A metal rod inside a radio frequency electrode assembly and the radio frequency electrode assembly

Abstract

The present invention provides a metal rod inside a radio frequency electrode assembly and the radio frequency electrode assembly. The metal rod is wrapped inside an electrode support member. One end of the metal rod is connected to a radio frequency electrode plate in a heating plate, and the other end is connected to a radio frequency component at the rear end. The metal rod is truncated at the position wrapped by the support member into two sections with a gap left in the middle, and the two sections of the metal rod are connected by a metal shrapnel, so as to achieve the effect of cooling and heat insulation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a radio frequency electrode assembly, and particularly to a metal rod structure inside the radio frequency electrode assembly and a radio frequency electrode assembly including the metal rod. Background Art

[0002] Radio frequency electrodes are widely used in semiconductor thin film deposition equipment. During the thin film deposition process, the frequency and power of the radio frequency electrode can precisely control the ion energy and density to adjust the quality and performance of the thin film. Specifically, the radio frequency electrode provides high-frequency electrical energy to activate atoms or molecules in the deposition gas, causing them to deposit on the substrate surface to form a thin film. The radio frequency electrode can provide a stable high-frequency electric field, enabling the atoms or molecules in the deposition gas to obtain sufficient energy, so that they can be fully activated, which is beneficial to the uniform deposition of the thin film and excellent crystallization performance.

[0003] In addition, radio frequency electrodes are also widely used in semiconductor surface cleaning processes. During semiconductor manufacturing, various impurities and harmful substances often adhere to the semiconductor surface and need to be cleaned to improve device performance. The radio frequency electrode provides high-frequency electrical energy to excite ions in the cleaning solution, thereby achieving the cleaning of the semiconductor surface. Therefore, radio frequency electrodes play an important role in semiconductor thin film deposition equipment and are crucial for controlling the quality and performance of thin films.

[0004] The radio frequency electrode device in semiconductor thin film deposition equipment is used to generate a radio frequency electric field to assist in controlling the thin film deposition process. In this process, the metal rod in the radio frequency electrode assembly plays a key role. The metal rod is generally made of highly conductive materials such as copper or aluminum. These materials have excellent electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance, and can effectively transmit radio frequency signals and maintain the stability of the equipment.

[0005] More specifically, the metal rod itself, as a conductive medium, can effectively transmit radio frequency signals to assist in generating and maintaining a radio frequency electric field. It is usually fixed in a suitable position of the electrode device to provide stable support and ensure that the electrode device is in the correct position. In some cases, the metal rod can also serve as a cooling channel to help transfer and disperse the heat generated during the operation of the equipment to maintain the stable operation of the equipment. In addition, the metal rod can also serve as a shield to reduce the impact of external electromagnetic interference on the equipment and reduce the possible radiation damage to operators.

[0006] In semiconductor thin film deposition equipment, the design and manufacture of the metal rod need to consider factors such as its size, shape, material, and its position in the equipment. These factors will directly affect the performance and stability of the equipment. Therefore, designing a reasonable metal rod is crucial for optimizing the performance of semiconductor thin film deposition equipment.

[0007] However, in the prior art, a metal rod wrapped by an external insulating support is usually directly abutted against the rear-end component, while its front end is directly connected to the electrode plate on the heating plate in the semiconductor process chamber. During the process, the temperature of the heating plate rises extremely high, and at the same time, the metal rod is required to conduct high-power radio frequency signals to the heating plate. For example, in a common thin film deposition process, when the temperature of the heating plate is 650° or even higher, more than 3000w radio frequency electricity needs to be conducted to the electrode plate on the heating plate. Frequently, the metal rod will be burned out, resulting in equipment damage, affecting the control of process parameters, and requiring frequent replacement of the metal rod, which brings inconvenience to equipment maintenance.

[0008] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects existing in the prior art, there is an urgent need in the art for a metal rod inside a radio frequency electrode assembly and a radio frequency electrode assembly, which are used to optimize the device structure of the metal rod, add heat insulation components to reduce heat conduction in the metal rod, and at the same time release the stress generated by thermal expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, increase the service life of the metal rod, and reduce the occurrence frequency of failures of the radio frequency electrode device. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The following gives a brief overview of one or more aspects to provide a basic understanding of these aspects. This overview is not an exhaustive survey of all contemplated aspects, and is neither intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects nor to attempt 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 description that follows.

[0010] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a metal rod inside a radio frequency electrode assembly, which is wrapped inside an electrode support. One end of the metal rod is connected to the radio frequency electrode plate in the heating plate, and the other end is connected to the radio frequency component at the rear end. The metal rod is truncated at the position wrapped by the support into two sections with a gap in the middle, and the two sections of the metal rod are connected by a metal shrapnel.

[0011] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, the metal shrapnel includes multiple parallel-connected metal shrapnels.

[0012] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, at least one of the multiple parallel-connected metal shrapnels is provided with a bent portion.

[0013] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, the multiple parallel-connected metal shrapnels include two metal shrapnels with the same shape and placed in parallel.

[0014] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, bending portions are provided on both of the two metal shrapnel pieces having the same shape and placed in parallel, and the bending portions are placed in the gap between the two sections of the metal rod and do not contact the metal rods on both sides thereof.

[0015] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, at the connection between the two sections of the metal rod and the metal shrapnel piece, the metal rod is in a flat strip shape, and the end of the metal shrapnel piece is in a straight strip shape, so as to clamp the metal rod between the ends of the two metal shrapnel pieces, and then fixedly connect them through bolts.

[0016] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, at the connection between the two sections of the metal rod and the metal shrapnel piece, a steel block is further provided on the opposite side of the bolt nut, and the shape and size of the steel block match the shape and size of the flat strip shape of the metal rod to tighten the connection between the metal shrapnel piece and the metal rod.

[0017] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, the contact area between the metal rod and the metal shrapnel piece is in the range of 6.37 mm 2 ~37.8 mm 2 .

[0018] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, the metal shrapnel piece has elasticity, and a gap space is left around the bending portion of the metal shrapnel piece when assembling the radio frequency electrode for its deformation to release stress.

[0019] Another aspect of the present invention further provides a radio frequency electrode assembly, which includes the metal rod described in any one of the above, and the middle of the metal rod is truncated into two sections at the position covered by the support member, and the two sections of the metal rod are connected by the metal shrapnel piece, which can effectively cool down and insulate heat, prevent the metal rod from being damaged due to excessive temperature at the electrode plate, thereby improving the service life of the radio frequency electrode assembly and reducing the production cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] After reading the detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the following drawings, the above features and advantages of the present invention can be better understood. In the drawings, the components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related characteristics or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic assembly structure diagram of a metal rod in a radio frequency electrode assembly shown according to an example in the prior art;

[0022] Figure 2It is a physical photo of a burned metal rod shown according to an example in the prior art;

[0023] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the assembly of the metal rod in the radio frequency electrode assembly shown according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0024] Figure 4 It is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of the partial enlargement of the metal rod at position A in

[0025] For clarity, the following gives a brief description of the reference numerals:

[0026] 101 Metal rod

[0027] 102 Radio frequency electrode rear-end component

[0028] 103 Support

[0029] 201 Burned metal rod

[0030] 301 Support

[0031] 401 First metal rod

[0032] 402 Second metal rod

[0033] 403 First metal shrapnel

[0034] 404 Second metal shrapnel

[0035] 405 Steel block

[0036] 406 Bolt Detailed implementation manners

[0037] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation manners 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 will be introduced in conjunction with the preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of this invention are limited to this implementation manner. On the contrary, the purpose of introducing the invention in conjunction with the implementation manner is to cover other alternatives or modifications that may be extended based on the claims of the present invention. In order to provide a deep understanding of the present invention, many specific details will be included in the following description. The present invention can also be implemented without using these details. In addition, in order to avoid confusing or obscuring the key points of the present invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0038] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installation", "connection", and "coupling" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two components. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific situations.

[0039] In addition, the "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "top", "bottom", "horizontal", and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in this section and the related drawings. Such relative terms are only for convenience of description and do not represent that the devices described need to be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation, so they should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention.

[0040] It can be understood that although terms such as "first", "second", and "third" can 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 component, region, layer, and / or part discussed below can be referred to as the second component, region, layer, and / or part without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the metal rod in the radio frequency electrode assembly shown according to an example in the prior art.

[0042] As Figure 1 shown, in the prior art, the metal rod 101 wrapped by the externally insulated support member 103 is usually directly abutted against the rear-end component 102 of the radio frequency electrode, and at the same time, its front end is directly connected to the electrode plate on the heating plate in the semiconductor process chamber.

[0043] During the process, the temperature of the heating plate rises to an extremely high level, and at the same time, the metal rod also needs to conduct high-power radio frequency signals to the heating plate. For example, in a common thin film deposition process, it is necessary to conduct more than 3000w radio frequency electricity to the electrode plate on the heating plate at a temperature of 650° or even higher on the heating plate, and the situation of the metal rod being burned out often occurs. Please refer to Figure 2 .

[0044] Figure 2 is a physical photo of the burned metal rod shown according to an example in the prior art.

[0045] As Figure 2As shown, the metal rod is burned out or damaged, resulting in equipment damage, which will affect the control of process parameters. Therefore, it is necessary to frequently replace the damaged metal rod 201, which brings inconvenience to equipment maintenance.

[0046] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a metal rod inside a radio frequency electrode assembly and a radio frequency electrode assembly, which are used to optimize the device structure of the metal rod, add heat insulation components to reduce heat conduction in the metal rod, and at the same time release the stress generated by thermal expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, increase the service life of the metal rod, and reduce the occurrence frequency of radio frequency electrode device failures.

[0047] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the metal rod in the radio frequency electrode assembly shown according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 3 , the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention is wrapped inside the electrode support 301. One end of the metal rod is connected to the radio frequency electrode plate in the heating disk, and the other end is connected to the radio frequency component at the back end. Figure 3 For the specific structure of the metal rod at point A in Figure 4 .

[0049] Figure 4 It is shown according to an embodiment of the present invention Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the partial enlarged device structure of the metal rod at point A in

[0050] Please refer to Figure 4 , the metal rod provided by the present invention is truncated at the position wrapped by the support into two sections with a gap in the middle, that is, Figure 4 the first metal rod 401 and the second metal rod 402 in

[0051] . For example, the metal shrapnel can be made of copper material, which has good electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, among the metal rods inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, the metal shrapnel includes multiple parallel metal shrapnels.

[0053] It can be understood that multiple parallel metal shrapnels can increase the number of channels through which current flows in the metal rod, thereby reducing the current value flowing through a single shrapnel. Taking two parallel metal shrapnels as an example, the current I flowing through each shrapnel is 1 / 2 of the original structure. According to the heat formula Q = I 2For R, the heat generated by the current on a single piece of shrapnel is 1 / 4 of the original heat generated, and the thin shrapnel structure is more conducive to heat dissipation. Therefore, adopting the form of connecting multiple parallel metal single pieces to the two end metal rods can achieve a better heat insulation and dissipation effect, reduce the heat conduction of the metal rods themselves, and reduce the probability of their burnout.

[0054] Furthermore, more preferably, in an embodiment, for the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, at least one of the multiple parallel metal shrapnel pieces is provided with a bent portion.

[0055] It can be understood that the bent portion on the metal shrapnel piece can extend the heat conduction length of the shrapnel as much as possible within a limited space, thereby achieving a better heat dissipation effect.

[0056] In Figure 4 the shown embodiment, the multiple parallel metal shrapnel pieces include two metal shrapnel pieces with the same shape and placed in parallel, that is, Figure 4 the first metal shrapnel piece 403 and the second metal shrapnel piece 404 in

[0057] As Figure 4 shown, in this embodiment, the first metal shrapnel piece 403 and the second metal shrapnel piece 404, and bent portions are provided at the middle positions of both metal shrapnel pieces. The bent portions are placed in the gap between the first metal rod 401 and the second metal rod 402 and do not contact the metal rods on both sides of them.

[0058] It is easily understandable that placing the bent portions in the gaps between the metal rods on both sides can save the assembly space, so as to make as small a modification as possible to the existing electrode device structure, which is convenient for production and manufacturing.

[0059] Preferably, these metal shrapnel pieces have elasticity, and a gap space is left around the bent portions of the metal shrapnel pieces when assembling the radio frequency electrode. On the one hand, it can dissipate heat more quickly, and on the other hand, these gap spaces can be used for the metal shrapnel pieces to deform to release stress when thermal expansion and contraction occur due to temperature changes.

[0060] It should be noted that the shape, quantity, and position arrangement of the bent portions corresponding to the metal shrapnel pieces in this embodiment are only for exemplary illustration, aiming to clearly illustrate the preferred implementation manner of the metal rod device structure in the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, rather than to limit the protection scope of the present invention. In fact, more shrapnel pieces or other structural forms that can extend the heat conduction length can also be adopted, and device structures with similar heat insulation and temperature dissipation effects can all be applied to the metal rods of the electrode assembly provided by the present invention, and should also be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

[0061] In a relatively preferred embodiment, reference can be continued to Figure 4, the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention is flat strip-shaped at the connection between the two metal rods and the metal elastic sheet. The end of the metal elastic sheet is straight strip-shaped, so that the metal rod is clamped between the ends of the two metal elastic sheets, and then fixedly connected through a bolt 406.

[0062] Furthermore, more preferably, as Figure 4 shown, at the connection between the two metal rods and the metal elastic sheet, a steel block 405 is also provided on the opposite side of the bolt nut. The shape and size of the steel block 405 match the shape and size of the flat strip-shaped metal rod to fasten the connection between the metal elastic sheet and the metal rod.

[0063] The setting of this connection can increase the contact area at the connection between the metal elastic sheet and the metal rod. For example, in the embodiment of the present invention, the contact area between the metal rod and the metal elastic sheet can be within the range of 6.37 mm 2 ~37.8 mm 2 .

[0064] Those skilled in the art can understand that increasing the contact area at the connection can reduce the contact resistance, thereby reducing the heat generated by contact, and further increasing the cooling and heat insulation effect of the electrode metal rod provided by the present invention.

[0065] It should be noted that the connection method between the metal rod and the metal elastic sheet described herein is only an exemplary description, aiming to provide a preferred and easily implemented embodiment, rather than limiting the protection scope of the present invention. In fact, other assembly methods that can connect and fix the metal rod and the metal elastic sheet, or connection structures that can achieve a similar effect of reducing heat generated by contact, can all be applied to the metal rod of the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, and should also be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

[0066] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a radio frequency electrode assembly, including the metal rod described in any one of the above. The middle of the metal rod is truncated into two sections at the position covered by the support member. The two metal rods are connected by a metal elastic sheet, which can effectively cool and insulate heat, prevent the metal rod from being damaged due to excessive temperature at the electrode plate, thereby improving the service life of the radio frequency electrode assembly and reducing production costs.

[0067] The foregoing description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily 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 the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A semiconductor thin film deposition device, characterized in that, Comprising: A semiconductor process chamber, inside which there is a heating plate, and inside the heating plate there is a radio frequency electrode plate; And A radio frequency electrode assembly, including a metal rod. Wherein, the metal rod is wrapped inside an electrode support, one end of which is connected to the radio frequency electrode plate, and the other end is connected to a radio frequency component at the back end. The metal rod is truncated at the position wrapped by the support into two segments with a gap in the middle, and the two segments of the metal rod are connected by a metal shrapnel.

2. The semiconductor thin film deposition device according to claim 1, wherein The metal shrapnel includes multiple parallel-connected metal shrapnels.

3. The semiconductor thin film deposition apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, At least one of the multiple parallel-connected metal shrapnels is provided with a bent portion.

4. The semiconductor thin film deposition equipment according to claim 2, wherein The multiple parallel-connected metal shrapnels include two metal shrapnels with the same shape and placed in parallel.

5. The semiconductor thin film deposition device according to claim 4, wherein, Both of the two metal shrapnels with the same shape and placed in parallel are provided with bent portions, and the bent portions are placed in the gap between the two segments of the metal rod and do not contact the metal rods on both sides thereof.

6. The semiconductor thin film deposition equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, At the connection between the two segments of the metal rod and the metal shrapnel, the metal rod is in a flat strip shape, and the end of the metal shrapnel is in a straight strip shape, so that the metal rod is clamped between the ends of the two metal shrapnels, and then fixedly connected by bolts.

7. The semiconductor thin film deposition equipment according to claim 6, wherein, At the connection between the two segments of the metal rod and the metal shrapnel, a steel block is further provided on the opposite side of the bolt nut. The shape and size of the steel block match the shape and size of the flat strip shape of the metal rod to tighten the connection between the metal shrapnel and the metal rod.

8. The semiconductor thin film deposition equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The contact area between the metal rod and the metal shrapnel is within the range of 6.37 mm 2 to 37.8 mm 2 .

9. The semiconductor thin film deposition equipment according to claim 3 or 5, characterized in that, The metal shrapnel has elasticity, and there is a gap space around the bent portion of the metal shrapnel when assembling the radio frequency electrode.

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