Plasma generator and plasma etching apparatus
The ceramic-lined dielectric tube in the plasma generation device addresses corrosion issues, extending its lifespan and improving etching efficiency by shielding and stabilizing temperature, thus reducing maintenance and costs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BEIJING E TOWN SEMICON TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-12-19
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-06
AI Technical Summary
Dielectric tubes in plasma etching devices are rapidly consumed due to corrosion from excited radicals, leading to increased costs and prolonged equipment downtime.
A plasma generation device with a dielectric tube shielded by a ceramic liner composed of stacked annular components, featuring interlocking projections and notches, which protects the dielectric tube from plasma impact and maintains uniform temperature distribution.
The ceramic liner extends the dielectric tube's lifespan, reduces maintenance needs, and enhances etching efficiency by preventing corrosion and managing thermal stress.
Smart Images
Figure 2026112425000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of semiconductor devices, and particularly to plasma generation devices and plasma etching devices.
Background Art
[0002] Dielectric materials have very excellent dielectric properties, mechanical strength, and corrosion resistance. In order to reduce wafer contamination caused by by-products generated in the chamber during the process, the material of the dielectric tube is generally selected as a dielectric material. When energy is supplied to the coil, the plasma concentration in the corresponding region of the coil becomes the highest, and ions impact the dielectric tube, promoting corrosion of the dielectric tube due to the strong chemical activity of the excited radicals. Especially in the process using hydrogen gas, the dielectric tube is rapidly consumed, resulting in problems such as increased costs, long-term shutdown of equipment, and prolonged maintenance time.
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0003] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a plasma generation device and a plasma etching device for solving or alleviating one or more technical problems of the prior art.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0004] As an aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, in an embodiment of the present disclosure, a plasma generation device is provided, and this plasma generation device includes
[0005] a dielectric tube, wherein a first end portion in the axial direction of the dielectric tube is connected to a cover plate, and a second end portion is in communication with a chamber;
[0006] a coil wound outside the dielectric tube;
[0007] A liner provided inside a dielectric tube, the liner extending along the inner wall of the dielectric tube such that the inner wall of the dielectric tube is shielded by the liner at least partially in the radial direction.
[0008] In one embodiment, the liner is a cylindrical structure formed by sequentially stacking a plurality of annular components along the axial direction of the dielectric tube, and the diameter of the annular components is smaller than the inner diameter of the dielectric tube.
[0009] In one embodiment, the annular component is provided with matching projections or notches at both axial ends, and any two annular components are connected by the engagement of the projection of one with the notch of the other.
[0010] In one embodiment, the chamber is connected to the dielectric tube via a first sink, and a sealing ring is provided between the first sink and the dielectric tube.
[0011] In one embodiment, the chamber is connected to the liner via a second sinking platform, the depth of the second sinking platform being greater than the depth of the first sinking platform.
[0012] In one embodiment, the projection or notch is located on the side closer to the center of the dielectric tube.
[0013] In one embodiment, the liner is made of ceramic material.
[0014] In one embodiment, the thickness of the annular component is 1 mm to 10 mm.
[0015] In one embodiment, the gap between the annular component and the inner wall of the dielectric tube is smaller than the thickness of the plasma shell layer.
[0016] In another embodiment of the present invention, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a plasma etching apparatus, which includes a plasma generator provided in any of the embodiments.
[0017] By employing the above-described solutions, embodiments of this disclosure can protect dielectric tubes, reduce equipment wear, and ensure and maintain high etching rates.
[0018] The above summary is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit it in any way. Further aspects, embodiments, and features of this disclosure can be easily understood by referring to the drawings and the following detailed description, in addition to the exemplary aspects, embodiments, and features described above.
[0019] In the drawings, unless otherwise specified, reference numerals common to multiple drawings represent the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn proportionally. These drawings illustrate only some of the embodiments provided in this disclosure and should not be considered as limiting the scope of this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0020] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a plasma generator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a partially enlarged view of a plasma generator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0021] The following briefly describes some exemplary embodiments. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the embodiments described can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the drawings and description should be considered as illustrative and not limiting in nature.
[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a plasma generator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, this device is
[0023] A dielectric tube 4, wherein a first end portion in the axial direction of the dielectric tube 4 is connected to a cover plate 2, and a second end portion is in communication with a chamber 6, the dielectric tube 4,
[0024] A coil 5 wound outside the dielectric tube 4,
[0025] A liner 9 provided inside the dielectric tube 4, wherein the liner 9 extends along the inner wall of the dielectric tube 4 such that the inner wall of the dielectric tube 4 is at least partially shielded by the liner 9 in the radial direction, the liner 9.
[0026] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the dielectric tube 4 may be a cylinder made of quartz material, and a single layer of liner 9 is attached to the inner wall, and this liner 9 completely shields the inner wall of the cylinder in the radial direction. The liner 9 can extend from the first end portion to the second end portion of the dielectric tube 4 so as to completely shield the inner wall of the dielectric tube 4 in the radial direction. The liner 9 may be slightly shorter than the height of the inner wall of the dielectric tube 4 so as to shield most of the area of the inner wall of the dielectric tube 4. Although quartz may be eroded in a high-temperature and chemical reaction environment, the liner 9 provides a protective layer that prevents the plasma from directly contacting the quartz cylinder and can reduce the loss and corrosion of the quartz material.
[0027] The cover plate 2 and the dielectric tube 4 are connected via a sealing ring 3, and the cover plate 2 can be connected to the intake pipeline 1.
[0028] According to the solution of the embodiment of the present disclosure, the lifespan of the dielectric tube 4 can be extended and the maintenance needs of the equipment can be reduced.
[0029] In one embodiment, the liner 9 is a cylindrical structure formed by sequentially stacking a plurality of annular components 91 along the axial direction of the dielectric tube 4, and the diameter of the annular component 91 is smaller than the inner diameter of the dielectric tube 4.
[0030] In the embodiments of this disclosure, multiple annular components 91 are stacked at once to form a single liner 9 cylinder, which is placed inside the dielectric tube 4. By using a structure in which multiple annular components 91 are stacked, the equipment can better manage heat. High-temperature annular components 91 close to the coil 5 can rapidly transfer heat to adjacent low-temperature annular components 91, achieving a uniform heat distribution and avoiding localized overheating.
[0031] According to the solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, it is possible to ensure that the liner 9 maintains a uniform temperature throughout the etching process, reduce fluctuations in equipment performance due to temperature variations, and improve process stability and repeatability.
[0032] Since the annular components 91 are independent, they can be installed and removed one by one, simplifying the installation and maintenance process of the liner 9. The gaps between the annular components 91 alleviate stress concentration due to thermal expansion and reduce the risk of structural failure due to temperature changes. The gaps between the annular components 91 allow etching gas to flow between the inner liner 9 and the inner wall of the dielectric tube 4, improving gas exchange efficiency during the etching process.
[0033] In one embodiment, the annular component 91 is provided with matching projections 92 or notches at both axial ends, and any two annular components 91 are connected by the engagement of one projection 92 with the other notch.
[0034] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the shaped matching protrusions 92 or notches can be referred to as “labyrinth structures.” Between any two annular components 91, there is a matching labyrinth structure, as shown in Figure 2. The interlocking of the protrusions 92 and notches makes the connection between the annular components 91 tighter, reducing the possibility of plasma leaking from the gap between the liner 9 and the dielectric tube 4 to the surface of the dielectric tube 4, and protecting the dielectric tube 4 from direct plasma impact.
[0035] The interlocking of the projection 92 and the notch provides additional mechanical support to enhance the overall structural stability of the liner 9.
[0036] This structure helps to disperse heat and avoid localized overheating by increasing the contact surface area between two adjacent annular parts 91. The interlocking of the projection 92 and the notch allows for faster and more uniform heat transfer between the annular parts 91.
[0037] The tight connection reduces the risk of particles or contaminants entering the chamber 6 through the gap between the liner 9 and the dielectric tube 4.
[0038] The following are possible implementation methods for the labyrinth structure.
[0039] • The interlocking of the protrusion and the notch.
[0040] Each annular component 91 is provided with a projection 92 and a notch at both axial ends, the shapes of which match. The cross-section of the projection 92 may be square, hemispherical, triangular, trapezoidal, or any other shape suitable for fitting, and the notch is designed accordingly to accommodate the projection 92.
[0041] ·Spiral connection
[0042] The annular component 91, through the design of a helical groove or helical projection, can tightly connect adjacent components by helical motion, thereby providing better mechanical support.
[0043] Labyrinth groove
[0044] Labyrinth grooves are designed at the axial end of the annular component 91, and adjacent components form a labyrinth structure through the interlocking of these grooves.
[0045] ·Lingual groove connection
[0046] The axial end of the annular component 91 is provided with a tongue-shaped projection and a groove-shaped notch, which ensures a tight fit between the components, similar to the tongue-groove connection method used in woodworking.
[0047] • Lockable connection
[0048] The annular component 91 is provided with a lock-like structure, and a tight and stable connection can be ensured by the mutual engagement of the locks.
[0049] ·Waveform design
[0050] The plane at the axial end of the annular component 91 is designed to be corrugated, and adjacent components interlock with each other through the corrugated uneven structure, forming a labyrinth structure.
[0051] According to the solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, by enhancing the complexity and tightness of the connections between the annular components 91, plasma isolation can be ensured, while structural stability and gas sealing can be enhanced, and contamination and thermal management problems can be reduced.
[0052] In one embodiment, the chamber 6 is connected to the dielectric tube 4 via a first sink, and a seal ring 3 is provided between the first sink and the dielectric tube 4.
[0053] In the embodiments of this disclosure, a circular opening is provided at the top of the chamber 6, the size of which matches the dielectric tube 4, a first sinking platform is provided at the edge 61 of the chamber 6 adjacent to the opening, the second end of the dielectric tube 4 is connected to the first sinking platform, and a seal ring 3 is provided between the first sinking platform and the dielectric tube 4. The first sinking platform is obtained by sinking the upper surface of the edge 61 toward the opposite lower surface by a certain depth.
[0054] In one embodiment, the chamber 6 is connected to the liner 9 via a second sinking platform, the depth of the second sinking platform being greater than the depth of the first sinking platform.
[0055] In the embodiments of this disclosure, a second sinking platform is further provided on the edge 61 of the chamber 6, the second sinking platform being located closer to the opening center of the first sinking platform. The depth of the sinking of the second sinking platform is greater than that of the first sinking platform, so that the lower end of the liner 9 extends beyond the lower end of the dielectric tube 4, thereby better shielding the dielectric tube 4 and further preventing the dielectric tube 4 from being struck by the plasma.
[0056] In one embodiment, the projection 92 or notch is located on the side closer to the center of the dielectric tube 4.
[0057] In one embodiment, the liner 9 is made of a ceramic material.
[0058] The ceramic liner 9 withstands plasma shock and chemical corrosion, thus preventing wear on the dielectric tube 4. Ceramic materials such as aluminum oxide (Al2O3), aluminum nitride (AlN), beryllium oxide (BeO), or silicon nitride (Si3N4) have excellent chemical stability. They react less with hydrogen gas and other reactive gases (e.g., oxygen, fluorine gas), reducing combined wear and maintaining a high concentration of active material in the plasma. Furthermore, ceramic materials have excellent electrical insulation properties, effectively blocking electric field interference between the plasma and the quartz cylinder, reducing charge loss in the plasma, and increasing the active material concentration in the plasma.
[0059] In one embodiment, the thickness of the annular component 91 is 1 mm to 10 mm.
[0060] In the embodiments of this disclosure, a ceramic annular component 91 (hereinafter referred to as a ceramic ring) is used as the liner 9, and its thickness directly affects the transmittance of the high-frequency magnetic field and the plasma generation efficiency. A thin ceramic ring reduces the loss of the high-frequency magnetic field in the material, thereby improving the energy coupling efficiency. To reduce the impact on the energy coupling efficiency of the coil 5, the thickness of the ceramic ring is made as small as possible, and may be between 1 mm and 10 mm. This allows more energy to be transferred to the plasma, improving the plasma generation efficiency and etching rate.
[0061] In one embodiment, the gap between the annular component 91 and the inner wall of the dielectric tube 4 is smaller than the thickness of the plasma shell layer.
[0062] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the plasma shell layer refers to a thin plasma region layer formed between the plasma and the inner wall of the dielectric tube 4. The thickness and stability of the plasma shell layer can be influenced by controlling the gap between the outer wall of the ceramic ring and the inner wall of the dielectric tube 4. A small gap can prevent the plasma shell layer from being too thick, thereby reducing direct contact between the plasma and the dielectric tube 4. The gap between the outer wall of the ceramic ring and the inner wall of the dielectric tube 4 may be smaller than the thickness of the plasma shell layer, for example, between 0.1 mm and 3 mm. This effectively reduces the opportunities for the plasma to directly contact the dielectric tube 4, protecting the dielectric tube 4 from plasma shock and corrosion. On the other hand, a thin ceramic ring and a relatively small gap help to better manage heat and reduce the risk of localized overheating, ensuring that frictional particle generation does not occur without interference between components after the temperature of each component changes in the plasma process mode.
[0063] According to the solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the above-described technical means make it possible to protect the dielectric tube 4 with the liner 9 without significantly affecting the energy coupling efficiency of the coil 5, thereby increasing etching efficiency, stabilizing the plasma, reducing contamination, and lowering equipment maintenance costs.
[0064] A plasma generator provided by any embodiment of the present disclosure can be applied to a plasma etching apparatus, as shown in Figure 1, which further comprises an intake line 1 and a vacuum pump 8.
[0065] The intake pipe 1 enters the dielectric tube 4 via the cover plate 2, and the dielectric tube 4 is sealed and connected to the cover plate 2. A support base for placing wafers 7 is provided inside the chamber 6, and a vacuum pump 8 is provided at the bottom of the chamber 6. The cover plate 2, dielectric tube 4, and chamber 6 together define the vacuum chamber.
[0066] Radio frequency energy is supplied to the coil 5 antenna and coupled to the vacuum chamber via the dielectric tube 4, exciting the process gas in the vacuum chamber 6 into a plasma. In processes involving hydrogen, the hydrogen forms active hydrogen atoms or hydrogen ions in the plasma, and these active materials can chemically react with other gases or the sample surface, causing the dielectric tube 4 to be rapidly consumed and leading to increased costs.
[0067] Because the plasma excitation region is far from wafer 7, a large amount of power is used to excite the plasma in order to ensure that the concentration of excited state components on the surface of wafer 7 is achieved.
[0068] Other configurations of the plasma etching apparatus in the above-described embodiment can employ various solutions that are currently and may be known in the future by those skilled in the art, and will not be described in detail here.
[0069] In this description, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by the terms “center,” “longitudinal,” “lateral,” “length,” “width,” “thickness,” “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inside,” “outside,” “clockwise,” “counterclockwise,” “axial,” “radial,” and “circumferential” are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings and are solely for the purpose of facilitating and simplifying the description of this disclosure, and do not indicate or suggest that such devices or elements have, are configured in, or must operate in a particular orientation, nor should they be understood as limiting this disclosure.
[0070] Furthermore, the terms “First” and “Second” are used solely for descriptive purposes and are not intended to indicate or imply relative importance or the number of technical features described. Therefore, features limited to “First” and “Second” may include one or more such features, either explicitly or implicitly. In this disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly and specifically limited, “multiple” means two or more.
[0071] In this disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly stated and limited, terms such as “attach,” “connect,” “join,” and “fix” can be interpreted broadly, for example, as fixed connections, removable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections, electrical connections, or communicative connections; direct connections, indirect connections via an intermediate medium, internal communication between two elements, or interaction relationships between two elements. A person skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure depending on the specific circumstances.
[0072] In this disclosure, unless otherwise explicitly stated and limited, the phrase "above" or "below" a first feature may include direct contact between the first and second features, or it may include contact between the first and second features via an additional feature between them, rather than direct contact. Furthermore, the phrase "above," "above," and "above" a first feature may mean that the first feature is directly above and diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the horizontal height of the first feature is greater than the horizontal height of the second feature. The phrase "below," "below," and "above" a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below and diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than the horizontal height of the second feature.
[0073] The above disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for realizing different structures of this disclosure. For the sake of brevity of the disclosure, components and configurations of specific examples are described above. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Furthermore, this disclosure may repeat reference figures and / or reference letters in different embodiments, such repetitions are for simplification and clarity and do not in themselves indicate relationships between the various embodiments and / or configurations discussed.
[0074] The specific embodiments described above do not limit the scope of protection of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications, combinations, subcombinations, substitutions, etc., can be made depending on design requirements and other factors. All modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure are included within the scope of protection of this disclosure. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0075] 1. Intake line 2 Cover Plates 3. Seal ring 4 Dielectric tubes 5 coils 6 Chambers 61 Edge 7 wafers 8. Vacuum pump 9 Raina 91 Ring-shaped part 92 Protrusion
Claims
1. A dielectric tube (4), wherein the first axial end of the dielectric tube (4) is connected to a cover plate (2), and the second end is in communication with a chamber (6), A coil (5) wound around the dielectric tube (4), A liner (9) provided inside the dielectric tube (4), wherein the liner (9) extends along the inner wall of the dielectric tube (4) such that the inner wall of the dielectric tube (4) is shielded by the liner (9) at least partially in the radial direction, comprising: Plasma generator.
2. The liner (9) is a cylindrical structure formed by sequentially stacking a plurality of annular components (91) along the axial direction of the dielectric tube (4), and the diameter of the annular components (91) is smaller than the inner diameter of the dielectric tube (4). The plasma generator according to claim 1.
3. Each of the annular parts (91) is provided with a projection (92) or notch of a matching shape at both axial ends, and any two annular parts (91) are connected by the engagement of one projection (92) with the notch of the other. The plasma generator according to claim 2.
4. The chamber (6) is connected to the dielectric tube (4) via a first sink, and a seal ring (3) is provided between the first sink and the dielectric tube (4). The plasma generator according to claim 1.
5. The chamber (6) is connected to the liner (9) via a second sinking platform, and the depth of the sinking of the second sinking platform is greater than the depth of the sinking of the first sinking platform. The plasma generator according to claim 4.
6. The projection (92) or notch is provided on the side of the dielectric tube (4) that is closer to the center. The plasma generator according to claim 1.
7. The liner (9) is made of ceramic material. The plasma generator according to claim 1.
8. The thickness of the annular component (91) is 1 mm to 10 mm. The plasma generator according to claim 2.
9. The gap between the annular component (91) and the inner wall of the dielectric tube (4) is smaller than the thickness of the plasma shell layer. The plasma generator according to claim 2.
10. A plasma etching apparatus comprising a plasma generator according to any one of claims 1 to 9.