Semiconductor process equipment and pressure control method

Abstract

The present application discloses a semiconductor process equipment and a pressure control method, which belong to the field of semiconductor process technology. The disclosed semiconductor process equipment includes a process chamber, a gas-liquid separator, a pressure control valve and an auxiliary pressure control device. The exhaust port of the process chamber is connected to the air inlet of the gas-liquid separator through a first exhaust pipe, and the air outlet of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the pressure control valve through a second exhaust pipe. The pressure control valve is connected to the pressure collection port of the gas-liquid separator through a pressure collection pipe. The pressure control valve is used to preliminarily adjust the pressure at the exhaust port; the auxiliary pressure control device is arranged in the first exhaust pipe, and the auxiliary pressure control device is used to secondarily adjust the pressure at the exhaust port. The above solution can solve the problem of low pressure control sensitivity and accuracy in semiconductor process equipment involved in related technologies.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of semiconductor process technology, and specifically relates to a semiconductor process equipment and a pressure control method. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of semiconductor processing technology, people have put forward higher requirements on the technology of semiconductor process equipment. Taking the oxidation furnace as an example, people have increasingly higher requirements on the density and uniformity of the silicon dioxide film generated by the oxidation furnace on the wafer surface. The density and uniformity of the silicon dioxide film are determined by the oxidation furnace's control of the exhaust pressure of its process chamber.

[0003] However, as the oxidation process of the oxidation furnace becomes more and more complex, the temperature inside the process chamber increases, and the temperature inside the chamber is adjusted multiple times. This puts higher requirements on the pressure control sensitivity and accuracy of the pressure control valve of the semiconductor process equipment. As the water vapor content in the process gas increases, the pressure control accuracy of the pressure control valve will also decrease.

[0004] In summary, the semiconductor process equipment involved in the related art has the problem of low voltage control sensitivity and accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application discloses a semiconductor process equipment and a pressure control method to solve the problem of low pressure control sensitivity and accuracy of semiconductor process equipment involved in related technologies.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, this application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A semiconductor process equipment, comprising a process chamber, a gas-liquid separator, a pressure control valve, and an auxiliary pressure control device, wherein the exhaust port of the process chamber is connected to the gas inlet of the gas-liquid separator via a first exhaust pipe, the gas outlet of the gas-liquid separator is connected to the pressure control valve via a second exhaust pipe, the pressure control valve is connected to the pressure collection port of the gas-liquid separator via a pressure collection pipe, and the pressure control valve is used to preliminarily adjust the pressure at the exhaust port;

[0008] The auxiliary pressure control device is provided at the first exhaust pipe, and is used for secondary regulating the pressure at the exhaust port.

[0009] A pressure control method is applied to the semiconductor process equipment described above, the pressure control method comprising:

[0010] A first pressure value in the gas-liquid separator is obtained through the pressure collection port, and the pressure control valve preliminarily adjusts the pressure at the exhaust port according to the first pressure value;

[0011] obtaining a second pressure value at the exhaust port;

[0012] When the second pressure value meets the auxiliary pressure control condition, the pressure at the exhaust port is secondarily adjusted by the auxiliary pressure control device until the second pressure value meets the process condition.

[0013] The technical solution adopted in this application can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0014] In this application, the liquid-containing gas is discharged into the gas-liquid separator through the exhaust port of the process chamber. After the liquid-containing gas is separated in the gas-liquid separator, the gas enters the pressure control valve. The pressure control valve collects the pressure value of the gas-liquid separator at this time through the pressure collection tube. By comparing the pressure value with the process preset pressure value, the pressure at the exhaust port is preliminarily adjusted. If the pressure at the exhaust port is still large at this time, the pressure at the exhaust port is reduced by the auxiliary pressure control device; if the pressure at the exhaust port is small at this time, the pressure at the exhaust port is increased by the auxiliary pressure control device. It can be seen from this that the present application first preliminarily adjusts the pressure at the exhaust port through the pressure control valve, and then further adjusts the pressure at the exhaust port through the auxiliary pressure control device, thereby improving the pressure control accuracy of the semiconductor process equipment. In addition, compared with the pressure control valve, the auxiliary pressure control device is closer to the exhaust port, so the auxiliary pressure control device can adjust the pressure at the exhaust port more quickly, and the pressure adjustment process of the auxiliary pressure control device is not limited by the temperature change in the process chamber, thereby improving the pressure control sensitivity. Therefore, the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in this application can solve the problem of low pressure control sensitivity and accuracy of the semiconductor process equipment involved in the related art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a semiconductor process equipment disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0016] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of the auxiliary pressure control device and pressure detector disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of the auxiliary pressure control device disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a blocking member disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the blocking member disclosed in an embodiment of the present application being located in a first position;

[0020] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the blocking member disclosed in an embodiment of the present application being located in the second position;

[0021] Figure 7 This is a flow chart of the pressure control method disclosed in the embodiment of this application.

[0022] Description of reference numerals:

[0023] 100 - process chamber, 110 - exhaust port, 120 - first exhaust pipe, 121 - pressure port, 122 - pressure joint, 123 - branch pipe, 1231 - second flange, 124 - thermal insulation sleeve, 1241 - through hole;

[0024] 200-gas-liquid separator, 210-second exhaust pipe, 220-inner cavity;

[0025] 300-pressure control valve, 310-pressure collection pipe, 320-third exhaust pipe;

[0026] 400 - auxiliary pressure control device, 410 - driving mechanism, 411 - output shaft, 420 - blocking member, 421 - blocking portion, 422 - connecting portion, 430 - mounting seat, 431 - mounting hole, 432 - first flange, 433 - third flange, 440 - coupling, 450 - first seal, 460 - second seal;

[0027] 500-pressure detector;

[0028] 610-condenser, 620-water cooling jacket, 630-conversion joint;

[0029] 700-water collection device, 710-first drain pipe, 720-second drain pipe, 730-third drain pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] To make the purpose, technical solutions, and advantages of this application more clear, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0031] The semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below through specific embodiments and their application scenarios in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0032] Please refer to Figure 1-Figure 7 The present application discloses a semiconductor process equipment, which includes a process chamber 100, a gas-liquid separator 200, a pressure control valve 300, and an auxiliary pressure control device 400. Optionally, the semiconductor process equipment can be an oxidation furnace or other equipment used to process semiconductor devices.

[0033] The process chamber 100 is a core part of semiconductor process equipment for processing semiconductor devices. When performing a process, the process chamber 100 generates process exhaust gas, which is generally a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. The exhaust port 110 of the process chamber 100 is used to discharge process exhaust gas, which usually contains water vapor. The exhaust port 110 is connected to the air inlet of the gas-liquid separator 200 through the first exhaust pipe 120. The gas-liquid separator 200 is used to separate the water vapor and gas in the process exhaust gas. The outlet of the gas-liquid separator 200 is connected to the pressure control valve 300 through the second exhaust pipe 210, that is, the gas flows into the pressure control valve 300 through the second exhaust pipe 210. The pressure control valve 300 is connected to the pressure collection port of the gas-liquid separator 200 through the pressure collection pipe 310 to achieve real-time collection of the pressure of the gas-liquid separator 200. The pressure collection pipe 310 can be connected to the pressure sensor or other pressure control components in the pressure control valve 300 to collect the pressure value at the pressure collection port of the gas-liquid separator 200. By comparing the pressure value with the preset process pressure value, the pressure control valve 300 adjusts the pressure through its internal pressure control component. The process preset pressure value here refers to the pressure value required by the process performed in the process chamber 100 .

[0034] Specifically, a third exhaust pipe 320 is provided on the pressure control valve 300, and the third exhaust pipe 320 is connected to the second exhaust pipe 210. The pressure control component inside the pressure control valve 300 releases pressure by adjusting the working parameters of the third exhaust pipe 320. That is, if the above pressure value is greater than the process preset pressure value, the exhaust volume of the third exhaust pipe 320 can be increased to quickly reduce the pressure of the gas-liquid separator 200. If the above pressure value is less than the process preset pressure value, the exhaust volume of the third exhaust pipe 320 can be reduced to increase the pressure of the gas-liquid separator 200, so that the pressure control valve 300 can achieve preliminary adjustment of the pressure at the exhaust port 110.

[0035] The auxiliary pressure control device 400 is provided in the first exhaust pipe 120 and is used for secondary regulating the pressure at the exhaust port 110 so that the pressure at the exhaust port 110 meets the normal working pressure condition of the semiconductor process equipment.

[0036] In the present application, the liquid-containing gas is discharged into the gas-liquid separator 200 through the exhaust port 110 of the process chamber 100. After the liquid-containing gas is separated in the gas-liquid separator 200, the gas enters the pressure control valve 300. The pressure control valve 300 collects the pressure value of the gas-liquid separator 200 at this time through the pressure collection pipe. By comparing the pressure value with the process preset pressure value, the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is preliminarily adjusted. If the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is still relatively high at this time, the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is reduced by the auxiliary pressure control device 400; if the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is relatively low at this time, the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is increased by the auxiliary pressure control device 400. It can be seen from this that the present application first preliminarily adjusts the pressure at the exhaust port 110 through the pressure control valve 300, and then further adjusts the pressure at the exhaust port 110 through the auxiliary pressure control device 400, thereby improving the pressure control accuracy of the semiconductor process equipment. Furthermore, compared to the pressure control valve 300, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is closer to the exhaust port 110. Therefore, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 can more quickly adjust the pressure at the exhaust port 110. Furthermore, the pressure adjustment process of the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is not limited by temperature changes within the process chamber 100, thereby improving pressure control sensitivity. Therefore, the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in this application can solve the problem of low pressure control sensitivity and accuracy in semiconductor process equipment related to related technologies.

[0037] Optionally, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 may be a manual pressure control valve, and the operator manually changes the state of the manual pressure control valve to allow less or more gas to flow in the first exhaust pipe 120 , thereby achieving secondary regulation of the pressure at the exhaust port 110 .

[0038] In another embodiment, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 includes a drive mechanism 410 and a blocking member 420. The blocking member 420 is disposed within the first exhaust pipe 120 and is connected to the drive mechanism 410. The drive mechanism 410 can drive the blocking member 420 to move within the first exhaust pipe 120 to secondary adjust the pressure at the exhaust port 110. The drive mechanism 410 is capable of outputting a driving force. Therefore, the degree to which the blocking member 420 blocks the gas within the first exhaust pipe 120 can be more precisely controlled by the drive mechanism 410, thereby facilitating control of the flow of gas within the first exhaust pipe 120 and, in other words, achieving more precise adjustment of the pressure at the exhaust port 110. Optionally, the blocking member 420 can move or rotate.

[0039] The drive mechanism 410 drives the blocking member 420 to move within the first exhaust pipe 120, changing the degree to which the blocking member 420 blocks the flow of gas within the first exhaust pipe 120, thereby achieving secondary regulation of the pressure at the exhaust port 110. Specifically, when the blocking member 420 blocks less gas flow within the first exhaust pipe 120, the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is reduced; when the blocking member 420 blocks more gas flow within the first exhaust pipe 120, the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is increased. Optionally, the drive mechanism 410 may be a motor or other component with a drive function, and the first exhaust pipe 120 may be a quartz exhaust pipe, which has excellent high-temperature and corrosion resistance.

[0040] Optionally, the semiconductor process equipment also includes a pressure detector 500, which can be a pressure gauge-type component. The pressure detector 500 can be set at a position of the first exhaust pipe 120 away from the exhaust port 110. However, in this case, the pressure detector 500 is not accurate enough in detecting the pressure at the exhaust port 110, resulting in the auxiliary pressure control device 400 not adjusting the pressure accurately enough.

[0041] Therefore, in another embodiment, the pressure detector 500 is disposed in the first exhaust pipe 120 and is located between the auxiliary pressure control device 400 and the exhaust port 110. That is, the pressure detector 500 is disposed in the first exhaust pipe 120 near the exhaust port 110. In this case, the pressure value detected by the pressure detector 500 is closer to the pressure value at the exhaust port 110. The driving mechanism 410 can drive the blocking member 420 to move according to the detection value of the pressure detector 500 to achieve precise adjustment of the pressure at the exhaust port 110. In addition, this arrangement can ensure a certain distance between the pressure detector 500 and the process chamber 100, preventing the pressure detector 500 from being affected by the high temperature environment.

[0042] Optionally, since the pressure inside the process chamber 100 is consistent with the pressure at the exhaust port 110 , the pressure detector 500 may also be disposed inside the process chamber 100 or on the chamber wall of the process chamber 100 to detect the pressure value at the exhaust port 110 .

[0043] Optionally, a pressure taking port 121 protruding from the first exhaust pipe 120 is provided on the first exhaust pipe 120, and the pressure taking port 121 is connected to the pressure detector 500 through a pressure taking joint 122, that is, the pressure detector 500 is arranged in the first exhaust pipe 120 through the pressure taking port 121. This arrangement enables the pressure detector 500 to detect the pressure at the exhaust port 110 while having less resistance to the gas flow in the first exhaust pipe 120.

[0044] The distance between the pressure taking port 121 and the exhaust port 110 can be equal to the distance between the pressure taking port 121 and the auxiliary pressure control device 400, but at this time the pressure value detected by the pressure detector 500 may still have a certain gap with the pressure value at the exhaust port 110, which will affect the control of the pressure value at the exhaust port 110 by the auxiliary pressure control device 400.

[0045] Therefore, in another embodiment, the distance between the pressure taking port 121 and the exhaust port 110 is smaller than the distance between the pressure taking port 121 and the auxiliary pressure control device 400, that is, the pressure taking port 121 is closer to the exhaust port 110. At this time, the pressure value detected by the pressure detector 500 is closer to the pressure value at the exhaust port 110, thereby making it easier for the auxiliary pressure control device 400 to achieve precise control of the pressure value at the exhaust port 110.

[0046] Optionally, the distance between the auxiliary pressure control device 400 and the exhaust port 110 may be greater than the distance between the auxiliary pressure control device 400 and the gas-liquid separator 200, that is, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is farther from the exhaust port 110. In another embodiment, the distance between the auxiliary pressure control device 400 and the exhaust port 110 is less than the distance between the auxiliary pressure control device 400 and the gas-liquid separator 200, that is, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is closer to the exhaust port 110. In this case, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 can more quickly perform secondary adjustments based on the pressure value detected by the pressure detector 500, thereby adjusting the pressure value at the exhaust port 110 to the pressure value when the semiconductor process equipment is operating normally.

[0047] Furthermore, when the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is positioned near the exhaust port 110, the temperature at the location of the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is relatively high, typically greater than 100°C. Therefore, the water in the process exhaust gas flowing there is in a gaseous state, and the water content in the process exhaust gas will not affect the auxiliary pressure control device 400's regulation of the pressure at the exhaust port 110. Therefore, even if the pressure control valve 300 is inaccurate in controlling the pressure, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 can accurately correct the pressure at the exhaust port 110 so that the pressure at the exhaust port 110 reaches the preset process pressure value.

[0048] Optionally, the blocking member 420 is movably disposed within the first exhaust pipe 120, and the driving mechanism 410 can drive the blocking member 420 to move within the first exhaust pipe 120. During the movement of the blocking member 420, the size of the gap formed between the blocking member 420 and the wall of the first exhaust pipe 120 changes. That is, the larger the gap formed between the blocking member 420 and the wall of the first exhaust pipe 120, the more gas can pass through the first exhaust pipe 120, and the smaller the gap formed between the blocking member 420 and the wall of the first exhaust pipe 120, the less gas can pass through the first exhaust pipe 120. However, during the movement of the blocking member 420, the first exhaust pipe 120 needs to reserve space for the blocking member 420 to move, which may increase the space occupied by the blocking member 420 in the first exhaust pipe 120.

[0049] Therefore, in another embodiment, the blocking member 420 is rotatably provided in the first exhaust pipe 120, and the driving mechanism 410 can drive the blocking member 420 to rotate in the first exhaust pipe 120. During the rotation of the blocking member 420, the size of the gap formed between the blocking member 420 and the tube wall of the first exhaust pipe 120 changes, that is, the blocking member 420 will change the flow area inside the first exhaust pipe 120. Different flow areas will produce different flow resistances to the gas inside the first exhaust pipe 120, thereby changing the pressure of the gas inside the first exhaust pipe 120, and then changing the pressure at the exhaust port 110.

[0050] At the same time, since the blocking member 420 is rotatably arranged in the first exhaust pipe 120, the first exhaust pipe 120 needs to reserve rotation space for the blocking member 420, but the rotation space is smaller than the space required to be reserved when the blocking member 420 moves. Therefore, this setting method has the effect of saving the internal space of the first exhaust pipe 120.

[0051] Optionally, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 also includes a mounting base 430, and the driving mechanism 410 is installed on the mounting base 430. The mounting base 430 is arranged on the first exhaust pipe 120, but at this time the driving mechanism 410 is close to the first exhaust pipe 120, and the high-temperature gas in the first exhaust pipe 120 may have an adverse effect on the normal operation of the driving mechanism 410.

[0052] Therefore, in order to reduce the above-mentioned influence, in another embodiment, a branch pipe 123 is further provided on the first exhaust pipe 120, and the branch pipe 123 is connected to the first exhaust pipe 120, and the mounting seat 430 connects the driving mechanism 410 and the branch pipe 123. Under this setting, the driving mechanism 410 is farther away from the first exhaust pipe 120, so the high-temperature gas in the first exhaust pipe 120 has less adverse effect on the driving mechanism 410.

[0053] Optionally, in order to reduce the vibration generated during the operation of the driving mechanism 410, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 also includes a coupling 440, which is arranged in the mounting seat 430. One end of the coupling 440 is connected to the output shaft 411 of the driving mechanism 410. The mounting seat 430 is provided with a mounting hole 431. The blocking member 420 includes a blocking portion 421 and a connecting portion 422. The blocking portion 421 is connected to the connecting portion 422. Optionally, the blocking portion 421 and the connecting portion 422 can be connected by welding. Of course, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific connection method of the blocking portion 421 and the connecting portion 422.

[0054] The blocking portion 421 is arranged in the first exhaust pipe 120, and one end of the connecting portion 422 passes through the branch pipe 123 and the mounting hole 431 in sequence, and is connected to the other end of the coupling 440. While realizing transmission, the coupling 440 can also play a role in buffering vibrations, thereby ensuring the normal pressure control operation of the auxiliary pressure control device 400.

[0055] Alternatively, the blocking portion 421 may be in a block or plate-like structure. To facilitate rotation of the blocking portion 421 by the driving mechanism 410, the blocking portion 421 may be in a sheet-like structure. Such a sheet-like structure is relatively lightweight. The rotation axis of the blocking portion 421 is perpendicular to the extending direction of the portion of the first exhaust pipe 120 where the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is disposed. That is, the rotation axis of the blocking portion 421 is perpendicular to the airflow direction of the first exhaust pipe 120 at the auxiliary pressure control device 400. Alternatively, the rotation axis of the blocking portion 421 may be the direction in which the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is disposed on the first exhaust pipe 120. The driving mechanism 410 can drive the blocking portion 421 to rotate between a first position and a second position. When the blocking portion 421 is in the first position, the sheet-like structure of the blocking portion 421 is parallel to the aforementioned extension direction. In this position, the blocking portion 421 presents minimal resistance to gas in the first exhaust pipe 120, allowing a large amount of gas to pass through the first exhaust pipe 120. When the blocking portion 421 is in the second position, the blocking portion 421 is perpendicular to the aforementioned extension direction. In this position, the blocking portion 421 presents maximum resistance to gas in the first exhaust pipe 120, allowing a small amount of gas to pass through the first exhaust pipe 120. In this embodiment, the blocking portion 421 can switch between maximum and minimum blocking levels. Therefore, the rotation range of the blocking portion 421 can correspond to essentially any flow area, thereby providing more flexible pressure control.

[0056] Optionally, even if the mounting seat 430 and the driving mechanism 410 are a certain distance away from the first exhaust pipe 120, the branch pipe 123 is always connected to the first exhaust pipe 120. Therefore, the mounting seat 430 and the driving mechanism 410 will still be affected by some heat. In the long run, the working performance of the mounting seat 430 and the driving mechanism 410 will still be affected.

[0057] Therefore, to further reduce the adverse effects of high-temperature gas in first exhaust pipe 120 on drive mechanism 410, a thermal insulation sleeve 124 is installed within branch pipe 123. Thermal insulation sleeve 124 provides a certain degree of thermal insulation. Thermal insulation sleeve 124 has a through hole 1241. One end of connecting portion 422 passes through through hole 1241 and mounting hole 431, and is connected to the other end of coupling 440. Thermal insulation sleeve 124 provides thermal insulation protection for connecting portion 422, mounting base 430, and drive mechanism 410.

[0058] Optionally, the present application may connect the mounting base 430 and the branch pipe 123 by welding, bonding, or other connection methods.

[0059] Optionally, the present application can also connect the mounting base 430 and the branch pipe 123 using flanges with good connection strength. Specifically, the mounting base 430 includes a first flange 432, and the branch pipe 123 includes a second flange 1231. The first flange 432 and the second flange 1231 are connected to each other, thereby achieving a fixed connection between the mounting base 430 and the branch pipe 123. Optionally, the connection between the first flange 432 and the second flange 1231 can be a clamp connection, which has a better connection effect.

[0060] However, since the drive mechanism 410 is prone to vibration during operation, the connection between the first flange 432 and the second flange 1231 may gradually become loose, which may lead to gas leakage at the connection between the mounting base 430 and the branch pipe 123. To prevent gas leakage, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 optionally further includes a first seal 450, which is disposed between the first flange 432 and the second flange 1231. During the connection process, the first flange 432 and the second flange 1231 can jointly press the first seal 450, making it easier for the first seal 450 to perform its sealing function, thereby more easily preventing gas leakage.

[0061] Optionally, in order to prevent gas leakage from the mounting hole 431 of the mounting seat 430, the mounting hole 431 and the connecting portion 422 can be tightly fitted, but this may easily cause the connecting portion 422 to encounter greater resistance in the mounting hole 431, and thus it will be difficult for the driving mechanism 410 to drive the connecting portion 422 to rotate in the mounting hole 431, and thus it will be difficult for the blocking portion 421 to rotate in the first exhaust pipe 120.

[0062] To avoid the above situation, in another embodiment, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 also includes a second seal 460, which is arranged between the mounting hole 431 and the connecting part 422. Since the size of the second seal 460 can be set to be relatively small, the contact area between the second seal 460 and the connecting part 422 is relatively small. Therefore, the second seal 460 can prevent gas from leaking from the mounting hole 431 while having little effect on the rotation of the connecting part 422. Therefore, the driving mechanism 410 can more easily drive the connecting part 422 to rotate.

[0063] Optionally, the mounting seat 430 and the driving mechanism 410 can be connected by welding, bonding, or threaded fasteners. In order to further improve the connection strength and stability, the mounting seat 430 and the driving mechanism 410 can be connected by a flange. Specifically, the mounting seat 430 also includes a third flange 433, and the mounting seat 430 is fixedly connected to the driving mechanism 410 through the third flange 433.

[0064] When the thermal insulation sleeve 124 is disposed in the branch pipe 123 , the thermal insulation sleeve 124 can also prevent heat from being transferred to the first seal 450 and the second seal 460 , so as to protect the first seal 450 and the second seal 460 .

[0065] Optionally, in order to promote the gas-liquid separation of liquid-containing gas, that is, to lower the temperature of the liquid-containing gas in the first exhaust pipe 120, the length of the first exhaust pipe 120 can be set longer, so that the liquid-containing gas flows for a longer time in the first exhaust pipe 120 to achieve cooling. However, this setting method makes the cooling rate of the liquid-containing gas lower, and thus the gas-liquid separation effect is poor.

[0066] Therefore, in another embodiment, the semiconductor process equipment also includes a condenser 610 and a water-cooling jacket 620. The condenser 610 is arranged in the water-cooling jacket 620, and the condenser 610 is connected to the first exhaust pipe 120. That is, under the joint action of the condenser 610 and the water-cooling jacket 620, the high-temperature gas in the first exhaust pipe 120 is rapidly cooled, thereby facilitating the separation of water vapor in the high-temperature gas.

[0067] Optionally, since the first exhaust pipe 120 and the condenser pipe 610 are made of different materials, in order to connect the condenser pipe 610 and the first exhaust pipe 120 , a conversion joint 630 may be added between the condenser pipe 610 and the first exhaust pipe 120 .

[0068] Optionally, the semiconductor process equipment also includes a water collection device 700, which is connected to the drain port of the gas-liquid separator 200 through a first drain pipe 710. The separated water flows from the condenser 610 to the inner cavity 220 of the gas-liquid separator 200, and then flows into the first drain pipe 710 through the drain port, and then flows into the water collection device 700.

[0069] To prevent water from remaining in the inner cavity 220 of the gas-liquid separator 200, optionally, the bottom surface of the inner cavity 220 of the gas-liquid separator 200 is an inclined bottom surface, and the height of the inclined bottom surface gradually decreases from the air inlet to the drain outlet, that is, water and gas enter the inner cavity 220 from the air inlet of the gas-liquid separator 200, and the gas is discharged into the pressure control valve 300 through the second exhaust pipe 210. Water can easily gather from the higher air inlet to the lower drain outlet, and then water can be more easily discharged from the inner cavity 220 of the gas-liquid separator 200 into the water collection device 700.

[0070] However, during this process, the gas entering the pressure control valve 300 may still contain some water vapor. After the water vapor cools further inside the pressure control valve 300, it will form water. To prevent the water from adversely affecting the pressure control valve 300, a second drain pipe 720 can be added to the pressure control valve 300. The second drain pipe 720 connects the pressure control valve 300 and the water collection device 700, thereby draining the water in the pressure control valve 300 to the water collection device 700. If the amount of water in the water collection device 700 is large at this time, the water collection device 700 can drain the water to the plant service end through the third drain pipe 730.

[0071] The present application also discloses a pressure control method, which is applied to the semiconductor process equipment described above. The pressure control method includes:

[0072] S100 , obtaining a first pressure value in the gas-liquid separator 200 through a pressure collection port, and preliminarily adjusting the pressure at the exhaust port 110 by the pressure control valve 300 according to the first pressure value.

[0073] Specifically, the pressure control valve 300 is connected to the pressure collection port of the gas-liquid separator 200 through the pressure collection pipe 310 to obtain a first pressure value in the gas-liquid separator 200. The pressure control valve 300 performs preliminary adjustment according to the first pressure value, that is, the pressure control valve 300 compares the first pressure value with the process preset pressure value to achieve preliminary adjustment of the pressure at the exhaust port 110.

[0074] S200 : Acquire a second pressure value at the exhaust port 110 .

[0075] Specifically, the second pressure value at the exhaust port 110 may be obtained through the pressure detector 500 , that is, the pressure detector 500 is provided at the exhaust port 110 , thereby obtaining the second pressure value at the exhaust port 110 .

[0076] S300 , when the second pressure value meets the auxiliary pressure control condition, the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is secondary adjusted by the auxiliary pressure control device 400 until the second pressure value meets the process condition.

[0077] Specifically, the auxiliary pressure control condition can be that the second pressure value is less than or greater than a preset process pressure value, which is the pressure value required for the semiconductor process equipment to execute the process. When the second pressure value meets the auxiliary pressure control condition, it means that auxiliary pressure control is required. At this time, the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is adjusted again by the auxiliary pressure control device 400 until the second pressure value meets the process condition, which can be that the second pressure value is equal to the preset process pressure value.

[0078] When the above pressure control method is used, the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is initially adjusted by the pressure control valve 300, and then the pressure at the exhaust port 110 is further adjusted by the auxiliary pressure control device 400, thereby improving the pressure control sensitivity and accuracy of the semiconductor process equipment.

[0079] Optionally, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 includes a driving mechanism 410 and a blocking member 420 . The blocking member 420 is disposed in the first exhaust pipe 120 , and the driving mechanism 410 is connected to the blocking member 420 .

[0080] The above step S300 specifically includes:

[0081] S310. When the second pressure value is greater than the process preset pressure value, and the difference between the second pressure value and the process preset pressure value is greater than the adjustment value of the pressure control valve 300, that is, the second pressure value at the exhaust port 110 is large, which does not meet the normal working conditions of the semiconductor process equipment, and the pressure control requirements cannot be met by relying solely on the pressure control valve 300, the blocking member 420 is driven to move by the driving mechanism 410 to increase the gap formed between the blocking member 420 and the pipe wall of the first exhaust pipe 120, so that a larger amount of gas can pass through the first exhaust pipe 120, thereby reducing the second pressure value at the exhaust port 110, and then making the second pressure value at the exhaust port 110 meet the normal working conditions of the semiconductor process equipment.

[0082] S320. When the second pressure value is less than the process preset pressure value, and the difference between the process preset pressure value and the second pressure value is greater than the adjustment value of the pressure control valve 300, that is, the second pressure value at the exhaust port 110 is small, which does not meet the normal working conditions of the semiconductor process equipment, and the pressure control requirements cannot be met by relying solely on the pressure control valve 300, the blocking member 420 is driven to move by the driving mechanism 410 to reduce the gap formed between the blocking member 420 and the wall of the first exhaust pipe 120, so that a small amount of gas can pass through the first exhaust pipe 120, thereby increasing the second pressure value at the exhaust port 110, and then making the second pressure value at the exhaust port 110 meet the normal working conditions of the semiconductor process equipment.

[0083] Alternatively, the adjustment value may be the pressure control accuracy of the pressure control valve 300. In the above embodiment, when the pressure control valve 300 alone cannot meet the pressure control requirement, the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is used to adjust the pressure at the exhaust port 110. In other words, the drive mechanism 410 is activated when necessary, thereby reducing power consumption of the semiconductor process equipment.

[0084] Optionally, the blocking member 420 may include a blocking portion 421 , which is disposed in the first exhaust pipe 120 and is a sheet-like structure. The pressure control method further includes:

[0085] S400. When the absolute value of the difference between the second pressure value and the process preset pressure value is less than or equal to the adjustment value of the pressure control valve 300, that is, the absolute value of the difference between the second pressure value and the process preset pressure value is small, the pressure can be precisely controlled by the pressure control valve 300. Therefore, the driving mechanism 410 can be controlled to be in a closed state to reduce energy consumption, and the angle between the blocking part 421 and the air flow direction of the first exhaust pipe 120 at the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is made to be 45°, so that the blocking degree of the gas by the blocking part 421 is moderate, and it is not easy for the pressure of the exhaust port 110 to be too high due to excessive blocking degree, nor is it easy for the pressure of the exhaust port 110 to be too low due to too low blocking degree.

[0086] Optionally, the initial setting position of the blocking portion 421 can be a position where the angle between the blocking portion 421 and the airflow direction of the first exhaust pipe 120 at the auxiliary pressure control device 400 is 45°, so that the blocking portion 421 has a moderate degree of blocking effect on the gas.

[0087] The above embodiments of this application focus on the differences between the various embodiments. As long as the different optimization features between the various embodiments are not contradictory, they can be combined to form a better embodiment. Considering the simplicity of the text, they will not be repeated here.

[0088] The foregoing is merely an embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application may have various changes and variations. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application should all be included within the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that: The invention comprises a process chamber (100), a gas-liquid separator (200), a pressure control valve (300) and an auxiliary pressure control device (400), wherein the exhaust port (110) of the process chamber (100) is connected to the air inlet of the gas-liquid separator (200) through a first exhaust pipe (120), the air outlet of the gas-liquid separator (200) is connected to the pressure control valve (300) through a second exhaust pipe (210), the pressure control valve (300) is connected to the pressure collection port of the gas-liquid separator (200) through a pressure collection pipe (310), and the pressure control valve (300) is used to preliminarily adjust the pressure at the exhaust port (110); The auxiliary pressure control device (400) is provided on the first exhaust pipe (120), and the auxiliary pressure control device (400) is used for secondary regulation of the pressure at the exhaust port (110).

2. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 1, wherein: The auxiliary pressure control device (400) comprises a driving mechanism (410) and a blocking member (420), wherein the blocking member (420) is arranged in the first exhaust pipe (120), and the driving mechanism (410) is connected to the blocking member (420). The driving mechanism (410) can drive the blocking member (420) to move in the first exhaust pipe (120) to secondary adjust the pressure at the exhaust port (110).

3. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 2, wherein: The semiconductor process equipment further includes a pressure detector (500), which is provided in the first exhaust pipe (120), and the pressure detector (500) is located between the auxiliary pressure control device (400) and the exhaust port (110), and the driving mechanism (410) can drive the blocking member (420) to move according to the detection value of the pressure detector (500).

4. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 3, wherein: The first exhaust pipe (120) is provided with a pressure port (121), the pressure port (121) is connected to the pressure detector (500), and the distance between the pressure port (121) and the exhaust port (110) is smaller than the distance between the pressure port (121) and the auxiliary pressure control device (400).

5. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 2, wherein: The blocking member (420) is rotatably disposed in the first exhaust pipe (120), and the driving mechanism (410) can drive the blocking member (420) to rotate in the first exhaust pipe (120). During the rotation of the blocking member (420), the size of the gap formed between the blocking member (420) and the pipe wall of the first exhaust pipe (120) changes.

6. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 5, wherein: The first exhaust pipe (120) is further provided with a branch pipe (123), the branch pipe (123) being in communication with the first exhaust pipe (120). The auxiliary pressure control device (400) further comprises a mounting seat (430) and a coupling (440), the mounting seat (430) being connected to the drive mechanism (410) and the branch pipe (123), the coupling (440) being disposed within the mounting seat (430), one end of the coupling (440) being connected to the output shaft (411) of the drive mechanism (410), and the mounting seat (430) being provided with a mounting hole (431); The blocking member (420) comprises a blocking portion (421) and a connecting portion (422), wherein the blocking portion (421) is connected to the connecting portion (422), and the blocking portion (421) is arranged in the first exhaust pipe (120). One end of the connecting portion (422) passes through the branch pipe (123) and the mounting hole (431) in sequence, and is connected to the other end of the coupling (440).

7. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 6, wherein: The blocking portion (421) is a sheet-like structure, and the rotation axis of the blocking portion (421) is perpendicular to the extension direction of the portion of the first exhaust pipe (120) where the auxiliary pressure control device (400) is provided. The driving mechanism (410) can drive the blocking portion (421) to rotate between a first position and a second position. When the blocking portion (421) is located at the first position, the blocking portion (421) is parallel to the extension direction; when the blocking portion (421) is located at the second position, the blocking portion (421) is perpendicular to the extension direction.

8. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 6, wherein: A heat-insulating sleeve (124) is provided in the branch pipe (123), and the heat-insulating sleeve (124) is provided with a through hole (1241). One end of the connecting portion (422) passes through the through hole (1241) and the mounting hole (431) in sequence, and is connected to the other end of the coupling (440).

9. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 6, wherein: The auxiliary pressure control device (400) further includes a first sealing member (450), the mounting seat (430) includes a first flange (432), the branch pipe (123) includes a second flange (1231), the first flange (432) and the second flange (1231) are connected, and the first sealing member (450) is arranged between the first flange (432) and the second flange (1231).

10. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 6, wherein: The auxiliary pressure control device (400) further includes a second sealing member (460), wherein the second sealing member (460) is provided between the mounting hole (431) and the connecting portion (422).

11. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 1, wherein: The distance between the auxiliary pressure control device (400) and the exhaust port (110) is smaller than the distance between the auxiliary pressure control device (400) and the gas-liquid separator (200).

12. A pressure control method, applied to the semiconductor process equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The pressure control method comprises: A first pressure value in the gas-liquid separator (200) is obtained through the pressure collection port, and the pressure control valve (300) preliminarily adjusts the pressure at the exhaust port (110) according to the first pressure value; Acquiring a second pressure value at the exhaust port (110); When the second pressure value satisfies the auxiliary pressure control condition, the pressure at the exhaust port (110) is secondary adjusted by the auxiliary pressure control device (400) until the second pressure value satisfies the process condition.

13. The pressure control method according to claim 12, characterized in that: The auxiliary pressure control device (400) comprises a driving mechanism (410) and a blocking member (420), wherein the blocking member (420) is disposed in the first exhaust pipe (120), and the driving mechanism (410) is connected to the blocking member (420); When the second pressure value satisfies the auxiliary pressure control condition, the pressure at the exhaust port (110) is secondary adjusted by the auxiliary pressure control device (400) until the second pressure value satisfies the process condition, specifically comprising: When the second pressure value is greater than a process preset pressure value, and the difference between the second pressure value and the process preset pressure value is greater than the adjustment value of the pressure control valve (300), the blocking member (420) is driven to move by the driving mechanism (410), so that the gap formed between the blocking member (420) and the pipe wall of the first exhaust pipe (120) becomes larger; When the second pressure value is less than the process preset pressure value, and the difference between the process preset pressure value and the second pressure value is greater than the adjustment value of the pressure control valve (300), the blocking member (420) is driven to move by the driving mechanism (410), so that the gap formed between the blocking member (420) and the pipe wall of the first exhaust pipe (120) becomes smaller.

14. The pressure control method according to claim 13, characterized in that: The blocking member (420) comprises a blocking portion (421), the blocking portion (421) being arranged in the first exhaust pipe (120), the blocking portion (421) being a sheet-like structure, and the pressure control method further comprising: When the absolute value of the difference between the second pressure value and the process preset pressure value is less than or equal to the adjustment value of the pressure control valve (300), the driving mechanism (410) is controlled to be in a closed state, and the angle between the blocking portion (421) and the airflow direction of the first exhaust pipe (120) at the auxiliary pressure control device (400) is set to 45°.

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