A vapor deposition apparatus

Abstract

This invention provides a vapor deposition apparatus, including a reaction chamber; a first gas injection mechanism located in the middle region of the top of the reaction chamber; a second gas injection mechanism located in the outer region of the top of the reaction chamber and surrounding the first gas injection mechanism; a shielding member surrounding the inner wall of the reaction chamber, the shielding member, the inner wall of the reaction chamber, and the second gas injection mechanism being adapted to form an annular cavity, the second gas injection mechanism injecting purge gas into the annular cavity; the shielding member and the first gas injection mechanism being adapted to form a spatial region with a radial dimension gradually increasing from top to bottom, the outer diameter of the lowest end of the shielding member being adapted to the inner diameter of the reaction chamber, and purge channels being distributed on the shielding member to introduce purge gas into the spatial region. The vapor deposition apparatus provided by this invention can improve the production efficiency and quality of materials grown by the apparatus and extend the maintenance cycle of the reaction chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and more particularly to a vapor deposition apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Vapor deposition on semiconductor wafers to grow semiconductor thin films is a crucial module in semiconductor manufacturing processes. Typical vapor deposition equipment includes chemical vapor deposition (CVD) equipment, physical vapor deposition (PVD) equipment, plasma-enhanced vapor deposition (PEVDC) equipment, and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) equipment. Commercially, these devices are used to manufacture solid-state (semiconductor) microelectronic devices, optical devices, optoelectronic devices, and other electronic / optoelectronic materials and devices.

[0003] Typically, in vapor deposition, a support disk is placed within the reaction chamber, upon which the wafer rests. Process gases are introduced into the reaction chamber via an inlet device (e.g., a spray nozzle) and delivered to the surface of one or more wafers on the support disk for processing, thereby growing a thin film with a specific crystal structure. Simultaneously, to achieve uniform deposition, the support disk rotates at high speed driven by a rotating shaft. Due to the rotation of the support disk dragging the gas, airflow vortices are easily generated near the sidewalls of the reaction zone (i.e., near the edge of the support disk in the direction of gas flow), especially noticeable at high disk rotation speeds (≥200 RPM).

[0004] When a certain amount of gas vortex is present, significant coating of reaction byproducts will accumulate on the inner wall of the reaction chamber. Even without gas vortex, a small amount of reaction byproducts may still accumulate on the inner wall due to reactant diffusion. These reaction byproducts can cause the following problems:

[0005] 1. The presence of reaction byproducts can become a source of particle defects during material growth, thereby reducing the yield of the grown material.

[0006] 2. The reaction byproducts are generally polycrystalline or amorphous solids. As growth proceeds, the reflectivity of the sidewalls of the reaction zone will gradually change, affecting the temperature field stability of the reaction zone.

[0007] 3. The generation and accumulation of reaction byproducts also force an increase in the frequency of cleaning and maintenance of the reaction chamber, reducing the effective growth capacity of the reaction chamber and thus increasing the cost of use. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a vapor deposition apparatus that can improve the production efficiency and quality of materials grown by the apparatus and extend the maintenance cycle of the reaction chamber.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a vapor deposition apparatus, comprising:

[0010] reaction chamber;

[0011] The first gas injection mechanism is located in the middle region at the top of the reaction chamber and is used to inject reaction gas into the reaction chamber.

[0012] The second gas injection mechanism is located in the outer periphery of the top of the reaction chamber and is arranged around the first gas injection mechanism;

[0013] A support plate is located in the reaction chamber and is disposed opposite to the first gas injection mechanism. A reaction zone is formed above the support plate.

[0014] A rotating shaft, connected to the carrier disk, drives the carrier disk to rotate during vapor deposition;

[0015] A shielding element, located within the reaction chamber and surrounding its inner wall, is adapted to form an annular cavity during vapor deposition. The shielding element, the inner wall of the reaction chamber, and the second gas injection mechanism are fitted together to inject purge gas into the annular cavity. The shielding element and the first gas injection mechanism are also adapted to form a spatial region whose radial dimension gradually increases from top to bottom. The outer diameter of the lowest point of the shielding element matches the inner diameter of the reaction chamber.

[0016] A purge channel is provided on the shielding member, the purge channel passes through the shielding member, and the purge channel connects the annular cavity and the spatial region to introduce purge gas into the spatial region.

[0017] The beneficial effects of the vapor deposition apparatus provided by this invention are as follows: By adding a shielding component inside the reaction chamber, during vapor deposition, the shielding component and the first gas injection mechanism are adapted to form a spatial region with a gradually increasing radial dimension that covers the reaction zone. The shielding component, the inner wall of the reaction chamber, and the second gas injection mechanism are adapted to form an annular cavity, and a purge channel is provided on the shielding component. The second gas injection mechanism injects purge gas into the annular cavity, and the purge gas in the annular cavity is injected into the spatial region through the purge channel, which plays a purging role on the inner wall of the shielding component. Compared with a vapor deposition apparatus without the shielding component, the shielding component can replace the inner wall of the reaction chamber exposed in the reaction zone, thus protecting the inner wall of the reaction chamber. Moreover, its purging function can effectively inhibit or improve the deposition of reaction byproducts on the shielding component, improve the production efficiency and quality of the grown material, extend the service life of the shielding component, and thus extend the maintenance cycle of the reaction chamber.

[0018] In some embodiments, the purge channel includes a vertical purge airflow channel, the centerline of which is parallel to the axial direction of the rotation axis, such that the airflow velocity of the purge gas introduced into the spatial region includes only an axial component.

[0019] In some embodiments, the purge channel further includes a rotating purge airflow channel that extends circumferentially through the shield at an angle β, such that the airflow velocity of the purge gas introduced into the spatial region includes only axial and tangential components, thereby forming a rotating purge airflow. The circumferential arrangement of the rotating purge airflow channel on the shield ensures that the rotation direction of the rotating purge airflow is the same as the rotation direction of the rotating shaft.

[0020] In some embodiments, the angle β of the rotating purge airflow channel located at the lowest layer of the shield is greater than or equal to the angle β of the rotating purge airflow channel located at the highest layer of the shield, or the angle β of the rotating purge airflow channel gradually increases from top to bottom along the shield.

[0021] In some embodiments, the rotating purge airflow channel is located in the circumferential region of the shield near the carrier disk.

[0022] In some embodiments, the shielding member includes a first side surface near the inner wall of the reaction chamber and a second side surface away from the inner wall of the reaction chamber, the purge channel extends from the first side surface to the second side surface without exceeding the second side surface, and the inner diameter of the air outlet formed by the purge channel on the second side surface is greater than or equal to the inner diameter of the air inlet formed by the purge channel on the first side surface.

[0023] In some embodiments, the purge channels are circumferentially distributed on the shielding member, and multiple layers of the purge channels are formed along the axial direction of the rotation axis.

[0024] In some embodiments, from the top of the reaction chamber to the support plate, the distance between the purge gas outlet surface formed by the uppermost purge channel and the outlet surface of the first gas injection mechanism is defined as h, and the distance between the outlet surface of the first gas injection mechanism and the support surface of the support plate is defined as H, satisfying: h≤0.25H.

[0025] In some embodiments, the purge gas outlet surface formed by the purge channel located at the lowest layer is not higher than the bearing surface of the bearing plate.

[0026] In some embodiments, the distance between the gas outlet surface of the first gas injection mechanism and the bearing surface of the bearing disk is defined as H, and the radial distance between the edge of the bearing disk and the shielding member is defined as d, satisfying: 0.1H≤d≤2H.

[0027] In some embodiments, the outlet surface of the second gas injection mechanism is higher than the outlet surface of the first gas injection mechanism, so that there is an upwardly recessed step between the outlet surfaces of the second gas injection mechanism and the first gas injection mechanism.

[0028] In some embodiments, the shielding member includes a straight cylindrical portion with uniform radial dimensions at the upper end and a flared portion with radial dimensions gradually increasing from top to bottom at the lower end. The purge channels are distributed in the flared portion. When vapor deposition is performed in the reaction chamber, the straight cylindrical portion is adapted to be inserted into the upwardly recessed step.

[0029] In some embodiments, the shielding member is provided with at least one barrier member, the barrier member being a cylinder coaxial with the reaction chamber, the upper end of the barrier member abutting against the second gas injection mechanism, the lower end of the barrier member abutting against the first side surface of the shielding member, the barrier member dividing the annular cavity into several sub-annular cavities from the inside out, the gas outlet of the second gas injection mechanism being connected to each of the sub-annular cavities in a corresponding manner, so that the purging gas delivered to at least two of the sub-annular cavities can be independently controlled.

[0030] In some embodiments, the flow rates of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities are equal, or the flow rates of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities gradually increase from the inside to the outside.

[0031] In some embodiments, the average molecular weight of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities is equal, or the average molecular weight of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities gradually increases from the inside to the outside.

[0032] In some embodiments, the side wall of the reaction chamber is provided with an opening for inserting or removing the carrier plate. A lifting mechanism is located on the top or bottom wall of the reaction chamber. The lifting mechanism is connected to the shielding member. The lifting mechanism drives the shielding member to move up and down along the axial direction of the rotation axis, so that the shielding member blocks or exposes the opening.

[0033] In some embodiments, when it is necessary to insert or remove the carrier plate, the lifting mechanism drives the blocking member to move downward along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, so that the opening is exposed, at which time the straight cylindrical part leaves the upwardly recessed step;

[0034] When vapor deposition is performed in the reaction chamber, the lifting mechanism drives the shielding member to move upward along the axis of the rotating shaft, so that the straight cylinder is adapted to be inserted into the upwardly recessed step, the top of the shielding member abuts against the second gas injection mechanism, and the opening is blocked by the shielding member. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a vapor deposition apparatus provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a tubular shielding member with a purge channel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from an oblique top angle.

[0037] Figure 3 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a shielding member with a slit section as the purging channel provided in an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from an oblique top angle.

[0038] Figure 4 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a shielding member with a large opening at the air outlet of the purge channel, provided in an embodiment of the present invention, from a top-down perspective.

[0039] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Enlarged view of point A in the middle;

[0040] Figure 6 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another vapor deposition apparatus provided by the present invention;

[0041] Figure 7 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a shielding member having a rotating purge airflow channel, provided by an embodiment of the present invention, from a top-down perspective.

[0042] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Enlarged view of point B in the middle;

[0043] Figure 9 A three-dimensional structural diagram of a shielding member with a blocking element provided in an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from a top-down angle.

[0044] Figure 10 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vapor deposition apparatus provided by the present invention when the opening of the reaction chamber is exposed.

[0045] Figure 11 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vapor deposition apparatus provided by the present invention when the opening of the reaction chamber is blocked. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are some embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein should have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains. The words "comprising" and similar terms used herein mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed after the word and its equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects. In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "height," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0047] Example 1

[0048] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a vapor deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] refer to Figure 1As shown, this embodiment provides a vapor deposition apparatus including a reaction chamber 1, a gas injection mechanism 2, a support plate 3, a rotating shaft 4, and a shielding component 5. The vapor deposition apparatus can be, for example, a chemical vapor deposition apparatus, a physical vapor deposition apparatus, a plasma-enhanced vapor deposition apparatus, or a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) apparatus. The reaction chamber 1 generally has a circular or near-circular cross-section. The gas injection mechanism 2 includes a first gas injection mechanism 21 and a second gas injection mechanism 22. The first gas injection mechanism 21 is located in the middle region of the top of the reaction chamber 1 and is used to inject reactive gas into the reaction chamber 1. The second gas injection mechanism 22 is located in the outer periphery of the top of the reaction chamber 1 and surrounds the first gas injection mechanism 21. The support plate 3 is disposed in the reaction chamber 1, and the first gas injection mechanism 21 is disposed opposite to the support plate 3. A reaction zone 6 is formed above the support plate 3. The rotating shaft 4 is connected to the support plate 3 and is used to drive the support plate 3 to rotate during vapor deposition. The shielding member 5 is located in the reaction chamber 1 and is disposed around the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1. The shielding member 5, the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1, and the second gas injection mechanism 22 are adapted to form an annular cavity 53, and the second gas injection mechanism 22 is used to inject purge gas into the annular cavity 53. The shielding member 5 and the first gas injection mechanism 21 are adapted to form a spatial region, the radial dimension of the spatial region gradually increasing from top to bottom, and the outer diameter of the lowermost end of the shielding member 5 is adapted to the inner diameter of the reaction chamber 1.

[0050] Most importantly, the shielding member 5 is provided with a plurality of purge channels 51, which penetrate the shielding member 5 and connect the annular cavity 53 and the spatial region to introduce purge gas into the spatial region.

[0051] In this embodiment, by adding a shielding member 5 inside the reaction chamber 1, the shielding member 5 is adapted to the first gas injection mechanism 21 to form a space with a gradually increasing radial dimension that covers the reaction zone 6. At this time, the shielding member 5 replaces the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1 and is exposed in the reaction zone 6, thus protecting the inner wall of the reaction chamber. The shielding member 5, the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1, and the second gas injection mechanism 22 are adapted to form an annular cavity 53. A purge channel 51 is provided on the shielding member 5. Purge gas is injected into the annular cavity 53 through the second gas injection mechanism 22. The purge gas in the annular cavity 53 flows into the reaction chamber 1 through the purge channel 51, which purges the shielding member 5. This can effectively inhibit or improve the deposition of reaction byproducts on the inner wall of the shielding member 5, improve the production efficiency and quality of materials grown by the equipment, and extend the maintenance cycle of the reaction chamber 1.

[0052] In this embodiment, the thickness of the shielding member 5 is greater than 5mm, so that the purge channel 51 formed on the shielding member 5 can have a certain length and can guide the purge gas flowing into the space region.

[0053] In this embodiment, the portion of the shielding member 5 located in the spatial region is generally arranged in a trumpet-shaped structure, wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. This portion of the shielding member 5 in the spatial region can be configured as an inclined surface, an arc surface, a curved surface, multiple inclined surfaces with different inclination angles, a combination surface of an inclined surface and an arc surface, or a combination surface of an inclined surface and a curved surface. Using shielding members 5 of different shapes allows for a more precise matching of the distribution of the purge gas in the spatial region with the size proportions, process, and airflow conditions of the reaction chamber 1, further improving the airflow stability within the reaction chamber 1.

[0054] In some embodiments, the shape of the shielding member 5 is such that the line connecting the two endpoints of the axial section line of the spatial region (e.g.) Figure 1 The CD segment shown in the diagram forms an angle α with the axis of the rotating shaft 4, where α satisfies: 0° < α ≤ 45°. This makes the portion of the shielding member 5 located in the spatial region approximately inclined, giving the purge channel 51 on the shielding member 5 a certain directionality, thereby giving the airflow velocity of the purge gas a certain directionality. The magnitude of angle α is obtained by coupling the height H of the reaction zone 6, the size L of the gas injection mechanism 2, and the vapor deposition process conditions (such as temperature, pressure, gas flow rate, rotation speed, etc.).

[0055] In this embodiment, the shielding member 5 includes a first side surface 521 near the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1 and a second side surface 522 away from the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1. The purge channel 51 extends from the first side surface 521 to the second side surface 522, and the purge channel 51 does not extend beyond the second side surface 522. If the purge channel 51 extends beyond the second side surface 522 into the reaction zone 6, it will block the flow of the reactive gas and become a source of local turbulence.

[0056] In this embodiment, the shape of the purging channel 51 includes either a tubular or a slit segment. Figure 2 The illustration shows a case where the purging channel 51 is tubular in shape. Figure 3 The diagram shows the case where the purge channel 51 is a slit segment. The purge channel 51 can also be a combination of tubular and slit segments. Using a tubular purge channel 51 facilitates the fabrication of the shielding member 5 and makes it easier to obtain purge channels 51 with different airflow directions. Using a slit segment purge channel 51 increases the purge area of ​​the shielding member 5.

[0057] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the purging channel 51 is 0.2-2 mm.

[0058] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the outlet formed on the second side 522 of the purge channel 51 is greater than or equal to the inner diameter of the inlet formed on the first side 521 of the purge channel 51. That is, the inner diameter remains unchanged from the inlet to the outlet of the purge channel 51, or the inner diameter of the outlet of the purge channel 51 is greater than the inner diameter of the inlet of the purge channel 51. If the inner diameter of the outlet of the purge channel 51 is larger, the area between the outlets of adjacent purge channels 51 can be reduced, increasing the purge area, thereby reducing the adhesion of reaction byproducts to the shielding member 5. Furthermore, in this case, the arrangement of the purge channels 51 on the shielding member 5 can be more sparse, thereby reducing the processing difficulty of the shielding member 5 and reducing costs.

[0059] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments, the purge channel 51 includes a first channel 511 and a second channel 512 communicating with the first channel 511. The inner diameter of the second channel 512 gradually increases and is larger than the inner diameter of the first channel 511. The second channel 512 communicates with the spatial region. In a further embodiment, along the centerline of the purge channel 51, the length of the first channel 511 is greater than the length of the second channel 512. The first channel 511 guides the purge gas, and the second channel 512 widens the opening to increase the purge area of ​​the purge gas on the shielding member 5. Preferably, the length of the first channel 511 is greater than or equal to twice the length of the second channel 512 to ensure the guiding effect of the first channel 511.

[0060] In this embodiment, the sum of the areas of the air outlets formed by the purge channel 51 on the second side 522 is greater than or equal to 30% of the area of ​​the second side 522, so as to ensure the purge area and minimize the adhesion of reaction byproducts on the shielding member 5.

[0061] In this embodiment, reference Figures 1 to 5 The purge channel 51 includes a vertical purge airflow channel, the centerline of which is parallel to the axis of the rotation shaft 4, so that the airflow velocity of the purge gas introduced into the space region includes only the axial component.

[0062] It should be noted that the first gas injection mechanism 21 in the reaction chamber 1 is arranged opposite to the support plate 3, with the first gas injection mechanism 21 located at the upper part and the support plate 3 located at the lower part. Preferably, the axis of the reaction chamber 1 coincides with the axis of the rotating shaft 4, that is, the reaction chamber 1 is an upright vertical flow chamber. Therefore, by designing the direction in which the purge channel 51 penetrates the shield 5, the vertical purge airflow channel is formed. The vertical purge airflow channel causes the purge gas to flow into the reaction chamber 1 in the direction of the axis of the reaction chamber 1 downward, that is, the airflow velocity of the purge gas flowing into the reaction chamber 1 only includes the axial component. This design can prevent the purge gas from causing additional disturbance to the gas in the reaction zone 6, effectively suppressing or improving the deposition of reaction byproducts on the inner wall of the shield 5, while also reducing and suppressing the generation of eddies near the inner wall of the shield 5.

[0063] In this embodiment, the shielding member 5 surrounds the support plate 3, and the distribution range of the purge channels 51 on the shielding member 5 satisfies the following condition: the purge gas outlet surface formed by the purge channel 51 located at the lowermost end of the shielding member 5 is not higher than the support surface of the support plate 3. Further, the distribution range of the purge channels 51 on the shielding member 5 also covers at least a portion of the area encompassed from the first gas injection mechanism 21 to the support surface of the support plate 3. Preferably, the purge channels 51 are distributed throughout the area encompassed from the first gas injection mechanism 21 to the support surface of the support plate 3 on the shielding member 5 to ensure the maximum purge area. To avoid affecting the flow field of the reactant gas exiting from the edge of the first gas injection mechanism 21, the distance between the purge gas outlet surface formed by the uppermost purge channel 51 on the shielding member 5 and the outlet surface of the reactant gas ejected from the first gas injection mechanism 21 should be as small as possible. The distance between the purge gas outlet surface formed by the uppermost purge channel 51 and the outlet surface of the reactant gas ejected from the first gas injection mechanism 21 is defined as h, and the distance between the outlet surface of the reactant gas ejected from the first gas injection mechanism 21 and the bearing surface of the bearing plate 3 is defined as H, satisfying: h ≤ 0.25H. This ensures that the space above the bearing plate 3 has as few unpurged areas as possible, minimizing the possibility of reaction byproducts adhering to the shielding member 5.

[0064] In some embodiments, the radial distance d between the edge of the support plate 3 and the shielding member 5 satisfies: 0.1H ≤ d ≤ H, where H is defined as the distance between the outlet surface of the reactive gas ejected from the first gas injection mechanism 21 and the support surface of the support plate 3. If d is too small, it is not conducive to the discharge of gas in the reaction chamber 1; if d is too large, it wastes gas and the utilization rate of the reactive gas is not high.

[0065] In this embodiment, the purge channels 51 are circumferentially distributed on the shielding member 5, and multiple layers of the purge channels 51 are formed along the axial direction of the rotation axis 4.

[0066] In some embodiments, the air outlets formed on the second side surface 522 of the adjacent circumferential purge channels 51 are aligned or misaligned. Figure 2 This illustrates a case where the air outlet is misaligned.

[0067] Furthermore, the inner diameter of the purge channel 51 in each layer is the same, or the inner diameter of the purge channel 51 in each layer gradually increases from the top of the reaction chamber 1 to the support plate 3.

[0068] In some embodiments, the number of purge channels 51 in each layer is the same, or, from the top of the reaction chamber 1 to the support plate 3, the number of purge channels 51 in the lowest layer is a multiple of the number of purge channels 51 in the highest layer.

[0069] For example, the shielding member 5 is provided with 6 rings of purge channels 51 along the axial direction of the rotation axis 4. The number of purge channels 51 in each ring is the same. Alternatively, assuming that the number of purge channels 51 in the ring closest to the first gas injection mechanism 21 is N, then from the top of the reaction chamber 1 to the support plate 3, the number of purge channels 51 in each ring is N, 2N, 3N, 4N, 5N, 6N, or N, N, 2N, 2N, 3N, 3N, or N, N, N, 3N, 3N, 3N, and so on. There are other distribution methods, which will not be described in detail here. The specific number distribution of the purge channels 51 depends on the distribution of the purge gas required by the process.

[0070] Therefore, the distribution of the purge gas from top to bottom on the shield 5 can be finely adjusted by the size of the purge channel 51 and the distribution density on the shield 5, so as to ensure the maximum purge area without affecting the flow field of the reaction chamber.

[0071] In some specific embodiments, see further details. Figure 1The outlet surfaces of the first gas injection mechanism 21 and the second gas injection mechanism 22 are level or approximately level. The shielding member 5 is an inclined surface that encloses the spatial region in a frustum-shaped structure. The radial dimension between the top of the shielding member 5 and the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1 is approximately equal to the dimension of the second gas injection mechanism 22. When vapor deposition occurs in the reaction chamber 1, the top of the shielding member 5 abuts against the second gas injection mechanism 22. The top of the annular cavity 53 is the outlet surface of the second gas injection mechanism 22. The first gas injection mechanism 21 is used to deliver reaction gas into the spatial region, and the second gas injection mechanism 22 is used to deliver purge gas into the annular cavity 53. After entering the annular cavity 53, the purge gas is guided into the spatial region through the purge channel 51 to avoid the deposition of reaction byproducts on the inner wall of the shielding member 5.

[0072] In other specific embodiments, since the shielding member 5 has a certain wall thickness, in order to ensure that the area closest to the first gas injection mechanism 21 is purging gas ejected, see [reference needed]. Figure 6 The shielding member 5 is configured to include a straight cylindrical portion and a flared portion. The straight cylindrical portion is located at the upper end of the shielding member 5 and has a uniform radial dimension. The radial dimension between the straight cylindrical portion and the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1 is approximately equal to the dimension of the second gas injection mechanism 22. The flared portion is located at the lower end of the shielding member 5, and its radial dimension gradually increases from top to bottom. The purging channels 51 are distributed within the flared portion. To facilitate the installation of the shielding member 5, the outlet surface of the second gas injection mechanism 22 is higher than the outlet surface of the first gas injection mechanism 21, creating an upwardly recessed step between the outlet surfaces of the two mechanisms. When vapor deposition is performed in the reaction chamber 1, the straight cylindrical part is adapted to be inserted into the upwardly recessed step, so that the top end of the straight cylindrical part abuts against the second gas injection mechanism 22. The horn part cooperates with the first gas injection mechanism 21 to form the spatial region. The second gas injection mechanism 22 is used to deliver purge gas into the annular cavity 53. After entering the annular cavity 53, the purge gas is introduced into the spatial region through the purge channel 51 to avoid the deposition of reaction byproducts on the inner sidewall of the shield 5.

[0073] Example 2

[0074] refer to Figures 7 to 8As shown, this embodiment provides a vapor deposition apparatus. The similarities to Embodiment 1 will not be repeated here. The difference lies in that: in Embodiment 1, the purge channel 51 is a vertical purge gas flow channel, meaning the centerline of the purge channel 51 is parallel to the axis of the rotation shaft 4, so that the gas flow velocity of the purge gas introduced into the spatial region only includes the axial component. However, in this embodiment, the purge channel 51 is not a vertical purge gas flow channel, but a rotating purge gas flow channel. This rotating purge gas flow channel obliquely penetrates the shielding member 5 at an angle β along the circumference, so that the gas flow velocity of the purge gas introduced into the spatial region includes both axial and tangential components, thereby forming a rotating purge gas flow. The circumferential arrangement of the rotating purge gas flow channel on the shielding member 5 ensures that the rotation direction of the rotating purge gas flow is the same as the rotation direction of the rotation shaft 4. It should be noted that, in order to avoid the purge gas introduced into the reaction chamber from affecting the flow field in the reaction chamber, the angle β should ensure that the airflow velocity of the purge gas introduced into the spatial region includes only the axial and tangential components, but not the radial component. That is, the direction of the purge channel 51 cannot be tilted toward the axis of the rotation shaft 4 in the radial direction of the reaction chamber 1.

[0075] Wherein β is: the tangent plane about the rotation axis 4 of the bottom centroid of the air outlet formed on the second side surface 522 through the purge channel 51 is defined as the tangent plane where the bottom centroid is located, the center line of the purge channel 51 is located in the tangent plane where the bottom centroid is located, and there is an angle β between the center line of the purge channel 51 and the axis of the rotation axis 4, wherein β≠0°.

[0076] In this embodiment, a rotating purge gas flow is formed by spraying purge gas near the rotating support disk 3 through the rotating purge gas flow channel. The direction of the rotating purge gas flow is consistent with the rotation direction of the support disk 3 in the vapor deposition equipment during the reaction process. The rotating purge gas flow has tangential velocity and momentum, which makes the flow field in the reaction chamber 1 more stable in the flow impact mixing and streamline turning process in the edge region. This suppresses the generation of eddies in the reaction chamber 1 and makes the laminar flow characteristics of the flow field in the reaction chamber 1 more stable.

[0077] In some embodiments, the angle β of the rotating purge airflow channel located at the lowest layer of the shielding member 5 is greater than or equal to the angle β of the rotating purge airflow channel located at the uppermost layer of the shielding member 5, or the angle β of the rotating purge airflow channel gradually increases from top to bottom along the shielding member 5. This can make the flow field in the reaction chamber 1 more stable in the edge region during flow impact mixing and streamline turning, while reducing the impact on the flow field located in the upper part of the reaction chamber 1.

[0078] Preferably, the ratio of the tangential to the axial component of the purge gas velocity should not be too large; otherwise, it will significantly affect the gas flow in the reaction zone and hinder the balanced injection of the reaction gas into the reaction chamber 1. Preferably, 0° < β ≤ 60°.

[0079] Example 3

[0080] This embodiment provides a vapor deposition apparatus. Unlike Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2, the purge channel 51 is a combination of a vertical purge airflow channel and a rotary purge airflow channel.

[0081] It should be noted that, since the carrier disk 3 rotates at high speed, only the area near the carrier disk 3 requires rotating purge airflow to reduce eddies. Therefore, preferably, the rotating purge airflow channel is provided on the shielding member 5 in the circumferential area near the carrier disk 3. Furthermore, since the reaction chamber 1 of the vapor deposition apparatus is a vertical flow chamber, to avoid affecting the flow field of the reaction chamber 1, except for the purge channel 51 in the circumferential area near the carrier disk 3 which is set as the rotating purge airflow channel, the purge channels 51 in other areas of the shielding member 5 are all set as vertical purge airflow channels.

[0082] Example 4

[0083] This embodiment provides a vapor deposition apparatus, the structure of which is similar to any one of the vapor deposition apparatuses in Embodiments 1 to 3. In this embodiment, reference is made to... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 6 The purge gas in the annular cavity 53 is uniformly regulated, and the same type of purge gas is introduced into the annular cavity 53. The purge gas is uniformly distributed within the annular cavity 53 and then discharged through the various purge channels 51 on the shielding member 5. Therefore, the type and composition of the purge gas delivered from the annular cavity 53 to the purge channels 51 are the same. It should be noted that the aforementioned "same type of purge gas" does not refer to a single gas type, but rather to the same gas delivered from each of the purge channels 51 to the reaction chamber 1. This gas can be a single gas or a mixture of gases. The purge gases do not react with each other, or they react with each other but do not generate the target product. For example, for III-V group MOCVD, the purge gas may include one or more of H2, N2, and inert gases, or it may be a group V hydride source gas and a carrier gas.

[0084] Before the second gas injection mechanism 22 introduces the purging gas into the annular cavity 53, a control unit (not shown) is provided, such as a valve, mass flow controller, pressure controller, etc. The control unit uniformly regulates the purging gas in the annular cavity 53, thereby ensuring that the type and composition of the purging gas in the purging channel 51 are the same.

[0085] Example 5

[0086] This embodiment provides a vapor deposition apparatus, which differs from Embodiment 4 in that, with reference to... Figure 9 The shielding member 5 is provided with at least one barrier member 54. The barrier member 54 is a cylindrical body coaxial with the reaction chamber 1. The upper end of the barrier member 54 abuts against the second gas injection mechanism 22, and the lower end of the barrier member 54 abuts against the first side surface 521 of the shielding member 5. The barrier member 54 divides the annular cavity 53 into several sub-annular cavities 531 from the inside to the outside. The gas outlet of the second gas injection mechanism 22 is connected to each of the sub-annular cavities 531 in a one-to-one correspondence, so that the purging gas delivered by at least two of the sub-annular cavities 531 can be independently controlled.

[0087] In some embodiments, when there are multiple barrier members 54, the barrier members 54 are coaxially distributed from the inside to the outside in the radial direction of the reaction chamber 1, and the height of the barrier members 54 in the axial direction of the reaction chamber 1 gradually increases from the inside to the outside.

[0088] The barrier 54 divides the annular cavity 53 into several sub-annular cavities 531 from the inside to the outside. Correspondingly, the barrier 54 divides the shielding member 5 into multiple sub-regions from top to bottom. Each sub-region is provided with multiple purge channels 51. Before the second gas injection mechanism 22 introduces purge gas into the annular cavity 53, a control unit (not shown) is also provided, such as a valve, mass flow controller, pressure controller, etc. The control unit individually regulates the purge gas delivered to each sub-annular cavity 531, so that the purge gas delivered to the purge channels 51 in at least two sub-regions can be independently regulated.

[0089] Furthermore, the flow rates of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities 531 are equal, or the flow rates of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities gradually increase from the inside to the outside. This ensures that, from top to bottom, the flow rates of the purge gas introduced into the spatial region through the purge channel 51 in each sub-region are equal, or the flow rates of the purge gas introduced into the spatial region through the purge channel 51 in each of the sub-regions gradually increase from top to bottom.

[0090] In some embodiments, the average molecular weight of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities 531 is equal, or the average molecular weight of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities 531 gradually increases from the inside to the outside. This ensures that, from top to bottom, the average molecular weight of the purge gas introduced into the spatial region through the purge channel 51 in each sub-region is equal, or the average molecular weight of the purge gas introduced into the spatial region through the purge channel 51 in each of the sub-regions gradually increases from top to bottom.

[0091] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, by setting the barrier 54 on the shield 5, the annular cavity 53 is divided into several sub-annular cavities 531 from the inside to the outside, so that the purge gas is more appropriately distributed after entering the reaction zone, and the distribution of the purge gas from top to bottom of the shield 5 can be further refined, thereby more precisely matching the size ratio, process, airflow conditions, etc. of the reaction cavity 1, and greatly improving the airflow stability in the reaction cavity 1.

[0092] Example 6

[0093] This embodiment provides a vapor deposition apparatus, the structure of which is similar to any of the vapor deposition apparatuses in embodiments one through five, the difference being that, as referenced... Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, in this embodiment, the side wall of the reaction chamber 1 is provided with an opening 11, which is used to put in or take out the carrier plate 3. The lifting mechanism (not shown in the figure) is located on the top or bottom wall of the reaction chamber. The lifting mechanism is connected to the shielding member 5. The lifting mechanism drives the shielding member 5 to move up and down along the axis of the rotating shaft 4, so that the shielding member 5 blocks or exposes the opening 11, which facilitates the placement and removal of the carrier plate 3.

[0094] In this embodiment, when it is necessary to insert or remove the carrier plate 3, refer to Figure 10 The lifting mechanism drives the shielding member 5 to move downwards along the axis of the rotating shaft 4, exposing the opening 11 and allowing the carrier plate 3 to be removed through the opening 11. When vapor deposition is required in the reaction chamber 1, refer to... Figure 11The lifting mechanism drives the shielding member 5 to move upward along the axis of the rotating shaft 4, so that the shielding member 5 abuts against the second gas injection mechanism 22. At this time, the shielding member 5, the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1, and the second gas injection mechanism 22 are adapted to form the annular cavity 53. The shielding member 5 and the first gas injection mechanism 21 are adapted to form the spatial region, which covers the reaction zone 6. The opening 11 is blocked by the shielding member 5. The first gas injection mechanism 21 injects reaction gas into the spatial region, and at this time, the deposition reaction can be carried out in the reaction chamber 1. The second gas injection mechanism 22 injects purge gas into the annular cavity 53. The purge gas enters the spatial region through the purge channel 51 to purge the shielding member 5.

[0095] In one embodiment, reference is made to... Figure 1 As shown, when the gas outlet surface of the first gas injection mechanism 21 and the gas outlet surface of the second gas injection mechanism 22 are level or approximately level, the shielding member 5 is an inclined surface, which encloses the space area into a frustum-shaped structure. The radial dimension between the top of the shielding member 5 and the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1 is equivalent to the dimension of the second gas injection mechanism 22.

[0096] When vapor deposition is required in the reaction chamber 1, the lifting mechanism moves upward, bringing the top of the shielding member 5 into contact with the second gas injection mechanism 22. The top of the annular cavity 53 is the outlet surface of the second gas injection mechanism 22, and the opening 11 is blocked by the shielding member 5. Then, the first gas injection mechanism 21 is used to deliver reaction gas into the spatial region, and the second gas injection mechanism 22 is used to deliver purge gas into the annular cavity 53. After entering the annular cavity 53, the purge gas is guided into the spatial region through the purge channel 51 to suppress or prevent reaction byproducts from adhering to the inner wall of the shielding member 5.

[0097] When it is necessary to put in or take out the carrier plate 3, the lifting mechanism drives the blocking member 5 to move downward along the axis of the rotating shaft 4. The second gas injection mechanism 22 separates from the top of the blocking member 5 and continues to descend until the opening 11 is exposed, so that the carrier plate 3 can be taken out through the opening 11.

[0098] In another embodiment, reference Figure 10 and Figure 11As shown, since the shielding member 5 has a certain wall thickness, in order to ensure that purge gas is ejected from the area closest to the first gas injection mechanism 21, the shielding member 5 is configured with a structure including a straight cylindrical part and a flared part. The straight cylindrical part is located at the upper end of the shielding member 5, and its radial dimensions are uniform. The radial dimension between the straight cylindrical part and the inner wall of the reaction chamber 1 is approximately equal to the size of the second gas injection mechanism 22. The flared part is located at the lower end of the shielding member 5, and its radial dimension gradually increases from top to bottom. The purge channels 51 are distributed in the flared part. Adaptively, to facilitate the installation of the shielding member 5, the outlet surface of the second gas injection mechanism 22 is higher than the outlet surface of the first gas injection mechanism 21, creating an upwardly recessed step between the outlet surfaces of the second gas injection mechanism 22 and the first gas injection mechanism 21.

[0099] When vapor deposition is required in the reaction chamber 1, the lifting mechanism moves upward, fitting the straight cylindrical portion into the upwardly recessed step to abut against the second gas injection mechanism 22. At this time, the opening 11 is blocked by the shielding member 5, and the flared portion cooperates with the first gas injection mechanism 21 to form the spatial region. Then, the first gas injection mechanism 21 is used to deliver reaction gas into the spatial region, and the second gas injection mechanism 22 is used to deliver purge gas into the annular cavity 53.

[0100] When it is necessary to put in or take out the carrier plate 3, the lifting mechanism drives the blocking member 5 to move downward along the axis of the rotating shaft 4, the straight part leaves the upwardly recessed step, the second gas injection mechanism 22 separates from the blocking member 5, and the lifting mechanism drives the blocking member 5 to continue to descend until the opening 11 is exposed, so that the carrier plate 3 can be taken out through the opening 11.

[0101] While embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations fall within the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims. Furthermore, the invention described herein may have other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

Claims

1. A vapor deposition apparatus characterized by comprising: include: reaction chamber; The first gas injection mechanism is located in the middle region at the top of the reaction chamber and is used to inject reaction gas into the reaction chamber. The second gas injection mechanism is located in the outer periphery of the top of the reaction chamber and is arranged around the first gas injection mechanism; A support plate is located in the reaction chamber and is disposed opposite to the first gas injection mechanism. A reaction zone is formed above the support plate. A rotating shaft, connected to the carrier disk, drives the carrier disk to rotate during vapor deposition; A shielding element, located within the reaction chamber and surrounding the inner wall of the reaction chamber, is adapted to form an annular cavity with the inner wall of the reaction chamber and the second gas injection mechanism during vapor deposition. The second gas injection mechanism injects purge gas into the annular cavity. The shielding element and the first gas injection mechanism are adapted to form a spatial region, the radial dimension of which gradually increases from top to bottom, and the outer diameter of the lowest end of the shielding element is adapted to the inner diameter of the reaction chamber. A purge channel is provided on the shielding member, the purge channel passes through the shielding member, and the purge channel connects the annular cavity and the spatial region to introduce purge gas into the spatial region.

2. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The purging channel includes a vertical purging airflow channel, the centerline of which is parallel to the axial direction of the rotation axis, so that the airflow velocity of the purging gas introduced into the spatial region includes only the axial component.

3. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The purging channel also includes a rotating purging airflow channel, which is inclined at an angle β along the circumference through the shield, so that the airflow velocity of the purging gas introduced into the spatial region includes only axial and tangential components, thereby forming a rotating purging airflow. The circumferential arrangement of the rotating purging airflow channel on the shield makes the rotation direction of the rotating purging airflow the same as the rotation direction of the rotating shaft.

4. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The angle β of the rotating purge airflow channel located at the bottom layer of the shield is greater than or equal to the angle β of the rotating purge airflow channel located at the top layer of the shield, or the angle β of the rotating purge airflow channel gradually increases from top to bottom along the shield.

5. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The rotating purge airflow channel is located in the circumferential region of the shield near the carrier plate.

6. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shielding member includes a first side surface near the inner wall of the reaction chamber and a second side surface away from the inner wall of the reaction chamber. The purge channel extends from the first side surface to the second side surface without exceeding the second side surface, and the inner diameter of the air outlet formed by the purge channel on the second side surface is greater than or equal to the inner diameter of the air inlet formed by the purge channel on the first side surface.

7. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The purge channels are circumferentially distributed on the shielding member, and multiple layers of the purge channels are formed along the axial direction of the rotation axis.

8. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that, From the top of the reaction chamber to the support plate, the distance between the purge gas outlet surface formed by the uppermost purge channel and the outlet surface of the first gas injection mechanism is defined as h, and the distance between the outlet surface of the first gas injection mechanism and the support surface of the support plate is defined as H, satisfying: h≤0.25H.

9. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The purge gas outlet surface formed by the purge channel located at the lowest layer is not higher than the bearing surface of the bearing plate.

10. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, The radial distance between the edge of the bearing disk and the shielding member is defined as d, which satisfies: 0.1H≤d≤H.

11. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outlet surface of the second gas injection mechanism is higher than the outlet surface of the first gas injection mechanism, so that there is an upwardly recessed step between the outlet surfaces of the second gas injection mechanism and the first gas injection mechanism.

12. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that, The shielding member includes a straight cylindrical portion with a uniform radial dimension at the upper end and a flared portion with a radial dimension that gradually increases from top to bottom at the lower end. The purge channels are distributed in the flared portion. When vapor deposition is performed in the reaction chamber, the straight cylindrical portion is adapted to be inserted into the upwardly recessed step.

13. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that, The shielding member is provided with at least one barrier member, which is a cylindrical body coaxial with the reaction chamber. The upper end of the barrier member abuts against the second gas injection mechanism, and the lower end of the barrier member abuts against the first side of the shielding member. The barrier member divides the annular cavity into several sub-annular cavities from the inside to the outside. The gas outlet of the second gas injection mechanism is connected to each of the sub-annular cavities in a corresponding manner, so that the purging gas delivered by at least two of the sub-annular cavities can be independently controlled.

14. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that, The flow rate of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities is equal, or the flow rate of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities gradually increases from the inside to the outside.

15. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that, The average molecular weight of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities is equal, or the average molecular weight of the purge gas delivered in each of the sub-annular cavities gradually increases from the inside to the outside.

16. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that, The side wall of the reaction chamber is provided with an opening for inserting or removing the carrier plate. A lifting mechanism is located on the top or bottom wall of the reaction chamber. The lifting mechanism is connected to the shielding member. The lifting mechanism drives the shielding member to move up and down along the axis of the rotation shaft so that the shielding member blocks or exposes the opening.

17. The vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that, When the carrier plate needs to be placed or removed, the lifting mechanism drives the blocking member to move downward along the axis of the rotating shaft, so that the opening is exposed. At this time, the straight cylindrical part leaves the upwardly recessed step. When vapor deposition is performed in the reaction chamber, the lifting mechanism drives the shielding member to move upward along the axis of the rotating shaft, so that the straight cylinder is adapted to be inserted into the upwardly recessed step, the top of the shielding member abuts against the second gas injection mechanism, and the opening is blocked by the shielding member.

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