JP7246148B2 - sputtering equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to sputtering apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art A sputtering apparatus is known that forms a film by causing particles emitted from a target material to enter a substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Sputtered particles are emitted onto the substrate from a target material arranged at an angle with respect to the surface of the substrate, and are passed through an opening of a slit plate provided between the target material and the substrate to form a film on the substrate. There is known a sputtering apparatus that does this (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2008-201647 A JP 2015-67856 A

The present disclosure provides a technology capable of easily changing the shape of the opening.

A sputtering apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a processing container that accommodates a substrate, and a slit plate that divides the inside of the processing container into a first space in which a target material is provided and a second space in which the substrate is provided. The slit plate has an inner member having an opening penetrating in a plate thickness direction, and an outer member provided around the inner member, and the inner member is detachable from the outer member. a connecting portion between the inner member and the outer member has a labyrinth structure; and a thin portion formed along the outer periphery of the inner thick portion and having a thinner thickness than the inner thick portion, the first tapered portion The corner on the center side of the outer member has a second tapered portion whose plate thickness decreases from the outer periphery toward the center, and the corner on the center side of the second tapered portion is rounded. ing.

According to the present disclosure, the shape of the opening can be easily changed.

1 is a cross-sectional view (1) showing a configuration example of a sputtering apparatus according to a first embodiment; FIG. Cross-sectional view (1) showing a configuration example of a slit plate Cross-sectional view (2) showing a configuration example of a slit plate Plan view showing a configuration example of a slit plate Sectional drawing (2) which shows the structural example of the sputtering apparatus of 1st Embodiment Sectional view (3) showing a configuration example of the sputtering apparatus of the first embodiment A diagram for explaining a sputtering apparatus according to a second embodiment. A diagram showing an example of a gas supply unit of the sputtering apparatus of FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the gas supply unit of the sputtering apparatus of FIG. 7; FIG. 8 is a diagram showing still another example of the gas supply unit of the sputtering apparatus of FIG. 7; A diagram for explaining a sputtering apparatus according to a third embodiment.

Non-limiting exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In all the attached drawings, the same or corresponding members or parts are denoted by the same or corresponding reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are omitted.

[First embodiment]
(sputtering device)
A configuration example of the sputtering apparatus of the first embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the sputtering apparatus of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the slit plate, and is an enlarged view showing a part including the slit plate of the sputtering apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the slit plate, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the dashed-dotted line III--III in FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a configuration example of the slit plate, showing the slit plate when viewed from above.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sputtering apparatus 10 has a processing container 12, a slit plate 14, a holder 16, a stage 18, a moving mechanism 20, and a controller 80.

The processing container 12 has a main body 12a and a lid 12b. The main body 12a has, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape. The upper end of the main body 12a is open. The lid 12b is provided on the upper end of the main body 12a and closes the opening of the upper end of the main body 12a.

An exhaust port 12 e is formed at the bottom of the processing container 12 . An exhaust device 22 is connected to the exhaust port 12e. The evacuation device 22 has, for example, a pressure control device and a decompression pump. The vacuum pump may be, for example, a dry pump, a turbomolecular pump.

A side wall of the processing container 12 is formed with an opening 12p. The loading of the substrate W into the processing container 12 and the unloading of the substrate W from the processing container 12 are performed through the opening 12p. The opening 12p is opened and closed by a gate valve 12g.

The processing container 12 is provided with a port 12i for introducing gas into the processing container 12, and gas (for example, inert gas) from a gas supply unit is introduced into the processing container 12 via the port 12i. .

The slit plate 14 is provided inside the processing container 12 . The slit plate 14 extends horizontally at an intermediate position in the height direction of the processing container 12 . The slit plate 14 is formed by combining a plurality of separately manufactured members. In the example of FIG. 1, the slit plate 14 is formed by combining an inner member 141 and an outer member 142 which are manufactured separately.

The inner member 141 is a substantially plate-shaped member, and is made of a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel. The inner member 141 is formed with an opening 14s.

The opening 14s penetrates the slit plate 14 in its plate thickness direction (the Z direction in the drawing). During film formation in the sputtering device 10, the substrate W moves in the X direction, which is one horizontal direction, under the opening 14s. The opening 14s extends long along the Y direction, which is another horizontal direction, and has a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, as shown in FIG. 4, for example. The Y direction is the longitudinal direction of the opening 14s and is a direction orthogonal to the X direction. The center of the opening 14s in the Y direction substantially coincides with the center of the substrate W in the Y direction during film formation.

The width Ly of the opening 14s in the Y direction is longer than the width (maximum width) of the substrate W in the Y direction during film formation. The width Ly of the opening 14s in the Y direction is preferably at least 1.06 times the width (maximum width) of the substrate W in the Y direction during film formation, and particularly preferably at least 1.33 times. For example, when the substrate W is a wafer with a diameter of 300 mm, the width Ly is preferably 320 mm or more, particularly preferably 400 mm or more. As a result, the coverage of the film at the edge of the substrate W is improved, and the in-plane uniformity is improved.

The width Lx of the opening 14s in the X direction is shorter than the width (maximum width) of the substrate W in the X direction during film formation. From the viewpoint of productivity, the width Lx of the opening 14s in the X direction is preferably 0.16 times or more the width (maximum width) of the substrate W in the X direction during film formation.

The inner member 141 is detachable with respect to the outer member 142 . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inner member 141 has a tapered portion 141a, an inner thick portion 141b, a thin portion 141c, and an outer thick portion 141d.

The tapered portion 141a is a portion where the plate thickness increases from the inside toward the outside. The tapered portion 141 a is formed along the entire circumference of the inner member 141 . The angle between the horizontal plane and the inclined plane of the tapered portion 141a can be determined according to the positional relationship between the tapered portion 141a and the target material 24, which will be described later. The tip of the tapered portion 141a preferably has a curved surface shape (for example, an R surface shape). As a result, when a film is deposited on the tapered portion 141a, it is possible to suppress film peeling at the tip of the tapered portion 141a.

The inner thick portion 141b is located outside the tapered portion 141a and has a first plate thickness. The inner thick portion 141b is formed along the outer periphery of the tapered portion 141a. The inner member 141 has high strength by having the inner thick portion 141b. A boundary portion 141x between the upper surface of the inner thick portion 141b and the inclined surface of the tapered portion 141a preferably has a curved surface shape (for example, an R surface shape). As a result, since the corners are reduced, even if a film is deposited on the boundary portion 141x, it is possible to suppress film peeling at the boundary portion 141x.

The thin portion 141c is located outside the inner thick portion 141b and has a second thickness that is thinner than the first thickness. The thin portion 141c is formed along the outer circumference of the inner thick portion 141b.

The outer thick portion 141d is located outside the thin portion 141c and has a third thickness greater than the second thickness. The outer thick portion 141d is formed along the outer periphery of the thin portion 141c. As a result, the outer surface of the inner thick portion 141b, the upper surface of the thin portion 141c, and the inner surface of the outer thick portion 141d form a recess 141y extending along the entire circumference of the inner member 141. As shown in FIG. The outer thick part 141d is fixed to the first member 52 of the wall member 28, which will be described later, on the long side, and the fixing point is set outside the substrate W. As shown in FIG. On the other hand, the outer thick portion 141d is not fixed to the first member 52 of the wall member 28 on the short side. In other words, the inner member 141 is fixed to the wall member 28 at a position not overlapping the substrate W during film formation in plan view. Accordingly, even if particles are generated due to friction between the outer thick portion 141d and the wall member 28 due to thermal expansion or thermal contraction, it is possible to prevent the particles from adhering to the substrate W. FIG.

The outer member 142 is a substantially plate-shaped member provided around the inner member 141, and is made of a metal material such as aluminum or stainless steel. The material of the outer member 142 may be the same as or different from the material of the inner member 141, but from the viewpoint that the amount of deformation due to thermal expansion and thermal contraction when the temperature changes is the same, the inner member 142 may be made of the same material. It is preferably the same as the material of member 141 . An edge portion of the outer member 142 is fixed to the processing container 12 and partitions the first space S1 and the second space S2. The first space S<b>1 is a part of the space inside the processing container 12 and is above the slit plate 14 . The second space S2 is another part of the space inside the processing container 12 and is below the slit plate 14 . The outer member 142, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, has a tapered portion 142a, a convex portion 142b, and a support portion 142c.

The tapered portion 142a is a portion where the plate thickness increases from the inside toward the outside. The tapered portion 142 a is formed over the entire circumference of the outer member 142 . The angle between the horizontal plane and the inclined plane of the tapered portion 142a can be determined according to the positional relationship between the tapered portion 142a and the target material 24, which will be described later. It's okay. The tip of the tapered portion 142a preferably has a curved surface shape (for example, an R surface shape). As a result, when a film is deposited on the tapered portion 142a, it is possible to suppress film peeling at the tip of the tapered portion 142a. A convex portion 142b that protrudes toward the concave portion 141y of the inner member 141 is formed on the tip side of the tapered portion 142a.

The protruding portion 142b is a portion that protrudes downward from the tip side of the tapered portion 142a. The convex portion 142b is formed over the entire circumference of the tapered portion 142a. A gap is formed between the convex portion 142b and the concave portion 141y, and the path formed by the gap is bent to form a labyrinth structure. Since a labyrinth structure is formed by the protrusions 142b and the recesses 141y, particles from the target material 24, which will be described later, pass between the inner member 141 and the outer member 142 and enter the second space S2. can be suppressed. Further, since a gap is formed between the convex portion 142b and the concave portion 141y, even if the inner member 141 and the outer member 142 are deformed due to thermal expansion or thermal contraction, the convex portion 142b and the concave portion 141y are in contact with each other. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the generation of particles due to rubbing.

The support portion 142c is a portion located outside the tapered portion 142a. The support portion 142c is formed along the outer circumference of the tapered portion 142a. The outer end of the support portion 142c is fixed to the inner wall of the main body 12a.

The holder 16 is provided above the slit plate 14 . The holder 16 is made of a conductive material. The holder 16 is attached to the lid 12b via an insulating member 17. As shown in FIG. The holder 16 holds the target material 24 arranged within the first space S1. The holder 16 holds the target material 24, for example, so that the target material 24 is positioned obliquely above the opening 14s. However, the holder 16 may hold the target material 24 so that the target material 24 is positioned directly above the opening 14s. The target material 24 has, for example, a substantially rectangular shape in plan view. The width Lt in the Y direction of the projection image 24a of the target material 24 projected onto the slit plate 14 is larger than the width (maximum width) of the substrate W in the Y direction during film formation, as shown in FIG. For example, when the substrate W is a wafer with a diameter of 300 mm, the width Lt is preferably 450 mm or more.

A power supply 26 is connected to the holder 16 . Power supply 26 may be a DC power supply if target material 24 is a metallic material. Power supply 26 may be a high frequency power supply if target material 24 is a dielectric or insulator, and is electrically connected to holder 16 through a matcher.

The stage 18 supports the substrate W within the processing container 12 . The stage 18 is configured to be movable. The stage 18 moves along the movement direction (X direction in FIG. 1) within the movement area S21 during film formation. The movement area S21 is an area included in the second space S2, and is an area including the space directly below the opening 14s and the space directly below the slit plate . The stage 18 has one or more projections in order to prevent particles from the target material 24 from scattering through the openings 14s into the area S22 in the second space S2 other than the movement area S21. . One or more protrusions of the stage 18 form upward and/or downward bent portions in the path around the stage 18 between the opening 14s and the area S22. In other words, the stage 18 forms a path with a labyrinth structure as a path around the stage 18 between the opening 14s and the area S22.

The movement area S21 is defined by the wall member 28. As shown in FIG. The wall member 28 extends along the boundary between the movement area S21 and the area S22. The wall member 28, together with the stage 18, forms a path between the opening 14s and the area S22. Due to the wall member 28 and the stage 18, the path between the opening 14s and the area S22 becomes a bent narrow path, that is, a narrow path with a labyrinth structure.

The stage 18 is attached to a moving mechanism 20 . A moving mechanism 20 moves the stage 18 . The movement mechanism 20 has a drive device 20a, a drive shaft 20b, and an articulated arm 20c.

The driving device 20 a is provided outside the processing container 12 . The driving device 20a is attached to the bottom of the processing vessel 12, for example. A lower end of a drive shaft 20b is connected to the drive device 20a. The drive shaft 20b passes through the bottom of the main body 12a from the drive device 20a and extends upward within the processing container 12 . The driving device 20a generates a driving force for vertically moving and rotating the driving shaft 20b. The drive device 20a may be, for example, a motor.

One end of a multi-joint arm 20c is supported on the upper end of the drive shaft 20b. The other end of the articulated arm 20 c is attached to the stage 18 . When the drive shaft 20b is rotated by the drive device 20a, the other end of the articulated arm 20c moves linearly along the X direction. Thereby, the movement of the stage 18 in the movement area S21 is realized. Further, when the driving shaft 20b is vertically moved by the driving device 20a, the articulated arm 20c and the stage 18 are vertically moved.

A substrate lift-up mechanism 30 is provided in an area near the opening 12p in the area S22 of the second space S2. The substrate lift-up mechanism 30 has a plurality of lift pins 30a, support members 30b, drive shafts 30c, and drive devices 30d. The multiple lift pins 30a have a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. The height in the vertical direction of the upper end of each of the plurality of lift pins 30a is substantially the same. The number of lift pins 30a may be, for example, three. A plurality of lift pins 30a are supported by support members 30b. The support member 30b has a substantially horseshoe shape. A plurality of lift pins 30a extend above the support member 30b. The support member 30b is supported by the drive shaft 30c. The drive shaft 30c extends below the support member 30b and is connected to the drive device 30d. The driving device 30d generates driving force for vertically moving the plurality of lift pins 30a. The drive device 30d may be, for example, a motor.

The substrate lift-up mechanism 30 transports the substrate W into the processing container 12 from the outside of the processing container 12 by a transport device (not shown), and before mounting the substrate W on the stage 18, the substrate lift-up mechanism 30 lifts a plurality of substrates from the transport device. A substrate W is received on top of each lift pin 30a. Further, the substrate lift-up mechanism 30 receives the substrate W from the stage 18 on the upper end of each of the plurality of lift pins 30a when carrying the substrate W out of the processing container 12 . Although the stage 18 is formed with a plurality of through holes into which the lift pins 30a are inserted, the illustration of these through holes is omitted in FIG.

The wall member 28 is open at one end in the X direction. When moving from the area S22 to the movement area S21, the stage 18 passes through the opening at one end of the wall member 28 in the X direction and enters the movement area S21. Further, the stage 18 passes through an opening at one end of the wall member 28 in the X direction when retreating from the movement area S21 to the area S22.

The sputtering apparatus 10 includes a lid portion 32 for opening and closing the opening at one end of the wall member 28 . The lid portion 32 is supported by a drive shaft 34 . The drive shaft 34 extends downward from the lid portion 32 and is connected to a drive device 36 . The driving device 36 generates a driving force for moving the lid portion 32 up and down. The drive 36 may be, for example, a motor. The driving device 36 retracts the lid portion 32 from the second space S2 to the first space S1 by moving the lid portion 32 upward, as shown in FIG. 6, which will be described later. The slit plate 14 is formed with an opening 14p through which the lid portion 32 is retracted from the second space S2 to the first space S1. When the lid 32 closes the opening 28p at one end of the wall member 28, it also closes the opening 14p of the slit plate 14. As shown in FIG. The parts such as the slit plate 14, the lid portion 32, and the driving device 36 may be configured such that the lid portion 32 moves in the Y direction to open and close the opening 28p at one end of the wall member 28 in the X direction. good. Also, the parts such as the slit plate 14, the lid portion 32, and the driving device 36 may be configured such that the lid portion 32 moves in the X direction to open and close the opening 28p at one end of the wall member 28 in the X direction. good.

The control section 80 controls the operation of each section of the sputtering apparatus 10 . The control unit 80 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU executes desired processing according to a recipe stored in a storage area such as RAM. The recipe contains apparatus control information for process conditions. Control information may be, for example, gas flow rates, pressures, temperatures, process times. The program used by the recipe and control unit 80 may be stored in, for example, a hard disk or semiconductor memory. The recipe or the like may be stored in a portable computer-readable storage medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD, or the like, set at a predetermined position, and read out.

The stage 18, the wall member 28, and the lid portion 32 will be described in detail below.

The stage 18 has a mounting portion 40 and a support portion 42 .

The mounting portion 40 is formed in a substantially plate shape extending, for example, in the X direction and the Y direction. The mounting portion 40 has a mounting area 40r on which the substrate W is mounted. The mounting portion 40 has a convex portion 40a that protrudes above the mounting region 40r so as to surround the mounting region 40r.

The support portion 42 is provided below the mounting portion 40 . The support portion 42 supports the mounting portion 40 . The support portion 42 has an upper portion 44 , a connecting portion 46 , a hollow portion 48 and a lower portion 50 .

The upper portion 44 has a flat plate shape and extends in the X and Y directions. The mounting portion 40 is fixed to the upper portion 44 with the lower surface of the mounting portion 40 in contact with the upper surface of the upper portion 44 .

The connecting portion 46 extends downward from the lower surface of the upper portion 44 and connects to the hollow portion 48 . The connecting portion 46 has a pair of flat plate portions. Each of the flat plate portions has a flat plate shape and extends in the X direction and the Z direction. The upper ends of the pair of flat plate portions of the connecting portion 46 are connected to the lower surface of the upper portion 44 , and the lower ends of the pair of flat plate portions of the connecting portion 46 are connected to the hollow portion 48 .

The hollow portion 48 has a hollow shape. The hollow portion 48 is formed of a plate material that is bent at a plurality of points, and extends along the boundary between the inner space, the space, and the outer side. When the stage 18 is arranged in the movement area S21, a shielding member 60, which will be described later, is positioned within the space inside the hollow portion 48. As shown in FIG. The hollow portion 48 is open at both ends in the X direction.

The hollow portion 48 has two edges 48a and 48b on both sides in the Y direction. The two edges 48a, 48b extend in the X direction. The edge 48a forms an opening facing outward in the Y direction. The opening of the edge portion 48 a communicates with the space inside the hollow portion 48 . On the other hand, the edge portion 48 b closes the space inside the hollow portion 48 .

The hollow portion 48 has two flat plate portions 48c and 48d. The flat plate portions 48c and 48d are provided between the edge portion 48a and the edge portion 48b and extend in the X direction and the Y direction. The flat plate portions 48c and 48d are provided substantially parallel to each other. The flat plate portion 48c is spaced upward from the flat plate portion 48d. The lower end of the connecting portion 46 described above is connected to the flat plate portion 48c.

The edge 48a forms protrusions 48f and 48g. The edge 48b forms protrusions 48h and 48i. The convex portions 48f and 48h are provided on both sides of the flat plate portion 48c in the Y direction. The convex portions 48f and 48h protrude upward from the flat plate portion 48c and extend in the X direction. The convex portions 48g and 48i are provided on both sides of the flat plate portion 48d in the Y direction. The convex portions 48g and 48i project downward from the flat plate portion 48d and extend in the X direction.

The lower portion 50 is connected to the lower surface of the flat plate portion 48d, and forms a rectangular tubular shape with one end and the other end in the X direction opened together with the flat plate portion 48d. The other end of the articulated arm 20c of the moving mechanism 20 is connected to the lower portion 50. As shown in FIG.

The wall member 28 extends along the boundary between the movement area S21 and the area S22 to define the movement area S21. The wall member 28 has a first member 52 , second members 54 and 56 and a third member 58 .

The first member 52 defines an area in the movement area S21 in which the mounting portion 40 and the upper portion 44 of the support portion 42 move. The first member 52 is formed of a plate material that is bent at a plurality of points. The first member 52 forms an opening that is opened and closed by a part of the lid portion 32 at one end in the X direction. The first member 52 has a bottom portion 52a, an intermediate portion 52b, and an upper end portion 52c.

The bottom portion 52a is spaced downward from the slit plate 14 and extends in the X direction and the Y direction. An opening is formed in the bottom portion 52a, and the connection portion 46 of the support portion 42 of the stage 18 is arranged in the opening of the bottom portion 52a when the stage 18 is arranged in the movement area S21. The intermediate portion 52b extends upward from the edge of the bottom portion 52a except for one end in the X direction. The upper end portion 52 c extends like a collar from the upper end of the intermediate portion 52 b and is connected to the slit plate 14 .

The second member 54 surrounds the edge 48a so as to form a small gap between the second member 54 and the edge 48a of the hollow portion 48. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the second member 54 surrounds the protrusions 48f and 48g. The second member 54 is formed in a plate material that is bent at a plurality of points. The second member 54 forms recesses 54a and 54b. The convex portion 48f of the stage 18 is inserted into the concave portion 54a. The convex portion 48g of the stage 18 is inserted into the concave portion 54b.

The second member 56 surrounds the edge 48b so as to form a slight gap between the second member 56 and the edge 48b of the hollow portion 48. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the second member 56 surrounds the protrusions 48h and 48i. The second member 56 is formed of a plate material that is bent at a plurality of points. The second member 56 forms recesses 56a and 56b. The convex portion 48h of the stage 18 is inserted into the concave portion 56a. The convex portion 48i of the stage 18 is inserted into the concave portion 56b.

Each upper portion of the second members 54 and 56 has a flat plate shape extending in the X and Y directions. An upper portion of each of the second members 54 , 56 is positioned within an opening in the bottom portion 52 a of the first member 52 . An upper portion of each of the second members 54 and 56 is connected to an end face defining an opening in the bottom portion 52a of the first member 52. As shown in FIG.

The second members 54, 56 are spaced apart from each other in the Y direction. Between the upper portion of the second member 54 and the upper portion of the second member 56, the connection portion 46 of the support portion 42 of the stage 18 is arranged when the stage 18 is arranged in the movement area S21. Between the lower part of the second member 54 and the lower part of the second member 56, the lower part 50 of the support part 42 of the stage 18 is arranged when the stage 18 is arranged in the movement area S21.

The second members 54 and 56 are open at one end and the other end in the X direction. The openings at one end of the second members 54 and 56 in the X direction are part of the openings at one end of the wall member 28 in the X direction. A third member 58 is connected to the other X-direction ends of the second members 54 and 56 so as to close the other X-direction end of the moving area S21.

The lid portion 32 opens and closes an opening at one end of the wall member 28 in the X direction. The lid portion 32 has an upper portion 32a and a lower portion 32b. The upper portion 32a is box-shaped. The upper portion 32a forms an opening so that the inner space thereof is connected to the moving area S21 when the cover portion 32 closes one end of the moving area S21 in the X direction. The lower portion 32b extends downwardly from the opening-forming end of the upper portion 32a. When the cover 32 closes one end of the movement area S21 in the X direction, the lower part 32b is connected to the openings at the ends of the second members 54 and 56 in the X direction and the end of the second member 54 in the X direction. The opening between the second member 56 and one end in the X direction is closed. A lower portion 32b of the lid portion 32 has a flat plate shape extending in the Y direction and the Z direction.

The sputtering device 10 further has a shielding member 60 . The shielding member 60 is provided within the moving area S21. When the stage 18 is arranged within the movement area S21, the shield member 60 is partially arranged in the space inside the hollow portion 48 of the stage 18. As shown in FIG.

The shielding member 60 has a flat plate portion 60a and convex portions 60b, 60c and 60d. The flat plate portion 60a extends substantially parallel to the opening 14s. The flat plate portion 60a extends in the X direction and the Y direction. The protrusions 60b and 60c are provided on both sides of the flat plate portion 60a in the Y direction, and protrude above the flat plate portion 60a. The convex portion 60d is provided outside the convex portion 60c in the Y direction and protrudes downward from the flat plate portion 60a. The convex portions 60b, 60c, and 60d have flat plate shapes extending in the X direction and the Z direction. The shielding member 60 is fixed to the second member 54 at the end opposite to the projection 60d in the X direction. The convex portion 60b is partially arranged in the space inside the convex portion 48f when the stage 18 is arranged in the movement area S21. The convex portion 60c is partially arranged in the space inside the convex portion 48h when the stage 18 is arranged in the movement area S21. The convex portion 60d is partially arranged in the space inside the convex portion 48i when the stage 18 is arranged in the movement area S21.

In the sputtering apparatus 10, the path around the stage 18 between the opening 14s and the area S22 is bent by the protrusions 48f, 48g, 48h, and 48i provided on the stage 18 to form a labyrinth structure. This suppresses particles from the target material 24 from scattering to the area S<b>22 , and suppresses unnecessary deposition of particles from the target material 24 . Moreover, since the projections 48f, 48g, 48h, and 48i are provided on the stage 18, unnecessary scattering and unnecessary deposition of particles from the target material 24 are suppressed without increasing the number of parts.

The sputtering apparatus 10 also has the wall member 28 described above. The wall member 28 narrows the width of the path between the opening 14s and the area S22, further suppressing particles from the target material 24 from scattering to the area S22. The sputtering apparatus 10 also has a shielding member 60 . The shielding member 60 further suppresses particles from the target material 24 from scattering to the area S22. In addition, the shielding member 60 prevents the particles from the target material 24 from scattering to the area S22 even when the film formation process is performed while the stage 18 is not placed in the moving area S21.

(Operation of sputtering device)
Operation of the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 5, and 6. FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, showing a state in which the substrate W is mounted on the stage 18. As shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration example of the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, and shows a state in which the lid portion 32 is moved upward to place the substrate W in the moving area S21. The operation of the sputtering device 10 described below is executed by controlling each part of the sputtering device 10 by the control unit 80 .

First, the opening 12p is opened by opening the gate valve 12g. Subsequently, the substrate W is carried into the processing container 12 by the transfer device of the transfer module connected to the sputtering device 10 . When the substrate W is loaded, the plurality of lift pins 30a and the stage 18 are retracted below the area into which the substrate W is loaded so as not to interfere with the substrate W. As shown in FIG.

Then, the plurality of lift pins 30a are moved upward to receive the substrate W from the transfer device of the transfer module. At this time, the substrate W is supported on the upper ends of the plurality of lift pins 30a. After the substrate W is supported by the plurality of lift pins 30 a , the transfer device of the transfer module retreats from inside the processing container 12 to the outside of the processing container 12 . Subsequently, the opening 12p is closed by closing the gate valve 12g.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the stage 18 is moved upward or the lift pins 30a are lowered to transfer the substrate W to the stage 18 from the lift pins 30a. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 6, the lid portion 32 is moved upward so that the lid portion 32 is retracted into the first space S1. Subsequently, the stage 18 is moved into the movement area S<b>21 and the opening 28 p at one end of the wall member 28 is closed by the lid portion 32 .

Next, gas is introduced into the processing container 12 from the port 12i, and the pressure inside the processing container 12 is set to a predetermined pressure by the exhaust device 22. FIG. Also, a voltage is applied to the holder 16 by the power supply 26 . When a voltage is applied to the holder 16 , the gas inside the processing container 12 is dissociated and ions collide with the target material 24 . When the ions collide with the target material 24, the target material 24 emits particles of its constituent material. Particles emitted from the target material 24 are deposited on the substrate W through the opening 14s. At this time, the substrate W is moved in the X direction. Thereby, a film of the constituent material of the target material 24 is formed on the surface of the substrate W. Next, as shown in FIG.

As described above, the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment includes the slit plate 14 that divides the inside of the processing container 12 into the first space S1 in which the target material 24 is provided and the second space S2 in which the substrate W is provided. have The slit plate 14 has an inner member 141 having an opening 14s penetrating in the plate thickness direction, and an outer member 142 provided around the inner member 141. removable. Thus, by replacing only the inner member 141, which is a part of the slit plate 14, the shape of the opening 14s can be changed. Therefore, the shape of the opening can be easily changed.

Further, according to the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, the connecting portion between the inner member 141 and the outer member 142 has a labyrinth structure. This can prevent particles from the target material 24 from passing between the inner member 141 and the outer member 142 and entering the second space S2. Further, since a gap is formed between the convex portion 142b and the concave portion 141y, even if the inner member 141 and the outer member 142 are deformed due to thermal expansion or thermal contraction, the convex portion 142b and the concave portion 141y are in contact with each other. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the generation of particles due to rubbing.

Further, according to the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, the inner member 141 is connected to the wall member 28 on the long side of the opening 14s. Accordingly, even if particles are generated due to friction between the outer thick portion 141d and the wall member 28 due to thermal expansion or thermal contraction, it is possible to prevent the particles from adhering to the substrate W. FIG.

Further, according to the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment, the inner member 141 has the tapered portion 141a whose plate thickness decreases from the outer periphery toward the center, and the corner of the tapered portion 141a on the center side is rounded. ing. As a result, when a film is deposited on the tapered portion 141a, it is possible to suppress film peeling at the tip of the tapered portion 141a.

[Second embodiment]
A configuration example of the sputtering apparatus of the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the sputtering apparatus of the second embodiment, and shows a cross section along the longitudinal direction of the opening 14s, similar to FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a gas supply unit of the sputtering apparatus of FIG. 7. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, the sputtering apparatus 10A of the second embodiment has gas supply units 210 and 220 that supply gas from the inside of the inner member 141 toward the substrate W, unlike the first embodiment. is different from the sputtering apparatus 10 of Other configurations may be the same as those of the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment. The following description focuses on points that differ from the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment.

The gas supply section 210 has a gas discharge hole 211 , a gas flow path 212 and a gas introduction flange 213 .

The gas discharge hole 211 is formed in a portion of the inner member 141 on one side in the longitudinal direction of the opening 14s (the side in the -Y direction in the drawing), and discharges gas toward the opening 14s. do. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the gas discharge hole 211 is formed as an elongated hole extending along the lateral direction (the X direction in the drawing) of the opening 14s. The longitudinal length of the gas discharge hole 211 may be substantially the same as the width Lx of the opening 14s, for example. Thereby, the gas can be uniformly supplied to the openings 14s. However, the longitudinal length of the gas discharge hole 211 may be longer or shorter than the width Lx of the opening 14s. Also, the gas discharge holes 211 may be formed as a plurality of holes arranged along the width direction of the opening 14s. In this case, the distribution of the gas supplied to the openings 14s can be adjusted by adjusting the size of each of the plurality of holes.

The gas flow path 212 is formed by a through hole penetrating the first member 52 in its plate thickness direction (the Z direction in the figure). One end of the gas channel 212 communicates with the gas discharge hole 211 and the other end communicates with the gas introduction flange 213 .

The gas introduction flange 213 is attached to the lower surface of the first member 52 via a seal member 214 and introduces gas supplied from a gas supply source (not shown) into the gas flow path 212 . Examples of the gas supplied from the gas supply source include reactive gases such as oxygen (O ₂ ) gas, nitrogen (N ₂ ) gas, and mixed gases of these gases.

The gas supply section 220 is formed facing the gas supply section 210 across the opening 14s. The gas supply section 220 has a gas discharge hole 221 , a gas flow path 222 and a gas introduction flange 223 .

The gas discharge hole 221 is formed in a portion of the inner member 141 on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the opening 14s (+Y direction side in the drawing), and discharges gas toward the opening 14s. . For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the gas discharge hole 221 is formed as an elongated hole extending along the lateral direction (the X direction in the drawing) of the opening 14s. The longitudinal length of the gas ejection holes 221 may be the same as the longitudinal length of the gas ejection holes 211, for example. Also, like the gas ejection holes 211, the gas ejection holes 221 may be formed as a plurality of holes arranged along the lateral direction of the opening 14s. In this case, the distribution of the gas supplied to the openings 14s can be adjusted by adjusting the size of each of the plurality of holes.

The gas flow path 222 is formed of a through-hole penetrating the first member 52 in its plate thickness direction (the Z direction in the figure). One end of the gas flow path 222 communicates with the gas discharge hole 221 and the other end communicates with the gas introduction flange 223 .

The gas introduction flange 223 is attached to the lower surface of the first member 52 via a seal member 224 and introduces gas supplied from a gas supply source (not shown) into the gas flow path 222 . Examples of the gas supplied from the gas supply source include reactive gases such as O ₂ gas, N ₂ gas, and mixed gases of these gases.

In the sputtering apparatus 10A having such gas supply units 210 and 220, the gas supplied from the gas supply source is supplied to the gas flow paths 212 and 222 through the gas introduction flanges 213 and 223, and is discharged from the gas discharge holes 211 and 221 to the substrate. It is discharged toward W.

As described above, according to the sputtering apparatus 10A of the second embodiment, the following effects are achieved in addition to the effects of the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment.

According to the sputtering apparatus 10A, since the gas ejection holes 211 and 221 are provided at positions close to the substrate W moving in one horizontal direction, that is, the X direction, below the opening 14s, the gas discharge holes 211 and 221 are provided. Can supply gas well.

Moreover, according to the sputtering apparatus 10A, the inner member 141 can be separated from the outer member 142 . Thus, by preparing a plurality of types of inner members 141 with different diameters of the gas discharge holes 211 and 221, it is possible to easily adjust the gas flow rate and partial pressure suitable for the process conditions simply by exchanging the inner member 141. realizable.

In the above example, the case where the central axis 211c of the gas discharge hole 211 and the central axis 221c of the gas discharge hole 221 are aligned has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the gas supply unit of the sputtering apparatus of FIG. 7. FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the gas discharge holes 211 and 221 are formed so that the central axis 211c of the gas discharge hole 211 and the central axis 221c of the gas discharge hole 221 are staggered so as not to overlap each other. may

Alternatively, gas discharge holes may be formed only on one side of the opening 14s of the inner member 141 in the longitudinal direction. 10 is a diagram showing still another example of the gas supply section of the sputtering apparatus of FIG. 7. FIG. FIG. 10 shows, as an example, the case where the gas discharge holes are formed only in the other side (the +Y direction side in the drawing) of the inner member 141 in the longitudinal direction of the opening 14s. . In other words, in the example of FIG. 10, the inner member 141 is not formed with the gas ejection holes 211 but only with the gas ejection holes 221 .

Furthermore, although the above has disclosed an example in which the gas discharge holes are formed on one side or both sides of the opening 14s in the longitudinal direction, the present invention is not limited to this, and one or both sides of the opening 14s in the transverse direction have been disclosed. may be formed on the side of the In this case, it can be realized by forming a gas passage inside the inner member 141, and the shape, number, and location of the gas ejection holes can be set according to the process conditions.

[Third embodiment]
A configuration example of the sputtering apparatus of the third embodiment will be described. FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the sputtering apparatus of the third embodiment, and shows a cross section along the longitudinal direction of the opening 14s, similar to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 11, the sputtering apparatus 10B of the third embodiment includes gas supply units 230 and 240 that supply gases to gaps A1 and A2 formed in a labyrinth structure by the first member 52 and the inner member 141. It is different from the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment in that it has. Other configurations may be the same as those of the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment. The following description focuses on points that differ from the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment.

The gas supply section 230 has a gas flow path 232 and a gas introduction flange 233 .

The gas flow path 232 is formed inside the first member 52 by an L-shaped hole in a cross-sectional view. One end of the gas channel 232 communicates with the gap A1 and the other end communicates with the gas introduction flange 233 .

The gas introduction flange 233 is attached to the lower surface of the first member 52 via a seal member 234 and introduces gas supplied from a gas supply source (not shown) into the gas flow path 232 . Examples of the gas supplied from the gas supply source include reactive gases such as O ₂ gas, N ₂ gas, and mixed gases of these gases.

The gas supply section 240 is formed facing the gas supply section 230 across the opening 14s. The gas supply section 240 has a gas flow path 242 and a gas introduction flange 243 .

The gas flow path 242 is formed inside the first member 52 by an L-shaped hole in a cross-sectional view. One end of the gas channel 242 communicates with the gap A2 and the other end communicates with the gas introduction flange 243 .

The gas introduction flange 243 is attached to the lower surface of the first member 52 via a seal member 244 and introduces gas supplied from a gas supply source (not shown) into the gas flow path 242 . Examples of the gas supplied from the gas supply source include reactive gases such as O ₂ gas, N ₂ gas, and mixed gases of these gases.

In the sputtering apparatus 10B having such gas supply units 230 and 240, the gas supplied from the gas supply source is supplied to the gas flow paths 232 and 242 by the gas introduction flanges 233 and 243, and flows to the substrate W through the gaps A1 and A2. It is discharged toward.

As described above, according to the sputtering apparatus 10B of the third embodiment, the following effects are achieved in addition to the effects of the sputtering apparatus 10 of the first embodiment.

According to the sputtering apparatus 10B, the gas is discharged toward the substrate W from the gaps A1 and A2, which are positions close to the substrate W moving in one horizontal direction, the X direction, below the opening 14s. Gas can be efficiently supplied to W.

Further, according to the sputtering apparatus 10B, the gas introduced from the gas supply source into the gas flow paths 232, 242 through the gas introduction flanges 233, 243 passes through the gaps A1, A2 formed in the labyrinth structure to the substrate. Since it is supplied to W, the gas flow velocity can be reduced. This can further promote the reaction between the substrate W and the gas.

Furthermore, in the sputtering apparatus 10B, the flow velocity of the gas passing through the gaps A1 and A2 can be adjusted by changing the shape of the inner member 141 to widen or narrow the width of the labyrinth structure of the gaps A1 and A2. . Therefore, by preparing a plurality of types of inner members 141, it is possible to easily supply gas suitable for the process conditions simply by exchanging the inner member 141. FIG.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an example of supplying gas to the labyrinth structure formed by the inner member 141 and the first member 52 is disclosed, but the present invention is not limited to this. A gas may be supplied to the labyrinth structure formed by 142 . Since the labyrinth structure formed by the inner member 141 and the outer member 142 is formed along the entire circumference of the opening 14s, the gas whose flow velocity is adjusted is directed toward the opening 14s from the entire circumference of the opening 14s. can be supplied, and the unevenness of the gas flow can be effectively suppressed.

It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

In the above-described embodiment, as a method of moving the substrate W within the processing container 12, the case of moving the stage 18 by the moving mechanism 20 having the multi-joint arm 20c has been described, but the method is not limited to this. For example, the substrate W may be moved within the processing container 12 by a transfer device of a transfer module connected to the sputtering device 10 .

10 Sputtering Device 12 Processing Container 14 Slit Plate 14s Opening 141 Inner Member 141a Tapered Portion 142 Outer Member 24 Target Material 28 Wall Members 210, 220 Gas Supply Portions 211, 221 Gas Discharge Holes 230, 240 Gas Supply Portion S1 First Space S2 Second space W substrate

Claims (9)

a processing container that houses the substrate;
a slit plate that divides the inside of the processing container into a first space in which a target material is provided and a second space in which the substrate is provided;
with
The slit plate is
an inner member having an opening penetrating in the plate thickness direction;
an outer member provided around the inner member;
has
The inner member is detachable with respect to the outer member,
A connecting portion between the inner member and the outer member has a labyrinth structure,
The inner member is
a first tapered portion whose plate thickness decreases from the outer periphery toward the center;
an inner thick portion formed along the outer circumference of the first tapered portion;
a thin portion formed along the outer periphery of the inner thick portion and having a plate thickness thinner than the inner thick portion;
and the corner on the center side of the first tapered portion is rounded,
The outer member has a second tapered portion whose plate thickness decreases from the outer periphery toward the center, and the corner of the second tapered portion on the center side is rounded.
sputtering equipment. a third gas supply unit that supplies gas to the gap of the labyrinth structure formed at the connection point between the inner member and the outer member;
A sputtering apparatus according to claim 1 . a processing container that houses the substrate;
a slit plate that divides the inside of the processing container into a first space in which a target material is provided and a second space in which the substrate is provided;
with
The slit plate is
an inner member having an opening penetrating in the plate thickness direction;
an outer member provided around the inner member;
has
The inner member is detachable with respect to the outer member,
a first gas supply unit that supplies gas from the inside of the inner member toward the substrate;
The inner member has a first tapered portion whose plate thickness decreases from the outer periphery toward the center, and the corner of the first tapered portion on the center side is rounded,
The outer member has a second tapered portion whose plate thickness decreases from the outer periphery toward the center, and the corner of the second tapered portion on the center side is rounded.
sputtering equipment. The first gas supply unit has a gas discharge hole formed in at least one of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the opening of the inner member.
The sputtering apparatus according to claim 3. a processing container that houses the substrate;
a slit plate that divides the inside of the processing container into a first space in which a target material is provided and a second space in which the substrate is provided;
with
The slit plate is
an inner member having an opening penetrating in the plate thickness direction;
an outer member provided around the inner member;
has
The inner member is detachable with respect to the outer member,
a wall member supporting the inner member by forming a gap of a labyrinth structure with the inner member on the long side of the opening;
Having a second gas supply unit that supplies gas to the gap,
The inner member has a first tapered portion whose plate thickness decreases from the outer periphery toward the center, and the corner of the first tapered portion on the center side is rounded,
The outer member has a second tapered portion whose plate thickness decreases from the outer periphery toward the center, and the corner of the second tapered portion on the center side is rounded.
sputtering equipment. The opening has a substantially rectangular shape whose long sides are larger than the width of the substrate in the direction of the long side during film formation and whose short sides are smaller than the width of the substrate in the direction of the short side during film formation. have
A sputtering apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The target material is provided obliquely above the opening,
A sputtering apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A wall member supporting the inner member on the long side of the opening,
The sputtering apparatus according to claim 7. The inner member is fixed to the wall member only on the long side of the opening.
A sputtering apparatus according to claim 8 .

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