KR102815054B1 - High pressure annealing process device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a high-pressure annealing apparatus, comprising: an inner chamber providing an inner space in which a heat treatment process for a substrate is performed; an outer chamber providing an outer space accommodating the inner chamber; a chamber support supporting the inner chamber and the outer chamber from below; and a plurality of gas units coupled to the chamber support to selectively supply a plurality of gases to the inner space, wherein the gas units include at least one gas diffusion device that regulates the pressure of the supplied gas by diffusing and supplying the gas.

Description

HIGH PRESSURE ANNEALING PROCESS DEVICE

An embodiment of the present invention relates to a device used to perform an annealing process or the like on a substrate.

Semiconductor substrates are manufactured through a number of processes, and during the ion implantation process, damage occurs at the interface of the substrate due to high collision energy. The annealing process is a process that restores the damage to the substrate surface by supplying process gas while applying temperature changes to the damaged substrate.

In general, an annealing device used to perform such an annealing process injects a reaction gas for processing the substrate into a processing space where the substrate is processed. The reaction gas is selected from among various reaction gases for heat treatment, such as hydrogen, deuterium, oxygen, ammonia, and chlorine, and injected into the processing space. Therefore, a high-pressure annealing device requires a gas port that can supply and exhaust various types of gases, respectively, depending on the process.

The prior art proposes a method of using multiple structures in which gas supply devices are combined to provide multiple gas ports. However, the proposed method has the problem that the number of components increases in order to provide multiple gas ports in a high-pressure annealing device, and the gas supply and exhaust structures become complicated.

Meanwhile, in the conventional high-pressure annealing chamber, the reaction gas is injected into the internal space with a high injection pressure. That is, the injection pressure of the reaction gas is transmitted to the substrate located in the internal space, causing an impact. Or, the reaction gas is concentrated on one side of the internal space due to the injection pressure. Therefore, a problem occurs in which the temperature distribution becomes uneven due to the reaction gas supplied in the internal space. That is, the yield of the high-pressure annealing treatment process decreases due to the injection pressure of the reaction gas.

The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and aims to simplify the gas supply and exhaust structure of a high-pressure annealing device.

In addition, by lowering the injection pressure of the supply gas, it is intended to prevent impact due to the injection pressure from being applied to the substrate and to solve the problem of uneven temperature in the internal space.

The purpose of the present invention is not limited to what has been described above, and other objects and advantages of the present invention that are not mentioned can be understood by the following description.

The high-pressure annealing apparatus of the present invention comprises: an inner chamber providing an inner space in which a heat treatment process for a substrate is performed; an outer chamber providing an outer space accommodating the inner chamber; a chamber support supporting the inner chamber and the outer chamber from below; and a plurality of gas units coupled to the chamber support and selectively supplying a plurality of gases into the inner space; and the gas units may include one or more gas diffusion devices that regulate the pressure of the supplied gas by diffusing and supplying the gas.

As an example, the chamber support may include a chamber coupling portion coupled to the lower end of the inner chamber and the inner side of the outer chamber, a gas unit coupling portion positioned at the lower end of the chamber coupling portion and including a plurality of insertion holes on the side to which the gas units are respectively coupled, and a lower coupling portion supporting the lower end of the gas unit coupling portion and on which the lower end of the outer chamber is secured.

As an example, the gas unit may further include one or more gas supply units for injecting the gas into the internal space, and one or more gas discharge units for discharging the gas from the internal space.

As an example, the gas diffusion device includes a diffusion device coupling body including a cylindrical wall having one open side and a first gas diffusion space provided therein, and a gas diffusion member installed spaced apart from an inner surface of the cylindrical wall on the first gas diffusion space and including a permeable wall having a plurality of through holes formed therein, wherein a gas introduced through the gas diffusion member can pass through the plurality of through holes and be diffused in the first gas diffusion space.

Furthermore, the gas diffusion member further includes a diffusion member insertion portion through which gas flows in and transmits the gas to the permeable wall, and a cross-section of the permeable wall is formed to be larger than a cross-section of the diffusion member insertion portion so that a second gas diffusion space is provided inside the permeable wall, and gas flowing in to the gas diffusion member can be first diffused in the second gas diffusion space and secondarily diffused in the first gas diffusion space.

Furthermore, the permeable wall of the gas diffusion member may be porous.

As an example, the body for coupling the diffusion device includes a coupling body flange portion formed on an opposite side of an open side, the gas diffusion device includes an adapter which is a plate coupled to the coupling body flange portion, and the diffusion member insertion portion can be coupled to the adapter on the inside of the body for coupling the diffusion device.

As an example, the gas chamber support may include an annular inner coupling body and an annular outer coupling body that surrounds the inner coupling body from the outside, and the inner coupling body and the outer coupling body may each include an inner insertion hole and an outer insertion hole, which are insertion holes into which a gas unit is inserted on the side thereof.

Furthermore, the diameter of the inner insertion hole may be formed smaller than the diameter of the outer insertion hole to limit the insertion length of the gas unit.

The high-pressure annealing device according to the present invention has a plurality of ports for connecting gas supply/discharge units to the chamber support to supply or discharge gas, thereby simplifying the complex device structure for supplying and discharging multiple types of gases.

In addition, by installing a gas diffuser in the port for connecting the gas supply unit, there is an effect of supplying gas by dispersing the pressure to the reaction space of the internal chamber.

In particular, by reducing the injection pressure of the supply gas with the gas diffuser, the impact applied to the substrate located in the internal chamber reaction space can be prevented, and the temperature uniformity of the reaction space can be improved.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a high-pressure annealing device according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of an internal chamber and a chamber support applied to the high-pressure annealing device of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an inner chamber and chamber support applied to the high-pressure annealing device of the present invention.
Figure 4 shows an exploded view of the gas unit connection and the gas units separated.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a chamber support of a high-pressure annealing apparatus of the present invention and a gas diffusion device mounted on the chamber support.
Figure 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a gas diffusion device applied to the high-pressure annealing device of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, but the present invention is not limited or restricted by the embodiments.

In order to explain the present invention, the operational advantages of the present invention, and the purpose achieved by practicing the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be exemplified and examined with reference thereto.

First, the terminology used in this application is only used to describe specific embodiments, and is not intended to limit the present invention, and the singular expression may include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Also, in this application, it should be understood that the terms “comprise” or “have” are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted.

The present invention forms a plurality of gas ports so that a plurality of gas units can be mounted and separated on a chamber support of a high-pressure annealing apparatus. In addition, some of the gas units can be selected to have a gas diffusion device mounted on the chamber support.

The equipped gas diffusion device can prevent impact on the substrate and form a uniform temperature by uniformly supplying gas into the internal space by lowering the pressure and speed of the gas.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to examples of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a high-pressure annealing device according to the present invention.

The high-pressure annealing device (1) applied to the present invention may have a dual chamber structure including an inner chamber (11) including a space for an annealing process of a processing target, an outer chamber (12) accommodating the inner chamber (11), a heating module (16) arranged in a space between the inner chamber (11) and the outer chamber (12) which are spaced apart from each other, and a chamber support (10).

The inner chamber (11) can perform an annealing process in a high-pressure environment. As an example, the inner chamber (11) can be formed of a non-metallic material, preferably a quartz material. The material of the inner chamber (11) can be appropriately changed depending on the situation.

The inner chamber (11) can provide an inner space (13) for performing a heat treatment process on a processing target. A door (not shown) may be optionally fastened to the lower portion of the inner chamber (11), and the inner space (13) of the inner chamber (11) can be sealed depending on the fastening of the door.

The processing target may be positioned in the internal space (13) of the internal chamber (11). For example, the processing target may be a wafer, loaded in multiple layers on a wafer boat (not shown) and positioned on the internal space (13) of the internal chamber (11).

The outer chamber (12) may be provided to surround the inner chamber (11) at a predetermined distance from the inner chamber (11). The outer chamber (12) provides an outer space (14) that accommodates the inner chamber (11) and may protect the inner chamber (11) by maintaining the outer space (14) at a pressure corresponding to the high pressure of the inner chamber (11). More specifically, the outer space (14) may be a space excluding the area occupied by the inner chamber (11) in the inner space provided by the outer chamber (12).

The outer chamber (12) can be formed of a metal material, and the material of the outer chamber (12) can be appropriately changed depending on the situation.

The heating module (16) may be formed to have a shape surrounding the inner chamber (11). The heating module (16) may be provided to constitute a part of the outer chamber (12), or may be provided separately from the outer chamber (12). The heating module (16) includes a heater, the heater is provided as a heating wire, and may further include a heater support member that supports the heater from the outside. The heater support member may be provided with an insulating material.

The chamber support (10) may include a chamber coupling part (300) that is coupled to the lower inside of the outer chamber (12) to fix the inner chamber (11), a gas unit coupling part (200) on which a gas unit to be described later is mounted, through which gas is supplied or discharged to the lower end of the chamber coupling part (300), and a lower coupling part (100) that is coupled at a lower portion of the outer chamber (12) than the lower inside of the outer chamber to which the chamber coupling part (300) is coupled. Furthermore, the gas unit coupling part (200) may be annular and form a gas movement space (15) through which gas is supplied and discharged at the lower end of the inner space (13).

As an example, the first gas, which is a heat treatment process gas supplied, may be supplied to the internal space (13) of the internal chamber (11). The first gas may be selected from various heat treatment gases such as hydrogen, deuterium, ammonia, oxygen, chlorine, and nitrogen. The first gas may be supplied to the internal space (13) of the internal chamber (11) through a gas unit coupled to a gas unit connection portion (200) of the chamber support (10) or may be supplied to the internal space (13) via a gas movement space (15) of the gas unit connection portion (200).

The second gas, which is a protective gas, can be supplied to the external space (14) of the external chamber (12). That is, the second gas can be supplied to the external space (14) of the external chamber (12) to control the pressure of the external space (14) to a pressure corresponding to the pressure of the internal chamber (11). As an example, the second gas can be selected from various inert gases such as nitrogen.

When the first gas is supplied to the inner chamber (11), the inner space (13) of the inner chamber (11) is filled with the first gas, and accordingly, the inner space (13) of the inner chamber (11) can rise to the first pressure. Here, the first pressure is a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure and can be selectively controlled in a range of several atmospheres (atm) to several hundred atmospheres (atm).

In addition, when the second gas is supplied to the outer chamber (12), the outer space (14) of the outer chamber (12) is filled with the second gas, and accordingly, the outer space (14) of the outer chamber (12) can rise to the second pressure. Here, the second pressure can be adjusted to maintain a set stable range in comparison with the first pressure. For example, the second pressure can be adjusted to be the same pressure as the first pressure or slightly higher or lower than the first pressure. The stable range can be set in consideration of the material strength of the inner chamber (11) and the heat treatment process profile. Preferably, the stable range can be set in consideration of the pressure change between the inner chamber (11) and the outer chamber (12) that the inner chamber (11) can withstand without damage, and the temperature change of the inner chamber (11).

Furthermore, a pressure measuring sensor (not shown) for measuring the pressure of the inner chamber (11) and the outer chamber (12) may be provided. The pressure measuring sensor (not shown) may include an internal pressure sensor (not shown) for measuring the pressure of the inner space (13) of the inner chamber (11) and an external pressure sensor (not shown) for measuring the pressure of the outer space (14) of the outer chamber (12).

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an inner chamber applied to a high-pressure annealing device of the present invention coupled to a chamber support, and FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the inner chamber and chamber support of FIG. 2.

The chamber support (10) supports the inner chamber (11) and includes a chamber coupling portion (300) coupled with the lower portion of the outer chamber (12), a gas unit coupling portion (200) including a plurality of insertion holes into which gas units for supplying and discharging gas are coupled, and a lower coupling portion (100) formed as a flange at the lower portion of the gas unit coupling portion (200) and coupled with the outer chamber (12).

The chamber coupling part (300) includes a chamber fixing body (310) coupled to the outer chamber (12), and an inner chamber fixing plate (320) that fixes the inner chamber (11) by combining with the chamber fixing body (310) while contacting the upper surface of a flange formed at the lower end of the inner chamber (11).

Referring to FIG. 3, the chamber fixing body (310) includes an external chamber coupling portion (311) which is an annular plate coupled to the external chamber (12) at the top. The chamber fixing body (310) has a wall surface formed by extending the inner circumference of the external chamber coupling portion (311) downward. In addition, the chamber fixing body includes an internal chamber mounting portion (315) which is an annular plate formed by extending diametrically inward from the lower end of the extended wall surface.

As an example, the outer chamber coupling part (311) is provided with a through hole in the circumferential direction on the outer diameter side of the upper surface, and can be fastened with a fastener including a bolt to be mutually coupled with the lower inner side of the outer chamber (12). That is, as the outer chamber coupling part (311) and the outer chamber (12) are coupled, the positions of the chamber support (10) and the inner chamber (11) can be fixed. Meanwhile, when a heating module (16) is installed between the outer chamber coupling part (311) and the outer chamber (12), the outer chamber coupling part (311) is coupled to the heating module (16) coupled to the lower side of the outer chamber (12), so that the positions of the chamber support (10) and the inner chamber (11) can be fixed. Furthermore, a cylindrical groove is formed on the upper surface of the outer chamber coupling part (311), into which a sealing member such as an O-ring can be inserted.

As an example, the inner chamber mounting portion (315) may be formed as an annular plate, and the lower surface of a flange formed at the bottom of the inner chamber (11) may be mounted on the upper surface. A through hole may be formed in a circumferential direction at a position adjacent to the outer diameter on the upper surface of the inner chamber mounting portion (315). In addition, a cylindrical groove may be formed in the middle of the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the upper surface of the inner chamber mounting portion (315), and a sealing member such as an O-ring may be inserted.

As an example, the inner chamber fixing plate (320) is formed with an annular plate at the top, so that the lower surface of the plate contacts the upper surface of the inner chamber (11) flange. In addition, the inner chamber fixing plate (320) may include a wall formed by extending downward from the side. In particular, the extended wall may be secured on the upper surface adjacent to the outer diameter of the inner chamber mounting portion (315) while surrounding the flange side of the inner chamber (11).

The inner chamber fixing plate (320) may be provided with a circumferential through hole on the upper surface adjacent to the outer diameter. In addition, the inner chamber mounting portion (315) may be provided with a circumferential through hole on the upper surface adjacent to the outer diameter. The through hole of the inner chamber fixing plate (320) and the through hole of the inner chamber mounting portion (315) may be fastened to each other by a fastener including a bolt. That is, the flange of the inner chamber (11) is secured on the upper surface of the inner chamber mounting portion (315), and the inner chamber fixing plate (320) covers the flange of the inner chamber (11) thereon while being combined with the inner chamber mounting portion (315), thereby fixing the position of the inner chamber (11).

A through hole is formed on one side of the lower surface of the chamber fixing body (310), into which an upper refrigerant supply member (30) can be coupled. As an example, the upper refrigerant supply member (30) can control the temperature of the members configured at the top by supplying refrigerant to a cooling line formed at the top based on the chamber support body. In addition, the inner chamber mounting portion (315) has a cylindrical groove formed along the inner diameter at the bottom, into which a portion of the upper end of the gas unit connecting portion (200) can be inserted.

The gas unit connecting portion (200) includes an inner joining body (210) and an outer joining body (250), which are two annular members having a plurality of insertion holes formed into which each gas unit (50, 60, 70, 80) can be inserted. In particular, the gas unit connecting portion (200) may be arranged such that the outer surface of the inner joining body (210) and the inner surface of the outer joining body (250) are adjacent to each other, and the corresponding insertion holes of the inner joining body (210) and the outer joining body (250) are aligned with each other. The upper portion of the gas unit connecting portion (200) may be inserted into and fixed to the lower portion of the inner chamber mounting portion (315). In addition, a first gas may be injected into the gas movement space (15), which is the interior of the inner joining body (210), from the gas unit connecting portion (200). The injected first gas can be supplied to the internal space (13) of the internal chamber (11) via the gas movement space (15) inside the internal coupling body (210). As an example, the gas unit connecting portion (200) can be a manifold in which a plurality of gas ports are formed and gas units can be coupled.

The lower joint (100) includes a joint member (150) into which a lower part of the gas unit connection member (200) is inserted and connected, and a flange member (110) which is an annular plate whose inner diameter side contacts the lower end of the joint member (150) and whose outer diameter side is connected to the lower end of the external chamber (12).

The joining member (150) is annular, and a joining member slot (151), which is a cylindrical slot, is formed on the outer side of the upper surface, into which the lower end of the outer joining body (250) can be inserted. In particular, one or more through holes are formed on one side of the joining member slot (151), into which the lower refrigerant supply member (40) can be inserted. As an example, the lower refrigerant supply member (40) can control the temperature of the members configured at the upper end by supplying refrigerant to a cooling line formed at the upper end with respect to the chamber support body. In addition, the joining member (150) has a joining member inner step (152), which is a step protruding in the diametric direction, formed at the lower end on the inner diameter side, into which the lower end of the inner joining body (210) can be inserted. A through hole can be formed in the circumferential direction on the lower end surface on the outer diameter side of the joining member (150).

The flange member (110) has a through hole formed in the upper surface adjacent to the inner diameter, so that it can be mutually connected to the through hole on the outer diameter side of the connecting member (150) using a fastener such as a bolt. Furthermore, the flange member (110) has a through hole formed in the upper surface adjacent to the outer diameter, so that it can be mutually connected to the lower portion of the outer chamber (12) by fastening a fastener including a bolt.

The flange member (110) can be secured so that the gas unit connection part (200) is positioned at the bottom of the chamber coupling part (300).

Figure 4 is an exploded view showing the gas unit connection portion and the gas supply and exhaust units of Figure 3 separated from each other.

The gas unit connecting portion (200) may include an inner joining body (210) and an outer joining body (250) which are annular members. The diameter of the inner joining body (210) is formed smaller than the diameter of the outer joining body (250), and the inner joining body (210) is inserted into the inner joining body (250) so as to be wrapped. The inner joining body (210) and the outer joining body (250) may have a plurality of insertion holes formed therein, and a gas diffusion device (50a, 50b), a first gas supply unit (60), a gas discharge unit (70), and a second gas supply unit (80) may be coupled thereto. In particular, a gas selected from among various heat treatment gases such as hydrogen, deuterium, ammonia, oxygen, chlorine, and nitrogen, which are first gases, may be supplied to the gas movement space (15) and the internal space (13) by the first gas supply unit (60) and the second gas supply unit (80). In addition, a gas selected from among various heat treatment gases such as hydrogen, deuterium, and nitrogen can be supplied to the gas movement space (15) or the internal space (13) by the first gas diffusion device (50a) and the second gas diffusion device (50b).

Furthermore, the gas unit connection part (200) can be easily maintained by forming a plurality of insertion holes through which gas units (50, 60, 70, 80) can be detached. That is, when some of the gas units break down, the gas unit connection part (200) and other gas units can be easily maintained by replacing only the relevant gas unit without replacing the entire gas unit.

The inner joining body (210) may be annular and may include a first inner insertion hole (211a, 211b) into which a first gas diffusion device (50a) and a second gas diffusion device (50b) may be inserted on the side, a second inner insertion hole (212) into which a first gas supply unit (60) may be inserted, a third inner insertion hole (213) into which a gas discharge unit (70) may be inserted, a fourth inner insertion hole (214) into which a second gas injection unit (514) may be inserted, and an inner protrusion (215) into which a gas assembly (not shown) connected to the first gas supply unit and the second gas supply unit may be mounted. That is, the inner joining body (210) may have a plurality of insertion holes formed therein so that each gas unit may be individually coupled or separated.

The external coupling body (250) may be annular and may include a first outer insertion hole (251a, 251b) into which a first gas diffusion device (50a) and a second gas diffusion device (50b) may be inserted on the side, a second outer insertion hole (252) into which a first gas supply unit (60) may be inserted, a third outer insertion hole (253) into which a gas discharge unit (70) may be inserted, and a fourth outer insertion hole (254) into which a second gas injection unit (514) may be inserted. That is, the external coupling body (250) may have a plurality of insertion holes formed so that each gas unit may be individually coupled or separated.

Furthermore, the outer coupling body (250) may include an insertion hole cut portion (256) formed by cutting into the upper end of the first outer insertion hole (251a, 251b) and a coupling body cut portion (257) formed by cutting into one side of the outer coupling body (250). As an example, the insertion hole cut portion (256) at the upper end of the first outer insertion hole (251) may prevent the gas diffusion device (50) from being pressurized and damaged due to temperature changes. As an example, the coupling body cut portion (257) may prevent the outer coupling body (250) from being damaged due to temperature changes.

The outer coupling body (250) may be formed with a lower recessed space (258) at a certain point so that a space is formed in which the lower coolant supply member (40) can be inserted into the coupling member (150). In addition, the outer coupling body (250) may be formed with an upper recessed space (259) at a certain point away from the lower recessed space (258) so that a space is formed in which the upper coolant supply member (30) can be inserted into the chamber fixing body (310). As an example, the lower coolant supply member (40) and the upper coolant supply member (30) may be coupled to an external PCW line (not shown) to supply cooling water along a cooling line (not shown) provided inside the high-pressure annealing device to control the temperature.

As an example, the first to fourth inner insertion holes (211 to 214) of the inner joining body (210) may be formed with a different diameter from the first to fourth outer insertion holes (251 to 254) of the corresponding outer joining body (250). That is, the size of the insertion hole of the inner joining body (210) may be formed smaller than the size of the insertion hole of the corresponding outer joining body (250), thereby limiting the depth at which the gas unit is inserted.

The gas diffusion device (50) may be composed of a first gas diffusion device (50a) and a second gas diffusion device (50b) so as to supply different types of gases. The gas diffusion device (50) may lower the pressure of the gas supplied to the gas movement space (15). That is, the gas diffusion device (50) may be a gas diffuser that lowers the pressure of the gas being injected, and the gas diffuser may include a porous filter.

As an example, the gas supplied through the gas diffusion device (50) may be selected as the first gas, such as nitrogen, hydrogen, or deuterium. In particular, the gas diffusion device (50) can prevent the pressure of a part of the internal space (13) from increasing momentarily and the pressure difference between the internal space (13) and the external space (14) from increasing beyond an allowable level by lowering the injected pressure of hydrogen and deuterium injected for the high-pressure annealing reaction.

Meanwhile, when the gas injection unit of the prior art injects gas into the gas movement space (15) or the internal space (13), injection pressure is generated. Therefore, a problem occurs in which an impact is applied to the substrate or the temperature distribution of the internal space (13) is formed unevenly. Therefore, the gas diffusion device (50) of the present invention can lower the injection pressure of the injected gas and evenly diffuse the injected gas, thereby lowering or eliminating the injection pressure of the injected gas. As an example, the gas diffusion device (50) can solve a problem in which the pressure in a certain location in the internal space (13) suddenly increases due to the injected gas, thereby applying an impact to the substrate. In addition, the problem in which the temperature in a certain location in the internal space (13) suddenly changes can be solved.

As an example, the high-pressure annealing device (1) may be equipped with a plurality of gas diffusion devices (50) and mounted on the gas unit connection portion (200). Different types of gas may be supplied to each of the first gas diffusion devices (50a) and the second gas diffusion devices (50b). Furthermore, the type of gas supplied may be selected from the type of the first gas. Meanwhile, the same gas may be selected as the type of gas supplied to the plurality of gas diffusion devices (50) as needed.

The first gas supply unit (60) and the second gas supply unit (80) are each coupled to the gas unit connection portion (200) to inject a first gas into the internal space (13). The first gas supply unit (60) and the second gas supply unit (80) can inject different types of gases, and can inject the same type of gas as needed. As an example, the first gas supply unit (60) and the second gas supply unit (80) can be coupled to a gas assembly (not shown) including a nozzle formed long along the wall surface of the internal chamber (11) in the internal space (13). That is, the first gas supply unit (60) and the second gas supply unit (80) can inject the first gas, that is, the reaction gas, onto each substrate inserted into the internal space (13) through the wafer boat through the nozzle of the gas assembly (not shown).

The gas discharge unit (70) can discharge gas in the gas movement space (15) and the internal space (13) to the outside of the dual chamber. As an example, the gas discharge unit (70) can be connected to a gas discharge device (not shown) to discharge gas to the outside, thereby adjusting the pressure of the internal space (13) to match the pressure of the external space (14). Furthermore, the internal space (13) and the external space (14) can be installed with pressure sensors for measuring the pressure of each space.

In the high-pressure annealing chamber of the present invention, the number of gas units (50, 60, 70, 80) connected to the gas unit connection portion (200) is not limited, and the gas unit connection portion (200) may be additionally formed with one or more insertion holes so that more gas units can be connected. As an example, by additionally forming an insertion hole in the gas unit connection portion (200) and additionally installing a gas supply unit and a gas discharge unit, the pressure of the internal space (13) can be easily maintained while changing the composition of the gas.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a chamber support of a high-pressure annealing apparatus of the present invention and a gas diffusion device mounted on the chamber support, and FIG. 6 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a gas diffusion device applied to the high-pressure annealing apparatus of the present invention.

The gas diffusion device of Fig. 5 will be described together with an exploded cross-sectional view of the gas diffusion device of Fig. 6. A gas diffusion device (50) includes a diffusion device coupling body (510) having one side inserted into a first inner insertion hole (211) of an inner coupling body (210) of a gas unit connection part (200) and a first outer insertion hole (251) of an outer coupling body (250), an adapter (520) having one side coupled to the other side of the diffusion device coupling body (510) and having a connection insertion hole (521) formed in the center as a through hole, a gas inlet member (550) having one side inserted into the connection insertion hole on the other side of the adapter (520) and the other side connected to an external gas supply device (not shown), a housing (540) into which the gas inlet member (550) is inserted in a tube shape, and a gas diffusion member (530) inserted into the connection insertion hole (521) on one side adjacent to the coupling body (510) of the adapter (520).

The body (510) for coupling the diffusion device is a device in which one side is open to provide a gas diffusion space inside, and includes a coupling body flange portion (511) that is coupled with an adapter (520) by a plate having a through hole formed inside, a cylindrical wall (512) that is formed by extending in the opposite direction of the surface where the flange portion (511) is coupled with the adapter (520), and a first gas diffusion space (515) that is an internal space formed by the cylindrical wall.

The body flange portion (511) for coupling has a through hole (513) formed on one side that is coupled with the adapter (520), so that the body (510) for coupling the diffusion device and the adapter (520) can be mutually coupled by fastening a fastener including a bolt. In addition, the body flange portion (511) for coupling has a through hole formed in the center of the plate, and can form a step with the cylindrical wall (512) on the outer side. As an example, the plate of the body flange portion (511) for coupling can have a shape in which a part of an ellipse or a circle is cut into a line.

The cylindrical wall (512) is formed so that its inner diameter is larger than that of the coupling body flange portion (511), thereby forming a step inside the diffusion device coupling body (510). Furthermore, the cylindrical wall (512) can form a first gas diffusion space (515) together with the coupling body flange portion (511) in the inner space.

The outer wall of the cylindrical wall (512) is formed smaller than the plate of the flange portion (511) to form a step from the flange portion (511). In addition, the cylindrical wall (512) may be in contact with the inner walls of the first inner insertion hole (211) and the first outer insertion hole (251) so that the gas diffusion device (50) may be coupled and fixed to the inner coupling body (210) and the outer coupling body (250). Furthermore, the body (510) for coupling the diffusion device may further include a sealing member between the points where it contacts each insertion hole (211, 251) to prevent the injected gas from leaking out to the outside.

The adapter (520) is a plate that is coupled by contacting one side of the body flange portion (511) for coupling, and includes a sealing member insertion groove (523) which is a cylindrical groove formed on the surface where the adapter (520) contacts the body flange portion (511) for coupling, a coupling through hole (522) formed along the circumference on the outside of the sealing member insertion groove (523), and a connection insertion hole (521) which is a through hole formed in the center so that a gas diffusion member (530) and a gas introduction member (550) can be inserted and connected in both directions, respectively.

A connecting insertion hole (521) penetrating the center of the adapter (520) is radially expanded at both ends. A gas inlet member (550) can be inserted into the inlet of the connecting insertion hole (521) located on the opposite side of the body (510) for coupling the diffusion device, and a gas diffusion member (530) can be inserted into the inlet of the connecting insertion hole (521) adjacent to the body (510) for coupling the diffusion device. That is, gas introduced into the gas inlet member (550) is transferred to the gas diffusion member (530) through the connecting insertion hole (521).

The adapter (520) has a through-hole (522) for coupling aligned with a through-hole (513) formed in a body flange portion (511) for coupling, and is fastened to each other with a fastener including a bolt so that the adapter (520) can be fixed to the body (510) for coupling the diffusion device.

The gas inlet member (550) is a member connected to an external gas supply device (not shown) and into which a first gas is introduced, and includes an inlet member cylindrical wall (551) inserted into the interior of the housing (540), an inlet member extension (552) whose outer diameter is reduced and extended in the longitudinal direction from the inlet member cylindrical wall (551), and an inlet member connector portion (553) formed on the opposite side of the inlet member extension (552) so as to be coupled to an external gas supply device (not shown).

The inflow member cylindrical wall (551) and the inflow member extension (552) have a cylindrical path formed therein, so that gas injected into the inflow member connector portion (553) can be introduced. The inflow member extension portion (552) can be inserted into the connection insertion groove (521) of the adapter (520) on the opposite side of the coupling body flange portion (511). The inflow member connector portion (553) can have a part of a connector terminal formed so as to be connected to an external gas supply device (not shown) that supplies a first gas from the outside.

The housing (540) includes a housing connector portion (541) that is coupled to the rear end of the inlet member connector portion (553) to form a connector so that the gas diffusion device (50) can be connected to an external gas supply device (not shown), and a nut portion (542) that has a hexagonal outer surface and can secure the gas diffusion device (50) when the connector is coupled.

The gas diffusion member (530) is a member that diffuses gas into the first gas diffusion space (515) of the body (510) for coupling the diffusion device, and includes a diffusion member insertion portion (531) inserted into a connection insertion hole (521), a permeable wall (532) that is a cylindrical wall surface formed by expanding the diameter from the diffusion member insertion portion (531), and a second gas diffusion space (535) formed in the internal space of the permeable wall (532).

The diffusion member insertion part (531) is a tube and is inserted into an inlet on one side of the adapter (520) adjacent to the body (510) for coupling the diffusion device in the connection insertion hole (521), thereby fixing the gas diffusion member (530) to the adapter (520). Furthermore, gas introduced from the introduction of the gas introduction member (550) can be delivered to the first diffusion space (535) through the connection insertion hole (521) of the adapter (520) and the diffusion member insertion part (531).

The permeable wall (532) is formed to extend from the diffusion member insertion portion (531) to the opposite side of the coupling body flange portion (511). Further, the permeable wall (532) is formed with an inclined surface (533) such that the diameter increases rapidly at a certain length section from the diffusion member insertion portion (531), and then extends so that the diameter remains constant. In addition, the permeable wall (532) may include a circular wall surface formed to have a closed end. Further, the circular wall surface may be selected as an impermeable wall surface through which gas cannot pass, but may be changed to be permeable as needed. The permeable wall (532) is formed with a plurality of through holes as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 5 so that gas supplied to the second gas diffusion space (535) can diffuse to the first gas diffusion space (515). Further, the permeable wall (532) may be a metal pipe formed of a mesh. Alternatively, the permeable wall (532) may be formed of a pipe or tube made of a porous material. Furthermore, the thickness of the permeable wall (532) may be adjusted.

The gas injected into the gas diffusion device (50) is delivered to the gas diffusion member (530) via the gas inlet member (550) and the connection insertion hole (521). Further, the delivered gas is supplied to the second gas diffusion space (535) via the insertion portion (531) of the gas diffusion member (530). In particular, when passing through the inclined surface (533) section formed between the diffusion member insertion portion (531) and the permeable wall (532), the gas is first diffused, thereby lowering the pressure and velocity of the supplied gas. The gas supplied to the second gas diffusion space (535) is supplied to the first gas diffusion space (515) of the diffusion device coupling body (510) having a larger diameter than the permeable wall (532) via the plurality of through holes of the permeable wall (532). That is, the gas supplied to the first gas diffusion space (515) is secondarily diffused, thereby lowering the pressure and velocity of the gas. Furthermore, the supplied gas can be diffused through the first inner insertion hole (211) of the inner joining body (210) and diffused into the inner space (13) through the gas movement space (15). In particular, the diffused gas can be supplied to the inner space (13) without impacting the substrate because the injection pressure is reduced. Furthermore, the injected gas is supplied while being uniformly diffused, so that the temperature of the inner space (13) can be uniformly formed without changing locally. Furthermore, the gas diffusion device (50) can prevent impact from being applied to the substrate due to a local increase in the pressure of the gas movement space (15) and the inner space (13). As another example, the gas diffusion device (50) can prevent impact from being applied to the inner chamber (11) due to a local pressure difference between the inner space (13) and the outer space (14) occurring as the pressure of the inner space (13) locally increases.

The structure of the gas diffusion device of the present invention is not limited to the above and may be modified as needed. As an example, a filter for removing fine particles contained in the inflowing gas may be configured in the gas diffusion device. As another example, an internal wall structure for increasing diffusion efficiency may be formed in the permeable wall (532) and the second gas diffusion space (535). As another example, the internal diameter of the cylindrical wall (512) of the body (510) for coupling the diffusion device may be formed to increase at a certain section.

The above description is merely an illustrative description of the technical idea of the present invention, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments described in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention, but rather to explain it, and the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within a scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the rights of the present invention.

1: High pressure annealing device
10: Chamber support
11: Inner chamber
12: Outer chamber
50: Gas diffusion device
100: Bottom joint
200: Gas unit connection
300: Chamber joint

Claims (9)

An internal chamber providing an internal space in which a heat treatment process for the substrate is performed;
An outer chamber providing an external space accommodating the inner chamber;
A chamber support supporting the inner chamber from below and providing a gas movement space connected to the inner space of the inner chamber; and
A plurality of gas units are coupled to the chamber support and selectively supply a plurality of gases to the gas movement space;
One or more of the above gas units,
A high-pressure annealing device characterized in that it includes a gas diffusion device that controls the pressure of gas supplied through the gas diffusion space located outside the gas movement space and delivers the gas to the gas movement space, wherein a gas diffusion space is provided inside the chamber support, one end of which is connected to the gas movement space. In the first paragraph,
The above chamber support is,
A chamber joint coupled to the lower part of the inner chamber and the inner side of the outer chamber;
A gas unit connection portion located at the bottom of the chamber joint portion and including a plurality of insertion holes on the side into which the gas units are respectively connected; and
A lower joint supporting the lower end of the gas unit connection and on which the lower end of the external chamber is secured;
A high-pressure annealing device, characterized in that one side of the gas diffusion device is inserted from the outside of the gas unit connection part. In the first paragraph,
The above gas unit,
One or more gas supply units for injecting gas into the internal space; and
A high pressure annealing apparatus comprising one or more gas exhaust units for exhausting gas from the internal space. In the first paragraph,
The above gas diffusion device,
A body for coupling a diffusion device including a cylindrical wall having one end open and a first gas diffusion space provided therein, which is inserted into a part of the chamber support; and
A gas diffusion member including a permeable wall having a plurality of through holes formed therein and installed spaced apart from the inner surface of the cylindrical wall on the first gas diffusion space;
A high-pressure annealing device characterized in that the gas introduced through the gas diffusion member passes through the plurality of through holes and diffuses in the first gas diffusion space, thereby controlling the pressure. In paragraph 4,
The above gas diffusion member is,
Further comprising a diffusion member insert for introducing gas and delivering the gas to the permeable wall;
The cross-section of the permeable wall is formed to be wider than the cross-section of the diffusion member insert portion, so that a second gas diffusion space is provided inside the permeable wall.
A high-pressure annealing device, characterized in that gas introduced into the interior of the gas diffusion member is first diffused in a second gas diffusion space and secondarily diffused in the first gas diffusion space. In paragraph 4,
A high-pressure annealing apparatus, characterized in that the permeable wall of the gas diffusion member is porous. In paragraph 5,
The above-mentioned body for combining the diffusion device includes a combining body flange portion formed on the opposite side of the open side,
The above gas diffusion device includes an adapter, which is a plate coupled to the coupling body flange portion,
A high-pressure annealing device, characterized in that the diffusion member insertion part is coupled to the adapter on the inside of the body for coupling the diffusion device. In the first paragraph,
The above chamber support is,
It comprises an annular inner joining body and an annular outer joining body that surrounds the inner joining body from the outside,
A high-pressure annealing device, characterized in that the inner and outer coupling bodies each include an inner insertion hole and an outer insertion hole, which are insertion holes into which the gas unit is inserted on the side. In Article 8,
A high-pressure annealing device characterized in that the diameter of the inner insertion hole is formed smaller than the diameter of the outer insertion hole to limit the insertion length of the gas unit.

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