Abstract:
The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing device, which can be applied in a semiconductor metal interconnection process, and a manufacturing method thereof. The semiconductor manufacturing device includes a loadlock chamber, at least one process chamber, a transfer chamber, and an oxidation preventing gas supply unit. The process chamber processes an annealing process by receiving a substrate. The transfer chamber transfers the substrate between the loadlock chamber and the process chamber. The oxidation preventing gas supply unit supplies oxidation preventing gas into either the transfer chamber or the loadlock chamber.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The following description relates to a semiconductor manufacturing device and method, and more particularly, to a semiconductor manufacturing device and method applicable to a semiconductor metal wiring process. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    Generally, aluminum, featuring in low cost and favorable properties, has been widely used for a semiconductor metal wiring process. Recently, however, the use of copper has been increasing to obtain a faster signal transmission speed of a semiconductor device. Copper has lower resistance properties and greater electromigration resistance than aluminum. 
         [0003]    A copper wiring process includes operations of: sequentially stacking a conductive layer and an insulating layer on a substrate, such as a wafer; and forming a contact hole passing through the insulating layer. Copper is inserted into the contact hole, and then the planarization is performed on the inserted copper surface by use of chemical mechanical polishing. Thereafter, the subsequent processes are executed. In this case, a contact portion of copper may swell upward due to the thermal expansion and crystalline changes of copper caused by the thermal budget of the subsequent process. This may lead to defective contacts, resulting in, for example, cracks in the semiconductor device. 
         [0004]    To overcome the above drawbacks, an annealing process is performed after the CMP process on copper, thereby increasing a volume of copper, and then the CMP process is carried on. Copper tends to be oxidized even in a very small amount of moisture or oxygen. Further, the oxidation of copper is increased at a higher temperature. The oxidized copper leads to an increase in contact resistance, which results in a number of problems, such as an increase in power consumption and a decrease in signal transmission speed of the semiconductor device. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Technical Objective 
         [0006]    The technical objective of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor manufacturing device and manufacturing method capable of preventing the oxidation of a metal layer or the like of a substrate during an annealing process on the substrate. 
         [0007]    Technical Solution 
         [0008]    According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor manufacturing device may include: a loadlock chamber; one or more process chamber configured to receive a substrate and perform an annealing process; a transfer chamber configured to transfer the substrate between the loadlock chamber and the process chamber; and an oxidation preventing gas supplying unit configured to supply an oxidation preventing gas to at least one of the transfer chamber and the loadlock chamber. 
         [0009]    According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a semiconductor manufacturing method may include: transferring a substrate into a process chamber from a loadlock chamber using a transfer chamber while supplying an oxidation preventing gas to at least one of the transfer chamber and the loadlock chamber; performing an annealing process on the substrate transferred in the process chamber; and transferring the substrate, on which the annealing process is performed, from the process chamber to the transfer chamber while supplying an oxidation preventing gas to at least one of the transfer chamber and the loadlock chamber. 
       Advantageous Effects 
       [0010]    According to the present invention, a substrate is transferred into or out of a process chamber in which an annealing process is performed on the substrate, while an oxidation preventing gas is being supplied to at least one of a transfer chamber and a loadlock chamber, so that it is possible to prevent the oxidation of a metal layer or the like of the substrate. Therefore, the contact resistance of the metal layer does not increase, and thereby it may be possible to prevent the occurrence of problems, such as an increase in power consumption and a decrease in signal transmission speed of a semiconductor device. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a configuration diagram illustrating a semiconductor manufacturing device, according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a configuration diagram illustrating a semiconductor manufacturing device, according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a configuration diagram illustrating a semiconductor manufacturing device, according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a configuration diagram illustrating a semiconductor manufacturing device, according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a configuration diagram illustrating a semiconductor manufacturing device, according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a configuration diagram illustrating the semiconductor manufacturing device of  FIG. 4  with a cooling module. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a side cross-sectional view of a process chamber of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     MODE FOR INVENTION 
       [0018]    Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to accompanying drawings. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a configuration diagram illustrating a semiconductor manufacturing device, according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the semiconductor manufacturing device  100  includes a loadlock chamber  110 , at least one process chamber  120 , a transfer chamber  130 , and an oxidation preventing gas supply unit  140 . 
         [0020]    Before a substrate  10 , such as a wafer, is transferred into the process chamber  120  from the outside of the device under an atmospheric pressure, the loadlock chamber  110  accommodates the substrate  10  under the substantially same condition as the vacuum environment in the process chamber  120 , or accommodates the substrate  10  under the substantially same condition as an atmospheric pressure before the substrate  10  is removed from the transfer chamber  130  to the outside of the device. 
         [0021]    For example, a substrate handling module  101  may be provided at the exterior of the loadlock chamber  110 . The substrate handling module  101  includes a frame  102  and a substrate storage container  103  located at one side of the frame  102 . Inside the frame, an atmospheric robot  104  is installed to convey the substrate  10  between the substrate storage container  103  and the loadlock chamber  110 . The process chamber  120  receives the substrate  10  and performs an annealing process on the substrate  10 . In this case, the substrate  10  to be supplied to the process chamber  120  may have a metal layer formed thereon. The metal layer may be formed by inserting metal in the substrate  10 . For example, after a conductive layer and an insulating layer are sequentially stacked on each other, a contact hole is formed to penetrate the insulating layer. Metal is injected into the contact hole, and then a resulting metal surface is planarized using chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). By this process, the substrate  10  with metal injected therein can be provided to the process chamber  120 . The injected metal may be copper Cu. 
         [0022]    There may be provided a plurality of process chambers  120  disposed around the transfer chamber  130 . In addition, the loadlock chamber  110 , placed between the process chambers  120 , is connected to the transfer chamber  130 . Accordingly, the semiconductor manufacturing device  100  can be implemented as a cluster system. Each process chamber  120  may be configured to perform an annealing process. In another example, at least one of the process chambers  120  may perform an annealing process, and the other process chambers  120  may perform a CMP process. 
         [0023]    The transfer chamber  130  transfers the substrate  10  between the loadlock chamber  110  and the process chamber  120 . The transfer chamber  130  conveys the substrate  10  from the loadlock chamber  110  to the process chamber  120 , or discharges the substrate  10  from the process chamber  120  to the loadlock chamber  110 . The transfer chamber  130  with vacuum inside has the vacuum robot  131  installed therein to transfer the substrate  10 . 
         [0024]    The oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  supplies an oxidation preventing gas to the loadlock chamber  110 . While the substrate  10  is located in the loadlock chamber  110 , the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  supplies the loadlock chamber  110  with the oxidation preventing gas in an effort to prevent the oxidation of a metal layer or the like of the substrate  10 . 
         [0025]    For example, for a copper metal layer, the oxidation preventing gas may be hydrogen (H 2 ) gas or a gas containing hydrogen. The hydrogen gas reacts with oxygen or moisture in the air inside the loadlock chamber  110 , thereby preventing oxidation of the copper, which is caused by reaction with the oxygen or moisture. That is, the hydrogen gas serves as a reducing agent. By preventing the oxidation of copper, an increase in contact resistance is prevented, and it is thus possible to also prevent an increase in power consumption and a decrease in signal transmission speed of a semiconductor device. 
         [0026]    The oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  may supply the oxidation preventing gas to the loadlock chamber  110  when the substrate  10  is transferred into the process chamber  120 . 
         [0027]    The process chamber  120  for performing an annealing process is at a high temperature. The oxidation of the metal layer or the like of the substrate  10  may be prevented by the oxidation preventing gas even when the substrate  10  is exposed to the high temperature of the process chamber  120  before entering the process chamber  120 , because the process chamber  120  has its slot valve opened to allow the substrate  10  to enter while the oxidation preventing gas is being supplied to the loadlock chamber  110 . 
         [0028]    In addition, the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  may supply the oxidation preventing gas to the loadlock chamber  110  when the substrate  10  is removed from the process chamber  120 . The oxidation of the metal or the like of the substrate  10  may be prevented by the oxidation preventing gas even when the substrate  10  is exposed to the high temperature of the process chamber  120  after being removed from the process chamber  120 , because the process chamber  120  has its slot valve opened to discharge the substrate  10  while the oxidation preventing gas is being supplied to the loadlock chamber  110 . 
         [0029]    In another example, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  may supply the oxidation preventing gas to the transfer chamber  130 . The oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  supplies the oxidation preventing gas to the transfer chamber  130  to prevent the oxidation of the metal layer of the substrate  10  when the substrate  10  is placed in the transfer chamber  130 , when the substrate  10  is transferred into the process chamber  120  or when the substrate  10  is removed from the process chamber  120 . 
         [0030]    In another example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  may supply the oxidation preventing gas to the process chamber  120 , as well as to the transfer chamber  130 . In this case, when the substrate  10  is carried into the process chamber  120  or when the substrate  10  is removed from the process chamber  120 , the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  may supply the oxidation preventing gas to both the transfer chamber  130  and the process chamber  120  simultaneously. 
         [0031]    As a result, it is possible to improve the efficiency in preventing the oxidation of the metal layer of the substrate  10  when the substrate  10  is transferred into the process chamber  120  or when the substrate  10  is removed from the process chamber  120 . In addition, when the process chamber  120  performs an annealing process on the substrate  10 , the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  may supply the oxidation preventing gas to the process chamber  120 . Accordingly, it is possible to improve the efficiency in preventing the oxidation of the metal layer of the substrate  10  during the annealing process. 
         [0032]    In another example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  may be configured to supply the oxidation preventing gas to the loadlock chamber  110  and the process chamber  120 . In this case, when the substrate  10  is transferred into the process chamber  120  or when the substrate  10  is removed from the process chamber  120 , the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  may supply the oxidation preventing gas to both the loadlock chamber  110  and the process chamber  120  simultaneously. 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  may supply the oxidation preventing gas to all the loadlock chamber  110 , the process chamber  120 , and the transfer chamber  130 . 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the substrate  10  removed from the process chamber  120  may be cooled by a cooling module  150 . The cooling module  150  may be disposed on the transfer chamber  130  to cool the substrate  10  after the annealing process. While the cooling module  150  is cooling the substrate  10 , the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  may supply an oxidation preventing gas to the cooling module  150  to prevent the oxidation of the metal layer of the substrate  10  and also to contribute to cooling of the substrate  10  to a temperature below  100  C. The cooling module  150  is supplied with the oxidation preventing gas directly from the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  or indirectly from the loadlock chamber  110  or the transfer chamber  130  to which the oxidation preventing gas has been supplied. The cooling module  150  may be disposed in the loadlock chamber  110  or disposed in both the transfer chamber  130  and the loadlock chamber  110 . 
         [0035]    When the substrate  10  is carried into the process chamber  120  or removed from the process chamber  120 , the transfer chamber  130  may have the same or higher pressure than a pressure within the process chamber  120 . Hence, particles or other substances are prevented from getting into the transfer chamber  130  from the process chamber  120 , thereby minimizing particle contamination of the substrate  10  before entering and after leaving the process chamber  120 . 
         [0036]    As shown in  FIG. 7 , the process chamber  120  may include a susceptor  122  and a substrate elevating unit  123 . An oxidation preventing gas inlet  12   a  may be formed on one side of the process chamber  120 , allowing the oxidation preventing gas to enter therethrough from the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140 . The oxidation preventing gas inlet  120   a  is connected to the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140  via a supplying pipe, so that it can be supplied with the oxidation preventing gas from the oxidation preventing gas supplying unit  140 . Although the oxidation preventing gas inlet  12   a  is illustrated as being formed on the side of the process chamber  120 , the location of the oxidation prevention gas inlet  12   a  may vary, such as on an upper surface or a lower surface of the process chamber  120 . 
         [0037]    The susceptor  122  supports the substrate  10  situated thereon within the process chamber  121 . The susceptor  122  is equipped with a heater to heat the substrate  10 . 
         [0038]    The substrate elevating unit  123  may separate the substrate  10  from the susceptor  122  or locate the substrate on the susceptor  122 . For example, the substrate elevating unit  123  may receive and situate the substrate  10  on the susceptor  122  when the substrate  10  is transferred into the process chamber  121  by the transfer robot  131 . In addition, the substrate elevating unit  123  separates the situated substrate  10  from the susceptor  122 , thereby enabling the transfer robot  131  to carry the substrate  10  out of the process chamber  121 . The substrate elevating unit  123  may include elevation pins  123   a  that elevates or lowers the substrate  10  while moving up and down, and an elevation actuator  123   b  that moves the elevation pins  123   a  up and down. 
         [0039]    After the annealing process on the substrate  10  in the process chamber  120 , the substrate elevating unit  123  may separate the substrate  10  from the susceptor  122 . The substrate  10  which is separated from the heater of the susceptor  122  is primarily cooled, and then removed from the process chamber  120 . Thus, when the substrate  10  is removed from process chamber  120 , it is possible to improve the efficiency in preventing the oxidation of a metal layer of the substrate  10 . 
         [0040]    A semiconductor manufacturing method in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter. First, while an oxidation preventing gas is supplied to at least one of the transfer chamber  130  and the loadlock chamber  110 , the transfer chamber  130  transfers the substrate  10  from the loadlock chamber  110  to the process chamber  120 . At this time, a metal layer is formed on the substrate  10  by inserting copper into the substrate  10 . In this case, the oxidation preventing gas may be hydrogen gas or a gas containing hydrogen gas. With the hydrogen gas being supplied to the transfer chamber  130  and/or the loadlock chamber  110 , the substrate  10  is transferred into the process chamber  10 , so that it is possible to prevent the copper oxidation. 
         [0041]    In the course of transferring the substrate  10  into the process chamber  120 , the oxidation preventing gas can be supplied to at least one of the transfer chamber  130  and the loadlock chamber  110 , and at the same time to the process chamber  120  simultaneously. By doing so, it may be possible to improve efficiency of copper oxidation prevention. Further, in the course of transferring the substrate  10  into the process chamber  120 , a pressure within the transfer chamber  130  may be set to be the same as or greater than a pressure within the process chamber  120 . Accordingly, particles or other substances are prevented from getting into the transfer chamber  130  from the process chamber  120 , so that it is possible to minimize the particle contamination of the substrate  10  before being transferred into the process chamber  120 . 
         [0042]    Thereafter, an annealing process is performed on the substrate  10  in the process chamber  120 . During the annealing process, the oxidation preventing gas may be supplied into the process chamber  120 . Hence, it may be possible to improve the efficiency of copper oxidation prevention of the substrate  10 . After completing the annealing process of the substrate  10 , the substrate may be separated from the susceptor  122 . The substrate  10  which is separated from the heater of the susceptor  122  is primarily cooled, and then transferred out of the process chamber  120 , so that it may be possible to improve the efficiency of copper oxidation prevention when removing the substrate from the process chamber. 
         [0043]    After completing the annealing process on the substrate  10 , the processed substrate  10  is conveyed from the process chamber  120  to the transfer chamber  130  while the oxidation preventing gas is supplied to at least one of the transfer chamber  130  and the loadlock chamber  110 . The oxidation preventing gas may be supplied to at least one of the transfer chamber  130  and the loadlock chamber  110 , and at the same time to the process chamber  120 , in the course of transferring the substrate  10  to the transfer chamber  130 . As a result, the efficiency of copper oxidation prevention can be increased. 
         [0044]    Moreover, when the substrate  10  is removed from the process chamber  120 , a pressure within the transfer chamber  130  may be set to be the same as or greater than a pressure within the process chamber  120 . Thus, it is possible to prevent particles or other substances from getting into the transfer chamber  130  from the process chamber  130 , thereby minimizing the particle contamination of the substrate  10  after being transferred out of the process chamber. Further, in the course of removing the substrate  10  from the process chamber  120 , the substrate  10  is cooled by the cooling module  150  that is disposed in the transfer chamber  130  and/or the loadlock chamber  110 , and the oxidation preventing gas is provided to the cooling module  150 , thereby preventing the copper oxidation. 
         [0045]    A number of examples have been described above. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.