Preheat ring mounting assembly for semiconductor process chamber and semiconductor process chamber

Abstract

The application provides a preheating ring mounting assembly applied to a semiconductor process chamber and the semiconductor process chamber, and relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment, and is designed to solve the problem that the gap between the preheating ring and the base changes due to the movement of the preheating ring in the semiconductor process chamber provided by the related art. The mounting assembly comprises an inner liner, a circumferential positioning structure and a radial positioning structure. The inner liner has an annular bearing surface for supporting the preheating ring and an annular limiting portion protruding upward from the annular bearing surface and located at the periphery of the preheating ring. The circumferential positioning structure is located on the annular bearing surface and is used for cooperating with the notch of the preheating ring to limit the circumferential position of the preheating ring. The radial positioning structure is arranged on the annular limiting portion and is used for limiting the radial movement of the preheating ring. The application can well limit the preheating ring and prevent the gap between the preheating ring and the base from changing due to the movement of the preheating ring.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and more specifically, to a preheating ring mounting assembly for use in a semiconductor process chamber and a semiconductor process chamber. Background Technology

[0002] In silicon epitaxy, film thickness uniformity is one of the most important indicators for evaluating process results. By installing a preheating ring in the process chamber, airflow interaction between the areas above and below the substrate can be prevented, thereby suppressing silicon growth in the lower area, improving airflow field stability, and ultimately enhancing film thickness uniformity. The gap between the preheating ring and the substrate is a crucial factor affecting airflow field stability.

[0003] However, when the semiconductor process chamber provided by the relevant technology is running continuously, the preheating ring will move under the combined effect of pressure changes and machine vibration, which will cause the gap between the preheating ring and the base to change, resulting in changes in the airflow field and thus worsening of film thickness uniformity. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The first objective of this invention is to provide a mounting assembly for use in semiconductor process chambers, thereby solving the technical problem of changes in the gap between the preheating ring and the base due to movement of the preheating ring in semiconductor process chambers provided by related technologies.

[0005] The present invention provides a preheating ring mounting assembly for use in semiconductor process chambers, wherein the preheating ring has a notched annular structure; the mounting assembly includes: an inner liner, a circumferential positioning structure, and a radial positioning structure;

[0006] The liner has an annular bearing surface for supporting the preheating ring and an annular limiting portion that protrudes upward from the annular bearing surface and is located around the periphery of the preheating ring;

[0007] The circumferential positioning structure is located on the annular bearing surface; the circumferential positioning structure is used to cooperate with the notch to limit the circumferential position of the preheating ring;

[0008] The radial positioning structure is disposed on the annular limiting part, and the radial positioning structure is used to limit the preheating ring to move radially.

[0009] Furthermore, the radial positioning structure includes at least three sets of adjustment components, and the at least three sets of adjustment components are arranged at circumferential intervals along the annular limiting portion;

[0010] The adjustment component includes a positioning element. The position of the positioning element is adjustable along the radial direction of the annular limiting portion. The positioning element is used to abut against the outer annular surface of the preheating ring.

[0011] Furthermore, the annular limiting part is provided with an adjustment groove, and the side of the adjustment groove facing the preheating ring has an opening;

[0012] The positioning element is installed in the adjustment groove, and the positioning element abuts against the outer ring surface of the preheating ring through the opening.

[0013] Furthermore, the extension direction of the adjustment groove is along the radial direction of the annular limiting portion.

[0014] Furthermore, the bottom surface of the adjustment groove is provided with a plurality of spaced positioning holes, and the positioning element is provided with a plurality of spaced mating holes.

[0015] The adjustment assembly further includes a positioning pin, which is used to selectively insert into the corresponding mating hole and the positioning hole to fix the positioning member after the position is adjusted.

[0016] Furthermore, the bottom surface of the groove is coplanar with the annular bearing surface.

[0017] Furthermore, the mounting assembly also includes a positioning boss, which protrudes upward from the annular bearing surface and is located within the inner periphery of the preheating ring, with the annular bearing surface formed between the annular limiting portion and the positioning boss.

[0018] Furthermore, the positioning boss is a ring structure, and the central axis of the positioning boss is collinear with the central axis of the ring bearing surface.

[0019] Furthermore, the positioning boss and the inner liner are an integral structure.

[0020] Furthermore, the circumferential positioning structure includes a protrusion located on the annular bearing surface, the protrusion being used to insert into the notch.

[0021] The beneficial effects of the installation component of this invention are:

[0022] By incorporating radial and circumferential positioning structures into the liner supporting the preheating ring, the circumferential positioning structure is located on the annular bearing surface of the liner, while the radial positioning structure is located on an annular limiting portion protruding upward from the annular bearing surface and situated around the periphery of the preheating ring. Before operation in the semiconductor process chamber, the preheating ring is placed on the annular bearing surface of the liner. The radial positioning structure limits the radial movement of the preheating ring, achieving the purpose of adjusting the radial position of the preheating ring. This ensures that a set radial clearance is maintained between the preheating ring and the base, preventing changes in the distance between the preheating ring and the base due to radial displacement caused by variations in machine pressure and vibration.

[0023] Meanwhile, the circumferential positioning structure, in conjunction with the notch in the preheating ring, restricts the circumferential position of the preheating ring, preventing circumferential displacement due to machine pressure fluctuations and vibrations. The circumferential positioning structure also prevents the preheating ring's C-shaped structure from causing uncertain circumferential offset, which could lead to failure in its connection with the radial positioning structure.

[0024] The second objective of this invention is to provide a semiconductor process chamber that solves the technical problem of changes in the gap between the preheating ring and the base due to movement of the preheating ring in semiconductor process chambers provided by related technologies.

[0025] The semiconductor process chamber provided by the present invention includes a chamber, a base, a preheating ring, and the aforementioned mounting assembly. The base, the preheating ring, and the mounting assembly are all disposed in the chamber. The base is rotatably disposed in the central region of the liner and is used to support the wafer. The preheating ring is disposed on the annular bearing surface of the liner.

[0026] The beneficial effects of the semiconductor process chamber of this invention are:

[0027] By assembling the aforementioned mounting components in a semiconductor process chamber, the semiconductor process chamber gains all the advantages of the aforementioned mounting components, which will not be elaborated upon here. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or related technologies, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the silicon epitaxial growth process;

[0030] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a semiconductor process chamber provided for related technologies;

[0031] Figure 3 A top view of the structure of the liner of a semiconductor process chamber provided for related technologies;

[0032] Figure 4 for Figure 3 AA section view in the middle;

[0033] Figure 5 A top view of the main structure of a semiconductor process chamber provided for related technologies;

[0034] Figure 6 for Figure 5 BB section view in the middle;

[0035] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Cross-sectional view of the structure after radial displacement of the central preheating ring;

[0036] Figure 8 A top view of the structure of the liner of the mounting assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 9 for Figure 8 CC section view in the middle;

[0038] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the installation component provided in the embodiment of the present invention during use;

[0039] Figure 11 for Figure 10 Enlarged view of the local structure at point D;

[0040] Figure 12 This is a top view of the installation component provided in the embodiment of the present invention during use;

[0041] Figure 13 for Figure 12 EE section view;

[0042] Figure 14 for Figure 13 Enlarged view of the local structure at point F;

[0043] Figure 15 This is a top view of the preheating ring structure;

[0044] Figure 16 for Figure 15 Enlarged view of the local structure at point G;

[0045] Figure 17 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the positioning element of the installation assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 18 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the liner of the mounting assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 19 for Figure 18 Enlarged view of the local structure at point H;

[0048] Figure 20 A three-dimensional structural diagram of the positioning pin of the mounting assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 21 for Figure 18 Enlarged view of the local structure at point I;

[0050] Figure 22 A three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the liner of the mounting component provided in an embodiment of the present invention from another perspective;

[0051] Figure 23 for Figure 22 Enlarged view of the local structure at point J.

[0052] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0053] 1'-Cavity shell; 2'-Upper top cover; 3'-Preheating ring; 4'-Inner liner; 41'-Support platform; 5'-Lower top cover; 6'-Base; 7'-Wafer; 8'-Air inlet; 9'-Exhaust outlet; 10'-Purge gas; 11'-Process gas and carrier gas;

[0054] 100-Inner lining; 110-Central area; 120-Annular bearing surface; 130-Inner sidewall; 140-Annular limiting part; 200-Preheating ring; 210-First end; 220-Tail end; 230-Notch; 310-Accommodation space; 320-Adjustment component; 321-Positioning part; 3211-Matching hole; 322-Positioning pin; 330-Adjustment groove; 331-Opening; 332-Groove bottom surface; 3321-Positioning hole; 340-Positioning boss; 410-Protrusion; 500-Base. Detailed Implementation

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the silicon epitaxial growth process. (Example:) Figure 1 As shown, silicon epitaxial growth is a process in which process gases and carrier gas 11' are delivered to a process chamber, and the process chamber is heated to react, causing growth atoms to be deposited on a substrate to grow a single crystal layer. Among these processes, film thickness uniformity is one of the most important indicators for evaluating the results.

[0056] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a semiconductor process chamber provided for related technologies. (e.g.) Figure 2 As shown, the semiconductor process chamber provided by the related technology includes a chamber shell 1', an upper cover 2', a preheating ring 3', an inner liner 4', a lower cover 5', and a base 6', with the base 6' supporting the wafer 7'. During the process, process gas and carrier gas 11' enter the chamber through the inlet 8' and exit through the outlet 9'. Since the gas intake is horizontal, to ensure uniform airflow reaching the upper surface of the wafer 7', the base 6' rotates at a constant speed during the process. Therefore, a certain gap needs to be maintained between the base 6' and the preheating ring 3' to prevent friction or collision between the base 6' and the preheating ring 3' during rotation.

[0057] During the process, as the process gas and carrier gas 11' flow through the preheating ring 3' and the upper surface of the base 6', a small amount of gas flows from the gap between the preheating ring 3' and the base 6' to the lower surface of the base 6'. This results in the formation of unwanted crystals on the lower surface of the base 6' throughout the process. Therefore, a small amount of purge gas 10' is present below the base 6'. The upward blowing of the purge gas 10' prevents the growth of material on the lower surface of the base 6'. The purge gas 10' on the lower surface of the base 6', along with the process gas and carrier gas 11', forms a dynamic equilibrium in the gap between the preheating ring 3' and the base 6', thus ensuring the stability of the airflow field and resulting in a relatively stable film thickness uniformity.

[0058] Figure 3 A top view of the lining 4' of a semiconductor process chamber provided for related technologies. Figure 4 for Figure 3 AA section view in the image. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the inner liner 4' is provided with a support platform 41' extending toward its central area, which is used to support the preheating ring 3'. This arrangement requires high surface levelness and roughness of the support platform 41' to ensure that the preheating ring 3' is relatively horizontal after being placed on the support platform 41'.

[0059] Figure 5 A top view of the main structure of a semiconductor process chamber provided for related technologies. Figure 6 for Figure 5 The BB section view in the image. (For example...) Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, before the process, the preheating ring 3' is placed on the support platform 41', and the base 6' is set in the central area of ​​the inner liner 4'. By adjusting the relative position of the preheating ring 3' and the base 6' in the radial direction, the dimensions of the gap a and the gap b are basically the same.

[0060] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Cross-sectional view of the structure after radial displacement of the preheating ring 3'. Please refer to... Figure 6 and combined Figure 7 However, since the preheating ring 3' is directly placed on the support platform 41' of the inner liner 4', during continuous operation of the chamber, under the combined effects of pressure fluctuations and machine vibration, the preheating ring 3' will move relative to the base 6', causing the gap between the preheating ring 3' and the base 6' to change, resulting in different sizes for gap a and gap b. At this time, the airflow field inside the chamber changes, and the process gas and carrier gas 11' will flow to the lower surface of the base 6' through the larger gap, causing lateral deviations in film thickness, reduced uniformity, and affecting the core competitiveness of the machine.

[0061] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0062] Figure 8 This is a top view of the structure of the inner liner 100 of the mounting assembly provided in this embodiment. Figure 9 for Figure 8 The CC section view in the image. (For example...) Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the mounting assembly provided in this embodiment is applied to the preheating ring 200 of a semiconductor process chamber.

[0063] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the installation component provided in this embodiment during use. Figure 11 for Figure 10 Enlarged view of the local structure at point D. Figure 12 This is a top view of the installation component provided in this embodiment during use. Figure 13 for Figure 12 EE section view, Figure 14 for Figure 13 A magnified view of the local structure at point F. (See image below.) Figures 10 to 14 As shown, the mounting components include a liner 100, a circumferential positioning structure, and a radial positioning structure.

[0064] Figure 15 This is a top view of the preheating ring 200. Figure 16 for Figure 15 A magnified view of the local structure at point G. (See image below.) Figure 15 and Figure 16 As shown, the preheating ring 200 has an annular structure with a notch 230. That is, the preheating ring 200 is roughly C-shaped, and a notch 230 is formed between the first end 210 and the last end 220 of the preheating ring 200.

[0065] Please continue to refer to Figure 8 , Figure 10 , Figure 12 and Figure 14 In this embodiment, the inner liner 100 has an annular bearing surface 120 for supporting the preheating ring 200 and an annular limiting portion 140 that protrudes upward from the annular bearing surface 120 and is located around the preheating ring 200.

[0066] Please continue to refer to Figure 12 The circumferential positioning structure is located on the annular bearing surface 120 and is used to cooperate with the notch 230 to limit the circumferential position of the preheating ring 200; the radial positioning structure is provided on the annular limiting part 140 and is used to limit the radial movement of the preheating ring 200.

[0067] By providing a radial positioning structure and a circumferential positioning structure in the inner liner 100 for supporting the preheating ring 200, wherein the circumferential positioning structure is provided on the annular bearing surface 120 of the inner liner 100, and the radial positioning structure is provided on the annular limiting portion 140 protruding upward from the annular bearing surface 120 and located on the periphery of the preheating ring 200, the preheating ring 200 is placed on the annular bearing surface 120 of the inner liner 100 before the semiconductor process chamber is in operation. The radial positioning structure limits the radial movement of the preheating ring 200, thereby achieving the purpose of adjusting the radial position of the preheating ring 200. This ensures that the preheating ring 200 and the base 500 always maintain a set radial gap, preventing the preheating ring 200 from undergoing radial displacement changes due to machine pressure fluctuations and machine vibrations, which would cause changes in the distance between the preheating ring 200 and the base 500.

[0068] Meanwhile, the circumferential positioning structure, in conjunction with the notch 230 of the preheating ring 200, restricts the circumferential position of the preheating ring 200, preventing circumferential displacement due to machine pressure variations and machine vibrations. The circumferential positioning structure prevents the preheating ring 200 from failing to cooperate with the radial positioning structure due to the uncertain circumferential offset direction caused by the C-shaped structure of the preheating ring 200.

[0069] In specific implementation, a groove can be provided on the side of the preheating ring 200 facing the annular bearing surface 120. The circumferential positioning structure cooperates with the groove to restrict the circumferential position of the preheating ring 200. Alternatively, a groove can be provided on the side of the annular bearing surface 120 facing the preheating ring 200, and the circumferential positioning structure can be placed on the preheating ring 200. Thus, the circumferential positioning structure cooperates with the groove to restrict the circumferential position of the preheating ring 200.

[0070] In this embodiment, the preheating ring 200 is a graphite preheating ring.

[0071] Please continue to refer to Figure 10 and Figure 12 In this embodiment, the radial positioning structure includes three sets of adjustment components 320, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the annular limiting portion 140. Figure 17 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the positioning element 321 of the mounting assembly provided in this embodiment. Please continue to refer to... Figure 11 and combined Figure 17 The adjustment component 320 includes a positioning member 321. The position of the positioning member 321 is adjustable along the radial direction of the annular limiting portion 140. The positioning member 321 is used to abut against the outer annular surface of the preheating ring 200.

[0072] When the radial position of the preheating ring 200 needs to be adjusted, the radial position of the positioning member 321 of the three sets of adjustment components 320 can be adjusted. The radial position change of the positioning member 321 along the annular limiting part 140 and the abutting action between the positioning member 321 and the outer annular surface of the preheating ring 200 are used to adjust the radial position of the preheating ring 200. By setting three sets of adjustment components 320, the three sets of adjustment components 320 act on the preheating ring 200 simultaneously at three circumferential positions, effectively avoiding the eccentricity problem of the preheating ring 200 caused by unilateral action.

[0073] In addition, this method of adjusting the radial position of the preheating ring 200 by changing the position of the positioning element 321 can also meet the radial positioning requirements of the preheating ring 200 when the preheating ring 200 is greatly offset due to large pressure fluctuations, thus well meeting the requirements for working in the pressure reducing chamber.

[0074] In this embodiment, the central angle corresponding to the distribution area of ​​the three sets of adjustment components 320 is not less than 180°.

[0075] It should be noted that in this embodiment, the principle of the radial positioning structure is illustrated by taking three sets of adjustment components 320 as an example. In other embodiments, the adjustment components 320 can also be in other quantities, such as four sets. As long as the radial position of the preheating ring 200 can be adjusted by adjusting the quantity and distribution of the adjustment components 320, it is sufficient.

[0076] Figure 18 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the inner liner 100 of the mounting assembly provided in this embodiment. Figure 19 for Figure 18 A magnified view of the local structure at point H. (See image below.) Figure 18 and Figure 19 As shown, in this embodiment, the annular limiting part 140 is provided with an adjustment groove 330. Specifically, the adjustment groove 330 has an opening 331 on the side facing the preheating ring 200. The positioning member 321 is installed in the adjustment groove 330, and the positioning member 321 abuts against the outer ring surface of the preheating ring 200 through the opening 331.

[0077] By opening an adjustment groove 330 in the annular limiting part 140, on the one hand, the positioning member 321 can be accommodated, reducing the space occupied by the positioning member 321. On the other hand, the two side walls of the adjustment groove 330 can also play a certain limiting role for the positioning member 321, preventing the positioning member 321 from detaching from the annular limiting part 140 from the side.

[0078] Please continue to refer to Figure 11 and Figure 17In this embodiment, the positioning member 321 has a block-shaped structure. The height of the positioning member 321 is the same as the depth of the adjustment groove 330, and the width is slightly smaller than the groove width of the adjustment groove 330.

[0079] The structural form of the positioning element 321 is easy to manufacture and has good structural strength. In addition, by setting the width of the positioning element 321 to be slightly smaller than the width of the adjustment groove 330, on the one hand, it can guide the movement of the positioning element 321 to a certain extent, and on the other hand, it can prevent interference between the components caused by the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the positioning element 321 and the inner liner 100 under high temperature environment, thus providing a certain degree of protection for the positioning element 321 and the inner liner 100.

[0080] In this embodiment, the width of the positioning member 321 is 0.1 to 0.2 mm smaller than the width of the adjustment groove 330.

[0081] Please continue to refer to Figure 17 In this embodiment, the two ends of the positioning member 321 are provided with arc-shaped chamfers, so that the two end faces of the positioning member 321 are arc-shaped surfaces. This configuration serves two purposes: firstly, it guides the positioning member 321 as it is radially inserted into the adjustment groove 330 along the annular limiting part 140, facilitating the installation of the positioning member 321 in the adjustment groove 330; secondly, it ensures that the positioning member 321 and the outer annular surface of the preheating ring 200 are in line-to-line contact, thereby reducing damage to the preheating ring 200 during radial position adjustment.

[0082] In this embodiment, the extension direction of the adjustment groove 330 is along the radial direction of the annular limiting portion 140.

[0083] This configuration ensures that when adjusting the radial position of the positioning member 321, the movement direction of the positioning member 321 is along the radial direction of the annular limiting portion 140, and the positioning member 321 abuts against the outer annular surface of the preheating ring 200 along the radial direction of the preheating ring 200. This configuration, on the one hand, ensures that the force direction on the preheating ring 200 is along its radial direction, preventing the preheating ring 200 from deflecting due to tangential force and improving the reliability of positioning the preheating ring 200; on the other hand, it ensures that the radial movement stroke of the positioning member 321 is equal to the radial movement stroke of the preheating ring 200, improving the efficiency of adjusting the radial position of the preheating ring 200.

[0084] Please continue to refer to Figure 18 and Figure 19 In this embodiment, the bottom surface 332 of the adjustment groove 330 is provided with a plurality of spaced positioning holes 3321, and the positioning member 321 is provided with a plurality of spaced mating holes 3211.

[0085] Figure 20 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the positioning pin 322 of the mounting assembly provided in this embodiment. Please continue to refer to... Figure 11 and Figure 14 and combined Figure 20 In this embodiment, the adjustment component 320 further includes a positioning pin 322, which is used to selectively insert into the corresponding mating hole 3211 and positioning hole 3321 to fix the positioning member 321 after the position is adjusted.

[0086] By moving the positioning member 321 in the adjustment groove 330, the radial position adjustment of the preheating ring 200 is achieved by utilizing the radial position change of the positioning member 321 along the annular limiting part 140 and the abutting action between the positioning member 321 and the outer annular surface of the preheating ring 200. When the position of the preheating ring 200 meets the process requirements, the positioning pin 322 can be inserted into the mating hole 3211 of the positioning member 321 and into the positioning hole 3321 corresponding to the mating hole 3211. By simultaneously inserting the positioning pin 322 into the mating hole 3211 and the corresponding positioning hole 3321, the positioning member 321 is fixed in the adjustment groove 330.

[0087] When it is necessary to change the radial position of the preheating ring 200, the positioning pin 322 can be pulled out from the mating hole 3211 and the corresponding positioning hole 3321. Then, the radial position of the positioning element 321 can be adjusted. The change in the radial position of the positioning element 321 can achieve the purpose of adjusting the radial position of the preheating ring 200. After that, the positioning pin 322 can be inserted into the mating hole 3211 and the corresponding positioning hole 3321 to fix the positioning element 321 again, so as to readjust the radial position of the preheating ring 200.

[0088] The configuration of the adjustment component 320 not only enables effective adjustment of the radial position of the preheating ring 200, but also allows for timely adjustment of the radial position of the preheating ring 200 according to its requirements, making it convenient to operate and highly versatile.

[0089] In addition, by opening multiple positioning holes 3321 on the bottom surface 332 of the groove and multiple mating holes 3211 on the positioning member 321, two positioning pins 322 can be inserted into the mating holes 3211 and the corresponding positioning holes 3321 respectively to prevent the positioning member 321 from rotating around the vertical axis.

[0090] In this embodiment, the diameter of the mating hole 3211 is equal to the diameter of the positioning hole 3321; the diameter of the positioning pin 322 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the positioning hole 3321. By setting the diameter of the positioning pin 322 to be slightly smaller than the diameters of both the mating hole 3211 and the positioning hole 3321, interference between components caused by the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the positioning pin 322, the positioning component 321, and the inner liner 100 under high-temperature conditions can be prevented.

[0091] Specifically, the diameter of the positioning pin 322 is 0.1 to 0.2 mm smaller than the diameters of both the mating hole 3211 and the positioning hole 3321.

[0092] Please continue to refer to Figure 14 In this embodiment, the positioning hole 3321 is a blind hole to limit the downward movement of the positioning pin 322 and prevent the positioning pin 322 from disengaging from below the inner liner 100. Specifically, the depth of the positioning hole 3321 can be 5mm.

[0093] In this embodiment, the length of the positioning pin 322 is not less than the sum of the height of the positioning member 321 and the depth of the positioning hole 3321.

[0094] In other embodiments, multiple spaced positioning holes 3321 can be formed on the bottom surface 332 of the groove, while only one mating hole 3211 is formed on the positioning member 321. In this configuration, after adjusting the position of the positioning member 321 radially along the annular limiting portion 140, the positioning pin 322 can be inserted into the mating hole 3211 and the corresponding positioning hole 3321 to fix the positioning member 321. Alternatively, only one positioning hole 3321 can be formed on the bottom surface 332 of the groove, while multiple spaced mating holes 3211 are formed on the positioning member 321. In this configuration, after adjusting the position of the positioning member 321 radially along the annular limiting portion 140, by observing which mating hole 3211 is opposite to the positioning hole 3321, the positioning pin 322 can be inserted into the mating hole 3211 and the corresponding positioning hole 3321 to fix the positioning member 321.

[0095] In this embodiment, multiple mating holes 3211 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the positioning member 321. That is, when the positioning member 321 is installed in the adjustment groove 330, multiple mating holes 3211 are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the annular limiting portion 140; multiple positioning holes 3321 are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the bottom surface 332 of the adjustment groove 330. That is, multiple positioning holes 3321 are arranged at intervals along the radial direction of the annular limiting portion 140.

[0096] Please continue to refer to Figure 11 and Figure 19 In this embodiment, the bottom surface 332 of the groove is coplanar with the annular bearing surface 120.

[0097] By setting the bottom surface 332 of the adjustment groove 330 to be coplanar with the annular bearing surface 120 of the liner 100, the processing difficulty of the adjustment groove 330 can be reduced and the manufacturing cost can be saved.

[0098] Figure 21 for Figure 18 A magnified view of the local structure at point I. Please continue referring to this. Figure 9 , Figure 14 , Figure 18 and combined Figure 21 In this embodiment, the mounting assembly may further include a positioning boss 340. Specifically, the positioning boss 340 protrudes upward from the annular bearing surface 120 and is located within the inner periphery of the preheating ring 200. The annular bearing surface 120 is formed between the annular limiting portion 140 and the positioning boss 340. A receiving space 310 for accommodating the preheating ring 200 is formed between the positioning boss 340 and the three sets of adjustment components 320. When the preheating ring 200 is placed on the annular bearing surface 120 of the inner liner 100, the preheating ring 200 is located within the receiving space 310.

[0099] When the preheating ring 200 needs to be installed on the liner 100, it can be placed on the annular bearing surface 120 of the liner 100. At this time, the preheating ring 200 is located in the receiving space 310 formed between the positioning boss 340 and the three sets of adjustment components 320, leaving a certain gap between the preheating ring 200 and the positioning boss 340 in the radial direction. The positioning boss 340 enables coarse positioning of the preheating ring 200 in the radial direction, preventing it from falling off the liner 100 during installation.

[0100] Please continue to refer to Figure 18 and Figure 21 In this embodiment, the positioning boss 340 is a ring structure, wherein the central axis of the positioning boss 340 is collinear with the central axis of the inner liner 100.

[0101] The positioning boss 340 has this structural form, which can achieve coarse positioning of the preheating ring 200 in the radial direction at various positions along its circumference, and the positioning is reliable.

[0102] In this embodiment, the wall thickness of the positioning boss 340 at each position along its circumference is 2mm, and the height of the positioning boss 340 is 5mm.

[0103] In this embodiment, the positioning boss 340 is a circular ring structure, and the outer ring diameter of the positioning boss 340 is smaller than the inner diameter of the preheating ring 200, while the inner diameter of the annular limiting part 140 is larger than the outer diameter of the preheating ring 200.

[0104] Please continue to refer to Figure 14 In this embodiment, the inner ring surface of the positioning boss 340 is coplanar with the inner sidewall 130 of the liner 100, and the outer ring surface of the positioning boss 340 forms a receiving space 310 between the three sets of adjustment components 320.

[0105] By setting the inner annular surface of the positioning boss 340 to be coplanar with the inner sidewall 130 of the liner 100, the positioning boss 340 is made closer to the central region 110 of the liner 100, thereby increasing the accommodating space 310.

[0106] Please continue to refer to Figure 14 In this embodiment, the positioning boss 340 and the inner liner 100 are an integral structure. This arrangement can increase the structural strength at the connection between the positioning boss 340 and the inner liner 100.

[0107] In this embodiment, the process of adjusting the radial position of the preheating ring 200 is as follows: the preheating ring 200 is placed into the annular bearing surface 120 of the inner liner 100, and three positioning members 321 are respectively placed into the three adjustment grooves 330 opened in the annular limiting part 140 of the inner liner 100; the positioning members 321 slide in the adjustment grooves 330 to change the radial position of the positioning members 321 along the preheating ring 200, and the radial position of the preheating ring 200 is changed by the abutting action between the positioning members 321 and the outer ring surface of the preheating ring 200; when the preheating ring 200 and the base 500 are concentric, and the gap between the preheating ring 200 and the base 500 meets the set gap range, it is considered qualified; then, the positioning pin 322 is inserted into the mating hole 3211 of the positioning member 321 and the positioning hole 3321 opposite to the mating hole 3211, and the positioning member 321 is fixed in the adjustment groove 330, so that the radial positioning of the preheating ring 200 can be achieved.

[0108] Figure 22 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the liner 100 of the mounting assembly provided in this embodiment from another perspective. Figure 23 for Figure 22 A magnified view of the local structure at point J. Please continue to refer to this. Figure 10 and Figure 12 and combined Figure 22 and Figure 23 In this embodiment, the circumferential positioning structure includes a protrusion 410 located on the annular bearing surface 120, wherein the protrusion 410 is used to insert the notch 230.

[0109] This circumferential positioning structure not only enables circumferential positioning of the preheating ring 200 and prevents circumferential displacement of the preheating ring 200, but also has a simple structure.

[0110] In this embodiment, the protrusion 410 is a rectangular block structure.

[0111] In this embodiment, the width of the protrusion 410 is slightly smaller than the width of the notch 230 formed by the first end 210 and the last end 220 of the preheating ring 200. This arrangement can prevent interference between the components due to the difference in thermal expansion coefficients between the protrusion 410 and the preheating ring 200 under high-temperature conditions, thus providing a certain degree of protection for the protrusion 410 and the preheating ring 200. The "width of the protrusion 410" refers to the distance between two opposing surfaces of the protrusion 410 along the circumference of the liner 100.

[0112] Specifically, the width of the protrusion 410 is 1 to 1.5 mm smaller than the width of the notch 230.

[0113] In addition, please continue to refer to Figures 12 to 14 This embodiment also provides a semiconductor process chamber, including a chamber, a base 500, a preheating ring 200, and the aforementioned mounting assembly, wherein the base 500, the preheating ring 200, and the mounting assembly are all disposed within the chamber. Specifically, the base 500 is rotatably disposed in the central region 110 of the liner 100, and the base 500 is used to support the wafer; the preheating ring 200 is disposed on the annular bearing surface 120 of the liner 100.

[0114] By assembling the aforementioned mounting components in a semiconductor process chamber, the semiconductor process chamber gains all the advantages of the aforementioned mounting components, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0115] While the present invention has been disclosed above, it is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

[0116] Finally, it should be noted that in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only 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 term "comprising" or any other variations thereof is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0117] In the above embodiments, descriptions of directions such as "inner", "outer", "upper", "lower", and "side" are all based on the accompanying drawings.

[0118] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A preheating ring mounting assembly for use in semiconductor process chambers, characterized in that, The preheating ring (200) has an annular structure with a notch (230); the mounting assembly includes: Liner (100); the liner (100) has an annular bearing surface (120) for supporting the preheating ring (200) and an annular limiting portion (140) protruding upward from the annular bearing surface (120) and located around the preheating ring (200). A circumferential positioning structure located on the annular bearing surface (120) is used to cooperate with the notch (230) to limit the circumferential position of the preheating ring (200); A radial positioning structure is provided on the annular limiting part (140) to limit the radial movement of the preheating ring (200) and prevent the preheating ring (200) from undergoing radial displacement.

2. The mounting assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radial positioning structure includes at least three sets of adjustment components (320), and the at least three sets of adjustment components (320) are arranged at circumferential intervals along the annular limiting portion (140); The adjustment assembly (320) includes a positioning member (321) along the radial direction of the annular limiting portion (140). The position of the positioning member (321) is adjustable and is used to abut against the outer annular surface of the preheating ring (200).

3. The mounting assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The annular limiting part (140) is provided with an adjustment groove (330), and the adjustment groove (330) has an opening (331) on the side facing the preheating ring (200). The positioning element (321) is installed in the adjustment groove (330), and the positioning element (321) abuts against the outer ring surface of the preheating ring (200) through the opening (331).

4. The mounting assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The extension direction of the adjustment groove (330) is along the radial direction of the annular limiting portion (140).

5. The mounting assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom surface (332) of the adjustment groove (330) is provided with a plurality of spaced positioning holes (3321), and the positioning member (321) is provided with a plurality of spaced mating holes (3211). The adjustment assembly (320) further includes a positioning pin (322), which is used to selectively insert into the corresponding mating hole (3211) and the positioning hole (3321) to fix the positioning member (321) after the position is adjusted.

6. The mounting assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The bottom surface (332) of the groove is coplanar with the annular bearing surface (120).

7. The mounting assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting assembly further includes a positioning boss (340), which protrudes upward from the annular bearing surface (120) and is located within the inner periphery of the preheating ring (200). The annular bearing surface (120) is formed between the annular limiting portion (140) and the positioning boss (340).

8. The mounting assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The positioning boss (340) is a ring structure, and the central axis of the positioning boss (340) is collinear with the central axis of the ring bearing surface (120).

9. The mounting assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that, The positioning boss (340) and the inner lining (100) are an integral structure.

10. The mounting assembly according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The circumferential positioning structure includes a protrusion (410) located on the annular bearing surface (120), the protrusion (410) being used to insert into the notch (230).

11. A semiconductor process chamber, characterized in that, The device includes a chamber, a base (500), a preheating ring (200), and a mounting assembly as described in any one of claims 1-10. The base (500), the preheating ring (200), and the mounting assembly are all disposed in the chamber. The base (500) is rotatably disposed in the central region (110) of the liner (100) and is used to support the wafer. The preheating ring (200) is disposed on the annular bearing surface (120) of the liner (100).

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