Gas injector with plasma treatment device

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a gas ejector and a plasma processing apparatus. The gas ejector includes an ejector body. The ejector body has a jetting end face facing a substrate, and the jetting end face is arc-shaped. The ejector body forms a gas channel for introducing reactive gas and nozzles communicating with the gas channel. There are multiple nozzles that penetrate the jetting end face, and the density of the nozzles on the jetting end face decreases from the center of the jetting end face to the edge of the jetting end face. On the one hand, this avoids the problem of reactive gas concentrating in the middle of the substrate, resulting in uneven ionization of the reactive gas, as in conventional technologies. On the other hand, the magnetic field force provided by the coil acts perpendicularly on the substrate surface located in the reaction chamber, ensuring that the reactive gas, regardless of its flow direction, is ultimately ionized and acts perpendicularly on the substrate surface, thereby greatly improving the etching uniformity of the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to gas ejectors and plasma processing apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Plasma etching technology is widely used in the processing of semiconductor devices. Plasma etching technology refers to the process in which reactive gases are excited by radio frequency power to generate ionized plasma containing a large number of active particles such as electrons, ions, excited-state atoms, molecules, and free radicals. These active particles undergo various physical and chemical reactions with the surface of the substrate (e.g., a wafer) and form volatile products, thereby changing the properties of the substrate surface.

[0003] Plasma etching technology relies on a plasma processing device. Typically, this device includes a reaction chamber, a gas ejector mounted on the chamber, and a bias power supply. Reactive gases enter the reaction chamber through the gas ejector to create a plasma environment, where they are ionized by radio frequency power to form plasma. The bias power supply applies a bias voltage to the substrate. Thus, during the etching process, the plasma-state gas is attracted to the substrate. The plasma acts on the substrate surface, undergoing physical and chemical reactions to form volatile reaction products. These products detach from the substrate surface and are extracted from the reaction chamber by a vacuum system.

[0004] Traditionally, a widely used gas ejector design is cylindrical, with multiple vents on its end face and outer wall. The reactive gas is then ejected through these vents onto the substrate surface for etching. However, the etching uniformity on the substrate surface is insufficient and fails to meet requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a gas ejector and plasma processing device that can improve the etching uniformity of the substrate surface.

[0006] The technical solution is as follows: A gas ejector, the gas ejector comprising:

[0007] The injector body has an injection end face facing the substrate, and the injection end face is arc-shaped. The injector body has a gas passage for introducing reactive gas and a nozzle connected to the gas passage. There are multiple nozzles that penetrate the injection end face, and the arrangement density of the nozzles on the injection end face decreases from the center position of the injection end face to the edge position of the injection end face.

[0008] In one embodiment, the arcuate surface includes a first region, a second region, and a third region arranged sequentially from the center to the edge of the arcuate surface; the arc between the edge of the first region and the center of the arcuate surface is 12°-36°, and the distance between any two adjacent nozzles arranged in the first region is 1.5mm-2.5mm; the arc between the edge of the second region, which is away from the first region, and the center of the arcuate surface is 54°-78°, and the distance between any two adjacent nozzles arranged in the second region is 2.5mm-3.5mm; the distance between any two adjacent nozzles arranged in the third region is 4.5mm-5.5mm.

[0009] In one embodiment, the arc between the edge of the first region and the center of the arcuate surface is 18°-30°, and the distance between any two adjacent nozzles in the first region is 1.8mm-2.2mm; the arc between the edge of the second region, which is away from the first region, and the center of the arcuate surface is 60°-72°, and the distance between any two adjacent nozzles in the second region is 2.8mm-3.2mm; the distance between any two adjacent nozzles in the third region is 4.8mm-5.2mm.

[0010] In one embodiment, all the nozzles on the injection end face are divided into multiple groups, and there are multiple air passages, with each of the multiple air passages corresponding to and connected to one of the multiple groups of nozzles.

[0011] In one embodiment, the gas injector further includes a gas input pipe correspondingly connected to the gas passage, and a flow regulating valve correspondingly disposed on the gas input pipe.

[0012] In one embodiment, the gas injector further includes a controller and a thickness detection device. The controller is electrically connected to the thickness detection device and the flow regulating valve, respectively. The thickness detection device is used to detect the thickness uniformity of the substrate surface, and the controller is used to control the flow regulating valve to operate based on the thickness uniformity information of the substrate surface detected by the thickness detection device.

[0013] In one embodiment, each of the nozzles in each group is equidistant from the central axis of the injection end face and is arranged sequentially at intervals around the central axis of the injection end face; the air passage is an annular channel, and one end of the annular channel is connected to each of the nozzles in its corresponding group.

[0014] In one embodiment, the injector body includes a main body, a flexible connecting part, a head, and a power mechanism. The main body is connected to the head through the flexible connecting part. The air passage is disposed through the main body. The injector end face is disposed on the outer wall of the head. The power mechanism is connected to the flexible connecting part and / or the head and is used to drive the head to deflect.

[0015] In one embodiment, the power mechanism is a stepper motor, and the drive end of the stepper motor is connected to the flexible connector.

[0016] In one embodiment, the main body and the head are each independently configured as ceramic or single crystal.

[0017] In one embodiment, there are at least two power mechanisms, which are arranged sequentially at intervals around the outer wall of the main body.

[0018] In one embodiment, a boss is provided around the outer wall of the main body, and at least two of the power mechanisms are connected to the boss at equal intervals.

[0019] In one embodiment, the flexible connector is a corrugated pipe.

[0020] In one embodiment, the gas injector further includes a controller and a thickness detection device. The controller is electrically connected to the thickness detection device and the power mechanism, respectively. The thickness detection device is used to detect the thickness uniformity of the substrate surface, and the controller is used to control the operation of the power mechanism based on the thickness uniformity information of the substrate surface detected by the thickness detection device.

[0021] A plasma processing apparatus, the plasma processing apparatus comprising the aforementioned gas injector.

[0022] In one embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus further includes a reaction chamber and a support for supporting the substrate; the support is located inside the reaction chamber and directly below the gas ejector.

[0023] The aforementioned gas ejector and plasma processing device, by designing the ejection end face of the ejector body as an arc surface and making the arrangement density of the nozzles decrease from the center position of the ejection end face to the edge position of the ejection end face, can achieve matching with the upper electrode plate and the radius of the coil. On the one hand, it can avoid the situation where the reactive gas is concentrated in the middle part of the substrate, resulting in uneven ionization of the reactive gas and thus inconsistent thickness uniformity of the substrate (wafer) surface, as in conventional technology. On the other hand, the magnetic force provided by the coil acts perpendicularly on the substrate surface located in the reaction chamber, so that the reactive gas, regardless of its flow direction, will ultimately act perpendicularly on the substrate surface after ionization, thereby greatly improving the etching uniformity of the substrate. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this disclosure. The illustrative embodiments of this disclosure and their descriptions are used to explain this disclosure and do not constitute an undue limitation of this disclosure.

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a traditional gas injector;

[0027] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the end face structure of a traditional gas ejector;

[0028] Figure 3 Thermal images of substrates are obtained using conventional gas ejectors during production.

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gas injector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the spray end face of the structure shown;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gas injector according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 7 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the structure in the embodiment shown, in which the airway is connected to the gas input pipe;

[0033] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gas injector according to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a plasma processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 10 for Figure 9 The thermal image of the substrate was obtained by manufacturing the structure shown.

[0036] 110. Air inlet channel; 120. Cylinder; 121. End face; 122. Air outlet;

[0037] 210. Reaction chamber; 220. Gas injector; 221. Injector body; 2211. Injection end face; 2212. Gas passage; 2213. Nozzle; 2214. Main body; 22141. Boss; 2215. Flexible connection part; 2216. Head; 2217. Power mechanism; 222. Gas input pipe; 223. Flow regulating valve; 230. Support part; 240. Coil; 250. Base plate; A. Edge of the first zone; B. Edge of the second zone; O. Center of the injection end face; Z. Center; M. First connecting line; N. Second connecting line; a. Angle. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the above-described objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this disclosure. However, this disclosure can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0039] As mentioned in the background section, existing substrates often exhibit uneven etching, leading to non-compliance with customer requirements. Research has revealed that the cause of this problem is... (See also...) Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a conventional gas injector is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the end face 121 of a conventional gas injector is shown. Figure 3The image shows a thermal image of a substrate produced using a conventional gas ejector. The conventional gas ejector includes a cylinder 120 with an inlet channel 110. The end face 121 of the cylinder 120 is flat, and multiple outlet holes 122 connected to the inlet channel 110 are concentrated in the middle of the end face 121, causing a relatively large amount of the ejected reactive gas to be directed towards the center of the substrate surface. Furthermore, multiple outlet holes 122 connected to the inlet channel 110 are also arranged on the outer wall of the cylinder 120, causing a relatively large amount of the ejected reactive gas to be directed towards the outer periphery of the substrate surface. Thus, a relatively large amount of reactive gas is present in both the center and the outer periphery of the substrate, resulting in a relatively greater degree of etching and consequently, a defect with poor uniformity on the substrate surface.

[0040] For the reasons mentioned above, this disclosure provides a gas ejector and plasma processing apparatus that can improve the etching uniformity of the substrate surface.

[0041] Please see Figure 9 , Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a plasma processing apparatus according to another embodiment of this disclosure is shown. In one embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus, for example, is an apparatus for forming a thin film on the surface of a substrate 250 or for etching the thin film using a plasma CVD method. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a reaction chamber 210 for forming the thin film; a gas injector 220 inside the reaction chamber 210, specifically located at the top of the reaction chamber 210, and provided with a gas input pipe 222 for introducing reactive gases such as plasma generating gas and etching gas into the reaction chamber 210, so that the reactive gases act on the substrate 250; a support portion 230 for mounting the substrate 250 and other devices such as an electrostatic chuck having internal electrodes; a bias power supply (not shown) electrically connected to the internal electrodes; a coil 240 for generating plasma inside the reaction chamber 210; and a power supply electrically connected to the coil 240. The bias power supply, the coil 240, and the power supply are all, for example, located outside the reaction chamber 210. The bias power supply is a power source that supplies high-frequency power to the internal electrodes. The coil 240 and the power supply (not shown in the figure) are a discharge mechanism for discharging the reaction gas supplied to the reaction chamber 210.

[0042] In one embodiment, in the plasma processing apparatus, gas introduced from a gas injector 220 is plasma-generated above a substrate 250 via a coil 240 and a power supply. A thin film is formed on the substrate 250 using the plasma-generated gas, or the thin film is etched. For example, when forming a thin film containing silicon oxide (SiO2) on the substrate 250, plasma-generating gases such as silane (SiH4), argon (Ar), and oxygen (O2) are supplied to the gas channel 2212 through the gas input pipe 222; during etching, SF6, CF4, CHF3, and C are supplied to the gas channel 2212 through the gas input pipe 222. l Etching gases include fluorine-based gases such as F3, NF3, C3F8, C4F8, and HF, and chlorine-based gases such as Cl2, HCl, BCl3, and CCl4. To make this embodiment simpler and clearer, this embodiment will specifically focus on etching a thin film as an example. The process of forming a thin film on substrate 250 is similar and will not be described in detail.

[0043] In one embodiment, see Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 9 , Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a gas injector 220 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 5 for Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the injection end face 2211 shown. An embodiment of this disclosure provides a gas injector 220, which includes an injector body 221. The injector body 221 has an injection end face 2211 facing the substrate 250. The injection end face 2211 is arc-shaped. The injector body 221 has a gas passage 2212 for introducing a reactive gas, and nozzles 2213 communicating with the gas passage 2212. Multiple nozzles 2213 penetrate the injection end face 2211, and the density of the nozzles 2213 on the injection end face 2211 decreases from the center position of the injection end face 2211 to the edge position of the injection end face 2211.

[0044] Please see Figure 4 , Figure 9 and Figure 10The gas ejector 220 described above has an arc-shaped ejection end face 2211 of the ejector body 221, and the arrangement density of the nozzles 2213 decreases from the center of the ejection end face 2211 to the edge of the ejection end face 2211. This allows it to match the top electrode plate (TCP) and the radius of the coil 240. On the one hand, it avoids the problem of reactant gas being concentrated in the middle of the substrate 250, which leads to uneven ionization of the reactant gas and inconsistent thickness uniformity of the substrate (wafer) surface, as in conventional technologies. On the other hand, the magnetic field force provided by the coil 240 acts perpendicularly on the surface of the substrate 250 located in the reaction chamber 210, ensuring that the reactant gas, regardless of its flow direction, is ultimately ionized and acts perpendicularly on the surface of the substrate 250, thereby greatly improving the etching uniformity of the substrate 250.

[0045] It should be noted that the spray end face 2211 can be a circular arc surface, an elliptical arc surface, or a surface that is not absolutely circular or elliptical in a physical sense. It is permissible for some processing errors to exist during the manufacturing process, and all of these should be within the protection scope of this embodiment.

[0046] Please see Figure 4 Optionally, the injection end face 2211 may be a hemispherical surface or a 1 / 3 spherical surface, etc.

[0047] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the arcuate surface includes a first region (e.g., ...) sequentially arranged from the center to the edge of the arcuate surface. Figure 5 The area enclosed by the middle dashed circle A), the second area (such as...) Figure 5 The region between dashed coil A and dashed coil B) and the third region (such as...) Figure 5 The outer region of the dashed circle B); the edge of the first region and the center of the arc-shaped surface (e.g. Figure 5 The arc between the two nozzles (2213) in the first region (as shown in the diagram) is 12°-36°, and the spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 in the first region is 1.5mm-2.5mm; the arc between the edge of the second region (far from the first region) and the center of the arc surface is 54°-78°, and the spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 in the second region is 2.5mm-3.5mm; the spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 in the third region is 4.5mm-5.5mm. Thus, research has shown that this arrangement of the reactive gas on the jet end face 2211 achieves a relatively uniform distribution, which, when applied to the surface of the substrate 250, improves the etching uniformity of the substrate 250.

[0048] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5It should be noted that the edge of the first zone is adjacent to the center of the curved surface (e.g., Figure 4 and Figure 5 The arc between point O (which refers to the point exactly in the middle of the curved surface) and the center of the curved surface (as shown in the diagram) refers to the arc between any point selected on the edge of the first region (denoted as point 1) and the center of the curved surface (as shown in the diagram). Figure 4 As shown in Z, which refers to the intersection of all radii of the curved surface, the line connecting these points is defined as the first connecting line (e.g., ...). Figure 4 The line M in the diagram represents the second line, and the line connecting the center of the curved surface to the center of the circle on the curved surface is defined as the second line (e.g., the line M represents the circle on the curved surface). Figure 4 The straight line shown in N), the angle between the first line and the second line (as shown in the figure). Figure 4 As shown in Figure a), this represents the curvature between the edge of the first region and the center of the curved surface. Similarly, the curvature between the edge of the second region (far from the first region) and the center of the curved surface is understood in a similar manner and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0049] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one embodiment, the arc between the edge of the first region and the center of the arc-shaped surface is 18°-30°, and the spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 arranged in the first region is 1.8mm-2.2mm; the arc between the edge of the second region, which is farther from the first region, and the center of the arc-shaped surface is 60°-72°, and the spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 arranged in the second region is 2.8mm-3.2mm; the spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 arranged in the third region is 4.8mm-5.2mm. Thus, research has shown that this achieves a more uniform arrangement of the reactive gas on the injection end face 2211, resulting in better etching uniformity on the substrate 250 after it acts on the surface of the substrate 250.

[0050] The curvature between the edge of the first zone and the center of the arc surface includes, but is not limited to, 12°, 16°, 18°, 20°, 25°, 28°, 30°, 32°, 34°, 36°, etc.

[0051] The spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 arranged in the first area includes, but is not limited to, 1.5mm, 1.8mm, 1.9mm, 2mm, 2.1mm, 2.2mm, 2.5mm, etc., and can also be other values ​​other than 1.5mm-2.5mm.

[0052] The curvature between the edge of the second zone, which is far from the first zone, and the center of the arc surface includes, but is not limited to, 54°, 58°, 60°, 65°, 68°, 70°, 72°, 76°, 78°, etc.

[0053] The spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 arranged in the second zone includes, but is not limited to, 2.5mm, 2.8mm, 2.9mm, 3mm, 3.1mm, 3.2mm, 3.5mm, etc., and can also be other values ​​other than 2.5mm-3.5mm.

[0054] The spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 arranged in the third zone includes, but is not limited to, 4.5mm, 4.8mm, 4.9mm, 5mm, 5.1mm, 5.2mm, and 5.5mm, or other values ​​other than 4.5mm-5.5mm.

[0055] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 In one specific embodiment, the arc between the edge of the first region and the center of the arcuate surface is 30°, and the spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 arranged in the first region is 2mm. The arc between the edge of the second region, which is away from the first region, and the center of the arcuate surface is 60°, and the spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 arranged in the second region is 3mm. The spacing between any two adjacent nozzles 2213 arranged in the third region is 5mm. Furthermore, the edge of the third region is the edge of the arcuate surface, and the arc between the edge of the third region and the center of the arcuate surface is, for example, 90°, in which case the arcuate surface is a hemispherical surface.

[0056] It should be noted that all the nozzles 2213 on the injection end face 2211 can be connected to the gas supply device independently through the air passage and gas input pipe, or they can be connected to the gas supply device through the same air passage and the same gas input pipe. In addition, they can be connected to the gas supply device in other ways. There are no restrictions here, and they can be flexibly adjusted and set according to actual needs.

[0057] Please see Figure 5 and Figure 6 , Figure 6A schematic diagram of the structure of a gas ejector 220 according to another embodiment of this disclosure is shown, specifically illustrating that there are multiple air passages 2212. In one embodiment, all the nozzles 2213 on the injection end face 2211 are divided into multiple groups, and there are multiple air passages 2212, with each air passage 2212 corresponding to one group of nozzles 2213. Thus, since all the nozzles 2213 on the injection end face 2211 are connected to multiple air passages 2212 in a grouped manner, their independence is improved. Furthermore, the flow rate of each air passage 2212 can be flexibly adjusted and set according to actual needs, thereby enabling more precise control of the reactant gas. In addition, compared to a design structure where each nozzle 2213 is independently connected to the gas supply device via an air passage and a gas input pipe, grouping the nozzles 2213 and connecting each group to a corresponding air passage 2212 simplifies the structure of the gas ejector 220.

[0058] It should be noted that the number of nozzles 2213 in each group can be, for example, one, two, three, four, or more. Furthermore, the number of nozzles 2213 in each group can be the same or different; the specific setting can be flexibly adjusted according to actual needs.

[0059] Please see Figures 5 to 7 , Figure 7 It shows Figure 6 The illustrated embodiment shows a schematic diagram of the connection between the gas passage 2212 and the gas input pipe 222. In one embodiment, the gas injector 220 further includes a gas input pipe 222 correspondingly connected to the gas passage 2212, and a flow regulating valve 223 correspondingly disposed on the gas input pipe 222. All gas input pipes 222 are connected to the same gas supply device, which provides the required gas to each gas input pipe 222. Thus, the required gas is delivered to the gas passage 2212 through the gas input pipe 222 according to actual needs, and the gas flow rate on the gas input pipe 222 is adjusted by the flow regulating valve 223. This allows for flexible selection of a suitable gas input pipe 222 for operation and flexible adjustment of the gas flow rate to an appropriate level, thereby improving the etching uniformity of the substrate 250 and enhancing adjustability.

[0060] Please see Figures 5 to 7In one embodiment, the gas injector 220 further includes a controller and a thickness detection device (not shown). The controller is electrically connected to both the thickness detection device and the flow regulating valve 223. The thickness detection device is used to detect the thickness uniformity of the substrate 250 surface, and the controller is used to control the flow regulating valve 223 based on the thickness uniformity information detected by the thickness detection device. Thus, the uniformity of the substrate 250 surface is detected in a timely manner by the thickness detection device, and the detected thickness uniformity information is sent to the controller. The controller then controls the flow regulating valve 223 in a timely manner based on the thickness uniformity information, thereby improving the etching uniformity of the substrate 250 surface.

[0061] Specifically, the thickness detection device includes, but is not limited to, an image capturing mechanism that acquires image information of the substrate 250 surface and determines the uniformity of the substrate 250 surface based on this image information. Optionally, when it is determined that the thickness at the position corresponding to the first region on the substrate 250 surface is too thick, the flow regulating valve is activated to increase the flow rate of the nozzle 2213 in the first region. When it is determined that the thickness at the position corresponding to the second region on the substrate 250 surface is too thick, the flow regulating valve is activated to increase the flow rate of the nozzle 2213 in the second region. When it is determined that the thickness at the position corresponding to the third region on the substrate 250 surface is too thick, the flow regulating valve is activated to increase the flow rate of the nozzle 2213 in the third region.

[0062] Please see Figures 5 to 7 In one embodiment, each nozzle 2213 in each group is equidistant from the central axis of the injection end face 2211, and they are arranged sequentially at intervals around the central axis of the injection end face 2211. The air passage 2212 is specifically, for example, an annular channel, with one end of the annular channel connected to each nozzle 2213 in its corresponding group. Thus, each nozzle 2213 in each group is equidistant from the central axis of the injection end face 2211; in other words, multiple nozzles 2213 equidistant from the central axis of the injection end face 2211 are considered as a group. Furthermore, each nozzle 2213 in each group is interconnected with the same air passage 2212 corresponding to that group. The gas pressure in the same air passage 2212 is the same, which means that multiple nozzles 2213 that are equidistant from the central axis of the spray end face 2211 can be controlled to work synchronously, and the spray flow rate of each nozzle 2213 in the same group can be kept basically consistent. This is beneficial to achieve better control of the film thickness uniformity of the substrate 250 surface in the circumferential direction, and thus achieve better control of the film thickness uniformity of the entire surface of the substrate 250.

[0063] Please see Figure 8 , Figure 8A schematic diagram of the structure of a gas injector 220 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In one embodiment, the injector body 221 includes a main body 2214, a flexible connecting part 2215, a head 2216, and a power mechanism 2217. The main body 2214 is connected to the head 2216 via the flexible connecting part 2215. An air passage 2212 is provided through the main body 2214, and the injector end face is provided on the outer wall of the head 2216. The power mechanism 2217 can be connected to the flexible connecting part 2215, and by driving the connection part with the flexible connecting part 2215 to move up and down, for example, the head 2216 is driven to deflect to one side, thereby changing the angle between the central axis of the head 2216 and the central axis of the main body 2214. In this way, the head 2216 can be driven to deflect to one side by the power mechanism 2217 according to the film thickness uniformity on the surface of the substrate 250, thereby improving the film thickness uniformity on the surface of the substrate 250. Specifically, the power mechanism 2217 drives the head 2216 to deflect toward the side of the substrate 250 with a thicker film thickness, so that the side of the substrate 250 with a thicker film thickness comes into contact with more reactive gas to achieve more etching. The part of the substrate 250 with a thinner film thickness comes into contact with relatively less reactive gas, which can reduce etching and achieve overall uniformity of the substrate 250 surface.

[0064] Of course, the power mechanism 2217 can also be connected to the head 2216, and drive the connection part connected to the head 2216 to move up and down, for example, to drive the head 2216 to deflect to one side. In addition, the power mechanism 2217 can be connected to both the head 2216 and the flexible connection part 2215.

[0065] In one specific embodiment, the power mechanism 2217 is connected to one end of the flexible connecting portion 2215 located near the main body 2214. This minimizes the size of the power mechanism 2217 and significantly reduces the number of contact points, thereby improving product performance. Furthermore, the vertical telescopic movement range of the power mechanism 2217 can be flexibly set to within 10mm, for example, according to actual needs, with a movement accuracy of, for example, 0.1mm, thus enabling movement within the range of 0.1mm to 10mm.

[0066] Alternatively, during actual deflection, the power mechanism 2217 can move up and down a distance typically of 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 5mm, etc., to drive the flexible connecting part 2215 to deform, and the flexible connecting part 2215 will cause the head 2216 to deflect to one side by a preset angle. The angle at which the head 2216 deflects can be between 0° and 90°, specifically between 0° and 30°. As an example, this deflection angle is set between 15° and 25°.

[0067] In one embodiment, the main body 2214 and the head 2216 are each independently made of ceramic or single crystal.

[0068] Optionally, the power mechanism 2217 can be one, two, three, four, five or other quantities. The specific setting is not limited here and can be flexibly adjusted and set according to actual needs.

[0069] Please see Figure 8 In one embodiment, there are at least two power mechanisms 2217, which are arranged sequentially and at intervals around the outer wall of the main body 2214. In this way, when there are more power mechanisms 2217, it is possible to more flexibly select the appropriate power mechanism 2217 to operate to adjust the deflection direction of the head 2216, so as to improve the film uniformity of the substrate 250.

[0070] In one embodiment, a boss 22141 is provided around the outer wall of the main body 2214.

[0071] It should be noted that the "boss 22141" can be a "part of the main body 2214", that is, the "boss 22141" and the "other parts of the main body 2214" can be integrally molded; or it can be an independent component that can be separated from the "other parts of the main body 2214", that is, the "boss 22141" can be manufactured independently and then combined with the "other parts of the main body 2214" to form a whole.

[0072] Optionally, at least two power mechanisms 2217 are connected to the boss 22141 at equal intervals.

[0073] Please see Figure 8 Specifically, the power mechanism 2217 comprises, for example, three units, which are equally spaced and connected to the boss 22141. When any one power mechanism 2217 is activated, it drives the head 2216 to deflect, allowing the head 2216 to deflect towards a preset angle position according to actual needs. In other words, the deflection of the head 2216 is achieved through the cooperation of the three power mechanisms 2217. Each of the three power mechanisms 2217 can independently control the exit direction of the nozzle 2213. When purging the surface of the substrate 250 and encountering etching rate deviations or during substrate 250 re-etching, the direction and concentration of the reactive gas injection can be changed to improve the uniformity of the substrate 250. Furthermore, the number of power mechanisms 2217 is not excessive, thus avoiding a complex product structure and increased device cost.

[0074] It should be noted that the flexible connecting part 2215 may be made of elastic material, plastic material, or other material that can be bent. There are no limitations on this, and it can be flexibly adjusted and set according to actual needs.

[0075] In one embodiment, the flexible connector 2215 includes, but is not limited to, a bellows.

[0076] The bellows refers to a tubular elastic sensitive element made of foldable corrugated sheets connected along the folding and stretching direction. When driven by the power mechanism 2217, it can deflect in a timely manner. In addition, the bellows deflects slightly when subjected to force, and the deflection angle is not too large, which would affect the uniformity of the substrate 250.

[0077] In addition, the power mechanism 2217 may optionally include, but is not limited to, a stepper motor, a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, a gear drive mechanism, etc., as long as it can provide the driving force for up and down movement. The specific structure is not limited here. In this embodiment, the power mechanism 2217 is specifically selected as a stepper motor. The three drive ends of the three stepper motors are respectively connected to three different parts of the flexible connecting part 2215. When one of the three stepper motors moves up and down, the other two stepper motors remain stationary, which can drive the flexible connecting part 2215 to deform and drive the head 2216 to deflect, or directly drive the head 2216 to deflect. Since the stepper motor is a high-precision stepper motor, the stroke accuracy can reach 0.1mm, which can achieve relatively precise control of the deflection angle of the head 2216, thereby helping to improve the etching uniformity of the substrate 250 surface in a timely manner.

[0078] In one embodiment, the gas injector 220 further includes a controller and a thickness detection device. The controller is electrically connected to both the thickness detection device and the power mechanism 2217. The thickness detection device is used to detect the thickness uniformity of the substrate 250 surface, and the controller is used to control the power mechanism 2217 to operate based on the thickness uniformity information detected by the thickness detection device. Thus, the thickness uniformity of the substrate 250 surface is detected in a timely manner by the thickness detection device, and the detected thickness uniformity information is sent to the controller. The controller then controls the power mechanism 2217 to operate in a timely manner based on the thickness uniformity information, thereby improving the etching uniformity of the substrate 250 surface.

[0079] In one specific embodiment, the gas injector 220 includes a tubular air passage 2212 for guiding gas and a nozzle 2213 connected to the air passage 2212, from which gas is injected. The nozzle is formed of oxides, fluorides, or oxyfluorides of rare earth elements (hereinafter, "oxides, fluorides, and oxyfluorides of rare earth elements" may be referred to as "compounds of rare earth elements"), or a ceramic or single crystal with yttrium aluminum composite oxide as the main component.

[0080] In one embodiment, the air passage 2212 has a gas supply port for communicating with the gas input pipe 222. The nozzle 2213 has a gas injection port. Optionally, the air passage 2212 is elongated, accounting for more than 70% of the total length of the gas injector 220. The air passage 2212 has a length of, for example, more than 10 mm and less than 100 mm, and a diameter of, for example, more than 1 mm and less than 20 mm.

[0081] In one embodiment, the nozzle 2213 is connected to the air passage 2212 such that its axis is inclined towards the outer periphery of the gas injector 220. The nozzle 2213 is shorter than the air passage 2212. The diameter of the nozzle 2213 is smaller than the diameter of the air passage 2212. The nozzle 2213, for example, has a length of 0.2 mm or more and 10 mm or less, and a diameter of 0.1 mm or more and 10 mm or less. Gas introduced from the gas input pipe 222 is injected through the air passage 2212 and through the nozzle 2213 into the interior of the reaction chamber 210 and diffused.

[0082] In one embodiment, the injector body 221 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape. Specifically, the injector body 221 has a hemispherical cylindrical spray end face 2211. The radius of the hemispherical portion is, for example, 10 mm to 100 mm.

[0083] In one embodiment, the term "main component" in this disclosure refers to a component that accounts for more than 90% of the mass of a ceramic or single crystal.

[0084] Furthermore, rare earth element compounds, particularly yttrium oxide, ytterbium oxide, holmium oxide, dysprosium oxide, erbium oxide, yttrium fluoride, ytterbium fluoride, holmium fluoride, dysprosium fluoride, erbium fluoride, yttrium oxyfluoride, ytterbium oxyfluoride, holmium oxyfluoride, dysprosium oxyfluoride, and erbium oxyfluoride, are components with high corrosion resistance to plasma generation gases. In the gas injector 220 disclosed herein, the higher the content of rare earth element compounds, the higher the corrosion resistance. In particular, the content of rare earth element compounds can be 98.0% by mass or more, 99.5% by mass or more, and further 99.9% by mass or more.

[0085] In one embodiment, the ceramic or single crystal forming the gas injector 220 of this disclosure may contain at least one element, such as silicon, iron, aluminum, calcium and magnesium, in addition to the main component.

[0086] It should be noted that the substrate 250 in this embodiment can be a semiconductor wafer at any stage of the process of forming semiconductor elements, such as integrated circuits or discrete devices, on a substrate. In one embodiment, the substrate 250 includes a dielectric layer with an extremely low dielectric constant and a metal layer on the semiconductor substrate. The substrate 250 can be a photomask, a semiconductor wafer, or other workpiece known to those skilled in the art of electronic component manufacturing. In at least some embodiments, the substrate 250 includes any material used to manufacture any integrated circuit, passive (e.g., capacitor, inductor), and active (e.g., transistor, photodetector, laser, diode) microelectronic components. The substrate 250 may include an insulating material (e.g., a dielectric material) separating such active and passive microelectronic components from one or more conductive layers formed on top of them. In one embodiment, the substrate 250 is a semiconductor substrate comprising one or more dielectric layers, such as silicon, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, sapphire, and other dielectric materials. In one embodiment, the substrate 250 comprises a wafer stack comprising one or more layers. A wafer with one or more layers may contain a conductive layer, a semiconductor layer, an insulating layer, or any combination of the foregoing.

[0087] In one embodiment, the shape of the nozzle 2213 of the gas injector 220 provided in this disclosure includes, but is not limited to, a circle as described in the foregoing embodiments. In practical applications, it can also be elliptical, rectangular, irregular polygonal, or other shapes, as long as the nozzle 2213 penetrates the injection end face 2211 and communicates with the gas passage 2212. Furthermore, the specific number of nozzles 2213 can be flexibly adjusted and set according to actual needs, and is not limited here. A sufficient number of nozzles 2213 will facilitate the uniform injection of the reactive gas.

[0088] It is understood that the gas ejector provided in this disclosure is not only for plasma processing devices, but can also be applied to other devices / apparatus that require uniform injection of the aforementioned fluid.

[0089] This disclosure provides a plasma processing apparatus, including the gas ejector described in this disclosure, a reaction chamber, and a support for supporting the substrate; the support is located inside the reaction chamber and directly below the gas ejector.

[0090] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0091] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this disclosure, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosed patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this disclosure, and these all fall within the protection scope of this disclosure. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent should be determined by the appended claims.

[0092] In the description of this disclosure, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this disclosure and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this disclosure.

[0093] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this disclosure, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0094] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure according to the specific circumstances.

[0095] In this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0096] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

Claims

1. A gas injector, characterized by, The gas injector includes: The injector body has an injection end face facing the substrate, and the injection end face is arc-shaped. The injector body has a gas passage for introducing reactive gas and a nozzle connected to the gas passage. There are multiple nozzles that penetrate the injection end face, and the arrangement density of the nozzles on the injection end face decreases from the center position of the injection end face to the edge position of the injection end face. The injector body includes a main body, a flexible connecting part, a head, and a power mechanism. The main body is connected to the head through the flexible connecting part. The air passage is disposed through the main body. The injector end face is disposed on the outer wall of the head. The power mechanism is connected to the flexible connecting part and / or the head and is used to drive the head to deflect.

2. The gas injector of claim 1, wherein The arc-shaped surface includes a first region, a second region, and a third region arranged sequentially from the center to the edge of the arc-shaped surface; the arc between the edge of the first region and the center of the arc-shaped surface is 12°-36°, and the distance between any two adjacent nozzles arranged in the first region is 1.5mm-2.5mm; the arc between the edge of the second region, which is away from the first region, and the center of the arc-shaped surface is 54°-78°, and the distance between any two adjacent nozzles arranged in the second region is 2.5mm-3.5mm; the distance between any two adjacent nozzles arranged in the third region is 4.5mm-5.5mm.

3. The gas injector of claim 2, wherein, The arc between the edge of the first region and the center of the arc surface is 18°-30°, and the distance between any two adjacent nozzles in the first region is 1.8mm-2.2mm; the arc between the edge of the second region, which is away from the first region, and the center of the arc surface is 60°-72°, and the distance between any two adjacent nozzles in the second region is 2.8mm-3.2mm; the distance between any two adjacent nozzles in the third region is 4.8mm-5.2mm.

4. The gas injector of claim 1, wherein All the nozzles on the spray end face are divided into multiple groups, and there are multiple air passages. The multiple air passages are connected to the multiple groups of nozzles in a one-to-one correspondence.

5. The gas injector of claim 4, wherein, The gas injector also includes a gas input pipe that is connected to the gas passage, and a flow regulating valve that is correspondingly provided on the gas input pipe.

6. The gas injector of claim 5, wherein, The gas injector also includes a controller and a thickness detection device. The controller is electrically connected to the thickness detection device and the flow regulating valve, respectively. The thickness detection device is used to detect the thickness uniformity of the substrate surface. The controller is used to control the operation of the flow regulating valve based on the thickness uniformity information of the substrate surface detected by the thickness detection device.

7. The gas injector of claim 4, wherein Each of the nozzles in each group is equidistant from the central axis of the injection end face, and they are arranged sequentially at intervals around the central axis of the injection end face; the air passage is an annular channel, and one end of the annular channel is connected to each of the nozzles in its corresponding group.

8. The gas injector of claim 1, wherein, The power mechanism is a stepper motor, and the drive end of the stepper motor is connected to the flexible connecting part.

9. The gas injector of claim 1, wherein, Both the main body and the head are independently made of ceramic or single crystal.

10. The gas injector of claim 1, wherein, The power mechanism is at least two, and the at least two power mechanisms are arranged sequentially and at intervals around the outer wall of the main body.

11. The gas injector of claim 10, wherein, The outer wall of the main body is provided with protrusions, and at least two of the power mechanisms are connected to the protrusions at equal intervals.

12. The gas injector of claim 8, wherein, The flexible connector is a corrugated pipe.

13. The gas injector of claim 8, wherein, The gas injector also includes a controller and a thickness detection device. The controller is electrically connected to the thickness detection device and the power mechanism, respectively. The thickness detection device is used to detect the thickness uniformity of the substrate surface, and the controller is used to control the operation of the power mechanism based on the thickness uniformity information of the substrate surface detected by the thickness detection device.

14. A plasma processing apparatus, characterized by, The plasma processing apparatus includes a gas injector as described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. The plasma processing apparatus of claim 14, wherein, The plasma processing apparatus further includes a reaction chamber and a support for supporting the substrate; the support is located inside the reaction chamber and directly below the gas injector.

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