Mounting table structure, substrate processing apparatus, and method for controlling substrate processing apparatus

Abstract

To improve the cooling efficiency of a substrate.SOLUTION: A mounting base structure includes a mounting base on which a substrate is placed, a refrigeration mechanism for cooling the substrate, an elevation drive unit for elevating or lowering the mounting base or the refrigeration mechanism, and a contactor provided on the opposite location of the refrigeration mechanism and the mounting base. The mounting base structure is configured to make contact possible between the refrigeration mechanism and the mounting base via the contactor by elevating or lowering the mounting base or the refrigeration mechanism by the elevation drive unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mounting table structure, a substrate processing apparatus, and a method for controlling the substrate processing apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] There are cases where cryogenic processing is required for substrate processing equipment, such as film formation equipment. For example, Patent Document 1 provides a stage device and processing equipment with high cooling performance that can rotate a placed substrate while it is cooled to a cryogenic temperature. In this processing equipment, the cooling gas supplied from outside the processing equipment is sufficiently cooled and supplied to the gap between the stage and the frozen heat transfer material, thereby cooling the stage to a cryogenic temperature.

[0003] Patent Document 2 proposes a holding device that rotatably holds a workpiece in a vacuum chamber while cooling it, the holding device having a stage on which the workpiece is placed, a rotation drive means for rotatably supporting the stage, and a cooling means for cooling the stage. In this holding device, the cooling means has a cooling panel arranged in the space below the stage facing the underside of the stage with a gap therebetween, a heat transfer shaft inserted into the rotating shaft and abutting against the underside of the cooling panel, and a refrigerator for cooling the heat transfer shaft. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-72249 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6559347 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Indirect cooling methods using a refrigerant such as a cooling gas, partial contact cooling using a powder or paste-like heat-conducting material, or both, may take time to control to the target cooling temperature.

[0006] The present disclosure provides a mounting table structure, a substrate processing apparatus, and a method for controlling the substrate processing apparatus that can improve the cooling efficiency of a substrate. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a substrate cooling system includes a mounting table for mounting a substrate thereon, a refrigeration mechanism for cooling the substrate, a lifting drive unit for lifting and lowering the mounting table or the refrigeration mechanism, and contacts provided at positions opposing the refrigeration mechanism and the mounting table, the contacts including a plurality of first contacts arranged on the refrigeration mechanism side and a second contact arranged on the mounting table side, each of the plurality of first contacts being capable of contacting the second contact, a contact surface of each of the plurality of first contacts that contacts the second contact is flat, the plurality of first contacts are respectively connected to a plurality of elastic bodies and attached to the refrigeration mechanism via the plurality of elastic bodies, and the lifting drive unit is configured to lift and lower the mounting table or the refrigeration mechanism. Before There is provided a mounting table structure configured so that the refrigeration mechanism can come into contact with the mounting table via the first contacts and the second contacts by raising and lowering the refrigeration mechanism. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to one aspect, the cooling efficiency of the substrate can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the vicinity of a contact of the mounting table structure according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the periphery of a contact of the mounting table structure according to the embodiment; [Figure 4] 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating another example of the periphery of the contact of the mounting table structure according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] 5A to 5C are diagrams showing an example of an operation of the substrate processing apparatus and a state of a contact according to the embodiment; [Figure 6]10 is a flowchart showing an example of a control method for the substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions may be omitted.

[0011] [Substrate processing equipment] First, an example of a substrate processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment. The substrate processing apparatus 100 shown in Fig. 1 is an apparatus that performs desired film formation on a substrate W, such as a semiconductor wafer, which is a substrate to be processed, inside a vacuum processing container 10 that forms a vacuum atmosphere and performs substrate processing using a processing gas, for example. The substrate processing apparatus is a physical vapor deposition (PVD) apparatus.

[0012] The substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a vacuum processing vessel 10, a mounting table 20, a refrigeration device 30, a rotation device 40, a first lifting device 77, and a second lifting device 78. The mounting table 20 mounts the substrate W inside the vacuum processing vessel 10. The rotation device 40 rotates the mounting table 20. The first lifting device 77 lifts and lowers the mounting table 20. The second lifting device 78 lifts and lowers the refrigeration device 30. The substrate processing apparatus 100 further includes a control unit 80 that controls various devices such as the refrigeration device 30, the rotation device 40, the first lifting device 77, and the second lifting device 78. The substrate processing apparatus 100 in the illustrated example includes two lifting devices, the first lifting device 77 that lifts and lowers the mounting table 20 and the second lifting device 78 that lifts and lowers the refrigeration device 30, but may be configured such that the mounting table 20 and the refrigeration device 30 are lifted and lowered by a common lifting device.

[0013] The refrigerator 31 and cold link 35 of the refrigeration device 30 described below are an example of a refrigeration mechanism that cools the substrate W. The rotation device 40 is an example of a rotation drive unit that rotates the substrate W. The first lifting device 77 and the second lifting device 78 are an example of a lifting drive unit that lifts and lowers the substrate or the refrigeration mechanism.

[0014] Inside the vacuum processing vessel 10, there is a mounting table 20 at the bottom, and above the mounting table 20, a plurality of target holders 11 are fixed at a predetermined tilt angle θ with respect to the horizontal plane. Different types of targets T are attached to the bottom surface of each target holder 11. The tilt angle θ may be 0°, that is, the target holder 11 may be fixed horizontally.

[0015] The vacuum processing vessel 10 is configured so that the inside thereof can be depressurized to a vacuum by operating an exhaust device 13 such as a vacuum pump. A processing gas (e.g., a rare gas such as argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), or neon (Ne), or nitrogen (N2) gas) required for sputtering film formation is supplied to the vacuum processing vessel 10 from a processing gas supply device (not shown).

[0016] An AC or DC voltage is applied to the target holder 11 from a plasma generation power supply (not shown). When the AC voltage is applied from the plasma generation power supply to the target holder 11 and the target T, plasma is generated inside the vacuum processing vessel 10, and rare gases and the like inside the vacuum processing vessel 10 are ionized. The target T is then sputtered by the ionized rare gas elements and the like. The sputtered atoms or molecules of the target T are deposited on the surface of the substrate W held on the mounting table 20 facing the target T.

[0017] By tilting the target T with respect to the substrate W, the angle of incidence of the sputtered particles sputtered from the target T onto the substrate W can be adjusted, and the in-plane uniformity of the thickness of the magnetic film or the like formed on the substrate W can be improved. Even if each target holder 11 is installed at the same tilt angle θ inside the vacuum processing vessel 10, the mounting table 20 can be raised and lowered to change the distance t1 between the target T and the substrate W, thereby changing the angle of incidence of the sputtered particles onto the substrate W. Therefore, the mounting table 20 is controlled to be raised and lowered so that the distance t1 is suitable for each target T applied.

[0018] The number of targets T is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of being able to sequentially form different films made of different materials in a single substrate processing apparatus 100, it is preferable that multiple different targets T are present inside the vacuum processing vessel 10.

[0019] The refrigeration device 30 has a refrigerator 31 and a cold link 35, and is configured such that the cold link 35 is stacked on the refrigerator 31. A plurality of contacts 21a are provided on the cold link 35 of the refrigeration device 30, and the mounting table 20 is disposed via the plurality of contacts 21a. The refrigerator 31 holds the cold link 35 and can cool the upper surface of the cold link 35 to an extremely low temperature of, for example, -30°C or lower, about -200°C. From the viewpoint of cooling capacity, it is preferable that the refrigerator 31 utilizes a GM (Gifford-McMahon) cycle.

[0020] The cold link 35 is fixed on the refrigerator 31, and its upper part is housed inside the vacuum processing vessel 10. The cold link 35 is made of copper (Cu) or the like having high thermal conductivity, and has a substantially cylindrical outer shape. The refrigerator 31 and the cold link 35 are arranged such that their centers coincide with the central axis CL of the mounting table 20.

[0021] A refrigerant supply passage 51 and a refrigerant discharge passage 52 are disposed inside the cold link 35 and the refrigerator 31. The refrigerant supply passage 51 supplies a heat transfer gas refrigerant between the cold link 35 and the mounting table 20. The refrigerant discharge passage 52 discharges the refrigerant whose temperature has increased due to heat transfer from the mounting table 20. The refrigerant supply passage 51 and the refrigerant discharge passage 52 are examples of passages provided in the refrigeration mechanism for supplying a temperature control medium such as a refrigerant.

[0022] The refrigerant supply flow path 51 and the refrigerant discharge flow path 52 are fixed to connection fixing parts 31a and 31b, respectively, on the wall surface of the refrigerator 31. The refrigerant supply flow path 51 and the refrigerant discharge flow path 52 are examples of flow paths provided in the refrigeration device 30 for supplying a temperature control medium.

[0023] A temperature control coolant (for example, a first cooling gas) is supplied from a coolant supply device (not shown) and flows through the coolant supply passage 51. The coolant supply passage 51 and the coolant discharge passage 52 have their ends open at the upper surface of the cold link 35, and supply the first cooling gas to the space between the cold link 35 and the mounting table 20 in which the springs 26 are arranged. As the first cooling gas supplied to the space in which the springs 26 are arranged, helium (He) gas having high thermal conductivity is preferably used. An inert gas may be used as the first cooling gas so that the springs 26 and the like in the space are not corroded. This increases the thermal conductivity of the space between the cold link 35 and the mounting table 20, and improves the cooling efficiency of the substrate W.

[0024] The coolant discharged from the space in which the spring 26 is arranged flows through the coolant discharge flow path 52 and is discharged to a coolant discharge device (not shown). The coolant supply flow path 51 and the coolant discharge flow path 52 may be formed by the same flow path.

[0025] A plurality of contacts 21a are provided on the cold link 35 side of the refrigeration device 30. The plurality of contacts 21a are respectively connected to a plurality of springs 26 and attached to face the mounting table 20. The plurality of springs 26 may be helical springs such as compression coil springs. The springs 26 are an example of an elastic body. The contacts 21a are made of copper (Cu) which has high thermal conductivity. However, it is sufficient that the contacts 21a are made of a material having high thermal conductivity.

[0026] The mounting table 20 has a structure in which an upper mounting portion 25 on which the substrate W is placed and a lower contactor 21b are laminated, and the mounting portion 25 and the contactor 21b are made of copper (Cu) having high thermal conductivity. However, it is sufficient if they are made of a material having high thermal conductivity. The mounting portion 25 includes an electrostatic chuck, and the electrostatic chuck has a chuck electrode 32 embedded in a dielectric film. A predetermined electric potential is applied to the chuck electrode 32 via wiring 33. With this configuration, the substrate W can be attracted by the electrostatic chuck and held on the upper surface of the mounting table 20.

[0027] In this embodiment, the refrigeration device 30 has a plurality of contacts 21a arranged on the cold link 35 side and a contact 21b arranged on the mounting table 20 side. The contacts 21a and 21b can be brought into contact with each other or separated from each other by raising and lowering at least one of a first lifting device 77 that raises and lowers the mounting table 20 and a second lifting device 78 that raises and lowers the refrigeration device 30. In other words, the cold link 35 of the refrigeration device 30 and the mounting table 20 can be brought into contact with each other via the plurality of contacts 21a and 21b.

[0028] The mounting table 20 is supported by an outer cylinder 63. The outer cylinder 63 is disposed so as to cover the outer peripheral surface of the upper part of the cold link 35, and its upper part enters the inside of the vacuum processing vessel 10 to support the mounting table 20 inside the vacuum processing vessel 10. The outer cylinder 63 has a cylindrical portion 61 having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cold link 35, and a flange portion 62 extending in the outer diameter direction on the lower surface of the cylindrical portion 61, and the cylindrical portion 61 directly supports the mounting table 20. The cylindrical portion 61 and the flange portion 62 are formed of a metal such as stainless steel.

[0029] A heat insulating member 64 is connected to the lower surface of the flange portion 62. The heat insulating member 64 has a generally cylindrical shape extending coaxially with the flange portion 62, and is fixed to the lower surface of the flange portion 62. The heat insulating member 64 is made of ceramics such as alumina. A magnetic fluid seal portion 69 is provided on the lower surface of the heat insulating member 64.

[0030] The magnetic fluid seal unit 69 has a rotating part 65, an inner fixed part 66, an outer fixed part 67, and a heating source 68. The rotating part 65 has a substantially cylindrical shape extending coaxially with the insulating member 64, and is fixed to the lower surface of the insulating member 64. In other words, the rotating part 65 is connected to the outer cylinder 63 via the insulating member 64. With this configuration, the insulating member 64 blocks the transfer of cold heat from the outer cylinder 63 to the rotating part 65, and it is possible to prevent the temperature of the magnetic fluid in the magnetic fluid seal unit 69 from decreasing, thereby preventing the sealing performance from deteriorating, and preventing condensation from occurring.

[0031] The inner fixed part 66 is provided between the cold link 35 and the rotating part 65 via a magnetic fluid. The inner fixed part 66 has an approximately cylindrical shape with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the cold link 35 and an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the rotating part 65. The outer fixed part 67 is provided outside the rotating part 65 via a magnetic fluid. The outer fixed part 67 has an approximately cylindrical shape with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the rotating part 65. The heating source 68 is embedded inside the inner fixed part 66 and heats the entire magnetic fluid seal part 69. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the temperature of the magnetic fluid in the magnetic fluid seal part 69, which would deteriorate the sealing performance or cause condensation. With these configurations, in the magnetic fluid seal part 69, the rotating part 65 is rotatable in an airtight state relative to the inner fixed part 66 and the outer fixed part 67. That is, the outer cylinder 63 is rotatably supported via the magnetic fluid seal part 69.

[0032] A substantially cylindrical bellows 75 is provided between the upper surface of the outer fixing part 67 and the lower surface of the vacuum processing vessel 10. The bellows 75 is a metal bellows structure that is expandable and contractable in the vertical direction. The bellows 75 surrounds the upper part of the cold link 35, the lower part of the outer cylinder 63, and the heat insulating member 64, and separates the internal space of the vacuum processing vessel 10, which can be decompressed, from the external space of the vacuum processing vessel 10.

[0033] A slip ring 73 is provided below the magnetic fluid seal unit 69. The slip ring 73 includes a rotor 71 including a metal ring and a fixed body 72 including a brush. The rotor 71 has a substantially cylindrical shape extending coaxially with the rotor 65 of the magnetic fluid seal unit 69, and is fixed to the lower surface of the rotor 65. The fixed body 72 has a substantially cylindrical shape with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the rotor 71. The slip ring 73 is electrically connected to a DC power source (not shown), and supplies power supplied from the DC power source to the wiring 33 via the brush of the fixed body 72 and the metal ring of the rotor 71. With this configuration, it is possible to apply a potential from the DC power source to the chuck electrode without causing twisting or the like in the wiring 33. The rotor 71 constituting the slip ring 73 is attached to the rotating device 40. The slip ring 73 may have a structure other than a brush structure, for example, a non-contact power supply structure, a structure including mercury-free or conductive liquid, or the like.

[0034] The rotating device 40 is a direct drive motor having a rotor 41 and a stator 45. The rotor 41 has a generally cylindrical shape extending coaxially with the rotating body 71 of the slip ring 73, and is fixed to the rotating body 71. The stator 45 has a generally cylindrical shape with an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the rotor 41. With the above configuration, when the rotor 41 rotates, the rotating body 71, the rotating part 65, the outer cylinder 63, and the mounting table 20 rotate in the X3 direction relative to the cold link 35. The rotating device may be in a form other than a direct drive motor, and may be in a form including a servo motor and a transmission belt, for example.

[0035] Moreover, a heat insulator 74 having a vacuum insulation double structure is provided around the refrigerator 31 and the cold link 35. In the illustrated example, the heat insulator 74 is provided between the refrigerator 31 and the rotor 41, and between the lower part of the cold link 35 and the rotor 41. With this configuration, it is possible to suppress the cold heat of the refrigerator 31 and the cold link 35 from being transferred to the rotor 41.

[0036] Moreover, refrigerator 31 is fixed to the upper surface of first support stand 70A which is attached so as to be able to rise and fall freely relative to second lifting device 78. Meanwhile, rotation device 40 and heat insulator 74 are fixed to the upper surface of second support stand 70B which is attached so as to be able to rise and fall freely relative to first lifting device 77. Furthermore, a substantially cylindrical bellows 76 is provided between the upper surface of first support stand 70A and the lower surface of second support stand 70B to surround refrigerator 31. Like bellows 75, bellows 76 is a metallic bellows structure which is able to expand and contract freely in the vertical direction.

[0037] The mounting table 20 is provided with a second cooling gas supply pipe 34 for supplying a second cooling gas. The second cooling gas supply pipe 34 passes through the mounting part 25 and supplies a second cooling gas such as He gas between the lower surface of the substrate W and the upper surface of the mounting part 25 from a gas hole 34a. The second cooling gas may be a gas different from the first cooling gas flowing through the coolant supply passage 51, or may be the same gas. An inert gas may be used as the second cooling gas. This increases the thermal conductivity of the space between the lower surface of the substrate W and the upper surface of the mounting part 25, thereby improving the cooling efficiency of the substrate W.

[0038] The control unit 80 is configured by a computer. The control unit 80 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, an input / output interface, and a communication interface, which are interconnected by a connection bus. The main storage device and the auxiliary storage device are computer-readable recording media.

[0039] The CPU controls the entire control unit 80. For example, the CPU develops a program stored in the auxiliary storage device in an executable manner in the working area of ​​the main storage device, and controls peripheral devices through the execution of the program, thereby providing functions that meet a predetermined purpose. The main storage device stores computer programs executed by the CPU and data processed by the CPU. The main storage device includes, for example, a flash memory, a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a ROM (Read Only Memory). The auxiliary storage device stores various programs and various data in a recording medium so that they can be read and written freely. The auxiliary storage device is a silicon disk including a non-volatile semiconductor memory, a hard disk drive (HDD) device, a solid state drive device, etc. In addition, the auxiliary storage device may be a removable recording medium such as a CD, a DVD, a BD, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory, or an SD (Secure Digital) memory card. The communication interface is an interface with a network connected to the control unit 80. The input / output interface is an interface for inputting and outputting data between the control unit 80 and a device connected thereto, and examples thereof include a keyboard and a touch panel. The control unit 80 receives operation instructions and the like from an operator who operates an input device via an input / output interface. The control unit 80 controls the operation of various peripheral devices. These peripheral devices include the refrigeration device 30, the rotation device 40, the first lifting device 77, the second lifting device 78, and the like.

[0040] As described above, the mounting table structure of the substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a mounting table 20 for mounting the substrate W thereon, a refrigeration mechanism for cooling the substrate W, a lifting drive unit for raising and lowering the mounting table 20 or the refrigeration mechanism, and a contactor provided at a position opposite the refrigeration mechanism and the mounting table 20, and is configured so that the refrigeration mechanism can come into contact with the mounting table 20 via the contactor when the mounting table 20 or the refrigeration mechanism is raised and lowered by the lifting drive unit.

[0041] [Direct contact by contacts] Next, the periphery of the contacts of the mounting stage structure according to one embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the periphery of the contacts of the mounting stage structure according to one embodiment.

[0042] Among the components of the substrate processing apparatus 100 in FIG. 1, the refrigeration device 30 is configured so as to be freely raised and lowered by a second lifting device 78 , and the mounting table 20 is configured so as to be freely raised and lowered by a first lifting device 77 .

[0043] Before the film formation process, for example, the refrigeration device 30 is raised by the second lifting device 78, so that the contactor 21a and the contactor 21b can come into direct contact with each other as shown in FIG. 2(a) at the time of contact. Before the film formation process, the first lifting device 77 may lower the mounting table 20, so that the contactor 21a and the contactor 21b can come into direct contact with each other as shown in FIG. 2(a) at the time of contact.

[0044] On the other hand, during the film formation process, the first lifting device 77 lifts the mounting table 20 inside the vacuum processing vessel 10, for example, to adjust the distance t1 between the target T and the substrate W. The adjustment of the distance t1 is appropriately changed depending on the type of the target T applied. During the film formation process, the contacts 21a and 21b are separated from each other as shown in FIG. 2(b) in order to perform film formation while rotating the mounting table 20. This allows the substrate W to be formed while rotating the mounting table 20 by the rotation device 40. When it is not necessary to adjust the distance t1, the second lifting device 78 may be lowered to separate the contacts 21a and 21b, instead of raising the first lifting device 77. The contacts 21a and 21b may be separated from each other by synchronous control of the first lifting device 77 and the second lifting device 78. In the following, an example in which the refrigeration device 30 is lifted and lowered by the second lifting device 78 will be described.

[0045] In the existing cooling methods using an indirect method such as a cooling gas or a partial contact cooling using a powder or paste-like heat conductive material, or both, the thermal conductivity is poor and the cooling time is long. In this case, it becomes difficult to suppress the temperature rise of the mounting table 20 when the heat is repeatedly input during the film formation process, and to quickly return the temperature of the mounting table 20 to the target cooling temperature and to control the temperature of the substrate W.

[0046] In contrast, in the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to this embodiment, the cold link 35 of the refrigeration device 30 and the mounting table 20 are in physical contact with each other via the contacts 21a, 21b except during the film formation process. This increases the thermal conductivity from the refrigeration device 30 to the mounting table 20 due to the direct contact of the contacts 21a, 21b, shortens the cooling time of the substrate W, and improves the throughput.

[0047] The mounting table structure according to this embodiment will be further described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the periphery of the contact of the mounting table structure according to one embodiment. Fig. 3(b) shows the surface of the contact 21a as viewed from the CC direction in Fig. 3(a), and Fig. 3(c) shows the arrangement of the spring 26 and the like under the contact 21a as viewed from the DD direction in Fig. 3(a).

[0048] In Fig. 2, a configuration in which a plurality of contacts 21a and 21b are in direct contact with each other has been described. In this case, since the mounting portion 25 and the contacts 21b are made of copper (Cu), which has high thermal conductivity, the contacts 21b and the mounting portion 25 become the contact portions between the metal workpieces. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 2(b), a soft indium sheet 23 with good thermal conductivity is sandwiched between the contacts 21b and the mounting portion 25 to prevent contact between the metal workpieces and to prevent metal contamination. A metal sheet other than the indium sheet 23 may be used.

[0049] However, the mounting base 20 is not limited to a laminate of the mounting portion 25 and the contacts 21b, but may be a form in which the mounting portion 25 and the contacts 21b are integrated into one plate as shown in Fig. 3(a). In this case, the contacts 21a and the mounting portion 25 (protrusions 25a) are in direct contact with each other.

[0050] In this embodiment, the contact surface of the mounting portion 25 that contacts the contactors 21a is circular and flat. On the other hand, the contact surface of the contactors 21a that contact the mounting portion 25 is shaped as a circle having the same diameter as the contact surface of the mounting portion 25, divided into four on the inner periphery side and divided into eight on the outer periphery side, as shown in FIG. 3(b). In this manner, the contactors 21a are preferably divided into a plurality of blocks, and the contact surface of the contactors 21a is preferably divided into a plurality of blocks. In the example of FIG. 3(b), the contactors 21a are divided into 12 blocks and have 12 contact surfaces. More specifically, four contactors 21a having contact surfaces 21a2 with the same contact area are provided on the inner periphery side, and eight contactors 21a having contact surfaces 21a1 with the same contact area are provided on the outer periphery side. However, the shape of the contact surface of the contactors 21a is not limited to this. The shape of the contact surface of the contactors 21a may be round, square, or other shape. The contactor 21a has a plurality of divided contact surfaces 21a1 and 21a2 each of which is flat.

[0051] If the contactor 21a is not divided, the contact surface of the contactor 21a will be one surface, and there is a risk of partial contact with the mounting portion 25. In contrast, by dividing the contactor 21a into multiple contactors 21a, the contact surface is divided, and the contact surface of the mounting portion 25 is more likely to come into surface contact with the contact surfaces 21a1 and 21a2 of each of the multiple contactors 21a. This increases the contact area between the multiple contactors 21a and the mounting portion 25 compared to when the contact surface of the contactor 21a is not divided, and the contact efficiency can be improved.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 3(c) as an example, each of the contacts 21a divided into 12 blocks is attached with a spring 26. Providing the spring 26 for each of the 12 contacts 21a provides a mechanism that allows the spring 26 to absorb the force applied to each of the contacts 21a and the mounting portion 25 when the contacts 21a and the mounting portion 25 come into contact with each other. In other words, by having the spring 26 absorb the force applied at the time of contact, damage to the contacts 21a and the mounting portion 25 can be avoided.

[0053] When the contactor 21a and the mounting portion 25 are brought into contact with each other, there is a possibility that the contactor 21a and the mounting portion 25 will not come into contact in a straight line. For this reason, the contactor 21a can be brought into contact with the mounting portion 25 more efficiently and with a larger contact area than if the contactor 21a were to come into contact with the mounting portion 25 as a single plate. Furthermore, by providing a plurality of springs 26, the contact between the contactor 21a and the mounting portion 25 can be made smoother by the elastic force.

[0054] It is preferable that the springs 26 are disposed at the center of each of the contacts 21a, but this is not limiting. The springs 26 are an example of an elastic body, and the elastic body may be a compression coil, a leaf spring, or the like. The multiple contacts 21a are connected to multiple springs 26, respectively, and are attached to the refrigeration device 30 or the mounting table 20 via the multiple springs 26. In the example of FIG. 3, 12 contacts 21a are connected to 12 springs 26, respectively, and are attached to the upper surface of the cold link 35 of the refrigeration device 30 via the 12 springs 26. However, the contacts 21a may be a single plate. When the contacts 21a are a single plate, multiple springs 26 may be attached between the contacts 21a and the upper surface of the cold link 35.

[0055] In this embodiment, springs 26 such as compression coils having the same diameter are arranged on the multiple contacts 21a, and the same number of springs 26 are arranged. However, for example, springs 26 having different diameters may be arranged on each of the multiple contacts 21a. This makes it possible to change the degree of pressing of the contact surfaces 21a1 and 21a2 of each contact 21a against the mounting portion 25. Also, the number of springs 26 arranged on each of the multiple contacts 21a may be changed. This makes it possible to change the degree of pressing of the contact surfaces 21a1 and 21a2 of each contact 21a against the mounting portion 25.

[0056] Also, as shown in Fig. 3(c), a copper plate 27 may be provided around the spring 26 attached to each of the contacts 21a. In the example of Fig. 3(c), two copper plates 27 are provided around the spring 26 of each of the contacts 21a. The copper plates 27 are made of a material such as a metal with high thermal conductivity, such as copper, in order to increase the heat transfer from the refrigeration device 30 to the multiple contacts 21a.

[0057] The number of copper plates 27 provided on each contactor 21a is not limited to two, and may be one, or three or more. The copper plates 27 are arranged on the outside of the springs 26, but are not limited to this and may be arranged in any position that does not interfere with the expansion and contraction movement of the springs 26. For example, the copper plates 27 may be provided on the top or side of the contactor 21a as shown in Fig. 3(c). The number of copper plates 27 arranged on each of the multiple contactors 21a may be changed.

[0058] When cooling the substrate W on the mounting section 25 that is in direct contact with the contacts 21a from the refrigeration device 30 via the springs 26, the cooling capacity from the refrigeration device 30 to the contacts 21a may be reduced by the springs 26. Therefore, a plurality of copper plates 27 are provided on the contacts 21a as heat transfer members. This increases the thermal conductivity from the refrigeration device 30 to the contacts 21a, and improves the cooling efficiency of the mounting table 20 and the substrate W.

[0059] The multiple copper plates 27 are an example of multiple heat transfer members connected to the multiple contacts 21a. The heat transfer member is not limited to the copper plate 27, but may be a conductor. The copper plate 27 has a structure that is relatively thin and has high thermal conductivity so as not to inhibit the expansion and contraction force of the spring 26 and to improve heat exchange. In other words, it is preferable that the heat transfer member, which is an example of the multiple copper plates 27, has a configuration that has high heat transfer efficiency, does not have a spring function, and does not inhibit the function of the spring 26. However, if the spring 26 itself is formed of a material with high thermal conductivity, the copper plate 27 is not necessarily provided.

[0060] As described above, the multiple contacts 21a according to this embodiment are attached to the refrigeration device 30 via the multiple springs 26 and the multiple copper plates 27. In addition, by raising and lowering the refrigeration device 30 using the lifting drive unit, the multiple contacts 21a can come into direct contact with the mounting table 20. This makes it possible to provide a substrate processing apparatus 100 that enhances the heat transfer efficiency, improves the cooling efficiency of the substrate W, suppresses damage to the contact surfaces of the contacts 21a, and shortens the cooling time for the substrate W.

[0061] [Other structures] The contacts provided between the cold link 35 and the mounting table 20 may be arranged only on the cold link 35 side, only on the mounting table 20 side, or on both the cold link 35 side and the mounting table 20 side.

[0062] In the substrate processing apparatus 100, the contacts are separated from the cold link 35 or the mounting table 20 during the film formation process, and are brought into contact with the cold link 35 or the mounting table 20 before and after the film formation process. This is repeated for each film formation process of the substrate W. For this reason, it is preferable to surface-treat the surfaces of the contacts 21a and / or 21b with hard silver plating 29, 24 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 so as to achieve both durability and thermal conductivity against contact and separation. The hard silver plating 29, 24 suppresses wear on the contact surfaces of the contacts 21a and 21b during contact and separation, and can achieve both durability and thermal conductivity of the contacts 21a and 21b. Not only the contact surfaces of the contacts 21a and 21b but also the surfaces of the other contacts and the lower surface (contact surface) of the mounting portion 25 may be surface-treated with the hard silver plating 29, 24.

[0063] The contact surfaces of the contactors 21a and 21b are flat. The flatness of the contact surfaces of the contactors 21a and 21b is processed to within 0.01 mm, and the surface roughness Ra is within 0.4. This increases the contact area between the contactors 21a and 21b, or between the contactor 21a and the mounting portion 25, thereby increasing the efficiency of heat conduction and further improving the cooling efficiency.

[0064] The spring 26 and copper plate 27 connected to the contact 21a may be provided on the mounting table 20 side, for example, as shown in Fig. 4. In the example of Fig. 4, the spring 26 and the copper plate 27 are connected to the contact 21b under the mounting portion 25, and the multiple contacts 21a are arranged so as to hang down below the spring 26 and the copper plate 27. In this example, the multiple contacts 21a are provided on the mounting table 20 side and contact the upper surface of the cold link 35 of the refrigeration device 30.

[0065] As a contact method of the contacts, metal seal materials such as metal O-rings and Actiseal having thermal conductivity and spring properties may be used instead of the block-shaped contacts 21a and 21b. However, the block-shaped contacts 21a and 21b are preferable in consideration of heat exchange because the contact area of ​​the block-shaped contacts 21a and 21b can be made larger and the cooling efficiency is high. Metal seal materials such as metal O-rings and Actiseal may be attached on the contact surfaces of the block-shaped contacts 21a and 21b.

[0066] The driving method of the refrigeration device 30, i.e., the driving method of the second lifting device 78, may be an air cylinder or a motor. However, an air cylinder is preferable because it is easy to control, since the refrigeration device 30 can be raised and lowered simply by controlling the on / off of the air supply. Regarding the raising and lowering of the refrigeration device 30, the stroke of the refrigeration device 30 may be controlled by controlling the supply of air to the air cylinder using a stopper that detects when the contact 21a abuts against the mounting portion 25 or the contact 21b and stops the supply of air.

[0067] When the refrigeration device 30 is driven by a motor, a ball screw or the like is required, which requires more space than driving the device by an air cylinder. In addition, the motor must be installed coaxially with the refrigeration device 30, which increases the size of the device. For these reasons, adopting a method of driving the refrigeration device 30 by an air cylinder can save space. However, the refrigeration device 30 may also be driven by a motor.

[0068] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a radiation plate 28 may be provided around the refrigeration device 30 and the contacts 21a and 21b.

[0069] As described above, according to the mounting table structure of this embodiment and the substrate processing apparatus 100 having the mounting table structure, the contact structure using the contacts connected to the refrigeration device 30 can improve the thermal conductivity from the refrigeration device 30 to the mounting table 20. This can increase the cooling efficiency of the substrates W and shorten the time required for cooling the substrates W and returning them to room temperature.

[0070] [Operation of substrate processing equipment and contact / separation of contacts] Next, the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 100 and the contact and separation states of the contactors 21a, 21b will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to one embodiment and the state of the contactors.

[0071] In the substrate processing apparatus 100, the second lifting device 78 is raised and lowered by an air cylinder to raise and lower the refrigeration device 30, and the refrigeration device 30 and the mounting table 20 are brought into contact with and separated from each other via the contactors 21a, 21b. This allows the substrate processing apparatus 100 to perform contact (direct) cooling by the contactors 21a, 21b. The following describes in order the contact and separation states of the contactors 21a, 21b when the substrate W is processed in the substrate processing apparatus 100.

[0072] First, as shown in Fig. 5(1), when the substrate W is carried in, the second lifting device 78 is raised to lift the freezing device 30 and bring the contacts 21a and 21b into contact with each other (the state shown in Fig. 2(a)). At this time, the rotation operation by the rotation device 40 is stopped, and the mounting table 20 is not rotating.

[0073] Next, as shown in Fig. 5(2), a DC voltage is applied to the chuck electrode 32, and the substrate W is cooled while being electrostatically chucked. The contacts 21a and 21b are in contact with each other (as shown in Fig. 2(a)) as shown in Fig. 5(1). At this time, the rotation operation by the rotation device 40 is stopped.

[0074] Next, as shown in Fig. 5(3), immediately before a process (e.g., a film forming process) is performed, the second lifting device 78 is lowered to lower the refrigeration device 30, and the contactors 21a, 21b are separated during the process (the state shown in Fig. 2(b)). At this time, the contact between the contactors 21a, 21b shown at A in Fig. 2(a) becomes a non-contact (separated) state shown at A in Fig. 2(b), and the spring 26 shown at B in Fig. 2(a) expands as shown at B in Fig. 2(b). At this time, a rotation operation is performed by the rotation device 40, and a film forming process is performed on the substrate W while the mounting table 20 is rotated.

[0075] In this embodiment, the cooling structure (including the contact 21a on the cooling side) is made into a block structure having a large volume, thereby improving the thermal conductivity during contact. Also, for example, by making the mounting table 20 (contact 21b on the cooled side) into a block structure having a large volume, the cold storage efficiency during separation can be improved.

[0076] In addition, wear during contact can be reduced and the reproducibility of the contact pressure can be improved by providing the contact with a spring 26. The spring 26 may be provided on the mounting table side, and the pressing pressure during contact can be adjusted by using multiple springs 26.

[0077] Next, the application of the DC voltage to the chuck electrode 32 is stopped, and the substrate W is removed from the mounting table 20 in a state where the substrate W is no longer attracted to the mounting table 20 due to the charge removal process, as shown in Fig. 5(4). At this time, the rotation device 40 does not perform a rotation operation, and the mounting table 20 does not rotate. The second lifting device 78 is raised to raise the refrigeration device 30, and the contactors 21a and 21b are brought into contact with each other (the state of Fig. 2(a)).

[0078] Next, as shown in Fig. 5(5), during idling after unloading the substrate W (waiting for the substrate W to be loaded), the contacts 21a, 21b are kept in contact (the state of Fig. 2(a)). At this time, the rotation operation by the rotation device 40 is stopped. When the next substrate W is loaded, the process returns to Fig. 5(1) and the processes of Figs. 5(1) to (5) are executed.

[0079] [Method of controlling substrate processing apparatus] Next, a control method for the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing an example of a control method for the substrate processing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment. The process in Fig. 6 is controlled by the controller 80. The solid arrow indicates the direction of the process when the temperature of the mounting part 25 on which the substrate W is placed is normal, and the dashed arrow indicates the direction of the process when the temperature of the mounting part 25 is abnormal.

[0080] When this process begins, the control unit 80 controls the second lifting device 78 to raise the refrigeration device 30 and bring the contactor into contact with the refrigeration device 30 or the mounting portion 25 before processing the substrate W placed on the mounting portion 25 of the mounting table 20 (step S1).

[0081] By the control of step S1, for example, in the example of FIG. 2(a), the contact 21a comes into contact with the placement part 25 via the contact 21b. Also, for example, in the example of FIG. 4, the contact 21a comes into contact with the cold link 35. As a result, the control part 80 directly cools the placement part 25 from the refrigeration device 30 (step S2). When the temperature of the placement part 25 reaches a saturated state and is stabilized at a predetermined temperature (step S3), the control part 80 carries in the substrate W (step S4). Note that, when the temperature of the placement part 25 does not reach a saturated state in step S3 and the temperature of the placement part 25 is abnormal, the control part 80 does not carry in the substrate W and returns to step S2. In step S2, the placement part 25 is cooled again by the refrigeration device 30, and the processes of steps S2 and S3 are repeated until the temperature of the placement part 25 reaches a saturated state.

[0082] After the substrate W is carried in at step S4, the control unit 80 applies a DC voltage to the chuck electrode 32, and controls the chuck electrode 32 to contact-cool the substrate W while the substrate W is electrostatically chucked (step S5). The control unit 80 also controls the refrigerant supply passage 51 to supply a first cooling gas (e.g., He gas) to the space in which the springs 26 are disposed, and controls the second cooling gas supply pipe 34 to supply a second cooling gas (e.g., He gas) between the lower surface of the substrate W and the upper surface of the mounting unit 25.

[0083] Next, the control unit 80 controls the contact 21a to be separated from the mounting portion 25 in order to perform the film formation process (step S6). As a result, the contact 21a is separated from the mounting portion 25 via the contact 21b, as shown in Fig. 2(b). However, if the mounting table 20 is not rotated during the film formation process, the process may proceed to step S7 without executing the process of step S6.

[0084] In step S6, the contact 21a is separated from the mounting portion 25, making the mounting portion 25 rotatable. The control unit 80 controls the rotation device 40 to perform the desired film formation process on the substrate W while rotating the mounting portion 25 (step S7). However, when the film formation process is performed without rotating the mounting portion 25, the control unit 80 performs the film formation process on the substrate W without rotating after performing step S6 or without performing step S6. After the film formation process on the substrate W, the control unit 80 stops the rotation of the mounting table 20 by the rotation device 40.

[0085] Next, the control unit 80 controls the second lifting device 78 to lift the refrigeration device 30 so that the contact 21a contacts the mounting part 25 via the contact 21b, and the refrigeration device 30 cools the mounting part 25 (step S8). Thereafter, the control unit 80 unloads the substrate W (step S9) and ends this process.

[0086] In steps S4 to S8, if the control unit 80 determines that the temperature of the mounting unit 25 is abnormal because it exceeds a predetermined threshold range, the control unit 80 stops the process (step S10) and returns to the process of step S2 in which the contacts 21a, 21b are brought into contact with each other to cool the mounting unit 25. In this case, the control unit 80 executes the processes from step S2 onwards again.

[0087] 6, the second lifting device 78 lifts and lowers the refrigeration device 30 to bring the contactor into contact with and away from the refrigeration device 30 or the mounting table 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first lifting device 77 may lift and lower the refrigeration device 30 to bring the contactor into contact with and away from the refrigeration device 30 or the mounting table 20.

[0088] The mounting table structure, the substrate processing apparatus, and the method of controlling the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiments disclosed herein should be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in all respects. The embodiments can be modified and improved in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims. The matters described in the above embodiments can be configured in other ways as long as they are not inconsistent, and can be combined as long as they are not inconsistent. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 10 Vacuum processing vessel 11 Target holder 13 Exhaust system 20 Placement table 21a, 21b contacts 30 Refrigeration equipment 31 Refrigeration Machine 35 Cold Link 40 Rotating Device 51 Coolant supply passage 52 Coolant discharge flow path 69 Magnetic fluid seal 75, 76 Bellows 77 First lifting device 78 Second lifting device 80 Control section 100 Substrate processing apparatus W substrate

Claims

1. A mounting table on which a substrate is placed; a refrigeration mechanism for cooling the substrate; a lifting drive unit that lifts and lowers the mounting table or the refrigeration mechanism; a contact provided at a position facing the refrigeration mechanism and the mounting table, the contacts include a plurality of first contacts arranged on the refrigeration mechanism side and a second contact arranged on the mounting table side, Each of the first contacts is capable of coming into contact with the second contact; a contact surface of each of the first contacts that contacts the second contact is a flat surface; the first contacts are connected to a plurality of elastic bodies respectively and attached to the refrigeration mechanism via the plurality of elastic bodies; a mounting table structure configured so that the refrigeration mechanism can come into contact with the mounting table via the first contacts and the second contacts by raising and lowering the refrigeration mechanism using the lift drive unit.

2. The plurality of first contacts and the second contacts are configured to come into contact with and separate from each other by raising and lowering the refrigeration mechanism by the lifting drive unit. The mounting table structure according to claim 1 .

3. the first contacts are respectively connected to a plurality of heat transfer members and attached to the refrigeration mechanism via the elastic bodies and the heat transfer members; The mounting table structure according to claim 1 .

4. The refrigeration mechanism has a flow path for supplying a temperature control medium, an end of the flow path opens into a space between the refrigeration mechanism and the mounting table, and a temperature control medium is supplied from the flow path to the space. The mounting table structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. Further, a rotation drive unit for rotating the substrate is provided, the rotation drive unit rotates the substrate in a state in which the first contacts and the second contacts are spaced apart from each other. The mounting table structure according to claim 4 .

6. contact surfaces of the first contacts in contact with the second contacts and contact surfaces of the second contacts in contact with the first contacts are surface-treated by plating; The mounting table structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. a contact surface of the first contactors on the mounting table side is circular or has a shape obtained by dividing the circular shape into four on the inner circumferential side and into eight on the outer circumferential side; The mounting table structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A substrate processing apparatus having a processing vessel and a mounting table structure, The mounting table structure includes: a mounting table for mounting a substrate within the processing chamber; a refrigeration mechanism for cooling the substrate; a lifting drive unit that lifts and lowers the mounting table or the refrigeration mechanism; a contact provided at a position facing the refrigeration mechanism and the mounting table, the contacts include a plurality of first contacts arranged on the refrigeration mechanism side and a second contact arranged on the mounting table side, Each of the first contacts is capable of coming into contact with the second contact; a contact surface of each of the first contacts that contacts the second contact is a flat surface; the first contacts are connected to a plurality of elastic bodies respectively and attached to the refrigeration mechanism via the plurality of elastic bodies; the refrigeration mechanism and the mounting table can be brought into contact with each other via the first contacts and the second contacts by the lift drive unit lifting and lowering the refrigeration mechanism.

9. The substrate processing apparatus has a control unit, the control unit controls the lift drive unit to bring the first contacts and the second contacts into contact with each other before processing the substrate placed on the mounting table. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 8 .

10. The control unit controls the first contacts and the second contacts to be spaced apart from each other while processing the substrate. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 .

11. The substrate processing apparatus has a rotation drive unit that rotates a substrate, the control unit controls the rotation drive unit to rotate the substrate after separating the first contactors from the second contactors. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 10 .

12. and after processing the substrate, the control unit controls the rotation drive unit to stop rotation of the mounting table, and the elevation drive unit to bring the first contactors and the second contactors into contact with each other. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 11 .

13. The lifting drive unit lifts and lowers the mounting table or the refrigeration mechanism using an air cylinder or a motor. The substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 12.

14. 1. A method for controlling a substrate processing apparatus having a processing vessel and a mounting table structure, comprising: The mounting table structure includes: a mounting table for mounting a substrate within the processing chamber; a refrigeration mechanism for cooling the substrate; a lifting drive unit that lifts and lowers the mounting table or the refrigeration mechanism; a contact provided at a position facing the refrigeration mechanism and the mounting table, the contacts include a plurality of first contacts arranged on the refrigeration mechanism side and a second contact arranged on the mounting table side, Each of the first contacts is capable of coming into contact with the second contact; a contact surface of each of the first contacts that contacts the second contact is a flat surface; the first contacts are connected to a plurality of elastic bodies respectively and attached to the refrigeration mechanism via the plurality of elastic bodies; a control method for a substrate processing apparatus, the control comprising: controlling the refrigeration mechanism to come into contact with the mounting table via the first contacts and the second contacts by raising and lowering the refrigeration mechanism using the lift drive unit;

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