Semiconductor processing chamber, semiconductor processing equipment and vapor phase epitaxial growth equipment

Abstract

To provide a semiconductor processing chamber, semiconductor processing equipment and vapor phase epitaxial growth equipment that can improve uniformity of process gas, Infrared transmittance and pressure resistance in the semiconductor processing field.SOLUTION: In a semiconductor processing chamber, mainly in order to achieve processing of high uniformity and higher quality on a surface of a substrate W in a process stage: wider range improvement is performed on an upper cover 120, and further, so as to obtain an optimized processing space 140, the upper cover of the processing chamber is covered with a pressure-resistant housing 150, and also a sealed space 160 is formed, and a pressure governing device 170 is used to adjust pressure oof a gas in the sealed space. Further, design of a structure of the upper cover of the semiconductor processing chamber is optimized by adjustment of the pressure of the gas contacting upper and lower surfaces of the upper cover.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1-1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and more particularly to semiconductor processing chambers, semiconductor processing equipment, and vapor phase epitaxial growth equipment. [Background technology]

[0002] Currently, process methods such as plasma etching, physical vapor deposition (CVD), and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are commonly used in the micro-processing of semiconductor processing components and substrates, such as the manufacturing of flexible displays, flat panel displays, light-emitting diodes, solar cells, etc. Micro-processing manufacturing includes a variety of processes and steps, among which the most widely used is the chemical vapor deposition process, which can deposit a variety of materials, including a wide range of insulating materials, most metal materials, and metal alloy materials, and this process is generally carried out in a high-vacuum reaction chamber.

[0003] With the feature size of semiconductor devices shrinking and the integration of devices increasing, the requirements for the uniformity of thin films deposited by chemical vapor deposition are increasing. Although chemical vapor deposition equipment has been updated many times and its performance has been greatly improved, there are still many shortcomings in the uniformity of thin film deposition, especially with the size of substrates becoming larger and larger, traditional deposition methods and equipment are finding it difficult to meet the requirements for thin film uniformity.

[0004] In the thin film deposition process, various process conditions such as the flow direction and distribution of the reactant gas, the heating temperature field of the substrate, and the pressure distribution in the reaction chamber affect the uniformity of the thin film deposition on the substrate surface. If the process environment of the reaction area in the reaction chamber is not completely consistent, the thin film deposited on the surface of the substrate will cause undesirable phenomena such as non-uniform thickness, non-uniform composition, and non-uniform physical properties, which will further reduce the yield of substrate manufacturing. Therefore, improvements are needed on the conventional chemical vapor epitaxial growth equipment to improve the uniformity of the substrate thin film deposition. In addition, for the epitaxial growth process of silicon or silicon germanium materials, these growth materials are usually the bottom layer of semiconductor devices, so the critical dimension (CD) is very small, usually only a few nanometers, and cannot withstand high temperatures for a long time, otherwise it will cause damage to the semiconductor device, so the substrate needs to be heated to a temperature sufficient for the epitaxial growth of silicon materials, for example, 600-700 degrees, within a very short time. Due to this stringent temperature rise requirement, the silicon epitaxial growth process usually uses high-power heat lamps to heat the substrate in the reaction chamber through a transparent reaction chamber made of quartz. Since the gas pressure in the reaction chamber is much lower than the atmospheric pressure outside the quartz reaction chamber, it is necessary to design a pressure-resistant structure for the reaction chamber to keep the structure of the reaction chamber from being deformed or broken due to the large pressure difference inside and outside the reaction chamber. For example, a number of reinforcing ribs are placed around the reaction chamber, which has a flat plate shape, on the upper and lower walls of the quartz chamber, or the upper and lower walls of the quartz chamber are designed to be dome-shaped to withstand atmospheric pressure. These quartz outer walls usually have a wall thickness of 6 to 8 mm to withstand atmospheric pressure and allow as much radiant energy as possible to penetrate into the reaction chamber.The designs of these two structures are opposite in direction, and the technical effects of both cannot coexist, with respective advantages and disadvantages in the impact on substrate processing. The flat-plate type chamber can ensure a stable distribution of gas flow throughout the entire chamber, but the numerous reinforcing ribs (more than 10) on the upper side block the heating radiation, resulting in non-uniform temperature distribution. In the case of the dome-shaped reaction chamber, the temperature distribution is more uniform, but a large amount of chaotic turbulence is generated when the gas flow enters the dome-shaped reaction region, resulting in difficult-to-control gas flow distribution. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention aims to provide a semiconductor processing chamber for substrate processing, which has good radiation transmittance and uniform temperature distribution, and can also achieve uniform and gentle gas flow distribution.

[0006] The semiconductor processing chamber according to the present invention comprises: a hollow chamber frame having an inlet for introducing a process gas and an exhaust port, the chamber frame having an opening on one side; an upper cover that is transmissive to thermal radiation and is fitted in the opening and is provided on the chamber frame, and that, together with the chamber frame, forms a processing space that encloses and accommodates the substrate and performs a process on the substrate; a pressure-resistant housing provided above the upper cover and surrounding a sealed space together with the upper cover and at least a part of the chamber frame; and a pressure regulating device for regulating the pressure in the sealed space.

[0007] Optionally, the pressure-resistant housing is hermetically connected to an outer wall of the chamber frame via fasteners.

[0008] Optionally, the chamber frame includes an upper frame and a lower frame, and the opening is provided in the upper frame.

[0009] Optionally, the top cover includes a window in a middle portion of the top cover and an outer edge surrounding the window.

[0010] Optionally, the processing cavity further includes a mounting ring of metallic material, the top cover being hermetically attached to the mounting ring, and the mounting ring being attached to the opening.

[0011] Optionally, the window is a transparent quartz material and the rim is an opaque or transparent quartz material.

[0012] Optionally, the outer edge is hermetically secured to the periphery of the opening via a sealing ring.

[0013] Optionally, the pressure regulating device includes a vacuum pump, and the pressure resistant housing includes an inlet connected to the vacuum pump.

[0014] Optionally, the pressure regulator comprises: a monitoring module for measuring a pressure value of the gas in the processing space and / or the enclosed space; a control module for presetting a safe pressure difference and adjusting the pressure of the processing space and the enclosed space by the safe pressure difference based on a pressure value of the gas.

[0015] Optionally, the pressure resistant housing includes a heat exchange system.

[0016] Optionally, the heat exchange system includes a source of helium introduced into the enclosed space.

[0017] Optionally, the chamber frame and / or the pressure-resistant housing are made of a metal material and the top cover is made of a quartz material.

[0018] Optionally, the pressure regulator is used to regulate the pressure in the enclosed space during the process to maintain it below standard atmospheric pressure.

[0019] Optionally, the pressure regulator is used to regulate the pressure in the enclosed space during the process to maintain it at less than 0.5 atmospheres.

[0020] Optionally, the processing chamber further includes a lower cover, which is installed on the other side of the cavity frame opposite to the upper cover, the processing space being surrounded by the upper cover, the lower cover and the chamber frame, and the pressure adjusting device adjusting the pressure in the enclosed space so as to maintain the pressure of the gas hitting the outer surface of the upper cover at or above the pressure of the gas in the processing space and below the pressure of the gas hitting the outer surface of the lower cover during the process.

[0021] Optionally, the processing chamber further includes a lower cover, which is installed on the other side of the chamber frame opposite to the upper cover, the processing space being surrounded by the upper cover, the lower cover and the chamber frame, the sealed space being connected to the atmospheric environment via a pressure adjusting device, and the lower surface of the lower cover being in the atmospheric environment.

[0022] Optionally, the shape of the window is an upwardly curving dome, a flat plate or a downwardly curving concave shape.

[0023] Optionally, an annular reinforcing rib is provided on the upper surface of the window, the annular reinforcing rib dividing the window into a central region inside the annular reinforcing rib and a peripheral region between the outer edge and the annular reinforcing rib, and the annular reinforcing rib is further provided with a plurality of gas flow paths, which are used to communicate the spaces in the central region and the peripheral region.

[0024] The present invention further discloses a semiconductor processing chamber for processing a substrate, comprising: a chamber including an enclosed processing space for storing the substrate and performing a process on the substrate, the chamber including an upper cover that is transparent to thermal radiation; a pressure-resistant housing connected to a portion of the chamber to form a sealed space, the upper cover having at least a portion of the pressure-resistant housing within the sealed space; and a pressure regulating device for regulating the pressure in the sealed space.

[0025] Optionally, the chamber further includes a lower cover disposed opposite the upper cover, at least a portion of which is in an atmospheric environment, and the sealed space is in communication with the atmospheric environment via a pressure adjusting device.

[0026] Optionally, the top cover is integrally mounted with the chamber or directly or indirectly mounted within an opening in the chamber.

[0027] Optionally, the pressure adjusting device is used to adjust the pressure in the enclosed space during the process so as to maintain the pressure in the enclosed space equal to or higher than the pressure in the processing space.

[0028] Optionally, the pressure regulator is used to regulate the pressure in the enclosed space during the process to maintain it at less than 1 atmosphere.

[0029] Optionally, the pressure resistant housing is connected to a periphery of the top cover.

[0030] Optionally, at least a portion of the chamber is outside the enclosed space.

[0031] Optionally, the pressure-resistant housing is a metallic material and the top cover is a quartz material.

[0032] The present invention further provides a semiconductor processing apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: A semiconductor processing chamber according to any one of the preceding claims; a pedestal located within the processing space for supporting the substrate; a group of heat lamps within the enclosed space for providing thermal radiation through the top cover to the substrate.

[0033] Optionally, the pressure regulator comprises: a monitoring module for measuring the pressure value of the gas in the processing space and / or the enclosed space; a control module for presetting a gas pressure difference, and adjusting the pressure of the processing space and the sealed space by the gas pressure difference based on the gas pressure value.

[0034] Optionally, a substrate transfer port is provided on a side of the chamber frame.

[0035] The present invention further provides a vapor phase epitaxial growth apparatus comprising: a hollow chamber frame having an inlet for introducing a process gas to form a silicon-containing growth layer on a surface of the substrate and an exhaust port, the chamber frame having an opening on one side; an upper cover that is transmissive to thermal radiation and is fitted in the opening and is provided on the chamber frame, and that, together with the chamber frame, forms a processing space that encloses and accommodates the substrate and performs a process on the substrate; a pressure-resistant housing provided above the upper cover and surrounding a sealed space together with the upper cover, or surrounding a sealed space together with the upper cover and at least a part of the cavity frame; a pressure regulating device for regulating the pressure of the sealed space that is in communication with the atmospheric environment via the pressure regulating device; a heat lamp group disposed within the sealed space, the heat lamp group emitting heat radiation capable of passing through the top cover to heat the substrate;

[0036] Optionally, the pressure adjusting device is used to adjust the pressure in the sealed space to be kept below 1 atmosphere during the process.

[0037] Optionally, the shape of the window is an upwardly curving dome, a flat plate or a downwardly curving concave shape.

[0038] Optionally, an annular reinforcing rib is provided on the upper surface of the window, the annular reinforcing rib dividing the window into a central region inside the annular reinforcing rib and a peripheral region between the outer edge and the annular reinforcing rib, and the annular reinforcing rib is further provided with a plurality of gas flow passages, which are used to communicate the spaces in the central region and the peripheral region.

[0039] Optionally, the chamber further includes a lower cover disposed opposite the upper cover, and the pressure regulating device adjusts the pressure in the sealed space so that the pressure of the gas hitting the outer surface of the upper cover during the process is maintained at or above the pressure of the gas in the processing space and below the pressure of the gas hitting the outer surface of the lower cover.

[0040] Optionally, the pressure regulator comprises: a monitoring module for measuring the pressure value of the gas in the processing space and / or the enclosed space; a control module for presetting a gas pressure difference, and adjusting the pressure of the processing space and the enclosed space by the safe pressure difference based on the safe pressure value.

[0041] The present invention has the following advantages: The present invention provides a semiconductor processing chamber in which a chamber frame is used as the main structure of the processing chamber, and an upper cover and a lower cover are installed on the upper and lower opposite sides of the chamber frame, so that the chamber frame, the upper cover and the lower cover can form a processing space, and the chamber frame has an inlet and an exhaust port connected to the processing space for introducing process gas, and in the processing space, thermal radiation, especially infrared rays, can process a substrate placed therein through the upper cover; and a pressure-resistant housing is provided that is airtightly connected to the chamber frame, and the pressure-resistant housing forms a sealed space together with the upper cover and at least a part of the chamber frame, and the air pressure in the sealed space can be independently controlled through another pressure adjusting device, so that the pressure difference of the gas hitting the inner and outer surfaces of the upper cover during the processing is reduced compared to when the pressure of the gas in the sealed space is atmospheric pressure, which is helpful in making the upper cover thinner to improve the transmittance of infrared rays, and at the same time, the upper cover can be made flat to facilitate the flow of gas, so that the chemical vapor deposition film formed on the substrate surface is more uniform. In particular, during the process, the pressure regulating device can be used to maintain the pressure of the gas hitting the outer surface of the upper cover at or above the pressure of the gas in the processing space and below the pressure of the gas hitting the outer surface of the lower cover, which allows the use of a preferred upper cover structure while maximally saving energy and ensuring precise control over the temperature of the upper cover; and the lower cover opposite the upper cover can continue to maintain its original shape and strength, making the assembly of the entire chamber more convenient and flexible, and making it more convenient to replace the easily damaged upper cover individually, which reduces costs compared with the overall replacement of the processing chamber, and can accommodate various process conditions, thereby greatly reducing the cost of equipment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0042] In order to more clearly describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the following briefly describes the drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention, and those skilled in the art may obtain other drawings according to these drawings without paying creative labor. [Figure 1-1] 1A, 1B and 1C are structural schematic diagrams of a semiconductor processing chamber of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 1B, FIG. 1C is an exploded view of FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1D is a structural schematic diagram of another semiconductor processing chamber of the present invention. [Figure 1-2] FIG. 1C is an exploded view of FIG. 1B, and FIG. 1D is a structural schematic diagram of another semiconductor processing chamber of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2A and 2B are schematic diagrams showing the structure of the upper cover of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2A. [Diagram 3] 3A and 3B are schematic structural diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3A. [Figure 4] 4A and 4B are schematic structural diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 4A. [Diagram 5] 5A and 5B are schematic structural diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 5A. [Figure 6] 6A, 6B and 6C are schematic structural diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, in which FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. 6A, and FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF in FIG. 6A. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are schematic structural diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line GG in FIG. 7A. [Figure 8] 8A and 8B are schematic structural diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line HH in FIG. 8A. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a structural schematic diagram of the semiconductor processing equipment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the connection between the upper cover and the chamber frame in another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an epitaxial growth apparatus of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0043] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in combination with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained based on the embodiments of the present invention, on the premise that those skilled in the art do not pay creative labor, belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0044] Based on the technical problem that the advantages of two technical solutions in the prior art are incompatible, the present invention provides an original solution, overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art, takes into account the advantages of the prior art solutions, and is simple in design, not only ensures high infrared transmittance, but also realizes uniform and gentle gas flow distribution, and at the same time reduces the application cost.

[0045] The present invention provides a semiconductor processing chamber, which is applicable to substrate processing in semiconductor equipment such as chemical vapor deposition equipment, atomic layer deposition equipment, plasma enhanced deposition equipment, and physical vapor deposition equipment. Specifically, a substrate is placed in a processing space within a hollow chamber frame, an infrared-transmitting upper cover is assembled to the chamber frame to heat the substrate, and at least a portion of a pressure-resistant housing is used to cover the infrared-transmitting area of ​​the upper cover to form an airtight sealed space. At the same time, a pressure adjusting device is used to adjust the gas pressure in the sealed space, and the pressure difference between the gas hitting the upper and lower surfaces of the upper cover can be adjusted, thereby achieving a design of an upper cover structure with flatter, higher infrared transmittance and sufficient mechanical strength under small gas pressure difference to meet increasing process requirements.

[0046] The present invention further provides a top cover for a semiconductor processing chamber, the top cover forming a processing space together with a semiconductor processing chamber, the top cover forming a sealed space together with a pressure-resistant housing, the top cover being disposed between the processing space and the sealed space to realize airtight isolation between them, the top cover having a lower surface facing the processing space and an upper surface facing the sealed space, specifically, the top cover including a window in the middle of the top cover and an outer edge surrounding the window, the window being transmissible to thermal radiation, the window including a central window region in the middle of the top cover and a peripheral window region surrounding the central window region, the peripheral window region being connected to the outer edge, a height difference between a lower surface of the central window region and a lower surface of the peripheral window region is not more than 28 mm, the top cover being able to withstand a pressure difference between the processing space and the sealed space, the top cover not only ensuring a stable distribution of gas flow throughout the chamber, but also able to withstand a pressure difference between its upper and lower surfaces, and having high infrared transmittance.

[0047] Based on the above-mentioned inventive idea, various embodiments and modifications are possible, which will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0048] 1A, 1B and 1C are schematic diagrams of the structure of a semiconductor processing chamber of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 1B and FIG. 1C is an exploded view of FIG. 1B.

[0049] 1A-1C are side views of a semiconductor processing chamber of the present invention, including a chamber frame 110, which in some embodiments may be either a hollow dish frame, a hollow rectangular frame, a one-piece frame, or may be made of multiple parts. An inlet 111 and an outlet 112 are provided on opposite sides of the chamber frame, and a process gas can be introduced into the inlet 111 by an external gas source, and a gas extraction pump can be connected to the outlet to extract the process gas. In some embodiments, the inlet 111 and the outlet 112 are provided on two opposite sides of the rectangular chamber frame 110 as shown in FIG. 1A, and in some other embodiments, they may be located at other positions. The material of the chamber frame 110 may be metal to provide sufficient mechanical strength.

[0050] An upper cover 120 and a lower cover 130 are provided on opposite sides of the chamber frame 110. In this embodiment, openings are provided on the upper and lower sides of the rectangular chamber frame 110, which correspond to the sizes of the upper cover 120 and the lower cover 130. The shape and size of the openings can be adjusted according to the shapes of the upper cover 120 and the lower cover 130. After the upper cover 120, the lower cover 130 and the chamber frame 110 are integrally assembled, a processing space 140 can be formed inside the chamber frame 110, and a substrate W to be processed can be placed in the processing space 140. The lower surface of the upper cover 120 is in the processing space, and the inlet 111 and the exhaust 112 are connected to the processing space 140, so that the process gas can flow in the processing space 140, and the upper cover 120 can transmit infrared heat radiation. In some embodiments, the upper cover 120 is at least partially made of a transparent material such as transparent quartz, and in other embodiments, the material of the lower cover 130 and the upper cover 120 is the same. A device for emitting thermal radiation is installed outside the upper cover, so that thermal radiation can be irradiated to the substrate W in the processing space 140 to perform a chemical vapor deposition process. In another embodiment, a device for emitting thermal radiation is also provided outside the lower cover 130. In another embodiment, the substrate W may be irradiated only by infrared light transmitted by the upper cover 120 without including a thermal radiation device outside the lower cover 130 to generate a deposition reaction.

[0051] In another embodiment, the chamber frame 110 and the top cover 120 may be an integral structure, where the top cover 120 has a higher infrared transmittance and the chamber frame 110 has a higher mechanical strength and a lower infrared transmittance.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 1A , a pressure-resistant housing 150 is provided on the outside of the chamber frame 110, which may be made of metal and has a hollow structure with an opening, and the periphery of the opening of the pressure-resistant housing 150 is hermetically connected to the outside of the chamber frame 110 via a fastening member, and at least a part of the upper surface of the chamber frame 110 is included inside the hollow structure, and the fastening member may be a fastening screw. In this embodiment, the pressure-resistant housing 150 is hermetically connected to the upper surface of the chamber frame 110, and forms a sealed space 160 together with the upper surface of the upper cover 120 and a part of the upper surface of the chamber frame 110, thereby realizing the covering of the upper surface of the upper cover 120 with a minimum volume of the pressure-resistant housing, and the upper surface of the upper cover 120 is within the sealed space 160. In other embodiments, the pressure-resistant housing 150 may be hermetically connected to the side wall or bottom wall of the chamber frame 110.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 1D, which is a structural schematic diagram of another type of semiconductor processing chamber of the present invention, different from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, a pressure-resistant housing 150 is connected to the periphery of the upper cover 120, and the specific connection manner can realize an airtight connection via a mounting ring or a connecting member, etc., and a sealed space 160 is surrounded by the pressure-resistant housing 150 and a part of the upper cover.

[0054] The pressure-resistant housing 150 is connected to the periphery of the upper cover 120 and is applied to a situation where the pressure difference between the sealed space 160 formed by the pressure-resistant housing 150 and the upper cover 120 and the external atmospheric environment is small. Thus, since the pressure acting on the pressure-resistant housing 150 is small, the pressure of the pressure-resistant housing 150 on the periphery of the upper cover 120 is small, and therefore the periphery of the upper cover 120 is not easily crushed by the pressure-resistant housing 150. When the pressure difference between the sealed space 160 and the external atmospheric environment is large, the pressure-resistant housing 150 cannot be directly disposed on the periphery of the upper cover 120, and an adapter ring (not shown) is provided between the pressure-resistant housing 150 and the periphery of the upper cover 120. The adapter ring extends from the periphery of the upper cover 120 to above the chamber frame 110 and mainly withstands pressure at the chamber frame 110. Since the pressure acting on the periphery of the upper cover 120 is small, the periphery of the upper cover 120 is not easily broken.

[0055] During the process, a decompression operation is required for the processing space 140 to perform a deposition reaction in the processing space 140, and at this time, there is a large difference in gas pressure between the lower surface of the upper cover 120 in the processing space 140 and the upper surface of the upper cover 120 in the sealed space 160, and usually, the environment under the lower surface of the upper cover 120 is close to vacuum, and the gas pressure on the upper surface of the upper cover 120 is close to atmospheric pressure, so the upper cover needs to have sufficient mechanical strength to withstand the pressure, and the conventional technology can increase the mechanical strength by increasing the thickness of the upper cover 120, but this reduces the infrared transmittance and causes power waste. In addition, the outer side of the upper cover 120 can be densely provided with reinforcing ribs, but this causes blocking of infrared radiation, and the radiation difference on the substrate occurs correspondingly between the position with the reinforcing ribs and the position without the reinforcing ribs, resulting in non-uniform deposition. Alternatively, the upper cover 120 is made of an arch structure with a large arc, which causes a large change in the gas flow distribution in the processing space 140, resulting in non-uniform gas flow, which also leads to non-uniform deposition. Therefore, the present invention connects a pressure adjusting device 170 (shown in FIG. 1A) to the outside of the pressure-resistant housing 150, and reduces the pressure difference between the gas that hits the upper and lower surfaces of the upper cover 120 during the process by adjusting the gas pressure in the sealed space 160, so that the upper cover 120 can be made of quartz with a smaller thickness, and even if the side of the upper cover 120 facing the substrate W is made flat, it will not be damaged by the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the gas. In this embodiment, the sealed space 160 surrounded by the pressure-resistant housing 150 surrounds the upper surface of the upper cover 120 corresponding to the substrate, and the pressure adjusting device 170 is used to reduce the air pressure in the sealed space 160 during the process, thereby reducing the gas pressure difference on the upper surface of the upper cover 120 when the sealed space is in a normal pressure state during the process, making the manufacturing of the shape and structure of the upper cover 120 more flexible and capable of being adjusted according to strict requirements during the process, thereby improving the processing quality of the substrate W.

[0056] In some embodiments, the pressure adjusting device 170 may include a vacuum pump, and the pressure-resistant housing 150 has a sealed pipe connecting the sealed space 160 and the vacuum pump, and adjusts the pressure of the gas in the sealed space 160 through feedback from a barometer. In some embodiments, when performing a process, the surface of the substrate W to be processed is mainly heated by infrared rays passing through the upper cover 120, and the flow of the process gas mainly flows through the surface of the substrate W to be processed, so that the requirements for the shape and thickness of the lower cover 130 are not high, that is, the upper surface of the lower cover 130 is placed in an atmospheric environment by increasing the thickness or by using a large-arc arch or a reinforcing rib to enhance the mechanical strength, and the pressure of the gas hitting the upper surface of the upper cover 120 during the process is adjusted to be equal to or higher than the pressure of the gas in the processing space 140 and lower than the pressure of the gas hitting the lower surface of the lower cover 130, for example, the pressure of the gas in the sealed space 160 is 0.5 atmospheres, and the pressure of the gas in the processing space is a vacuum. 1, and the lower surface of the lower cover 130 can withstand 1 atmosphere. Such a design allows the present invention to use an upper cover with a thinner and flatter surface when the processing space is brought into a near-vacuum state during the process, and the bonding strength of the material at the molecular level is sufficient to withstand the tension of its upper and lower surfaces caused by different gas pressures, so that it will not be damaged during the work process. In the case of a thinner upper cover 120, the infrared transmittance is higher, and under the same situation of the amount of radiation obtained on the substrate W, the radiation source can consume less power. At the same time, the flatter surface makes the flow of the process gas in the processing space more flat and stable, and does not generate vortexes locally, so as not to affect the stability of the local gas reactants on the substrate W, and therefore the deposition uniformity of the substrate W at different positions can be obtained.In addition, the upper surface of the substrate W has high requirements for heat radiation and uniformity of gas flow, while the lower surface mainly transfers heat through the pedestal, and a transmission mechanism is required to connect a bracket to the lower surface of the pedestal supporting the substrate and penetrate the lower cover, and the power mechanism outside the processing chamber is also arranged below, so that the lower cover does not have as strict requirements as the upper cover in terms of thickness and shape, that is, there is no need to make extensive improvements below the processing chamber, and the technical effect can be obtained only by combining the pressure-resistant housing 150 with the chamber frame, which is preferable, and the pressure-resistant housing 150 can be combined with the upper surface of the chamber frame 110 to realize an optimized design of the upper cover. In addition, by maintaining a constant pressure of the gas flow in the sealed space 160, the heat exchange efficiency of the gas flow therein can be improved, and in a vacuum environment, the gas content is low, which is not good for the heat transfer of the upper cover 120, so the temperature of the upper cover 120 cannot be accurately controlled.

[0057] In another embodiment, the pressure regulating device 170 specifically includes a monitoring module located in the sealed space 160 and the processing space 140 for real-time feedback of the atmospheric pressure signal of the associated environment, and a control module capable of setting the initial safe pressure difference between the sealed space 160 and the processing space 140 to, for example, 0.5 atmospheres or 0 atmospheres, under which the upper cover of a certain thickness used in the present invention can operate safely. If there is a gap between the gas pressure signal fed back from the monitoring module and the safe pressure difference value initially set through calculation, the control module can dynamically adjust the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the upper cover 120 to maintain it at a preset value.

[0058] 2A and 2B are structural schematic diagrams of the upper cover of the present invention, where FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2A.

[0059] As shown in Figures 2A and 2B, the upper cover 120 includes a window 221 region in its middle portion and an outer edge 222 region surrounding the window 221, and the upper surfaces of the window 221 and the outer edge 222 are not necessarily located in the same plane, for example, in this embodiment, the window 221 is circular and the outer edge 222 is annular, the window 221 is lower than the outer edge 222 in Figure 2B, and the window 221 and the outer edge 222 are connected by a vertical surface, and in fact, the connection portion between the window 221 and the outer edge 222 is not necessarily a vertical surface, for example, a slope, and even the connection portion may be an arc surface, and is not limited here.

[0060] The height difference between the lower surface of the window 221 and the lower surface of the outer edge 222 is determined by the structure of the chamber frame 110, and the outer edge 222 is placed on the chamber frame 110 (shown in Figures 1A, 1B and 1C) and used to realize sealing between the upper cover 120 and the chamber frame 110, with the surface of the upper cover 120 facing the processing space 140 being defined as the lower surface, and the surface of the upper cover 120 facing the sealed space 160 being defined as the upper surface. In this embodiment, the lower and upper surfaces of the outer edge 222 are both flat, and the lower surface of the outer edge 222 is pressed and sealed with the chamber frame 110 using a sealing strip, which serves to realize sealing between the upper surface of the outer edge 222 and the pressure-resistant housing 150.

[0061] The window 221 is used to transmit the infrared rays required for the substrate W, and the lower surface of the window 221 has approximately the same height as the upper surface of the inlet 111, so that the flow of the process gas enters the reaction chamber from the inlet and flows approximately horizontally along the lower surface of the window 221 until it reaches the exhaust port, and the flow of the process gas is close to advection, which is conducive to the uniformity of the film layer on the surface of the substrate W.

[0062] In addition, the thinner the thickness of the window 221, the less the infrared rays are lost through the window 221. Furthermore, since the bottom surface of the window 221 is concave away from the bottom surface of the outer edge 222, i.e., the distance from the bottom surface of the window 221 to the surface of the substrate W is short, the amount of infrared rays lost during the process of passing through the window 221 to the substrate is also small. As a result, more infrared rays reach the surface of the substrate W, which helps to heat the surface of the substrate W well.

[0063] The present invention provides an independently pressure-adjustable sealed space 160 above the upper cover 120, and adjusts the pressure in the sealed space 160 to less than standard atmospheric pressure during the process, thereby reducing the gas pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the upper cover 120. As a result, the window 221 of the upper cover 120 of the processing chamber has a small thickness and a high flatness, which effectively improves the high transmittance of the window and the stability of the gas flow in the processing chamber, and prevents the window 221 from being damaged by the gas pressure. In some embodiments, the window 221 is transparent quartz, and the outer edge 222 is opaque quartz, so that the outer edge 222 can protect the sealing strip from direct infrared radiation and extend the service life of the sealing strip; in other embodiments, the outer edge 222 can be transparent quartz. In other embodiments, the window 221 and the outer edge 222 can be non-planar structures, which can be flexibly adjusted according to actual process requirements.

[0064] In this embodiment, the window 221 is circular and the area of ​​the window 221 is larger than the area of ​​the substrate W, for example, the diameter of the substrate W is 300 mm, and the diameter of the window 221 is in the range of 400 mm to 470 mm, so that the substrate W and some components on the periphery of the substrate W are all heated, and the problem that the heat on the surface of the substrate W is lost through the periphery of the substrate W when only the substrate W is heated is prevented; however, the horizontal size of the window 221 is not too large, so that the window 221 can meet the heating needs while preventing the volume of the reaction chamber from being too large.

[0065] In this embodiment, the window 221 includes a window central region M at its center and a window peripheral region N surrounding the window central region M, and the peripheral region N is connected to the outer edge 222, and the height difference between the window central region M and the window peripheral region N is zero, so that the process of process gas flowing from the window peripheral region N to the window central region M and then to the window peripheral region N is relatively stable, which is helpful in forming a thin film with uniformity on the surface of the substrate W.

[0066] In another embodiment, the difference in height between the central window region M and the peripheral window region N is greater than 0 millimeters and less than or equal to 28 millimeters.

[0067] 3A and 3B are structural schematic diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, where FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3A.

[0068] The differences between the embodiment of the top cover shown in Figures 3A and 3B and the embodiment shown in Figures 2A and 2B include: A reinforcing rib 323 is provided on the upper surface of the window 221, and in this embodiment, the reinforcing rib 323 is a complete annular structure, and the complete annular reinforcing rib 323 is one revolution, but in practice, the annular reinforcing rib 323 may be provided in multiple revolutions, and each revolution of the annular reinforcing rib 323 may be a continuous annular structure, and each revolution of the reinforcing rib 323 may be multiple arcs, and these multiple arcs constitute a one revolution annular structure. There may be no reinforcing rib in the area of ​​the window 221 directly opposite the substrate W, so as to prevent the reinforcing rib 323 from blocking infrared rays.

[0069] In this embodiment, the principle by which the reinforcing rib 323 can enhance the mechanical strength of the upper cover 120 includes the following: From a microscopic point of view, the window 221 includes a plurality of window units that are interconnected, and after the reinforcing rib 323 is added, the window unit is not only connected to other surrounding window units, but also connected to the reinforcing rib 323, so that when the window 221 is subjected to a pressure difference between above and below, it has a greater supporting force than a window unit that is only connected to the surrounding window units, and therefore, after the reinforcing rib 323 is installed, it is helpful in enhancing the pressure-bearing capacity of the upper cover 120, thus further reducing the thickness of the window 221 and preventing the upper cover from being damaged, and also improving the ability of the upper cover 120 to transmit thermal radiation.

[0070] In this embodiment, the reinforcing rib 323 is further uniformly provided with a number of gas channels 324, the reinforcing rib 323 and the outer edge 222 form a peripheral region, and the inside of the annular reinforcing rib 323 is a central region, which is not the central region M of the window, and the peripheral region is not the peripheral region N of the window, and the gas channels 324 are used to connect the central region and the peripheral region, which improves the contact between the gas flow and the window 221 after cooling and helps to maintain the accuracy of temperature control for the entire upper cover 120. The gas channels 324 may be through holes, ventilation grooves or openings, and the number and positions of the gas channels 324 should take into account the strength-improving effect of the reinforcing rib 323 and the effect of the gas flow after cooling.

[0071] In this embodiment, the window 221 includes a window central region M at its center and a window peripheral region N surrounding the window central region M, and the peripheral region N is connected to the outer edge 222, and the height difference between the window central region M and the window peripheral region N is zero, so that the process of process gas flowing from the window peripheral region N to the window central region M and then to the window peripheral region N is relatively stable, which is helpful in forming a thin film with uniformity on the surface of the substrate W.

[0072] In another embodiment, the difference in height between the central window region M and the peripheral window region N is greater than 0 millimeters and less than or equal to 28 millimeters.

[0073] 4A and 4B are structural schematic diagrams of the upper cover of the present invention, where FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 4A.

[0074] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the difference from the embodiment shown in Figures 2A and 2B is that the window 221 is a rectangular plane, and the outer edge 222 is a rectangular ring, and in the direction of gas flow from the inlet to the exhaust, the upper cover 120 of this embodiment has a longer window 221, which helps the gas flow have more time to form a laminar flow before reaching the substrate W.

[0075] In this embodiment, since the window 221 is rectangular, the area of ​​the inscribed circle of the rectangle must be larger than the area of ​​the substrate W, and the rectangular window includes long and short sides, with the size of the short side being 400mm to 470mm and the size of the long side being 400mm to 650mm, so that the substrate W and the members on the periphery of the substrate W are both heated, and when only the substrate W is heated, the heat of the substrate W is prevented from being lost through the members on the periphery of the substrate W, which helps to improve the uniformity of the temperature on the surface of the substrate W and enhance the uniformity of the thin film formed on the surface of the substrate W. Also, by setting the ratio of the long side to the short side in this way, the stability of the gas flow can be improved and the temperature of the substrate W can be more easily controlled.

[0076] 5A and 5B are structural schematic diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, where FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 5A.

[0077] As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, the differences from the embodiment of Figures 4A and 4B include the following: The window 221 is provided with strip-shaped reinforcing ribs 523 perpendicular to the gas flow direction X at positions close to the exhaust port and the intake port, so as to increase the mechanical strength of the window 221. The substrate W is disposed below the intake port side region of the central part of the window 221, and correspondingly, the number of reinforcing ribs 523 provided at the intake port side portion is less than that provided at the exhaust port side portion, and the window 221 located directly opposite the substrate W is not provided with reinforcing ribs 523 so as not to block infrared rays.

[0078] In this embodiment, the principle by which the reinforcing rib 523 can enhance the mechanical strength of the upper cover 120 includes the following: From a microscopic point of view, the window 221 includes a plurality of window units that are interconnected, and after the reinforcing rib 523 is added, the window unit is not only connected to other surrounding window units, but also connected to the reinforcing rib 523, so that when the window 221 is subjected to a pressure difference between above and below, it has a greater supporting force than a window unit that is only connected to the surrounding window units, and therefore, after the reinforcing rib 523 is installed, it is helpful in enhancing the pressure-bearing capacity of the upper cover 120, thus further reducing the mechanical strength of the window 221 and preventing the upper cover from being damaged, and also improving the ability of the upper cover 120 to transmit thermal radiation.

[0079] In this embodiment, the window 221 includes a window central region M at its center and a window peripheral region N surrounding the window central region M, and the peripheral region N is connected to the outer edge 222, and the height difference between the window central region M and the window peripheral region N is zero, so that the process of process gas flowing from the window peripheral region N to the window central region M and then to the window peripheral region N is relatively stable, which is helpful in forming a thin film with uniformity on the surface of the substrate W.

[0080] In another embodiment, the difference in height between the central window region M and the peripheral window region N is greater than 0 millimeters and less than or equal to 28 millimeters.

[0081] 6A, 6B and 6C are structural schematic diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, where FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE, and FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF.

[0082] As shown in Figures 6A, 6B and 6C, the plane to which the lower surface of the window 221 belongs is higher than the plane to which the lower surface of the outer edge 222 belongs, so that the entire upper cover 120 shows an upward arch shape, while at the same time maintaining the planar structure of the window 221. Figure 6C is a cross-sectional view of the upper cover 120 of this embodiment taken along line FF perpendicular to the gas flow direction, in which the inner surface of the outer edge 222 is connected to the window 221 via the second inclined surface 626 of the connection part, so that the process gas is less likely to rise upward when entering the processing space from the intake port, and turbulence is avoided there. 6B is a cross-sectional view along the gas flow direction EE, in which a first inclined surface 625 is provided at a location approaching the connection between the inner side of the outer edge and the window, and the first inclined surface 625 below the connection between the window 221 and the outer edge 222 can optimize the adjustment to the gas flow in this embodiment, and make the lower surface of the outer edge 222 lie flush, which is more conducive to the sealing of the upper cover 120 and the chamber frame 110, because the undulating plane has higher requirements for the selection of the sealing strip, and the flat plane is easier to achieve consistent sealing strength. At the same time, in this embodiment, the upper surface of the upper cover 120 may be provided with a strip-shaped reinforcing rib 323 for connecting the window 221 and the outer edge 222, so as to enhance its mechanical strength.

[0083] In this embodiment, the window 221 includes a window central region M at its center and a window peripheral region N surrounding the window central region M, and the peripheral region N is connected to the outer edge 222, and the height difference between the window central region M and the window peripheral region N is zero, so that the process of process gas flowing from the window peripheral region N to the window central region M and then to the window peripheral region N is relatively stable, which is helpful in forming a thin film with uniformity on the surface of the substrate W.

[0084] In another embodiment, the difference in height between the central window region M and the peripheral window region N is greater than 0 millimeters and less than or equal to 28 millimeters.

[0085] 7A and 7B are schematic structural diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, and FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line GG in FIG. 7A.

[0086] In this embodiment, the outer edge 222 is annular, and the lower surface of the window 221 protrudes toward the sealed space relative to the lower surface of the outer edge 222, that is, the window 221 is arch-shaped. When the window 221 is arch-shaped, according to stress analysis, a part of the pressure of the external gas that the chamber receives is decomposed into a force along the tangential plane of the window 221, and another part is decomposed into a force perpendicular to the tangential plane of the window 221; if the window 221 is flat, it needs to bear the sum of these two forces; after the window 221 is provided in the arch structure, the window 221 only needs to bear the force perpendicular to the tangential plane of the window 221, so the window 221 with the arch structure can be made thinner than a flat window and can withstand the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the window 221. At the same time, because the thickness of the window 221 is small, the transmittance of infrared radiation of the window 221 is very high, which is more helpful in controlling the temperature of the substrate.

[0087] Specifically, the thickness of the window 221 ranges from 4 mm to 12 mm. In practice, the thickness of the window 221 is affected by the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the window 221 and the height of the arch structure of the window 221, which is the difference in height between the lower surface of the central region M of the window and the peripheral region N of the window. If the height of the arch structure of the window 221 is not changed and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the window 221 is reduced, the thickness of the window 221 may be made thinner. Of course, if the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the window 221 is not changed and the arch height of the window 221 is increased, the thickness of the window 221 may also be made thinner. However, if the arch height is too large, it will affect the stability of the gas flow. Therefore, the arch height of the window 221, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the window 221 and the thickness of the window 221 can be comprehensively adjusted according to process requirements so as to meet the requirements of gas flow stability, pressure resistance and thermal permeability.

[0088] In this embodiment, when the thickness of the window 221 is in the range of 4 mm to 12 mm and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the window 221 is 0.2 atmospheres to 0.8 atmospheres, the height difference between the central region M of the window and the peripheral region N of the window is greater than 0 mm and not more than 25 mm, i.e., the height difference between the central region M of the window and the peripheral region N of the window is smaller, so that after the process gas enters the reaction chamber from the inlet port, in the process of flowing from the peripheral region N of the window to the central region M of the window and then to the peripheral region N of the window, the gas flow is smoother and does not move upward suddenly, so that the process gas is generally gentle, which is helpful in improving the uniformity of the thin film formed on the surface of the substrate W.

[0089] In summary, the arch-structured window 221 has better pressure resistance and can be made thinner, has better infrared thermal radiation transmission ability, and the height of the arch structure is not too large, which helps to ensure the stability of the gas flow so as to improve the uniformity of the thin film formed on the surface of the substrate.

[0090] 8A and 8B are schematic structural diagrams of another upper cover of the present invention, and FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view taken along line HH in FIG. 8A.

[0091] As shown in Figures 8A and 8B, in this embodiment, the outer edge 222 is annular, the window 221 includes a window central region M and a window peripheral region N, the window central region M is a flat structure, and the center line of the window central region M is between the lower surface and the upper surface of the outer edge 222, that is, the upper surface of the window central region M is lower than the upper surface of the outer edge 222, and the lower surface of the window central region M is higher than the lower surface of the outer edge 222, the outer edge 222 and the window central region M are connected through the window peripheral region N having an arc surface, and the height difference between the peripheral region N and the window central region M is less than 28 millimeters, so that the flow process of the process gas from the window peripheral region N to the window central region M and then to the window peripheral region N is relatively stable, which is helpful to improve the uniformity of the thin film formed on the surface of the substrate W.

[0092] The upper cover of the present invention is applied to equipment in which the upper and lower surfaces of the upper cover are in different pressure environments, and the type of the equipment is not limited thereto. As an example, the upper cover will be described in detail below as being applied to semiconductor processing equipment.

[0093] As shown in FIG. 9, it is a structural schematic diagram of the semiconductor processing equipment of the present invention, which includes a metal chamber frame 110, which provides a base for assembling other components of the semiconductor equipment, a metal chamber frame with an inlet 111 and an outlet 112 for introducing process gas, which are installed opposite each other on both sides of the chamber frame 110; an upper cover 120 and a lower cover 130 that can transmit thermal radiation, which are installed opposite each other on the upper and lower sides of the chamber frame 110; an opening 915 is correspondingly provided on the upper surface of the chamber frame 110, the upper cover 120 is fitted into the opening 915, and is hermetically connected to the chamber frame 110 through a sealing strip 919; the chamber frame 110, the upper cover 120 and the lower cover 130 form a surrounding processing space 140; and a base 990 in the processing space 140, the upper surface of which is used for placing a substrate W, and the lower surface of which is supported by a bracket, which can support the substrate W. The surface to be processed faces the upper cover 120, and the bracket can rotate the base 990, and a substrate transfer port 916 is provided on one side of the chamber frame 110 in a direction perpendicular to the intake direction at a position lower than the plane to which the intake port and the exhaust port belong, although the substrate transfer port 916 can also be located at another position, and when it is necessary to transfer the substrate W before or after the process reaction, the bracket can lower the base to the position of the substrate transfer port 916, which is convenient for picking up or transferring the substrate W; a pressure-resistant housing 150 made of a metal material, which is airtightly connected to the chamber frame 110 and forms an enclosed space 160 together with the upper cover 120 and the chamber frame 110; and a pressure adjusting device 170 for adjusting the air pressure in the enclosed space 160 during the process, and reducing the difference in gas pressure between the upper surface of the upper cover 120 and the lower surface of the upper cover 120 when the enclosed space 160 is at normal pressure, so as to make the shape and structure of the upper cover 120 beneficial for the transmission of infrared rays and the uniformity of the gas flow. In another embodiment, the semiconductor equipment further includes a heating lamp group 980, which is in the sealed space 160 and separated from the upper cover 120 at a certain distance, and the heating lamp group 980 emits infrared rays outward and penetrates the upper cover 120 to heat the substrate W, which generates a chemical vapor deposition reaction in the process gas environment.At the same time, a heating lamp may also be installed on the outside of the lower cover 130, which can emit infrared rays penetrating the lower cover 130 to heat the pedestal 990 and assist the film deposition reaction on the surface of the substrate W. In some other embodiments, the semiconductor device of the present invention further includes an intake flange 913 and an exhaust flange 914, both of which are provided with vent pipes that can connect to an external gas source and adjust process gas so as to make the deposition reaction in the processing space 140 more uniform. In some embodiments, the upper cover 120 enhances the airtightness of the seal strip 919 between the upper cover 120 and the chamber frame 110 through a crimping ring 921.

[0094] In the semiconductor processing equipment disclosed in the present invention, the upper cover 120 includes a transparent quartz window in the middle of the upper cover and an outer edge of opaque quartz surrounding the window, the window may be either circular or rectangular, and the outer edge is hermetically connected to the chamber frame through a seal ring. A heat exchange system is further provided inside the pressure-resistant housing 150, including a gas flow adjustment system for controlling the temperature of the upper cover 120, and the gas flow adjustment system may include a helium source for flushing into the sealed space 160 for gas circulation when the sealed space 160 is in a low pressure state, promoting heat exchange between the upper cover and the pressure-resistant housing, and realizing control of the temperature of the upper cover, the helium source can achieve a greater heat exchange efficiency under a smaller gas pressure. Preferably, the pressure adjustment device 170 makes the pressure of the gas hitting the upper surface of the upper cover 120 equal to or greater than the pressure of the processing space 140 and less than the pressure hitting the lower surface of the lower cover 130 during the process.

[0095] As shown in FIG. 10, in some embodiments, after the top cover 120 is attached via the mounting ring 1017 and the crimping ring 921, the top cover 120 and the mounting ring 1017 are both attached to the chamber frame 110, and when the processing chamber needs maintenance after several process steps, the top cover 120 and the mounting ring 1017 can be removed and installed as a whole. Frequent disassembly and assembly of the two components will cause mounting errors at the contact points between the two due to the frequent removal and installation of the two parts, which will affect the sealing effect, and if the two parts are made of different materials, the mounting errors will be aggravated by the effects of different thermal expansion coefficients during the overlapping process. In this embodiment, the mounting ring 1017 and the chamber frame of the parts that are removed and installed each time are made of the same material, which has a higher compatibility when thermal expansion occurs, and can maintain good sealing during the long process.

[0096] The type of semiconductor processing equipment described in the present invention is not limited, for example, the semiconductor processing equipment may be a chemical vapor deposition equipment, and the chemical vapor deposition equipment may be divided into several types, which is not limited here, and a growth equipment among the chemical vapor deposition equipment will be described in detail as follows.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 11, it is a structural schematic diagram of the vapor phase epitaxial growth equipment of the present invention, which is provided with an inlet 111 and an outlet 112 for introducing process gas, and allows a silicon-containing growth layer to be formed on the surface of a substrate; an inlet flange 913 and an outlet flange 914 are assembled with the inlet 111 and the outlet 112, and the inlet flange 913 may be provided with a plurality of gas flow passages connected to a first process gas 1116, a second process gas 1117 and a purge gas 1118, respectively; a chamber frame 110, an upper cover 120 and a lower cover 130, which are oppositely installed on both sides of the chamber frame 110, the upper cover 120 is fitted into an opening 915 opened in the chamber frame 110, and the airtight connection between the upper cover 120 and the chamber frame 110 is strengthened through a crimping ring 921 and a sealing strip 919; The chamber frame 110, the upper cover 120 and the lower cover 130 include an upper cover and a lower cover which surround the processing space 140, a base 990 in the processing space 140 for placing the substrate W thereon, a pressure-resistant housing 150 which is airtightly connected to the chamber frame 110 and which, together with the upper cover 120 and the chamber frame 110, surrounds an enclosed space 160, a pressure adjusting device 170 for adjusting the pressure of the gas in the enclosed space 160 during the process so that the pressure of the gas hitting the upper surface of the upper cover 120 is equal to or higher than the pressure of the gas in the processing space 140 and lower than the pressure of the gas hitting the lower surface of the lower cover 130, thereby reducing the pressure difference between the gas hitting the upper surface of the upper cover 120 and the gas hitting the lower surface of the upper cover 120, and a heating lamp group 980 in the enclosed space 160 which emits thermal radiation which can pass through the upper cover 120 to heat the substrate W.

[0098] In another vapor phase epitaxial growth apparatus disclosed in the present invention, a heat exchange system 1151 may be further provided, which may be an external gas flow adjustment system connected to the pressure-resistant housing 150, so as to promote the circulation of the gas in the sealed space 160 after the pressure adjustment device 170 stabilizes the pressure of the gas in the sealed space 160, control the temperature of the upper cover 120, and prevent the process gas from being deposited on the underside of the upper cover 120, and the heat exchange system 1151 may include a fan provided inside the sealed space 160 to enhance the circulation of the gas therein. The heat exchange system 1151 may include a cooling fluid circulation system inside the pressure-resistant housing 150 to remove excess heat transferred to the pressure-resistant housing 150.

[0099] In the semiconductor processing chamber disclosed in the present invention, the semiconductor processing equipment and vapor phase epitaxial growth equipment have a pressure-resistant housing installed above the upper cover for transmitting thermal radiation, and the upper surface of the window of the upper cover is positioned within the sealed space, and the pressure of the gas in the sealed space is adjusted to be lower than the external atmospheric pressure through a pressure adjusting device, thereby reducing the pressure difference of the gas hitting the upper cover during the process, and thereby designing a window having an upper cover with a smaller thickness to improve the thermal radiation transmittance and transmission uniformity of the window, or designing a window having an upper cover with a smaller arch height to improve the stability of the flow of process gas in the processing space. A stable flow of process gas in the processing space and uniform and efficient heating of the substrate by heat are primary factors for uniformly and rapidly growing a thin film on the substrate. In the present invention, by placing the upper surface of the upper cover within an enclosed space formed by a pressure-resistant housing, the gas pressure within the enclosed space is adjusted as a transition between the external atmospheric pressure and the gas pressure within the internal processing space, thereby reducing the pressure difference that the upper and lower surfaces of the upper cover must withstand, improving the performance of the upper cover in terms of thermal radiation transmission and gas flow adjustment, and further improving the uniformity and stability of substrate processing.

[0100] Although the contents of the present invention have been described in detail in the above preferred embodiments, it should be appreciated that the above description should not be considered as limiting the present invention. After those skilled in the art read the above contents, various modifications and replacements of the present invention will be obvious. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be limited by the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A semiconductor processing chamber for processing a substrate, comprising: a hollow chamber frame having an inlet for introducing a process gas and an exhaust port, the chamber frame having an opening on one side; an upper cover that is transmissive to thermal radiation and is fitted in the opening and is provided on the chamber frame, and that, together with the chamber frame, forms a processing space that encloses and accommodates the substrate and performs a process on the substrate; a pressure-resistant housing provided above the upper cover and surrounding a sealed space together with the upper cover and at least a part of the chamber frame; A pressure regulating device for regulating the pressure in the sealed space, The processing chamber further includes a lower cover that is installed on the other side of the chamber frame opposite the upper cover, the processing space being surrounded by the upper cover, the lower cover and the chamber frame, and a lower surface of the lower cover being at least partially in an atmospheric environment.

2. 2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the pressure resistant housing is hermetically connected to an outer wall of the chamber frame via fasteners.

3. 2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the chamber frame comprises an upper frame and a lower frame, the opening being disposed in the upper frame.

4. 2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein said top cover includes a window in a middle portion of said top cover and an outer periphery surrounding said window.

5. 10. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, further comprising a mounting ring of metallic material, said top cover hermetically attached to said mounting ring, said mounting ring being attached to said opening.

6. 5. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 4, wherein said window is a transparent quartz material and said periphery is an opaque or transparent quartz material.

7. 5. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 4, wherein said outer periphery is hermetically secured to a periphery of said opening via a seal ring.

8. 2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein said pressure regulating device comprises a vacuum pump, said pressure resistant housing including an inlet port connected to said vacuum pump.

9. The pressure regulating device is a monitoring module for measuring a pressure value of the gas in the processing space and / or the enclosed space; 2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, further comprising: a control module for presetting a safe pressure differential and adjusting pressures in the processing space and the enclosed space by the safe pressure differential based on a pressure value of the gas.

10. 10. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein said pressure resistant housing includes a heat exchange system.

11. 11. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 10, wherein the heat exchange system includes a source of helium introduced into the enclosed space.

12. 10. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the chamber frame and / or the pressure resistant housing are made of a metallic material and the top cover is made of a quartz material.

13. 2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the pressure adjusting device is used to adjust the pressure in the sealed space to maintain it at less than 1 atmosphere during a process.

14. 2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the pressure adjusting device is used to adjust the pressure in the sealed space to maintain it at less than 0.5 atmospheres during processing.

15. 2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the processing chamber further includes a lower cover, which is installed on the other side of the chamber frame opposite to the upper cover, the processing space being surrounded by the upper cover, the lower cover and the chamber frame, and the pressure adjusting device adjusts the pressure in the enclosed space so that the pressure of the gas hitting the outer surface of the upper cover during the process is maintained at or above the pressure of the gas in the processing space and below the pressure of the gas hitting the outer surface of the lower cover.

16. 2. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 1, wherein the enclosed volume communicates with an atmospheric environment through a pressure regulator.

17. 5. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 4, wherein the window has a shape of an upwardly curved dome, a flat plate, or a downwardly curved concave shape.

18. 18. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 17, further comprising an annular reinforcing rib on an upper surface of the window, the annular reinforcing rib dividing the window into a central region inside the annular reinforcing rib and a peripheral region between the outer edge and the annular reinforcing rib, the annular reinforcing rib further comprising a plurality of gas flow passages for communicating the spaces between the central region and the peripheral region.

19. 1. A semiconductor processing chamber for processing a substrate, comprising: a chamber including an enclosed processing space for storing the substrate and performing a process on the substrate, the chamber including an upper cover that is transparent to thermal radiation; a pressure-resistant housing connected to a portion of the chamber to form a sealed space, the upper cover having at least a portion of the pressure-resistant housing within the sealed space; A pressure regulating device for regulating the pressure in the sealed space, The semiconductor processing chamber further comprises a lower cover disposed opposite the upper cover and having at least a portion thereof exposed to an atmospheric environment.

20. 20. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 19, wherein the enclosed volume communicates with an atmospheric environment through a pressure regulator.

21. 20. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 19, wherein the top cover is either integral with the chamber or directly or indirectly disposed within an opening in the chamber.

22. 20. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 19, wherein the pressure adjusting device is used to adjust the pressure in the sealed space during a process so as to maintain the pressure in the sealed space equal to or higher than the pressure in the processing space.

23. 23. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 22, wherein the pressure adjusting device is used to adjust the pressure in the sealed space to maintain it at less than 1 atmosphere during a process.

24. 20. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 19, wherein the pressure resistant housing is connected to a periphery of the top cover.

25. 20. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 19, wherein said chamber is at least partially outside said enclosed volume.

26. 20. The semiconductor processing chamber of claim 19, wherein said pressure resistant housing is a metallic material and said top cover is a quartz material.

27. 1. A semiconductor processing device for processing a substrate, comprising:

13. A semiconductor processing chamber according to claim 1 ; a pedestal located within the processing space for supporting the substrate; a group of heat lamps within said enclosed volume for providing thermal radiation through said top cover to said substrate.

28. The pressure regulating device is a monitoring module for measuring the pressure value of the gas in the processing space and / or the enclosed space; 28. The semiconductor processing equipment of claim 27, further comprising: a control module for presetting a gas pressure difference, and adjusting pressures of the processing space and the sealed space by the gas pressure difference based on the gas pressure value.

29. 28. The semiconductor processing equipment of claim 27, wherein a substrate transfer opening is provided on a side of the chamber frame.

30. 1. A vapor phase epitaxial growth apparatus comprising: a hollow chamber frame having an inlet for introducing a process gas to form a silicon-containing growth layer on a surface of the substrate and an exhaust port, the chamber frame having an opening on one side; an upper cover that is transmissive to thermal radiation and is fitted in the opening and is provided on the chamber frame, and that, together with the chamber frame, forms a processing space that encloses and accommodates the substrate and performs a process on the substrate; a pressure-resistant housing provided above the upper cover and surrounding a sealed space together with the upper cover, or surrounding a sealed space together with the upper cover and at least a part of the chamber frame; a pressure regulating device for regulating the pressure of the sealed space that is in communication with the atmospheric environment via the pressure regulating device; a group of heat lamps disposed within the enclosed space, the heat lamps emitting thermal radiation capable of passing through the top cover to heat the substrate.

31. 31. The vapor phase epitaxial growth equipment according to claim 30, wherein the pressure adjusting device is used to adjust the pressure in the sealed space to be kept below 1 atmosphere during the process.

32. 31. The vapor phase epitaxial growth apparatus of claim 30, wherein the window has a shape of an upwardly curved dome, a flat plate, or a downwardly curved concave shape.

33. 33. The vapor phase epitaxial growth equipment of claim 32, further comprising an annular reinforcing rib on an upper surface of the window, the annular reinforcing rib dividing the window into a central region inside the annular reinforcing rib and a peripheral region between an outer edge surrounding the window and the annular reinforcing rib, the annular reinforcing rib further comprising a plurality of gas flow passages for communicating spaces between the central region and the peripheral region.

34. 31. The vapor phase epitaxial growth equipment of claim 30, wherein the chamber frame further comprises a lower cover disposed opposite to the upper cover, and the pressure adjusting device adjusts the pressure in the sealed space so that a pressure of a gas contacting an outer surface of the upper cover during a process is maintained to be equal to or greater than a pressure of a gas in the processing space and less than a pressure of a gas contacting an outer surface of the lower cover.

35. The pressure regulating device is a monitoring module for measuring the pressure value of the gas in the processing space and / or the enclosed space; 31. The vapor phase epitaxial growth equipment of claim 30, further comprising: a control module for presetting a safe pressure difference, and adjusting the pressure of the processing space and the enclosed space by the safe pressure difference based on the pressure value of the gas.

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