Physical vapor deposition apparatus, control method of physical vapor deposition process

Abstract

This invention provides a physical vapor deposition (PVD) apparatus, a control method and device for a PVD process, and a computer-readable medium. The apparatus includes a process chamber, an impedance monitoring device, and a control device. The impedance monitoring device is electrically connected to both a shielding component and the control device, and is used to detect the ground impedance information of the shielding component and transmit it to the control device. The control device is used to obtain the surface state of the shielding component based on the ground impedance information, and to determine whether the next deposition process should be a compound film deposition process or a metal film deposition process based on the surface state of the shielding component. The solution of this invention can more accurately determine the surface state of the shielding component, thereby reducing operating costs and improving equipment efficiency while avoiding particle shedding and arcing phenomena on the shielding component.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and more specifically, to a physical vapor deposition (PVD) apparatus, a method and apparatus for controlling a PVD process, and a computer-readable medium. Background Technology

[0002] Physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology is widely used in the manufacturing of large-scale integrated circuits. It can be used to deposit pure metal films (such as aluminum and copper) as well as compound films (such as titanium nitride, aluminum nitride, and tantalum oxide). PVD equipment typically contains shielding kits within its process chamber. These kits are positioned between the target, chamber wall, and substrate and usually include a shield, cover ring, deposition ring, and shutter disk. These components are used to catch large-angle particles sputtered from the target, preventing these particles from depositing on the chamber walls and causing contamination. At the same time, they must ensure that particles deposited on the surface of the shielding components do not fall off. Once these particles fall off, they are very likely to cause particle problems on the wafer surface, reducing yield. Moreover, when compound films (such as nitride films and oxide films) are deposited on the surface of the shielding components to a certain thickness, the accumulated charge cannot be released, which can easily cause arcing. Therefore, the surface condition of the shielding components is crucial.

[0003] Currently, one method to avoid particle shedding and arcing on shielding components is to set a short lifespan for the shielding component. When the shielding component reaches the end of its lifespan, it needs to be replaced for surface cleaning and reuse. However, this method can lead to situations where the shielding component is replaced before it actually reaches the end of its lifespan, increasing operating costs. Another method is to perform a metal film deposition process after continuously performing a certain number of compound film deposition processes to increase the conductivity and adhesion of the shielding component surface. However, this method can lead to excessive metal film deposition processes, resulting in reduced equipment efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and proposes a physical vapor deposition equipment, a physical vapor deposition process control method and apparatus, and a computer-readable medium, which can more accurately determine the surface state of the shielding component, thereby reducing the cost of use and improving the efficiency of the equipment while avoiding particle shedding and arcing on the shielding component.

[0005] To achieve the objectives of this invention, a physical vapor deposition apparatus is provided, comprising a process chamber, wherein a shielding assembly is further disposed within the process chamber, and an impedance monitoring device and a control device are also included.

[0006] The impedance monitoring device is electrically connected to the shielding assembly and the control device respectively, and is used to detect the ground impedance information of the shielding assembly and send it to the control device;

[0007] The control device is used to obtain the surface state of the shielding component based on the ground impedance information, and to determine whether the next deposition process is a compound film deposition process or a metal film deposition process based on the surface state of the shielding component.

[0008] Optionally, the impedance monitoring device is a voltage detection device, which is used to detect the bias signal on the surface of the shielding component, and uses it as the impedance information to ground; the magnitude of the bias signal is the difference between the peak voltage and the trough voltage of the sinusoidal radio frequency signal on the surface of the shielding component.

[0009] Optionally, the shielding assembly includes a liner that surrounds the inner sidewall of the process chamber;

[0010] The impedance monitoring device is electrically connected to a designated location on the outer wall of the lining, the designated location being the position where the thickness of the lining increases the most.

[0011] Optionally, the liner is insulated from the sidewall of the process chamber; or, the liner is electrically connected to the sidewall of the process chamber, and the sidewall of the process chamber is grounded.

[0012] Optionally, the control device includes:

[0013] The comparison module is used to compare the bias signal with a preset voltage threshold and send the comparison result to the control module;

[0014] The control module is configured to determine that the next deposition process will be a metal film deposition process when the bias signal is greater than the preset voltage threshold, and to determine that the next deposition process will be a compound film deposition process when the bias signal is less than or equal to the preset voltage threshold.

[0015] Optionally, the control device further includes:

[0016] The counting module is used to accumulate the current process quantity, which is the total number of times the compound film deposition process has been executed consecutively since the most recent metal film deposition process was executed.

[0017] The control module is further configured to: when the bias signal is greater than the preset voltage threshold, compare the current process quantity with the preset threshold; when the current process quantity is less than or equal to the preset threshold, determine that the next deposition process will be a compound film deposition process, prompt the replacement of the shielding component, and set the current process quantity to zero; when the current process quantity is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, determine that the next deposition process will be a metal film deposition process, and set the current process quantity to zero after the metal film deposition process is completed.

[0018] As another technical solution, the present invention also provides a method for controlling a physical vapor deposition process, comprising:

[0019] During the current compound film deposition process, the ground impedance information of the shielding components in the process chamber of the physical vapor deposition equipment is detected.

[0020] The surface state of the shielding component is obtained based on the ground impedance information;

[0021] Based on the surface condition of the shielding component, determine whether the next deposition process should be a compound film deposition process or a metal film deposition process.

[0022] Optionally, the detection of the ground impedance information of the shielding components in the process chamber of the physical vapor deposition equipment includes:

[0023] The bias signal on the surface of the shielding component is detected and used as the impedance information to ground; the magnitude of the bias signal is the difference between the peak voltage and the trough voltage of the sinusoidal radio frequency signal on the surface of the shielding component.

[0024] Optionally, determining the surface state of the shielding component based on the ground impedance information includes:

[0025] The bias signal is compared with a preset voltage threshold.

[0026] When the bias signal is greater than the preset voltage threshold, the next deposition process is determined to be a metal film deposition process.

[0027] When the bias signal is less than or equal to the preset voltage threshold, the next deposition process is determined to be a compound film deposition process.

[0028] Optionally, when the bias signal is greater than the preset voltage threshold, the following further applies:

[0029] The current number of processes is compared with a preset threshold, where the current number of processes is the total number of times the compound film deposition process has been executed consecutively since the most recent metal film deposition process was executed.

[0030] When the current number of processes is less than or equal to the preset threshold, the next deposition process is determined to be a compound film deposition process, a signal is issued regarding the replacement of the shielding component, and the current number of processes is set to zero.

[0031] When the current number of processes exceeds the preset threshold, the next deposition process is determined to be a metal film deposition process, and the current number of processes is set to zero after the metal film deposition process is completed.

[0032] As another technical solution, the present invention also provides a control device for a physical vapor deposition process, comprising:

[0033] At least one processor;

[0034] A storage device having at least one program stored thereon;

[0035] When the at least one program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor implements the control method for the physical vapor deposition process provided by the present invention.

[0036] As another technical solution, the present invention also provides a computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the program, when executed by a processor, implements the control method for the physical vapor deposition process provided by the present invention.

[0037] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0038] The technical solutions provided by this invention, including the physical vapor deposition (PVD) equipment, the control method and apparatus for the PVD process, and the computer-readable medium, utilize an impedance monitoring device to detect the ground impedance information of the shielding component, and a control device to obtain the surface state of the shielding component based on this ground impedance information. This ground impedance information reflects information such as the thickness of the film layer deposited on the surface of the shielding component and the accumulated charge, thus accurately obtaining the surface state of the shielding component. Based on this surface state, it can be determined whether the next deposition process should be a compound film deposition process or a metal film deposition process. This reduces or avoids situations where the shielding component is replaced before reaching the end of its service life, or where excessive metal film deposition processes are performed. Therefore, it can reduce operating costs and improve equipment efficiency while avoiding particle shedding and arcing phenomena on the shielding component. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the process of compound film deposition on the surface of a shielding component.

[0040] Figure 2A process diagram showing the alternating formation of compound films and metal films on the inner liner surface when performing compound film deposition and metal film deposition processes alternately.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of a physical vapor deposition apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a comparison chart showing the relationship between particle count and lining service life between embodiments of the present invention and existing technologies;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a comparison chart showing the relationship between particle count and lining service life between embodiments of the present invention and existing technologies;

[0044] Figure 6 A flowchart of a control method for a physical vapor deposition process provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 7 A specific flowchart of the control method for physical vapor deposition process provided in the embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 8 This is a structural block diagram of a control device for a physical vapor deposition process provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, the physical vapor deposition equipment, physical vapor deposition process control method and apparatus, and computer-readable medium provided by the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0048] Please see Figure 1 The physical vapor deposition (PVD) equipment includes a process chamber 101, which also houses a shielding assembly. This shielding assembly typically includes a shield 103, a cover ring (not shown), a deposition ring (not shown), and a shutter disk (not shown). These components are used to receive large-angle particles sputtered from the target 102, preventing these particles from depositing on the chamber walls and causing contamination. They also ensure that particles deposited on the surface of the shielding assembly do not detach, as detached particles can cause surface defects on the wafer, reducing yield. Furthermore, when the compound film reaches a certain thickness on the shielding assembly surface, the accumulated charge cannot be released, easily causing arcing. Additionally, the process chamber 101 also includes a base 104 for supporting the wafer 105, located below the target 102. The aforementioned shielding assembly is generally positioned between the base 104 and the target 102.

[0049] The inventors discovered that since most of the aforementioned shielding components are made of metals such as stainless steel or aluminum alloys, which typically possess good electrical and thermal conductivity and adhesion, and whose properties are similar to those of the metal films deposited in the metal film deposition process, these similar properties make it difficult for the metal film to detach from the surface of the shielding component once deposited. However, in the compound film deposition process, the electrical and thermal conductivity of the compound film differs significantly from that of the shielding component, and the compound film also exhibits higher stress. Therefore, when the compound film is deposited to a certain thickness on the surface of the shielding component, the accumulated charge cannot be released, easily causing arcing, or the film may peel off from the surface of the shielding component due to its own stress. Both of these problems result in excessive particle counts.

[0050] To address the two aforementioned problems in compound film deposition processes, one approach is to perform a metal film deposition process after a certain number of consecutive compound film deposition processes, thereby increasing the conductivity and adhesion of the shielding component surface. For example... Figure 2 As shown, after a certain number of compound film deposition processes are performed consecutively, a compound film layer A of a certain thickness is deposited on the surface of the liner 103. Then, a metal film deposition process is performed to cover the compound film layer A with a metal film layer B. This process is then repeated for a certain number of consecutive compound film deposition processes. Currently, the ratio of compound film deposition processes to metal film deposition processes (i.e., the number of times the compound film deposition process is performed after one metal film deposition process) is determined experimentally. For example, when the current kilowatt-hours (kWh) of the shielding component is 0 kWh, i.e., in the initial stage of the shielding component's use, 100 compound film deposition processes are performed consecutively, and the particle performance of these 100 compound film deposition processes is collected. Thereafter, particle performance is collected every 100 kWh using the same method. It is foreseeable that from the first to the 100th time, the number of particles will gradually increase, and the rate of increase will be faster as the kilowatt-hours of the shielding component increase. When the kilowatt-hours of the shielding component are 0 kWh, it may take 50 consecutive compound film deposition processes before the number of particles exceeds the control line. However, when the kilowatt-hours of the shielding component reach 500 kWh, the number of particles will exceed the control line after 25 consecutive compound film deposition processes. If the service life of the shielding component is defined as 500 kWh, then the execution ratio of the compound film deposition process to the metal film deposition process will also be determined to be 25.

[0051] As can be seen from the above, with the increase in the kilowatt-hours of use of the shielding components, the ratio of compound film deposition to metal film deposition processes also needs to be adjusted accordingly. The method described above, which determines this ratio through experiments, results in excessive metal film deposition processes, leading to reduced machine efficiency. Another method is to set a short service life for the shielding components. When the shielding components reach the end of their service life, they should be replaced for surface cleaning and reuse. However, this method may result in the shielding components being replaced before reaching the end of their service life, leading to increased operating costs.

[0052] To resolve the above issues, please refer to Figure 3 ,exist Figure 1 Based on the physical vapor deposition apparatus shown, the physical vapor deposition apparatus provided in this embodiment of the invention further includes an impedance monitoring device 201 and a control device 202. The impedance monitoring device 201 is electrically connected to the shielding component (e.g., the inner liner 103) and the control device 202, respectively, and is used to detect the ground impedance information of the shielding component and send it to the control device 202. The control device 202 is used to obtain the surface state of the shielding component based on the ground impedance information, and to determine whether the next deposition process is to perform a compound film deposition process or a metal film deposition process based on the surface state of the shielding component.

[0053] The impedance monitoring device 201 detects the ground impedance information of the shielding component, and the control device 202 obtains the surface condition of the shielding component based on this ground impedance information. This ground impedance information reflects information such as the thickness of the film deposited on the surface of the shielding component and the accumulated charge, thus accurately obtaining the surface condition of the shielding component. Based on the surface condition of the shielding component, it can be determined whether to perform a compound film deposition process or a metal film deposition process, reducing or avoiding situations where the shielding component is replaced before reaching the end of its service life, or where excessive metal film deposition processes are performed. This reduces operating costs and improves machine efficiency while avoiding particle shedding and arcing on the shielding component.

[0054] In some optional embodiments, the impedance monitoring device 201 is a voltage detection device used to detect the peak-valley voltage difference signal on the surface of the shielding component, i.e., a bias signal, which is used as ground impedance information; the magnitude of the bias signal is the difference between the peak voltage and the valley voltage of the sinusoidal radio frequency signal on the surface of the shielding component, i.e., V PP(Voltage between Peaks, the voltage difference between the peaks and troughs of a sine wave in a radio frequency signal) Signal strength. As the number of compound film deposition processes increases, the compound film covering the shielding component becomes thicker, causing a change in the shielding component's impedance to ground (mainly caused by changes in capacitive reactance). This change can be detected by collecting the voltage across the surface of the shielding component. PP Measured by signal strength, specifically, during compound film deposition, the novel shielding component exhibits the lowest impedance to ground. Electrons enriched on the surface of the shielding component are quickly neutralized by the ground, resulting in the lowest surface bias and the weakest ion bombardment. (V) PP The signal strength is at its minimum. As the compound film covers the area, the impedance to ground of the shielding component gradually increases, and the accumulated electrons become difficult to neutralize. Consequently, the surface bias gradually increases, and the ion bombardment becomes increasingly intense. V PP The signal strength gradually increases. Therefore, the aforementioned bias signal can reflect information such as the thickness of the film layer deposited on the surface of the shielding component and the accumulated charge, thus accurately obtaining the surface state of the shielding component. The aforementioned voltage detection device is, for example, a pressure oscilloscope or other instrument capable of detecting sinusoidal radio frequency signals. This instrument can obtain and display the aforementioned bias signal based on the detected sinusoidal radio frequency signal. The aforementioned control device 202 is, for example, an industrial control computer integrated into the machine tool or an industrial control computer directly using the machine tool.

[0055] In some optional embodiments, the shielding assembly includes a liner 103 that surrounds the inner sidewall of the process chamber 101; an impedance monitoring device 201 is electrically connected to a designated location on the outer wall surface of the liner 103, located at the point where the thickness of the liner 103 increases most rapidly. Since this location is prone to arcing, it can more sensitively reflect the surface condition of the liner. Furthermore, in the shielding assembly, because the liner 103 has a large surface area, it is easier to deposit compound films and more prone to arcing. Therefore, by electrically connecting the impedance monitoring device 201 to the designated location on the outer wall surface of the liner 103, the surface condition of the liner 103 can be more sensitively reflected. Of course, in practical applications, the impedance monitoring device 201 can also be electrically connected to at least one other component in the shielding assembly; this embodiment of the invention does not impose any particular limitation on this. In addition, the impedance monitoring device 201 and the control device 202 can be located outside the process chamber 101. They can penetrate the side wall of the process chamber 101 through conductive components and extend into the process chamber 101 to be electrically connected to the outer wall of the liner 103. Specifically, the conductive components can be electrically connected to the outer wall of the liner 103 in ways including but not limited to welding, riveting, screw fastening, etc.

[0056] In some optional embodiments, the liner 103 is insulated from the sidewall of the process chamber 101, in which case the liner 103 is not grounded; or, the liner 103 is electrically connected to the sidewall of the process chamber 101, and the sidewall of the process chamber 101 is grounded, in which case the liner 103 is grounded through the sidewall of the process chamber 101. Regardless of whether the liner 103 is grounded or not, its impedance to ground increases with the thickness of the compound film. Therefore, the surface state of the liner 103 can be obtained by electrically connecting the impedance monitoring device 201 to a designated location on the outer wall surface of the liner 103.

[0057] In some optional embodiments, the control device 202 includes a comparison module and a control module. The comparison module compares the bias signal with a preset voltage threshold and sends the comparison result to the control module. The control module determines that the next deposition process will be a metal film deposition process when the bias signal is greater than the preset voltage threshold, and determines that the next deposition process will be a compound film deposition process when the bias signal is less than or equal to the preset voltage threshold. In practical applications, a voltage detection device can be used to acquire the bias signal in real time and compare it with the preset voltage threshold. Once the bias signal exceeds the preset voltage threshold, the next deposition process will be a metal film deposition process. The preset voltage threshold is, for example, the maximum bias value that the surface of the shielding component may withstand. If this value is exceeded, the surface of the shielding component will experience arcing or particle shedding when subjected to strong ion bombardment. The preset voltage threshold is obtained experimentally and is strongly related to the process conditions. Different process conditions require different preset voltage thresholds. Specifically, the preset voltage threshold is obtained as follows: the compound film deposition process is performed continuously, and the bias signal (i.e., V) of the shielding component during each compound film deposition process is collected. PP As the compound film deposition process progresses, both the bias signal and the number of particles will increase, and there is a corresponding relationship between them. When the increase in the number of particles is just below the control line, the corresponding bias signal is the preset voltage threshold mentioned above.

[0058] In some optional embodiments, the control device 202 further includes a counting module and a control module. The counting module is used to accumulate the current process quantity, which is the total number of consecutive compound film deposition processes performed after the most recent metal film deposition process. The control module is also used to compare the current process quantity with a preset threshold when the bias signal is greater than a preset voltage threshold. For example, the preset threshold is 25, meaning that after performing one metal film deposition process, 25 consecutive compound film deposition processes can be performed. When the current process quantity is less than or equal to the preset threshold, the next deposition process is determined to be a compound film deposition process, and a signal regarding the replacement of the shielding component is issued, and the current process quantity is set to zero. Optionally, the signal regarding the replacement of the shielding component may include a prompt signal indicating that the shielding component needs to be replaced, after which the operator can perform the operation of replacing the shielding component. The signal regarding the replacement of the shielding component may also include a control signal that controls the corresponding actuator to perform the corresponding operation of replacing the shielding component. Optionally, before the operation of replacing the shielding component is completed, the control device 202 is also used to prevent the execution of the next deposition process.

[0059] When the current number of processes exceeds a preset threshold, the next deposition process is determined to be a metal film deposition process, and the current number of processes is reset to zero after the metal film deposition process is completed. By comparing the current number of processes with the preset threshold, it can be determined whether the shielding component needs to be replaced. That is, if the current number of processes is less than or equal to the preset threshold, it means that a metal film deposition process needs to be performed after a few consecutive compound film deposition processes. At this time, the shielding component should have reached the end of its service life and needs to be replaced. Since the shielding component needs to be replaced before the next deposition process is executed, the next deposition process can continue to perform the compound film deposition process.

[0060] The aforementioned preset threshold can be set according to specific needs (such as economic factors and usage efficiency). If the preset threshold is set too low, the metal film deposition process will need to be performed frequently, resulting in waste of the target material. If the preset threshold is set too high, the service life of the liner will be low.

[0061] In a specific embodiment, taking the deposition of a TaO film as an example, it is known that performing one compound deposition process requires 0.2 kWh of target material, while performing one metal deposition process requires 3.6 kWh. As the usage kilowatt-hours (kWh) of the shielding component (e.g., a liner) increases, the execution ratio of the compound film deposition process to the metal film deposition process in the prior art (i.e., the number of times the compound film deposition process is performed consecutively after performing one metal film deposition process) remains consistently 40. Figure 4Line 1 in the diagram. The ratio of compound film deposition process to metal film deposition process used in this embodiment of the invention decreases as the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of the shielding component (e.g., an inner liner) increase, such as... Figure 4 Curve 2 in the figure. By comparison, it can be seen that the embodiments of the present invention reduce the aforementioned ratio as the liner's usage kilowatt-hours (kWh) increase. This allows for a maximum of 70 consecutive compound film deposition processes before requiring only one metal film deposition process in the initial stage of the liner's use. The ratio only drops to 40 when the liner's usage kilowatt-hours reach 520 kWh, comparable to the prior art; when the liner's usage kilowatt-hours reach 600 kWh, the ratio drops to 30, less than the prior art. Based on this, if the preset threshold is set to 40 in the embodiments of the present invention, the liner can only be used up to 520 kWh, resulting in a shorter service life than the prior art; if the preset threshold is set to 30, the liner's service life is comparable to the prior art; if the preset threshold is set to a value less than 30, the liner's service life can exceed 600 kWh. Therefore, in practical applications, the preset threshold can be set to a value greater than 10 and less than the execution ratio (e.g., 40) used in the prior art, for example, 30.

[0062] Table 1 below shows the different preset thresholds (C) used in the embodiments of the present invention. T The effects of compound film deposition process number and metal film deposition process number on the service life of the shielding component are shown in Table 1. It can be seen that the existing technology consistently performs one metal film deposition process after 40 consecutive compound film deposition processes. Under this condition, the service life of the shielding component can reach 600 kWh. During this period, a total of 2070 compound film deposition processes and 51 metal film deposition processes were performed. In comparison, if the preset threshold (C) is set in the embodiment of the present invention... T The value is set to 30, and the service life of the shielding component is 600 kWh, which is comparable to the prior art. However, within one service cycle, the number of compound film deposition processes that can be executed is 2245, which is significantly increased compared to the prior art (2070 executions). Simultaneously, the number of metal film deposition processes executed is 42, which is 9 fewer than the prior art (51 times). In this embodiment of the invention, if the preset threshold (C) is set... T Setting the threshold to 20 extends the service life of the shielding component to 685 kWh, significantly increases the number of consecutive compound film deposition processes to 2494, and reduces the number of metal film deposition processes to 52, comparable to existing technologies. Therefore, setting the preset threshold to 30 or 20 can yield good benefits for the TaO film deposition process.

[0063] Table 1

[0064]

[0065]

[0066] Figure 5 This is a comparison chart of particle count between existing technologies and embodiments of the present invention. In the existing technology, the ratio of compound film deposition process to metal film deposition process is consistently 40. The particle count changes as the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of the shielding component (e.g., an inner liner) increases, as shown below. Figure 5 The zigzag line 3 is shown. In this embodiment of the invention, the ratio of compound film deposition process to metal film deposition process decreases as the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of the shielding component (e.g., the liner) increases. The change in particle number as the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of the shielding component (e.g., the liner) increases is as follows: Figure 5 The zigzag line 4 is shown. A comparison reveals that in the prior art, the number of particles increases significantly towards the end of the liner's service life. However, the technical solution of this invention benefits from a significantly reduced ratio of compound film deposition to metal film deposition processes towards the end of the liner's service life, resulting in relatively stable particle behavior.

[0067] As another technical solution, embodiments of the present invention also provide a method for controlling a physical vapor deposition process, comprising:

[0068] S1. During the current compound film deposition process, detect the ground impedance information of the shielding components in the process chamber of the physical vapor deposition equipment.

[0069] S2. Obtain the surface condition of the shielding component based on the impedance to ground information;

[0070] S3. Based on the surface condition of the shielding component, determine whether the next deposition process should be a compound film deposition process or a metal film deposition process.

[0071] In some optional embodiments, step S1 above specifically includes:

[0072] The bias signal on the surface of the shielding component is detected and used as information about its impedance to ground; the magnitude of the bias signal is the difference between the peak voltage and the trough voltage of the sinusoidal radio frequency signal on the surface of the shielding component.

[0073] In some alternative embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, step S2 above specifically includes:

[0074] The bias signal V N With preset voltage threshold V T Compare;

[0075] In the bias signal VN Greater than the preset voltage threshold V T At that time, determine the next deposition process to be executed: metal film deposition process;

[0076] In the bias signal V N Less than or equal to the preset voltage threshold V T At that time, the next deposition process is determined to be a compound film deposition process.

[0077] In practical applications, the aforementioned bias signal V can be acquired in real time. N and with the preset voltage threshold V T The comparison is performed once the bias signal V... N Exceeding the preset voltage threshold V T This allows the determination of the next deposition process to be the metal film deposition process. The aforementioned preset voltage threshold V... T For example, the preset voltage threshold is the maximum bias voltage that the surface of the shielding component may withstand. If this value is exceeded, the surface of the shielding component may experience arcing or particle shedding when subjected to strong ion bombardment. The preset voltage threshold is obtained experimentally and is strongly related to the process conditions. Different process conditions require different preset voltage thresholds V. T Specifically, the preset voltage threshold V T The method for obtaining the value is as follows: A compound film deposition process is continuously performed, while simultaneously collecting the bias signal (i.e., V) of the shielding component during each compound film deposition process. PP As the compound film deposition process progresses, both the bias signal and the number of particles will increase, and there is a corresponding relationship between them. When the increase in the number of particles is just below the control line, the corresponding bias signal is the preset voltage threshold mentioned above.

[0078] In some alternative embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, under the bias signal V N Greater than the preset voltage threshold V T At that time, it also included:

[0079] The current process quantity C N With preset threshold C T In comparison, the current process quantity C N The total number of times a compound film deposition process is performed consecutively after the most recent metal film deposition process.

[0080] At the current process quantity C N Less than or equal to the preset threshold C T At that time, a signal is issued regarding the replacement of the shielding components, and the current process quantity C is set to... N Set to zero;

[0081] At the current process quantity CN Greater than the preset threshold C T When the next deposition process is determined, a metal film deposition process is executed, and after the metal film deposition process is completed, the current process quantity C is... N Set to zero.

[0082] By using the current process quantity C N With preset threshold C T By comparing the components, it can be determined whether the shielding components need to be replaced; that is, if the current process quantity C... N Less than or equal to the preset threshold C T This indicates that a metal film deposition process is required after performing a relatively small number of compound film deposition processes. At this point, the shielding component should have reached the end of its service life and needs to be replaced. Since the shielding component needs to be replaced before performing the next deposition process, the next deposition process can continue with the compound film deposition process.

[0083] In summary, the technical solution of the physical vapor deposition (PVD) equipment and control method for the PVD process provided in this embodiment of the invention utilizes an impedance monitoring device to detect the ground impedance information of the shielding component, and a control device to obtain the surface state of the shielding component based on this ground impedance information. The aforementioned ground impedance information can reflect information such as the thickness of the film layer deposited on the surface of the shielding component and the accumulated charge, thus accurately obtaining the surface state of the shielding component. Based on the surface state of the shielding component, it can be determined whether the next deposition process should be a compound film deposition process or a metal film deposition process. This reduces or avoids situations where the shielding component is replaced before reaching its actual service life, or where excessive metal film deposition processes are performed. Therefore, while avoiding particle shedding and arcing on the shielding component, this reduces operating costs and improves the efficiency of the equipment.

[0084] Figure 8 This is a structural block diagram of a control device for a physical vapor deposition process provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 As shown, the electronic device includes: a processor 301, a memory 302, and at least one I / O interface 303. The memory 302 stores at least one program, which, when executed by the at least one processor 301, causes the at least one processor to perform the steps in any of the control methods applied to a physical vapor deposition process as described in the above embodiments; the at least one I / O interface 303 is connected between the processor and the memory and configured to enable information interaction between the processor and the memory.

[0085] Among them, processor 301 is a device with data processing capabilities, including but not limited to central processing unit (CPU); memory 302 is a device with data storage capabilities, including but not limited to random access memory (RAM, more specifically SDRAM, DDR, etc.), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory (FLASH); I / O interface (read-write interface) 303 is connected between processor 301 and memory 302, and can realize information interaction between processor 301 and memory 302, including but not limited to data bus (Bus).

[0086] In some embodiments, the processor 301, memory 302, and I / O interface 303 are interconnected via bus 304, and thus connected to other components of the computing device.

[0087] In some embodiments, the processor 301 includes an FPGA.

[0088] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a computer-readable medium is also provided. This computer-readable medium stores a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of a control method for any of the physical vapor deposition processes described in the above embodiments.

[0089] In particular, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the processes described above with reference to the flowcharts can be implemented as computer software programs. For example, embodiments of this disclosure include a computer program product comprising a computer program carried on a machine-readable medium, the computer program containing program code for performing the methods shown in the flowcharts. In such embodiments, the computer program can be downloaded and installed from a network via a communication component, and / or installed from a removable medium. When the computer program is executed by a central processing unit (CPU), it performs the functions defined above in the system of this disclosure.

[0090] It should be noted that the computer-readable medium disclosed herein may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium, or any combination thereof. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example,—but not limited to—an electrical, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any combination thereof. More specific examples of a computer-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to: an electrical connection having at least one wire, a portable computer disk, a hard disk, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), optical fiber, portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), optical storage device, magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination thereof. In this disclosure, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium containing or storing a program that can be used by or in conjunction with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. In this disclosure, a computer-readable signal medium may include a data signal propagated in baseband or as part of a carrier wave, carrying computer-readable program code. Such propagated data signals may take various forms, including but not limited to electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any suitable combination thereof. Computer-readable signal media can also be any computer-readable medium other than computer-readable storage media, which can send, propagate, or transmit a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. The program code contained on the computer-readable medium can be transmitted using any suitable medium, including but not limited to: wireless, wire, optical fiber, RF, etc., or any suitable combination thereof.

[0091] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this disclosure. In this regard, each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of code containing at least one executable instruction for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions indicated in the blocks may occur in a different order than those indicated in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0092] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A physical vapor deposition apparatus, comprising a process chamber, wherein a shielding assembly is further disposed within the process chamber, characterized in that, It also includes impedance monitoring devices and control devices, among which, The impedance monitoring device is electrically connected to the shielding assembly and the control device respectively, and is used to detect the ground impedance information of the shielding assembly and send it to the control device; The control device is used to obtain the surface state of the shielding component based on the ground impedance information, and to determine whether the next deposition process is to perform a compound film deposition process or a metal film deposition process based on the surface state of the shielding component. The shielding assembly includes a liner, which is disposed around the inner side wall of the process chamber; The impedance monitoring device is electrically connected to the outer wall surface of the lining.

2. The physical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The impedance monitoring device is a voltage detection device, which is used to detect the bias signal on the surface of the shielding component, and is used as the impedance information to ground; the magnitude of the bias signal is the difference between the peak voltage and the trough voltage of the sinusoidal radio frequency signal on the surface of the shielding component.

3. The physical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The impedance monitoring device is electrically connected to a designated location on the outer wall surface of the lining, the designated location being the position where the thickness of the lining increases the most rapidly.

4. The physical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The liner is insulated from the side wall of the process chamber; or, the liner is electrically connected to the side wall of the process chamber, and the side wall of the process chamber is grounded.

5. The physical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control device includes: The comparison module is used to compare the bias signal with a preset voltage threshold and send the comparison result to the control module; The control module is configured to determine that the next deposition process will be a metal film deposition process when the bias signal is greater than the preset voltage threshold, and to determine that the next deposition process will be a compound film deposition process when the bias signal is less than or equal to the preset voltage threshold.

6. The physical vapor deposition apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The control device further includes: The counting module is used to accumulate the current process quantity, which is the total number of times the compound film deposition process has been executed consecutively since the most recent metal film deposition process was executed. The control module is further configured to: when the bias signal is greater than the preset voltage threshold, compare the current process quantity with the preset threshold; when the current process quantity is less than or equal to the preset threshold, determine that the next deposition process will be a compound film deposition process, prompt the replacement of the shielding component, and set the current process quantity to zero; when the current process quantity is greater than or equal to the preset threshold, determine that the next deposition process will be a metal film deposition process, and set the current process quantity to zero after the metal film deposition process is completed.

7. A method for controlling a physical vapor deposition process, characterized in that, include: During the current compound film deposition process, the impedance to ground information of the shielding components in the process chamber of the physical vapor deposition equipment is detected by an impedance monitoring device. The surface state of the shielding component is obtained based on the ground impedance information; Based on the surface condition of the shielding component, determine whether the next deposition process should be a compound film deposition process or a metal film deposition process. The shielding assembly includes an inner liner, which is disposed around the inner side of the side wall of the process chamber; The impedance monitoring device is electrically connected to the outer wall surface of the lining.

8. The control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The information on the ground impedance of the shielding components in the process chamber of the physical vapor deposition equipment includes: The bias signal on the surface of the shielding component is detected and used as the impedance information to ground; the magnitude of the bias signal is the difference between the peak voltage and the trough voltage of the sinusoidal radio frequency signal on the surface of the shielding component.

9. The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, Determining the surface state of the shielding component based on the ground impedance information includes: The bias signal is compared with a preset voltage threshold. When the bias signal is greater than the preset voltage threshold, the next deposition process is determined to be a metal film deposition process. When the bias signal is less than or equal to the preset voltage threshold, the next deposition process is determined to be a compound film deposition process.

10. The control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the bias signal is greater than the preset voltage threshold, the method further includes: The current number of processes is compared with a preset threshold, where the current number of processes is the total number of times the compound film deposition process has been executed consecutively since the most recent metal film deposition process was executed. When the current number of processes is less than or equal to the preset threshold, the next deposition process is determined to be a compound film deposition process, a signal is issued regarding the replacement of the shielding component, and the current number of processes is set to zero. When the current number of processes exceeds the preset threshold, the next deposition process is determined to be a metal film deposition process, and the current number of processes is set to zero after the metal film deposition process is completed.

11. A control device for a physical vapor deposition process, characterized in that, include: At least one processor; A storage device having at least one program stored thereon; When the at least one program is executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor implements the control method for the physical vapor deposition process as described in any one of claims 7 to 10.

12. A computer-readable medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the program is executed by the processor, it implements the control method for the physical vapor deposition process as described in any one of claims 7 to 10.

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