Apparatus for processing substrate
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- EUGENE TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-06
Smart Images
Figure KR2026002010_06082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Substrate processing device
[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, and more specifically, to a substrate processing apparatus comprising a gas injector having a mixing space.
[0002] A method for etching a native oxide film (SiO2) is known to use chemical oxide removal treatment with HF (hydrogen fluoride) gas and NH3 (ammonia) gas. This method involves supplying HF gas and NH3 gas into a chamber while heating the wafer to etch the SiO2 layer formed on the surface of a semiconductor wafer (hereinafter referred to as "wafer"). These gases react with SiO2 to produce (NH4)2SiF6, and the SiO2 is removed by sublimating (NH4)2SiF6 through heating.
[0003] The objective of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus capable of smoothly supplying two or more gases during the process of forming a thin film.
[0004] Other objects of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.
[0005] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus comprises: a chamber forming an internal space in which a process on a substrate is performed; a gas injector installed at the upper part of the chamber and supplying gas toward the internal space; and a shower head installed at the upper part of the internal space and located at the lower part of the gas injector, having a plurality of injection holes for spraying the gas supplied through the injector, wherein the gas injector comprises: first and second inlet passages into which a first and a second reaction gas are respectively introduced; a mixing space communicating with the first and second inlet passages and in which the first and second reaction gases introduced through the first and second inlet passages are mixed; and an outlet passage having one end disposed toward the internal space and communicating with the mixing space to discharge the first and second reaction gases.
[0006] The above gas injector may include an injector body having an open top, wherein the first and second inlet passages are formed on the outside centered on the mixing space and the outlet passage is formed at the bottom of the mixing space.
[0007] The first and second inflow channels may be eccentric from the center of the mixing space.
[0008] The above gas injector may further include an injector cover installed on the upper part of the injector body to isolate the mixing space from the outside.
[0009] The above gas injector further includes a cylindrical adapter inserted and installed in the mixing space having a shape corresponding to the mixing space, wherein the adapter may have: a first auxiliary inlet passage extending from the center of the adapter toward the first inlet line and communicating with the first inlet line; a second auxiliary inlet passage extending from the center of the adapter toward the second inlet line and communicating with the second inlet line; a connecting passage extending from the center of the adapter toward the outer surface and communicating with the first and second auxiliary inlet passages; an expansion passage communicating with the connecting passage and formed by a recess from the outer surface of the adapter and spirally arranged toward the bottom; and an auxiliary outlet passage extending from the center of the adapter toward the outer surface and communicating with the expansion passage and the outlet passage.
[0010] The chamber comprises a lower chamber with an open top; and an upper chamber installed at the open top of the lower chamber to form an internal space together with the lower chamber, wherein the upper chamber may have an injector port into which the gas injector is inserted.
[0011] The above substrate processing device may further include a first supply line connected to the first inlet channel to supply a fluorine-based gas; and a second supply line connected to the second inlet channel to supply a nitrogen-based gas.
[0012] The above substrate processing device further includes a gas supply pipe connected to the upper part of the gas injector to supply a cleaning medium, and the gas injector may further have a cleaning medium through which the cleaning medium flows, the cleaning medium flows, the cleaning medium flows through a cleaning medium formed to penetrate in the vertical direction and disposed around the perimeter of the mixing space and isolated from the first and second flow paths and the mixing space.
[0013] According to one embodiment of the present invention, HF gas and NH3 gas can be supplied in a sufficiently mixed state through a gas injector, thereby improving reactivity and uniformity.
[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0015] Figure 2 is a drawing showing the gas injector illustrated in Figure 1.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] Figure 4 is a drawing showing the gas injector illustrated in Figure 3.
[0018] Figure 5 is a drawing showing a conventional gas injector.
[0019] Figures 6 to 8 are drawings showing the process results through a gas injector.
[0020] Figure 9 is a diagram showing the simulation results through a gas injector.
[0021] FIGS. 10 and FIGS. 11 are drawings showing other embodiments of the gas injector illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0022] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached FIGS. 1 to 11. Embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the embodiments described below. These embodiments are provided to further explain the present invention in detail to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. Accordingly, the shape of each element shown in the drawings may be exaggerated to emphasize a clearer explanation.
[0023]
[0024] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus includes a lower chamber (12) and an upper chamber (13). The lower chamber (12) has an open top, and the upper chamber (13) is installed on the open top of the lower chamber (12) to form an internal space isolated from the outside.
[0025]
[0026] A susceptor (20) is installed inside a lower chamber (12), and a support (22) is connected to the lower part of the susceptor (20) to support the susceptor (20). A substrate (S) is placed on the susceptor (20), and the susceptor (20) is equipped with a heater (not shown) to heat the substrate (S) to a preset temperature. The substrate (S) can enter and exit the internal space through a passage (12a) formed on one side of the lower chamber (12), and a gate valve (not shown) is installed in the passage (12a) to open and close the passage (12a).
[0027]
[0028] The shower head (15) is connected to the lower part of the upper chamber (13), and the gas supplied from the gas injector (30) described later fills the buffer space (B) formed inside the shower head (15), diffuses, and then is injected through a plurality of injection holes (15a).
[0029]
[0030] The gas injector (30) is equipped with an injector body and an injector cover (33). The injector body has a mixing space (35) formed in the center and is open at the top, and an outflow path (36) open toward the bottom centered on the mixing space (35) and first and second inflow paths (32, 34) arranged on both sides are formed. The injector cover (33) is installed on the open top of the injector body to isolate the mixing space (35) from the outside.
[0031]
[0032] The first inlet passage (32) is connected to the first supply line (40), and the first valve (40a), the first flow controller (40b), and the first gas supply source (40c) are installed in the first supply line (40). The first gas supply source (40c) may be a nitrogen-based gas, which is the first reaction gas, and may be, for example, NH3. If necessary, an auxiliary supply line branched from the first supply line (40) may be added, and an inert gas (e.g., Ar, N2) may be supplied through the auxiliary supply line.
[0033]
[0034] Likewise, the second inlet passage (34) is connected to the second supply line (50), and a second valve (50a), a second flow controller (50b), and a second gas supply source (50c) are installed in the second supply line (50). Additionally, a third supply line (52) branches off from the second supply line (50), and a third valve (52a), a third flow controller (52b), and a third gas supply source (52c) are installed in the third supply line (52). The second gas supply source (50c) may be a fluorine-based gas, which is the second reaction gas, and may be, for example, hydrogen fluoride (HF). The third gas supply source (50c) is an inert gas (e.g., Ar, N2), and the third supply line (52) may be omitted depending on the necessity.
[0035]
[0036] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a gas injector according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, a bracket (37) is installed in a recessed space formed on both sides of the injector body. The first and second supply lines (40, 50) are each connected and fixed to the bracket (37), and can be connected to the first and second inflow passages (32, 34), respectively, through a passage (37a) formed in the bracket (37).
[0037]
[0038] The outflow channel (36) is located in the center of the gas injector (30) and is vertically positioned. The bottom of the outflow channel (36) is located on the lower surface of the gas injector (30) and is open, and the first and second reaction gases can be discharged through the bottom of the outflow channel (36) and move to the buffer space of the shower head (15).
[0039]
[0040] The first and second inlet passages (32, 34) are connected to the mixing space (35) to supply the first and second reaction gases, and may be eccentrically positioned with respect to the center of the gas injector (30) (or mixing space (35)). In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the first and second reaction gases supplied through the first and second inlet passages (32, 34) may flow in a spiral shape and be mixed more smoothly.
[0041]
[0042] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the etching process of a native oxide film using a gas injector is schematically explained as follows.
[0043]
[0044] A substrate (S) having a natural oxide film formed thereon is placed on a susceptor (20), and while the substrate (S) is heated by the susceptor (20), a nitrogen-based gas (diluted with an inert gas) stored in a first gas supply source (40c) is supplied to a mixing space (35) through a first inlet channel (32), and a fluorine-based gas (diluted with an inert gas) stored in a second gas supply source (50c) is supplied to a mixing space (35) through a second inlet channel (34). At this time, as previously described, the first and second inlet channels (32, 34) are arranged eccentrically with respect to the center of the gas injector (30) (or mixing space (35)), and the gas can flow in a spiral shape to be mixed more smoothly.
[0045]
[0046] The mixed gas is supplied to the shower head (15) through the outflow channel (36), and the shower head (15) can etch the natural oxide film formed on the surface of the substrate (S) by spraying the mixed gas onto the substrate (S). Specifically, the natural oxide film reacts with the nitrogen-based / fluorine-based gas to produce reaction products such as (NH4)2SiF6 or water, and then the supply of the nitrogen-based / fluorine-based gas is stopped, and the reaction products such as (NH4)2SiF6 or water are removed by volatilization (sublimation) through vacuum evacuation. Thus, the natural oxide film can be removed by the sublimation of the reaction products.
[0047]
[0048] Meanwhile, the gas injector (30) may be equipped with a separate heater (not shown) and, for example, set to 140℃±10℃ to control the precipitation of by-products, such as NH4F, resulting from the reaction between HF gas and NH3 gas, thereby suppressing particles.
[0049]
[0050] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a substrate processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a gas injector illustrated in FIG. 3. As illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the gas injector (30) may further include a cylindrical adapter (35a) accommodated in a mixing space (35).
[0051]
[0052] The adapter (35a) has first and second auxiliary inlet passages (31a) extending from the center toward the first and second inlet passages (32, 34), and the first and second auxiliary inlet passages (31a) are connected to the first and second inlet passages (32, 34), respectively. Additionally, an expansion passage (31b) is formed by being recessed from the outer surface of the adapter (35a), and the expansion passage (31b) is spirally arranged from the top toward the bottom of the adapter (35a), so that nitrogen-based / fluorine-based gases can flow in a spiral shape and be mixed more smoothly, as described below.
[0053]
[0054] The connecting channel (31) extends from the center of the adapter (35a) toward the outer surface and is connected to the expansion channel (31b), and the auxiliary outflow channel (31c) extends from the outer surface toward the center of the adapter (35a) and is connected to the outflow channel (36).
[0055]
[0056] Accordingly, the nitrogen-based gas (diluted with an inert gas) stored in the first gas supply source (40c) is supplied to the expansion channel (31b) through the first inlet channel (32), and the fluorine-based gas (diluted with an inert gas) stored in the second gas supply source (50c) is supplied to the expansion channel (31b) through the second inlet channel (34). The nitrogen-based / fluorine-based gases flow in a spiral shape within the expansion channel (31b) to be mixed more smoothly and are supplied to the shower head (15) through the outlet channel (36).
[0057]
[0058] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a conventional gas injector, and FIGS. 6 to 8 are drawings showing the process results through the gas injector. The process results through the gas injector are compared as follows.
[0059]
[0060] First, the conventional gas injector has a structure in which nitrogen-based / fluorine-based gas supplied through the first and second inlet passages (32, 34) is supplied to the showerhead (15) through the outlet passage (36), and the gas flow path is relatively short. In this case, as shown in FIG. 6, the etching amount is confirmed to be 74.6 to 83.8 depending on the height of the susceptor (Chuck), and the process non-uniformity (NU) is confirmed to be 11.1 to 15.7.
[0061]
[0062] On the other hand, in the case of the gas injector shown in Fig. 2, as shown in Fig. 7, the etching amount is confirmed to be 53.4 to 57.6 depending on the height of the susceptor (Chuck), and the process non-uniformity (NU) is confirmed to be 2.7 to 3.8, and it is confirmed that the process non-uniformity is significantly improved as the nitrogen-based / fluorine-based gas is mixed smoothly.
[0063]
[0064] Likewise, in the case of the gas injector shown in Fig. 3, as shown in Fig. 8, the etching amount is confirmed to be 51.5 to 59.3 depending on the height of the susceptor (Chuck), and the process non-uniformity (NU) is confirmed to be 3.7, and it is confirmed that the process non-uniformity is significantly improved as the nitrogen-based / fluorine-based gas is mixed smoothly.
[0065]
[0066] Figure 9 is a diagram showing the simulation results through a gas injector. As shown in Figure 9, when examining the process non-uniformity for each gas, the process non-uniformity of the conventional gas injector is NH3 = 48.76, HF = 46.76, and N2 = 0.9327, whereas the process non-uniformity of the gas injector shown in Figure 2 is NH3 = 19.295, HF = 18.54, and N2 = 0.3689, which can be seen as significantly improved, and the process non-uniformity of the gas injector shown in Figure 4 is NH3 = 0.0346, HF = 0.0191, and N2 = 0.001, which can be seen as further improved.
[0067]
[0068] FIGS. 10 and FIGS. 11 are drawings showing another embodiment of the gas injector illustrated in FIG. 1. As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and FIGS. 11, a gas supply pipe may be connected to the upper part of the gas injector (30), and the gas supply pipe includes a connector (62) and a supply pipe body (64). The gas supply pipe supplies a cleaning medium (e.g., remote plasma), and the cleaning medium may be supplied to the internal space of the chamber through the gas injector (30) and the shower head (15) to clean the interior of the chamber.
[0069]
[0070] The connector (62) is connected to the upper part of the gas injector (30), and the gas injector (30) has a cleaning passage (66) formed through it in the vertical direction. The cleaning passage (66) is positioned around the mixing space (35) and the outflow passage (36), and is isolated from the first and second passages (32, 34) and the mixing space (35). The cleaning medium supplied through the gas supply pipe can move to the buffer space of the shower head (15) through the cleaning passage (66), and the shower head (15) supplies cleaning gas to the internal space of the chamber to clean the inside of the chamber.
[0071]
[0072] Although the present invention has been described in detail through preferred embodiments, other forms of embodiments are also possible. Therefore, the technical concept and scope of the claims described below are not limited to the preferred embodiments.
[0073] The present invention can be applied to various types of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and manufacturing methods.
Claims
1. A chamber forming an internal space where a process is performed on a substrate; A gas injector installed at the top of the chamber to supply gas toward the internal space; and A shower head installed at the upper part of the internal space and located at the lower part of the gas injector, having a plurality of injection holes for injecting the gas supplied through the injector, The above gas injector is, Upwardly inclined first and second inlet passages into which the first and second reaction gases, respectively, are introduced; A mixing space connected to the first and second inlet passages and in which the first and second reaction gases introduced through the first and second inlet passages are mixed; and A substrate processing device having an outlet channel for discharging the first and second reaction gases, wherein one end is positioned toward the internal space and communicates with the mixing space.
2. In Paragraph 1, The above gas injector is, A substrate processing device comprising an injector body having an open top, wherein the first and second inflow channels are formed on the outside centered on the mixing space and the outflow channel is formed at the bottom of the mixing space.
3. In Paragraph 1 or 2, A substrate processing device in which the first and second inflow channels are eccentric from the center of the mixing space.
4. In Paragraph 1 or 2, The above gas injector is, A substrate processing device further comprising an injector cover installed on the upper part of the injector body to isolate the mixing space from the outside.
5. In Paragraph 1 or 2, The above gas injector further includes a cylindrical adapter having a shape corresponding to the mixing space and inserted into the mixing space, and The above adapter is, A first auxiliary inlet channel extending upwardly from the center of the adapter toward the first inlet line and communicating with the first inlet line; A second auxiliary inlet channel extending upwardly from the center of the adapter toward the second inlet line and communicating with the second inlet line; A connecting channel extending from the center of the adapter toward the outer surface and communicating with the first and second auxiliary inlet channels; An expansion channel communicating with the above-mentioned connecting channel and formed by a recess from the outer surface of the adapter and spirally arranged toward the lower side; and A substrate processing device having an auxiliary outflow channel extending from the center of the adapter toward the outer surface and communicating with the expansion channel and the outflow channel.
6. In Paragraph 1 or 2, The above chamber is, A lower chamber with an open top; and It has an upper chamber installed at the open upper portion of the lower chamber and forming the internal space together with the lower chamber, and The above upper chamber is a substrate processing device having an injector port into which the gas injector is inserted.
7. In Paragraph 1 or 2, The above substrate processing device is, A first supply line connected to the first inlet channel above to supply fluorine-based gas; and A substrate processing device further comprising a second supply line connected to the second inlet channel to supply a nitrogen-based gas.
8. In Paragraph 1 or 2, The above substrate processing device is, It further includes a gas supply pipe connected to the upper part of the above gas injector to supply a cleaning medium, and A substrate processing device having a gas injector formed to penetrate in the vertical direction and disposed around the perimeter of the mixing space, isolated from the first and second flow paths and the mixing space, and further having a cleaning flow path through which the cleaning medium flows.