Epitaxial deposition apparatus

Abstract

This invention discloses an epitaxial deposition apparatus, comprising: a substrate tray disposed within the apparatus for supporting a substrate; an upper chamber cover, a lower chamber cover, and a quartz sleeve extending downward from the center of the lower chamber cover; an intermediate base ring for fixing the upper and lower chamber covers; a pivot disposed inside the quartz sleeve, the upper end of the pivot being connected to the substrate tray, and the lower end of the pivot being connected to an adjustment mechanism; and a connecting support member, one end of which is connected to the adjustment mechanism, and the other end of which is connected to a frame. The epitaxial deposition apparatus of this invention supports the pivot to the frame via the connecting support member, eliminating the need for the adjustment and motion mechanisms to be directly fixed to the quartz chamber, thus increasing the service life of the quartz chamber. The connecting support member is connected to the frame via a hinge connection; when maintenance of the quartz chamber is required, maintenance can be performed simply by unscrewing the quartz chamber around the frame, without disassembling the adjustment mechanism.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and more specifically to an epitaxial deposition apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing industry, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a well-known process for forming thin film materials on a substrate, such as a silicon wafer. In the CVD process, gaseous molecules of the material to be deposited are provided to the wafer to form a thin film of that material on the wafer through a chemical reaction. This formed thin film can be polycrystalline, amorphous, or epitaxial.

[0003] Epitaxial deposition equipment differs from conventional chemical vapor deposition equipment in that its reaction chamber is composed of upper and lower chamber covers made of quartz material. In existing epitaxial deposition equipment, the adjustment mechanism for positioning the base and the motion mechanism for driving the base rotation are directly suspended from the end of the quartz sleeve of the lower chamber cover, affecting the service life of the quartz chamber. This single-point suspension support method can also lead to base level deviation. Furthermore, the large weight of the adjustment and motion mechanisms, coupled with the limited installation space, significantly increases the difficulty of operation for installers. In addition, the motion mechanism uses magnetic coupling for vacuum sealing, which carries the risk of distortion and step loss. Since the magnetic coupling vacuum seal is located at the bottom of the entire equipment, byproducts from the reaction can easily fall into the quartz sleeve, requiring regular maintenance. This maintenance also tests the installation skills of the maintenance personnel, and level deviation may also occur during the maintenance process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems of reduced service life, easy deviation of base level, and difficult installation and maintenance of current epitaxial vapor deposition equipment.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an epitaxial deposition apparatus, characterized in that it comprises:

[0006] A substrate tray, disposed within the epitaxial deposition apparatus, is used to support the substrate;

[0007] An upper chamber cover is disposed above the substrate tray, and a lower chamber cover is disposed below the substrate tray. Both the upper chamber cover and the lower chamber cover are made of quartz material.

[0008] A quartz sleeve extending downward from the center of the lower chamber cover;

[0009] An intermediate base ring is used to fix the upper chamber cover and the lower chamber cover together.

[0010] The quartz sleeve has a pivot inside, and the upper end of the pivot is connected to the substrate tray.

[0011] The lower end of the pivot is connected to the adjustment mechanism;

[0012] A connecting support is provided, one end of which is connected to the adjustment mechanism, and the other end of which is connected to the frame. The frame is connected to the epitaxial deposition equipment, and the connecting support is used to support the pivot and the adjustment mechanism.

[0013] Optionally, the adjustment mechanism includes: a horizontal adjustment mechanism for adjusting the positioning of the substrate tray on a horizontal plane, and a tilt adjustment mechanism for adjusting the levelness of the substrate tray.

[0014] Optionally, the adjustment mechanism further includes a moving component for driving the pivot to rotate.

[0015] Optionally, the lower end of the pivot is provided with a sealing device, which includes a bellows mechanism and a magnetohydrodynamic device.

[0016] Optionally, the bellows mechanism includes a first bellows and a second bellows, the upper end of the first bellows is connected to the lower end of the quartz sleeve, the lower end of the first bellows is connected to the magnetic fluid device, the upper end of the second bellows is connected to the magnetic fluid device, and the lower end of the second bellows is connected to the adjustment mechanism.

[0017] Optionally, the connecting support is connected to the frame via a hinge.

[0018] Optionally, the leveling mechanism includes: a leveling plate, and a fixing plate and leveling screws disposed on the leveling plate.

[0019] Optionally, the adjusting screw includes an X-direction horizontal adjusting screw and a Y-direction horizontal adjusting screw.

[0020] Optionally, the leveling plate is provided with threads corresponding to the leveling screw, and the fixing plate is provided with through holes for accommodating the leveling screw.

[0021] Optionally, the fixing plate is provided with threads corresponding to the leveling screw, and the leveling plate is provided with through holes for accommodating the leveling screw.

[0022] Optionally, the tilt adjustment mechanism includes: a tilt adjustment plate, and a fixing screw and a tilt adjustment screw disposed on the tilt adjustment plate.

[0023] Optionally, the number of tilt adjustment screws corresponds to the number of fixing screws, and the number of fixing screws is at least three.

[0024] Optionally, the connecting support includes a support mechanism for supporting the horizontal adjustment plate and the tilt adjustment plate, and a connecting mechanism for connecting the support mechanism and the frame.

[0025] Optionally, the connecting mechanism is connected to the supporting mechanism by welding.

[0026] Optionally, the connecting mechanism and the supporting mechanism are integrally formed.

[0027] Optionally, the number of the connecting mechanisms is one.

[0028] Optionally, the frame is arranged around the periphery of the upper chamber cover, the lower chamber cover, and the intermediate base ring.

[0029] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects;

[0030] (1) The epitaxial deposition equipment of the present invention supports the pivot to the frame by connecting support members, so that the adjustment mechanism and the motion mechanism do not need to be directly fixed and suspended on the quartz cavity, thereby increasing the service life of the quartz cavity.

[0031] (2) The connecting support of the present invention is connected to the frame by a hinge connection. When the quartz chamber needs to be maintained, the quartz chamber can be rotated out with the frame as the rotation axis for maintenance. There is no need to disassemble the adjustment mechanism for maintenance. The position is consistent before and after each maintenance, and the structure is stable and there is no possibility of horizontal deviation.

[0032] (3) The adjustment mechanism of the present invention is set on the connecting support and has an independent horizontal adjustment mechanism for positioning in the XY direction and an angle adjustment mechanism for adjusting the horizontality of the base.

[0033] (4) The present invention uses magnetic fluid to vacuum seal the moving mechanism of the quartz chamber, eliminating the problem of needing to perform major repairs regularly when using magnetic coupling vacuum seal. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an epitaxial deposition apparatus in the prior art;

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an epitaxial deposition apparatus provided by the present invention;

[0036] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the adjustment mechanism of the epitaxial deposition equipment provided by the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The following will be combined with the embodiments of the present invention. Figures 1-3The technical solutions, structural features, objectives and effects achieved in the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0038] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions. They are only used to facilitate and clarify the purpose of illustrating the embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of the present invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportional relationship, or adjustments to the size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention, provided that they do not affect the effects and objectives that the present invention can produce.

[0039] It should be noted that, in this invention, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only the expressly listed elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0040] Figure 1 This is an existing epitaxial deposition apparatus. The apparatus includes an upper chamber cover 101, a lower chamber cover 106, and an intermediate base ring 105 connecting the two. The upper chamber cover 101, lower chamber cover 106, and intermediate base ring 105 together form the reaction chamber of the epitaxial deposition apparatus. A substrate tray 108 is horizontally arranged inside the reaction chamber to support a substrate 107. The upper chamber cover 101 and lower chamber cover 106 are made of quartz material, allowing heat from a heating lamp located outside the chamber cover to radiate through the chamber cover to the substrate, thus heating the substrate. The intermediate base ring 105 is provided with a transfer port 103, an upper air inlet 102, a lower air inlet 104, and an upper exhaust port 110 and a lower exhaust port 111, which are opposite to the upper and lower air inlets. Process gas enters the reaction chamber through the air inlets and exits through the exhaust ports along the airflow direction 109.

[0041] A quartz sleeve 113 extends downward from the center of the lower chamber cover 106, and the quartz sleeve 113 is integrally formed with the lower chamber cover 106. A pivot 112 is disposed inside the quartz sleeve 113, and the upper end of the pivot includes a three-pronged structure for supporting the substrate tray 108. An adjustment mechanism 114 is connected to the lower ends of the quartz sleeve 113 and the pivot 112. The adjustment mechanism 114 is used to adjust the horizontal positioning and levelness of the substrate tray 108. The adjustment mechanism 114 also includes a motion mechanism for driving the pivot 112 to rotate. It can be seen that the adjustment mechanism 114 of the existing epitaxial deposition equipment is directly suspended below the quartz sleeve 113, resulting in the quartz sleeve 113 bearing a large weight, thus affecting the service life of the reaction chamber of the epitaxial deposition equipment. This single-point suspension support method also causes the substrate tray 108 to frequently experience levelness misalignment. The adjustment mechanism 114 is heavy and has limited installation space, greatly increasing the difficulty of installation and maintenance, testing the experience of installers, and requiring the base tray to be readjusted after each maintenance to prevent it from shifting. Furthermore, the existing motion mechanism uses magnetic coupling for vacuum sealing, which carries the risk of distortion and step loss. Since the magnetic coupling vacuum seal is located at the bottom, byproducts from the reaction process can fall into the quartz sleeve, necessitating periodic maintenance of the motion mechanism. This maintenance requires skilled installation techniques and carries the risk of misalignment.

[0042] To solve the above problems, please also refer to Figure 2-3 This invention provides an epitaxial deposition apparatus, comprising: an upper chamber cover 202, a lower chamber cover 206, and an intermediate base ring 203 connecting the two. Both the upper chamber cover 202 and the lower chamber cover 206 are made of quartz material, allowing heat from a heating lamp located outside the chamber cover to radiate through the chamber cover to the substrate, thereby heating the substrate. The upper chamber cover 202, the lower chamber cover 206, and the intermediate base ring 203 together form the reaction chamber of the epitaxial deposition apparatus. A substrate tray 204 is horizontally disposed within the reaction chamber to support the substrate W. The intermediate base ring is provided with a transfer port, an air inlet, and an exhaust port opposite to the air inlet. Process gas enters the reaction chamber through the air inlet and forms a thin film on the substrate W; reaction byproducts, unreacted process gas, and cleaning gas are discharged through the exhaust port.

[0043] A quartz sleeve 207 extends downward from the center of the lower chamber cover 206. The quartz sleeve 207 is integrally formed with the lower chamber cover 206. A pivot 205 is disposed inside the quartz sleeve 207. The upper end of the pivot 205 is connected to the substrate tray 204 for supporting the substrate tray 204. Optionally, the upper end of the pivot 205 includes a three-pronged structure for supporting the substrate tray 204.

[0044] The lower end of the pivot 205 is connected to the adjustment mechanism 215. One end of a connecting support 218 is connected to the adjustment mechanism 215, and the other end is connected to the frame 201. The frame 201 is connected to the epitaxial vapor deposition equipment and is used to support the epitaxial vapor deposition equipment. The connecting support 215 is used to support the pivot 205 and the adjustment mechanism 215. By fixing the pivot 205, the adjustment mechanism 215, and the quartz sleeve 207 to the frame 201 through the connecting support 218, the end of the quartz sleeve 207 does not need to bear the weight of the adjustment mechanism 215, thus extending the service life of the quartz reaction chamber.

[0045] Specifically, the connecting support 218 is connected to the frame 201 via a hinge 301. The hinge 301 allows the connecting support 218 to drive the adjusting mechanism 215, the pivot 205, and the quartz sleeve 207 to rotate along the Z-axis. When maintenance is required on the adjusting mechanism 215 and the reaction chamber, it is not necessary to disassemble the adjusting mechanism 215; simply unscrewing the adjusting mechanism 215 and the reaction chamber along the Z-axis allows for maintenance, significantly reducing the difficulty for installation and maintenance personnel. Furthermore, after each maintenance operation, only the adjusting mechanism 215 and the reaction chamber need to be rotated back to their original positions along the Z-axis, without needing to readjust the levelness, reducing the possibility of levelness deviation in the base tray. In some other embodiments, the connecting support 218 can also be connected to the frame 201 in other ways, simply requiring the connecting support 218 to rotate along the Z-axis.

[0046] The adjustment mechanism 215 includes a horizontal adjustment mechanism 212 and a tilt adjustment mechanism 213. The horizontal adjustment mechanism 212 is used to adjust the positioning of the base tray on the horizontal plane, and the tilt adjustment mechanism 213 is used to adjust the levelness of the substrate tray.

[0047] Specifically, the horizontal adjustment mechanism 212 includes: a horizontal adjustment plate 304, and a fixing plate 302 and horizontal adjustment screws 303 disposed on the horizontal adjustment plate. The horizontal adjustment screws 303 include X-direction horizontal adjustment screws and Y-direction horizontal adjustment screws, and the fixing plate 302 correspondingly includes X-direction fixing plates and Y-direction fixing plates. In this embodiment, there is one X-direction horizontal adjustment screw and one Y-direction horizontal adjustment screw, and there is also one X-direction fixing plate and one Y-direction fixing plate. It can be understood that in other embodiments, there may be two X-direction horizontal adjustment screws and two Y-direction horizontal adjustment screws, with the two X-direction horizontal adjustment screws respectively disposed on two opposite sides of the horizontal adjustment plate 304, and the two Y-direction horizontal adjustment screws respectively disposed on the other two opposite sides of the horizontal adjustment plate 304. The number and position of the fixing plates correspond to the number and position of the horizontal adjustment screws.

[0048] In some embodiments, the leveling plate 304 is provided with threads corresponding to the leveling screw 303, and the fixing plate 302 is provided with a through hole for accommodating the leveling screw. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the fixing plate 302 may also be provided with threads corresponding to the leveling screw 303, and the leveling plate 304 may be provided with a through hole to accommodate the leveling screw. By screwing the leveling screw 303 in and out of the leveling plate 304 and the fixing plate 302, the leveling plate 304 is moved in the XY plane, thereby adjusting the positioning of the pivot 205 and the substrate tray 204 in the XY plane.

[0049] Specifically, the tilt adjustment mechanism 213 includes a tilt adjustment plate 307, and fixing screws 306 and tilt adjustment screws 305 disposed on the tilt adjustment plate 307. The number of tilt adjustment screws 305 corresponds to the number of fixing screws 306. The number of fixing screws 306 is at least three. When it is necessary to adjust the levelness of the base tray 204, first loosen the fixing screws 306, then adjust the levelness of the tilt adjustment plate 307 by screwing in and out the tilt adjustment screws 305, thereby adjusting the levelness of the base tray 204, and then tighten the fixing screws 306 to fix the tilt adjustment plate 307.

[0050] In epitaxial deposition equipment, since the process gas flow enters the reaction chamber horizontally, the substrate needs to be rotated to ensure uniform film deposition. To rotate the substrate tray 204, the adjustment mechanism 215 also includes a motion mechanism 214, which drives the pivot 205 to rotate, thereby causing the substrate tray 204 to rotate.

[0051] To achieve vacuum sealing of the motion mechanism 214, the epitaxial deposition apparatus of this embodiment further includes a sealing device 211 for dynamic sealing of the epitaxial deposition apparatus. The sealing device 211 includes a first bellows 208, a second bellows 210, and a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) device 209. The upper end of the first bellows 208 is connected to the lower end of the quartz sleeve 207, and the lower end of the first bellows 208 is connected to the MHD device 209. The upper end of the second bellows 210 is connected to the MHD device 209, and the lower end of the second bellows 210 is connected to the adjustment device 215. By providing two bellows sections, a good vacuum seal is achieved when adjusting the level of the base tray 204. The use of a magnetohydrodynamic device to dynamically seal the motion mechanism replaces the magnetic coupling vacuum seal used in traditional epitaxial deposition equipment, eliminating the risk of distortion and step loss. At the same time, it eliminates the need for regular maintenance of the motion mechanism due to byproducts falling into the quartz sleeve during the reaction process, thereby further reducing the possibility of horizontal deviation of the base tray 204.

[0052] The connecting support 218 includes a support mechanism 217 for supporting the horizontal adjustment plate 304 and the tilt adjustment plate 307, and a connecting mechanism 216 for connecting the support mechanism 217 and the frame 201. Specifically, the horizontal adjustment plate 304 and the tilt adjustment plate 307 are disposed above the support mechanism 217. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the horizontal adjustment plate 304 and / or the tilt adjustment plate 307 may also be disposed below the support mechanism 217. The horizontal adjustment plate 304 is provided with threads corresponding to the fixing screw 306 for fixing the tilt adjustment plate to the support mechanism 217.

[0053] The connecting mechanism 216 and the supporting mechanism 217 are connected by welding. In some other embodiments, the connecting mechanism 216 and the supporting mechanism 217 are integrally formed. The number of connecting mechanisms is one. In some other embodiments, the number of connecting mechanisms may be greater than one to provide better support.

[0054] In some embodiments, the frame 201 is disposed around the periphery of the upper chamber cover 202, the lower chamber cover 206, and the intermediate base ring 203. The connecting mechanism 216 is optionally connected to the frame 201 in a horizontal direction so that the reaction chamber can rotate along the Z-axis.

[0055] Although the present invention has been described in detail through the preferred embodiments above, it should be understood that the above description should not be considered as a limitation of the present invention. Various modifications and substitutions to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the above description. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An epitaxial deposition apparatus, characterized in that, include: A substrate tray, disposed within the epitaxial deposition apparatus, is used to support the substrate; An upper chamber cover is disposed above the substrate tray, and a lower chamber cover is disposed below the substrate tray. Both the upper chamber cover and the lower chamber cover are made of quartz material. A quartz sleeve extending downward from the center of the lower chamber cover; An intermediate base ring is used to fix the upper chamber cover and the lower chamber cover together. The quartz sleeve has a pivot inside, the upper end of which is connected to the substrate tray, and the lower end of which is connected to the adjustment mechanism. The adjustment mechanism includes: a horizontal adjustment mechanism for adjusting the positioning of the substrate tray on a horizontal plane, the horizontal adjustment mechanism including: a horizontal adjustment plate, and a fixing plate and a horizontal adjustment screw disposed on the horizontal adjustment plate; and a tilt adjustment mechanism for adjusting the levelness of the substrate tray, the tilt adjustment mechanism including: a tilt adjustment plate, and a fixing screw and a tilt adjustment screw disposed on the tilt adjustment plate; a sealing device is provided at the lower end of the pivot, the sealing device including: a bellows mechanism and a magnetohydrodynamic device; A connecting support member is provided, one end of which is connected to the adjustment mechanism, and the other end of which is connected to the frame. The frame is connected to the epitaxial deposition equipment. The connecting support member is used to support the pivot and the adjustment mechanism. The connecting support member includes a support mechanism for supporting the horizontal adjustment plate and the tilt adjustment plate, and a connecting mechanism for connecting the support mechanism and the frame. The connecting support member and the frame are connected by a hinge. The hinge allows the connecting support to drive the adjusting mechanism, the pivot, and the quartz sleeve to rotate along the Z-axis.

2. The epitaxial deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The adjustment mechanism further includes a moving component for driving the pivot to rotate.

3. The epitaxial deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The bellows mechanism includes a first bellows and a second bellows. The upper end of the first bellows is connected to the lower end of the quartz sleeve, the lower end of the first bellows is connected to the magnetic fluid device, the upper end of the second bellows is connected to the magnetic fluid device, and the lower end of the second bellows is connected to the adjustment mechanism.

4. The epitaxial deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The leveling screws include an X-direction leveling screw and a Y-direction leveling screw.

5. The epitaxial deposition apparatus as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The leveling plate is provided with threads corresponding to the leveling screw, and the fixing plate is provided with through holes for accommodating the leveling screw.

6. The epitaxial deposition apparatus as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The fixing plate is provided with threads corresponding to the leveling screw, and the leveling plate is provided with through holes for accommodating the leveling screw.

7. The epitaxial deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of tilt adjustment screws corresponds to the number of fixing screws, and the number of fixing screws is at least 3.

8. The epitaxial deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting mechanism is connected to the supporting mechanism by welding.

9. The epitaxial deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting mechanism and the supporting mechanism are integrally formed.

10. The epitaxial deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the connecting mechanisms is 1.

11. The epitaxial deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The frame is arranged around the outer periphery of the upper chamber cover, the lower chamber cover, and the intermediate base ring.

Images