It is an object of the present invention to adjust the transfer environment of a substrate in order to prevent contamination of the substrate surface by impurities. A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprises a load-lock chamber 1 in which substrate exchange with the outside is performed, a wafer process chamber 2 in which the wafer is subjected to a predetermined processing, and a transfer chamber 3 in which the wafer is transferred between the load-lock chamber 1 and the wafer process chamber 2 . In a semiconductor manufacturing method in which this semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is used to treat a substrate, an inert gas (N 2 ) is supplied to and exhausted from the load-lock chamber 1 , the transfer chamber 3 , and the wafer process chamber 2 while the substrate is being transferred from the load-lock chamber 1 to the wafer process chamber 2 through the transfer chamber 3 , and the substrate transfer is carried out with a predetermined pressure maintained.

Semiconductor manufacturing method, substrate processing method, and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus

Reactors having gas distributors for depositing materials onto micro-device workpieces, systems that include such reactors, and methods for depositing materials onto micro-device workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a reactor for depositing materials onto a micro-device workpiece includes a reaction chamber, a passageway, and a door assembly. The reaction chamber includes a gas distributor configured to provide a flow of gas(es) to a micro-device workpiece on a workpiece holder. The passageway, which has a first end open to the reaction chamber and a second end apart from the reaction chamber, is configured to provide ingression to and egression from the chamber for processing the micro-device workpiece. The door assembly is configured to open and sealably close a door at the second end of the passageway. A gas conditioning system positioned in the door is configured to maintain a desired concentration and phase of gas constituents in the passageway.

Reactors with isolated gas connectors and methods for depositing materials onto micro-device workpieces

A chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes a subatmospheric substrate transfer chamber A subatmospheric deposition chamber is defined at least in part by a chamber sidewall A passageway in the chamber sidewall extends from the transfer chamber to the deposition chamber Semiconductor substrates pass into and out of the deposition chamber through the passageway for deposition processing A mechanical gate is included within at least one of the deposition chamber and the sidewall passageway, and is configured to open and close at least a portion of the passageway to the chamber A chamber liner apparatus of a chemical vapor deposition apparatus forms a deposition subchamber within the chamber At least a portion of the chamber liner apparatus is selectively movable to fully expose and to fully cover the passageway to the chamber

Chemical vapor deposition apparatus

A semiconductor substrate processor includes a substrate transfer chamber and a plurality of substrate processing chambers connected therewith. An interfacial structure is received between at least one of the processing chambers and the transfer chamber. The interfacial structure includes a substantially non-metallic, thermally insulative mass of material interposed between the one processing chamber and the transfer chamber. The mass is of sufficient volume to effectively reduce heat transfer from the processing chamber to the transfer chamber than would otherwise occur in the absence of said mass of material. An interfacial structure includes a body having a substrate passageway extending therethrough. The passageway includes walls at least a portion of which are substantially metallic. The body includes material peripheral of the walls which is substantially non-metallic and thermally insulative. The substantially non-metallic material has mounting openings extending at least partially therein.

Interfacial structure for semiconductor substrate processing chambers and substrate transfer chambers and for semiconductor substrate processing chambers and accessory attachments, and semiconductor substrate processor

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve substrate transfer environment for preventing a substrate surface from being contaminated by impurities. SOLUTION: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus comprises a load-lock chamber 1 where a substrate is interchanged between there and outside, a processing chamber 2 where a prescribed process is conducted onto the substrate, and a transfer chamber 3 through which the substrate is transferred between the load-lock chamber 1 and the processing chamber 2. When the substrate is transferred from the load-lock chamber 1 to the processing chamber 2 through the transfer chamber 3 in the method of manufacturing a semiconductor in which the substrate is processed with this semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, an inert gas (N2) is supplied to the load-lock chamber 1, the transfer chamber 3 and the processing chamber 2 while simultaneously evacuated to maintain a prescribed pressure, and the transfer of the substrate is carried out under such a condition.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor, method of processing substrate, and semiconductor manufacturing apparatus

PURPOSE:To prevent air pollution before the processing of a processed body, to improve a product yield, and to achieve the effective utilization of an installation space and the miniaturization of a transfer processing device. CONSTITUTION:Processing chambers 1a and 1b, storage chambers 2a and 2b, and a pre-processing storage chamber 3 are disposed around a transfer chamber 4 via gate valves 5. A transfer means 6 is disposed in the transfer chamber 4 for managing the transfer of a wafer W from and into the processing chambers 1a and 1b, the storage chambers 2a and 2b and the pre-processing storage chamber 3. An N2 gas supply source 8 is connected respectively to the processing chambers 1a and 1b, the storage chambers 2a and 2b, the pre- processing chamber 3 and the transfer chamber 4 via an N2 gas supply pipe 7. Also, a vacuum pump 10 is connected to them via an exhaust pipe 9. Thereby, the processing chambers 1a and 1b, the storage chambers 2a and 2b, the pre- processing chamber 3 and the transfer chamber 4 are filled with an atmosphere of N2 gas, and hence it is possible to prevent the adhesion of a natural oxide film and particles to the surface of the wafer W in a non-processed state or while it is being processed.

Transfer processing device

PURPOSE: To provide method and system for allowing wet oxidation processing under reduced pressure. CONSTITUTION: The oxidation processing system comprises a furnace 1 for oxidizing an object W under high temperature, means 13 for reducing the pressure in the furnace 1, a burner 23 disposed on the outside of the furnace 1 in order to burn hydrogen gas and oxygen gas to produce steam, a steam supply line 24 communicating the burner 23 and the furnace 1, and a throttling section 46 provided in the steam supply line 24 in order to produce pressure difference between the burner 23 side and the furnace 1 side. This structure ensures stabilized combustion in the burner 23 thus allowing wet oxidation under reduced pressure. COPYRIGHT: (C)1995,JPO

Method and system for oxidation processing

PURPOSE:To reduce the dist being stuck on the surface of a body to be treated in a pressure reducing process and an atmospheric pressure recovering process and also to shorten the time required for these processes. CONSTITUTION:When reducing pressure of a vacuum vessel 4 equipped with a main exhaust system 23 of large displacement and an auxiliary exhaust system 27 of small displacement from atmospheric pressure to a prescribed pressure, and auxiliary exhaust process by which the vacuum vacuum vessel 4 is evacuated by operating the auxiliary evacuation system 27 and a main evacuation process by which the vacuum vessel 4 is evacuated by operating the main exhaust system 23 after the auxiliary evacuation process are provided. The auxiliary evacuation process is, at least, performed at such a maximum pressure reducing speed that moisture contained in gas in the vacuum vessel 4 is neither condensed nor liquified. Therefore, the dirt being such on the surface of the body to be treated W caused by the condensation and liquefaction of moisture in gas in the vacuum vessel 4 is eliminated, and also the time required for the pressure reducing process is shortened.

Kenji Honma

Papers

Transfer processing device

Method and system for oxidation processing

Pressure control method for vacuum vessel