Semiconductor processing equipment and semiconductor processing method using same

Abstract

A semiconductor processing equipment and a semiconductor processing method using same are disclosed. The disclosed semiconductor processing equipment for processing a semiconductor workpiece may comprise: a chamber device, which has a susceptor disposed thereon, the susceptor having a substrate, including a semiconductor workpiece, loaded thereon, has, at the upper end thereof, a laser transmission window member through which a laser can be transmitted, is connected to a gas supply unit for supplying a peripheral gas and an exhaust unit for exhausting the peripheral gas, and enables the internal pressure between a relatively low first pressure and a relatively high second pressure to be adjusted; and a laser emission module for emitting a laser at the substrate loaded on the susceptor through the laser transmission window member from the outside of the chamber device. The chamber device can include: a chamber body part on which the susceptor is disposed; and a chamber lid part which can be opened and closed with respect to the chamber body part, and which has the laser transmission window member.

Description

Semiconductor process equipment and semiconductor processing method using the same

[0001] The present invention relates to semiconductor-related equipment and methods, and more specifically, to semiconductor process equipment using a laser and a semiconductor processing method using the same.

[0002] In general, semiconductor devices / electronic devices can be manufactured through multiple processes including a thin film deposition process, a photolithography process, an etching process, an ion implantation process, a heat treatment (i.e., annealing) process, etc. Among these, the heat treatment process may be a process for improving and securing the characteristics of the device by stabilizing, activating, melting a substrate or a thin film formed on the substrate, or removing seam defects within the thin film.

[0003] In semiconductor heat treatment processes, conventional furnaces or single-wafer high-pressure equipment can be used. However, these systems not only present challenges in temperature control, but also in achieving precise heating in localized areas, and can easily damage or deteriorate components. Furthermore, existing heat treatment equipment can present challenges in pressure control and application of various gases, and reactivity control through pressure control and other mechanisms may be challenging.

[0004] Meanwhile, laser-assisted heat treatment processes are attracting attention as an important technology due to their ability to improve and / or change the physical properties of next-generation semiconductor / electronic devices in a desired direction without deteriorating the devices by minimizing the thermal burden during the manufacturing process, and to precisely and quickly perform a uniform heat treatment process across the entire substrate. In this regard, there is a particular need for the development of semiconductor processing equipment with superior performance and control characteristics applicable to the manufacturing of next-generation semiconductor / electronic devices. There is a need for semiconductor processing equipment that uses lasers as an energy source, facilitates pressure control, can apply various gases, and can be utilized in various processes, while also ensuring speed and precision along with process convenience and reliability.

[0005] The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide semiconductor processing equipment that can easily control reactivity (reaction speed) through pressure control between low and high pressure while using a laser as an energy source and can apply various gases.

[0006] In addition, the technical task to be achieved by the present invention is to provide semiconductor processing equipment that can secure speed and precision along with process convenience and reliability in a semiconductor process.

[0007] In addition, the technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a semiconductor processing method using the above-described semiconductor processing equipment.

[0008] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned can be understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor processing device for processing a semiconductor workpiece, the semiconductor processing device comprising: a chamber device having a susceptor on which a substrate including the semiconductor workpiece is loaded, a laser transmission window member through which a laser can pass through an upper portion thereof, a gas supply unit for supplying ambient gas and an exhaust unit for exhausting gas are connected, and the chamber device is capable of controlling an internal pressure between a relatively low first pressure and a relatively high second pressure; and a laser irradiation module for irradiating a laser to the substrate loaded on the susceptor through the laser transmission window member from the outside of the chamber device.

[0010] The chamber device may include a chamber main body in which the susceptor is arranged; and a chamber lid part configured to be openable and closable with respect to the chamber main body and provided with the laser transmission window member.

[0011] The chamber lid part may be coupled to the chamber main body part by a hinge member, and may be configured to open and close the chamber lid part with respect to the chamber main body part by rotating the chamber lid part around the axis of the hinge member as a rotation axis.

[0012] The chamber lid portion may be configured to be completely separable from the chamber main body portion.

[0013] The chamber device may further include a blower unit connected to the chamber device and configured to blow gas into the interior of the chamber device.

[0014] It may further include a chamber heating member for heating the chamber device, which is arranged on the outer surface of the chamber device.

[0015] An openable slot valve through which the substrate can be inserted and removed may be further provided on the side of the chamber device.

[0016] The susceptor may include a heater unit for heating the substrate.

[0017] The above heater unit may be configured to heat the substrate to a temperature of room temperature to about 550°C.

[0018] The above laser transmission window member may include quartz.

[0019] The laser can be irradiated while moving the laser irradiation module in a state where the positions of the chamber device and the susceptor are fixed.

[0020] The chamber device may have a size that allows the susceptor to be moved within the chamber device, and may be configured to irradiate the laser while moving the susceptor within the chamber device while the positions of the chamber device and the laser irradiation module are fixed.

[0021] The chamber device may further include an openable intermediate slot valve that divides a process area and a substrate loading / unloading area therein.

[0022] The above laser irradiation module may include a laser scanner and an optical system unit, and the laser may be generated from a laser generator and transmitted to the laser scanner through the optical system unit.

[0023] The internal pressure of the chamber device can be controlled between about 0.0001 atm and 100 atm.

[0024] The above surrounding gas may include an inert gas.

[0025] The above-mentioned surrounding gas may include a reactive gas, and the reactive gas may include at least one of H2, D2, NH3, F, Cl, Br, and I.

[0026] The above semiconductor processing equipment may be configured to anneal the substrate using the laser.

[0027] The above semiconductor process equipment may be configured to perform a cleaning process on the substrate.

[0028] The above semiconductor process equipment may be configured to perform an etching process on the substrate.

[0029] According to embodiments of the present invention, semiconductor processing equipment and related technologies / methods can be implemented that can easily control reactivity (reaction speed) through pressure control between low and high pressure while using a laser as an energy source and can easily apply various gases.

[0030] In addition, according to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to implement semiconductor process equipment and related technologies / methods that can secure speed and precision along with process convenience and reliability in a semiconductor process.

[0031] By using the semiconductor process equipment according to the embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to easily manufacture devices (e.g., next-generation semiconductor devices) having high integration and excellent performance.

[0032] However, the effects of the present invention are not limited to the above effects, and can be expanded in various ways without departing from the technical spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a chamber device that can be applied to semiconductor process equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a chamber device that can be applied to semiconductor process equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a chamber device that can be applied to semiconductor process equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating semiconductor processing equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating semiconductor processing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating semiconductor processing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0040] The embodiments of the present invention described below are provided to more clearly explain the present invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art, and the scope of the present invention is not limited by the following embodiments, and the following embodiments can be modified in various other forms.

[0041] The terminology used herein is used to describe particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. The singular forms used herein may include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, the terms "comprise" and / or "comprising" used herein specify the presence of a stated feature, step, number, operation, element, element, and / or group thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, numbers, operations, elements, elements, and / or groups thereof. In addition, the term "connected" used herein not only means that certain elements are directly connected, but also includes a concept that indirectly connects elements by interposing another element between them.

[0042] In addition, when it is said in this specification that a certain element is located "on" another element, this includes not only cases where a certain element is in contact with another element, but also cases where another element exists between the two elements. The term "and / or" as used in this specification includes any one of the listed items and any and all combinations of one or more of them. In addition, terms of degree such as "about", "substantially", etc. as used in this specification are used to mean a range of or close to the numerical value or degree, taking into account inherent manufacturing and material tolerances, and are used to prevent infringers from unfairly using the disclosure that mentions exact or absolute numbers provided to help the understanding of this specification.

[0043] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The sizes and thicknesses of areas or parts illustrated in the attached drawings may be somewhat exaggerated for clarity and convenience of explanation. Like reference numbers designate like components throughout the detailed description.

[0044] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a chamber device (100A) that can be applied to semiconductor process equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 1, a semiconductor processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a device for processing a semiconductor processing object. Here, the semiconductor processing object may include a substrate member or a substrate structure, or a wafer member or a wafer structure applied to a semiconductor process. For example, the semiconductor processing object may include a substrate member or a wafer member on which a semiconductor element or electronic element such as a transistor, a contact, a capacitor, a memory cell array, a pixel array, a diode, or a driving circuit is formed. The semiconductor processing object may be interpreted in a broad sense.

[0046] A susceptor (10) onto which a substrate (S1) including the semiconductor processing object is loaded (seated) may be placed within a chamber device (100A). The susceptor (10) may be referred to as a stage. The substrate (S1) may be, for example, a wafer structure. The substrate (S1) may include a semiconductor, an insulator, or a conductor. The substrate (S1) may include at least one of a semiconductor, an insulator, and a conductor. In addition, the substrate (S1) may include a predetermined thin film formed on the wafer or a device portion including the thin film. When the substrate (S1) includes a semiconductor wafer, the semiconductor wafer may include at least one of various semiconductor materials including, but not limited to, Si, Ge, SiGe, SiC, GaN, GaAs, etc. The thin film may include at least one of a semiconductor thin film, an insulator thin film, and a conductive thin film. The semiconductor thin film may include various semiconductor materials including amorphous silicon and polycrystalline silicon. The above insulating thin film may include silicon oxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, a high-k material having a higher dielectric constant than silicon nitride, etc. The conductive thin film may include, for example, at least one of a metal and a metal compound. The element portion may include, as non-limiting examples, a switching element such as a transistor or a diode, or a memory element such as a storage node, a capacitor, or a resistance change layer.

[0047] A laser transmission window member (20) through which a laser (laser beam) can pass may be provided at the upper end of the chamber device (100A). The laser transmission window member (20) may be disposed within the upper cover of the chamber device (100A). The laser transmission window member (20) may be disposed between the inside and the outside of the chamber device (100A). A laser from the outside of the chamber device (100A) may pass through the laser transmission window member (20) and be irradiated onto a substrate (S1) within the chamber device (100A). The laser transmission window member (20) may be configured to include, as a non-limiting example, quartz. In this case, the laser transmission window member (20) may include a quartz plate, and, if necessary, may further include a coating layer formed on at least one surface of the quartz plate. However, the material and configuration of the laser transmission window member (20) are not limited to those described above, and may vary depending on the case. The laser transmittance of the laser transmission window member (20) may be, for example, about 80% or more or about 90% or more.

[0048] The chamber device (100A) may be connected to a gas supply unit (30) for supplying ambient gas (i.e., atmosphere gas) and an exhaust unit (40) for exhaust. The exhaust unit (40) may be an exhaust and pump unit. The chamber device (100A) may have a closed chamber structure and may be capable of controlling the internal pressure. The chamber device (100A) may be capable of controlling the internal pressure between a relatively low first pressure (relative low pressure) and a relatively high second pressure (relative high pressure). Therefore, the chamber device (100A) may be a device capable of both high-pressure and low-pressure processes. As a specific example, the internal pressure of the chamber device (100A) may be controlled between about 0.0001 atm and 100 atm. At this time, 0.0001 atm may correspond to the first pressure (low pressure), and 100 atm may correspond to the second pressure (high pressure). However, the range of the internal pressure is not limited to the above-described range and may vary depending on the case. In addition, the chamber device (100A) may be a device capable of low vacuum control and medium vacuum control. This may also be the same for the chamber device to be described later.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the ambient gas supplied into the chamber device (100A) may include at least one of an inert gas and a reactive gas. The inert gas may include, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of He, Ne, Ar, N2, Kr, Xe, etc. The reactive gas may include, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of H2, D2, NH3, F, Cl, Br, I, etc. The reactive gas may be a toxic gas. When the chamber device (100A) is applied to laser annealing, not only an inert gas but also a reactive gas may be used as the ambient gas, and the reaction rate may be easily controlled by setting high or low pressure conditions.

[0050] According to one embodiment, a flow controller (35) for controlling the flow rate of the supplied gas may be further disposed between the chamber device (100A) and the gas supply unit (30). The flow controller (35) may be a mass flow controller (MFC). In addition, according to one embodiment, an exhaust control valve (45) for controlling the exhaust amount may be further disposed between the chamber device (100A) and the exhaust unit (40). By using the flow controller (35) and the exhaust control valve (45), the process for supplying and exhausting gas can be precisely controlled. The internal pressure of the chamber device (100A) can be controlled using the exhaust control valve (45). Meanwhile, the exhaust gas discharged through the exhaust unit (40) can be injected into a predetermined gas bomb, i.e., a gas container (e.g., bottle). Here, the gas bomb may be the same as the one from which the gas was initially supplied, or may be a different gas bomb.

[0051] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a chamber device (100A) may include a chamber main body (110a) in which a susceptor (10) is arranged, and a chamber lid part (120a) configured to be openable and closable with respect to the chamber main body (110a) and provided with a laser transmission window member (20). The chamber main body (110a) may have a structure in which the upper portion is open, and the chamber lid part (120a) may be configured to be openable and closable with respect to the open upper portion (i.e., the opening) of the chamber main body (110a).

[0052] According to one embodiment, the chamber lid part (120a) can be coupled to the chamber main body part (110a) by a hinge member (not shown), and the chamber lid part (120a) can be opened and closed with respect to the chamber main body part (110a) by rotating the chamber lid part (120a) around the axis of the hinge member as a rotation axis. A plurality of fastening units (not shown) may be further provided to mutually fasten the chamber lid part (120a) and the chamber main body part (110a) in a state where the chamber main body part (110a) is closed by the chamber lid part (120a). The plurality of fastening units may have a bolt fastening method, as a non-limiting example. In addition, a sealing member (not shown) may be further provided to ensure airtightness between the chamber lid part (120a) and the chamber main body part (110a).

[0053] With the chamber lid portion (120a) open to the chamber main body portion (110a), the substrate (S1) can be moved between the inside and outside of the chamber device (100A) or a predetermined operation can be performed on the chamber device (100A). When the chamber lid portion (120a) is opened and closed by rotating the chamber lid portion (120a) using the above-described hinge member, the opening and closing process of the chamber lid portion (120a) can be facilitated, and maintenance work on the chamber device (100A) can be facilitated.

[0054] According to one embodiment, the chamber device (100A) may further include a blower unit (50). The blower unit (50) may serve to blow a predetermined gas into the interior of the chamber device (100A). The blower unit (50) may be used as an auxiliary device for regulating the internal pressure of the chamber device (100A), or may serve to facilitate the discharge of residual gas or residue during exhaust. In addition, the blower unit (50) may also be used to appropriately create an internal gas atmosphere of the chamber device (100A).

[0055] The susceptor (10) may include a heater for heating the substrate (S1). The susceptor (10) may be a substrate heater or may include a substrate heater. The heater may be configured to heat the substrate (S1) to a temperature of about room temperature (about 25°C) to about 550°C. However, the heating temperature of the substrate (S1) by the heater is not limited to the above-described temperature and may vary depending on the case. The susceptor (10) may fix the substrate (S1) on its upper surface using a suction method using negative pressure, an electrostatic chuck method, or a mixed method thereof, but the embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. At least a portion of the susceptor (10) may be formed of a metal material.

[0056] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a chamber device (100B) that can be applied to semiconductor process equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 2, the chamber device (100B) of the present embodiment may include a chamber main body (110b) in which a susceptor (10) is arranged, and a chamber lid part (120b) configured to be openable and closable with respect to the chamber main body (110b) and provided with a laser transmission window member (20). The chamber main body (110b) may have a structure with an open upper portion, and the chamber lid part (120b) may be configured to be openable and closable with respect to the open upper portion (i.e., opening) of the chamber main body (110b). According to the present embodiment, the chamber lid part (120b) may be configured to be completely detachable with respect to the chamber main body (110b). In this case, the chamber lid part (120b) may be separated from the chamber main body (110b) by moving the chamber lid part (120b) in an upward direction of the chamber main body (110b). In a state where the chamber body (110b) is closed by the chamber lid (120b), a plurality of fastening units (not shown) may be further provided to fasten the chamber lid (120b) and the chamber body (110b) to each other. The plurality of fastening units may, as a non-limiting example, have a bolt fastening method. In addition, a sealing member (not shown) may be further provided to ensure airtightness between the chamber lid (120b) and the chamber body (110b). In a state where the chamber lid (120b) is open, the substrate (S1) can be moved between the inside and outside of the chamber device (100B) or a predetermined operation can be performed on the chamber device (100B).

[0058] Except for the configuration of the chamber lid portion (120b) and the chamber main body portion (110b) in FIG. 2, the remaining configuration may be the same as or similar to that described in FIG. 1. Therefore, the contents described in FIG. 1 may also be applied to the embodiment of FIG. 2 within a non-contradictory range.

[0059] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a chamber device (100A') that can be applied to semiconductor process equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] Referring to FIG. 3, the chamber device (100A') according to the present embodiment may further include a chamber heating member (60) disposed on its outer surface. The chamber heating member (60) may be a heater for heating the chamber device (100A'). The chamber heating member (60) may be disposed to cover at least a portion of the outer surface of the chamber main body (110a) and at least a portion of the outer surface of the chamber lid (120a). The internal temperature of the chamber device (100A') may be more easily controlled by the chamber heating member (60). The chamber heating member (60) may be referred to as a type of heating jacket. Here, although the chamber heating member (60) is shown as being applied to the chamber device (100A) of FIG. 1, it may be similarly applied to the chamber device (100B) of FIG. 2.

[0061] In FIGS. 1 to 3, the chamber size of the chamber device (100A, 100B, 100A') can be expanded as needed, and the susceptor (10) can be configured to be positionally movable within the chamber device (100A, 100B, 100A').

[0062] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating semiconductor processing equipment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] Referring to FIG. 4, a semiconductor processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention may be a device for processing a semiconductor processing object. The semiconductor processing device may include a susceptor (10) on which a substrate (S1) including the semiconductor processing object is loaded, a laser transmission window member (20) through which a laser (L1) can pass is provided at an upper portion, a gas supply unit (30) for supplying ambient gas and an exhaust unit (40) for exhaust are connected, and a chamber device (100A) capable of controlling an internal pressure between a relatively low first pressure and a relatively high second pressure. Here, the chamber device (100A) may have a configuration identical or similar to that described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. For example, the chamber device (100A) of FIG. 1 may be applied to the embodiment of FIG. 3.

[0064] In addition, the semiconductor process equipment may include a laser irradiation module (200A) for irradiating a laser (L1) onto a substrate (S1) loaded on a susceptor (10) through a laser transmission window member (20) from the outside of the chamber device (100A). The laser irradiation module (200A) may include a laser scanner (210a) and an optical system unit (220a). The laser (L1) may be generated from a laser generator (150) and transmitted to the laser scanner (210a) through the optical system unit (220a), and may be irradiated from the laser scanner (210a) onto the substrate (S1). The optical system unit (220a) may include an optical device that may be referred to as a 'laser head', and the laser (L1) may be transmitted to the laser scanner (210a) via the laser head.

[0065] The laser generator (150) may be, for non-limiting examples, a diode laser, a CO2 laser, a Nd:YAG laser, or a fiber laser generator. In this case, the laser generated by the laser generator (150) may have a wavelength of, for example, about 0.01 μm to 11 μm, and the type of the laser generator (150) may be appropriately selected depending on the required wavelength range. The laser scanner (210a) may include, for example, a polygon mirror therein, and may be configured to reflect the incoming laser at various angles using the polygon mirror. The polygon mirror may be rotated at a set speed, and the irradiation position of the laser may vary by the rotation of the polygon mirror. In this way, when the irradiation position of the laser is adjusted by rotating the polygon mirror, the scanning speed can be greatly improved. The laser scanner (210a) may be configured to scan a semiconductor workpiece (wafer) having a diameter of, for example, 150 mm, 200 mm, 300 mm, or 450 mm.

[0066] According to the present embodiment, the semiconductor process equipment may be configured to irradiate the laser (L1) while moving the laser irradiation module (200A) in a state where the positions of the chamber device (100A) and the susceptor (10) are fixed. In other words, the laser scanner (210a) may be configured to be movable in the X-axis and / or Y-axis direction, and a process of irradiating the laser (L1) to the entire area (entire effective area) of the substrate (S1) may be performed while moving the laser scanner (210a) in the X-axis and / or Y-axis direction. The laser scanner (210a) may be configured to be movable in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions.

[0067] Meanwhile, the positions of the chamber device (100A) and the susceptor (10) can be fixed. If the position of the chamber device (100A) is fixed, it can be easily connected to gas lines, etc., and can have significant advantages in terms of equipment stability.

[0068] According to one embodiment, a slot valve (70) that can be opened and closed to allow a substrate (S1) to enter and exit may be further provided on the side (side) of the chamber device (100A). The slot valve (70) may be a type of shutter-type door. By opening the slot valve (70), the substrate (S1) can be loaded or unloaded onto the susceptor (10). The position and size of the slot valve (70) may be appropriately selected.

[0069] According to one embodiment, a chamber device (100A) and a laser irradiation module (200A) may be placed within a predetermined process module (1000). The chamber device (100A) may be fixedly installed in a predetermined portion of the process module (1000). A slot valve (70) may be placed so as to be opened and closed through a predetermined wall surface of the process module (1000). In addition, an interface module (2000) adjacent to the process module (1000) may be further placed, and at least one loading port (3000) adjacent to the interface module (2000) may be further placed. The interface module (2000) may be positioned between the process module (1000) and the loading port (3000). The interface module (2000) may be a type of equipment front end module (EFEM), and the loading port (3000) may be a type of load port module (LPM). A substrate (S1) including a semiconductor processing object can be loaded and unloaded by moving between a loading port (3000) and a chamber device (100A) of a process module (1000). Although not shown, a robot arm or the like for moving the substrate (S1) may be further provided.

[0070] A semiconductor processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention may be configured to anneal a substrate (S1) using a laser (L1). Accordingly, the semiconductor processing equipment may be a laser annealing equipment. In this case, a semiconductor processing method using the semiconductor processing equipment, i.e., a laser annealing method, may include, for example, a step of preparing a semiconductor element portion (a type of substrate structure) having a transistor including a semiconductor and a dielectric forming a bonding interface with the semiconductor, and a step of performing laser annealing by irradiating a laser to the semiconductor element portion under a pressure condition higher than 1 atmosphere in an atmosphere of at least one of D2 (deuterium), H2 (hydrogen), and NH3 (ammonia) for passivating interface charges between at least one of the following: The pressure condition may be a condition of more than 1 atm and less than 100 atm, and the laser annealing may be performed while controlling the temperature of the substrate on which the transistor is formed to be in a range from room temperature to 550°C. The semiconductor may include a channel of the transistor, and the dielectric may include a gate dielectric layer of the transistor.

[0071] According to an example, the gas element can play a role in inactivating (i.e., passivating) the interface charge generated by dangling bonds, etc. by forming Si-D bonding or Si-H bonding, etc. at or around the junction interface between the semiconductor (channel) and the dielectric (gate dielectric layer) through the heat treatment process using the above-described laser annealing. At this time, not only the interface charge but also fixed charges existing around the interface can be inactivated (passivated) by a similar principle as above. Therefore, the interface characteristics between the semiconductor (channel) and the dielectric (gate dielectric layer) and the physical properties of the dielectric (gate dielectric layer) are improved, and as a result, the performance, stability, and reliability of the transistor device can be improved.

[0072] In particular, when deuterium is used in the above gas atmosphere, since deuterium has a higher bonding energy with semiconductors such as silicon than hydrogen, the stability and reliability of the transistor device can be further improved. For example, since more energy is required to break a Si-D bond than a Si-H bond, the use of deuterium can be more effective in lowering the trap level at the bonding interface and performing the passivation process. In this respect, it may be preferable to perform the laser annealing in a D2 (deuterium) gas atmosphere. The laser annealing can be performed in a 100% D2 (deuterium) gas atmosphere, or in a gas atmosphere containing about 10% or more or about 40% or more D2 (deuterium). However, in some cases, other gases than D2 (deuterium) gas, that is, other passivation gases such as H2 (hydrogen) gas or NH3 (ammonia) gas, may be used.

[0073] In the above-described laser annealing, the pressure formed within the chamber device may be greater than 1 atm. For example, the pressure may be greater than 1 atm and less than or equal to 100 atm. In the above-described laser annealing, by forming a relatively high pressure condition, the elements of the gas (passivation gas) can be made to bond better with semiconductor elements such as silicon. That is, by using a relatively high pressure condition, the elements of the gas (passivation gas) can bond better with semiconductor elements such as silicon at the interface between the semiconductor (channel) and the dielectric (gate dielectric layer) and the surrounding area.

[0074] By using the semiconductor process equipment according to the embodiment of the present invention, since the pressure of the chamber device can be easily controlled while various surrounding gases (atmosphere gases) can be easily applied and temperature control can also be easily achieved, in the laser annealing method, the reaction speed (reactivity) can be easily controlled and the annealing characteristics can be improved.

[0075] The above laser annealing can be performed so that the temperature of the surface of the semiconductor element is increased to about 600°C to 2000°C. Since the laser (L1) is used, the temperature of the surface of the semiconductor element can be increased to a considerably high temperature in a short period of time, and the heat treatment process for the above passivation can be performed efficiently and easily. In particular, the process of deactivating interface charges and fixed charges, etc. can be performed efficiently and effectively in a short period of time by promoting the penetration and bonding of elements under the instantaneous heating and pressurization conditions by laser irradiation.

[0076] In addition, the semiconductor process equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention can also be utilized in a laser annealing method that induces a reaction using activation energy through a laser while suppressing reactivity under low-pressure conditions. In addition, the semiconductor process equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention can easily apply not only inert gases (He, Ne, Ar, N2, Kr, Xe, etc.) but also reactive gases (H2, D2, NH3, F, Cl, Br, I, etc.) as surrounding gases at high or low pressure, and therefore can be usefully utilized in various fields.

[0077] When the substrate (S1) includes a semiconductor film (semiconductor thin film) or an insulating film (insulator thin film), annealing using a laser (L1) may be performed to change the crystallinity, physical properties, or film quality of the semiconductor film or the insulating film. As a non-limiting example, annealing using a laser (L1) may be performed to crystallize amorphous silicon, to remove defects such as seams within a thin film, to activate a doped region, or to stabilize a wafer or thin film. In addition, annealing using a laser (L1) may be performed for various purposes.

[0078] In conventional semiconductor heat treatment processes, general furnaces or single-wafer type high-pressure equipment can be used. However, these have the problem that not only is temperature control difficult, but also precise heating of localized areas is difficult, and the elements can be easily damaged / deteriorated. In addition, in the case of conventional heat treatment equipment, pressure control and application of various gases may not be easy, and reactivity control through pressure control, etc. may not be easy. However, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor processing equipment and a semiconductor processing method using the same can be implemented, which can easily control reactivity (reaction speed) through pressure control between low and high pressure while using a laser as an energy source and can apply various gases. In addition, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor processing equipment and a semiconductor processing method using the same can be implemented, which can secure speed and precision along with convenience and reliability of the process.

[0079] In addition, the semiconductor processing equipment according to the embodiment can be used not only for the above-described laser annealing process, but also for performing a cleaning process for the substrate (S1) or an etching process for the substrate (S1). In addition, the semiconductor processing equipment can be applied to various semiconductor processing fields.

[0080] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating semiconductor processing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 5, the semiconductor processing equipment according to the present embodiment may include a chamber device (100C). The chamber device (100C) may have a similar configuration as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, and may have a size (enlarged size) that allows the position of the susceptor (10) to be moved therein. In other words, the chamber device (100C) may have an internal space that is enlarged in the horizontal direction, and the susceptor (10) on which the substrate (S1) is placed may be moved horizontally within the internal space. The inner diameter of the chamber device (100C) may be about twice or more the diameter of the susceptor (10). The chamber device (100C) may include a chamber main body (110c) in which the susceptor (10) is placed, and a chamber lid part (120c) configured to be openable and closable with respect to the chamber main body (110c) and provided with a laser transmission window member (20). The remaining configuration of the chamber device (100C) may be the same or similar to that described in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the contents described in FIG. 1 may also be applied to the embodiment of FIG. 5 within a non-contradictory range.

[0082] In addition, the semiconductor process equipment may include a laser irradiation module (200B) for irradiating a laser (L1) onto a substrate (S1) loaded on a susceptor (10) through a laser transmission window member (20) from the outside of the chamber device (100C). The laser irradiation module (200B) may include a laser scanner (210b) and an optical system unit (220b). The laser (L1) may be generated from a laser generator (150) and transmitted to the laser scanner (210b) through the optical system unit (220b), and may be irradiated from the laser scanner (210b) onto the substrate (S1).

[0083] Additionally, in the present embodiment, the chamber device (100C) may further include a position moving member (80) for moving the position of the susceptor (10). The position moving member (80) may include, as a non-limiting example, a bellows structure. However, the specific configuration of the position moving member (80) is not limited to the bellows structure and may be variously changed. The susceptor (10) may be movable in a horizontal direction within the chamber device (100C). The susceptor (10) may be movable in the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction.

[0084] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the semiconductor process equipment may be configured to irradiate a laser (L1) while moving a susceptor (10) inside the chamber device (100C) while the positions of the chamber device (100C) and the laser irradiation module (200B) are fixed. In other words, the susceptor (10) may be configured to be movable in the X-axis and / or Y-axis direction, and a process of irradiating the laser (L1) to the entire area (entire effective area) of the substrate (S1) while moving the susceptor (10) in the X-axis and / or Y-axis direction may be performed. Meanwhile, the positions of the laser irradiation module (200B) and the chamber device (100C) may be fixed. When the position of the chamber device (100C) is fixed, connection of gas lines, etc. may be easy, and there may be significant advantages in terms of equipment stability.

[0085] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating semiconductor processing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] Referring to FIG. 6, the chamber device (100C') of the semiconductor process equipment according to the present embodiment may further include an openable middle slot valve (90) that divides the process area (R1) and the substrate loading / unloading area (R2) therein. The process area (R1) and the substrate loading / unloading area (R2) may be physically / spatially separated inside the chamber device (100C') by the middle slot valve (90). Except for the further provision of the middle slot valve (90), the chamber device (100C') may be the same as or similar to the chamber device (100C) of FIG. 5. In addition, except for the further inclusion of the middle slot valve (90), the semiconductor process equipment of FIG. 6 may be the same as or similar to the semiconductor process equipment of FIG. 5. The size of the process area (R1) is merely exemplary and may be enlarged to be larger than that shown.

[0087] A process can be performed in which the susceptor (10) is moved to the process area (R1) by opening the middle slot valve (90), the middle slot valve (90) is closed, and then a gas atmosphere and pressure conditions are formed within the process area (R1), and then the position of the susceptor (10) is moved while irradiating the entire area (entire effective area) of the substrate (S1) with the laser (L1). Although not shown in Fig. 6, a position moving member (second position moving member) for moving the position of the susceptor (10) within the process area (R1) may be further provided. The positions of the laser irradiation module (200B) and the chamber device (100C) may be fixed.

[0088] When the process area (R1) and the substrate loading / unloading area (R2) are partitioned using a middle slot valve (90) as in Fig. 6, the gas usage can be significantly reduced and the process time can be shortened, etc.

[0089] Although the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 6 have mainly described cases in which a chamber device having a specific configuration is applied, the chamber device may be modified in various ways as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[0090] The semiconductor processing equipment according to the above-described embodiments may be configured to perform laser scanning in a raster scan manner or may be configured to perform laser scanning in a vector scan manner. In addition, the semiconductor processing equipment according to the above-described embodiments may be configured to anneal the substrate (S1) using a laser (L1). Alternatively, the semiconductor processing equipment may be configured to perform a cleaning process or an etching process on the substrate (S1). In addition, the semiconductor processing equipment may be applied to various processing fields.

[0091] According to the embodiments of the present invention described above, semiconductor process equipment and related technologies / methods can be implemented that can easily control reactivity (reaction speed) through pressure control between low and high pressure while using a laser as an energy source and can easily apply various gases. In addition, according to the embodiments of the present invention, semiconductor process equipment and related technologies / methods can be implemented that can secure speed and precision along with process convenience and reliability in semiconductor processes. By using the semiconductor process equipment according to the embodiments of the present invention, devices with high integration and excellent performance (e.g., next-generation semiconductor devices) can be easily manufactured.

[0092] In this specification, preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed, and although specific terms have been used, they have been used in a general sense only to easily explain the technical contents of the present invention and to help the understanding of the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other modifications based on the technical idea of ​​the present invention can be implemented in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the semiconductor processing equipment and semiconductor processing method using the same according to the embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 can be variously substituted, changed, and modified without departing from the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should not be defined by the described embodiments, but by the technical idea described in the claims.

[0093] Embodiments of the present invention can be applied to semiconductor-related equipment and methods. Embodiments of the present invention can be applied to semiconductor processing equipment using lasers and semiconductor processing methods using the same.

Claims

1. As a semiconductor processing equipment for processing semiconductor processing objects, A chamber device in which a susceptor is placed on which a substrate including the semiconductor processing object is loaded, a laser transmission window member through which a laser can pass is provided at the upper end, a gas supply unit for supplying ambient gas and an exhaust unit for exhaust are connected, and the internal pressure can be controlled between a relatively low first pressure and a relatively high second pressure; and A semiconductor processing equipment comprising a laser irradiation module for irradiating a laser to the substrate loaded on the susceptor through the laser transmission window member from outside the chamber device.

2. In the first paragraph, the chamber device, A chamber main body in which the susceptor is placed; and A semiconductor processing equipment comprising a chamber lid part configured to be openable and closable with respect to the chamber main body and equipped with the laser transmission window member.

3. In paragraph 2, The chamber lid portion is connected to the chamber main body portion by a hinge member, A semiconductor processing equipment configured to open and close the chamber lid part relative to the chamber main body by rotating the chamber lid part around the axis of the hinge member.

4. In paragraph 2, A semiconductor processing equipment wherein the chamber lid portion is configured to be completely separable from the chamber main body portion.

5. In paragraph 1, A semiconductor processing equipment further comprising a blower unit connected to the chamber device and configured to blow gas into the interior of the chamber device.

6. In paragraph 1, A semiconductor processing equipment further comprising a chamber heating member for heating the chamber device, the chamber heating member being arranged on the outer surface of the chamber device.

7. In paragraph 1, A semiconductor processing equipment further comprising an openable slot valve on the side of the chamber device through which the substrate can be inserted and removed.

8. In paragraph 1, The above susceptor is a semiconductor processing equipment including a heater unit for heating the substrate.

9. In paragraph 8, The above heater unit is a semiconductor processing equipment configured to heat the substrate to a temperature of room temperature to 550°C.

10. In paragraph 1, The above laser transmission window member is a semiconductor processing equipment including quartz.

11. In paragraph 1, A semiconductor processing equipment configured to irradiate the laser while moving the laser irradiation module while the positions of the chamber device and the susceptor are fixed.

12. In paragraph 1, The chamber device has a size that allows the susceptor to move within it, A semiconductor processing equipment configured to irradiate the laser while moving the susceptor inside the chamber device while the positions of the chamber device and the laser irradiation module are fixed.

13. In paragraph 12, A semiconductor processing equipment further comprising an openable intermediate slot valve that divides a process area and a substrate loading / unloading area into the chamber device.

14. In paragraph 1, The above laser irradiation module includes a laser scanner and an optical system unit, Semiconductor process equipment in which the above laser is generated from a laser generator and transmitted to the laser scanner through the optical system unit.

15. In paragraph 1, Semiconductor process equipment wherein the internal pressure of the chamber device is controlled between 0.0001 atm and 100 atm.

16. In paragraph 1, The above surrounding gas is a semiconductor process equipment containing an inert gas.

17. In paragraph 1, The above surrounding gas contains a reactive gas, A semiconductor process equipment wherein the reactive gas comprises at least one of H2, D2, NH3, F, Cl, Br, and I.

18. In paragraph 1, The above semiconductor process equipment is a semiconductor process equipment configured to anneal the substrate using the laser.

19. In paragraph 1, The above semiconductor process equipment is semiconductor process equipment configured to perform a cleaning process on the substrate.

20. In paragraph 1, The above semiconductor process equipment is semiconductor process equipment configured to perform an etching process on the substrate.

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