Auxiliary device for thin film deposition, thin film deposition apparatus and method for treating effluents

Abstract

The application discloses an auxiliary device for thin film deposition, a thin film deposition device and a method for processing thin film deposition effluent. The auxiliary device comprises a first valve connected with a reaction chamber for adjusting the air pressure in the reaction chamber; a trapping unit arranged between the reaction chamber and the first valve for collecting the unreacted primary gas-liquid effluent in the reaction chamber after a primary thin film deposition reaction in the reaction chamber is completed and making the primary gas-liquid effluent perform a secondary thin film deposition reaction in the trapping unit; and a structure arranged in the trapping unit for filtering the secondary gas-liquid effluent after the secondary thin film deposition reaction to discharge clean gas. The auxiliary device for thin film deposition has a simple structure and can effectively avoid the deposition of the gas-liquid effluent discharged from the reaction chamber in the valve to block the valve, thereby prolonging the service life of the valve, reducing the equipment failure rate, improving the operation time of the machine, and reducing the maintenance cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and specifically to an auxiliary device for thin film deposition, a thin film deposition apparatus, a method for processing thin film deposition effluent, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the main technologies used for thin film deposition include physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD). Atomic layer deposition is a method that deposits materials layer by layer onto a substrate surface in the form of single-atom films, enabling the deposition of nanoscale ultrathin films.

[0003] In existing technologies, thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment is used to deposit thin films to prepare metal films. Because ALD equipment cannot use a cleaning system, unreacted chemical sources and reaction byproducts are extracted by the end pump through the evacuation line during deposition within the chamber. In actual use, after a period of time, the butterfly valve plates, gate valve plates, and end pump along the evacuation line become adhered with deposited chemical sources and byproducts. Especially when the deposited film is too thick, there is a risk of valve plates or pumps jamming. Therefore, after a period of use, the machine needs to be frequently shut down for maintenance work on components such as the butterfly valves connecting to the reaction chamber, including component replacement and cleaning. These maintenance tasks increase the preventative maintenance costs of the equipment.

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems in the existing technology, there is an urgent need in the field for an auxiliary technology for thin film deposition that is not only simple in structure but also effectively prevents the gaseous and liquid substances discharged from the reaction chamber from depositing a large amount of thin film inside the valve, thus clogging the valve, thereby extending the valve's lifespan, reducing equipment failure rate, increasing machine uptime, and reducing maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0006] To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides an auxiliary device for thin film deposition, a thin film deposition equipment, a method for treating thin film deposition effluent, and a computer-readable storage medium. These devices are not only simple in structure but also effectively prevent gaseous and liquid substances discharged from the reaction chamber from depositing large amounts of thin film inside the valve, thus avoiding valve blockage. This extends the valve's lifespan, reduces equipment failure rate, increases machine uptime, and reduces maintenance costs.

[0007] Specifically, the auxiliary device for thin film deposition provided according to the first aspect of the present invention includes: a first valve connected to a reaction chamber for adjusting the gas pressure inside the reaction chamber; a collection section disposed between the reaction chamber and the first valve for collecting unreacted primary gas-liquid effluent from the reaction chamber after a primary thin film deposition reaction is completed, and subjecting it to a secondary thin film deposition reaction within the collection section; and a filter element structure disposed within the collection section for filtering the secondary gas-liquid effluent after the secondary thin film deposition reaction to discharge clean gas.

[0008] Optionally, in some embodiments of the present invention, the primary gas-liquid effluent includes a metal source and / or reactants. A temperature control component is provided on the outside of the collection section, which controls the temperature of the collection section according to the type of the gas-liquid effluent, so as to perform corresponding secondary treatment on the primary gas-liquid effluent inside the collection section.

[0009] Optionally, in some embodiments of the present invention, when the gas-liquid discharge in the trapping section is the metal source, the temperature of the trapping section is controlled to a first temperature range to thermally decompose the metal source; or when the gas-liquid discharge in the trapping section is the metal source or the reactant, the temperature of the trapping section is controlled to a second temperature range to condense the metal source or the reactant; or when the gas-liquid discharge in the trapping section is both the metal source and the reactant, the temperature of the trapping section is controlled to a third temperature range to allow the metal source and the reactant to undergo a secondary thin film deposition reaction.

[0010] Optionally, in some embodiments of the present invention, the filter element structure includes an upper cover plate, a lower cover plate, at least one filter element, and a filter element locking component. The at least one filter element is disposed between the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate and is locked and fixed by the filter element locking component, so that the secondary gas liquid discharge flows from the outside of the filter element structure to the filter element.

[0011] Optionally, in some embodiments of the present invention, the filter element structure includes multiple filter elements that are bonded together, and the upper surface of the bonded filter elements forms a honeycomb structure.

[0012] Optionally, in some embodiments of the present invention, a purging branch is provided between the collecting section and the first valve so that external purging gas purges the first valve via the purging branch, wherein the purging branch includes a second valve and / or a flow controller to control the flow rate of the purging gas.

[0013] Optionally, in some embodiments of the present invention, the outer end of the first valve connected to the reaction chamber further includes a third valve, the purge branch includes parallel purge branches, and the inlet of the purge branch is located above the third valve so that external purge gas purges the third valve via the purge branch.

[0014] Furthermore, the thin film deposition apparatus provided according to the second aspect of the present invention includes: a reaction chamber in which reactants and a metal source are introduced to carry out a thin film deposition reaction; and an auxiliary device for thin film deposition provided in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0015] Furthermore, the method for processing the thin film deposition effluent provided by the third aspect of the present invention includes the following steps: obtaining the gaseous-liquid effluent from the reaction chamber after a primary thin film deposition reaction is completed; performing a secondary thin film deposition reaction on the primary gaseous-liquid effluent and obtaining the secondary gaseous-liquid effluent after the secondary thin film deposition reaction; and filtering the secondary gaseous-liquid effluent to discharge clean gas.

[0016] Furthermore, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having computer instructions stored thereon. When executed by a processor, the computer instructions implement the method for processing the thin film deposition effluent provided in the third aspect of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above-described features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related properties or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a thin film deposition apparatus according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown;

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the trapping section provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown;

[0020] Figures 3A-3D for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the multiple components that make up the shell in the trapping section shown;

[0021] Figures 4A-4E for Figure 2A schematic diagram of the structure of the multiple components that make up the filter element structure in the collection section shown;

[0022] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a filter element provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown;

[0023] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a thin film deposition apparatus according to other embodiments of the present invention is shown; and

[0024] Figure 7 A schematic flow diagram of a method for treating thin film deposition effluents according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0025] Figure label:

[0026] 100 Thin film deposition equipment;

[0027] 110 Reaction Chamber;

[0028] 200. Auxiliary equipment for thin film deposition;

[0029] 210 Capture Department;

[0030] 211. Shell;

[0031] 2110 Housing locking component;

[0032] 2111 Superstructure;

[0033] 2112 Central structure;

[0034] 2113 Substructure;

[0035] 212 Temperature control components;

[0036] 213 Filter element structure;

[0037] 2131 Top cover plate;

[0038] 2132 Lower cover plate;

[0039] 2133 Filter element locking component;

[0040] 2134 filter element;

[0041] Entrance 214;

[0042] 215 Exports;

[0043] 216 Support frame;

[0044] 220 First valve;

[0045] 120 Blow up the side road;

[0046] 121 Second valve;

[0047] 122 Flow controller;

[0048] 123 Sweep and divide the path;

[0049] 124. Air extraction pipeline;

[0050] 130 Third valve;

[0051] 140 pumps;

[0052] 510mm thick filter element;

[0053] 520 thin filter element;

[0054] Steps S710 to S720. Detailed Implementation

[0055] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of the invention are limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of the present invention. To provide a thorough understanding of the invention, many specific details will be included in the following description. The invention may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of the invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0056] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0057] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in the relevant paragraphs and accompanying drawings. These relative terms are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that the described apparatus must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0058] It is understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or parts. Therefore, the first components, regions, layers, and / or parts discussed below may be referred to as second components, regions, layers, and / or parts without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0059] As mentioned above, in existing technologies, the deposition of metal thin films in thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment is hampered by the lack of a cleaning system. Unreacted chemical sources and reaction byproducts are extracted through the evacuation line by the end pump during deposition within the chamber. In practical use, after a period of operation, the butterfly valve plates, gate valve plates, and end pump along the evacuation line become adhered with these chemical sources and byproducts. Especially when the deposited film is too thick, there is a risk of valve plates or pumps jamming. Therefore, after a period of use, the machine needs to be frequently shut down for maintenance of components such as the butterfly valves connecting to the reaction chamber, including component replacement and cleaning. These maintenance tasks increase the preventative maintenance costs of the equipment.

[0060] To address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, this invention provides an auxiliary device for thin film deposition, a thin film deposition apparatus, a method for treating thin film deposition effluent, and a computer-readable storage medium. These devices are not only simple in structure but also effectively prevent the deposition of large amounts of thin film inside the valve by gaseous and liquid substances discharged from the reaction chamber, thus avoiding valve blockage. This extends the valve's lifespan, reduces equipment failure rate, increases machine uptime, and reduces maintenance costs.

[0061] In some non-limiting embodiments, the auxiliary device for thin film deposition provided in the first aspect of the present invention can be configured in the thin film deposition equipment provided in the second aspect of the present invention, and the method for treating thin film deposition effluent provided in the third aspect of the present invention can be implemented by the auxiliary device for thin film deposition provided in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0062] Specifically, please refer to the following: Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a thin film deposition apparatus provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the thin film deposition apparatus 100 mainly includes a reaction chamber 110 and an auxiliary device 200 for thin film deposition. Gas-liquid reactants and a metal source can be introduced into the reaction chamber 110 to carry out a single thin film deposition reaction.

[0064] After a single thin-film deposition reaction, the primary gas-liquid effluent from the reaction chamber 110 may include some incompletely reacted gas-liquid metal source and / or reactants from the first thin-film deposition reaction. In some alternative embodiments, it may even include partially deposited metal film or other deposited impurities. When the primary gas-liquid effluent includes the aforementioned incompletely reacted gas-liquid metal source and / or reactants, a secondary thin-film deposition reaction may occur in the first valve 220 and / or the extraction line 124 connecting the components, potentially causing blockage of the first valve 220 and / or the extraction line 124.

[0065] The thin film deposition auxiliary device 200 can be used to collect the unreacted primary gas-liquid effluent from the reaction chamber 110 after the primary thin film deposition reaction is completed, and to carry out a secondary thin film deposition reaction in the collection section 210. Furthermore, a pump 140 is provided at the end of the extraction pipeline 124 to extract the primary gas-liquid effluent and / or secondary gas-liquid effluent (or gas) after the primary and secondary thin film deposition reactions.

[0066] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the auxiliary device 200 for thin film deposition mainly includes a first valve 220 and a collection unit 210. Optionally, the first valve 220 can be a butterfly valve, indirectly connected to the reaction chamber 110, used to adjust the gas pressure in the reaction chamber 110 so that various gaseous and liquid reactants and metal sources can undergo a single thin film deposition reaction in the reaction chamber 110. The collection unit 210 can be disposed between the reaction chamber 110 and the first valve 220, used to collect unreacted gaseous and liquid effluents (such as...) from the reaction chamber 110 after the single thin film deposition reaction is completed. Figure 1 (As indicated by the black arrow below the reaction chamber 110 in the middle), and then subject it to secondary treatment, which may include a secondary thin film deposition reaction on these primary gas-liquid effluents.

[0067] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the trapping unit provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. Please also refer to... Figures 3A-3D , Figures 3A-3D for Figure 2 The diagram shows a structural schematic of the multiple components that make up the shell in the trapping section.

[0068] like Figure 2 and Figures 3A-3DAs shown, the collection unit 210 may include a housing 211 and a filter element structure 213. The housing 211 may include an inlet 214 and an outlet 215 disposed opposite to each other. Further, the housing 211 may be disassembled into an upper structure 2111, a middle structure 2112, and a lower structure 2113, wherein the upper structure 2111, the middle structure 2112, and the lower structure 2113 can be locked separately by two housing locking members 2110 for detachable sealed assembly, thereby preventing leakage of uncaptured primary gaseous and liquid discharges.

[0069] like Figure 3D As shown, in some embodiments, the housing locking component 2110 may include a locking head end A and a sleeve end B. The locking head end A may have elastic locking portions on both sides, and the corresponding sleeve end B may have locking slots on both sides. The locking portions elastically retract to allow the locking head end A to enter the sleeve end B. After the locking head end A is fully inserted, the locking portions elastically release to engage with the locking slots of the sleeve end B. By inserting the locking head end A into the sleeve end B, the upper, middle, and lower structures of the housing 211 can be locked and fixed.

[0070] Unreacted primary gas-liquid effluent in reaction chamber 110 can undergo secondary thin-film deposition within shell 211. This allows the unreacted metal source and various reactants to continue reacting, thus avoiding significant resource waste and improving reaction efficiency. After the secondary thin-film deposition reaction is completed, a small amount of secondary gas-liquid effluent will also be generated.

[0071] Continue as Figure 2 As shown, the housing 211 may include a filter element structure 213. Please refer to... Figures 4A-4E , Figures 4A-4E for Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the multiple components that make up the filter element structure in the collection section.

[0072] like Figure 2 and Figures 4A-4E As shown, the filter element structure 213 may include an upper cover plate 2131, a lower cover plate 2132, and at least one filter element 2134. At least one filter element 2134 may be locked and fixed between the upper cover plate 2131 and the lower cover plate 2132 by a filter element locking member 2133, so that the secondary gas liquid discharge flows from the outside of the filter element structure 213 to the filter element 2134, and the filter element 2134 adsorbs solid impurities and / or liquid impurities in the secondary gas liquid discharge, so as to discharge clean gas from the outlet 215.

[0073] Furthermore, in some preferred embodiments, such as Figure 4A As shown, the upper cover plate 2131 can be a solid surface, allowing the incoming secondary gas-liquid discharge to flow outwards from the upper cover plate 2131. Figure 4BAs shown in the top view of the lower cover plate, the lower cover plate 2132 can be a perforated surface, which may include a number of holes corresponding to the filter element 2134 for inserting and fixing the filter element 2134. Figure 4C As shown in the side view of the lower cover plate, the filter element structure 213 may further include a support frame 216. The support frame 216 extends upward from the lower surface of the lower cover plate 2132 through the center of the lower cover plate 2132. The center of the upper cover plate 2131 can overlap the support frame 216 and pass through... Figure 4E The first locking component 2133 is detachably locked and fixed.

[0074] Next, please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of a filter element provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. For example... Figure 5 As shown, the thickness and / or number of filter elements 2134 can be selected according to the usage environment. Optionally, filter elements 2134 can be divided into thick filter elements 510 and thin filter elements 520 according to their thickness. The filter element structure 213 can also include multiple filter elements 2134, such as one, three, four, five, six, or eight filter elements. These multiple filter elements 2134, which are inserted into multiple holes in the lower cover plate 2132, can be attached to each other around the support frame 216. The upper surface of the attached multiple filter elements 2134 can form a honeycomb structure. The structure of the attached multiple filter elements 2134 can increase the contact area with the secondary gas and liquid discharge, that is, form a larger filtration area to filter the multi-state mixture and the mixture after secondary reaction.

[0075] Furthermore, the filter element 2134 can be made of at least one type of stainless steel wire mesh, and different combinations can be used depending on the different process environments. For example, at least one type of stainless steel wire may include 304 stainless steel wire mesh and / or 316 stainless steel wire mesh.

[0076] In the above embodiment, the filter element 2134 is locked by the filter element locking component 2133 through the solid upper cover plate 2131 and the lower cover plate 2132, which can prevent secondary gas and liquid discharges from entering the central area C of the filter element from the gap between the upper and lower end faces of the filter element 2134 and the upper and lower cover plates, thereby causing leakage of unfiltered gas and liquid discharges.

[0077] Furthermore, in some preferred embodiments, in order to accelerate the rate of secondary thin-film deposition reaction of the primary gas-liquid effluent collected in the collection section 210, such as... Figure 2As shown, a temperature control component 212 can also be provided on the outside of the collection section 210, that is, on the outside of the housing 211. The temperature control component 212 can be wrapped around the outside of the housing 211, and can control the temperature of the collection section 210 according to the type of primary gas-liquid discharge, so as to carry out corresponding secondary treatment.

[0078] Specifically, in some optional embodiments, when the primary gas-liquid effluent captured by the collection section 210 is a metal source, the temperature control component 212 can control the temperature of the collection section 210 to a first temperature range, optionally above 450°C. When the metal source flows through the collection section 210, it encounters high temperature and undergoes a thermal decomposition reaction (e.g., a reaction involving TMA), thus preventing film formation and stopping its flow downstream. This avoids the risk of blockage of downstream components such as the first valve 220 and the extraction pipe 124 located below the reaction chamber 110, protecting these downstream components.

[0079] Optionally, in other embodiments, when the collecting section 210 collects a primary gas-liquid effluent that is a metal source or reactant, the temperature control component 212 can control the temperature of the collecting section 210 to a second temperature range, optionally below 10°C. When the metal source or reactant flows from the hot reaction chamber 110 through the collecting section 210, it encounters a low temperature and undergoes a condensation reaction (e.g., a reaction involving H2O), preventing further film formation. This avoids the risk of blockage in downstream components such as the first valve 220 and the extraction pipe 124 located below the reaction chamber 110, thus protecting these downstream components.

[0080] Optionally, when the collecting section 210 collects the primary gas-liquid discharge containing a metal source and reactants, the temperature control component 212 can control the temperature of the collecting section 210 to a third temperature range. Optionally, the third temperature range can be around 50°C to 200°C. Preferably, the third temperature range can be further controlled within the range of 120°C to 150°C to avoid condensation of the metal source and reactants. The collecting section 210 collects unreacted gas-liquid metal source streams and reactants, allowing them to undergo a secondary reaction within the collecting section 210 at the third temperature range to form a film. For example, this can be a thin film preparation reaction involving trimethylaluminum (TMA), water, hafnium source (Hf), zirconium source (Zr), or tin source (Sn), thereby slowing down the growth and accumulation of thin films inside downstream components and protecting these downstream components.

[0081] In this embodiment, the collection unit 210 can be understood as another small reaction chamber 110, collecting unreacted gaseous and liquid effluents and subjecting them to a secondary thin-film deposition reaction to continue the reaction and generate a solid thin film. By subjecting the unreacted primary gaseous and liquid effluents to secondary deposition and collection, not only is the overall reaction efficiency of the reactants improved, but it also prevents them from flowing downwards and causing blockages in other valves and hardware devices at subsequent locations.

[0082] In some preferred embodiments, the temperature control component 212 can further expand the range of components it controls. That is, the temperature control component 212 can not only control the temperature of the collection section 210 (shell 211), but also extend to cover the exterior of multiple downstream components below the reaction chamber 110, such as the exhaust pipe 124, thereby also controlling the temperature of these downstream components, for example, keeping the temperature of the downstream components above 150°C. Compared to the prior art where the temperature of downstream components is typically heated to around 90°C, the temperature control component in this embodiment can determine the appropriate processing temperature based on the type of effluent collected, thereby adjusting the temperature to better prevent condensation of the effluent inside these downstream components.

[0083] Please continue reading. Figure 1 A purge branch 120 may be provided between the collection unit 210 and the first valve 220, so that external purge gas can directly purge the first valve 220 located below it via the purge branch 120. The purge gas can be an inert gas (e.g., argon). The purge branch 120 may include a second valve 121 and / or a flow controller 122 to control the flow rate of the incoming purge gas. Optionally, the flow controller 122 may specifically be a mass flow controller (MFC), which not only has the function of a mass flow meter but also automatically controls the gas flow rate. That is, the user can set the flow rate as needed, and the MFC automatically keeps the flow rate constant at the set value, even if the system pressure fluctuates or the ambient temperature changes, it will not deviate from the set value. In some other embodiments, the flow rate of the purge gas can also be controlled by installing flow restrictors of different sizes.

[0084] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, two second valves 121 may also be included, which are respectively installed at both ends of the flow controller 122 to control the flow rate of the purge gas when it enters the purge branch 120 and when it is delivered to the first valve 220 via the purge branch 120.

[0085] Furthermore, such as Figure 1As shown, multiple valves that are directly or indirectly connected to the reaction chamber 110 may also be included at other locations below the reaction chamber 110. For example, a third valve 130 may also be included below the first valve 220 connected to the reaction chamber 110. The third valve 130 may be a gate valve used to control the cut-off and opening of the exhaust pipe 124, and / or to connect or block the reaction chamber 110 from other processing chambers.

[0086] Please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a thin film deposition apparatus according to other embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 6 As shown, the purge branch 120 may also include at least one parallel purge branch 123. The air inlet of this purge branch 123 may be located above the third valve 130 so that external purge gas can also directly purge the third valve 130 through this purge branch 123, thereby achieving the purging and cleaning of multiple valves in the thin film deposition auxiliary device 200 and preventing valve blockage.

[0087] In some embodiments of the present invention, the auxiliary equipment 200 for thin film deposition described above can extend the service life of the first valve 220 connected to the reaction chamber 110 from 20µm to 200µm, that is, the maintenance cycle of the first valve 220 can be extended by 10 times. In addition, the frequency of replacement and cleaning of the exhaust pipe 124 and related downstream components below the first valve 220 is also reduced, that is, the preventive maintenance cost of the equipment is reduced.

[0088] To more clearly illustrate the thin film deposition apparatus 100 provided above, and the thin film deposition auxiliary device 200 configured therein, please refer to... Figure 7 , Figure 7 A schematic flow diagram of a method for treating thin-film deposition effluents according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 7 As shown, the method for treating thin film deposition effluent may include the following steps:

[0089] S710: Obtain the unreacted gas-liquid effluent from the reaction chamber after a thin film deposition reaction is completed.

[0090] In some embodiments, a reaction gas is introduced into the reaction chamber 110, and the opening of the first valve 220 is adjusted, for example, controlled at 30%, to control the pressure in the reaction chamber 110 and perform a thin film deposition reaction. The collection unit 210 is used to collect unreacted gaseous and liquid metal sources and / or reactants and / or partial metal films during a single thin film deposition reaction.

[0091] After the above steps, step S720 is performed: a secondary thin film deposition reaction is carried out on the primary gas-liquid effluent, and the secondary gas-liquid effluent after the secondary thin film deposition reaction is obtained.

[0092] Specifically, in some embodiments, a temperature control component 212 may be provided on the outside of the collection section 210, that is, on the outside of the housing 211, to control the temperature of the collection section 210, so as to accelerate the secondary thin film deposition reaction of the unreacted primary gas-liquid discharge in the housing 211.

[0093] Next, step S730 is executed: the secondary gas liquid effluent is filtered and clean gas is discharged.

[0094] Specifically, in some embodiments, the housing 211 of the collecting unit 210 may include a filter element structure 213 inside. At least one filter element 2134 may be disposed between the upper cover plate 2131 and the lower cover plate 2132 and locked in place by a filter element locking member 2133. This allows secondary gas-liquid discharge to flow from the outside of the filter element structure 213 to the filter element 2134, where the filter element 2134 filters the secondary gas-liquid discharge to discharge clean gas. In this embodiment, locking the filter element 2134 with the filter element locking member 2133 using the upper cover plate 2131 and the lower cover plate 2132 prevents secondary gas-liquid discharge from entering the central region C of the filter element through the gaps between the upper and lower end faces of the filter element 2134 and the upper and lower cover plates, thereby preventing leakage of unfiltered gas-liquid discharge.

[0095] Furthermore, optionally, while the reaction chamber 110 is purged with reactive gas for thin film deposition, the second valve 121 on the purge branch 120 can also be opened simultaneously to introduce inert gas, directly purging the first valve 220 concurrently. After the reaction chamber 110 is purged, the first valve 220 can be fully opened, for example, to 100%, to completely purge the entire valve plate of the first valve 220.

[0096] Although the methods described above are illustrated and depicted as a series of actions for the sake of simplicity, it should be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the actions, as some actions may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other actions from the illustrations and descriptions herein or not illustrated and described herein but which may be understood by those skilled in the art, according to one or more embodiments.

[0097] This concludes the description of the auxiliary device for thin film deposition provided in the first aspect, the thin film deposition apparatus provided in the second aspect, and the method for treating thin film deposition effluent provided in the third aspect of the present invention. Another aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium can be stored in a memory, and computer instructions are stored thereon. The memory can be connected to a processor for controlling the processor to execute the computer instructions stored in the memory to implement the aforementioned method for treating thin film deposition effluent provided in the third aspect of the present invention.

[0098] Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments of the above-described methods for treating thin film deposition effluents are merely non-limiting implementations of the present invention, intended to clearly demonstrate the main concepts of the invention and provide specific solutions convenient for public implementation, rather than limiting all operating methods or functions of the auxiliary devices and / or thin film deposition equipment. Similarly, the auxiliary devices and / or thin film deposition equipment are also merely non-limiting implementations of the present invention and do not limit the entities implementing the steps in these methods for treating thin film deposition effluents.

[0099] In summary, the present invention provides an auxiliary device for thin film deposition, a thin film deposition equipment, a method for treating thin film deposition effluent, and a computer-readable storage medium. These devices are not only simple in structure, but also effectively prevent gaseous and liquid substances discharged from the reaction chamber from depositing large amounts of thin film inside the valve, thus avoiding valve blockage. This extends the valve's lifespan, reduces equipment failure rate, increases machine uptime, and reduces maintenance costs.

[0100] The prior description of this disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An apparatus for assisting thin film deposition, characterized by, comprises: a first valve connected to the reaction chamber for adjusting the gas pressure in the reaction chamber; and a trapping unit arranged between the reaction chamber and the first valve for collecting the unreacted primary gas-liquid effluent in the reaction chamber after the completion of the primary thin film deposition reaction in the reaction chamber and allowing the secondary thin film deposition reaction of the primary gas-liquid effluent in the trapping unit, wherein the primary gas-liquid effluent comprises a metal source and / or a reactant; and a filter core structure arranged in the trapping unit for filtering the secondary gas-liquid effluent after the secondary thin film deposition reaction to discharge clean gas; a temperature control unit arranged outside the trapping unit and extending to a plurality of downstream components below the reaction chamber, wherein when the primary gas-liquid effluent in the trapping unit is the metal source, the temperature of the trapping unit is controlled to a first temperature range by the temperature control unit to allow the metal source to thermally decompose, or when the primary gas-liquid effluent is the metal source or the reactant, the temperature of the trapping unit is controlled to a second temperature range to allow the metal source or the reactant to condense, or when the primary gas-liquid effluent is the metal source and the reactant, the temperature of the trapping unit is controlled to a third temperature range to allow the metal source and the reactant to perform the secondary thin film deposition reaction; and a purge branch arranged between the trapping unit and the first valve for allowing external purge gas to purge the first valve through the purge branch, wherein the purge branch comprises a second valve and / or a flow controller to control the flow of the purge gas. The temperature control unit controls the temperature of the trapping unit according to the type of the gas-liquid effluent to perform corresponding secondary processing on the primary gas-liquid effluent in the trapping unit.

2. The supplemental device of claim 1, wherein, The filter core structure comprises an upper cover plate, a lower cover plate, and at least one filter core, and the at least one filter core is fixed between the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate by a filter core locking unit, so that the secondary gas-liquid effluent flows from the outside of the filter core structure to the filter core and adsorbs solid and / or liquid impurities in the secondary gas-liquid effluent through the filter core.

3. The supplemental device of claim 1, wherein, The filter core structure comprises a plurality of filter cores, and the plurality of filter cores are arranged in a honeycomb structure.

4. The supplemental device of claim 3, wherein, The outer end of the first valve connected to the reaction chamber further comprises a third valve, and the purge branch comprises parallel purge sub-branches, and the gas inlet of the purge sub-branch is arranged above the third valve to allow external purge gas to purge the third valve through the purge sub-branch.

5. The supplemental device of claim 1, wherein, comprises:

6. A thin film deposition apparatus characterized by comprising: a reaction chamber into which a reactant and a metal source are introduced to perform a primary thin film deposition reaction; and The auxiliary device of any one of claims 1-5. The processing method is implemented using the auxiliary device of any one of claims 1-5, and the processing method comprises the following steps:

7. A method of treating thin film deposition effluent, comprising: obtaining the unreacted primary gas-liquid effluent in the reaction chamber after the completion of the primary thin film deposition reaction; ​ performing a secondary thin film deposition reaction on the primary gas-liquid exhaust, and obtaining a secondary gas-liquid exhaust after the secondary thin film deposition reaction; and filtering the secondary gas-liquid exhaust to discharge clean gas.

8. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer instructions, wherein, The computer instructions, when executed by the processor, implement the thin film deposition exhaust processing method of claim 7.

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