JPH03197832A - Vacuum measuring instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To measure the degree of vacuum in a range from atmospheric pressure to a high vacuum efficiently by providing and putting >=2 detection parts in partial charge of the measurement range of the degree of vacuum and outputting their vacuum degree data selectively. CONSTITUTION:A composite detecting means 11 is constituted by putting >=2 detection parts 11A, 11B... which detect the degree of vacuum in partial dis charge in the same storage container 11C. For the purpose, an opening part for fitting the means 11 is only provided to a vacuum processor 16 at only one place. Further, the detection part 11A is put in partial charge of a vacuum degree measurement range of 760 - 10<-4>Torr and the detection part 11B is put in partial charge of vacuum degree measurement range of 10<-4>-10<-11>Torr and the vacuum degree data D1 and D2 are outputted selectively through 1st and 2nd signal processing means 12 and 13 and a signal output means 14 to measure the degree of vacuum within the range from the atmospheric pressure to a high vacuum.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Table of contents] Overview Industrial field of application Prior art (Figure 2) Means for solving the problems to be solved by the invention (Figure 1) Working examples (Figure 3) ) Effect of the invention [Summary] Regarding a vacuum measurement device, particularly a device for measuring the degree of vacuum of a vacuum processing device in which the atmosphere is transferred from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum, the present invention provides a method for detecting effects on the airtight maintenance of the degree of vacuum in the processing device. The purpose of this system is to reduce the number of instruments installed and measure the degree of vacuum in the range from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum, and two or more detection units that share and detect the range of vacuum degrees are housed in the same containment vessel. a combined detection means, two or more signal processing means for individually processing signals from the detection section, a signal output means for selectively outputting two or more degree of vacuum data from the signal processing means, and the signal processing means. and control means for controlling input/output of the signal output means.

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a vacuum measuring device, and more specifically relates to a vacuum measuring device.
Specifically, the present invention relates to a device for measuring the degree of vacuum in a vacuum processing apparatus that is transferred from atmospheric pressure to a high vacuum atmosphere.

In recent years, with the demand for microfabrication of semiconductor circuits, sputtering equipment and CVD (Ch
chemical vapor deposition
Vacuum processing manufacturing equipment such as ) equipment is used.

Part 5! According to the manufacturing equipment, a vacuum gauge is provided to ascertain the degree of vacuum inside the vacuum processing container. However, there is no vacuum gauge that satisfies a wide measurement range from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum, and a plurality of vacuum gauges with different measurement ranges are provided in a vacuum processing container.

Therefore, there is a need for a measuring device that can measure the degree of vacuum in a range from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum without providing a plurality of vacuum gauges that affect airtight maintenance of the degree of vacuum in the device.

[Prior Art] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a vacuum measurement system for a vacuum processing apparatus according to a conventional example.

In the figure, a vacuum processing device 3 such as a sputtering device or a CVD device includes a vacuum processing container 3a provided with processing equipment 3b, a gas inlet 3c, an exhaust port 3d, and a sample exit door 3e, and a cough exhaust port 3d for exhaust gas. A device 4 is provided and configured.

The device 3 is configured such that the workpiece 5 is exposed to the sample exit door 3e in the atmosphere.
It is put in and taken out by opening and closing. Thereafter, the processing container 3a is brought to a high vacuum of about 10''@Torr, and the processing is performed.

The degree of vacuum of the processing apparatus 3 is determined by a heat conduction vacuum gauge 1 and an ionization vacuum gauge 2 installed in the vacuum processing container 3a. The thermal conduction vacuum gauge 1 is composed of a low vacuum sensor IA provided in the processing container 3a and a signal processing/display circuit IB that processes the detection signal.

The ionization vacuum gauge 2 also has a high vacuum sensor 2A installed in its container 3a, and a signal processing/display circuit for processing the detection signal! It is composed of 82B. For example, the sensors IA and IB are installed in a vacuum processing container 3a with a diameter of 70 mm.
Each opening has a diameter of φ and is engaged by a joint member such as a conflat flange.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] According to the conventional example, the processing apparatus 3 such as a sputtering apparatus or a CVD apparatus has a temperature of 10-" within the container 3a from atmospheric pressure.
After creating a high vacuum of about Torr, the workpiece is processed. From this, in order to grasp the degree of vacuum of the container 3a, the measurable range is 10-4 to 760 Torr.
Thermal conductivity vacuum gauge 1 has a measurable range of 10" to 10-
This is handled by using Torr's ionization vacuum gauge 2 together.

For this reason, the respective sensors IA and IB are individually installed in the vacuum processing container 3a. Generally, in order to maintain a high vacuum state in the vacuum processing container 3a, etc., it is necessary to reduce as much as possible the number of joint members and openings such as the sample access door 3e, which cause deterioration of airtightness.

However, due to limitations in the measurement range of each vacuum gauge 1.2, at least two openings are required in the vacuum processing container 3a.

As a result, there is a problem in that it is impossible to reduce the number of openings that cause deterioration of airtightness, and this causes a decrease in the efficiency of the exhaust device 4.

The present invention was created in view of the problems of the conventional method, and reduces the number of installed detectors that affect the airtightness of vacuum processing equipment, and is capable of reducing The purpose is to provide a vacuum measuring device that can measure the degree of vacuum.

[Means for Solving the Problems] FIG. 1 shows a principle diagram of a vacuum measuring device according to the present invention.

Two or more detection units 11A11B that share and detect the degree of vacuum
... are stored in the same containment vessel IC, and two or more signal processing means 12. which individually process the signals Sl, S2, ... from the detection units 11A, 11B, ... 13... and the signal processing means 1213...
・Signal output means 14 for selectively outputting two or more degree of vacuum data D1, D2 from , and the signal processing means 12.13.
... and a control means 15 for controlling the human output of the signal output means 14, thereby achieving the above object.

(Function) According to the present invention, a composite detection means 11 is provided in which two or more detection units 11A, 11B, .

Therefore, it is sufficient to provide only one opening in the vacuum processing apparatus 16 for attaching the detection means 11. Further, for example, 760"10-'T is applied to the first detection unit 11A.
The measurement range of the degree of vacuum of orr is minute! R, the second detection unit 11B is assigned to the range of vacuum degrees from 10-' to 10-'' Torr, and by selectively outputting the respective vacuum degree data DID2, the vacuum range from atmospheric pressure to commercial vacuum can be detected. It becomes possible to measure the degree of

This reduces the number of openings that cause airtightness deterioration, making it possible to improve the efficiency of the exhaust system.

[Example] Next, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a vacuum measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

21, a composite detector 21 is an embodiment of the composite detection means 11, and includes a Pirani gauge section 21A, a Baird/Albert gauge section (hereinafter referred to as B/A gauge section) 21B, and a Pirani gauge section 21A provided in a containment vessel 21C. It consists of insulating spacers 21D and 21E for insulation.

The Pirani gauge section 21A is a detector that is an example of the first detection section 11A, and is a detector that is an embodiment of the first detection section 11A, and has a range from atmospheric pressure 760 to intermediate flow region 10.
-'Torr is responsible for detecting the degree of vacuum. The gauge portion 21A is made of a rod-shaped filament.

The detection principle is that when 1 gi of low-temperature gas molecules collide with a filament, the filament is cooled by the exchange of heat during the collision. The power lost from this filament is proportional to the pressure. The degree of vacuum of the object to be measured is detected from this change in power.

The B/A gauge section 21B is a detector that is an example of the second detection section 11B, and is responsible for detecting the degree of vacuum from the intermediate flow fiI region 101 to the high vacuum region 10'' Torr. The gauge part 21A includes a filament 20a,
It consists of a grid electrode 20b and a collector electrode 20c.

The detection principle is that electrons emitted from the filament 20a are accelerated by an energy of about 150 eV. Electrons collide with gas molecules at a rate that depends on the gas molecule density,
ionize it. At this time, if the electron current represented by the ratio of the collector current IC to the grid current is constant, the ion current generated by ionization is proportional to the pressure. The degree of vacuum of the object to be measured is detected from changes in this ion current.

The mounting positions of the Pirani gauge section 21A and the B/A gauge section 21B are designed to avoid mutual interference. For example, the Pirani gauge section 21, which is highly heat-dependent,
The gauge portion 21B is attached to the containment vessel 21c at a position recessed from the position via an insulating spacer 21E. The insulating spacers 21D and 21E are made of a heat-resistant and oxidation-resistant material, and are filled into the containment vessel 21c.

Moreover, the composite detector 21 is installed in the vacuum processing device 27 with a diameter of 70 mm.
It is attached to an opening 28 having a diameter of about nnφ.

The detection H21 is a conflat flange (pressure joint)
Its structure allows it to handle ultra-high vacuum conditions. Its structure is
An oxidized copper gasket is interposed between the opening 28 of the processing device 27 and the flanges of the composite detector 21, and the flanges are engaged with bolts and nuts 30.

A first detection processing circuit 22 is an embodiment of the first signal processing means 12, and outputs low vacuum degree data D1 based on changes in the filament current IF. The circuit 22
is a constant temperature circuit 2 that keeps the Pirani gauge part 21A at a constant temperature.
2a and a power detection circuit 22b that outputs low vacuum degree data DI based on the change in the filament current IF, that is, the power lost from the gauge section 21A.

A second detection processing circuit 23 is an embodiment of the second signal processing means 13, and outputs high vacuum degree data D2 based on changes in the collector current IC. The circuit 23 is
It consists of a DC power supply circuit 23a that supplies power to the filament 20a, grid electrode 20b, and collector electrode 20c, and a current detection circuit 23b that outputs high vacuum degree data D2 based on ion current caused by changes in electron current.

24 is a data comparison/
This is an output circuit that inputs low vacuum degree data DI and high vacuum degree data D2 and outputs either one of the data. The selection criteria at this time is that both gauge parts 21
Boundary 1 of measurement range of A, 21B For example, middle? tSR
Let the area 10-'Torr be the boundary data D3. The data is inputted from the control means 15.

25 is a microprocessor unit (hereinafter referred to as MPU) which is an embodiment of the control means 15, and the constant temperature circuit 22
a, power detection circuit 22b, DC power supply circuit 23a, iti
The current ratio detection circuit 23b controls the input and output of the chip comparison/output circuit 24.

26 is a display circuit which inputs data D1 or D2 and displays the degree of vacuum of the vacuum processing apparatus 27.

Thus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the vacuum processing apparatus 2
Pirani gauge part 218 and B/A for detecting the degree of vacuum of 7
The gauge part 21B is connected to the same containment vessel 21C with a diameter of 70 mm.
A composite detector 21 is provided.

For this reason, an opening 28 for attaching the detector 21 is provided.
It is sufficient to provide only one location in the vacuum processing apparatus 27.

In addition, the Pirani gauge section 21A shares the measurement range of the degree of vacuum from atmospheric pressure 760 to intermediate flow region 10-'Torr, and B/
A gauge part 21B is intermediate flow region 10-4 to high vacuum region 1
By sharing the vacuum degree range of 0-” Torr and selectively outputting the respective vacuum degree data I')1.D2 based on the boundary data D3, it is possible to measure the degree of vacuum in the range from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum. It becomes possible to do so.

As a result, the number of openings 28 that cause airtightness deterioration is reduced by one compared to the conventional example, and the efficiency of the exhaust system 24 can be improved.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a composite detector is provided in which two detection units that detect different degrees of vacuum are housed in the same container.

Therefore, it is sufficient to provide only one opening in the vacuum processing 2iW for attaching the detector.

In addition, one detection section shares the measurement range from atmospheric pressure to the intermediate flow region, and the other detection section shares the measurement range from the intermediate flow region to high vacuum, and by selectively outputting the respective degree of vacuum data, large It becomes possible to efficiently measure the degree of vacuum in the range from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum.

This greatly contributes to improving the performance of vacuum processing manufacturing equipment such as sputtering equipment and CVD equipment, and to improving the measurement efficiency of vacuum measurement systems.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 shows the principle of a vacuum measuring device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram of a vacuum measuring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 shows vacuum measurement of a vacuum processing device according to a conventional example. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the system. (Explanation of symbols) 11... Composite detection means, 11A... First detection section, 11B... Second detection section, 12... First signal processing means, 13... Second 14... Signal output means; 15... Control means.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Two or more detection units (11
A, 11B...) are housed in the same containment vessel (11C).
Two or more signal processing means (12, 13...) that individually process the signals (S1, S2...) from 11B...)
, a signal output means (14) for selectively outputting two or more degree of vacuum data (D1, D2) from the signal processing means (12, 13...), and the signal processing means (12, 13...).
.) and control means (15) for controlling input and output of the signal output means (14).