Apparatus including 4-way valve for fabricating semiconductor device, method of controlling valve, and method of fabricating semiconductor device using the apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus and method for fabricating a semiconductor device using a 4-way valve with improved purge efficiency by improving a gas valve system by preventing dead volume from occurring are provided. The apparatus includes a reaction chamber in which a substrate is processed to fabricate a semiconductor device; a first processing gas supply pipe supplying a first processing gas into the reaction chamber; a 4-way valve having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet and installed at the first processing gas supply pipe such that the first inlet and the first outlet are connected to the first processing gas supply pipe; a second processing gas supply pipe connected to the second inlet of the 4-way valve to supply a second processing gas; a bypass connected to the second outlet of the 4-way valve; and a gate valve installed at the bypass.

1 . A method of controlling a valve of an apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device, which includes a reaction chamber in which a substrate is processed to fabricate a semiconductor device; a first processing gas supply pipe supplying a first processing gas into the reaction chamber; a 4-way valve having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, the 4-way valve being installed at the first processing gas supply pipe such that the first inlet and the first outlet are connected to the first processing gas supply pipe; a second processing gas supply pipe connected to the second inlet of the 4-way valve to supply a second processing gas; a bypass connected to the second outlet of the 4-way valve; and a gate valve installed at the bypass, the method comprising:
 closing the gate valve installed at the bypass and opening the 4-way valve while the second processing gas is supplied to the reaction chamber; and   opening the gate valve and closing the 4-way valve while supply of the second processing gas to the reaction chamber is interrupted.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, while the second processing gas is supplied into the reaction chamber or the supply of the second processing gas is interrupted, the first processing gas is continuously supplied to the reaction chamber regardless of an open or closed state of the 4-way valve. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first processing gas is a purge gas and the second processing gas is a source gas that reacts in the reaction chamber to fabricate a semiconductor device on the substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, when the apparatus further includes a third processing gas supply pipe connected to the second processing gas supply pipe to allow a third processing gas and the second processing gas to be selectively supplied to the second inlet of the 4-way valve,
 the third processing gas is supplied to the reaction chamber while the second processing gas is supplied to the reaction chamber, and   only the third processing gas flows into the bypass while the supply of the second processing gas to the reaction chamber is interrupted.   
     
     
         5 . A method of controlling a valve of an apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device, which includes a reaction chamber in which a substrate is processed to fabricate a semiconductor device; a purge gas supply pipe connected to the reaction chamber to supply a purge gas to the reaction chamber; a 4-way valve having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, the 4-way valve being installed at the purge gas supply pipe such that the first inlet and the first outlet are connected to the purge gas supply pipe; a source gas supply pipe connected to the second inlet of the 4-way valve to supply a source gas to the reaction chamber; a first carrier gas supply pipe connected to the source gas supply pipe; a reactive gas supply pipe connected to the reaction chamber to supply a reactive gas to the reaction chamber; a second carrier gas supply pipe connected to the reactive gas supply pipe; a discharge pipe connected to the reaction chamber to discharge gas from the reaction chamber; a discharge pump installed at the discharge pipe; a bypass connected to the second outlet of the 4-way valve and to the discharge pipe in front of the discharge pump; and a gate valve installed at the bypass, the method comprising:
 closing the gate valve installed at the bypass and opening the 4-way valve while the source gas is supplied to the reaction chamber; and   opening the gate valve and closing the 4-way valve while supply of the source gas to the reaction chamber is interrupted.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein, while the source gas is supplied into the reaction chamber or the supply of the source gas is interrupted, the purge gas is continuously supplied to the reaction chamber regardless of an open or closed state of the 4-way valve. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein when the apparatus further includes a source gas supply source installed at an end of the source gas supply pipe, a first carrier gas supply source installed at an end of the first carrier gas supply pipe connected to the source supply pipe between the 4-way valve and the source gas supply source, a first carrier gas supply pipe branch extending from the first carrier gas supply pipe to the source gas supply source, and a first gate valve installed between a junction of the first carrier gas supply pipe and the first carrier gas supply pipe branch and a junction of the source gas supply pipe and the first carrier supply pipe,
 the first gate valve is closed and the first carrier gas and the source gas are simultaneously supplied to the reaction chamber while the source gas is supplied to the reaction chamber, and   the first gate valve and the gate valve installed at the bypass are open and only the first carrier gas flows into the bypass while the supply of the source gas to the reaction chamber is interrupted.   
     
     
         8 . A method of fabricating a semiconductor device using an apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device, which includes a reaction chamber in which a substrate is processed to fabricate a semiconductor device; a purge gas supply pipe connected to the reaction chamber to supply a purge gas to the reaction chamber; a 4-way valve having a first inlet, a second inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, the 4-way valve being installed at the purge gas supply pipe such that the first inlet and the first outlet are connected to the purge gas supply pipe; a source gas supply pipe connected to the second inlet of the 4-way valve to supply a source gas to the reaction chamber; a first carrier gas supply pipe connected to the source gas supply pipe; a reactive gas supply pipe connected to the reaction chamber to supply a reactive gas to the reaction chamber; a second carrier gas supply pipe connected to the reactive gas supply pipe; a discharge pipe connected to the reaction chamber to discharge gas from the reaction chamber; a discharge pump installed at the discharge pipe; a bypass connected to the second outlet of the 4-way valve and to the discharge pipe in front of the discharge pump; and a gate valve installed at the bypass, the method comprising:
 loading the substrate into the reaction chamber;   attaching a source gas material to the substrate by supplying the source gas to the reaction chamber;   purging a source gas material that is not attached to the substrate by supplying the purge gas to the reaction chamber;   forming a first reaction product layer on the substrate by supplying the reactive gas to the reaction chamber to allow the reactive gas to react with the source gas material attached to the substrate; and   purging the reactive gas that has not reacted with the source gas material by supplying the purge gas to the reaction chamber.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising repeating a single cycle comprised of the attaching of the source gas material, the purging of the source gas material, the forming of the first reaction product layer, and the purging of the reactive gas. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the forming of the first reaction product layer comprises allowing the reactive gas to react with the source gas material in a plasma state. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the purge gas is continuously supplied to the reaction chamber while the substrate is processed in the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the attaching of the source gas material comprises supplying the purge gas, the first carrier gas, and the second carrier gas to the reaction chamber together with the source gas. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the attaching of the source gas material comprises closing the gate valve installed at the bypass and opening the second inlet and the first outlet of the 4-way valve to allow the source gas to flow into the reaction chamber through the source gas supply pipe. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the purging of the source gas material comprises supplying the second carrier gas to the reaction chamber together with the purge gas. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein purging of the source gas material comprises opening the gate valve installed at the bypass and simultaneously opening the second inlet and the second outlet of the 4-way valve to allow the first carrier gas to flow into the bypass through the source gas supply pipe. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the forming of the first reaction product layer comprises supplying the purge gas and the second carrier gas to the reaction chamber together with the reaction gas. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the forming of the first reaction product layer comprises opening the gate valve installed at the bypass and simultaneously opening the second inlet and the second outlet of the 4-way valve to allow the first carrier gas to flow into the bypass through the source gas supply pipe. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein when the apparatus further includes a source gas supply source installed at an end of the source gas supply pipe, a first carrier gas supply source installed at an end of the first carrier gas supply pipe connected to the source supply pipe between the 4-way valve and the source gas supply source, a first carrier gas supply pipe branch extending from the first carrier gas supply pipe to the source gas supply source, and a first gate valve installed between a junction of the first carrier gas supply pipe and the first carrier gas supply pipe branch and a junction of the source gas supply pipe and the first carrier supply pipe,
 the first gate valve is closed and the first carrier gas and the source gas are simultaneously supplied to the reaction chamber while the source gas is supplied to the reaction chamber, and   the first gate valve and the gate valve installed at the bypass are open and only the first carrier gas flows into the bypass while the supply of the source gas to the reaction chamber is interrupted.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein different source gases are selectively supplied by a plurality of source gas supply sources which are installed in parallel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein different reactive gases are selectively supplied by a plurality of reactive gas supply sources which are installed in parallel at the reactive gas supply pipe. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the different source gases are alternately supplied in source gas pulsing stages. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a plurality of source gas pulsing stages supplying one source gas among the different source gases are performed and then a plurality of source gas pulsing stages supplying another source gas are performed. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the different reactive gases are alternately supplied in reactive gas pulsing stages. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein a plurality of reactive gas pulsing stages supplying one reactive gas among the different reactive gases are performed and then a plurality of reactive gas pulsing stages supplying another reactive gas are performed. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the 4-way valve is a 4-way diaphragm valve. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein, when the 4-way diaphragm valve is closed, the purge gas is supplied to the reaction chamber and one of the first carrier gas and the source gas flows into the bypass, and when the 4-way diaphragm valve is open, the purge gas is supplied to the reaction chamber and one of the first carrier gas and the source gas flows into the bypass and the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein when the 4-way diaphragm valve is closed, the gate valve is open, the purge gas is supplied to the reaction chamber, and one of the first carrier gas and the source gas flows into the bypass, and when the 4-way diaphragm valve is open, the gate valve is closed and the purge gas and one of the first carrier gas and the source gas are supplied to the reaction chamber.