Semiconductor Manufacturing Apparatus And Semiconductor Device Manufacturing Method

Abstract

Adverse effects when a carrier is open, such as particles adhesion to the substrate or natural oxidation film deposits on the substrate, as well as a rise in oxygen concentration and contamination of the substrate transfer chamber are prevented. Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a carrier ( 10 ) in which a cover unit ( 10 a ) is provided on a substrate loading/unloading opening ( 10 b ) for loading and unloading a substrate ( 9 ), a carrier open/close chamber ( 61 ) continuously arranged to the carrier ( 10 ), a substrate transfer chamber ( 16 ) continuously arranged to the carrier open/close chamber, a substrate processing chamber continuously arranged to the substrate transfer chamber, an exhaust means ( 63 ) for exhausting the atmosphere in the carrier open/close chamber by suction, and an exhaust quantity adjuster means ( 65, 66 ) for adjusting the suction exhaust quantity of the exhaust means.

1 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising a carrier in which a freely mountable/removable cover unit is provided on a substrate loading/unloading opening and a substrate is stored into a substrate storage chamber through the substrate loading/unloading opening, and a carrier open/close chamber continuously arranged to the carrier, and a substrate transfer chamber continuously arranged to the carrier open/close chamber, and a substrate processing chamber continuously arranged to the substrate transfer chamber, and an exhaust means for exhausting the atmosphere within the carrier open/close chamber by suction, and an exhaust quantity adjuster means for regulating the suction exhaust quantity of the exhaust means. 
   
   
       2 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising an inert gas supply means for supplying inert gas to the carrier open/close chamber and, a controller for regulating the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means so that the pressure P 1  outside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber, and moreover that the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 3  of the substrate transfer chamber, when supplying inert gas from the inert gas supply means to the carrier open/close chamber. 
   
   
       3 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising an inert gas supply means for supplying inert gas to the carrier open/close chamber and, a controller for regulating the exhaust quantity adjuster means so that when supplying inert gas from the inert gas supply means to the carrier open/close chamber, the quantity of exhaust from the inert gas supply means becomes larger than the quantity of exhaust when inert gas is not being supplied. 
   
   
       4 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising an inert gas supply means for supplying inert gas to the carrier open/close chamber and, a controller for regulating the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means so that the pressure P 1  outside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber, and moreover that the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 3  of the substrate transfer chamber, when the opening of the substrate transfer chamber connecting the carrier open/close chamber is closed. 
   
   
       5 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means is regulated so that the atmosphere within the apparatus flows from the transfer chamber to the carrier open/close chamber, and further from the carrier open/close chamber to outside the apparatus. 
   
   
       6 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising a controller for regulating the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means so that the pressure P 1  outside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber, and moreover that the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 3  of the substrate transfer chamber when the substrate loading/unloading opening of the carrier with removable cover unit is open, and the opening of the substrate transfer chamber connecting the carrier open/close chamber is closed. 
   
   
       7 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising a controller for regulating the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means so that the pressure P 1  outside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber, and moreover that the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 3  of the substrate transfer chamber when the substrate loading/unloading opening of the carrier with removable cover unit is opened, the cover unit is retracted into a cover unit retraction chamber formed in the carrier open/close chamber, a substrate transfer space is formed to allow passage of the substrate between the carrier open/close chamber and the substrate transfer chamber, wherein the exhaust means is arranged in a position to allow gas flow from the substrate transfer space via the cover unit retraction chamber to the exhaust means. 
   
   
       8 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means is regulated so that the atmosphere within the apparatus flows from the transfer chamber to the carrier open/close chamber, and further from the carrier open/close chamber to outside the apparatus when the substrate loading/unloading opening of the carrier with removable cover unit is open, the cover unit is retracted into a cover unit retraction chamber formed in the carrier open/close chamber, and a substrate transfer space is formed to allow passage of the substrate between the carrier open/close chamber and the substrate transfer chamber; and moreover the exhaust means is arranged in a position to allow gas flow from the substrate transfer space via the cover unit retraction chamber to the exhaust means. 
   
   
       9 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier open/close chamber has a cover unit retraction chamber to allow retraction of the cover unit released by the carrier open/close device and a substrate transfer space formed to connect the carrier and the carrier open/close chamber and the substrate transfer chamber to allow passage of the substrate, the exhaust means is arranged in a position to allow gas flow from the substrate transfer space via the cover unit retraction chamber to the exhaust means, and further, an inert gas supply means is provided in the carrier open/close chamber; and a controller for regulating the exhaust quantity adjuster means is provided so that when supplying inert gas from the inert gas supply means to the carrier open/close chamber, the quantity of exhaust from the inert gas supply means becomes larger than the quantity of exhaust when inert gas is not being supplied. 
   
   
       10 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is structured to directly store multiple substrates. 
   
   
       11 . A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carrier is structured to store a cassette holding multiple stacked substrates. 
   
   
       12 . A semiconductor device manufacturing method using a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising a carrier in which a freely mountable/removable cover unit is provided on a substrate loading/unloading opening and a substrate is stored through the substrate loading/unloading opening, and a carrier open/close chamber continuously arranged to the carrier, and a substrate transfer chamber continuously arranged to the carrier open/close chamber, and a substrate processing chamber continuously arranged to the substrate transfer chamber, and an exhaust means for exhausting the atmosphere within the carrier open/close chamber by section, and an exhaust quantity adjuster means for regulating the suction exhaust quantity of the exhaust means, and an inert gas supply means for supplying inert gas to the carrier open/close chamber, and a controller for regulating the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means, wherein the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means is regulated so that the pressure P 1  outside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber, and moreover that the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 3  of the substrate transfer chamber when the inert gas supply means supplies inert gas to the carrier open/close chamber. 
   
   
       13 . A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to  claim 12 , wherein the exhaust quantity adjuster means is regulated so that when supplying inert gas from the inert gas supply means to the carrier open/close chamber, the quantity of exhaust from the inert gas supply means becomes larger than the quantity of exhaust when inert gas is not being supplied. 
   
   
       14 . A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to  claim 12 , wherein the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means is regulated so that the pressure P 1  outside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber, and moreover that the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 3  of the substrate transfer chamber when the opening of the substrate transfer chamber connecting the carrier open/close chamber is closed. 
   
   
       15 . A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to  claim 12 , wherein the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means is regulated so that the atmosphere within the apparatus flows from the transfer chamber to the carrier open/close chamber, and further from the carrier open/close chamber to outside the apparatus. 
   
   
       16 . A semiconductor device manufacturing method according  claim 12 , wherein the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means is regulated so that the pressure P 1  outside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber, and moreover that the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 3  of the substrate transfer chamber when the substrate loading/unloading opening of the carrier with removable cover unit is open, and the opening of the substrate transfer chamber connecting the carrier open/close chamber is closed. 
   
   
       17 . A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to  claim 12 , wherein the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means is regulated so that the pressure P 1  outside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber, and moreover that the pressure P 2  inside the carrier open/close chamber is lower than the pressure P 3  of the substrate transfer chamber when the substrate loading/unloading opening of the carrier with removable cover unit is open, the cover unit is retracted into a cover unit retraction chamber formed in the carrier open/close chamber, and a substrate transfer space is formed to allow passage of the substrate between the carrier open/close chamber and the substrate transfer chamber; and moreover the exhaust means allows gas flow from the substrate transfer space via the cover unit retraction chamber to the exhaust means. 
   
   
       18 . A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to  claim 12 , wherein the exhaust quantity of the exhaust quantity adjuster means is regulated so that the atmosphere within the apparatus flows from the transfer chamber to the carrier open/close chamber, and further from the carrier open/close chamber to outside the apparatus when the substrate loading/unloading opening of the carrier with removable cover unit is open, the cover unit is retracted into a cover unit retraction chamber formed in the carrier open/close chamber, and a substrate transfer space is formed to allow passage of the substrate between the carrier open/close chamber and the substrate transfer chamber; and moreover the exhaust means allows gas flow from the substrate transfer space via the cover unit retraction chamber to the exhaust means. 
   
   
       19 . A semiconductor device manufacturing method using a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprising a carrier in which a freely mountable/removable cover unit is provided on a substrate loading/unloading opening and a substrate is stored into a substrate storage chamber through the substrate loading/unloading opening, and a carrier open/close chamber continuously arranged to the carrier, and a substrate transfer chamber continuously arranged to the carrier open/close chamber, and a substrate processing chamber continuously arranged to the substrate transfer chamber, and an exhaust means for exhausting the atmosphere within the carrier open/close chamber by section, and an exhaust quantity adjuster means for regulating the suction exhaust quantity of the exhaust means, and comprising:
 a first step for removing the substrate from the substrate storage chamber of the carrier storing the substrate, where the cover unit is moved away from the substrate loading/unloading opening, the substrate loading/unloading opening opens, inert gas flows while the carrier open/close chamber is in a sealed state, and inert gas is supplied to the substrate storage chamber, and   a second step for storing the substrate in the empty carrier, where the cover unit is moved away from the substrate loading/unloading opening before the substrate is stored in the empty carrier, the substrate loading/unloading opening opens, inert gas flows while the carrier open/close chamber is in a sealed state, and inert gas is supplied to the substrate storage chamber.   
   
   
       20 . A semiconductor device manufacturing method according to  claim 19 , wherein the inert gas flow rate per unit of time in the second step is set to a larger flow rate than the inert gas flow rate per unit of time in the first step.