Diffuser for crossflow configuration and semiconductor processing apparatus

Abstract

The present application provides a diffuser for a cross-flow structure and a semiconductor processing apparatus. The diffuser comprises an inlet channel and a diffuser body. The diffuser body comprises a bevel chamber and a plurality of gas flow channels; a central top of the bevel chamber communicates with the inlet channel, the bevel chamber has a top profile composed of a first bevel and a second bevel and a bottom profile composed of a third bevel and a fourth bevel, the top profile and the bottom profile form an internal space with a large central space and a small edge space; an inlet of each gas flow channel communicates with the bottom profile of the bevel chamber, and the length of each gas flow channel is arranged in a stepwise decreasing manner from the middle to both sides of the edge.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to semiconductor processing equipment, and more particularly to diffusers. Background Technology

[0002] In high-K metal gate processes, atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment using solid-state chemicals typically employs a cross-flow structure with internal and external cavities, especially in the HfO2 and La2O3 layers. The precursor is mixed with gas by a mixer and then enters a slit-shaped diffuser. It then flows from one side of the reaction chamber across the wafer and to the extraction end on the other side, where it is extracted from the reaction chamber.

[0003] However, for slit diffusers, the uneven diffusion of chemicals can affect the uniformity of the film at existing or lower technology nodes. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the problem of uneven gas diffusion caused by slit-shaped diffusers, which affects the uniformity of the thin film, the present invention provides a diffuser for a crossflow structure.

[0005] The diffuser for crossflow structure provided by the present invention includes: an air intake channel and a diffuser body.

[0006] The diffuser body includes a sloping chamber and multiple airflow channels.

[0007] The central top of the inclined chamber is connected to the air intake channel. The inclined chamber has a top profile composed of a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, and a bottom profile composed of a third inclined surface and a fourth inclined surface. The top profile and the bottom profile form an internal space with a large central space and a small edge space.

[0008] The air inlet of each airflow channel is connected to the bottom contour of the inclined chamber, and the length of each airflow channel is arranged in a manner that gradually decreases from the middle to both sides of the edge.

[0009] In one embodiment, the inclined chamber is used to store and homogenize gas from the intake passage, wherein the first inclined plane and the second inclined plane are symmetrically distributed and have the same inclination, the third inclined plane and the fourth inclined plane are symmetrically distributed and have the same inclination, and the inclination of the third inclined plane and the fourth inclined plane is less than the inclination of the first inclined plane and the second inclined plane.

[0010] In one embodiment, the first inclined surface has a high side and a low side; the second inclined surface has a high side and a low side; both the high side of the first inclined surface and the high side of the second inclined surface are connected to the air intake channel, which is located at the top center of the inclined surface chamber.

[0011] In one embodiment, the third inclined plane has a high side and a low side; the fourth inclined plane has a high side and a low side; the high side of the third inclined plane is connected to the high side of the fourth inclined plane, and the connection point is the furthest from the central top position of the inclined plane chamber.

[0012] In one embodiment, the lower side of the third inclined plane is connected to the lower side of the first inclined plane; the lower side of the fourth inclined plane is connected to the lower side of the second inclined plane.

[0013] In one embodiment, the slopes of the third and fourth inclined planes are 30 degrees.

[0014] In one embodiment, each of the air passages has an air inlet and an air outlet, the air inlets being arranged one after another along the bottom contour and communicating with the inclined chamber.

[0015] In one embodiment, the outline of the air outlets of the plurality of air passages is horizontally distributed.

[0016] In one embodiment, the outline of the air outlets of the plurality of air passages is distributed with a low center and high edges.

[0017] In one embodiment, each of the airflow channels has a first segment and a second segment, wherein the aperture of the first segment is smaller than the aperture of the second segment, one end of the first segment is connected to the air inlet, one end of the second segment is connected to the air outlet, and the other ends of the first segment and the second segment are connected.

[0018] In one embodiment, the first segment of each airflow channel is distributed from the center to the edge according to the increasing aperture.

[0019] In one embodiment, the second section of each airflow channel is distributed from the center to the edge according to the increasing aperture.

[0020] The present invention also provides a semiconductor processing apparatus, including a reaction chamber having a support; a diffuser for a crossflow structure as described above, located above one side of the reaction chamber; and a pump located below the other side of the reaction chamber; wherein gas flows into the diffuser, diffuses through the diffuser into the reaction chamber, the gas flows laterally across the surface of the support, and is extracted by the pump.

[0021] The diffuser of this invention features a gas mixing chamber (sloping chamber) with an internal sloping structure. Simultaneously, a gas-uniforming structure with large and small orifices is added below the gas mixing chamber. By altering the flow resistance distribution at the edges and center, and the position of the gas-uniforming orifices, the gas distribution can be improved, enhancing film uniformity and reducing particulate matter. Furthermore, this invention can also add a fan-shaped structure or a symmetrical sloping structure to the lower surface of the diffuser, extending the flow channel length at corresponding positions, increasing the flow resistance in the central portion, and decreasing the flow resistance at the relative edges, thereby improving the gas distribution at the center and edges, enhancing film uniformity, and reducing particulate matter. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The above-described invention and the following detailed description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the drawings are merely examples of the claimed invention. In the drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same or similar elements.

[0023] Figure 1 An exploded view of a semiconductor processing device with a diffuser is shown.

[0024] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing device with a diffuser is shown.

[0025] Figure 3 A top view of a diffuser according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0026] Figure 4 A side cross-sectional view of a diffuser according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0027] Figure 5 A top view of a diffuser according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0028] Figure 6 A side cross-sectional view of a diffuser according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The following detailed description of the features and advantages of the present invention provides sufficient information for any person skilled in the art to understand and implement the invention. Furthermore, based on the specification, claims, and drawings disclosed herein, those skilled in the art can easily understand the related objectives and advantages of the invention. Although the description of the invention is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of the invention are limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may arise based on the claims of the invention. To provide a thorough understanding of the invention, numerous specific details will be included in the following description. The invention may also be implemented without using these details. Moreover, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of the invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0030] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0031] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in the relevant paragraphs and accompanying drawings. These relative terms are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that the described apparatus must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0032] It is understood that while terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, channels, assemblies, regions, layers, and / or parts, these components, channels, assemblies, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, channels, assemblies, regions, layers, and / or parts. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0033] As indicated in this application and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" are not specifically singular and may include plural forms. Generally speaking, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of explicitly identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0034] In some embodiments, numbers describing the quantity of components and attributes are used. It should be understood that such numbers used in the description of embodiments are modified in some examples with the terms "approximately," "approximately," or "generally." Unless otherwise stated, "approximately," "approximately," or "generally" indicates that the numbers are allowed to vary by ±20%. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters used in the specification and claims are approximate values, which may be changed depending on the characteristics required by individual embodiments. In some embodiments, numerical parameters should take into account specified significant digits and employ a general method of digit reservation. Although the numerical ranges and parameters used to confirm their breadth of scope in some embodiments of this application are approximate values, in specific embodiments, such values ​​are set as precisely as feasible.

[0035] Furthermore, this application uses specific terms to describe embodiments of the application. For example, "an embodiment," "one embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic related to at least one embodiment of the application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" mentioned twice or more in different locations in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the application can be appropriately combined.

[0036] Figure 1 An exploded view of a semiconductor processing device with a diffuser is shown. This diffuser is used in a crossflow structure. Figure 1 As shown, the gas (e.g., precursor) flows in the direction indicated by the arrow. After flowing into the diffuser 101, the gas diffuses into the reaction chamber, flows laterally across the surface of the support member, and is finally extracted by the vacuum pump 102.

[0037] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing device with a diffuser is shown. This diffuser is used in a crossflow structure. Figure 2 As shown, the semiconductor processing device is located inside the vacuum chamber 204. This semiconductor processing device has a crossflow structure and includes a diffuser 205, a reaction chamber 200, and a vacuum pump 202. The diffuser 205 is located on the top surface of one side of the reaction chamber 200. Gas flows into the inlet channel 201 of the diffuser 205, which is horizontally oriented. The gas flows vertically from the diffuser 205 through the diffuser port from the top of one side of the reaction chamber 200, flows horizontally across the support member 203, and then flows out from the bottom of the other side of the reaction chamber 200, where it is extracted by the vacuum pump 202.

[0038] Figure 3 A bottom view of a diffuser according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 4 A side cross-sectional view of a diffuser according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0039] Combination Figure 3 and Figure 4 The diffuser includes an air intake channel 301 and a diffuser body 302. The diffuser body 302 includes a sloped chamber 304 and multiple airflow channels 309.

[0040] The central top of the inclined chamber 304 is connected to the air intake passage 301. The inclined chamber 304 is used to store and homogenize the gas from the air intake passage 301.

[0041] The inclined chamber 304 has a first inclined surface 305, a second inclined surface 306, a third inclined surface 307, and a fourth inclined surface 308. The first inclined surface 305, the second inclined surface 306, the third inclined surface 307, and the fourth inclined surface 308 form the cavity outline of the inclined chamber 304, wherein the first inclined surface 305 and the second inclined surface 306 form the top outline, and the third inclined surface 307 and the fourth inclined surface 308 form the bottom outline. The top outline and the bottom outline form an internal space with a large central space and a small edge space.

[0042] The first inclined plane 305 and the second inclined plane 306 are symmetrically distributed and have the same slope.

[0043] The first inclined plane 305 has a high side and a low side.

[0044] The second inclined plane 306 has a high side and a low side.

[0045] Both the high side of the first inclined surface 305 and the high side of the second inclined surface 306 are connected to the air intake channel 301, which is located at the top center of the inclined surface chamber 304.

[0046] The third inclined plane 307 and the fourth inclined plane 308 are symmetrically distributed and have the same slope.

[0047] In one embodiment, the slopes of the third and fourth inclined planes are 30 degrees.

[0048] The slopes of the third slope 307 and the fourth slope 308 are less than the slopes of the first slope 305 and the second slope 306.

[0049] The third inclined plane 307 has a high side and a low side.

[0050] The fourth inclined plane 308 has a high side and a low side.

[0051] The high side of the third inclined plane 307 connects to the high side of the fourth inclined plane 308. The connection point is the furthest from the central top of the inclined plane chamber. See [link / reference]. Figure 4 The dashed line 312 in the figure. The advantage of this arrangement is that the internal space of the inclined chamber 304 is arranged with a large central space and a small edge space, so as to lengthen the flow resistance in the middle and allow the gas to be better homogenized in the inclined chamber 304.

[0052] The lower side of the third inclined plane 307 is connected to the lower side of the first inclined plane 305.

[0053] The lower side of the fourth inclined plane 308 is connected to the lower side of the second inclined plane 306.

[0054] The air inlet of each airflow channel 309 is connected to the bottom contour of the inclined chamber 304, and the length of each airflow channel 309 is arranged in a manner that gradually decreases from the middle to both sides of the edge.

[0055] Specifically, each airflow channel 309 has an inlet and an outlet. The inlets of each airflow channel 309 are arranged adjacent to the third inclined surface 307 and the fourth inclined surface 308, and are connected to the inclined surface chamber 304. The gas in the inclined surface chamber 304 enters the airflow channel 309 through the inlet and exits through the outlet. The outlets are horizontally distributed.

[0056] Because the inlets of each gas flow channel are arranged adjacent to the third and fourth inclined planes, and the outlets are all horizontally distributed, the length of each gas flow channel gradually decreases from the center to the sides. The advantage of this design is that the flow channel is longer at the center and relatively shorter at the edges. Due to the longer central flow channel, the corresponding flow resistance increases, preventing the reactant gas from being overly concentrated in the center of the reaction chamber. Instead, it allows for a more uniform distribution both in the center and around the perimeter, resulting in more uniform deposition.

[0057] In one embodiment, each airflow channel 309 has a first segment 310 and a second segment 311, wherein the aperture of the first segment 310 is smaller than the aperture of the second segment 311. One end of the first segment 310 is connected to an air inlet, one end of the second segment 311 is connected to an air outlet, and the other ends of the first segment and the second segment are connected together.

[0058] In one embodiment, the first segment of each airflow channel is distributed from the center to the edge according to the increasing aperture.

[0059] In one embodiment, the diameter of the first section of the airflow channel ranges from 0.1 to 1 mm.

[0060] In one embodiment, the second section of each airflow channel is distributed from the center to the edge according to the increasing aperture.

[0061] In one embodiment, the diameter of the second section of the airflow channel located in the middle ranges from 1 to 5 mm.

[0062] In one embodiment, the diameter of the second segment of the airflow channel located at the edge ranges from 1 to 6 mm.

[0063] The reactant gas (or precursor) is introduced into the inclined chamber through the inlet channel for homogenization, and then homogenized through the two-stage flow channel. The flow resistance distribution at the edge and center is changed. In addition, the flow channel is also distributed with a small diameter at the center and a large diameter at the edge. The diameter gradually increases from the center to the edge, which is conducive to uniform gas diffusion and reduces particulate matter.

[0064] Figure 5 A top view of a diffuser according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 6 A side cross-sectional view of a diffuser according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0065] Combination Figure 5 and Figure 6 The diffuser includes an air intake channel 501 and a diffuser body 502. The diffuser body 502 includes a sloped chamber 504 and multiple airflow channels 509.

[0066] The inclined chamber 504 is used to store and homogenize the gas from the intake passage 501.

[0067] The inclined chamber 504 has a first inclined surface 505, a second inclined surface 506, a third inclined surface 507, and a fourth inclined surface 508. The first inclined surface 505, the second inclined surface 506, the third inclined surface 507, and the fourth inclined surface 508 form the cavity outline of the inclined chamber 504, wherein the first inclined surface 505 and the second inclined surface 506 form the top outline, and the third inclined surface 507 and the fourth inclined surface 508 form the bottom outline. The top outline and the bottom outline form an internal space with a large central space and a small edge space.

[0068] The first inclined plane 505 and the second inclined plane 506 are symmetrically distributed and have the same slope.

[0069] The first inclined plane 505 has a high side and a low side.

[0070] The second inclined plane 506 has a high side and a low side.

[0071] Both the high side of the first inclined surface 505 and the high side of the second inclined surface 506 are connected to the air intake channel 501, which is located at the top center of the inclined surface chamber 504.

[0072] The third inclined plane 507 and the fourth inclined plane 508 are symmetrically distributed and have the same slope.

[0073] In one embodiment, the slopes of the third and fourth inclined planes are 30 degrees.

[0074] The slopes of the third slope 507 and the fourth slope 508 are less than the slopes of the first slope 505 and the second slope 506.

[0075] The third inclined plane 507 has a high side and a low side.

[0076] The fourth inclined plane 508 has a high side and a low side.

[0077] The high side of the third inclined plane 507 connects to the high side of the fourth inclined plane 508. The connection point is the furthest from the central top of the inclined plane chamber. See [link / reference needed]. Figure 6 The dotted line 512 in the diagram. The advantage of this arrangement is that the internal space of the inclined chamber 504 is arranged with a large central space and a small edge space, so as to lengthen the flow resistance in the middle and allow the gas to be better homogenized in the inclined chamber 504.

[0078] The lower side of the third inclined plane 507 is connected to the lower side of the first inclined plane 505.

[0079] The lower side of the fourth inclined plane 508 is connected to the lower side of the second inclined plane 506.

[0080] The air inlet of each airflow channel 509 is connected to the bottom contour of the inclined chamber 504, and the length of each airflow channel 509 is arranged in a manner that gradually decreases from the middle to both sides of the edge.

[0081] Specifically, each airflow channel 509 has an inlet and an outlet. The inlets of each airflow channel 509 are arranged adjacent to the third inclined surface 507 and the fourth inclined surface 508, and communicate with the inclined surface chamber 504. Gas in the inclined surface chamber 504 enters the airflow channel 509 through the inlet and exits through the outlet. The bottom surfaces of the outlets form a profile that is low in the middle and high at the edges, with the central outlet being the lowest point and the outermost outlets on the left and right sides being the highest points. This profile can be fan-shaped or a symmetrically distributed sloping type with a low center and high sides. Compared to... Figure 3 and Figure 4 The airflow channel design, Figure 5 and Figure 6 The gas flow channel in the middle section is further extended. The advantage of this design is that increasing the length of the flow channel at the center can increase the corresponding flow resistance, so that the reaction gas can not accumulate too much in the center of the reaction chamber, but can be evenly distributed in the center and the periphery, resulting in more uniform deposition.

[0082] In one embodiment, each airflow channel 509 has a first section 510 and a second section 511, wherein the aperture of the first section 510 is smaller than the aperture of the second section 511. One end of the first section 510 is connected to an air inlet, one end of the second section 511 is connected to an air outlet, and the other ends of the first section and the second section are connected together.

[0083] In one embodiment, the first section of the airflow channel is distributed from the center to the edge according to the increasing aperture.

[0084] In one embodiment, the diameter of the first section of the airflow channel ranges from 0.1 to 1 mm.

[0085] In one embodiment, the second section of the airflow channel is distributed from the center to the edge according to the increasing aperture.

[0086] In one embodiment, the diameter of the second section of the airflow channel located in the middle ranges from 1 to 5 mm.

[0087] In one embodiment, the diameter of the second segment of the airflow channel located at the edge ranges from 1 to 6 mm.

[0088] The reactant gas (or precursor) is introduced into the inclined chamber through the inlet channel for homogenization, and then homogenized through a two-stage flow channel. This alters the flow resistance distribution at the edge and center. Furthermore, the flow channel also exhibits a distribution with a small aperture at the center and a large aperture at the edge, gradually increasing in diameter from the center to the edge. This promotes uniform gas diffusion and reduces particulate matter. In addition, this invention can add a fan-shaped structure or a symmetrical ramp structure to the lower surface of the diffuser, extending the flow channel length at the corresponding location, increasing the flow resistance in the central part, and decreasing the flow resistance at the relative edge. This improves the gas distribution at the center and edge, enhances film uniformity, and reduces particulate matter.

[0089] The terminology and expressions used above are for descriptive purposes only, and the invention should not be limited to these terms and expressions. The use of these terms and expressions does not mean excluding any illustrative and descriptive equivalent features (or parts thereof), and it should be recognized that various modifications that may exist should also be included within the scope of the claims. Other modifications, variations, and substitutions may also exist. Accordingly, the claims should be considered to cover all such equivalents.

[0090] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description of the present application and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention, the foregoing description of the embodiments of the present application sometimes combines multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not imply that the subject matter of the present application requires more features than those mentioned in the claims.

[0091] Similarly, it should be noted that although the present invention has been described with reference to the specific embodiments described above, those skilled in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention, and various equivalent changes or substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, any changes or modifications to the above embodiments within the scope of the essential spirit of the present invention will fall within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A diffuser for a crossflow structure, characterized in that, include: Air intake passage and diffuser body; The diffuser body includes a sloping chamber and multiple airflow channels; The central top of the inclined chamber is connected to the air intake channel. The inclined chamber has a top profile composed of a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface, and a bottom profile composed of a third inclined surface and a fourth inclined surface. The top profile and the bottom profile form an internal space with a large central space and a small edge space. The air inlet of each airflow channel is connected to the bottom contour of the inclined chamber, and the length of each airflow channel is arranged to gradually decrease from the middle to both sides of the edge. Each of the airflow channels has a first section and a second section, wherein the aperture of the first section is smaller than the aperture of the second section, one end of the first section is connected to the air inlet of the airflow channel, one end of the second section is connected to the air outlet of the airflow channel, and the other ends of the first section and the second section are connected.

2. The diffuser for a crossflow structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The inclined chamber is used to store and homogenize the gas from the intake channel. The first inclined plane and the second inclined plane are symmetrically distributed and have the same inclination. The third inclined plane and the fourth inclined plane are symmetrically distributed and have the same inclination. The inclination of the third inclined plane and the fourth inclined plane is less than that of the first inclined plane and the second inclined plane.

3. The diffuser for a crossflow structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first inclined surface has a high side and a low side; the second inclined surface has a high side and a low side; the high side of the first inclined surface and the high side of the second inclined surface are both connected to the air intake channel, which is located at the top center of the inclined surface chamber.

4. The diffuser for a crossflow structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The third inclined plane has a high side and a low side; the fourth inclined plane has a high side and a low side; the high side of the third inclined plane is connected to the high side of the fourth inclined plane, and the distance from the connection point to the central top position of the inclined plane chamber is the longest.

5. The diffuser for a crossflow structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower side of the third inclined plane is connected to the lower side of the first inclined plane; the lower side of the fourth inclined plane is connected to the lower side of the second inclined plane.

6. The diffuser for a crossflow structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The slopes of the third and fourth inclined planes are 30 degrees.

7. The diffuser for a crossflow structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlets are arranged one after another along the bottom contour and are connected to the inclined chamber.

8. The diffuser for a crossflow structure as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The outline of the air outlets of the multiple airflow channels is horizontally distributed.

9. The diffuser for a crossflow structure as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The outline of the air outlets of the multiple airflow channels is distributed with a low center and high edges.

10. The diffuser for a crossflow structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The first section of each airflow channel is distributed from the middle to the edge according to the increasing aperture.

11. The diffuser for a crossflow structure as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The second section of each airflow channel is distributed from the middle to the edge according to the increasing orifice diameter.

12. A semiconductor processing apparatus, characterized in that, include: A reaction chamber with supporting components; The diffuser for the crossflow structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 11 is located above the top of one side of the reaction chamber; A vacuum pump located on the other side below the reaction chamber; The gas flows into the diffuser and diffuses into the reaction chamber. The gas flows laterally across the surface of the support and is then extracted by the pump.

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