Substrate holding mechanism, substrate processing apparatus using same, and substrate replacement method

Abstract

To provide a substrate holding mechanism capable of securely fixing a substrate on a mounting table, a substrate processing apparatus using the same, and a substrate exchange method.SOLUTION: A substrate holding mechanism that holds a substrate mounted on a mounting table provided on a rotary table includes a band-like fixing member provided to cover at least a part of an outer peripheral side surface of the mounting table and fastens the outer peripheral side surfaces of the mounting table and the substrate at the same time to fix the substrate to the mounting table.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a substrate holding mechanism, a substrate processing apparatus using the same, and a substrate replacement method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a substrate holding mechanism that holds a substrate by rotating from the outside to the inside of a substrate holding area on a susceptor, with the substrate placed on the substrate holding area, to contact the side portion of the substrate placed on the substrate holding area and apply an inward biasing force capable of holding the substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-152264 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A substrate holding mechanism capable of reliably fixing a substrate on a mounting table, a substrate processing apparatus using the same, and a substrate replacement method are provided. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, a substrate holding mechanism according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a substrate holding mechanism that holds a substrate placed on a mounting table provided on a rotary table, the substrate holding mechanism comprising: The substrate is fixed to the mounting table by a belt-shaped fixing member that is provided so as to cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral side surface of the mounting table and that simultaneously clamps the outer peripheral side surfaces of the mounting table and the substrate to fix the substrate to the mounting table. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, the substrate can be reliably fixed onto the mounting table. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a film forming apparatus according to an embodiment; [Diagram 3] 2 is a schematic perspective view of a rotation table provided in the film forming apparatus according to the embodiment; FIG. [Figure 4] 11 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a driven gear provided on the lower surface of the mounting table. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a top view showing a portion of the driven gear and the drive gear. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a substrate holding mechanism used in the film forming apparatus. [Figure 7] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing a fixing structure between an anchor and a belt-shaped fixing member. [Figure 8] 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining an operational structure of the substrate holding mechanism according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] 2 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional configuration of an example of a substrate holding mechanism according to the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 10] 4A and 4B are diagrams showing an example of a lock / unlock mechanism of the substrate holding mechanism according to the present embodiment. [Figure 11] 11A to 11C are diagrams showing results of substrate fixing performance of the substrate holding mechanism according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the accompanying drawings, the same or corresponding members or parts are denoted by the same or corresponding reference numerals, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0009] [Substrate Processing Apparatus] With reference to Figs. 1 to 5, the substrate processing apparatus of the embodiment will be described by taking as an example a film formation apparatus that forms a film on a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as "wafer W"), which is a substrate, by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Fig. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of the film formation apparatus of the embodiment. Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view showing an example of the film formation apparatus of the embodiment. Fig. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a rotation table provided in the film formation apparatus of the embodiment. Note that, although the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment will be described by taking as an example a film formation apparatus, it is also applicable to an etching apparatus, etc.

[0010] The film formation apparatus 1 is configured to perform ALD in which a silicon source gas and an oxidizing gas are sequentially and repeatedly supplied to a wafer W that is placed on a rotating table 2 and rotates and revolves around the wafer W, and the source gas and the oxidizing gas are reacted with each other to form a SiO2 (silicon oxide) film.

[0011] The film forming apparatus 1 includes a vacuum vessel 11, which is a flat processing vessel having a generally circular planar shape. The vacuum vessel 11 is composed of a vessel body 13 forming the side walls and bottom of the vessel, and a top plate 12. A rotary table 2 is provided inside the vacuum vessel 11. The rotary table 2 is formed in a horizontal disk shape. A rotary shaft 21 extending vertically downward is connected to the center of the rotary table 2. The rotary shaft 21 passes through a bearing portion 22 provided on the bottom 14 constituting the vessel body 13, and is connected to a revolution rotation mechanism 23 provided outside the vacuum vessel 11. The revolution rotation mechanism 23 rotates the rotary table 2, for example, clockwise when viewed from above.

[0012] The bottom 14 of the container body 13 is provided with a slit 24 that is annular in plan view and penetrates the bottom 14 in the thickness direction so as to surround the rotating shaft 21. A space forming portion 15 that is annular in plan view and has a recessed shape in vertical cross section is provided below the bottom 14, and the space inside the recess is partitioned from the outside of the vacuum container 11, and is evacuated by exhaust ports 36 and 37 described later during the film formation process to create a vacuum atmosphere. If the space is defined as a driven gear movement space 16, a horizontal support annular plate 25 is provided in the driven gear movement space 16 so as to be close to the bottom 14 of the container body 13. The bottom of the space forming portion 15 is formed of a horizontal plate that is annular, and this plate is defined as a partition plate 17. The partition plate 17, which constitutes a partition member, is made of a material that passes magnetic lines of force formed between a driven gear 4 and a driving gear 5 described later, such as aluminum or SUS (stainless steel). A coolant flow path 18 is provided in the side wall and bottom 14 of the space forming portion 15.

[0013] Next, the structure of the turntable 2 and each part associated with the turntable 2 will be described with reference to Fig. 3, which is a schematic perspective view. Five spokes 26 extend radially in a plan view from the upper end of the bearing part 22, and the turntable 2 is supported by the spokes 26. The spokes 26 are made of, for example, Inconel (registered trademark), an alloy, so as to have high strength and high heat resistance. The tips of the spokes 26 bend downward through the slits 24 of the container body 13, and are connected to the upper surface of the supporting annular plate 25. Therefore, the supporting annular plate 25 is supported on the rotating shaft 21 by the spokes 26.

[0014] On the upper surface side of the turntable 2, a circular mounting table 3 is provided in a plan view, which revolves with the rotation of the turntable 2. In this example, five mounting tables 3 are provided along the rotation direction of the turntable 2. A recess 31 is formed on the upper surface of the mounting table 3 for horizontally mounting and storing the wafer W. The inner diameter of the recess 31 is configured to be slightly larger than the diameter of the wafer W, for example. For example, when the diameter of the wafer W is 300 mm, the inner diameter of the recess 31 may be 301 to 303 mm. On the periphery of the mounting table 3, a substrate holding mechanism 100 for holding the wafer W mounted on the recess 31 is provided. The substrate holding mechanism 100 holds the wafer W fixedly so that the wafer W does not jump out of the recess 31 and does not rotate with respect to the mounting table 3 even when the turntable 2 and the mounting table 3 rotate. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show a case where three substrate holding mechanisms 100 are provided on each mounting table 3. The substrate holding mechanism 100 will be described in detail later.

[0015] A rotation shaft 32 supporting the mounting table 3 is provided at the center of the lower surface of each mounting table 3 so as to extend vertically downward. Each rotation shaft 32 penetrates the supporting annular plate 25 and further penetrates five bearing units 33 (only four are shown in FIG. 3) supported on the lower surface of the supporting annular plate 25. The position where the rotation shaft 32 penetrates the supporting annular plate 25 is between the adjacent spokes 26 when looking at the supporting annular plate 25 in the circumferential direction. In other words, the rotation shafts 32 and the spokes 26 are alternately arranged on the supporting annular plate 25. The bearing unit 33 includes a bearing (not shown) surrounding the rotation shaft 32 so as to rotatably hold the rotation shaft 32, and a magnetic seal (not shown) for preventing particles from scattering from the bearing. With this configuration, the rotation shaft 32 is provided rotatably at a portion that rotates together with the turntable 2. Furthermore, the rotating shaft 32 is supported by a bearing unit 33 , and the bearing unit 33 is supported by the rotating shaft 21 via a supporting annular plate 25 and spokes 26 .

[0016] A horizontal, disk-shaped driven gear 4 is provided at the lower end of the rotation shaft 32 with its central axis coinciding with that of the rotation shaft 32. The driven gear 4 is therefore connected to the mounting table 3 via the rotation shaft 32, and the driven gear 4 revolves horizontally around the rotation axis 21 of the turntable 2 as the turntable 2 rotates. When the driven gear 4 is rotated in the circumferential direction, each mounting table 3 rotates about its rotation shaft 32.

[0017] 4 is a schematic diagram of the underside of the driven gear 4. A large number of permanent magnets are embedded in the lower part of the driven gear 4 along the rotation direction of the driven gear 4 all around. Note that the permanent magnets are provided all around the circumference, meaning that the area in which the permanent magnets are provided is not localized when viewed in the rotation direction. Therefore, even if there is a gap between adjacent permanent magnets in the rotation direction, the permanent magnets are provided all around the circumference, and in this example, such a gap is provided.

[0018] If the magnetic poles of the permanent magnet provided on the driven gear 4 are N-pole portions 41 and S-pole portions 42, the N-pole portions 41 and S-pole portions 42 are alternately arranged along the rotation direction (rotation direction) when the driven gear 4 is viewed from the bottom side. The N-pole portions 41 are shown with diagonal lines in the figure to distinguish them from the S-pole portions 42. In this example, the N-pole portions 41 and S-pole portions 42 exposed on the bottom surface of the driven gear 4 are each formed in the same rectangular shape, and are arranged, for example, eight of them, at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction so as to extend radially from the center of the bottom surface of the driven gear 4 in the horizontal direction. The lengths of the N-pole portions 41 and S-pole portions 42 are set to be shorter than the radius of the driven gear 4 so as not to exceed the center of the bottom surface of the driven gear 4, for example. In order to suppress demagnetization in a high-temperature environment, the permanent magnets constituting the driven gear 4 and the permanent magnets constituting the drive gear 5 described later are made of, for example, samarium-cobalt magnets.

[0019] 1 and 3, a drive gear 5 is disposed outside (on the atmospheric side) of the vacuum vessel 11 and below the space forming part 15. The drive gear 5 constitutes a magnetic gear mechanism 40 together with the driven gear 4. The drive gear 5 is a horizontal annular plate formed along the entire circumference of the revolution orbit of the driven gear 4, and is disposed so as to face the revolution orbit. Therefore, the upper surface of the drive gear 5 faces the lower surface of the driven gear 4.

[0020] A circular opening 50 is formed in the center of the drive gear 5. The center of the opening 50 coincides with the rotation center of the turntable 2 in plan view. As shown in FIG. 1, a rotation mechanism 53 for rotating the drive gear 5, which is, for example, an annular direct drive motor (DD motor), is provided on the underside of the drive gear 5 so as to surround the rotation shaft 21. The rotation mechanism 53 for rotating the drive gear 5 rotates the drive gear 5 around the center of the opening 50. Therefore, the drive gear 5 rotates while facing the revolution orbit of the driven gear 4. The rotation mechanism 53 for rotating is provided on a lifting platform 54 that is annular in plan view and surrounds the rotation shaft, and the lifting platform 54 is raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism 55 for the drive gear. The lifting mechanism 55 for the drive gear is provided on a horizontal floor plate 56. The floor plate 56 has an opening 57 through which the rotation shaft 21 passes.

[0021] The driving gear 5 will be described in more detail. A permanent magnet is embedded in the upper part of the driving gear 5 over the entire circumference of the driving gear 5 so as to face the outer periphery of the revolution orbit of the driven gear 4. The provision of the permanent magnet over the entire circumference means that the area in which the permanent magnet is provided is not localized when viewed in the rotation direction of the driving gear 5, and does not mean that the permanent magnet is provided without any gaps in the rotation direction. In this example, such gaps are provided between the permanent magnets adjacent in the rotation direction. If the magnetic poles of the permanent magnets provided in the driving gear 5 are N-pole portions 51 and S-pole portions 52, the N-pole portions 51 and S-pole portions 52 are alternately arranged in the rotation direction of the driving gear 5 when viewed from above. In FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 described later, the N-pole portions 51 are also indicated by hatching in the figure, similarly to the N-pole portions 41 of the driven gear 4.

[0022] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the magnetic pole portions (N-pole portion 41 and S-pole portion 42) of one driven gear 4 in correspondence with the magnetic pole portions (N-pole portion 51 and S-pole portion 52) of the driving gear 5 below it. For example, the N-pole portion 51 and the S-pole portion 52 are formed in a rectangular shape so as to overlap with the shapes of the N-pole portion 41 and the S-pole portion 42 formed on the underside of the driven gear 4. Note that FIG. 5 shows a state in which the N-pole portion 41 of the driven gear 4 and the S-pole portion 52 of the driving gear 5 overlap. Also, since FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram for explaining the configuration of the magnetic gears, the number of magnetic pole portions differs from the number of magnetic pole portions of an actual device.

[0023] The driven gear 4 stops at a position determined by the combined action of the attractive and repulsive forces between the magnetic poles (N-pole 41, S-pole 42) of the driven gear 4 and the magnetic poles (N-pole 51, S-pole 52) of the drive gear 5. Therefore, when the turntable 2 and drive gear 5 are rotated at the same rotational speed, the driven gear 4 stops relative to the drive gear 5, and therefore the driven gear 4, i.e., the mounting table 3, stops without rotating on its own axis.

[0024] The mounting table 3 rotates on its axis when a difference occurs between the rotational speeds of the drive gear 5 and the turntable 2, that is, when a speed difference occurs between the angular velocity of the drive gear 5 and the angular velocity (so to speak, the revolution angular velocity) of the driven gear 4 due to the rotation of the turntable 2. When the angular velocity Va of the drive gear 5 is greater than the angular velocity Vb of the driven gear 4, the arrangement of the N-pole portion 51 and the S-pole portion 52 of the drive gear 5 moves from the left side to the right side in FIG. 5 below the arrangement of the N-pole portion 41 and the S-pole portion 42 of the driven gear 4 facing the drive gear 5. Therefore, the repulsive force and attractive force from the drive gear 5 acting on the driven gear 4 move to the right, and the arrangement of the N-pole portion 41 and the S-pole portion 42 of the driven gear 4 is also pulled to the right, and as a result, the driven gear 4 rotates to the right in FIG. 5, that is, clockwise.

[0025] Furthermore, when the angular velocity Va of the drive gear 5 is smaller than the angular velocity Vb of the driven gear 4, the arrangement of the N-pole portion 51 and the S-pole portion 52 of the drive gear 5 moves from the right to the left in FIG. 5 below the arrangement of the N-pole portion 41 and the S-pole portion 42 of the driven gear 4 facing the drive gear 5. As a result, the repulsive force and attractive force from the drive gear 5 acting on the driven gear 4 move to the left, and accordingly the arrangement of the N-pole portion 41 and the S-pole portion 42 of the driven gear 4 is also pulled to the left, resulting in the driven gear 4 rotating to the left, i.e., counterclockwise.

[0026] 1 and 2, the description of the film forming apparatus 1 will be continued. A central area forming portion C, which is circular in plan view, is provided in the center of the lower surface side of the top plate 12 of the vacuum vessel 11. A fan-shaped protrusion 34 is formed in plan view so as to spread from the central area forming portion C toward the outside of the turntable 2. Two protrusions 34 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction of the turntable 2. The central area forming portion C and the protrusions 34 form a ceiling surface that is lower than the outer areas. N2 gas is supplied from a supply path (not shown) to the gap between the central area forming portion C and the center of the turntable 2, thereby suppressing contact between the source gas and the oxidizing gas at the center of the turntable 2.

[0027] A heater 35 for heating the wafer W is embedded in the bottom 14 of the vessel body 13. Exhaust ports 36 and 37 are open on the outside of the turntable 2 at the bottom 14 and are connected to a vacuum exhaust mechanism (not shown) composed of a vacuum pump or the like. A transfer port 39 for the wafer W that can be opened and closed by a gate valve 38 is formed on the side wall surface of the vacuum vessel 11, and the wafer W is transferred in and out of the vacuum vessel 11 via the transfer port 39 by a transfer mechanism (not shown).

[0028] Three lift pins 20 are provided on the bottom 14 of the vacuum vessel 11 near the loading / unloading section 39 to transfer the wafer W between the wafer W transfer mechanism and the mounting table 3. However, for convenience, only two lift pins 20 are shown in FIG. 1. Although not shown, a through hole is formed in the bottom of the mounting table 3 so that the lift pins 20 can pass through and transfer the wafer W. The lower end of the lift pin 20 is formed so as not to interfere with the driving gear 5 which moves up and down and rotates, for example, and is supported by an arm 27 which can be raised and lowered by a lift mechanism 28. A bellows 29 is provided around the lift pin 20 to surround the lift pin 20 and plays a role in maintaining airtightness inside the vacuum vessel 11.

[0029] Above the turntable 2, a raw material gas nozzle 61, a separation gas nozzle 62, an oxidizing gas nozzle 63, a modifying gas nozzle 64, and a separation gas nozzle 65 are arranged in this order at intervals in the rotation direction of the turntable 2. Each of the gas nozzles 61 to 65 is formed in a rod shape extending horizontally along the radial direction of the turntable 2 from the side wall of the vacuum vessel 11 toward the center, and discharges various gases downward from a large number of discharge ports 66 provided at intervals from one another along the length direction.

[0030] The raw material gas nozzle 61 discharges BTBAS (bisterial butyl amino silane) gas as a raw material gas. The raw material gas nozzle 61 is provided with a nozzle cover 67. The nozzle cover 67 covers the raw material gas nozzle 61 and serves to increase the concentration of the BTBAS gas below it. The oxidizing gas nozzle 63 discharges O3 (ozone) gas as an oxidizing gas. The separation gas nozzles 62 and 65 discharge N2 gas and are disposed at positions that divide the protruding portion 34 of the top plate 12 in the circumferential direction when viewed from the top side. The modifying gas nozzle 64 discharges a modifying gas consisting of a mixed gas of argon (Ar) gas and oxygen (O2) gas, for example. In this example, the raw material gas, the oxidizing gas, and the modifying gas correspond to the processing gas, respectively, and the raw material gas nozzle 61, the oxidizing gas nozzle 63, and the modifying gas nozzle 64 correspond to the processing gas supply unit, respectively.

[0031] Above the modifying gas nozzle 64, the plasma generating unit 7 is provided so as to cover the opening 19 provided in the top plate 12 of the vacuum vessel 11. In Fig. 2, the position where the plasma generating unit 7 is provided is indicated by a dashed line.

[0032] The plasma generating section 7 includes a main body 71, a protruding portion 72, a Faraday shield 73, a plate member 74, an antenna 75, a high-frequency power supply 76, and a slit 77. The main body 71 is formed of a dielectric material such as quartz. The protruding portion 72 protrudes downward along the opening 19 on the lower surface of the main body 71. The reformed gas is discharged from the reformed gas nozzle 64 into the area surrounded by the protruding portion 72. An antenna 75 made of a metal wire wound in a coil shape is provided on the upper surface side of the main body 71 via a Faraday shield 73 and an insulating plate member 74, and a high-frequency power supply 76 is connected to the antenna 75. The slit 77 is provided in the Faraday shield 73 and serves to direct the magnetic field component of the electromagnetic field downward.

[0033] On the turntable 2, the region below the source gas nozzle 61 is an adsorption region R1 where the BTBAS gas is adsorbed, and the region below the oxidation gas nozzle 63 is an oxidation region R2 where the BTBAS gas is oxidized. The region below the plasma formation unit 7 is a modification region R3 where the SiO2 film is modified by plasma. The regions below the protrusion 34 are separation regions D1 and D2 for separating the atmosphere in the adsorption region R1 from the atmosphere in the oxidation region R2 by N2 gas discharged from the separation gas nozzles 62 and 65, respectively.

[0034] The exhaust port 36, which has already been described, opens to the outside between the adsorption region R1 and the separation region D1 adjacent to the adsorption region R1 on the downstream side in the rotation direction, and exhausts excess BTBAS gas. The exhaust port 37 opens to the outside near the boundary between the reforming region R3 and the separation region D2 adjacent to the reforming region R3 on the downstream side in the rotation direction, and exhausts excess O3 gas and reforming gas. The exhaust ports 36 and 37 also exhaust N2 gas supplied from each of the separation regions D1 and D2 and the central region forming portion C.

[0035] The film forming apparatus 1 is provided with a control unit 90. The control unit 90 controls each part of the film forming apparatus 1. The control unit 90 may be, for example, a computer. In addition, a computer program for operating each part of the film forming apparatus 1 is stored in a storage medium. The storage medium may be, for example, a flexible disk, a compact disk, a hard disk, a flash memory, a DVD, or the like.

[0036] Although the substrate processing apparatus according to the present embodiment has been described as a film forming apparatus, it can be configured as an etching apparatus if the gas supplied is an etching gas. In this manner, the substrate processing apparatus according to the present embodiment can be applied to substrate processing apparatuses that perform various processes as long as the turntable 2 is provided with the mounting table 3.

[0037] [Substrate holding mechanism] 6 is a diagram showing an example of a substrate holding mechanism used in the film forming apparatus 1. The substrate holding mechanism according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a strip-shaped fixing member 100, an anchor 110, and a rotating member 120.

[0038] The strip-shaped fixing member 100 is disposed around the outer periphery of the mounting table 3, with a first end 101 of the strip-shaped fixing member 3 fixed to the anchor 110 and a second end 102 of the strip-shaped fixing member 110 fixed to a first end 122 of a rotating member 120. The rotating member 120 is configured to be rotatable (pivotable) around a rotation axis 121, and is configured to be able to tighten the strip-shaped fixing member 100 and fix the substrate W by rotating counterclockwise.

[0039] The strip-shaped fixing member 120 is provided so as to cover (surround) at least a portion of the outer circumferential side surface of the mounting table 3. The strip-shaped fixing member 120 is configured so that, when the substrate W is placed on the mounting table 3, the strip-shaped fixing member 120 can simultaneously fix the substrate W and the mounting table 3 by tightening the outer circumferential side surfaces of the substrate W and the mounting table 3. The strip-shaped fixing member 120 is made of a material having a certain degree of flexibility, and fixes the substrate W and the mounting table 3 by wrapping around the outer peripheries of the substrate W and the mounting table 3.

[0040] Examples of materials for the belt-shaped fixing member 120 include resin materials, carbon fibers, corrosion-resistant metals, and ceramics. In addition, various materials can be used as long as they have flexibility and heat resistance, plasma resistance, and corrosive gas resistance according to the process. In low-temperature processes in which the substrate temperature is less than 200°C, it is preferable to use resin materials with high flexibility. On the other hand, in medium-temperature processes of 200°C to 600°C and high-temperature processes exceeding 600°C, it is preferable to use carbon fibers, corrosion-resistant metals, or ceramics with high heat resistance.

[0041] The anchor 110 is a member for fixing the strip-shaped fixing member 100. The anchor 110 extends vertically like a support pillar and is provided near the mounting table 3. The anchor 110 pushes back the first end 101 of the strip-shaped fixing member 100 to form a loop, and fixes the strip-shaped fixing member 100 by externally holding the strip-shaped fixing member 100 in place with the loop thus formed. In other words, the anchor 110 fixes the first end 101 of the strip-shaped fixing member 100 in a state where it is inserted into the loop of the strip-shaped fixing member 100.

[0042] Fig. 7 shows a fixing structure between the anchor 110 and the strip-shaped fixing member 100. As shown in Fig. 7, the anchor 110 is inserted into a vertically long loop formed on the first end 101 of the strip-shaped fixing member 100, and rotatably fixes the strip-shaped fixing member 100. As shown in Fig. 7, the anchor 110 may be configured using, for example, a metal screw.

[0043] The rotating member 120 is a member for operating the fixing and unlocking (locking and unlocking) of the strip-shaped fixing member 100. The second end 102 of the strip-shaped fixing member 100 is fixed to the first end 102 of the rotating member 120. The rotating member 120 rotates around a rotation axis 121, and by rotating counterclockwise, it pulls the strip-shaped fixing member 100 in the fixing direction, and by rotating clockwise, it loosens the strip-shaped fixing member to an unlocked state.

[0044] Although the rotating member 120 is L-shaped in Fig. 6, it can be made into various shapes according to the application. In other words, as long as a lateral force along the circumferential direction of the belt-shaped fixing member 100 can be applied by rotation, the shape and configuration can be changed according to the application.

[0045] The rotating member 120 is made of, for example, a resin material, a carbon fiber, a corrosion-resistant metal, or a ceramic. However, the material of the rotating member 120 is not limited to these, and various materials can be used as long as they have heat resistance, plasma resistance, and corrosive gas resistance. The rotating member 120 can also be made of a resin material in a low-temperature process in which the substrate temperature is less than 200°C, but it is preferable to use carbon fiber, corrosion-resistant metal, or ceramic, which have high heat resistance, in a medium-temperature process in the range of 200°C to 600°C and a high-temperature process in excess of 600°C. Since flexibility is not required for the rotating member 120, all of the resin material, carbon fiber, corrosion-resistant metal, and ceramic can be used even in a low-temperature process in which the substrate temperature is less than 200°C.

[0046] In this way, by using the strip-shaped fixing member 100, the contact area between the substrate W and the fixing member can be significantly increased. In the past, attempts have been made to fix the substrate W to the mounting table 3 by contacting the substrate W at multiple points, such as three or six points, but this has not always resulted in complete fixation, and the substrate W has sometimes moved within the mounting table 3. If the substrate W cannot be fixed within the mounting table 3, the substrate W may float or generate dust due to contact or sliding. Furthermore, when the substrate W is fixed at multiple points, stress concentration on the substrate W may occur.

[0047] The substrate holding mechanism according to this embodiment can fix at least 60% or more of the outer periphery of the substrate W with the strip-shaped fixing member 100, and can reliably fix the substrate W on the mounting table 3. If the substrate W can be reliably fixed on the mounting table 3, it is possible to prevent the substrate W from floating or rotating within the mounting table 3, and it is also possible to reduce dust generation due to contact or sliding. It is also possible to reduce stress concentration on the substrate W, and to prevent damage to the substrate W. In practice, the substrate W and the strip-shaped fixing member 100 are often in contact with each other over an area greater than 60%, and it is possible to set the contact area to 70% or more, 80% or more, or 90% or more of the entire circumference.

[0048] It is preferable that the mounting table 3 has a diameter equal to or close to the diameter of the substrate W. If the mounting table 3 is too larger than the diameter of the substrate W, the strip-shaped fixing member 100 cannot make sufficient contact with the outer periphery of the substrate W, and a fastening force cannot be applied. On the other hand, if the diameter of the substrate W is larger than the diameter of the mounting table 3, the strip-shaped fixing member 100 cannot make contact with the mounting table 3, and it becomes difficult to fix the position of the substrate W. Therefore, it is preferable to set the diameter of the mounting table 3 to be equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the substrate W (2 mm or less, preferably 1 mm or less).

[0049] 8A and 8B are diagrams for explaining the operational structure of the substrate holding mechanism according to the present embodiment. Fig. 8(a) is a diagram showing an example of the substrate holding mechanism in an unlocked state. Fig. 8(b) is a diagram showing an example of the substrate holding mechanism in a locked state.

[0050] 8 differs from the configuration shown in Fig. 6 in that a tension spring 130 is added as a new component and that almost the entire rotating member 120 is configured to fit within the mounting table 3 when viewed from above. When the substrate holding mechanism according to this embodiment is actually installed in the film forming apparatus 1 or other substrate processing apparatus, it is preferable to include a configuration capable of operating the rotating member 120 as shown in Fig. 7.

[0051] 8 is a see-through view, and when viewed from above, the rotating member 120 and the tension spring 130 are provided below the mounting table 3. The tension spring 130 functions as a biasing member that applies a biasing force to the rotating member 120 or a biasing force applying member.

[0052] FIG. 8(a) shows the release state of the strip-shaped fixing member 100. It is preferable that the tension spring 130 is set to be in a steady state such that it always tensions the rotating member 120. In other words, when substrate processing is being performed, it is always necessary to fix the substrate W to the mounting table 3, and it is preferable that the strip-shaped fixing member 100 is loosened when the substrate W needs to be removed. Therefore, in FIG. 8(a), the urging force of the tension spring 130 is not applied to the tension spring connection portion 123 of the rotating member 120, and the strip-shaped fixing member 100 is loosened and separated from the outer periphery of the mounting table 3. The tension spring 130 is connected to the tension spring connection portion 123 provided at a position close to the first end portion 122 of the rotating member 120. This makes it possible for the tension spring 130 to apply a tension force directly close to the second end portion 102 of the strip-shaped fixing member 100 via the rotating member 120.

[0053] 8(b) shows a state in which the rotating member 120 rotates counterclockwise to apply a counterclockwise force to the strip-shaped fixing member 100, causing the strip-shaped fixing member 100 to rotate counterclockwise and be fixed in close contact with the mounting table 30. The counterclockwise force at this time is generated by the biasing force of the pull spring 130. As a result, if a substrate W is placed on the mounting table 30, the substrate W is placed in a locked state.

[0054] In this way, as an example, by providing the tension spring 130 and applying a biasing force, it is possible to perform a switching operation between the fixed state and the released state.

[0055] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a cross-sectional configuration of an example of a substrate holding mechanism according to this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 9, a mounting table 3 is provided on a base member 36 via an intermediate member 37, and a substrate W is placed on the mounting table 3. A belt-shaped fixing member 100 simultaneously fastens the outer peripheral side surfaces of the substrate W and the mounting table 3 from the outside, thereby simultaneously fixing the substrate W and the mounting table 3. With this configuration, the substrate W can be reliably fixed on the mounting table 3.

[0056] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a lock / unlock mechanism of the substrate holding mechanism according to the present embodiment. Note that the lock / unlock mechanism shown in Fig. 10 also serves as a mechanism for lifting and lowering the substrate W, and this point will also be described.

[0057] Fig. 10(a) is a side view of the lock / unlock mechanism. Fig. 10(b) is a top view of the lock / unlock mechanism. Fig. 10(a) and Fig. 10(b) are related in that they show the same lock / unlock mechanism from the side and top.

[0058] As shown in FIG. 10(a), a lock / unlock mechanism 140 is disposed on the front side, and a lift mechanism 150 is disposed on the back side.

[0059] The lock / unlock mechanism 140 includes a locking portion 141 extending vertically upward. The lifting mechanism 150 includes an inclined portion 151 and a flat portion 152 extending horizontally from the upper end of the inclined portion 151.

[0060] Fig. 10(c) is a side view showing the fixing operation of the lock / unlock mechanism 140 in the substrate holding mechanism, and Fig. 10(d) is a perspective top view showing the fixing operation of the lock / unlock mechanism 140 in the substrate holding mechanism. Fig. 10(c) and Fig. 10(d) are related in that they show the state of the same lock / unlock mechanism from the side and top.

[0061] 10(d) shows a state in which the tension spring 130 applies a biasing force to the rotating member 120, and the belt-shaped fixing member 100 is fastened and fixed. The engaging portion 141 of the lock / unlock mechanism 140 is set in a state in which it can press the end of the rotating member 120.

[0062] Fig. 10(c) shows the state of Fig. 10(d) from the side. The mounting table 3 is provided on the base member 36, and the rotating member 120, the lock / unlock mechanism 140, and the lifting mechanism 150 are provided below the mounting table 3. The upper part of the engaging portion 141 of the lock / unlock mechanism 140 is provided at a height position where it can push the rotating member 120. In addition, the strip-shaped fixing member 100 is provided so as to cover the side surface of the mounting table 3.

[0063] Figure 10(e) is a side view showing the release operation of the lock / unlock mechanism 140 in the substrate holding mechanism, and Figure 10(f) is a perspective top view showing the fixing operation of the lock / unlock mechanism 140 in the substrate holding mechanism. Figures 10(e) and 10(f) are related in that they show the same lock / unlock mechanism from the side and top.

[0064] 10(f) shows a state in which the engaging portion 141 of the lock / unlock mechanism 140 pushes the second end 124 of the rotating member 120 forward against the biasing force of the pull spring 130, causing the rotating member 120 to rotate clockwise. This causes the second end 102 of the strip-shaped fixing member 100 to move upward (counterclockwise), causing the strip-shaped fixing member 100 to become loose. This action releases the fixation of the substrate W and sets the device in an unlocked state.

[0065] The lifting mechanism 150 further advances forward, and the flat portion 152 reaches the position of the lifting plate 35 .

[0066] FIG. 10(e) shows a state in which the lifting mechanism 150 moves forward, pushing the lifting plate support part 351 up onto the flat part 152 via the inclined part 151, thereby lifting the lifting plate 35 and lifting the substrate W.

[0067] In this way, when the lock / unlock mechanism 140 releases the fixation of the strip-shaped fixing member 100 and sets it to an unlocked state, the lifting mechanism 150 raises the lifting plate 35 to raise the substrate W, thereby enabling the substrate W to be transferred.

[0068] In this manner, the substrate W can be replaced, and the substrate holding mechanism according to this embodiment can be operated simultaneously with the replacement of the substrate W.

[0069] 10(a) to (f), the release of the strip-shaped fixing member 100 and the removal operation of the substrate W may be linked to efficiently replace the substrate W. This can improve throughput and prevent dust generation in the process, thereby improving quality and productivity.

[0070] [Example] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing the results of investigating the substrate fixing performance of the substrate holding mechanism according to this embodiment. A semiconductor wafer was used as the substrate W, and the wafer was placed on the mounting table 3 of the film forming apparatus 1 shown in Fig. 1. The turntable 2 was rotated at a rotation speed of 240 rpm, and the deviation of the notch (cutout) portion of the wafer was measured while increasing the number of runs by operating the turntable 2 multiple times.

[0071] As a result, even if the number of runs increased, the wafer misalignment was zero, as shown in Fig. 11. The results of this example show that the substrate holding mechanism according to this embodiment has excellent substrate fixing performance.

[0072] As described above, the substrate holding mechanism and the substrate processing apparatus and substrate replacement method using the same according to this embodiment can improve the substrate fixing performance, prevent the substrate from floating or moving on the mounting table, and reduce dust generation due to contact and sliding.

[0073] Although the preferred embodiments and examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and examples, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments and examples without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1 Film deposition equipment 2 Rotating table 3. Placement table 100 Belt-shaped fixing member 110 Anchor 120 Rotating parts 130 Pull spring 140 Lock / unlock mechanism 150 Lifting mechanism W wafer

Claims

1. A substrate holding mechanism that holds a substrate placed on a mounting table provided on a rotary table, a substrate holding mechanism having a belt-shaped fixing member provided to cover at least a portion of the outer peripheral side surface of the mounting table and fastening the outer peripheral side surfaces of the mounting table and the substrate simultaneously to fix the substrate to the mounting table;

2. 2. The substrate holding mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism that applies a force in a direction that tightens the belt-shaped fixing member to fix the substrate to the mounting table.

3. 3. The substrate holding mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the lock mechanism is provided below the stage.

4. The substrate holding mechanism according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the lock mechanism includes a biasing member.

5. 5. The substrate holding mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the biasing member is a spring.

6. 6. The substrate holding mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the locking mechanism includes a rotating member to which one end of the belt-shaped fixing member is fixed and which is rotatable by application of a biasing force by the biasing member.

7. 7. The substrate holding mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the locking mechanism is normally in a locked state and is in an unlocked state when the substrate is placed on or removed from the stage.

8. 8. The substrate holding mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation mechanism that rotates the mounting table and the substrate independently of the turntable.

9. 9. The substrate holding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the mounting table and the substrate have the same diameter.

10. 10. The substrate holding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the belt-shaped fixing member covers at least 60% or more of the entire circumference of the mounting table.

11. 11. The substrate holding mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the belt-shaped fixing member is made of at least one of resin, carbon fiber, corrosion-resistant metal, and ceramic.

12. A substrate holding mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 11, The mounting table; The rotary table; and a processing chamber that houses the rotary table.

13. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the mounting table comprises a plurality of mounting stages provided along a circumferential direction of the turntable.

14. A method for replacing a substrate, comprising the steps of: a step of applying a force to a belt-shaped fixing member provided so as to surround a periphery of a mounting table provided on a rotating table in a circumferential direction below the mounting table to loosen a fixing mechanism that has fixed the substrate on the mounting table; and lifting the substrate on the mounting table while the fixing member is loosened.

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