Reaction Chamber and Wafer Etching Device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a reaction chamber and a wafer etching device. The reaction chamber includes a cavity, a first support portion, and an air extraction portion. The cavity includes a top plate and a bottom plate oppositely arranged in the vertical direction. The top plate is provided with an air inlet, and the bottom plate is provided with an air extraction port. A wafer stage is arranged between the air inlet and the air extraction port, and an air extraction area is formed between the inner wall of the cavity and the wafer stage. The first support portion is arranged between the inner wall of the cavity and the wafer stage. The air extraction portion includes a valve plate and a valve core. The valve plate is arranged inside the cavity and connected to the first end of the valve core. The second end of the valve core is inserted into the air extraction port in a liftable manner. When the valve core is in the first working position, a first annulus is formed between the valve plate and the bottom plate, and a second annulus is formed between the valve core and the air extraction port. The first annulus, the second annulus, and the air extraction area are coaxially arranged. According to the solution of the present disclosure, the gas in the space around the wafer stage can be sucked to the air extraction port through a uniform air flow field, ensuring the uniformity of the wafer etching process result.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular, to a reaction chamber and a wafer etching apparatus. Background Art

[0002] In the process of wafer etching, the reaction chamber of the wafer etching apparatus is mainly used to accommodate the wafer and perform the etching process on the wafer in the reaction chamber. Whether the structural design of the reaction chamber is reasonable will directly affect the etching effect of the wafer. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present disclosure provides a reaction chamber and a wafer etching apparatus.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a reaction chamber applied to a wafer etching apparatus, including a cavity, a first support portion, and an air extraction portion;

[0005] The cavity includes a top plate and a bottom plate oppositely arranged in the vertical direction. The top plate is provided with an air inlet, the bottom plate is provided with an air extraction port, a wafer stage is arranged between the air inlet and the air extraction port, and an air extraction area is formed between the inner wall of the cavity and the wafer stage;

[0006] The first support portion is arranged between the inner wall of the cavity and the wafer stage;

[0007] The air extraction portion includes a valve plate and a valve core. The valve plate is arranged inside the cavity and connected to the first end of the valve core. The second end of the valve core is inserted into the air extraction port in a liftable manner. When the valve core is in the first working position, a first annular space is formed between the valve plate and the bottom plate, and a second annular space is formed between the valve core and the air extraction port;

[0008] Wherein, the first annular space, the second annular space, and the air extraction area are coaxially arranged.

[0009] In one embodiment, the air extraction portion further includes a valve body arranged outside the cavity and connected to the air extraction port. The second end of the valve core is inserted into the air extraction port and the valve body in a liftable manner, and the second annular space is formed between the valve core and the air extraction port and between the valve core and the inner wall of the valve body.

[0010] In one embodiment, the air extraction portion further includes a pump body, and the pump body is connected to the air extraction port through the valve body.

[0011] In one embodiment, when the valve core is in the second working position, the valve plate contacts the bottom plate to close the air extraction port.

[0012] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber further includes:

[0013] A sealing ring arranged at the air extraction port. When the valve core is in the second working position, the valve plate contacts the sealing ring.

[0014] In one embodiment, there are a plurality of first support portions, and the first support portions are uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage.

[0015] In one embodiment, the width of the cross-section of the first support portion in the horizontal direction is between one-tenth and one-half of the radius of the wafer stage.

[0016] In one embodiment, the first support portion is a tubular structure. The first port of the first support portion is communicated with the cavity, and the second port of the first support portion is communicated with the wafer stage.

[0017] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber further includes:

[0018] A first lifting mechanism, including a first tube body and a rod body. The first tube body is connected to the bottom plate. One end of the rod body is slidably inserted into the first tube body, and the other end of the rod body extends into the interior of the cavity and is connected to the valve plate. The rod body is used to drive the valve plate and the valve core to perform lifting movements.

[0019] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber includes a plurality of first lifting mechanisms, and the plurality of first lifting mechanisms are uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the valve plate.

[0020] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber further includes:

[0021] A wafer transfer port, which is communicated with the interior of the cavity and is used for transporting a wafer to the wafer stage;

[0022] A first lining, which is slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity and is slidably sleeved outside the wafer stage. The first lining is provided with ventilation holes. A first area of the cavity near the air inlet is communicated with a second area of the cavity near the air extraction port through the ventilation holes; when the first lining is in the third working position, the wafer transfer port is communicated with the first area.

[0023] In one embodiment, when the first lining is in the fourth working position, the first lining closes the wafer transfer port.

[0024] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a wafer etching device, including: the reaction chamber in any of the above embodiments.

[0025] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the gas in the space around the wafer stage can be sucked to the air extraction port through a uniform air flow field, ensuring the uniformity of the wafer etching process results.

[0026] It should be understood that the content described in the summary of the invention section is not intended to limit the key or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, nor is it used to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will become easily understood through the following description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] In conjunction with the accompanying drawings and with reference to the following detailed description, the above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements, where:

[0028] Figure 1a is a schematic structural diagram of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 1b is a schematic structural diagram of a reaction chamber according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 2 is a schematic perspective internal structure diagram of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 3 is a schematic top view structure diagram of a wafer stage of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 4 is a schematic top view structure diagram of a wafer stage of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 6 is a schematic structural diagram of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Embodiments

[0035] The following provides an illustration of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Various details of the embodiments of the present disclosure are included to assist in understanding and should be considered merely exemplary. Accordingly, those of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Similarly, descriptions of well-known functions and structures are omitted for clarity and conciseness in the following description.

[0036] As Figures 1a to 5 shown, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a reaction chamber 100, which is applied to a wafer etching apparatus and includes a cavity 1, a first support portion 61, and an air extraction portion 7.

[0037] The cavity 1 includes a top plate 2 and a bottom plate 3 that are oppositely arranged in the vertical direction. The top plate 2 is provided with an air inlet 201. The bottom plate 3 is provided with an air extraction port 301. A wafer stage 4 is arranged between the air inlet 201 and the air extraction port 301. An air extraction area 5 is formed between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the wafer stage 4.

[0038] The first support portion 61 is arranged between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the wafer stage 4.

[0039] The air extraction part 7 includes a valve plate 71 and a valve core 72. The valve plate 71 is arranged inside the cavity 1 and connected to the first end of the valve core 72. The second end of the valve core 72 is inserted into the air extraction port 301 in a liftable manner. A second annulus 74 is formed between the valve core 72 and the air extraction port 301. When the valve core 72 is in the first working position (as shown in Figure 1a , Figure 1b ), a first annulus 73 is formed between the valve plate 71 and the bottom plate 3.

[0040] Among them, the first annulus 73, the second annulus 74, and the air extraction area 5 are coaxially arranged.

[0041] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0042] Define the horizontal direction in each embodiment of the present disclosure as the direction from left to right of the reaction chamber 100 in Figure 1a , Figure 1b . The vertical direction is the direction from top to bottom of the reaction chamber 100 in Figure 1a , Figure 1b .

[0043] The air inlet 201 can be connected to an intake pipeline, and the process gas transported by the intake pipeline is transported into the cavity 1 through the air inlet 201. The shape and number of the air inlets 201 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitations are provided here. The position of the air inlet 201 on the top plate 2 can be selected and adjusted as needed. For example, the air inlet 201 is arranged at a position opposite the wafer on the top plate 2, or the air inlet 201 is arranged at any position on the top plate 2.

[0044] The air extraction port 301 is used to extract the process gas inside the cavity 1. The shape and caliber of the air extraction port 301 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitations are provided here.

[0045] A wafer stage 4 is arranged between the air inlet 201 and the air extraction port 301, where the wafer stage 4 is used to carry the wafer. The process gas entering the cavity 1 through the air inlet 201 reacts with the wafer on the wafer stage 4. The shape of the wafer stage 4 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitations are provided here.

[0046] The air extraction area 5 can be understood to include the area between the horizontal plane at the top of the wafer stage 4 and the top plate 2, the area between the side wall of the wafer stage 4 and the inner wall of the cavity 1, and the area between the horizontal plane at the bottom of the wafer stage 4 and the bottom plate 3.

[0047] The first support part 61 is used to connect the wafer stage 4 to the cavity 1 and plays a role in supporting the wafer stage 4. The shape and size of the first support part 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitations are provided here.

[0048] The second end of the valve core 72 is inserted into the air extraction port 301 in a liftable manner. Among them, the transmission structure for driving the valve core 72 to move up and down in the air extraction port 301 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here. For example, a jacking mechanism, a rack and pinion, a ball screw, a crank and connecting rod, etc. are used as the transmission structure, and the valve core 72 is driven to move up and down relative to the air extraction port 301 through its own operation.

[0049] A second annulus 74 is formed between the valve core 72 and the air extraction port 301. It can be understood that: the diameter of the valve core 72 is smaller than the diameter of the air extraction port 301, that is, an annular gap for gas to flow through is formed between the side wall of the valve core 72 and the air extraction port 301, and the process gas inside the cavity 1 is discharged to the outside of the cavity 1 through the annular gap. The shape and size of the valve core 72 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here. The distance between the side wall of the valve core 72 and the air extraction port 301, that is, the annulus thickness of the second annulus 74, can determine the requirement through flow guiding calculation, and the diameters of the valve core 72 and / or the air extraction port 301 can be designed according to the determined distance.

[0050] A first annulus 73 is formed between the valve plate 71 and the bottom plate 3. As Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b shown, it can be understood that the valve core 72 moves upward to a certain position inside the cavity 1. At this time, the annular area formed between one side end face of the valve plate 71 relative to the bottom plate 3 and the bottom plate 3 is the first annulus 73. As the valve plate 71 moves upward, the valve plate 71 gradually moves away from the bottom plate 3. At this time, the volume of the first annulus 73 gradually increases, so that the gas flow rate of the process gas that can pass through the first annulus 73 becomes larger. As the valve plate 71 moves downward, the valve plate 71 gradually approaches the bottom plate 3. At this time, the volume of the first annulus 73 gradually decreases, so that the gas flow rate of the process gas that can pass through the first annulus 73 becomes smaller. As the valve plate 71 moves up and down, the volume of the first annulus 73 can be conditioned, and thus the air extraction efficiency of the air extraction port 301 can be controlled.

[0051] The size and shape of the valve plate 71 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here. For example, if the valve plate 71 covers the air extraction port 301, then the annular area formed between one side end face of the valve plate 71 relative to the bottom plate 3 and the bottom plate 3 is the first annulus 73. Or if the shape of the valve plate 71 is adapted to the air extraction port 301, then the annular area formed between one side end face of the valve plate 71 relative to the bottom plate 3 and the air extraction port 301 is the first annulus 73.

[0052] The first annulus 73, the second annulus 74, and the air extraction area 5 are coaxially arranged. As Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b shown, it can be understood that the centers of the first annulus 73, the second annulus 74, the air extraction area 5, and the air extraction port 301 are all on the same vertical line (as Figure 1a 、 Figure 1bas shown by the dotted line in []. Since the first annulus 73, the second annulus 74, the evacuation region 5, and the evacuation port 301 are all symmetrically designed structures, when evacuating the process gas, a uniform gas flow field will be formed. The process gas will uniformly flow through the evacuation region 5, the first annulus 73, and the second annulus 74 in sequence from different directions of 360 degrees simultaneously, avoiding non-uniform gas flow.

[0053] In the reaction chamber 100 of the present disclosure embodiment, during operation, process gas is delivered into the interior of the chamber 1 through the gas inlet 201. The process gas reacts with the wafer on the susceptor 4. When evacuating the gas in the chamber 1 through the evacuation port 301, the valve core 72 rises to the first working position. The process gas uniformly flows through the evacuation region 5, the first annulus 73, and the second annulus 74 in sequence and is discharged from the chamber 1 through the evacuation port 301. By adjusting the first working position of the valve core 72, the flow rate of the process gas flowing through the first annulus 73 can be controlled, thereby controlling the gas pressure inside the chamber 1.

[0054] According to the present disclosure embodiment, since the valve core 72 is inserted into the evacuation port 301 in a liftable manner, and the first annulus 73, the second annulus 74, the evacuation region 5, and the evacuation port 301 are coaxially arranged to form a symmetrically designed structure, when evacuating the process gas, a uniform gas flow field will be formed in the first annulus 73, the second annulus 74, and the evacuation region 5. The process gas will uniformly flow through the evacuation region 5, the first annulus 73, and the second annulus 74 in sequence from different directions of 360 degrees simultaneously, enabling the gas in the space around the susceptor 4 to be sucked to the evacuation port 301 through the uniform gas flow field, ensuring the uniformity of the wafer etching process result.

[0055] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a flow sensor for detecting the gas flow rate through the evacuation part 7. When it is detected that the gas flow rate through the evacuation part 7 does not meet 50 - 2000 sccm (standard cubic centimeter per minute, a unit of volume flow rate), the rising height of the first working position of the valve core 72 is adjusted.

[0056] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a pressure sensor for detecting the process pressure inside the chamber 1. When it is detected that the process pressure inside the chamber 1 does not meet 1 - 100 mTorr (millitorr), the rising height of the first working position of the valve core 72 is adjusted.

[0057] In one example, when the reaction chamber 100 is operating, the internal process pressure of the chamber 1 can be maintained within the range of 1 to 100 mTorr (millitorr), the internal temperature of the chamber 1 can be maintained within the range of 0 to 100 degrees Celsius, and the gas flow rate can be maintained within the range of 50 to 2000 sccm (standard cubic centimeter per minute, a unit of volumetric flow rate).

[0058] In one example, as Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b 、 Figure 5 shown, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a radio frequency source 101 and a dielectric window 102. The radio frequency source 101 is disposed opposite the dielectric window 102 of the top plate 2. The radio frequency energy generated by the radio frequency source 101 is introduced into the interior of the chamber 1 through the dielectric window 102 and excites the introduced process gas to generate plasma.

[0059] In one embodiment, the pumping section 7 further includes a valve body 75, which is disposed outside the chamber 1 and connected to the pumping port 301. The diameter of the inner wall of the valve body 75 is greater than the diameter of the valve core 72. The second end of the valve core 72 is inserted into the pumping port 301 and the valve body 75 in a liftable manner. A second annulus 74 is formed between the valve core 72 and the pumping port 301 and between the valve core 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75.

[0060] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0061] The second end of the valve core 72 is inserted into the pumping port 301 and the valve body 75 in a liftable manner. Among them, the transmission structure for driving the valve core 72 to perform liftable movement in the valve body 75 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here. For example, a jacking mechanism, a rack and pinion, a ball screw, a crank and connecting rod, etc. can be used as the transmission structure to drive the valve core 72 to move up and down relative to the pumping port 301 through its own operation.

[0062] The second annulus 74 is formed between the valve core 72 and the air extraction port 301, as well as between the valve core 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75. It can be understood that the annular gap between the valve core 72 and the air extraction port 301 and the annular gap between the valve core 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75 together constitute the second annulus 74. Among them, when the valve core 72 moves upward, the part of the valve core 72 located inside the valve body 75 will increase accordingly. As the valve core 72 rises, the second end of the valve core 72 will rise accordingly, so the length of the formed second annulus 74 will shorten accordingly. When the length of the second annulus 74 is short, the flow resistance of the gas flowing through the second annulus 74 is small, the flow rate of the gas passing through the second annulus 74 increases, and at the same time, the process pressure inside the cavity 1 can be reduced. When the valve core 72 moves downward, the part of the valve core 72 located inside the valve body 75 will decrease accordingly. As the valve core 72 descends, the second end of the valve core 72 will descend accordingly, so the length of the formed second annulus 74 will increase accordingly. When the length of the second annulus 74 is long, the flow resistance of the gas flowing through the second annulus 74 increases, the flow rate of the gas passing through the second annulus 74 decreases, and at the same time, the process pressure inside the cavity 1 can be increased.

[0063] The shape and size of the valve body 75 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here, as long as it satisfies that the valve core 72 can be lifted and lowered inside the valve body 75.

[0064] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, by adjustably lifting and lowering the valve core 72, the length of the second annulus 74 can be adjusted, thereby controlling the air pressure inside the cavity 1 and regulating the gas flow resistance and gas flow rate when sucking process gas.

[0065] In one example, the valve body 75 is a hollow cylinder, the valve core 72 is a cylinder, the valve core 72 is inserted into the air extraction port 301 and the valve body 75 in a liftable and lowerable manner, and the second annulus 74 is formed between the valve core 72 and the air extraction port 301 and between the valve core 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75.

[0066] In one example, the valve core 72 is an inverted cone, the valve body 75 is adapted to the side wall of the valve core 72, the valve core 72 is inserted into the air extraction port 301 and the valve body 75 in a liftable and lowerable manner, and the second annulus 74 is formed between the valve core 72 and the air extraction port 301 and between the valve core 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75.

[0067] In one embodiment, the air extraction part 7 further includes a pump body 76, and the pump body 76 is connected to the air extraction port 301 through the valve body 75.

[0068] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0069] The pump body 76 can adopt any pump structure in the prior art, as long as it satisfies the suction of the gas inside the cavity 1.

[0070] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the extraction of process gas inside the cavity 1 can be accelerated. Meanwhile, before the process reaction, the internal air of the cavity 1 can be extracted through the pump body 76 to make the inside of the cavity 1 in a vacuum state, meeting the requirements of the wafer process reaction.

[0071] In one embodiment, when the valve core 72 is in the second working position (as Figure 5 shown), the valve plate 71 contacts the bottom plate 3 to close the air extraction port 301.

[0072] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, during the wafer process reaction, by controlling the valve core 72 to move to the second working position, a sealed reaction space can be formed in the cavity 1, meeting the requirements of the wafer process reaction and ensuring that the process gas inside the cavity 1 does not leak through the air extraction port 301.

[0073] As Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b 、 Figure 5 shown, in one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a sealing ring 8 disposed at the air extraction port 301. When the valve core 72 is in the second working position, the valve plate 71 contacts the sealing ring 8.

[0074] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0075] The material and quantity of the sealing ring 8 are not specifically limited herein, as long as the sealing effect is satisfied. For example, one sealing ring 8 can be provided at the air extraction port 301, or a nested double-layer sealing ring 8 can be provided at the air extraction port 301.

[0076] The sealing ring 8 is disposed at the air extraction port 301, which can be understood as the sealing ring 8 being connected to the outer edge of the air extraction port 301. It can also be understood that the sealing ring 8 is sleeved outside the air extraction port 301 and is connected to the bottom plate 3.

[0077] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, by providing the sealing ring 8, the sealing effect of the valve plate 71 on the air extraction port 301 can be enhanced.

[0078] As Figure 3 、 Figure 4 shown, in one embodiment, there are multiple first support portions 61, and the multiple first support portions 61 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4.

[0079] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0080] The quantity of the first support portions 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed. For example, there can be 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 first support portions 61.

[0081] The sizes of the respective first support portions 61 can be kept consistent.

[0082] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, since a plurality of first support portions 61 are evenly arranged, the pumping area 5 between the wafer stage 4 and the cavity 1 is evenly divided into a plurality of sub-areas. When pumping process gas, the process gas can uniformly pass through the sub-areas of the pumping area 5 between the first support portions 61. At the same time, the plurality of first support portions 61 can improve the stability of the wafer stage 4.

[0083] In one example, a plurality of first support portions 61 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4 on the first horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4, and a plurality of first support portions 61 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4 on the second horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4. Among them, the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The projections of the first support portions 61 arranged on the first horizontal plane and the first support portions 61 arranged on the second horizontal plane overlap each other in the vertical direction, or the projections of the first support portions 61 arranged on the first horizontal plane and the first support portions 61 arranged on the second horizontal plane are staggered with each other in the vertical direction. The process gas passes through the sub-areas of the pumping area 5 between two adjacent first support portions 61 on the same horizontal plane.

[0084] In one example, a plurality of first support portions 61 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4 on the first horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4, and a plurality of first support portions 61 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4 on the second horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4. Among them, the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The projections of the first support portions 61 arranged on the first horizontal plane and the first support portions 61 arranged on the second horizontal plane overlap each other in the vertical direction, or the projections of the first support portions 61 arranged on the first horizontal plane and the first support portions 61 arranged on the second horizontal plane are staggered with each other in the vertical direction. The process gas passes through the sub-areas of the second pumping area 51 between two adjacent first support portions 61 on the same horizontal plane.

[0085] In one embodiment, the width of the cross-section of the first support portion 61 in the horizontal direction is between one-tenth and one-half of the radius of the wafer stage 4.

[0086] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0087] The width of the cross-section of the first support portion 61 in the horizontal direction can be understood as that the first support portion 61 has a surface that hinders the flow of air in the pumping area 5. The distance between the wafer stage 4 and the inner wall of the cavity 1 is the length of this surface, and the width of the cross-section of the first support portion 61 in the horizontal direction is the width of this surface. Among them, the width of the first support portion 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here. For example, if the number of the first support portions 61 is increased, the width of the first support portion 61 is reduced, and thus the influence of the first support portion 61 on the uniform flow of air in the pumping area 5 can be reduced.

[0088] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of first support portions 61 with a small width and evenly distributed are provided. When the process gas flows through the pumping area 5, the area where the first support portions 61 block the flow of the process gas can be reduced, so that the process gas can flow evenly through the pumping area 5.

[0089] In one example, a plurality of first support portions 61 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4 in the reaction chamber 100, and the width of the cross-section of the first support portions 61 in the horizontal direction gradually decreases as the number of the first support portions 61 increases. For example, the reaction chamber 100 is provided with 2 first support portions 61 evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the cross-section of the first support portions 61 in the horizontal direction is one-half of the radius of the wafer stage 4. The reaction chamber 100 is provided with 4 first support portions 61 evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the cross-section of the first support portions 61 in the horizontal direction is one-fourth of the radius of the wafer stage 4. The reaction chamber 100 is provided with 5 first support portions 61 evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the cross-section of the first support portions 61 in the horizontal direction is one-fifth of the radius of the wafer stage 4. The reaction chamber 100 is provided with 8 first support portions 61 evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the cross-section of the first support portions 61 in the horizontal direction is one-eighth of the radius of the wafer stage 4.

[0090] As Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 5 shown, in one embodiment, the first support portion 61 is a tubular structure, the first port of the first support portion 61 is communicated with the cavity 1, and the second port of the first support portion 61 is communicated with the wafer stage 4.

[0091] The power connection line of the wafer stage 4 and / or the pipeline (gas supply and / or liquid supply) of the reaction chamber 100 sequentially pass through the second port, the internal pipeline of the first support portion 61, and the first port and are led out of the cavity 1.

[0092] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0093] The power connection line of the wafer stage 4 may include a power line (such as a high-voltage DC power supply line, a heating power supply line), a signal line (such as a thermocouple connection line), etc., which are not specifically limited herein.

[0094] The pipeline may include: a gas path (such as a He (helium) gas pipeline, a CDA (Compressed Dry Air) pipeline), a coolant pipeline, etc.

[0095] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular structure of the first support portion 61 can accommodate the power connection line of the wafer stage 4 and / or the pipeline of the reaction chamber 100 and prevent them from being exposed in the pumping area 5.

[0096] In one example, the power connection lines of the wafer stage 4 and / or the pipelines of the reaction chamber 100 can be respectively accommodated in different first support parts 61, or grouped and accommodated in different first support parts 61. For example, the power supply line, the signal line, the gas path, and the coolant pipeline are respectively accommodated in different first support parts 61, which avoids the uniform flow of the air flow being affected by all the lines being accommodated in one first support part 61, and is also conducive to maintenance and the safety of the device.

[0097] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the power connection lines of the wafer stage 4 and / or the pipelines of the reaction chamber 100 are respectively arranged in different first support parts 61, the width of the first support part 61 can be further made as small as possible during design. Furthermore, the influence of the first support part 61 on the uniform flow of the air flow in the pumping area 5 can be reduced.

[0098] As Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b 、 Figure 5 As shown in

[0099] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0100] The rod body 92 is used to drive the valve plate 71 and the valve core 72 to perform lifting and lowering movements. It can be understood that the rod body 92 drives the valve core 72 to move between the first working position and the second working position, that is, the opening or closing of the pumping part 7 is controlled by the rod body 92.

[0101] The slidable manner of the rod body 92 and the first pipe body 91 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and specific limitations are not made here.

[0102] The material, size, and installation position of the first pipe body 91 can be selected and adjusted as needed. For example, the first pipe body 91 can be made of a sealed corrugated pipe.

[0103] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first lifting mechanism 9 can drive the valve plate 71 and the valve core 72 to perform smooth and stable lifting and lowering movements.

[0104] In one example, the first pipe body 91 is arranged outside the cavity 1. One end of the rod body 92 passes through the first pipe body 91 and is connected to the valve plate 71 inside the cavity 1, and the other end of the rod body 92 passes through the first pipe body 91 and is connected to a motor arranged outside the cavity 1. The motor is used to drive the rod body 92 to slide relative to the first pipe body 91 in the vertical direction.

[0105] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the first pipe body 91 is arranged outside the cavity 1, the process gas inside the cavity 1 can be prevented from corroding the first pipe body 91, thereby increasing the service life of the first pipe body 91.

[0106] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 includes a plurality of first lifting mechanisms 9, and the plurality of first lifting mechanisms 9 are uniformly distributed along the circumferential direction of the valve plate 71.

[0107] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0108] The plurality of first lifting mechanisms 9 can be understood as at least two first lifting mechanisms 9.

[0109] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, by uniformly arranging the plurality of first lifting mechanisms 9, the valve plate 71 and the valve core 72 can be lifted more smoothly, and the problem that the valve core 72 and the valve plate 71 are axially offset due to uneven force, resulting in an asymmetric structure of the first annulus 73 and the second annulus 74, can be avoided. Furthermore, the uniform air extraction at the air extraction port 301 is ensured.

[0110] As Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b shown, in one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a wafer transfer port 10 and a first lining 11.

[0111] The wafer transfer port 10 is in communication with the inside of the cavity 1 and is used for transporting the wafer to the wafer stage 4.

[0112] The first lining 11 is slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1 and is slidably sleeved outside the wafer stage 4. The first lining 11 is provided with ventilation holes 111, and the first air extraction area 52 near the air inlet 201 is communicated with the second air extraction area 51 near the air extraction port 301 through the ventilation holes 111. When the first lining 11 is in the third working position, the wafer transfer port 10 is in communication with the first air extraction area 52.

[0113] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0114] The wafer transfer port 10 is generally on the same horizontal plane as the wafer stage 4, which is convenient for wafer transportation. It can also be selected and adjusted according to needs as long as the wafer transportation is satisfied.

[0115] The first lining 11 can be understood as being composed of three parts, namely, a first part slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1, a second part slidably connected to the side wall of the wafer stage 4, and a third part located between the first part and the second part. The third part is provided with ventilation holes 111. Among them, the slidable manner of the first lining 11 with the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the slidable manner of the first lining 11 with the wafer stage 4 can be selected and adjusted according to needs, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0116] The third working position can be understood as the first inner liner 11 descending to a certain position, such that the wafer transfer port 10 communicates with the interior of the cavity 1. The specific position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is provided herein.

[0117] The number, shape, and size of the ventilation holes 111 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is provided herein. Among them, the setting position of the ventilation holes 111 can be selected and adjusted as needed. For example, the ventilation holes 111 are evenly distributed at the position of the first inner liner 11 relative to the top plate 2. When the air extraction part 7 is turned on, the process gas enters the second air extraction area 51 through the ventilation holes 111 from the first air extraction area 52, and is discharged from the cavity 1 through the first annular space 73 and the second annular space 74.

[0118] The working process of the first inner liner 11 is as follows: during the wafer etching process, when the first inner liner 11 is in the third working position, the wafer transfer port 10 communicates with the first air extraction area 52. The wafer is transferred by a manipulator, passes through the wafer transfer port 10, and is introduced into the cavity 1 and placed on the wafer stage 4. The manipulator exits the cavity 1, and the first inner liner 11 moves from the third working position to the fourth working position to close the wafer transfer port 10. A process reaction occurs inside the cavity 1. After the process is completed, the first inner liner 11 moves back to the third working position, and the manipulator enters the cavity 1 again to take away the wafer. The cavity 1 and the first inner liner 11 need to be respectively designed with areas for the wafer transfer port to pass through.

[0119] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the first inner liner 11 is slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1, the opening and closing of the wafer transfer port 10 can be controlled. At the same time, the impurity attachments generated during the process reaction can adhere to the first inner liner 11, preventing corrosion of the cavity 1 and increasing the service life of the cavity 1.

[0120] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a second inner liner 12. The second inner liner 12 is connected to the top plate 2 and the side plate of the cavity 1. The second inner liner 12 is provided with an opening that communicates with the air inlet 201. A second wafer transfer port 121 is formed between the second inner liner 12 and the first inner liner 11. When the first inner liner 11 is in the third working position, the wafer transfer port 10 communicates with the first air extraction area 52 through the second wafer transfer port 121.

[0121] According to an example of the present disclosure, by providing the second inner liner 12, the corrosion of the cavity 1 by the process gas can be further reduced, and the service life of the cavity 1 can be increased. At the same time, the relative arrangement of the second inner liner 12 and the first inner liner 11 makes the gas flow field in the wafer reaction area more uniform.

[0122] As Figure 5 shown, in one embodiment, when the first inner liner 11 is in the fourth working position, the first inner liner 11 closes the wafer transfer port 10.

[0123] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0124] The fourth working position can be understood as the first inner liner 11 rising to a certain position, which hinders the internal communication between the wafer transfer port 10 and the cavity 1. The specific position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0125] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, when the first inner liner 11 moves to the fourth working position, a closed environment can be formed in the cavity 1 to meet the requirements of the wafer process reaction.

[0126] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a first heater 112, which is disposed in the inner wall of the cavity 1 and corresponds to the position of the first inner liner 11. The first heater 112 is used to heat the first inner liner 11. During the wafer etching process, the first heater 112 heats the first inner liner 11, so that the temperature of the first inner liner 11 rises, which is beneficial to plasma ignition. After completing the wafer etching process of one wafer, the temperature of the first inner liner 11 will decrease without plasma. By controlling the first heater 112, the first inner liner 11 can be heated during the period without plasma, so that the first inner liner 11 is still at a temperature beneficial to the wafer etching process during the second wafer etching process, and each wafer is in a stable process environment, improving the inter-wafer uniformity of the process results.

[0127] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0128] The first heater 112 is disposed in the inner wall of the cavity 1, which can be understood as the first heater 112 being embedded in the inner wall of the cavity 1 or there being a groove in the inner wall of the cavity 1, and the first heater 112 is disposed in the groove. The inner diameter of the first heater 112 should be as equal as possible to the inner diameter of the cavity 1, so that a uniform gas flow field can be formed inside the cavity 1 during the wafer etching process.

[0129] The first heater 112 corresponds to the position of the first inner liner 11, which can be understood as the heating area of the first heater 112 should at least cover the moving area range of the first inner liner 11 to ensure that the first heater 112 can heat each area of the first inner liner 11.

[0130] The heating method of the first heater 112 is not specifically limited here, as long as it can deliver heat to the first inner liner 11. For example, the first heater 112 can heat the first inner liner 11 by means of radiation heating or by means of contact heat conduction.

[0131] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a first lining 11 is disposed in the cavity 1, which can enable by-products generated during the wafer etching process to adhere to the first lining 11, preventing the by-products from adhering to the cavity 1 and causing particle contamination to it, and improving the service life of the cavity 1. By heating the first lining 11 with the first heater 112, the temperature of the first lining 11 during the wafer etching process is increased, which is beneficial to the plasma ignition in the cavity 1 and at the same time reduces the excessive deposition of by-products on the first lining 11 during the reaction process.

[0132] In one embodiment, there are multiple first heaters 112, and the multiple first heaters 112 are arranged in the vertical direction. The multiple first heaters 112 are all electrically connected to the first controller. The first controller is used to control the temperatures at which the multiple first heaters 112 heat different regions of the first lining 11 respectively. Arranging the multiple first heaters 112 in the vertical direction can heat different regions of the first lining 11. The temperatures of the multiple first heaters 112 controlled by the first controller can be different.

[0133] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0134] The multiple first heaters 112 can be arranged at any position of the cavity 1 relative to the first lining 11 as long as the multiple first heaters 112 can heat different regions of the first lining 11 respectively. For example, the multiple first heaters 112 are arranged in a vertical ring outside the first lining 11, so that the combined multiple first heaters 112 can cover the entire outer wall region of the first lining 11. Another example is that the multiple first heaters 112 are arranged staggeredly in the vertical direction, and the multiple first heaters 112 are respectively distributed in multiple outer wall regions of the first lining 11. Through the heat conduction of the multiple first heaters 112, the entire outer wall region of the first lining 11 can be heated.

[0135] The temperature control of each first heater by the first controller can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here. For example, during the wafer etching process, it is required that the temperature of the first lining 11 be between 100 degrees Celsius and 150 degrees Celsius. Then, the first controller can be used to control a part of the first heaters 112 to heat the temperature of the upper region of the first lining 11 to between 100 degrees Celsius and 120 degrees Celsius, and control another part of the first heaters 112 to heat the temperature of the lower region of the first lining 11 to between 120 degrees Celsius and 150 degrees Celsius.

[0136] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first controller can adjust the heating temperature of different regions of the first liner 11 by controlling the temperature of a plurality of first heaters 112, thereby improving the controllability of the temperature of the first liner 11 in the wafer etching process. At the same time, according to the by-product deposition conditions in different regions of the inner sidewall of the first liner 11, one or more first heaters 112 are controlled to precisely heat the regions with severe by-product deposition, thereby improving the by-product deposition conditions on the inner sidewall of the first liner 11.

[0137] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is connected to the first liner 11 and the first heaters 112, and is used to detect the temperature of the first liner 11 and feedback the temperature detection result to the first heaters 112.

[0138] When the detected temperature of the first liner 11 does not meet the requirements of the wafer etching process, the heating temperature of the first heaters 112 is increased, thereby adjusting the temperature of the first liner 11.

[0139] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0140] The temperature sensor can adopt any detection device capable of realizing temperature measurement in the prior art, and can be selected and adjusted according to needs. No specific limitation is made here, as long as it meets the detection of the temperature of the first liner 11.

[0141] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, based on the temperature detection result of the provided temperature sensor, the temperature of the first liner 11 can be precisely adjusted by using the first heaters 112, further improving the controllability of the temperature of the first liner 11, facilitating the plasma ignition in the chamber 1, and at the same time reducing the excessive deposition of by-products on the first liner 11 during the reaction process.

[0142] In one example, the temperature sensor can be an infrared temperature measurement sensor.

[0143] In one example, when the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the first liner 11 does not meet the temperature range requirements between 100 degrees Celsius and 150 degrees Celsius, the heating temperature of the first heaters 112 is adjusted.

[0144] In one example, the temperature sensor is connected to the first liner 11 and the first controller, and is used to detect the temperature of the first liner 11 and feedback the temperature detection result to the first controller. When the detected temperature of the first liner 11 does not meet the temperature required by the wafer etching process, the first controller adjusts the heating temperature of the first heaters 112, thereby adjusting the temperature of the first liner 11.

[0145] In one example, the number of temperature sensors in the reaction chamber 100 is two. The first temperature sensor is connected to the first inner liner 11 and the first heater 112, and is used to detect the temperature of the first inner liner 11 and feedback the temperature detection result to the first heater 112. The second temperature sensor is connected to the cavity 1 and the first heater 112, and is used to detect the temperature of the cavity 1 and feedback the temperature detection result to the first heater 112.

[0146] In one example, when the reaction chamber 100 is operating, the temperature inside the cavity 1 can be maintained between 60 degrees Celsius and 100 degrees Celsius, and the temperature of the first inner liner 11 is maintained between 100 degrees Celsius and 150 degrees Celsius. The high-temperature first inner liner 11 can avoid the deposition of by-products.

[0147] In one embodiment, the first heater 112 can be a radiation heater. The radiation heating end of the radiation heater is arranged facing the first inner liner 11.

[0148] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0149] The model of the radiation heater can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here. For example, according to the material of the first inner liner 11, a radiation heater with a suitable wavelength is selected. The specific structure of the radiation heater can adopt the structure of any radiation heater in the prior art, and no specific limitation is made here. For example, the radiation heater can adopt a heater in the form of an embedded heating wire.

[0150] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, using a radiation heater can achieve rapid heating of the first inner liner 11 by heat conduction, improving the heating efficiency of the first inner liner 11.

[0151] In one example, the radiation heater can also be an infrared lamp tube heater.

[0152] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 is further provided with a vacuum adapter flange, and the power connection wire is connected to the first heater 112 through the vacuum adapter flange, so as to supply power to the first heater 112.

[0153] In one example, a heat insulation layer is further provided between the first heater 112 and the inner wall of the cavity 1 to avoid the influence of the temperature of the first heater 112 on the cavity 1 and improve the service life of the cavity 1.

[0154] In one embodiment, the first inner lining 11 is provided with ventilation holes 111, and the ventilation holes 111 connect the first air extraction area 52 and the second air extraction area 51, so that the pressures in the first air extraction area 52 and the second air extraction area 51 are kept consistent. The air extraction area 5 includes the first air extraction area 52 and the second air extraction area 51. The spatial volumes of the first air extraction area 52 and the second air extraction area 51 change with the change of the working position of the first inner lining 11. For example, when the first inner lining 11 slides towards the top plate 2, the distance between the first inner lining 11 and the top plate 2 decreases, and the distance between the first inner lining 11 and the bottom plate 3 increases. Therefore, the spatial volume of the first air extraction area 52 decreases, and the spatial volume of the second air extraction area 51 increases. When the first inner lining 11 moves towards the bottom plate 3, the distance between the first inner lining 11 and the top plate 2 increases, and the distance between the first inner lining 11 and the bottom plate 3 decreases. Therefore, the spatial volume of the first air extraction area 52 increases, and the spatial volume of the second air extraction area 51 decreases.

[0155] The number, shape and size of the ventilation holes 111 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here. The setting position of the ventilation holes 111 can be selected and adjusted as needed. For example, the ventilation holes 111 are evenly arranged in the area of the first inner lining 11 between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the outer wall of the wafer stage 4.

[0156] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the ventilation holes 111 provided on the first inner lining 11 make the internal pressure of the cavity 1 consistent, and a uniform air flow field can be formed in the first air extraction area 52, improving the uniformity of the process results.

[0157] In one example, the heating temperature of the first heater 112 at the position of the ventilation holes 111 is higher than the heating temperature of the first heater 112 at the other positions of the first inner lining 11, so as to avoid the deposition of by-products generated during the wafer etching process at the position of the ventilation holes 111, causing blockage of the ventilation holes 111.

[0158] In one embodiment, the first inner lining 11 includes a third working position and a fourth working position. When the first inner lining 11 slides to the third working position, the wafer transfer port 10 is connected to the first air extraction area 52. When the first inner lining 11 slides to the fourth working position, the wafer transfer port 10 is blocked from the first air extraction area 52. And

[0159] The heating area of the first heater 112 at least includes the area where the first inner lining 11 slides between the third working position and the fourth working position.

[0160] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0161] The third working position can be understood as the first inner liner 11 sliding towards the bottom plate 3 to a certain position, such that the wafer transfer port 10 communicates with the first evacuation area 52. The specific position can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited herein.

[0162] The fourth working position can be understood as the first inner liner 11 sliding towards the top plate 2 to a certain position, which obstructs the communication between the wafer transfer port 10 and the first evacuation area 52. The specific position can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited herein.

[0163] The heating area can be understood as that when the first inner liner 11 is located at any position relative to the reaction chamber 100, the first heater 112 can transfer heat to the first inner liner 11 to heat the first inner liner 11. During the wafer etching process, the first inner liner 11 slides to the fourth working position, and the first heater 112 heats the first inner liner 11, which is beneficial to plasma ignition. When the wafer etching process is completed, the first inner liner 11 slides to the third working position, and the first heater 112 still heats the first inner liner 11. During the next wafer etching process, the first inner liner 11 is still at a temperature beneficial to the wafer etching process, improving the inter-wafer uniformity of the process results.

[0164] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heating area of the first heater 112 covers the sliding area of the first inner liner 11, which can continuously and sufficiently heat the first inner liner 11 to form a stable process environment inside the cavity 1.

[0165] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a second inner liner 12. The second inner liner 12 is connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1 and is disposed close to the top plate 2. The second inner liner 12 is provided with an opening that communicates with the air inlet 201. The second inner liner 12, the first inner liner 11, and the wafer stage 4 are coaxially arranged, and the inner diameters of the second inner liner 12 and the first inner liner 11 are equal.

[0166] Among them, when the first inner liner 11 slides to the third working position, the wafer transfer port 10 communicates with the first evacuation area 52. When the first inner liner 11 slides to the fourth working position, the first inner liner 11 engages with the second inner liner 12 to form a sealed first evacuation area 52, and the wafer transfer port 10 is blocked from the sealed first evacuation area 52. At this time, the inside of the wafer stage 4, the first inner liner 11, the second inner liner 12, and the cavity 1 can jointly form a circumferentially symmetric area.

[0167] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0168] The coaxial arrangement of the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 can be understood as the central axis of the first inner liner 11 coinciding with the central axis of the second inner liner 12.

[0169] The third working position can be understood as when the first inner liner 11 slides towards the bottom plate 3 to a certain low position, the wafer transfer port 10 is communicated with the first pumping area 52. The specific position of the low position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here. When the first inner liner 11 slides to the third working position, the wafer can be fed into the cavity 1 through the wafer transfer port 10 and placed on the wafer stage 4.

[0170] The fourth working position can be understood as when the first inner liner 11 slides towards the top plate 2 to a certain high position, it obstructs the communication between the wafer transfer port 10 and the first pumping area 52. The specific position of the high position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0171] The shape of the second inner liner 12 is adapted to the inner wall shape of the cavity 1. The second inner liner 12 can be a non-equidistant annular structure, and the first side wall of the first inner liner 11 can be a non-equidistant annular side wall, as long as it satisfies that when the first inner liner 11 slides to the fourth working position and the first inner liner 11 is joined with the second inner liner 12, the inner side walls of both form a sealed and circumferentially symmetric first pumping area 52 with the cavity 1.

[0172] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second inner liner 12 can enable by-products generated during the wafer etching process to adhere to it, which can further prevent the by-products from adhering to the cavity 1 and causing particle contamination to it, and improve the service life of the cavity 1. At the same time, the second inner liner 12 and the first inner liner 11 are coaxially arranged and have equal inner diameters. Therefore, the inside of the wafer stage 4, the first inner liner 11, the second inner liner 12, and the cavity 1 can jointly form a circumferentially symmetric area. During the etching process, the wafer can be in a circumferentially symmetric process environment, so that the process gas introduced into the cavity 1 can form a uniform circumferentially symmetric airflow field around the wafer, and at the same time, the electrical properties of the first inner liner 11 can also reach circumferential symmetry, thereby maximizing the circumferential symmetry uniformity of the wafer process results.

[0173] In one example, during the wafer etching process, by-products such as particles are generated and adhere to the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12. In order to avoid particle contamination of the wafer caused by the by-products falling off from the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12, it is necessary to regularly clean or replace the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12. Therefore, the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 are detachably arranged in the cavity 1, which is convenient for disassembly, cleaning, and replacement.

[0174] In one example, the inner side wall of the first side wall of the first inner liner 11 is an annular structure extending in the vertical direction, and the inner side wall of the second inner liner 12 is an annular structure extending in the vertical direction. To ensure that a circumferentially symmetric space structure is formed inside both after the first inner liner 11 is joined with the second inner liner 12.

[0175] In one example, the second lining 12 is connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1 through a flange. The flange is connected to a heating device, which is used to heat the flange so that the absorbed heat is conducted by the flange to the second lining 12 and the first lining 11. At the same time, combined with the auxiliary heating of the first lining 11 by the first heater 112, it is more conducive to the plasma ignition in the cavity 1 and reduces the excessive deposition of by-products on the first lining 11 during the reaction process.

[0176] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a second heater 121. The second heater 121 is disposed in the inner wall of the cavity 1 and corresponds to the position of the second lining 12. The second heater 121 is electrically connected to a second controller, and the second controller is used to control the temperature at which the second heater 121 heats the second lining 12.

[0177] During the wafer etching process, the second heater 121 heats the second lining 12, causing the temperature of the second lining 12 to rise, which is conducive to plasma ignition. After completing one wafer etching process, the temperature of the second lining 12 will decrease in the absence of plasma. By controlling the second heater 121 to heat the second lining 12 during the period without plasma through the second controller, during the second wafer etching process, the second lining 12 remains at a temperature conducive to the wafer etching process, enabling each wafer to be in a stable process environment and improving the inter-wafer uniformity of the process results.

[0178] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0179] The second heater 121 is disposed in the inner wall of the cavity 1, which can be understood as the second heater 121 being embedded in the inner wall of the cavity 1 or there being a groove provided in the inner wall of the cavity 1, and the second heater 121 is disposed in the groove. The inner diameter of the second heater 121 should be as equal as possible to the inner diameter of the cavity 1, so that a uniform gas flow field can be formed inside the cavity 1 during the wafer etching process.

[0180] The second heater 121 corresponds to the position of the second lining 12, which can be understood as the heating area of the second heater 121 should at least cover the second lining 12 to ensure that the second heater 121 can heat all areas of the second lining 12.

[0181] The heating method of the second heater 121 is not specifically limited herein as long as it satisfies delivering heat to the second lining 12. For example, the second heater 121 can heat the second lining 12 by means of radiative heating or by means of contact heat conduction.

[0182] The second heater 121 may be the same type of heater as the first heater 112 or a different type of heater, which can be specifically selected and adjusted according to needs and is not specifically limited herein. For example, the second heater 121 is a heater using contact heat conduction, and the first heater 112 is a radiation heater.

[0183] The second controller and the first controller may be the same controller to control the second heater 121 and the first heater 112 simultaneously. The second controller and the first controller may also be two controllers to control the second heater 121 and the first heater 112 respectively, which can be specifically selected and adjusted according to needs and is not specifically limited herein.

[0184] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, heating the temperature of the second liner 12 by the second heater 121 is beneficial to plasma ignition. A stable process environment is formed inside the cavity 1, improving the uniformity of process results. At the same time, through the setting of the first controller, the controllability of the temperature of the second liner 12 in the wafer etching process can be improved.

[0185] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 further includes: a second support portion 6 and a second lifting mechanism 93.

[0186] The second support portion 6 is disposed between the cavity 1 and the wafer stage 4 and is located outside the first liner 11.

[0187] The second lifting mechanism 93 is disposed in the second support portion 6. The lifting portion 95 of the second lifting mechanism 93 is connected to the first liner 11 and is used to drive the first liner 11 to slide.

[0188] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0189] The second support portion 6 is used to connect the wafer stage 4 and the cavity 1 and serves to support the wafer stage 4. The shape and size of the second support portion 6 can be selected and adjusted according to needs and are not specifically limited herein.

[0190] The outside of the first liner 11 can be understood as Figure 1a , Figure 1b , Figure 5 , Figure 6 the lower region of the first liner 11 shown in the figure. The inside of the first liner 11 can be understood as Figure 1a , Figure 1b , Figure 5 , Figure 6 the internal region of the first liner 11 shown in the figure and the region above it. The outside of the first liner 11 accommodates the second support portion 6, and the inside of the first liner 11 accommodates the wafer.

[0191] The second lifting mechanism 93 is disposed in the second support portion 6. It can be understood that the second lifting mechanism 93 is accommodated inside the second support portion 6. When the lifting portion 95 is in the working state, it extends out of the second support portion 6 and drives the first inner liner 11 to perform lifting and sliding inside the cavity 1. When the lifting portion 95 is in the non-working state, the lifting portion 95 contracts into the second support portion 6. During the etching process, only the lifting portion 95 of the second lifting mechanism 93 is exposed to the process environment of the cavity 1, and the remaining parts are hidden in the second support portion 6.

[0192] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the first inner liner 11 can block the wafer transfer port 10 to close it and is coaxially arranged with the wafer stage 4, the inside of the wafer stage 4, the first inner liner 11, and the cavity 1 can jointly form a circumferentially symmetric region. During the etching process, the wafer can be in a circumferentially symmetric process environment, so that the process gas introduced into the cavity 1 can form a uniform circumferentially symmetric gas flow field around the wafer, and at the same time, the electrical properties of the first inner liner 11 can also reach circumferential symmetry, thereby maximizing the circumferential symmetry uniformity of the wafer process result. Moreover, since the first lifting mechanism 93 is disposed in the second support portion 6, far from the plasma region formed around the wafer during etching and not exposed inside the cavity 1, during the etching of the wafer, it is possible to avoid the overall structure of the first lifting mechanism 93 from contaminating the wafer and avoid the overall structure of the first lifting mechanism 93 from being corroded during the etching process.

[0193] In one example, as Figure 1a , Figure 1b the schematic structural diagram of the second support portion 6 disposed opposite to each other in, rotate the reaction chamber 100 along Figure 1a , Figure 1b the central axis (dash-dotted line) in to obtain the schematic structural diagram of the first support portion 61 disposed opposite to each other (as shown in Figure 2 ).

[0194] In one example, a plurality of first support portions 61 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4 on the first horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4, and a plurality of first support portions 61 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4 on the second horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4. Among them, the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. The projections of the first support portions 61 arranged on the first horizontal plane and the first support portions 61 arranged on the second horizontal plane overlap each other in the vertical direction, or the projections of the first support portions 61 arranged on the first horizontal plane and the first support portions 61 arranged on the second horizontal plane are staggered with each other in the vertical direction. The process gas passes through a sub-region of the second pumping region 511 between two adjacent first support portions 61 on the same horizontal plane. The second support portion 6 can be the same support portion as the first support portion 61 or a different support portion, and can be specifically selected and adjusted according to needs, and no specific limitation is made here. The setting position of the second support portion 6 relative to the first support portion 61 can be selected and adjusted according to needs, and no specific limitation is made here. For example, the second support portion 6 and the first support portion 61 can be evenly distributed on the same horizontal plane, or the second support portion 6 is arranged at the longitudinal projection position of the first support portion 61 on different horizontal planes. The shape and size of the first support portion 61 can be selected and adjusted according to needs, and no specific limitation is made here.

[0195] In one embodiment, the lifting portion 95 is made of an aluminum alloy material, and the surface of the lifting portion 95 is coated with a yttrium oxide coating.

[0196] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the aluminum alloy material can extend the service life of the lifting portion 95, and at the same time, the coated yttrium oxide coating can prevent the lifting portion 95 from contaminating the wafer and enhance the corrosion resistance of the lifting portion 95.

[0197] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a plurality of second support portions 6, and the plurality of second support portions 6 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and a second lifting mechanism 93 is provided in each of the plurality of second support portions 6.

[0198] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0199] The number of the plurality of second support portions 6 can be selected and adjusted according to needs. For example, there can be 2 or 4 second support portions 6.

[0200] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the plurality of second support portions 6 are evenly distributed, the second pumping region 51 is evenly divided into a plurality of sub-regions. When pumping the process gas, the process gas can uniformly pass through the sub-regions of the second pumping region 51. At the same time, the plurality of second support portions 6 can improve the stability of the wafer stage 4.

[0201] In one example, a plurality of second support portions 6 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4 on the first horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4, and a plurality of second support portions 6 are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4 on the second horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4. Among them, the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane are arranged at intervals in the vertical direction. The projections of the second support portions 6 arranged on the first horizontal plane and the second support portions 6 arranged on the second horizontal plane overlap each other in the vertical direction, or the projections of the second support portions 6 arranged on the first horizontal plane and the second support portions 6 arranged on the second horizontal plane are staggered with each other in the vertical direction. The process gas passes through a sub-region of the second pumping region 51 between two adjacent second support portions 6 on the same horizontal plane.

[0202] As Figure 1a , Figure 1b , Figure 5 , Figure 6 shown, in one embodiment, the second lifting mechanism 93 further includes a second tube body 94. The second tube body 94 is arranged in the second support portion 6. One end of the lifting portion 95 is slidably inserted into the second tube body 94, reducing the direct contact between the lifting portion 95 and the second support portion 6, and the other end of the lifting portion 95 is connected to the first lining 11.

[0203] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it should be noted that:

[0204] The sliding mechanism for the lifting portion 95 to slide relative to the second tube body 94 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and will not be specifically limited herein. For example, the sliding mechanism is a gear rack, a ball screw, a crank connecting rod, a pneumatic rod, a hydraulic rod, etc. The outer wall of the lifting portion 95 can be directly slidably connected to the inner wall of the second tube body 94, or can be indirectly slidably connected to the inner wall of the second tube body 94 through a connecting member.

[0205] The second tube body 94 is arranged in the first support portion 6, which can be understood as that the second tube body 94 is always located in the first support portion 6 and will not move along with the lifting and lowering movement of the lifting portion 95.

[0206] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, arranging the second tube body 94 in the second support portion 6 can reduce the direct contact between the lifting portion 95 and the second support portion 6 from affecting the process environment of wafer etching, and can also improve the service life of the lifting portion 95.

[0207] As Figure 1a , Figure 1b , Figure 5 , Figure 6 shown, in one example, the second lifting mechanism 93 further includes a drive unit 96. The lifting portion 95 is connected to the drive unit 96. The drive unit 96 is arranged outside the cavity 1, and the drive unit 96 is used to control the lifting and lowering movement of the lifting portion 95.

[0208] According to an example of the present disclosure, the driving unit 96 is arranged outside the cavity 1, which does not additionally occupy the internal space of the reaction chamber 100. At the same time, arranging the driving unit 96 outside the cavity 1 facilitates the maintenance of the second lifting mechanism 93.

[0209] In one example, the driving unit 96 adopts a clean air cylinder mechanism or a hydraulic cylinder mechanism.

[0210] In one embodiment, the second tube body 94 is a vacuum bellows, and the second tube body 94 is made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel.

[0211] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum bellows made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel can extend the service life of the second tube body 94. At the same time, since the second tube body 94 is arranged in the second support part 6 and is far from the plasma region formed around during wafer etching, it can avoid contaminating the wafer.

[0212] An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a wafer etching device, including: the reaction chamber 100 of any one of the above embodiments.

[0213] When the wafer etching device is working, the control valve core 72 slides to the first working position. The process gas after the process reaction inside the cavity 1 enters the second region from the first region through the ventilation hole 111, flows through the first annular space 73 and the second annular space 74 in sequence, and is pumped out by the pump body 76. The first inner liner 11 is controlled to slide to the third working position, and the wafer after the process reaction is taken out through the wafer transfer port 10.

[0214] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since the valve core 72 is inserted into the air extraction port 301 in a liftable manner, and the first annular space 73, the second annular space 74, the air extraction region 5 and the air extraction port 301 are coaxially arranged to form a symmetrically designed structure. Therefore, when extracting the process gas, a uniform air flow field will be formed in the first annular space 73, the second annular space 74 and the air extraction region 5. The process gas will flow through the air extraction region 5, the first annular space 73 and the second annular space 74 evenly in sequence from different directions of 360 degrees. The gas in the space around the wafer stage 4 can be sucked to the air extraction port 301 through the uniform air flow field, ensuring the uniformity of the wafer etching process result.

[0215] In one example, when the first inner liner 11 is provided in the cavity 1, control the first inner liner 11 to slide to the third working position, convey the wafer to the wafer stage 4 through the wafer transfer port 10, control the first inner liner 11 to slide to the fourth working position, control the valve core 72 to slide to the first working position, the air extraction part 7 extracts the air in the cavity 1 to a vacuum state, control the valve core 72 to slide to the second working position to form a closed space, and convey the process gas to the inside of the cavity 1 from the gas inlet 201 to start the process reaction. During or after the process reaction, control the valve core 72 to slide from the second working position to the first working position, the air extraction part 7 extracts the gas in the cavity 1. When extracting the process gas, a uniform air flow field will be formed in the first annular space 73, the second annular space 74 and the air extraction area 5. The process gas will flow through the air extraction area 5, the first annular space 73 and the second annular space 74 evenly in sequence from different directions of 360 degrees at the same time, so that the gas in the space around the wafer stage 4 can be sucked to the air extraction port 301 through the uniform air flow field, ensuring the uniformity of the wafer etching process result.

[0216] In the description of this specification, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus cannot be understood as a limitation to the present disclosure.

[0217] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present disclosure, "a plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0218] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to specific situations.

[0219] In this disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the first feature being “on” or “under” the second feature may include direct contact between the first and second features, or may include contact between the first and second features not being direct but through additional features therebetween. Moreover, the first feature being “above”, “over” and “on top of” the second feature includes the first feature being directly above and diagonally above the second feature, or merely indicating that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature being “under”, “beneath” and “underneath” the second feature includes the first feature being directly below and diagonally below the second feature, or merely indicating that the horizontal height of the first feature is less than that of the second feature.

[0220] The above disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of the present disclosure. For the sake of simplifying the disclosure of the present disclosure, the components and settings of specific examples are described above. Of course, they are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and / or reference letters in different examples. Such repetition is for the purpose of simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate the relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed.

[0221] The above specific embodiments do not constitute a limitation on the protection scope of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications, combinations, sub - combinations and substitutions can be made according to design requirements and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure shall be included within the protection scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A reaction chamber, applied to a wafer etching device, characterized in that, it includes: A cavity, including a top plate and a bottom plate oppositely arranged in the vertical direction. The top plate is provided with an air inlet, the bottom plate is provided with an air extraction port, a wafer stage is arranged between the air inlet and the air extraction port, and an air extraction area is formed between the inner wall of the cavity and the wafer stage; A first support part, arranged between the inner wall of the cavity and the wafer stage; An air extraction part, including a valve plate and a valve core. The valve plate is arranged inside the cavity and connected to the first end of the valve core. The second end of the valve core is inserted into the air extraction port in a liftable manner. When the valve core is in the first working position, a first annulus is formed between the valve plate and the bottom plate; a second annulus is formed between the valve core and the air extraction port; wherein, the first annulus, the second annulus and the air extraction area are coaxially arranged; As the valve plate moves upward, the valve plate gradually moves away from the bottom plate, and the volume of the first annulus gradually increases, so that the gas flow rate of the process gas that can pass through the first annulus becomes larger; as the valve plate moves downward, the valve plate gradually approaches the bottom plate, and the volume of the first annulus gradually decreases, so that the gas flow rate of the process gas that can pass through the first annulus becomes smaller; When the valve core is in the second working position, the valve plate contacts the bottom plate to close the air extraction port; The reaction chamber further includes: a sealing ring, arranged at the air extraction port. When the valve core is in the second working position, the valve plate contacts the sealing ring.

2. The reaction chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air extraction part further includes a valve body, arranged outside the cavity and connected to the air extraction port. The second end of the valve core is inserted into the air extraction port and the valve body in a liftable manner, and the second annulus is formed between the valve core and the air extraction port and between the valve core and the inner wall of the valve body.

3. The reaction chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air extraction part further includes a pump body, and the pump body is connected to the air extraction port through the valve body.

4. The reaction chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, There are multiple first support parts, and the first support parts are evenly distributed along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage.

5. The reaction chamber according to claim 4, characterized in that, The width of the cross-section of the first support part in the horizontal direction is between one-tenth and one-half of the radius of the wafer stage.

6. The reaction chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The first support part is a tubular structure, the first port of the first support part is communicated with the cavity, and the second port of the first support part is communicated with the wafer stage.

7. The reaction chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, It further includes: The first lifting mechanism includes a first pipe body and a rod body. The first pipe body is connected to the bottom plate. One end of the rod body is slidably inserted into the first pipe body, and the other end of the rod body extends into the interior of the cavity and is connected to the valve plate. The rod body is used to drive the valve plate and the valve core to perform lifting motion.

8. The reaction chamber according to claim 7, wherein, it includes a plurality of the first lifting mechanisms, and the plurality of the first lifting mechanisms are uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the valve plate.

9. A wafer etching device, wherein, it includes: the reaction chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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