Process chambers and semiconductor processing equipment

By designing a process chamber structure with limiting rings and sealing rings in semiconductor processing equipment, the problem of sealing failure caused by thermal expansion of temperature control components is solved, ensuring the cleanliness of the process chamber and the wafer yield.

CN119314850BActive Publication Date: 2026-04-17BEIJING NAURA MICROELECTRONICS EQUIP CO LTD
View PDF 4 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
BEIJING NAURA MICROELECTRONICS EQUIP CO LTD
Filing Date
2023-07-11
Publication Date
2026-04-17

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In existing semiconductor processing equipment, the failure of temperature control components and the sealing of the top of the chamber allows external moisture and impurities to enter the process chamber, contaminating the wafer and reducing the yield.

Method used

A process chamber structure is designed, including a coupling cylinder, a chamber top, a temperature control component, and a limiting ring. The limiting ring is arranged around the outside of the chamber top and a sealing ring is clamped to prevent the temperature control component from arching during thermal expansion, thereby improving the sealing reliability.

Benefits of technology

It effectively prevents the process chamber from connecting with the outside world, maintains the cleanliness of the process environment, and improves the wafer yield.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN119314850B_ABST
    Figure CN119314850B_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The application discloses a process chamber and a semiconductor processing equipment. The process chamber comprises a chamber body, a coupling cylinder, a chamber top, a temperature control assembly and a sealing ring. The coupling cylinder is fixedly connected with the sidewall of the chamber body. The chamber top is fixedly connected with the coupling cylinder. The chamber body, the coupling cylinder and the chamber top enclose a process cavity. The temperature control assembly comprises a temperature control body and a limiting ring. At least a part of the temperature control body is arranged in layers on the side of the chamber top away from the coupling cylinder. The temperature control body is fixedly connected with the chamber body. The limiting ring is fixed on the side of the temperature control body facing the chamber top. The limiting ring is arranged around the outside of the chamber top. The sealing ring is clamped between the inner sidewall of the limiting ring and the outer sidewall of the chamber top. In the process chamber, there is no risk of sealing failure between the temperature control assembly and the chamber top, so that the moisture and impurities in the outside can be prevented from entering the process chamber to contaminate the wafer.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of semiconductor processing technology, specifically relating to a process chamber and semiconductor processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Plasma etching is a common process in wafer fabrication and is typically performed in specialized semiconductor processing equipment. Currently, semiconductor processing equipment includes a chamber top, and gas inlets are provided on the chamber top to deliver process gases used to form plasma into the process chamber. Simultaneously, to prevent byproducts generated during the process from adhering to the surface of the chamber top and subsequently detaching and contaminating the processed wafer, a temperature control component is usually installed on the outer top of the chamber top to maintain a relatively high temperature during the process.

[0003] like Figure 1 As shown, in current semiconductor processing equipment, the temperature control component includes a heating element 411 located in the central region. The heating element 411 is fixed to the side wall of the chamber body 100 by multiple crossbeams 412, and a sealing ring 520 is provided between the heating element 411 and the top 310 of the chamber to isolate the process chamber. Since the installation of the temperature control component and the top of the chamber is generally carried out at room temperature, when the temperature control component performs temperature control by heating, it will inevitably expand due to heat. Furthermore, since the outer side of the temperature control component is fixedly connected to the process chamber, when the temperature control component expands, such as… Figure 2 As shown, it generates a radial stress F pointing towards the center of the temperature control component, which in turn causes the heating part located in the central region of the temperature control component to shift by M. That is, the heating part arches relative to the top of the chamber, causing the seal between the heating part and the top of the chamber to fail due to the increased gap. This leads to the problem of external moisture and impurities A entering the process chamber and contaminating the wafer, greatly reducing the wafer yield. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this application is to provide a process chamber and semiconductor processing equipment to solve the problem that the temperature control components and the top of the chamber in current semiconductor processing equipment have a large risk of sealing failure, which leads to external moisture and impurities entering the process chamber and contaminating the wafer.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application disclose a chamber body, which includes a chamber body, a coupling cylinder, a chamber top, a temperature control component, and a sealing ring. The coupling cylinder is fixedly connected to the side wall of the chamber body, and the chamber top is fixedly connected to the coupling cylinder. The chamber body, the coupling cylinder, and the chamber top form a process cavity.

[0006] The temperature control assembly includes a temperature control body and a limiting ring. At least a portion of the temperature control body is stacked on the top of the chamber away from the coupling cylinder, and the temperature control body is fixedly connected to the chamber body. The limiting ring is fixed on the side of the temperature control body facing the top of the chamber, and the limiting ring is arranged around the top of the chamber. The sealing ring is sandwiched between the inner sidewall of the limiting ring and the outer sidewall of the top of the chamber.

[0007] Secondly, embodiments of this application also disclose a semiconductor processing apparatus, which includes the aforementioned process chamber.

[0008] This application discloses a process chamber, which includes a chamber body, a coupling cylinder, a chamber top, and a temperature control component. The coupling cylinder is fixed to the side wall of the chamber body, and the chamber top is fixed to the coupling cylinder. The chamber body, the coupling cylinder, and the chamber top form a process chamber to provide a process environment for wafers and other workpieces.

[0009] Furthermore, the temperature control body in the temperature control assembly is fixed to the chamber body, and at least a portion of it is stacked on the side of the top of the chamber facing away from the coupling cylinder, to provide heating and temperature control for the top of the chamber, ensuring relatively good heating efficiency and uniformity. The temperature control assembly also includes a limiting ring fixed to the temperature control body. By having the limiting ring surround the outside of the top of the chamber, if the top of the chamber and the temperature control body expand due to heat during the heating process, the limiting ring can radially limit the expansion of both the top of the chamber, thereby preventing the temperature control body from arching away from the top of the chamber.

[0010] Meanwhile, since a sealing ring is sandwiched between the inner sidewall of the limiting ring and the outer sidewall of the top of the chamber, the sealing ring located between the limiting ring and the top of the chamber can be squeezed after the top of the chamber and the temperature control body expand due to heat. This can further improve the sealing reliability between the limiting ring and the top of the chamber, prevent the process chamber from communicating with the outside through the gap between the temperature control body and the top of the chamber, ensure that the process environment in the process chamber is always relatively clean, and improve the yield of wafers. Attached Figure Description

[0011] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a portion of the structure in existing semiconductor processing equipment;

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of seal failure in existing semiconductor processing equipment.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the process chamber disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0015] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fixing ring in the process chamber disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0016] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of another structure of the fixing ring in the process chamber disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0017] Figure 6 This is a top view of a portion of the structure of the process chamber disclosed in an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure label:

[0019] 100-chamber body,

[0020] 200-Coupled cylinder, 210-Cylinder body, 220-Flange,

[0021] 310 - Chamber top, 311 - Air inlet, 312 - Flow equalization chamber, 320 - Downward-curving edge, 330 - Air inlet pipe

[0022] 400-Temperature control assembly, 410-Temperature control body, 411-Heating unit, 412-Connecting crossbeam, 430-Limiting ring, 440-Control unit, 450-Threaded connector,

[0023] 510 - Sealing ring, 520 - Sealing ring, 530 - Sealing element

[0024] 610 - Retaining ring, 611 - First through hole, 612 - Second through hole, 621 - First connector, 622 - Second connector

[0025] 710-Base, 720-Chuck, 730-Isolation Ring

[0026] 810 - Coupling coil, 820 - Electro-induced coil

[0027] 900-Wafer. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0030] This application discloses a process chamber, which includes a chamber body 100, a coupling cylinder 200, a chamber top 310, a temperature control component 400, and a sealing ring 510. Of course, the process chamber may also include other components such as a base 710, a chuck 720, an isolation ring 730, a coupling coil 810, and an induction coil 820. Figure 3 In the example, the chuck 720 is an electrostatic chuck, supported on the base 710, and connected to a DC power supply, an RF power supply, and cooling pipes. Those skilled in the art should understand that the chuck 720 can also be a mechanical chuck or a vacuum adsorption chuck. The wafer 900 is supported by the chuck 720, an isolation ring 730 surrounds the base 710, and a coupling coil 810 surrounds the coupling cylinder 200, connected to the RF power supply. The induction coil 820 is positioned between the temperature control component 400 and the top 310 of the chamber to ensure relatively good electrical connection stability between them. Figure 3 In the example, an air inlet is provided at the top of the chamber. The air inlet can be connected to the air source through an air inlet pipe. In order to improve the uniformity of air intake, the air inlet can be a spray head.

[0031] like Figure 3 As shown, in the process chamber disclosed in this application embodiment, the coupling cylinder 200 is fixed to the side wall of the chamber body 100, and the chamber top 310 is fixed to the coupling cylinder 200. The chamber top 310, the coupling cylinder 200, and the chamber body 100 form a process chamber, in which the wafer 900 and other workpieces can be placed for processing. Specifically, both the chamber body 100 and the chamber top 310 can be reliably fixedly connected to the coupling cylinder 200 using threaded connectors such as bolts.

[0032] Of course, during the assembly of the process chamber, the interconnected components can form a sealed fit by setting gaskets or other means. Specifically, a sealing gasket or other sealing element 530 can be placed between the chamber body 100 and the coupling cylinder 200, and a sealing gasket or other sealing element 530 can also be placed between the chamber top 310 and the coupling cylinder 200, thereby ensuring that the chamber body 100, the coupling cylinder 200, and the chamber top 310 can form a sealed process chamber. In addition, an air inlet 311 can be provided on the chamber top 310, and the spray head can be connected to the air inlet 311 to ensure that the process gas can be transported into the process chamber through the air inlet 311.

[0033] Furthermore, the process chamber includes a temperature control component 400, which specifically includes a temperature control body 410 and a limiting ring 430. The temperature control component 400 is used to provide heating and temperature control so that the top 310 of the chamber can be heated, thereby preventing byproducts generated during the process from adhering to the surface of the top 310 of the chamber, and preventing byproducts from falling off and contaminating the wafer in subsequent processes.

[0034] In detail, in the temperature control assembly 400, the temperature control body 410 is the actual device used to provide temperature control. By setting a heating element such as a resistance wire inside the temperature control body 410, and by making the temperature control body 410 as a whole a thermally conductive material, the temperature control body 410 can be guaranteed to have the ability to heat the top 310 of the chamber. Furthermore, by stacking at least a portion of the temperature control body 410 on the side of the top 310 of the chamber away from the coupling cylinder 200, the relative area between the temperature control body 410 and the top 310 of the chamber is relatively large. This ensures that the heating efficiency and heating uniformity of the top 310 of the chamber are relatively high. At the same time, this also ensures that the temperature control assembly 400 is located outside the process chamber, thereby preventing the temperature control assembly 400 from having an adverse effect on the cleanliness of the process chamber.

[0035] The temperature control body 410 is fixedly connected to the chamber body 100, so that the entire temperature control assembly 400 can form a stable assembly relationship with the chamber body 100. Specifically, the temperature control body 410 can be placed on the chamber body 100, and as shown in the figure... Figure 6 As shown, threaded connectors such as bolts 450 can be used to fix the outer edge of the temperature control body 410 onto the chamber body 100, thereby achieving the purpose of fixing the temperature control body 410 and the chamber body 100.

[0036] As described above, the temperature control assembly 400 includes a limiting ring 430, such as Figure 3As shown, the limiting ring 430 is fixed in the temperature control body 410 on the side facing the top of the chamber 310. After the temperature control assembly 400 and the top of the chamber 310 are assembled, the limiting ring 430 can be arranged around the top of the chamber 310. In order to prevent the external space of the process chamber from communicating with the internal space of the process chamber through the air inlet 311 on the top of the chamber 310, the sealing ring 510 is sandwiched between the inner side wall of the limiting ring 430 and the outer side wall of the top of the chamber 310, so that the temperature control body 410 and the top of the chamber 310 can form a relatively sealed cavity. This cavity can serve as a transfer cavity for process gas. By connecting the spray head connected to the air inlet pipe 330 to the transfer cavity, the process gas in the air inlet pipe 330 can be mixed in the transfer cavity and then transported to the process chamber through the air inlet 311 of the top of the chamber 310.

[0037] More specifically, the temperature control body 410 is provided with an air inlet hole, one end of which can be connected to the air inlet pipe 330, and the other end of which can be connected to a spray head. By making the top 310 of the chamber include a flow equalization plate, and the flow equalization plate is provided with multiple air inlet holes 311, a flow equalization cavity can be formed between the flow equalization plate and the temperature control body 410, so that the process gas sent into the flow equalization cavity through the spray head can be mixed more evenly in the flow equalization cavity.

[0038] In addition, to ensure relatively good sealing of the flow equalization cavity formed between the temperature control body 410 and the flow equalization plate, a sealing ring 520 may optionally be provided between them. The sealing ring 520 may be formed of an elastic plastic material. Furthermore, an induction coil 820 may also be disposed between the temperature control body 410 and the flow equalization plate, with the induction coil 820 located outside the sealing ring 520.

[0039] Specifically, the limiting ring 430 and the temperature control body 410 can be formed separately or integrally. The inner diameter of the limiting ring 430 can be determined based on actual parameters such as the outer diameter of the top 310 of the chamber. Parameters such as the wall thickness of the limiting ring 430 can be flexibly selected according to actual needs, and this document does not impose any limitations on them. Furthermore, the temperature control assembly 400 may include a control unit 440, which controls the specific heating status of the temperature control body 410.

[0040] The sealing ring 510 can be formed of a material with good elasticity, such as rubber. The diameter and other dimensions of the sealing ring 510 are determined with the radial gap between the limiting ring 430 and the top of the chamber 310. This ensures that after the sealing ring 510 is installed between the inner side wall of the limiting ring 430 and the outer side wall of the top of the chamber 310, it can seal the gap between them, thereby preventing the inside and outside of the process chamber from communicating through the air inlet 311 on the top of the chamber 310.

[0041] This application discloses a process chamber, which includes a chamber body 100, a coupling cylinder 200, a chamber top 310, and a temperature control component 400. The coupling cylinder 200 is fixed to the side wall of the chamber body 100, and the chamber top 310 is fixed to the coupling cylinder 200. The chamber body 100, the coupling cylinder 200, and the chamber top 310 form a process chamber to provide a process environment for wafers and other workpieces.

[0042] Furthermore, the temperature control body 410 in the temperature control assembly 400 is fixed to the chamber body 100, and at least a portion of it is stacked on the side of the top 310 of the chamber away from the coupling cylinder 200 to provide heating and temperature control for the top 310 of the chamber, ensuring relatively good heating efficiency and heating uniformity of the top 310 of the chamber. The temperature control assembly 400 is also provided with a limiting ring 430 fixed to the temperature control body 410. By having the limiting ring 430 surround the outside of the top 310 of the chamber, if the top 310 of the chamber and the temperature control body 410 expand due to heat during the heating process of the temperature control assembly 400, the limiting ring 430 can limit each other radially with the top 310 of the chamber, thereby preventing the temperature control body 410 from arching away from the top 310 of the chamber.

[0043] Meanwhile, since a sealing ring 510 is also sandwiched between the inner sidewall of the limiting ring 430 and the outer sidewall of the top of the chamber 310, the sealing ring 510 located between the limiting ring 430 and the top of the chamber 310 can be squeezed after the top of the chamber 310 and the temperature control body 410 are heated and expanded (e.g., when the top of the chamber 310 and the temperature control body 410 expand due to heat). Figure 3 The force F acting on the middle limiting ring 430 and the top of the chamber 310 can further improve the sealing reliability between the limiting ring 430 and the top of the chamber 310, prevent the process chamber from communicating with the outside through the gap between the temperature control body 410 and the top of the chamber 310, ensure that the process environment in the process chamber is always relatively clean, and improve the yield of wafers.

[0044] As described above, the coupling cylinder 200 can be fixed to the side wall of the chamber body 100, and the chamber top 310 can be fixed to the coupling cylinder 200, thereby forming a process cavity. Specifically, the chamber body 100 and the chamber top 310 can be connected to the coupling cylinder 200 by bolts or other connecting parts. In another embodiment of this application, the coupling cylinder 200 and the chamber top 310 can be indirectly fixed together by means of a fixing ring 610 to prevent the chamber top 310 from stretching the coupling cylinder when it expands due to heat, which would affect the structural strength and service life of the coupling cylinder after long-term use.

[0045] In detail, the coupling cylinder 200 includes a cylinder body 210 and a flange 220, with the flange 220 connected to the outer periphery of the cylinder body 210. Specifically, the cylinder body 210 can be a cylindrical shape, and it is fixedly connected to the chamber body 100, allowing the entire coupling cylinder 200 to form a fixed connection with the chamber body 100. Specifically, the flange 220 and the cylinder body 210 can be integrally formed to improve the structural stability of the coupling cylinder 200.

[0046] To reduce the difficulty of connecting the top of the chamber and the temperature control, the top of the chamber 310 is provided with a downward-curved flange 320 on the side facing the cylinder body 210. The downward-curved flange 320 is arranged around the flange 220. In this case, the sealing ring can be sandwiched between the limiting ring 430 and the downward-curved flange 320, thereby improving the installation reliability of the sealing ring.

[0047] Based on this, the process chamber may also include a retaining ring 610, such as Figure 3 As shown, the retaining ring 610 is located on the side of the flange 220 facing away from the top 310 of the chamber. The downward-curved protrusion 320 and the limiting ring 430 are both fixedly connected to the retaining ring 610, and the flange 220 is clamped between the top 310 of the chamber and the retaining ring 610. Specifically, the limiting ring 430 and the downward-curved protrusion 320 can be fixedly connected to the retaining ring 610 by bolts or screws, so that the downward-curved protrusion 320 can form a stable fixed connection with the temperature control component 400 through the retaining ring 610.

[0048] More specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, the fixing ring 610 may have multiple fixing holes 613, each of which can be an elongated hole. These fixing holes 613 are spaced apart circumferentially around the fixing ring 610. Each fixing hole 613 is equipped with a first connecting member 621 and a second connecting member 622. This allows the limiting ring 430 to be fixedly connected to the fixing ring 610 via the first connecting member 621, and the chamber top 310 to be fixedly connected to the fixing ring 610 via the second connecting member 622, ensuring a reliable fixed connection between the chamber top 310 and the limiting ring 430. Both the first connecting member 621 and the second connecting member 622 can be threaded fasteners such as screws or bolts, ensuring a reliable connection between them.

[0049] When adopting the technical solution disclosed in this embodiment, since there is no direct connection between the top of the chamber 310 and the coupling cylinder 200, even if the top of the chamber 310 and the temperature control body 410 expand due to heat, the device directly affected is the fixing ring 610. The fixing ring 610 can expand and deform accordingly with the top of the chamber 310 and the temperature control body 410, so that the thermal stress will not be applied to the coupling cylinder 200, thereby ensuring that the service life of the coupling cylinder 200 is relatively long.

[0050] In addition, when the above technical solution is adopted, since the temperature control body 410 and the fixing ring 610 are fixedly connected, the temperature control body 410 can also be limited in the vertical direction, which further prevents the temperature control body 410 from arching away from the top of the chamber 310 due to expansion during the heating process, and further improves the reliability of the sealing connection between the limiting ring 430 and the top of the chamber 310.

[0051] As described above, both the limiting ring 430 and the top of the chamber 310 can be fixedly connected to the fixing ring 610 by bolts or screws or other connecting parts. In detail, a through hole can be provided on the fixing ring 610, and through or threaded holes can be provided at corresponding positions on the limiting ring 430 and the top of the chamber 310, so that the connecting parts passing through the through hole can cooperate with the through hole or threaded hole.

[0052] Furthermore, in order to make the fixed connection between the limiting ring 430 and the top of the chamber 310 and the fixed ring 610 more reliable, the limiting ring 430 and the top of the chamber 310 can be connected to the fixed ring 610 through multiple connectors, and the multiple connectors are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the fixed ring 610.

[0053] Specifically, the retaining ring 610 may have multiple first through holes 611, each of which may be circular, and its diameter may be determined according to the dimensions of the first connecting member 621. For example... Figure 5 As shown, multiple first perforations 611 are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the fixing ring 610, and the limiting ring 430 is fixedly connected to the fixing ring 610 through multiple first connectors 621 that pass through each of the first perforations 611 in a corresponding manner. This ensures that the connection stability between the limiting ring 430 and the fixing ring 610 is relatively high at any position in its circumference. Specifically, the number of first perforations 611 can be selected according to parameters such as the diameter of the limiting ring 430, and is not limited here. More specifically, the multiple first perforations 611 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the fixing ring 610, thereby further improving the reliability of the fixing relationship between the limiting ring 430 and the fixing ring 610.

[0054] Correspondingly, the fixing ring 610 may also be provided with a plurality of second through holes 612. The second through holes 612 may also be circular holes, and the diameter of the second through holes 612 is determined according to the size of the second connector 622. Due to the influence of the relative position between the top of the chamber 310 and the limiting ring 430, each second through hole 612 is located on the side of the first through hole 611 near the center of the fixing ring 610, that is, the second through hole 612 is located inside the first through hole 611.

[0055] like Figure 5As shown, multiple second perforations 612 are spaced apart circumferentially along the fixing ring 610, and can be evenly distributed along the circumference of the fixing ring 610. During the assembly of the fixing ring 610 and the chamber top 310, the limiting ring 430 can be fixedly connected to the fixing ring 610 by multiple second connectors 622 passing through each second perforation 612, thereby ensuring relatively high connection stability between the chamber top 310 and the fixing ring 610 at any position in its circumferential direction. Similarly, the number of second perforations 612 can be selected according to parameters such as the diameter of the limiting ring 430, and is not limited here. As mentioned above, the chamber top 310 can also be provided with a downward-curved flange 320. In this case, the second connectors 622 can be connected to the downward-curved flange 320 of the chamber top 310.

[0056] As described above, during the process of the temperature control body 410 heating the top 310 of the chamber, both will expand due to heat. Since both the temperature control body 410 and the top 310 of the chamber are directly fixed to the fixing ring 610, during the process of the temperature control body 410 and the top 310 of the chamber expanding due to heat, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the thermal stress F of both will act on the fixing ring 610, causing the fixing ring 610 to deform accordingly, which will have an adverse effect on the installation stability of the top of the chamber 310 and the temperature control body 410.

[0057] Based on the above situation, such as Figure 5 As shown, each of the first perforations 611 can be an elongated hole, and each of the first perforations 611 extends along the line connecting the first connector 621 passing through the first perforation 611 and the center of the fixing ring 610. Taking a first perforation 611 located directly to the left of the center of the fixing ring 610 as an example, with the first connector 621 inside the first perforation 611, the extension direction of the first perforation 611 is the left-right direction of the fixing ring 610, and the extension direction of the first perforation 611 passes through the center of the fixing ring 610. Similarly, the other first perforations 611 on the fixing ring 610 are all arranged in this way, so that after the temperature control body 410 expands radially due to heating, the temperature control body 410 can drive multiple first connectors 621 to move relative to the fixing ring 610 within the corresponding first perforation 611, thereby preventing the temperature control body 410 from expanding and applying thermal stress to the fixing ring 610, which would adversely affect the connection reliability between the temperature control body 410 and the fixing ring 610.

[0058] Correspondingly, each of the second perforations 612 is an elongated hole, and each of the second perforations 612 extends along the line connecting the center of the second connector 622 passing through the second perforation 612 and the center of the fixing ring 610. Thus, during the process of the top of the chamber 310 being heated and expanding radially, the top of the chamber 310 can drive multiple second connectors 622 to move relative to the fixing ring 610 within the corresponding second perforation 612. This prevents the thermal stress from the expansion of the top of the chamber 310 due to heat from being applied to the fixing ring 610, which would have an adverse effect on the reliability of the connection between the heating element and the fixing ring 610.

[0059] Based on the above embodiments, optionally, the number of the first perforation 611 and the second perforation 612 are different. In a specific embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 5 As shown, the number of first perforations 611 and second perforations 612 can be the same. Multiple first perforations 611 and multiple second perforations 612 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, and the line connecting the grouped first perforations 611 and second perforations 612 passes through the center of the fixing ring 610. This ensures that the top of the chamber 310 and the temperature control body 410 move in the same direction relative to the fixing ring 610 during the process of being heated and expanding radially, further improving the reliability of the vertical fixing relationship between the top of the chamber 310 and the temperature control body 410 and the fixing ring 610.

[0060] As described above, the temperature control body 410 can be fixedly connected to the chamber body 100 via threaded connectors 450 such as bolts. Specifically, the temperature control body 410 can be a plate-shaped structural component, with its outer edge connected to the chamber body 100. In another embodiment of this application, to reduce the weight of the temperature control body 410 and decrease the probability of damage due to thermal expansion, optionally, as... Figure 6 As shown, the temperature control body 410 includes a heating part 411 and a plurality of connecting beams 412. The plurality of connecting beams 412 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the limiting ring 430. The first end of each connecting beam 412 is fixed to the heating part 411, and the second end of each connecting beam 412 is fixed to the chamber body 100. This allows the thermal stress generated by the expansion of the heating part 411 during the heating process to act on the plurality of connecting beams 412 arranged at intervals. This makes the overall stress of the entire temperature control body 410 relatively dispersed, further preventing the temperature control body 410 from arching or deforming relative to the top 310 of the chamber when it expands.

[0061] Specifically, the heating element 411 and the plurality of connecting beams 412 can be formed separately, and the first ends of the plurality of connecting beams 412 can be fixedly connected to the outer periphery of the heating element 411 by means of bolts or screws, and the second ends of the plurality of connecting beams 412 can be fixed to the side wall of the chamber body 100 by means of means of connectors. In another embodiment of this application, the heating element 411 and the plurality of connecting beams 412 can be formed integrally to improve the connection reliability between the heating element 411 and the connecting beams 412, so as to further prevent damage to the temperature control body 410 when it is heated and expanded.

[0062] More specifically, each of the multiple connecting beams 412 can be a straight structural member, and during the arrangement of each connecting beam 412, each connecting beam 412 can extend radially along the limiting ring 430. In another embodiment of this application, as... Figure 3 As shown, at least one connecting beam 412 can be positioned with its second end higher than its first end, and the connecting beam 412 is inclined. That is, the second end of at least one connecting beam 412 on the outer side is higher than its first end on the inner side. Since the second end of the connecting beam 412 is fixedly connected to the chamber body 100, when heat is transferred from the heating part 411 to the connecting beam 412, the connecting beam 412 can generate a force from its second end to its first end. Because its second end is higher than its first end, the connecting beam 412 can exert a downward pressure on the heating part 411, further preventing the heating part 411 from arching away from the top of the chamber 310 during thermal expansion, ensuring that the sealing reliability between the entire temperature control body 410 and the top of the chamber 310 remains relatively high.

[0063] To further enhance the effectiveness of the connecting beam 412 in exerting thermal stress on the heating part 411 and pressing down on the heating part 411 when heated, as described above, at least one second end of the connecting beam 412 is positioned higher than its first end. Based on this, as... Figure 3 As shown, at least one of the aforementioned connecting beams 412 can be an arc-shaped structural member, and the connecting beam 412 protrudes in a direction close to the central axis of the heating part 411. When the connecting beam 412 adopts the aforementioned technical solution, when the first end of the connecting beam 412 applies a force to the heating part 411, the radial component of the force on the limiting ring 430 can be reduced, thereby increasing the axial component of the force on the limiting ring 430.

[0064] Furthermore, by designing the parameters of the aforementioned arc-shaped connecting beam 412, the tangential direction of the first end of at least one connecting beam 412 can be made parallel to the axial direction of the limiting ring 430 (i.e., the direction of the central axis of the limiting ring 430). That is, the first end of the connecting beam 412 extends vertically. This can further reduce or even eliminate the radial component of the force exerted by the connecting beam 412 on the heating part 411 along the limiting ring 430. As a result, the direction of the force exerted by the connecting beam 412 on the heating part 411 is the axial direction of the limiting ring 430, i.e., the vertically downward direction. This further enhances the effect of the downward pressure provided by the connecting beam 412 to the heating part 411 when it expands due to heat, and maximizes the prevention of the sealing relationship between the temperature control body 410 and the top 310 of the chamber from failing.

[0065] More specifically, the structure of each connecting beam 412 in the temperature control body 410 can be the same. In this case, each connecting beam 412 can provide a good downward pressure effect to the heating part 411 when it expands due to heat. Since multiple connecting beams 412 are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the limiting ring 430, the sealing relationship between the limiting body and the top of the chamber 310 at any position in the circumference of the limiting ring 430 is relatively stable.

[0066] As described above, a sealing ring 510 is provided between the limiting ring 430 and the top of the chamber 310 to prevent the process chamber from communicating with the outside through the air inlet 311 on the top of the chamber 310. To further improve the sealing reliability of the process chamber, such as... Figure 3 As shown, when the temperature control body 410 includes a heating part 411 and multiple connecting beams 412, a sealing ring 520 can be provided between the heating part 411 and the top 310 of the chamber, thereby further improving the sealing effect of the process chamber through multiple sealing methods. The sealing ring 520 can be made of materials such as rubber, and the specific size of the sealing ring 520 can be determined according to the gap between the temperature control body 410 and the top 310 of the chamber.

[0067] Based on the process chambers disclosed in any of the above embodiments, this application also discloses a semiconductor processing apparatus that includes any of the above process chambers.

[0068] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only 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 that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0069] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A process chamber, characterized in that, It includes a chamber body, a coupling cylinder, a chamber top, a temperature control component, and a sealing ring. The coupling cylinder is fixedly connected to the side wall of the chamber body, and the chamber top is fixedly connected to the coupling cylinder. The chamber body, the coupling cylinder, and the chamber top form a process cavity. The temperature control assembly includes a temperature control body and a limiting ring. At least a portion of the temperature control body is stacked on the top of the chamber on the side opposite to the coupling cylinder, and the temperature control body is fixedly connected to the chamber body. The limiting ring is fixed on the side of the temperature control body facing the top of the chamber, and the limiting ring is arranged around the top of the chamber. The limiting ring and the top of the chamber limit each other radially. The top of the chamber facing the coupling cylinder has a downward-curved edge, and the sealing ring is sandwiched between the limiting ring and the downward-curved edge.

2. The process chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control body is provided with an air inlet hole, and the top of the chamber includes a flow equalization plate. The flow equalization plate is provided with multiple air inlets, and a flow equalization cavity is formed between the flow equalization plate and the temperature control body.

3. The process chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that, A sealing ring and / or an induction coil are provided between the temperature control body and the flow equalization plate.

4. The process chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The coupling cylinder includes a cylinder body and a flange connected to the outer periphery of the cylinder body, and the cylinder body is fixedly connected to the chamber body; The top of the chamber is provided with a downward-curved protrusion on the side facing the cylinder body, and the downward-curved protrusion surrounds the flange; The process chamber includes a fixing ring, which is disposed on the side of the flange facing away from the top of the chamber. The lower flange and the limiting ring are both fixedly connected to the fixing ring, and the flange is sandwiched between the top of the chamber and the fixing ring.

5. The process chamber according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixing ring is provided with a plurality of fixing holes, which are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the fixing ring. Each fixing hole is provided with a first connector and a second connector. The first connector is used to fix the limiting ring and the fixing ring, and the second connector is used to fix the top of the chamber and the fixing ring.

6. The process chamber according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixing ring is provided with a plurality of first through holes, which are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the fixing ring. Each first through hole is provided with a first connector to fix the limiting ring and the fixing ring. The fixing ring is provided with a plurality of second through holes, which are distributed at intervals along the circumference of the fixing ring. Each second through hole is provided with a second connector to fix the top of the chamber and the fixing ring.

7. The process chamber according to claim 6, characterized in that, Each of the first perforations is an elongated hole, and each of the first perforations extends along the line connecting the center of the first connector passing through the first perforation and the center of the fixing ring. Each of the second perforations is an elongated hole, and each of the second perforations extends along the line connecting the center of the second connector passing through the second perforation and the center of the fixing ring.

8. The process chamber according to claim 7, characterized in that, Multiple first perforations and multiple second perforations are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence, and the line connecting the grouped first perforations and second perforations passes through the center of the fixing ring.

9. The process chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature control body includes a heating part and multiple connecting beams. The multiple connecting beams are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the limiting ring. The first end of each connecting beam is fixed to the heating part, and the second end of each connecting beam is fixed to the chamber body.

10. The process chamber according to claim 9, characterized in that, A sealing ring is provided between the heating element and the top of the chamber.

11. The process chamber according to claim 9, characterized in that, At least one of the connecting beams has its second end positioned higher than its first end, and the connecting beam is inclined.

12. The process chamber according to claim 11, characterized in that, At least one of the connecting beams, whose second end is higher than the first end, is an arc-shaped structural member and protrudes in a direction close to the central axis of the limiting ring.

13. The process chamber according to claim 12, characterized in that, The tangential direction of the first end of at least one of the arc-shaped connecting beams is parallel to the central axis of the limiting ring.

14. The process chamber according to claim 9, wherein the heating part and the plurality of connecting crossbeams are formed integrally.

15. A semiconductor processing apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the process chamber as described in any one of claims 1-14.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • System and method for treating substrate

    CN105047527A

  • Device and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

    JP2001217226A

  • Substrate Processing Equipment

    JP7092959B1

  • Antenna assembly and a plasma processing chamber having the same

    US20140083615A1