A vacuum coating machine for semiconductor materials

Abstract

This application relates to the technical field of vacuum coating equipment, and discloses a vacuum coater for semiconductor materials, including a conveying assembly. The conveying assembly includes a rotating body and a cylindrical connection cavity. The connection cavity includes at least two groups of connection ports. One group of connection ports is communicated with a sputtering cavity, and one group of connection ports is communicated with the outside. At least two groups of storage cavities are provided on the side wall of the connection cavity. The present invention has a vacuum coater for semiconductor materials. Substrates are replaced outside, and vacuum is pumped when entering the conveying assembly. Substrate replacement and coating are carried out simultaneously and continuously, improving the coating efficiency. Secondly, since there is no need for a vacuum manipulator and substrates are not stored in advance, the volume and cost of the equipment are both reduced. Moreover, the vacuum environment is never damaged during coating. During the coating process, the vacuum degree and the content of inert gas always remain consistent, ensuring the consistency of film quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of vacuum coating equipment, and particularly to a vacuum coater for semiconductor materials. Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor industry, vacuum coating technology is widely used in the preparation and treatment of various materials to improve their performance or meet specific requirements. Magnetron sputtering coating is a technology that uses low-pressure inert gas glow discharge in a vacuum to generate energetic particles that bombard the target surface, causing the bombarded particles to deposit on the substrate to form a film.

[0003] Magnetron vacuum coating needs to work in a vacuum environment. When replacing the substrate after coating, the vacuum will be broken, resulting in discontinuous operation. To ensure the continuity of the coating operation, a transfer chamber is usually set up. The substrate is placed in the transfer chamber, which also maintains a vacuum. When replacing the substrate, an automated device is used to remove the coated substrate and send the substrate in the transfer chamber into the sputtering chamber, resulting in high equipment costs and large volume. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application proposes a vacuum coater for semiconductor materials, which replaces the substrate externally and evacuates the air when entering the transfer component, and replaces the substrate and coats the film simultaneously and continuously.

[0005] To achieve the above object, this application adopts the following technical solutions: A vacuum coater for semiconductor materials, including a transfer component and a sputtering chamber. The sputtering chamber includes a cavity, and a plurality of sputtering target assemblies with target-substrate distance adjustment devices are arranged in the cavity;

[0006] The transfer component includes a rotating body and a cylindrical connection chamber. The connection chamber includes at least two sets of connection ports, one of which is connected to the sputtering chamber, and one is connected to the outside;

[0007] At least two sets of storage chambers are provided on the side wall of the rotating body. The rotating body is connected with a driving structure and can rotate by itself. A transfer plate is hinged in the storage chamber. An expansion rod is provided between the transfer plate and the storage chamber. A fixture or suction cup for fixing the substrate is provided on the transfer plate;

[0008] A sealing filler is provided between the rotating body and the connection chamber. The sealing filler rotates with the rotating body and can seal the periphery of the storage chamber;

[0009] An air extraction port is provided at the end of the connection chamber. The air extraction port is provided between two connection ports and is located downstream of the connection port communicating with the outside. An exhaust port is provided at the end of the storage chamber corresponding to the air extraction port. The exhaust port is connected with an adjustment valve. The adjustment valve is arranged between the connection chamber and the rotating body. The air extraction port is connected with a vacuum device, and exhausts when the adjustment valve is aligned with the air extraction port.

[0010] Preferably, the transfer plate includes a connecting plate, the connecting plate is movably connected with a loading table through a guiding slide rod, the guiding slide rod is movably sleeved with the connecting plate, when the telescopic rod extends, it drives the connecting plate to rotate, and the guiding slide rod extends out, so that the loading table can reach the set optimal coating position.

[0011] Preferably, a tension spring is arranged between the guiding slide rod and the connecting plate.

[0012] Preferably, a support table is arranged at the bottom of the sputtering chamber, a guiding groove is arranged on the support table, a positioning block matched with the guiding groove is arranged on the outer side wall of the loading table, and when the positioning block falls into the guiding groove, the positioning block is exactly horizontal.

[0013] Preferably, a section of the bottom of the guiding groove gradually decreases along the direction away from the transfer component. When the positioning block falls into the lowest point of the guiding groove, the positioning block is exactly horizontal. The bottom of the positioning block is wedge-shaped, and the side wall of the positioning block can be attached to the side wall of the guiding groove.

[0014] Preferably, the bottom hinge point of the telescopic rod is higher than the bottom hinge point of the transfer plate, so that the transfer plate presses the transfer plate obliquely downward. A limiting block is arranged in the guiding groove, and the limiting block is fixedly connected with the support table through a bolt.

[0015] Preferably, it further includes a cleaning chamber. There are three groups of connection ports, and there are three or four groups of storage chambers. The sputtering chamber and the cleaning chamber are opposite to each other, and the cleaning chamber is communicated with a vacuum device.

[0016] Preferably, there are two groups of air extraction ports, and the two groups of air extraction ports are communicated with the storage chamber respectively when the storage chamber rotates from the connection port communicating with the outside to the connection port communicating with the cleaning chamber and when it rotates from the connection port communicating with the cleaning chamber to the connection port communicating with the sputtering chamber.

[0017] Advantages of the present invention:

[0018] A vacuum coating machine for semiconductor materials provided by the present application evacuates the air when entering the transfer component after replacing the substrate externally, and the substrate replacement and coating are carried out simultaneously and continuously, improving the coating efficiency.

[0019] Since there is no need for a vacuum manipulator and pre-storing the substrate, both the volume and cost of the equipment are reduced.

[0020] The vacuum environment will never be damaged during coating. During the coating process, the vacuum degree and the content of inert gas always remain consistent, ensuring the consistency of film quality.

[0021] The structure for transferring the substrate is simple, and positioning is achieved through a limiting method, with high consistency when conveying the substrate. Description of the Drawings

[0022] The accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification depict the embodiments disclosed in the present application and, together with the specification, are used to explain the principles of the embodiments disclosed in the present application.

[0023] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the embodiments disclosed in the present application can be more clearly understood according to the following detailed description, where:

[0024] Figure 1 It is a top view of the transfer component in the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 It is a partial cross-sectional view of the sputtering chamber in the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 It is a front view of the transfer component in the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the sealing packing and the rotating body in the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6 It is a forward cross-section of the transfer component in the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 It is a schematic diagram of the guiding groove in the present invention.

[0031] In the figures: 1. Transfer component; 11. Rotating body; 12. Sealing packing; 13. Connection cavity; 131. Connection port; 111. Receiving cavity; 112. Transfer plate; 1121. Connection plate; 1122. Loading platform; 1123. Guiding slide bar; 1124. Positioning block; 113. Expansion rod; 114. Communication port; 115. Exhaust port; 116. Adjusting valve; 117. Air extraction port; 2. Sputtering chamber; 21. Chamber body; 22. Sputtering target assembly; 23. Support platform; 24. Guiding groove; 25. Limiting block; 3. Cleaning chamber. Detailed implementation manners

[0032] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments in the present application without making creative efforts belong to the scope of protection of the present application. Embodiment 1

[0033] Please refer to Figures 1-3, A vacuum coating machine for semiconductor materials, comprising a conveying assembly 1, a sputtering chamber 2 and a cleaning chamber 3. The sputtering chamber 2 includes a cavity 21. Inside the cavity 21, multiple groups of sputtering target assemblies 22 are provided. Different sputtering target assemblies 22 are filled with different target materials. On the sputtering target assembly 22, there is a target-substrate distance adjusting device and a sputtering angle adjusting device. The target-substrate distance adjusting device adjusts the position of the target gun, and thus adjusts the position of the sputtering target relative to the substrate. The sputtering angle adjusting device adjusts the relative angle of the target gun. A common target-substrate distance adjusting device includes an adjusting rod. The adjusting rod is fixed to the mounting flange in a shaft-holding manner. By changing the shaft-holding position of the adjusting rod and the mounting flange, the distance between the target gun and the mounting flange is changed, thereby changing the target-substrate distance. In this embodiment, the structure of the target-substrate distance adjusting device is not limited, as long as the adjustment of the target-substrate distance can be achieved. On the cavity 21, there are also interfaces connected to a vacuum device and an inert gas supply device respectively.

[0034] Please refer to Figures 2-4 , The conveying assembly 1 includes a rotating body 11 and a connecting cavity 13. The connecting cavity 13 includes at least two groups of connecting ports 131. One group of connecting ports 131 is connected to the sputtering chamber 2, and one group of connecting ports 131 is connected to the outside. In this embodiment, there are three groups of connecting ports 131. One group of connecting ports 131 is connected to the sputtering chamber 2, one group of connecting ports 131 is connected to the outside, and another group of connecting ports 131 is connected to the cleaning chamber 3. Inside the cleaning chamber 3, there is a plasma cleaning system for cleaning the substrate with plasma.

[0035] On the side wall of the rotating body 11, there are at least two groups of receiving cavities 111. The rotating body 11 is connected with a driving structure and can rotate by itself. Each time the rotating body 11 rotates, the receiving cavity 111 is always aligned with the telescopic rod 113. Inside the receiving cavity 111, there is a transfer plate 112 hinged. Between the transfer plate 112 and the receiving cavity 111, there is a telescopic rod 113. On the transfer plate 112, there is a fixture or a suction cup for fixing the substrate. Since there is a sputtering target assembly 22 above the set coating position, there is interference. If the sputtering target assembly 22 is not moved away, just relying on the rotation of the transfer plate 112 cannot make the substrate reach the optimal position. Therefore, the transfer plate 112 includes a connecting plate 1121. The connecting plate 1121 is movably connected with a loading platform 1122 through a guiding slide rod 1123. The loading platform 1122 is used to fix the substrate. The guiding slide rod 1123 is movably sleeved on the connecting plate 1121. The bottom of the connecting plate 1121 is hinged to the side wall of the receiving cavity 111. The telescopic rod 113 is hinged to the loading platform 1122. When the telescopic rod 113 extends, it drives the connecting plate 1121 to rotate and the guiding slide rod 1123 to extend, so that the loading platform 1122 can reach the set optimal coating position. In other embodiments, it is also possible to ensure that the loading platform 1122 can reach the set optimal coating position by setting some structures that can temporarily move away the sputtering target assembly 22.

[0036] A tension spring is provided between the guiding slide bar 1123 and the connecting plate 1121. When the guiding slide bar 1123 extends, it needs to overcome the elastic force of the tension spring. When the guiding slide bar 1123 retracts, it will retract first. When the loading table 1122 unfolds, the conveying plate 112 rotates and unfolds. When it reaches the limit structure and cannot rotate anymore, the guiding slide bar 1123 starts to extend. When the loading table 1122 reaches the target position, during resetting, under the action of the tension spring, the guiding slide bar 1123 retracts first, and finally the conveying plate 112 rotates and retracts again.

[0037] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 5 , a support platform 23 is provided at the bottom of the sputtering chamber 2. A guiding groove 24 is provided on the support platform 23. A positioning block 1124 matching the guiding groove 24 is provided on the outer side wall of the loading table 1122. When the positioning block 1124 falls into the guiding groove 24, the positioning block 1124 is exactly horizontal. The support platform 23 provides support and positioning for the positioning block 1124 to ensure that the positioning block 1124 is horizontal.

[0038] Please refer to Figure 6 , a section of the bottom of the guiding groove 24 gradually descends along the direction away from the conveying assembly 1. The bottom of the positioning block 1124 is wedge-shaped. The wedge shape ensures that the positioning block 1124 can fall into the guiding groove 24. As the bottom of the guiding groove 24 descends, the side wall of the positioning block 1124 fits with the side wall of the guiding groove 24 to position the longitudinal position of the positioning block 1124. The bottom hinge point of the telescopic rod 113 is higher than the bottom hinge point of the conveying plate 112. The conveying plate 112 presses the conveying plate 112 obliquely downward to ensure that the positioning block 1124 can fall into the guiding groove 24. A limiting block 25 is provided in the guiding groove 24. The limiting block 25 is fixedly connected to the support platform 23 by bolts. By installing limiting blocks 25 with different lengths, the limiting of the positioning block 1124 is adjusted. The positioning block 1124 stops moving after its end contacts the limiting block 25.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 3 and Figure 5 , a sealing packing 12 is provided between the rotating body 11 and the connecting cavity 13. The sealing packing 12 rotates with the rotating body 11. The sealing packing 12 can seal the periphery of the storage cavity 111. The air in the storage cavity 111 is always sealed within the storage cavity 111.

[0040] Please refer to Figure 1 , the sputtering chamber 2 and the cleaning chamber 3 are opposite to each other. The cleaning chamber 3 is connected to a vacuum device. Both sides of the rotating body 11 are in negative pressure, which cancels each other out and reduces the pressure on the rotating body 11.

[0041] Please refer to Figure 7, an air extraction port 117 is provided at the end of the connection cavity 13, an exhaust port 115 is provided at the end of the storage cavity 111 corresponding to the air extraction port 117, an adjustment valve 116 is connected to the exhaust port 115, the adjustment valve 116 is provided between the connection cavity 13 and the rotating body 11, the air extraction port 117 is communicated with a vacuum device, and when the adjustment valve 116 is aligned with the air extraction port 117, air is exhausted, and the air extraction port 117 quickly discharges the sealed gas in the storage cavity 111 to avoid affecting the vacuum state of the sputtering cavity 2 and the cleaning cavity 3.

[0042] At least two groups of air extraction ports 117 are provided, the air extraction ports 117 are provided between two connection ports 131. In this embodiment, two groups of air extraction ports 117 are provided, and the two groups of air extraction ports 117 are respectively communicated with the storage cavity 111 when the storage cavity 111 rotates from the connection port 131 communicating with the outside to the connection port 131 communicating with the cleaning cavity 3, and when it rotates from the connection port 131 communicating with the cleaning cavity 3 to the connection port 131 communicating with the sputtering cavity 2.

[0043] During film coating, the transfer plate 112 is in the deployed and extended state, substrates are replaced in the transfer plate 112 located outside, the substrates in the sputtering cavity 2 are being coated, and the substrates in the cleaning cavity 3 are being cleaned. When the replacement, cleaning, and coating are all completed, the transfer plate 112 contracts and retracts, the rotating body 11 rotates, the transfer plate 112 is redeployed and extended again, and the replacement, cleaning, and coating of the next group of substrates are carried out. During the rotation process, the vacuum device extracts the air in the storage cavity 111 through the air extraction port 117, so that the storage cavity 111 is in a vacuum state before rotating into place. When necessary, the rotating body 11 can pause rotating and wait for the storage cavity 111 to be evacuated.

Claims

1. A vacuum coating machine for semiconductor materials, comprising a conveying assembly (1) and a sputtering chamber (2), wherein the sputtering chamber (2) comprises a chamber body (21), wherein a plurality of sputtering target assemblies (22) with target-substrate distance adjustment devices are arranged in the chamber body (21), wherein the plurality of sputtering target assemblies (22) are provided with target-substrate distance adjustment devices, and wherein: The transmission assembly (1) comprises a rotating body (11) and a cylindrical connecting chamber (13), wherein the connecting chamber (13) comprises at least two groups of connecting ports (131), wherein one group of connecting ports (131) is connected to the sputtering chamber (2), and another group of connecting ports (131) is connected to the outside; The side wall of the rotating body (11) is provided with at least two groups of storage chambers (111); the rotating body (11) is connected to a driving structure and can rotate on its own; a transmission plate (112) is hingedly connected in the storage chamber (111); a telescopic rod (113) is provided between the transmission plate (112) and the storage chamber (111); and a clamp or a suction cup for fixing the substrate is provided on the transmission plate (112); A sealing filler (12) is provided between the rotating body (11) and the connecting cavity (13); the sealing filler (12) rotates along with the rotating body (11), and the sealing filler (12) is capable of sealing the periphery of the receiving cavity (111); An exhaust port (117) is provided at the end of the connecting chamber (13), the exhaust port (117) is provided between the two connecting ports (131) and is located downstream of the connecting port (131) communicating with the outside, an exhaust port (115) is provided at the end of the receiving chamber (111) corresponding to the exhaust port (117), the exhaust port (115) is connected to an adjustment valve (116), the adjustment valve (116) is provided between the connecting chamber (13) and the rotating body (11), the exhaust port (117) is communicated with a vacuum device, and exhaust is performed when the adjustment valve (116) is aligned with the exhaust port (117); It also comprises a cleaning chamber (3), the connection ports (131) are provided with three groups, the storage chamber (111) is provided with three groups or four groups, the sputtering chamber (2) and the cleaning chamber (3) are opposite to each other, the cleaning chamber (3) is connected to a vacuum device, the exhaust ports (117) are provided with two groups, and the two groups of exhaust ports (117) are respectively connected to the storage chamber (111) when the storage chamber (111) rotates from the connection port (131) connected to the outside to the connection port (131) connected to the cleaning chamber (3) and when the storage chamber (111) rotates from the connection port (131) connected to the cleaning chamber (3) to the connection port (131) connected to the sputtering chamber (2).

2. The semiconductor material vacuum coating machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The conveying plate (112) comprises a connecting plate (1121), and the connecting plate (1121) is movably connected to the loading platform (1122) via a guide slide bar (1123). The guide slide bar (1123) is movably sleeved with the connecting plate (1121). When the telescopic rod (113) is extended, the connecting plate (1121) is driven to rotate, and the guide slide bar (1123) is extended, so that the loading platform (1122) can reach a set optimal coating position.

3. The semiconductor material vacuum coating machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: A tension spring is provided between the guide sliding rod (1123) and the connecting plate (1121).

4. The semiconductor material vacuum coating machine according to claim 2, characterized in that: A support platform (23) is provided at the bottom of the sputtering chamber (2), a guide groove (24) is provided on the support platform (23), and a positioning block (1124) matching the guide groove (24) is provided on the outer side wall of the material loading platform (1122); when the positioning block (1124) falls into the guide groove (24), the positioning block (1124) is exactly horizontal.

5. The semiconductor material vacuum coating machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The guide groove (24) has a bottom section that gradually descends in a direction away from the conveying assembly (1). When the positioning block (1124) falls into the lowest point of the guide groove (24), the positioning block (1124) is exactly horizontal. The bottom of the positioning block (1124) is wedge-shaped, and the side wall of the positioning block (1124) can fit with the side wall of the guide groove (24).

6. The semiconductor material vacuum coating machine according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bottom hinge point of the telescopic rod (113) is higher than the bottom hinge point of the conveying plate (112), so that the conveying plate (112) presses the conveying plate (112) obliquely downward, and a limit block (25) is provided in the guide groove (24), and the limit block (25) is fixedly connected to the support platform (23) by bolts.

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