Preheating ring and substrate processing device

Abstract

This invention discloses a preheating ring and a substrate processing apparatus. The preheating ring includes a top surface and a bottom surface arranged opposite to each other. A through hole is provided at the center of the preheating ring, and at least a portion of the top surface is inclined toward the through hole and set at an acute angle to the horizontal plane. This invention aims to provide a preheating ring that effectively mitigates turbulence in the edge region of a substrate surface, thereby achieving uniform thickness of the thin film layer deposited on the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a preheating ring and a substrate processing apparatus using the preheating ring. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, various thin film layers need to be continuously deposited on the surface of a substrate. These layers are then patterned using development and etching techniques, such as epitaxially growing a thin film layer with the same crystal arrangement as the substrate. During this process, the substrate is placed in a processing chamber, and the introduced processing gas passes through a preheating ring to adjust its reaction temperature. This allows a series of chemical reactions to occur on the substrate surface, producing the thin film layer. Subsequent byproducts are then discharged from the reaction chamber along the direction of the main gas flow. In related technologies, uneven gas diffusion on the substrate surface leads to uneven thickness of the formed thin film layer, thus affecting the performance of the patterned semiconductor device. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The main objective of this invention is to provide a preheating ring and a substrate processing apparatus, which aims to provide a preheating ring that effectively reduces turbulence in the edge region of the substrate surface, thereby achieving uniform thickness of the thin film layer deposited on the substrate.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a preheating ring, which is applied to a substrate processing apparatus. The preheating ring includes a top surface and a bottom surface arranged opposite to each other. A through hole is provided at the center of the preheating ring. At least a portion of the top surface is inclined toward the through hole and is arranged at an acute angle to the horizontal plane.

[0005] In one embodiment, the preheating ring has an inner ring and an outer ring, the inner ring enclosing to form the through hole, the top surface and the bottom surface both connecting the inner ring and the outer ring, the top surface being inclined from the outer ring toward the inner ring and set at an acute angle to the horizontal plane.

[0006] In one embodiment, the preheating ring includes a top surface and a bottom surface arranged opposite to each other, and a through hole is provided at the center of the preheating ring. At least a portion of the top surface is inclined toward the through hole and is set at an acute angle to the horizontal plane, such that the distance between at least a portion of the top surface and the horizontal plane is different from the through hole to the distance away from the through hole.

[0007] In one embodiment, the preheating ring has an inner ring and an outer ring, the inner ring enclosing to form the through hole, the top surface and the bottom surface both connecting the inner ring and the outer ring, the top surface being inclined from the outer ring toward the inner ring and set at an acute angle to the horizontal plane, such that the distance between the top surface and the horizontal plane is different from the inner ring to the outer ring.

[0008] In one embodiment, the bottom surface is further provided with a recess that extends through the inner ring, and the corner of the recess near the outer ring is rounded.

[0009] And / or, the connection between the top surface and the inner ring is chamfered;

[0010] And / or, the bottom surface is provided with a protrusion near the outer ring, the protrusion being used to abut and limit the processing chamber of the substrate processing device.

[0011] In one embodiment, the top surface has two first regions and two second regions, the two first regions are symmetrically arranged with respect to the center of the through hole, the two second regions are symmetrically arranged with respect to the center of the through hole, and the line connecting the two first regions is perpendicular to the line connecting the two second regions.

[0012] The top surfaces corresponding to the two first regions and the two second regions are inclined and form the same acute angle with the horizontal plane; and / or, the size of the top surfaces corresponding to the two first regions is the same as the size of the top surfaces corresponding to the two second regions.

[0013] In one embodiment, the tilt height of the top surface is defined as h, and the tilt height h of the top surface is 1mm to 3mm;

[0014] And / or, the tilt angle of the top surface is 1° to 15°.

[0015] The present invention also proposes a substrate processing apparatus, the substrate processing apparatus comprising:

[0016] The processing chamber has a processing cavity, and the processing chamber is provided with a first air passage and a second air passage communicating with the processing cavity. The first air passage is used to introduce processing gas into the processing cavity, and the second air passage is used to extract the processing gas out of the processing cavity.

[0017] The aforementioned preheating ring is disposed within the processing chamber, dividing the processing chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. Both the first and second air passages communicate with the first chamber. The top surface of the preheating ring is located within the first chamber, and the bottom surface of the preheating ring is located within the second chamber.

[0018] A support assembly is movably connected to the processing chamber. A portion of the support assembly passes through the second cavity and extends into the through hole of the preheating ring. The support assembly is used to support and drive the substrate to rotate.

[0019] In one embodiment, the processing chamber is further provided with a third air passage and a fourth air passage communicating with the second cavity. The third air passage and the fourth air passage are arranged opposite to each other and symmetrically. The third air passage and the fourth air passage are used to introduce tuning gas into the second cavity.

[0020] And / or, the first airway and the second airway are arranged opposite to each other and symmetrically, and the line connecting the first airway and the second airway is not lower than the highest point of the top surface;

[0021] And / or, the support assembly includes a support platform and a support shaft. The support platform is located inside the through hole and has a gap with the inner wall of the through hole. The side of the support platform facing the first cavity has a loading plane for supporting the substrate. One end of the support shaft is connected to the side of the support platform facing away from the loading plane, and the other end of the support shaft passes through the second cavity and is rotatably connected to the processing chamber to drive the support platform to rotate inside the through hole.

[0022] And / or, the processing chamber includes an upper cover and a lower cover, the upper cover and the lower cover are connected by a connector and enclose to form the processing cavity, the preheating ring is detachably connected to the connector, the lower cover is provided with an opening, and one end of the support assembly is movably inserted through the opening.

[0023] The present invention also proposes a substrate processing apparatus, the substrate processing apparatus comprising:

[0024] The processing chamber has a processing cavity, and the processing chamber is provided with a first air passage and a second air passage communicating with the processing cavity. The first air passage is used to introduce processing gas into the processing cavity, and the second air passage is used to extract the processing gas out of the processing cavity.

[0025] The aforementioned preheating ring is disposed within the processing chamber, dividing the processing chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. Both the first and second air passages communicate with the first chamber. The top surface of the preheating ring is located within the first chamber, and the bottom surface of the preheating ring is located within the second chamber. Two first regions of the preheating ring correspond to the first and second air passages, respectively.

[0026] A support assembly is movably connected to the processing chamber. A portion of the support assembly passes through the second cavity and extends into the through hole of the preheating ring. The support assembly is used to support and drive the substrate to rotate.

[0027] The preheating ring of the present invention is applied to a substrate processing apparatus by tilting at least a portion of its top surface toward the through hole and setting it at an acute angle to the horizontal plane. The tilted top surface of the preheating ring reduces gas turbulence on the substrate surface and improves the uniformity of gas distribution on the substrate surface. This ensures the uniformity of the thickness of the thin film layer deposited on the substrate, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the substrate processing apparatus in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the preheating ring and the support platform in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a top view of the preheating ring and the support platform in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the preheating ring in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a comparison chart of the experimental test results of substrate treatment in one embodiment of the present invention and the experimental test results of substrate treatment in the prior art;

[0034] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the gas flow trajectory in a substrate processing apparatus in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the gas flow trajectory in a substrate processing apparatus in the prior art.

[0036] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0037]

[0038]

[0039] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0040] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0042] Meanwhile, the meaning of "and / or" or "and / or" appearing throughout the text is that it includes three options. Taking "A and / or B" as an example, it includes option A, option B, or an option that satisfies both A and B.

[0043] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0044] In semiconductor manufacturing, various thin film layers need to be continuously deposited on the surface of a substrate. These layers are then patterned using development and etching techniques, such as epitaxially growing a thin film layer with the same crystal arrangement as the substrate. During this process, the substrate is placed in a processing chamber, and the introduced processing gas passes through a preheating ring to adjust its reaction temperature. This allows a series of chemical reactions to occur on the substrate surface, producing the thin film layer. Subsequent byproducts are then discharged from the reaction chamber along the direction of the main gas flow. In related technologies, uneven gas diffusion on the substrate surface leads to uneven thickness of the formed thin film layer, thus affecting the performance of the patterned semiconductor device.

[0045] Based on the above concepts and problems, this invention proposes a preheating ring 2, which is applied to a substrate processing apparatus 100. It is understood that the substrate processing apparatus 100 can be used to process substrates in semiconductor manufacturing processes, such as forming thin film layers on the surface of the substrate, etc., and is not limited thereto. Figure 1As shown, in this embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a processing chamber 1, a preheating ring 2, and a support assembly 3.

[0046] Please refer to the reference. Figures 1 to 5 As shown, in this embodiment of the invention, the preheating ring 2 includes a top surface 22 and a bottom surface 23 arranged opposite to each other. A through hole 21 is provided in the center of the preheating ring 2. At least part of the top surface 22 is inclined toward the through hole 21 and is set at an acute angle to the horizontal plane.

[0047] Understandably, the preheating ring 2 can be made of any suitable material to absorb energy from a heat source (such as a lamp). In some embodiments, the preheating ring 2 can be made of quartz, silicon carbide (SiCy), silicon carbide (SiCy) coated graphite, opaque quartz, coated quartz, or any similar, suitable material resistant to chemical decomposition caused by the process gas, where y represents a known silicon carbide composition. In one embodiment, the preheating ring 2 can be silicon carbide coated graphite.

[0048] In this embodiment, the temperature of the preheating ring 2 during operation can be from approximately 600 degrees Celsius to approximately 800 degrees Celsius. It is understood that the shape of the preheating ring 2 does not need to be circular and can include any shape, including but not limited to rectangular, polygonal, elliptical, and similar shapes.

[0049] Understandably, at least part of the top surface 22 is inclined toward the through hole 21 and is set at an acute angle to the horizontal plane, so that the distance between at least part of the top surface 22 and the horizontal plane is different from the through hole 21 to away from the through hole 21. That is, the distance between at least part of the top surface 22 and the horizontal plane gradually increases or decreases from the through hole 21 to away from the through hole 21, or at least part of the top surface 22 is not parallel to the horizontal plane.

[0050] Optionally, at least a portion of the top surface 22 has an inclination angle of 1° to 15°. The inclination angle of the top surface 22 is the angle between the inclined top surface 22 and the horizontal plane or the angle between the inclined top surface 22 and the flat bottom surface 23. Optionally, the inclination angle of the top surface 22 is 1°, 2°, 3°, 4°, 5°, 6°, 7°, 8°, 9°, 10°, 11°, 12°, 13°, 14°, 15°, etc. In one embodiment, the inclination angle of the top surface 22 is 2° to 10°. In another embodiment, the inclination angle of the top surface 22 is 3° to 8°.

[0051] In this embodiment, the tilt angle of the top surface 22 is too large, which can easily cause gas flow obstruction and result in increasingly uneven gas distribution on the substrate surface.

[0052] The preheating ring 2 of the present invention is applied in the substrate processing apparatus 100 by tilting at least a portion of its top surface 22 toward the through hole 21 and setting it at an acute angle to the horizontal plane. The tilted top surface 22 of the preheating ring 2 reduces the turbulence of gas on the substrate surface and improves the uniformity of gas distribution on the substrate surface. This ensures the uniformity of the thickness of the thin film layer deposited on the substrate, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device.

[0053] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the preheating ring 2 has an inner ring 24 and an outer ring 25. The inner ring 24 encloses a through hole 21. The top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 are both connected to the inner ring 24 and the outer ring 25. The top surface 22 is inclined from the outer ring 25 toward the inner ring 24 and is set at an acute angle to the horizontal plane.

[0054] Understandably, the preheating ring 2 can be circular in shape. In this embodiment, a circular ring will be used as an example. Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the preheating ring 2 has an inner ring 24 and an outer ring 25. The outer ring 25 of the preheating ring 2 is used to connect with the inner wall of the processing chamber 1a of the processing chamber 1 in the substrate processing apparatus 100, and the inner ring 24 surrounds and forms a through hole 21.

[0055] In this embodiment, the preheating ring 2 has an opening (i.e., a through hole 21) in the center. The size of the through hole 21 is adjusted to be set around the support platform 31 of the support component 3. The preheating ring 2 usually has a circular shape when viewed from the top of the preheating ring 2. Of course, the shape of the preheating ring 2 can also include, but is not limited to, any other shape such as rectangle, polygon, ellipse and similar shapes.

[0056] Understandably, the gap 34 between the inner ring 24 of the preheating ring 2 and the periphery of the support platform 31 of the support assembly 3 allows the support platform 31 to rotate and allows the purified gas to seep out between the preheating ring 2 and the support platform 31, and has an eliminated or minimized dilution effect on the treated gas.

[0057] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the top surface 22 is connected to the inner ring 24 and the outer ring 25 on both sides, and the bottom surface 23 is connected to the inner ring 24 and the outer ring 25 on both sides, so that the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 are arranged opposite to each other. By setting the top surface 22 to be inclined from the outer ring 25 toward the inner ring 24, the distance between the top surface 22 and the horizontal plane is different from the inner ring 24 to the outer ring 25. That is, the distance between the top surface 22 and the horizontal plane gradually increases or decreases from the through hole 21 to away from the through hole 21, or at least part of the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 are not parallel.

[0058] Understandably, the top surface 22 may be partially inclined from the outer ring 25 towards the inner ring 24. In this case, the top surface 22 forms multiple different top surfaces according to different inclination angles. For example, inclined top surfaces 22 and flat top surfaces 22 may be alternately arranged, or half of the top surface 22 may be inclined and the other half may be flat, or both top surfaces 22 may be inclined, but the inclination angle of some inclined top surfaces 22 may be different from that of other top surfaces 22, etc., which are not limited here. Understandably, in the above embodiments, the bottom surface 23 is all flat.

[0059] Of course, in other embodiments, the bottom surface 23 may also be set as an inclined surface, that is, the inclined direction of the bottom surface 23 is different from the inclined direction of the top surface 22, or the inclined direction of the bottom surface 23 is the same as the inclined direction of the top surface 22. However, as long as the distance between the top surface 22 and the horizontal plane is different from the inner circle 24 to the outer circle 25, it is not limited here.

[0060] In one embodiment, the preheating ring 2 includes a top surface 22 and a bottom surface 23 arranged opposite to each other. A through hole 21 is provided at the center of the preheating ring 2. At least a portion of the top surface 22 is inclined toward the through hole 21 and is set at an acute angle to the horizontal plane, such that the distance between at least a portion of the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 is different from the through hole 21 to away from the through hole 21.

[0061] Understandably, this arrangement causes the distance between at least a portion of the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 to gradually increase or decrease from the via 21 to a distance away from the via 21, or at least a portion of the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 to be not parallel, thereby applying the preheating ring 2 to the substrate processing apparatus 100. The inclined top surface 22 of the preheating ring 2 reduces the turbulence of gas on the substrate surface and improves the uniformity of gas distribution on the substrate surface. This ensures the uniformity of the thickness of the thin film layer deposited on the substrate, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device.

[0062] In one embodiment, the preheating ring 2 has an inner ring 24 and an outer ring 25. The inner ring 24 encloses a through hole 21. The top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 are both connected to the inner ring 24 and the outer ring 25. The top surface 22 is inclined from the outer ring 25 toward the inner ring 24 and is set at an acute angle to the horizontal plane, so that the distance between the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 is different from the inner ring 24 to the outer ring 25.

[0063] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the top surface 22 is connected to the inner ring 24 and the outer ring 25 on both sides, and the bottom surface 23 is connected to the inner ring 24 and the outer ring 25 on both sides, so that the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 are arranged opposite to each other. The top surface 22 is inclined from the outer ring 25 toward the inner ring 24, so that the distance between the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 is different from the inner ring 24 to the outer ring 25. That is, the distance between the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 gradually increases or decreases from the through hole 21 to away from the through hole 21, or the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 are not parallel.

[0064] In this embodiment, the top surface 22 is inclined, and the bottom surface 23 is flat. Of course, in other embodiments, the bottom surface 23 can also be an inclined surface, that is, the inclination direction of the bottom surface 23 is different from the inclination direction of the top surface 22, or the inclination direction of the bottom surface 23 is the same as the inclination direction of the top surface 22. However, as long as the distance between the top surface 22 and the flat horizontal plane is different from the inner circle 24 to the outer circle 25, it is not limited here.

[0065] In one embodiment, the distance between the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 gradually increases from the inner ring 24 to the outer ring 25. That is, the entire top surface 22 slopes from the outer ring 25 towards the inner ring 24, and the distance between the top surface 22 and the bottom surface 23 gradually increases from the inner ring 24 to the outer ring 25. It can be understood that in the above embodiments, the bottom surface 23 is flat.

[0066] In this embodiment, the tilt angle of the top surface 22 is 1° to 15°. The tilt angle of the top surface 22 is the angle between the top surface 22 and the horizontal plane. Optionally, the tilt angle of the top surface 22 is 1°, 2°, 3°, 4°, 5°, 6°, 7°, 8°, 9°, 10°, 11°, 12°, 13°, 14°, or 15°.

[0067] In one embodiment, the bottom surface 23 is further provided with a recess 231, which penetrates the inner ring 24, and the corner of the recess 231 near the outer ring 25 is rounded 232. It can be understood that one end of the recess 231 extends toward the inner ring 24 and penetrates the inner wall of the through hole 21, so that the groove formed by the recess 231 communicates with the through hole 21.

[0068] like Figure 4 As shown, a recess 231 is provided on the bottom surface 23, which extends through the inner ring 24. A rounded corner 232 is provided at the corner of the recess 231, that is, the corner of the recess 231 near the outer ring 25 is rounded 232. It can be understood that this arrangement facilitates the leakage of the tuning gas in the second cavity 2b through the recess 231 on the bottom surface 23 between the preheating ring 2 and the support platform 31, and has an eliminated or minimized dilution effect on the processed gas.

[0069] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the connection between the top surface 22 and the inner ring 24 is chamfered at 223. Understandably, this arrangement allows the processing gas to flow along the inclined top surface 22 to the chamfer 223, and then smoothly transfer to the substrate surface from the chamfer 223, improving the uniformity of gas distribution on the substrate surface. This ensures the uniformity of the thickness of the thin film layer deposited on the substrate, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device.

[0070] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a protrusion 233 is provided on the bottom surface 23 near the outer ring 25. The protrusion 233 is used to abut and limit the processing chamber 1 of the substrate processing apparatus 100.

[0071] Understandably, the processing chamber 1 of the substrate processing apparatus 100 is formed with a processing cavity 1a, and the inner wall of the processing cavity 1a is provided with a limiting stage 16, the protrusion 233 is limited by the limiting stage 16, and the outer ring 25 abuts against the inner wall of the processing cavity 1a for limitation.

[0072] Understandably, by providing a protrusion 233 near the outer ring 25 on the bottom surface 23, the preheating ring 2 can be conveniently positioned against the limiting platform 16 on the inner wall of the processing chamber 1 using the protrusion 233, thereby improving the installation stability of the preheating ring 2. In this embodiment, the limiting platform 16 is formed on the connector 13 of the processing chamber 1.

[0073] In one embodiment, the top surface 22 has two first regions 221 and two second regions 222. The two first regions 221 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the center of the through hole 21, and the two second regions 222 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the center of the through hole 21. The line connecting the two first regions 221 is perpendicular to the line connecting the two second regions 222. The top surface 22 corresponding to the two first regions 221 and the two second regions 222 is inclined and forms the same acute angle with the horizontal plane. And / or, the size of the top surface 22 corresponding to the two first regions 221 is the same as the size of the top surface 22 corresponding to the two second regions 222.

[0074] like Figure 3 As shown, by setting a portion of the top surface 22 at an angle, specifically the top surface 22 corresponding to the two first regions 221 and the two second regions 222, the remaining surface of the top surface 22 can be either angled or flat, without limitation. This results in the top surface 22 corresponding to the two first regions 221 and the two second regions 222 being angled, and the acute angle formed by the top surface 22 corresponding to the two first regions 221 and the two second regions 222 and the plane containing the bottom surface 23 is the same. Optionally, the two first regions 221 and the two second regions 222 are the same size.

[0075] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 As shown, during the flow of the processing gas from one second region 222 to another second region 222, since the line connecting the two first regions 221 is perpendicular to the line connecting the two second regions 222, and the two first regions 221 are symmetrically arranged with respect to the center of the through hole 21, the turbulence of the processing gas at the corresponding positions of the two first regions 221 is effectively reduced, and the uniformity of gas distribution on the substrate surface is improved. This ensures the uniformity of the thickness of the thin film layer deposited on the substrate, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device.

[0076] In one embodiment, the tilt height of the top surface 22 is defined as h, and the tilt height h of the top surface 22 is 1mm to 3mm.

[0077] like Figure 2 As shown, the tilt height h of the top surface 22 is the height between the projection of the end of the top surface 22 connected to the inner ring 24 onto the outer ring 25 and the projection of the end of the top surface 22 connected to the outer ring 25 onto the outer ring 25, which is also the projection length of the tilted top surface 22 onto the outer ring 25.

[0078] Understandably, by setting the tilt height h of the top surface 22 in the range of 1mm to 3mm, the size of the preheating ring 2 can be determined according to the tilt angle of the top surface 22. Optionally, the tilt height h of the top surface 22 can be 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, etc., and is not limited here.

[0079] The present invention also proposes a substrate processing apparatus 100, which includes a processing chamber 1, the aforementioned preheating ring 2, and a support assembly 3. The specific structure of the preheating ring 2 is as described in the foregoing embodiments. Since the substrate processing apparatus 100 adopts all the technical solutions of all the foregoing embodiments, it has at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the foregoing embodiments, which will not be described in detail here.

[0080] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the processing chamber 1 has a processing cavity 1a. The processing chamber 1 is provided with a first air passage 14 and a second air passage 15 communicating with the processing cavity 1a. The first air passage 14 is used to introduce processing gas into the processing cavity 1a, and the second air passage 15 is used to extract the processing gas from the processing cavity 1a. The preheating ring 2 is disposed in the processing cavity 1a and divides the processing cavity 1a into a first cavity 2a and a second cavity 2b. The first air passage 14 and the second air passage 15 are both connected to the first cavity 2a. The top surface 22 of the preheating ring 2 is located in the first cavity 2a, and the bottom surface 23 of the preheating ring 2 is located in the second cavity 2b. The support assembly 3 is movably connected to the processing chamber 1. A part of the support assembly 3 passes through the second cavity 2b and extends into the through hole 21 of the preheating ring 2. The support assembly 3 is used to support and drive the substrate to rotate.

[0081] Understandably, the processing chamber 1 forms a processing cavity 1a, which can be used for chemical vapor deposition, such as epitaxial deposition. The processing chamber 1 includes an upper cover 11 and a lower cover 12, which are connected by a connector 13 and enclose the processing cavity 1a.

[0082] In this embodiment, as Figure 1 The upper cover 11 and lower cover 12 of the processing chamber 1 can be selected as arched structures, that is, the upper cover 11 has an upward arched structure and the lower cover 12 has a downward arched structure. It is understood that the upper cover 11 is connected to the lower cover 12 via a connector 13. To facilitate the installation of components such as the preheating ring 2 and the support assembly 3, the upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12 can be connected in a detachable manner via the connector 13, such as by snap-fit ​​connection, plug-in fit, screw connection, or pin connection, etc., which is not limited here.

[0083] Understandably, the preheating ring 2 is located inside the processing chamber 1a and connected to the connector 13, so that the preheating ring 2 divides the processing chamber 1a into a first chamber 2a and a second chamber 2b. At this time, the upper cover 11 is located above the preheating ring 2 and is spaced apart from the preheating ring 2, and encloses to form the first chamber 2a. The lower cover 12 is located below the preheating ring 2 and is spaced apart from the preheating ring 2, and encloses to form the second chamber 2b.

[0084] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the preheating ring 2 has a through hole 21 connecting the first cavity 2a and the second cavity 2b. The first air passage 14 and the second air passage 15 are located on the same side of the preheating ring 2, that is, both the first air passage 14 and the second air passage 15 are connected to the first cavity 2a, or both the first air passage 14 and the second air passage 15 are connected to the second cavity 2b. In this embodiment, the example of both the first air passage 14 and the second air passage 15 being connected to the first cavity 2a will be used for explanation.

[0085] Understandably, to facilitate the placement and assembly of the substrate, the support assembly 3 is movably connected to the processing chamber 1, and a portion of the support assembly 3 passes through the second cavity 2b and extends into the through hole 21. The support assembly 3 is used to support and drive the substrate to rotate. The support assembly 3 includes a support platform 31 and a support shaft 32. The support platform 31 is provided with a loading plane 33, which is used to support the substrate. The support shaft 32 is rotatably connected to the processing chamber 1 to drive the support platform 31 to rotate within the through hole 21.

[0086] like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the support platform 31 of the support component 3 is located inside the through hole 21 and forms a gap 34 with the inner wall of the through hole 21. The loading plane 33 is located on the side of the support platform 31 facing the first cavity 2a. One end of the support shaft 32 is connected to the side of the support platform 31 facing away from the loading plane 33. The other end of the support shaft 32 passes through the second cavity 2b and is rotatably connected to the processing chamber 1.

[0087] In one embodiment, the processing chamber 1 includes multiple heat sources, such as lamps, adapted to provide heat to components disposed within the processing chamber 1. For example, the lamps may be adapted to provide heat to a substrate and a preheating ring 2, causing the processing gas to thermally decompose on the substrate to form one or more layers on the substrate.

[0088] During operation, the temperature of the preheating ring 2 can be from approximately 600 degrees Celsius to approximately 800 degrees Celsius. During processing, the support platform 31 can be heated to 800 degrees Celsius and the preheating ring 2 can be heated to approximately 600-800 degrees Celsius. The heated preheating ring 2 activates the processing gas as the processing gas flows into the processing chamber 1 through the first air passage 14. The processing gas exits the processing chamber 1 via the second air passage 15, which is positioned opposite the first air passage 14. Since the first air passage 14 and the second air passage 15 are at approximately the same height during processing, the processing gas flows in a generally planar, laminar manner along the inclined top surface 22 of the preheating ring 2, over the upper surface of the substrate on the carrying plane 33 of the support platform 31, to the second air passage 15.

[0089] Understandably, the first gas duct 14 may include two or more gas inlets to deliver two or more independent gas flows. The first gas duct 14 may be used to provide independent gas flows with varying parameters, such as velocity, density, or composition. In one embodiment where multiple processing gas inlets are used, the first gas ducts 14 may be distributed in a substantially linear arrangement to provide a gas flow wide enough to substantially cover the diameter of the substrate. For example, the first gas ducts 14 may be arranged in at least one linear group to a range to provide a gas flow substantially corresponding to the diameter of the substrate.

[0090] Optionally, the first airway 14 and the second airway 15 are arranged opposite to each other and symmetrically, and the line connecting the first airway 14 and the second airway 15 is not lower than the highest point of the top surface 22.

[0091] The substrate processing apparatus 100 of the present invention provides a preheating ring 2 in the processing chamber 1a of the processing chamber 1, such that at least a portion of the top surface 22 of the preheating ring 2 is inclined toward the through hole 21, and the plane of the inclined top surface 22 is set at an acute angle to the plane of the bottom surface 23. This reduces the diffusion rate of the gas entering from the first gas channel 14 and exiting from the second gas channel 15 by using the inclined top surface 22, thereby reducing the turbulence of the gas on the substrate surface of the support assembly 3 and improving the uniformity of gas distribution on the substrate surface. This ensures the uniformity of the thickness of the thin film layer deposited on the substrate, thereby improving the performance of the semiconductor device.

[0092] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, the processing chamber 1 is also provided with a third air passage 17 and a fourth air passage 18 that connect to the second chamber 2b. The third air passage 17 and the fourth air passage 18 are arranged opposite to each other and symmetrically. The third air passage 17 and the fourth air passage 18 are used to introduce tuning gas into the second chamber 2b.

[0093] Understandably, by providing a third airway 17 and a fourth airway 18 on the processing chamber 1, the input of tuning gas can be achieved using the third airway 17 and the fourth airway 18. This allows the flow of tuning gas within the second chamber 2b to prevent or substantially avoid the flow of processing gas into the second chamber 2b through the gap 34, or to reduce the diffusion of processing gas into the second chamber 2b. The tuning gas enters the first chamber 2a from the second chamber 2b through the gap 34, and is then extracted from the processing chamber 1a by the second airway 15.

[0094] Optionally, the tuning gas may be an inert purifying gas (e.g., hydrogen), such that the third gas duct 17 and the fourth gas duct 18 can supply an inert purifying gas (e.g., hydrogen) flow from a purifying gas source to the second chamber 2b of the processing chamber 1 (e.g., the processing area below the support platform 31), wherein the pressure of the inert purifying gas flow is greater than the pressure of the processing gas in the first chamber 2a of the processing chamber 1 (e.g., the processing area above the support platform 31).

[0095] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, the support assembly 3 includes a support platform 31 and a support shaft 32. The support platform 31 is located inside the through hole 21 and forms a gap 34 with the inner wall of the through hole 21. The support platform 31 has a loading plane 33 on the side facing the first cavity 2a. The loading plane 33 is used to support the substrate. One end of the support shaft 32 is connected to the side of the support platform 31 facing away from the loading plane 33. The other end of the support shaft 32 passes through the second cavity 2b and is rotatably connected to the processing chamber 1 to drive the support platform 31 to rotate inside the through hole 21.

[0096] Understandably, the processing chamber 1 includes an upper cover 11 and a lower cover 12. The upper cover 11 and the lower cover 12 are connected by a connector 13 and enclose a processing cavity 1a. The preheating ring 2 is detachably connected to the connector 13. The lower cover 12 is provided with an opening 121. One end of the support component 3 is movably inserted through the opening 121, that is, the end of the support shaft 32 of the support component 3 away from the support platform 31 is movably inserted through the opening 121.

[0097] In this embodiment, the periphery of the support platform 31 of the support component 3 is spaced apart from the inner ring 24 of the preheating ring 2 and a gap 34 is formed, so that the support shaft 32 of the support component 3 can easily drive the support platform 31 to rotate within the inner ring 24 of the preheating ring 2.

[0098] In one embodiment, a recess is formed in the center of the loading plane 33 of the support platform 31. By adjusting the size of the recess, the substrate on the loading plane 33 can be effectively prevented from slipping out during processing. Optionally, the support platform 31 may be an annular plate made of graphite coated with silicon carbide.

[0099] In one embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a processing chamber 1, the aforementioned preheating ring 2, and a support assembly 3. The processing chamber 1 has a processing cavity 1a, and the processing chamber 1 is provided with a first air passage 14 and a second air passage 15 communicating with the processing cavity 1a. The first air passage 14 is used to introduce processing gas into the processing cavity 1a, and the second air passage 15 is used to extract the processing gas from the processing cavity 1a. The preheating ring 2 is disposed in the processing cavity 1a and divides the processing cavity 1a into a first cavity 2a and a second cavity 2b. The first air passage 14 and the second air passage 15 are both communicating with the first cavity 2a. The top surface 22 of the preheating ring 2 is located in the first cavity 2a, and the bottom surface 23 of the preheating ring 2 is located in the second cavity 2b. The two first regions 221 of the preheating ring 2 correspond to the first air passage 14 and the second air passage 15, respectively. The support assembly 3 is movably connected to the processing chamber 1. A portion of the support assembly 3 passes through the second cavity 2b and extends into the through hole 21 of the preheating ring 2. The support assembly 3 is used to support and drive the substrate to rotate.

[0100] Understandably, when the substrate processing apparatus 100 of the present invention is used for substrate processing, the processing gas enters the first chamber 2a through the first air channel 14, flows along the inclined top surface 22 of the preheating ring 2 to the carrying plane 33 of the support platform 31 of the support assembly 3, and before contacting the upper surface of the substrate, it first passes through the preheating ring 2 to raise the temperature of the processing gas, then flows radially across the surface of the substrate, and finally is discharged or drawn away through the second air channel 15. In this process, the preheating ring 2 can be heated to 600°C to 800°C by a heat source, thereby promoting the preheating of the processing gas. Tuning gas is introduced into the second chamber 2a through the third air channel 17 to increase the air pressure in the second chamber 2a below the substrate, thereby preventing the processing gas from depositing in the carrying unit or the lower cover 12. By adopting the above-described preheating ring 2 structure, the turbulence phenomenon in the edge region of the substrate surface can be effectively reduced, thereby providing uniformity in the thickness of the thin film layer deposited on the substrate.

[0101] In related technologies, the upper surface of the preheating ring is set parallel to the horizontal plane, causing the processing gas to diffuse to both sides of the substrate perpendicular to the gas channel direction after entering from position 14, creating a large amount of airflow turbulence on both sides, resulting in uneven gas distribution on the substrate surface. This is because when the gas diffuses to both sides of the substrate perpendicular to the gas channel direction, it directly impacts the inner wall of the chamber at the diffusion rate, causing significant turbulence. However, the test results after substrate treatment in existing technologies are as follows... Figure 6 As shown.

[0102] The substrate processing apparatus 100 of the present invention employs an inclined surface 22 (i.e., upper surface) of the preheating ring 2 to the horizontal plane, while the bottom surface 23 is flat. This inclined surface effectively slows down the gas diffusion rate, thereby reducing gas turbulence and improving the uniformity of gas distribution on the substrate surface. In other words, it improves the performance of semiconductor devices without affecting production capacity.

[0103] Experimental tests were conducted on substrates processed by the substrate processing apparatus 100 of the present invention and substrates processed by prior art. The test results are as follows: Figure 5 As shown in the figure, the vertical axis represents the film thickness, and the horizontal axis represents the wafer position. The thickness distribution of the films formed by the preheating ring 2 in both the prior art and this application was measured using a film thickness measuring device. Figure 5 As shown, in the prior art, the film thickness in the central region of the wafer increases significantly, while in the present invention, the increase in film thickness in the central region of the wafer is significantly slowed down.

[0104] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the airflow trajectory of the preheating ring 2 of the present invention installed in the substrate processing apparatus 100, and the processing gas flowing from the first air passage 14 to the second air passage 15. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the airflow trajectory of the preheating ring 2' installed in the substrate processing device in the prior art, where the processing gas flows from the first air passage 14' to the second air passage 15'.

[0105] like Figure 7 As shown, in the prior art, the top surface 22' of the preheating ring 2' is a flat plane, the support platform 31' is located inside the through hole 21', the upper cover 11' is located above the preheating ring 2', and a first air passage 14' and a second air passage 15' are formed.

[0106] Understandable, through Figure 6 and Figure 7In comparison, it can be seen that in this invention, the top surface 22 of the preheating ring 2 is set as an inclined surface. On the one hand, this makes the deposition film of the processing gas on the wafer surface of the substrate 31 more uniform. Using the top surface 22 of the preheating ring 2, which is set as an inclined surface, as a transition between the processing gas inlet and the wafer surface, can promote the smooth transition of the processing gas to the surface of the substrate 31, thereby reducing gas turbulence at the edge of the substrate 31. That is, the gas turbulence that is prone to occur at the edge of the substrate 31 can be transferred to the edge of the outer ring 25 of the preheating ring 2. On the other hand, it can improve the film deposition efficiency. The inclined top surface 22 plays a certain guiding role in the flow of the processing gas, allowing the processing gas to flow further along the surface of the preheating ring 2 and the substrate 31, reducing the thickness of the gas flow boundary layer, greatly improving the fluid aggregation ability on the substrate 31 surface, and increasing the epitaxial growth rate of the film.

[0107] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made under the concept of the present invention using the description and drawings of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A preheating ring, used in a substrate processing apparatus, characterized in that, The preheating ring comprises oppositely arranged top and bottom surfaces, and a through hole is arranged at the center of the preheating ring, at least part of the top surface is inclined towards the through hole and is arranged at an acute angle with the horizontal plane. The inclination angle of at least part of the top surface is 1°-15°.

2. The preheat ring of claim 1, wherein The preheating ring has an inner ring and an outer ring, the inner ring encloses the through hole, and the top surface and the bottom surface are connected to the inner ring and the outer ring, and the top surface is inclined from the outer ring towards the inner ring and is arranged at an acute angle with the horizontal plane.

3. The preheat ring of claim 1, wherein The preheating ring comprises oppositely arranged top and bottom surfaces, and a through hole is arranged at the center of the preheating ring, at least part of the top surface is inclined towards the through hole and is arranged at an acute angle with the horizontal plane, so that the distance between at least part of the top surface and the horizontal plane is not the same from the through hole to away from the through hole.

4. The preheat ring of claim 2, wherein The preheating ring has an inner ring and an outer ring, the inner ring encloses the through hole, and the top surface and the bottom surface are connected to the inner ring and the outer ring, and the top surface is inclined from the outer ring towards the inner ring and is arranged at an acute angle with the horizontal plane, so that the distance between the top surface and the horizontal plane is not the same from the inner ring to the outer ring.

5. The preheat ring of claim 2, wherein The bottom surface is also provided with a recess, the recess penetrates the inner ring, and the corner of one end of the recess close to the outer ring is arranged at a round angle; And / or, the connection between the top surface and the inner ring is arranged at a chamfer; And / or, the bottom surface is provided with a protrusion adjacent to the outer ring, and the protrusion is used for abutting and limiting the processing chamber of the substrate processing device.

6. The preheat ring of claim 1, wherein The top surface has two first regions and two second regions, the two first regions are symmetrically arranged with the center of the through hole, the two second regions are symmetrically arranged with the center of the through hole, and the connecting line of the two first regions is arranged at a vertical angle with the connecting line of the two second regions; The top surfaces corresponding to the two first regions and the two second regions are arranged at an inclination, and the acute angles formed with the horizontal plane are the same; and / or, the sizes of the top surfaces corresponding to the two first regions are the same as the sizes of the top surfaces corresponding to the two second regions.

7. The preheat ring of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The inclination height of the top surface is defined as h, and the inclination height h of the top surface is 1mm-3mm.

8. A substrate processing apparatus, characterized by comprising: The substrate processing device comprises: A processing chamber having a processing cavity, the processing chamber is provided with a first gas channel and a second gas channel communicating with the processing cavity, the first gas channel is used for introducing processing gas into the processing cavity, and the second gas channel is used for extracting processing gas from the processing cavity; The preheating ring according to any one of claims 1-7 is arranged in the processing cavity and divides the processing cavity into a first cavity and a second cavity, the first gas channel and the second gas channel both communicate with the first cavity, the top surface of the preheating ring is located in the first cavity, and the bottom surface of the preheating ring is located in the second cavity; and A support assembly movably connected with the processing chamber, part of the support assembly penetrates through the second cavity and extends into the through hole of the preheating ring, and the support assembly is used for supporting and driving the substrate to rotate.

9. The substrate processing apparatus of claim 8, wherein The processing chamber is further provided with a third gas passage and a fourth gas passage communicating with the second cavity, the third gas passage and the fourth gas passage are oppositely and symmetrically arranged, and the third gas passage and the fourth gas passage are used for introducing tuning gas into the second cavity; And / or, the first gas passage and the second gas passage are oppositely and symmetrically arranged, and the line connecting the first gas passage and the second gas passage is not lower than the highest point of the top surface; And / or, the support assembly comprises a support platform and a support shaft, the support platform is located in the through hole and has a gap with the inner wall of the through hole, one side of the support platform facing the first cavity is provided with a substrate plane for carrying a substrate, one end of the support shaft is connected to the side of the support platform away from the substrate plane, and the other end of the support shaft penetrates the second cavity and is rotationally connected with the processing chamber to drive the support platform to rotate in the through hole; And / or, the processing chamber comprises an upper cover member and a lower cover member, the upper cover member and the lower cover member are connected by a connecting member and enclose the processing cavity, the preheating ring is detachably connected with the connecting member, the lower cover member is provided with an opening, and one end of the support assembly is movably arranged in the opening.

10. A substrate processing apparatus characterized by comprising: The substrate processing device comprises: A processing chamber having a processing cavity, the processing chamber is provided with a first gas passage and a second gas passage communicating with the processing cavity, the first gas passage is used for introducing processing gas into the processing cavity, and the second gas passage is used for extracting processing gas from the processing cavity; The preheating ring of claim 6 is arranged in the processing cavity and divides the processing cavity into a first cavity and a second cavity, the first gas passage and the second gas passage both communicate with the first cavity, the top surface of the preheating ring is located in the first cavity, the bottom surface of the preheating ring is located in the second cavity, and the two first regions of the preheating ring correspond to the first gas passage and the second gas passage, respectively; and A support assembly movably connected with the processing chamber, part of the support assembly penetrates the second cavity and extends into the through hole of the preheating ring, and the support assembly is used for supporting and driving the substrate to rotate.

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