Method for detecting the state of a radio frequency rod, device and method for depositing a thin film

Abstract

The application provides a detection method and device for the state of a radio frequency rod and a thin film deposition method. The detection method comprises the following steps: placing an electrode plate on the upper surface of the heating disc and making the lower surface of the electrode plate fully contact the upper surface of the heating disc; connecting one end of a capacitance tester to the electrode plate and the other end to the lower end of the radio frequency rod to determine the actual capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the radio frequency rod; and determining the connection state of the radio frequency rod and the radio frequency electrode according to the actual capacitance value. The application can collect the actual capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the radio frequency rod and determine the connection state of the radio frequency rod and the radio frequency electrode according to the actual capacitance value, thereby preventing the poor contact between the radio frequency rod and the radio frequency electrode from affecting the precision and stability of the thin film deposition process.

Description

Methods, apparatus, and thin film deposition methods for detecting the state of radio frequency rods. Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor device fabrication, and more particularly to a method for detecting the state of a radio frequency (RF) rod, a device for detecting the state of an RF rod, and a thin film deposition method. Background Technology

[0002] In existing thin-film deposition equipment, the problem of loose RF rods frequently occurs. These RF rods, made of conductive material, connect to RF electrodes in a heating plate. However, loose RF rods result in poor welding between the RF electrodes and the rod, leading to unstable plasma energy. This affects the uniformity and repeatability of the process, ultimately reducing film quality. Furthermore, without proper grounding, static electricity in the plasma field cannot be effectively released, potentially accumulating to a sufficiently high potential and triggering arcing, causing permanent damage to the heating plate. Secondly, electromagnetic radiation generated by the lack of grounding can interfere with other surrounding electronic equipment. In addition, poor contact caused by loose RF rods can weaken the electrostatic chuck (ESC), causing wafer misalignment, directly affecting the accuracy and stability of the process, and even triggering alarms.

[0003] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the existing technology, there is an urgent need in the field for an improved method for detecting the status of the RF rod, which can be used to detect the connection status between the RF rod and the RF electrode online, thereby preventing poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode from affecting the accuracy and stability of the thin film deposition process. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0005] To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in the existing technology, this invention provides a method for detecting the state of an RF rod, a device for detecting the state of an RF rod, and a thin film deposition method. This method can collect the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod and make a judgment based on the actual capacitance value. This is used to detect the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode online, thereby preventing poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode from affecting the accuracy and stability of the thin film deposition process.

[0006] Specifically, the method for detecting the state of the radio frequency (RF) rod according to the first aspect of the present invention. The RF rod is made of a conductive material, and its upper end is connected to an RF electrode in a heating plate of a thin film deposition apparatus. The detection method includes the following steps: placing an electrode plate on the upper surface of the heating plate, and ensuring that the lower surface of the electrode plate is in full contact with the upper surface of the heating plate; connecting one end of a capacitance meter to the electrode plate and the other end to the lower end of the RF rod to determine the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod; and determining the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode based on the measured capacitance value.

[0007] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the step of determining the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode based on the measured capacitance value includes: determining that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode in response to the measured capacitance value being greater than or equal to a preset capacitance threshold; and determining that the RF rod is detached from the RF electrode in response to the measured capacitance value being less than the capacitance threshold.

[0008] Further, in some embodiments of the present invention, the step of connecting one end of the capacitance tester to the electrode plate and the other end to the lower end of the RF rod to determine the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod includes: connecting one end of the capacitance tester to the electrode plate and the other end to the lower end of the RF rod to repeatedly collect the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod. The step of determining the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode based on the measured capacitance value further includes: determining that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode in response to multiple collected measured capacitance values ​​being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold; and determining that the RF rod is detached from the RF electrode in response to multiple collected measured capacitance values ​​being less than the capacitance threshold.

[0009] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the step of determining the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode based on the measured capacitance value further includes: in response to at least one of the multiple measured capacitance values ​​being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold, and at least another of the multiple measured capacitance values ​​being less than the capacitance threshold, adding a counterweight to the lower end of the RF rod to pull the RF rod away from the heating plate, and again measuring the capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod; in response to the again measured capacitance value being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold, determining that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode; and in response to the again measured capacitance value being less than the capacitance threshold, determining that there is poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode.

[0010] Further, in some embodiments of the present invention, the step of re-collecting the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod includes: repeatedly collecting the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod. The step of determining that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode in response to the re-collected measured capacitance value being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold includes: determining that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode in response to the re-collected measured capacitance value being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold. The step of determining poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode in response to the re-collected measured capacitance value being less than the capacitance threshold includes: determining poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode in response to at least one of the re-collected measured capacitance values ​​being less than the capacitance threshold.

[0011] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the invention, the RF rod extends within the handle of the heating plate. The handle is connected to a mounting bracket of the heating plate via a mounting assembly. The step of connecting one end of the capacitance tester to the electrode plate and the other end to the lower end of the RF rod includes: clamping a first clamp of the capacitance tester onto the electrode plate; inserting a first end of an extended strap made of conductive material into a probe hole of the mounting assembly to connect to the lower end of the RF rod, and clamping a second clamp of the capacitance tester onto a second end of the extended strap.

[0012] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the step of adding a counterweight to the lower end of the radio frequency rod to pull the radio frequency rod away from the heating plate includes: connecting the counterweight to a second threaded portion of the second end of the extended strap via a first threaded portion of the counterweight to pull the radio frequency rod downward.

[0013] Furthermore, the detection device for the state of the radio frequency rod provided according to the second aspect of the present invention includes an electrode plate and a capacitance tester. The lower surface of the electrode plate is in full contact with the upper surface of the heating plate of the thin film deposition apparatus. One end of the capacitance tester is connected to the electrode plate, and the other end is connected to the lower end of a radio frequency rod, for detecting the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the radio frequency rod, thereby determining the connection state between the radio frequency rod and the radio frequency electrode. The radio frequency rod is made of a conductive material, and its upper end is connected to the radio frequency electrode in the heating plate.

[0014] Furthermore, the thin film deposition method provided by the third aspect of the present invention includes the following steps: before performing thin film deposition on a wafer, the connection status of the radio frequency rod of the thin film deposition apparatus and the radio frequency electrode in the heating plate is detected by a detection device as provided by the second aspect of the present invention; in response to the detection result that the radio frequency rod is securely connected to the radio frequency electrode, the thin film deposition is allowed to be performed; and in response to the detection result that the radio frequency rod is detached from the radio frequency electrode or that there is poor contact between the two, a corresponding alarm signal is output, and / or the thin film deposition is prevented from being performed.

[0015] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, during the thin film deposition process, the RF rod provides an RF voltage to the RF electrode to cooperate with another RF electrode of the thin film deposition apparatus to form in-situ plasma in the process chamber of the thin film deposition apparatus. And / or during the thin film deposition process, the RF rod provides an AC voltage to the RF electrode to electrostatically attract the wafer via the heating plate. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The above-described features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related characteristics or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0017] Figure 1 illustrates a device for detecting the state of a radio frequency rod according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 shows a flowchart of a method for detecting the state of an RF rod according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 shows a flowchart of a method for detecting the state of an RF rod according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 4 shows a schematic flowchart of a thin film deposition method provided according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0021] Figure label:

[0022] 11 Electrode plates

[0023] 12 Capacitance Tester

[0024] 13 RF rods

[0025] 14 Radio Frequency Electrodes

[0026] 15 Heating Plate

[0027] 16 wafers

[0028] 17 Install Components Detailed Implementation

[0029] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present 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 be derived based on the claims of the present invention. To provide a thorough understanding of the invention, many specific details will be included in the following description. The invention may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, 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 although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or parts. Therefore, the first components, regions, layers, and / or parts discussed below may be referred to as second components, regions, layers, and / or parts without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0033] As mentioned above, loose RF rods cause poor soldering between the RF electrodes and the RF rods, leading to unstable energy in the plasma field. This affects the uniformity and repeatability of the process, thus reducing the quality of the thin film. Furthermore, without proper grounding, static electricity in the plasma field cannot be effectively released, potentially accumulating to a sufficiently high potential and triggering arcing, resulting in permanent damage to the heating plate. Secondly, electromagnetic radiation generated by the lack of grounding may interfere with other surrounding electronic equipment. In addition, poor contact caused by loose RF rods may weaken the electrostatic chuck (ESC), causing wafer misalignment, directly affecting the accuracy and stability of the process, and even triggering alarms.

[0034] To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in the existing technology, this invention provides a method for detecting the state of an RF rod, a device for detecting the state of an RF rod, and a thin film deposition method. This method can collect the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod and make a judgment based on the actual capacitance value. This is used to detect the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode online, thereby preventing poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode from affecting the accuracy and stability of the thin film deposition process.

[0035] In some non-limiting embodiments, the method for detecting the state of the radio frequency pole provided in the first aspect of the present invention can be implemented based on the device for detecting the state of the radio frequency pole provided in the second aspect of the present invention.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 1 for details. Figure 1 illustrates a detection device for the status of an RF rod according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0037] In the embodiment shown in FIG1, the detection device for the RF rod status provided in the second aspect of the present invention includes an electrode plate 11 and a capacitance tester 12. Here, the lower surface of the electrode plate 11 is in full contact with the upper surface of the heating plate of the thin film deposition apparatus. One end of the capacitance tester 12 is connected to the electrode plate 11, and the other end is connected to the lower end of an RF rod 13, for detecting the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate 11 to the lower end of the RF rod 13, so as to determine the connection status between the RF rod 13 and the RF electrode 14. The RF rod 13 is made of conductive material, and its upper end is connected to the RF electrode 14 (e.g., a mesh electrode) in the heating plate 15.

[0038] The working principle of the above-mentioned RF rod state detection device will be described below with reference to some embodiments of RF rod state detection methods. Those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments of RF rod state detection methods are merely non-limiting implementations provided by the present invention, intended to clearly demonstrate the main concepts of the invention and provide specific solutions convenient for public implementation, rather than limiting all functions or operating methods of the RF rod state detection device. Similarly, the RF rod state detection device is also merely a non-limiting implementation of the present invention and does not limit the executing entity or execution order of the steps in these RF rod state detection methods.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 2. Figure 2 shows a flowchart illustrating a method for detecting the state of an RF rod according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2, the detection device for the radio frequency rod state provided in the second aspect of the present invention can first place an electrode plate 11 on the upper surface of the heating plate 15 and make the lower surface of the electrode plate 11 fully contact the upper surface of the heating plate 15.

[0041] Then, the testing device can connect one end of the capacitance tester 12 to the electrode plate 11 and the other end to the lower end of the radio frequency rod 13 to determine the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate 11 to the lower end of the radio frequency rod 13.

[0042] Then, the detection device can determine the connection status between the RF rod 13 and the RF electrode 14 based on the measured capacitance value.

[0043] Specifically, in response to the measured capacitance value being greater than or equal to a preset capacitance threshold (e.g., 3.0 nF), or both being on the order of nF, the detection device can determine that the RF rod 13 is securely connected to the RF electrode 14.

[0044] Conversely, if the measured capacitance value is less than the capacitance threshold (e.g., 2.0 nF) or is in the order of pF, the detection device can determine that the RF rod 13 is disconnected from the RF electrode 14.

[0045] Please refer further to Figure 3. Figure 3 shows a schematic flowchart of a method for detecting the state of an RF rod according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0046] In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the detection device can connect one end of the capacitance tester 12 to the electrode plate 11 and the other end to the lower end of the radio frequency rod 13 to collect the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate 11 to the lower end of the radio frequency rod 13 multiple times.

[0047] Please refer to Tables 1 to 3. Table 1 shows the measured capacitance values ​​of the RF rod when it is securely connected to the RF electrode according to some embodiments of the present invention. Table 2 shows the measured capacitance values ​​of the RF rod when there is poor contact with the RF electrode according to some embodiments of the present invention. Table 3 shows the measured capacitance values ​​of the RF rod when it is detached from the RF electrode according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0048] Table 1. Measured capacitance values ​​of the RF electrodes when the RF rod is securely connected.

[0049]

[0050] Table 2 shows the measured capacitance values ​​for poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode.

[0051]

[0052] Table 3. Measured capacitance values ​​of the RF rod disconnected from the RF electrode.

[0053]

[0054] Subsequently, as shown in Table 1, in response to the fact that the measured capacitance values ​​collected multiple times are all greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold (e.g., 3.0 nF), or are all on the order of nF, the detection device can determine that the RF rod 13 is securely connected to the RF electrode 14.

[0055] Conversely, as shown in Table 3, if the measured capacitance values ​​collected multiple times are all less than the capacitance threshold (e.g., 2.0 nF) or are all in the order of pF, the detection device can determine that the RF rod 13 is detached from the RF electrode 14.

[0056] Alternatively, in some embodiments, in response to at least one of the multiple measured capacitance values ​​being greater than or equal to a capacitance threshold, and at least another of the multiple measured capacitance values ​​being less than a capacitance threshold, the detection device may add a counterweight (e.g., 25N) to the lower end of the RF rod 13 to pull the RF rod 13 away from the heating plate, and then collect the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate 11 to the lower end of the RF rod 13 again.

[0057] Subsequently, in response to the measured capacitance value being acquired again being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold, the detection device can determine that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode.

[0058] Conversely, if the measured capacitance value collected again is less than the capacitance threshold, the detection device can determine that there is poor contact between the RF rod 13 and the RF electrode 14. In this case of poor contact, the RF rod 13 and the RF electrode 14 are connected, but the conductivity is poor and unstable.

[0059] Furthermore, during the process of re-collecting the measured capacitance value, the detection device can repeatedly collect the measured capacitance value from the lower end of the electrode plate 11 to the radio frequency rod 13.

[0060] Subsequently, in response to the fact that the measured capacitance values ​​collected multiple times are all greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold, the detection device can determine that the RF rod 13 is securely connected to the RF electrode 14.

[0061] Conversely, as shown in Table 2, if at least one of the measured capacitance values ​​collected multiple times is less than the capacitance threshold, the detection device can determine that there is poor contact between the RF rod 13 and the RF electrode 14.

[0062] Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the RF rod 13 extends within the handle of the heating plate 15, which is connected to the mounting bracket of the heating plate 15 via a mounting assembly 17. Specifically, the testing device can clamp the first clamp of the capacitance tester 12 onto the electrode plate 11. Then, the testing device can insert the first end of an extended strap made of conductive material into the probe hole of the mounting assembly 17 to connect the lower end of the RF rod 13, and clamp the second clamp of the capacitance tester 12 onto the second end of the extended strap.

[0063] Here, during the process of pulling the radio frequency rod 13 away from the heating plate, the detection device can connect it to the second threaded part of the second end of the extended strap via the first threaded part of the counterweight to pull the radio frequency rod 13 downward.

[0064] Please refer further to Figure 4. Figure 4 shows a schematic flow diagram of a thin film deposition method provided according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0065] As shown in Figure 4, before performing thin film deposition on wafer 16, technicians can first detect the connection status between the RF rod 13 of the thin film deposition equipment and the RF electrode 14 in the heating plate 15 using the detection device provided in the second aspect of the present invention.

[0066] Subsequently, in response to the detection result of the RF rod 13 being securely connected to the RF electrode 14, thin film deposition can be performed.

[0067] Conversely, in response to the detection result of the RF rod 13 disengaging from the RF electrode 14 or poor contact between the two, a corresponding alarm signal can be output, and / or the thin film deposition process can be prevented.

[0068] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the RF rod 13 provides an RF voltage to the RF electrode 14 during the thin film deposition process to cooperate with another RF electrode of the thin film deposition apparatus to form in-situ plasma in the process chamber of the thin film deposition apparatus.

[0069] Alternatively, in some embodiments, the RF rod 13 provides an AC voltage to the RF electrode 14 during thin film deposition to electrostatically attract the wafer 16 via the heating plate 15.

[0070] Thus, the thin film deposition method provided by the third aspect of the present invention can improve detection efficiency through online detection and enhance the processing accuracy and stability of the thin film deposition process.

[0071] In summary, the above-mentioned method for detecting the state of the RF rod, the device for detecting the state of the RF rod, and the thin film deposition method provided by the present invention can all detect the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode online by collecting the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod and making a judgment based on the actual capacitance value. This prevents poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode from affecting the accuracy and stability of the thin film deposition process.

[0072] Although the methods described above are illustrated and depicted as a series of actions for the sake of simplicity, it should be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the actions, as some actions may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other actions from the illustrations and descriptions herein or not illustrated and described herein but which may be understood by those skilled in the art, according to one or more embodiments.

[0073] Those skilled in the art will understand that information, signals, and data can be represented using any of a variety of different techniques and arts. For example, the data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips described throughout the above description can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, light fields or optical particles, or any combination thereof.

[0074] Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability between hardware and software, the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described above in a generalized manner in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in different ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be construed as departing from the scope of the invention.

[0075] The various illustrative logic modules and circuits described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed using a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in alternatives, it may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors cooperating with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0076] The steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of both. The software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor such that the processor can read and write information to / from the storage medium. In an alternative, the storage medium may be integrated into the processor. The processor and storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In an alternative, the processor and storage medium may reside as discrete components in the user terminal.

[0077] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the described functionality may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software as a computer program product, the functionality may be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on or through a computer-readable medium. A computer-readable medium includes both computer storage media and communication media, encompassing any medium that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one location to another. A storage medium may be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible to a computer. Any connection is also legitimately referred to as a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of a medium. As used in this article, disk and disc include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital multi-purpose discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs. Disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of these should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0078] The prior description of this disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for detecting the state of an RF rod, wherein, The radio frequency (RF) rod is made of conductive material, and its upper end is connected to an RF electrode in a heating plate of a thin film deposition apparatus. The detection method comprises the following steps: placing an electrode plate on the upper surface of the heating plate, and ensuring that the lower surface of the electrode plate is in full contact with the upper surface of the heating plate; connecting one end of a capacitance meter to the electrode plate and the other end to the lower end of the RF rod to determine the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod; and determining the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode based on the measured capacitance value.

2. The detection method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode based on the measured capacitance value includes: determining that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode in response to the measured capacitance value being greater than or equal to a preset capacitance threshold; and determining that the RF rod is detached from the RF electrode in response to the measured capacitance value being less than the capacitance threshold.

3. The detection method as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The step of connecting one end of the capacitance tester to the electrode plate and the other end to the lower end of the RF rod to determine the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod includes: connecting one end of the capacitance tester to the electrode plate and the other end to the lower end of the RF rod to repeatedly collect the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod; the step of determining the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode based on the measured capacitance value further includes: determining that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode in response to the multiple collected measured capacitance values ​​being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold; and determining that the RF rod is detached from the RF electrode in response to the multiple collected measured capacitance values ​​being less than the capacitance threshold.

4. The detection method as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The step of determining the connection status of the RF rod and the RF electrode based on the measured capacitance value further includes: in response to at least one of the multiple measured capacitance values ​​being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold, and at least another of the multiple measured capacitance values ​​being less than the capacitance threshold, adding a counterweight to the lower end of the RF rod to pull the RF rod away from the heating plate, and again measuring the capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod; in response to the again measured capacitance value being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold, determining that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode; and in response to the again measured capacitance value being less than the capacitance threshold, determining that there is poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode.

5. The detection method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The step of re-collecting the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod includes: repeatedly collecting the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod. The step of determining that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode in response to the re-collected measured capacitance value being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold includes: determining that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode in response to the re-collected measured capacitance value being greater than or equal to the capacitance threshold. The step of determining that there is poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode in response to the re-collected measured capacitance value being less than the capacitance threshold includes: determining that there is poor contact between the RF rod and the RF electrode in response to at least one of the re-collected measured capacitance values ​​being less than the capacitance threshold.

6. The detection method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The RF rod extends in the handle of the heating plate, the handle being connected to the mounting bracket of the heating plate via a mounting assembly. The step of connecting one end of the capacitance tester to the electrode plate and the other end to the lower end of the RF rod includes: clamping the first clamp of the capacitance tester to the electrode plate; inserting the first end of an extended strap made of conductive material into the probe hole of the mounting assembly to connect to the lower end of the RF rod, and clamping the second clamp of the capacitance tester to the second end of the extended strap.

7. The detection method as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The step of adding a counterweight to the lower end of the RF rod to pull the RF rod away from the heating plate includes: connecting the counterweight to a second threaded portion of the second end of the extended strap via a first threaded portion of the counterweight to pull the RF rod downward.

8. A device for detecting the state of a radio frequency rod, characterized in that, The device includes: an electrode plate, the lower surface of which is in full contact with the upper surface of the heating plate of the thin film deposition apparatus; and a capacitance tester, one end of which is connected to the electrode plate and the other end of which is connected to the lower end of an RF rod, for detecting the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod to determine the connection state between the RF rod and the RF electrode in the heating plate, wherein the RF rod is made of conductive material and its upper end is connected to the RF electrode.

9. A thin film deposition method, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Before performing thin film deposition on the wafer, the electrode plate of the detection device as described in claim 8 is placed on the upper surface of the heating plate, and the lower surface of the electrode plate is in full contact with the upper surface of the heating plate; one end of a capacitance tester is connected to the electrode plate, and the other end is connected to the lower end of the RF rod to determine the measured capacitance value from the electrode plate to the lower end of the RF rod; based on the measured capacitance value, the connection status between the RF rod of the thin film deposition equipment and the RF electrode in the heating plate is detected; in response to the detection result that the RF rod is securely connected to the RF electrode, the thin film deposition is allowed to proceed; In response to the detection result that the RF rod is detached from the RF electrode or that there is poor contact between the two, a corresponding alarm signal is output, and / or the thin film deposition is prevented.

10. The thin film deposition method as described in claim 9, characterized in that, During the thin film deposition process, the RF rod provides an RF voltage to the RF electrode to cooperate with another RF electrode of the thin film deposition equipment to form in-situ plasma in the process chamber of the thin film deposition equipment, and / or the RF rod provides an AC voltage to the RF electrode during the thin film deposition process to electrostatically adsorb the wafer via the heating plate.

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