Semiconductor device or thin-film transistor manufacturing apparatus and manufacturing method

Abstract

First through fourth film formation chambers PC 1 to PC 4 are disposed in the periphery of a transfer chamber TC. If, for example, the ratio of the time required to form gate insulating films to the time required to form the silicon film as a semiconductor film is 1:3, a silicon nitride film and silicon oxide film are formed in the first through third film formation films PC 1 to PC 3 to become gate insulating films, and an amorphous silicon layer is formed in the fourth film formation chamber PC 4 to become an active region. This makes it possible to perform formation of the amorphous silicon layer, which requires film cleaning, in a film formation chamber different from the film formation chamber for other films, and to manufacture thin-film transistors at high productivity.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus comprising: 
 a first film formation chamber for depositing in succession at least two types of insulating films onto a substrate;    a second film formation chamber for depositing a semiconductor film onto the substrate; and    a transfer chamber for connecting said first film formation chamber to said second film formation chamber and for transferring the substrate from said first film formation chamber to said second film formation chamber, or from said second film formation chamber to said first film formation chamber;    one of said first or second film formation chamber performs a film formation process in succession to a film formation process of the other chamber.    
     
     
         2 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 a plurality of said first film formation chambers are disposed in accordance with a ratio of a time required for film formation in said first film formation chamber to a time required for film formation in said second film formation chamber, and the plurality of said first film formation chambers perform film formation processing staggered at a predetermined time difference.  
 
     
     
         3 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 said first and second film formation chambers are disposed so that a number of said first film formation chambers and a number of said second film formation chambers have a predetermined ratio other than 1 in accordance to a predetermined ratio other than 1 of the time required for film formation in said first film formation chamber to the time required for film formation in said second film formation chamber.  
 
     
     
         4 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein: 
 the time required for film formation in said first film formation chamber is longer than the time required for film formation in said second film formation chamber, and in correspondence a plurality of said first film formation chambers having a number greater than that of said second film formation chambers and performing film formation at a predetermined time difference from each other.  
 
     
     
         5 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein: 
 said time difference of film formation processes at a plurality of respective said first film formation chambers is set to be equal or longer than the time required for film formation in said second film formation chambers.  
 
     
     
         6 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein: 
 the insulating films formed at said first film formation chamber and the semiconductor film formed at said second film formation chamber together form part of a thin-film transistor.  
 
     
     
         7 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus comprising: 
 the first film formation chamber for forming a first material film on the substrate; and    the second film formation chamber for forming, after said first material film, a second material film unlike said first material film;    a ratio of a number of said first film formation chambers to that of said second film formation chambers is proportional to a ratio of the time required for film formation in said first film formation chamber to the time required for film formation in said second film formation chamber so that said first film formation chambers and said second film formation chambers are disposed with their numbers in a predetermined ratio.    
     
     
         8 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein: 
 the time required for film formation in said first film formation chambers is longer than the time required for film formation in said second film formation chambers, and in correspondence a plurality of said first film formation chambers having a number greater than that of said second film formation chambers and performing film formation at a predetermined time difference from each other.  
 
     
     
         9 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein: 
 said time difference of film formation processes at a plurality of respective said first film formation chambers is set to be equal or longer than the time required for film formation in said second film formation chambers.  
 
     
     
         10 . The semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein: 
 said first material film formed at said first film formation chamber is a silicon nitride film and/or a silicon oxide film, said second material film formed at said second film formation chamber is a semiconductor film, and together form part of a thin-film transistor.