400, through the through hole 400a, through hole 341a, and inside the cylindrical section 340.

[0055] Next, as shown in Figure 5, the cylinder 320 raises the cylindrical portion 340. As indicated by arrows 1002 and 1003, the rising of the cylindrical portion 340 causes the sealing material 340a to contact the underside of the work holder 400. With this contact, the work holder 400 is lifted away from the rotary table 3, and the outer edge of the work holder 400 contacts the sealing material 313a located on the lower edge 313e of the lid 313. When this state is reached, the cylinder 320 stops raising the cylindrical portion 340. Also, the outward flange 342b is pressed against the inward flange 340c by the pressure of the chamber 2 to prevent the seal from breaking.

[0056] In this way, the space between the lid 313 and the work holder 400 is sealed by the sealing material 313a, the space between the work holder 400 and the cylindrical portion 340 is sealed by the sealing material 340a, and the space between the cylindrical portion 340 and the bellows mechanism 342 is sealed by the sealing material 343a, thereby sealing the inside of the cylindrical portion 340 from inside the chamber 2. This prevents communication between the inside of the cylindrical portion 340 and the inside of the chamber 2, and a dedicated exhaust line for the deposition chamber 310 is formed, which communicates only from the deposition chamber 310 to the exhaust section 360. In other words, the exhaust line at this time is a line that passes through the cylindrical portion 340 from inside the deposition chamber 310 through the through holes 400a and 341a. (Indicated by arrow 1004 passing through the through holes 400a and 341a in Figure 5) Also at this time, the deposition chamber 310 is evacuated to a predetermined pressure lower than the pressure inside the chamber 2.

[0057] After the pressure inside the deposition chamber 310 reaches a predetermined pressure lower than the pressure inside the chamber 2, the process gas G is supplied (see Figure 6 and step S3 in Figure 11).

[0058] At this time, the process gas introduction unit 350 supplies process gas G from the gas supply source to the deposition chamber 310. Even after the deposition chamber 310 is filled with process gas G, the supply of process gas G and exhaust by the exhaust unit 360 are continued to maintain a predetermined pressure inside the deposition chamber 310. The predetermined pressure inside the deposition chamber 310 is a pressure at which plasma processing can be carried out properly, and is set higher than the pressure inside chamber 2.

[0059] After the process gas G in the deposition chamber 310 reaches a predetermined pressure, the power supply unit applies a voltage to the target 4. Then, ions generated by the plasma formation of the process gas G collide with the target 4. The deposition material constituting the target 4 is knocked out by the ions and deposited on the deposition surface WS of the workpiece W in a plasma treatment (see Figure 7 and step S4 in Figure 11).

[0060] After the required thickness of the film deposition material has been deposited on the film deposition surface WS of the workpiece W, the power supply unit stops applying voltage to the target 4, and the plasma disappears. Subsequently, the process gas introduction unit 350 stops supplying the process gas G (step S5). Since the process gas G remains in the film deposition chamber 310 after plasma treatment at a pressure higher than the pressure inside the chamber 2, if the workpiece holder 400 is lowered in this state, the process gas G will diffuse into the chamber 2. To prevent this, the exhaust unit 360 continues to evacuate the film deposition chamber 310 using a dedicated exhaust line (see Figure 8 and step S6 in Figure 11).

[0061] As described above, if the vacuum evacuation of the deposition chamber 310 is continued, the pressure inside the deposition chamber 310 will become lower than the pressure inside the chamber 2, making it impossible to release the seal and making it difficult to lower the work holder 400. Therefore, the control unit 70 uses vacuum gauges 351 and 361 to observe the pressure inside the deposition chamber 310 and the pressure inside the chamber 2, and lowers the work holder 400 with the cylinder 320 when the pressure inside the deposition chamber 310 and the pressure inside the chamber 2 reach a predetermined pressure difference. The predetermined pressure difference can be determined in advance by testing or the like. This pressure difference is the pressure difference that allows the cylinder 320 to separate the cylindrical part 340 from the work holder 400. It is also preferable that the predetermined pressure difference becomes zero, that is, when the pressure inside the deposition chamber 310 and the pressure inside the chamber 2 become the same pressure. Almost all of the process gas G remaining in the deposition chamber 310 is discharged, and the pressure is equal to that in the chamber 2. Therefore, even if the sealing of the deposition chamber 310 is released, the diffusion of process gas G into the chamber 2 can be suppressed. Furthermore, even if the sealing of the deposition chamber 310 is released, exhaust continues through the through-hole 400a of the work holder 400 directly below it, so even if the pressure difference is not zero, the diffusion of process gas G into the chamber 2 can be suppressed.

[0062] For example, when the pressure difference between the pressure inside the deposition chamber 310 and the pressure inside the chamber 2 becomes zero, the cylinder 320 moves the cylindrical portion 340 away from the work holder 400 (step S7). In other words, the cylinder 320 lowers the cylindrical portion 340 and the work holder 400. At this time, the exhaust line is formed through the gap between the work holder 400 and the cylindrical portion 340, and further through the inflow suppression portion 341, passing through the cylindrical portion 340. In this embodiment, if vacuum evacuation is not performed inside the deposition chamber 310, the entire chamber 2 is evacuated.

[0063] Figure 10 shows the state in which the cylinder 320 has completely lowered its cylindrical portion 340. An exhaust line is formed for the entire chamber 2, and the control unit 70 controls the exhaust section 360 to maintain the chamber 2 at a predetermined pressure, while the processed workpiece W is vacuum-transported to the film deposition section 300B (step S8).

[0064] Furthermore, after the same processing as in the film deposition section 300A is performed in the film deposition section 300B, the workpiece W is vacuum-transported to the load lock section 120. The workpiece W is then discharged from the film deposition apparatus 1 via the load lock section 120 by a transport mechanism (not shown).

[0065] A first modified example of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 13.

[0066] In this modified example, the film deposition section 300A is shown as a cross-sectional view along line AA, similar to Figure 2. In this modified example, the film deposition section 300A does not have a bellows 342a. Furthermore, instead of having an O-ring of sealing material 343a in the trap structure 343, the film deposition section 300A has multiple uneven structures 343b on the overlapping surfaces of the outward flange 342b and the inward flange 340c. Additionally, when the cylindrical section 340 moves in the +Z direction and the inward flange 340c is lifted, the recess 343c provided on the outward flange 342b is fitted into the protrusion 343d provided on the inward flange 340c (similarly, the protrusion 343d provided on the outward flange 342b is fitted into the recess 343c provided on the inward flange 340c). The gap between the recess 343c and the protrusion 343d is small, and the position where the cylindrical portion 340 rises and stops is the position where the recess 343c and the protrusion 343d fit together. At this time, the gap between the recess 343c and the protrusion 343d becomes very small. In this state, it becomes difficult for the space between the dedicated exhaust line of the deposition chamber 310 and the chamber 2 to connect. Therefore, when the dedicated exhaust line of the deposition chamber 310 is formed, the trap structure 343 prevents suction and exhaust from the gap between the outward flange 342b and the inward flange 340c. In addition to having a plurality of recessed and uneven structures 343b on the overlapping surface of the outward flange 342b and the inward flange 340c, the deposition section 300A may also be equipped with a bellows 342a, similar to the embodiment described above.

[0067] Figure 13 shows the state in which the cylinder 320 is lowering the cylindrical portion 340. At this time, a gap is created between the cylindrical portion 340 and the work holder 400. When the exhaust section 360 operates, a line is formed from the chamber 2 through this gap and the exhaust section 360, as shown in the direction of arrows 1000 and 1001, forming the exhaust line for the entire chamber 2.

[0068] A second modification of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 14 and 15.

[0069] In this modified example, the film deposition section 300A is shown as a cross-sectional view along line AA, similar to Figure 2. In this modified example, the film deposition section 300A does not have a bellows 342a, nor does the trap structure 343 have an O-ring for the sealing material 343a. The film deposition section 300A does not necessarily need to have a bellows 342a or an O-ring for the trap structure 343, and even in such cases, a dedicated exhaust line can be formed (see Figure 14).

[0070] Figure 15 shows the state in which the cylinder 320 is lowering the cylindrical portion 340. At this time, a gap is created between the cylindrical portion 340 and the work holder 400. When the exhaust section 360 operates, a line is formed from the chamber 2 through this gap and the exhaust section 360, as shown in the direction of arrows 1000 and 1001, forming the exhaust line for the entire chamber 2.

[0071] A third modification of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17.

[0072] In this modified example, the film-forming section 300A is shown as a cross-sectional view along line AA, similar to Figure 2. In this modified example, the film-forming section 300A does not have a bellows 342a. Instead, the film-forming section 300A has a trap structure 343 with a spring plate 344. More specifically, the inward flange 340c of the cylindrical section 340 has a spring plate 344 structure, and when the cylindrical section 340 moves in the +Z direction, the spring plate 344 comes into contact with the sealing material 343a provided on the outward flange 342b. In this way, the trap structure 343 prevents suction and exhaust from the gap between the outward flange 342b and the cylindrical section 340. In addition to having a spring plate 344, the film-forming section 300A may also have a bellows 342a, similar to the embodiment described above. The sealing material 343a may also be omitted.

[0073] As shown in Figure 17, the cylinder 320 lowers the cylindrical section 340. When the exhaust section 360, which has a gap between the cylindrical section 340 and the work holder 400, operates, a line is formed from the chamber 2 through this gap and the exhaust section 360, as shown in the directions of arrows 1000 and 1001, forming the exhaust line for the entire chamber 2.

[0074] According to this embodiment and its modifications, the film deposition apparatus 1 has an exhaust section 360 directly below each of the film deposition sections 300A and 300B. During the film deposition process, the cylindrical section 340 is raised and pressed against the work holder 400, bringing the edge of the work holder 400 into contact with the lid 313, thereby forming a processing space 312 between the work holder 400 and the lid 313. By bringing the cylindrical section 340 and the work holder 400 into contact, the space between the cylindrical section 340 and the work holder 400, and the trap structure 343 inside the cylindrical section 340, form a dedicated exhaust line for exhausting the process gas G from the film deposition chamber 310. As a result, the film deposition apparatus 1 can prevent the discharge of process gas G into the chamber 2, thereby suppressing contamination in the chamber 2.

[0075] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and its modifications, the film deposition apparatus 1 uses the exhaust unit 360 to exhaust the entire chamber 2 when not performing film deposition. An exhaust unit 370 is provided to exhaust the space inside the chamber 2. When film deposition is not being performed, the cylindrical section 340 is positioned in a lowered position, and as the cylindrical section 340, work holder 400, and lid 313 separate, the space with the chamber 2 is connected, and the exhaust line to the exhaust unit 360 is connected to the space inside the chamber 2. As a result, the space inside the chamber 2 can be exhausted by the exhaust unit 360. In other words, by raising and lowering the cylindrical section 340, the exhaust of the exhaust unit 360 can be switched between exhausting the film deposition chamber 310 or exhausting the entire chamber 2, so it is not necessary to provide an exhaust unit specifically for the chamber 2. As a result, there is no need to provide a separate exhaust unit in the chamber 2 other than the film deposition unit, which can reduce costs and space. On the other hand, if a sealed structure is used in each deposition chamber 310, such as by using a gate valve, it would lead to structural complexity, processing complexity, and a decrease in cycle time. However, it is not limited to this, and an exhaust section 370 dedicated to chamber 2 may also be provided. This makes it possible to quickly reduce the pressure inside chamber 2 together with the exhaust section 360. For example, if we consider reducing the pressure inside chamber 2 to a predetermined value before loading the workpiece W from the load lock section 120 into chamber 2, conventionally only the exhaust section 370 would be used for exhaust, but in this embodiment, the exhaust section 360 is also used, shortening the time it takes to reduce the pressure inside chamber 2 to a predetermined value. Therefore, it can contribute to shortening the cycle time.

[0076] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and its modified form, since the film deposition apparatus 1 has exhaust units 360 directly below each of the film deposition sections 300A and 300B, it is easier to secure space for installing the exhaust units 360 than if the film deposition chambers 310 and 310 were exhausted from the side.

[0077] Furthermore, according to this embodiment and its modifications, the film deposition apparatus 1 does not have through holes 341a and 400a on the same line, and a space is provided between the inflow suppression unit 341 and the work holder 400. This prevents sputtered particles from flowing into the through holes 400341a and 341400a and depositing film, thereby blocking the through holes, even if the process gas G fills the film deposition chamber 310 during sputtering.

[0078] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the film deposition apparatus 1 forms a dedicated exhaust line by a bellows mechanism 342 which includes a trap structure 343 comprising a cylindrical portion 340 and an exhaust portion 360. If the bellows mechanism 342 is not provided, when the cylindrical portion 340 rises while tilted, the rise of the cylindrical portion 340 will stop when a part of the sealing material 343a comes into contact with the outward flange 342b. As a result, a deviation in parallelism occurs, and the sealing mechanism cannot be realized. Parallelism refers to the degree of parallelism between the sealing material 343a of the inward flange 340c of the cylindrical portion 340 and the outward flange 342b when the cylindrical portion 340 rises in the cylinder. By attaching the bellows mechanism 342 to the outward flange 342b, the parallelism of the outward flange 342b can be adjusted to some extent. In other words, even if the cylindrical portion 340 rises while tilting, if a portion of the sealing material 343a contacts the outward flange 342b first, the bellows mechanism 342 will then allow the outward flange 342b to follow the tilt of the inward flange 340c of the cylindrical portion 340, and the sealing material 343a will be able to make complete contact with the outward flange 342b. This will offset the deviation in the parallelism of the film deposition apparatus 1.

[0079] Although several embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are presented only as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The novel film deposition apparatus 1 described herein can be implemented in various other forms, such as a pre-treatment unit 200 or a film treatment unit for nitriding or oxidizing the film deposited on the workpiece W. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, combinations, and modifications can be made to the embodiments of the film deposition apparatus 1 described herein without departing from the spirit of the invention. The appended claims and equivalents are intended to include such embodiments and modifications included in the scope and spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 1: Deposition apparatus, 2: Chamber, 3: Rotary table, 4: Target, 21: Base plate, 22: Cover plate, 31: Shaft, 70: Control unit, 71: Mechanism control unit, 72: Power control unit, 73: Gas control unit, 74: Memory unit, 75: Setting unit, 76: Input / Output Control Unit, 77: Input Device, 78: Output Device, 120: Load Lock Unit, 200: Pre-processing section, 300A: Film deposition section, 300B: Film deposition section, 310: Film deposition chamber, 311: Opening, 312: Processing space, 313: Cover, 313a: Sealing material, 313b: Sealing material, 313c: Lid back, 313d: Lower edge, 313e: Lower edge, 320: Cylinder, 340: Cylindrical section, 340a: Sealing material, 340b: Inward flange, 340c: Inward flange, 340d: Support part, 340e, 340f: Opening, 341: Inflow suppression section, 341a: Through hole, 342: Bellows mechanism, 342a: Bellows, 342b: Outward flange, 342c: Opening 343: Trap structure, 343a: Sealing material, 343b: Uneven structure, 343c: recess, 343d: protrusion, 344: spring plate, 350: Process gas inlet, 351: Vacuum gauge, 360: Exhaust section, 361: Vacuum gauge, 370: Exhaust section, 380: Aperture, 400: Work holder, 400a: Through hole, 1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004: Arrows, W: Work

Claims

1. A chamber capable of creating a vacuum inside, A lid is provided facing the chamber through an opening at the top of the chamber, A target provided on the lid, which includes a film-forming material that is deposited on the workpiece to be processed by sputtering, A film deposition chamber is formed within the chamber by the lid and the work holder including the first through hole, and the target is sputtered by plasma to form a film on the workpiece placed on the work holder, A conveying body on which the work holder is placed and which rotates intermittently to position the work holder at a position corresponding to the lid, A cylindrical portion that moves the work holder from the transport body to a position where it contacts the lid, An inward-facing flange is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical portion and extends inward from the lower end, An outward-facing flange is provided inside the cylindrical portion, extends outward in the cylindrical portion, and overlaps with the inward-facing flange so as the cylindrical portion moves, thereby suppressing exhaust into the chamber. A lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the cylindrical portion so as to move it toward and away from the work holder, The chamber is provided with an exhaust section for vacuum evacuation, located at an opening in the bottom of the chamber, opposite the film deposition chamber. The aforementioned lifting mechanism is Raise the cylindrical portion and bring the work holder into contact with the lower edge of the lid. The outward-facing flange is placed in close proximity to the inward-facing flange, A first exhaust line is formed from the film deposition chamber through the first through-hole to connect the inside of the cylindrical portion to the exhaust section, thereby performing vacuum evacuation of the processing space of the film deposition chamber. A film deposition apparatus characterized by the following features.

2. The aforementioned lifting mechanism is Lower the cylindrical portion, A second exhaust line is formed through the gap between the work holder and the cylindrical portion, passing from the chamber through the inside of the cylindrical portion. The film deposition apparatus according to feature 1.

3. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical portion includes a second through hole and further comprises an inflow suppression portion disposed at the upper part of the cylindrical portion to suppress sputtered particles generated in the film deposition chamber from flowing into the cylindrical portion.

4. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the second through-hole is provided not on the same line as the first through-hole.

5. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that when the cylindrical portion comes into contact with the work holder, a space is provided between the inflow suppression portion and the work holder.

6. The chamber further comprises a bellows that extends from the opening at the bottom toward the cylindrical portion and supports the outward-facing flange, The bellows expands and contracts in accordance with the movement of the cylindrical portion. The film deposition apparatus according to feature 1.

7. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a sealing material is provided in at least one of the following locations: between the inward flange and the outward flange, between the work holder and the cylindrical portion, and between the film deposition chamber and the work holder.

8. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the inward-facing flange and the outward-facing flange has an uneven structure.

9. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the inward flange is composed of a spring plate.

10. The film deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the lifting mechanism moves the cylindrical portion away from the work holder when the pressure difference between the pressure value in the film deposition chamber and the pressure value in the chamber reaches a set value.

11. A step of positioning a work holder, which includes one or more first through-holes and on which the workpiece to be processed is placed, at a position corresponding to a lid provided in the upper opening of a chamber capable of creating a vacuum inside, The process involves moving the work holder to a position where it contacts the lid using the cylindrical portion to form a film deposition chamber, and forming a first exhaust line for vacuuming the film deposition chamber through the first through-hole of the work holder. A step of performing vacuum evacuation of the processing space of the film deposition chamber via the first exhaust line, A step of sputtering a target with plasma to form a film on the workpiece placed on the workpiece holder, A film formation method characterized by including the following.

12. The process of forming the first exhaust line is as follows: The process involves making the outward-facing flange extending outward within the cylindrical portion overlap with the inward-facing flange extending inward within the cylindrical portion as the cylindrical portion moves, The film formation method according to claim 11, characterized by including the following:

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