Rapid heat treatment equipment

Abstract

The invention provides rapid heat treatment equipment, which comprises a loading locking chamber and a plurality of process chambers, a radiance measuring device is arranged in the loading locking chamber, the radiance measuring device is used for measuring the radiance of a wafer in the loading locking chamber, and a temperature controller is arranged in each process chamber. And each temperature controller is connected with the radiance measuring device. Before the wafer is conveyed into the process chamber, the radiance of the wafer in the loading locking chamber is measured through the radiance measuring device. According to the invention, the temperature of the wafer in the loading locking chamber is not changed, so that the problem of inaccurate radiance measurement caused by deformation of the wafer in the loading locking chamber can be avoided, and the accuracy of temperature calculation can be ensured; the measured radiance data are synchronized to the temperature controller of each process chamber, so that a radiance measuring device does not need to be installed in each process chamber, and the equipment cost can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of semiconductor equipment, and more specifically relates to a rapid thermal processing equipment. Background Art

[0002] In integrated circuits, rapid thermal processing (RTP) equipment is used to grow gate oxide films. Its principle is to use a thermal oxidation process to grow a uniform ultra-thin silicon dioxide film on the surface of a single wafer. The uniformity of the film is a key indicator for measuring equipment performance and is directly affected by the uniformity of the temperature field. Therefore, temperature measurement is very important in RTP equipment. However, measuring temperature requires measuring the radiation intensity and emissivity of the wafer. Since different types of wafers often have different coatings on the surface, the emissivity will be different, and the emissivity of each wafer needs to be accurately measured. When the emissivity is accurately measured, combined with the thermal radiation intensity received by the probe, the exact temperature of the wafer surface can be calculated. At present, the existing RTP equipment integrates a radiometric probe in the chamber, and measures the radiometric rate of the wafer after the wafer enters the chamber. While the radiometric probe is measuring the radiometric rate, the wafer is also heated in the chamber. During this process, the wafer will be deformed due to heating, causing the distance from the wafer surface to the radiometric probe to change, which in turn seriously affects the radiometric measurement and makes the radiometric measurement value inaccurate. In addition, since the existing equipment is often equipped with multiple chambers, each chamber is equipped with a radiometric probe, resulting in higher equipment costs. Summary of the invention

[0003] Based on the technical problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides a rapid thermal processing equipment, aiming to solve the technical problems that the wafer will be deformed due to heating during the process, the emissivity cannot be accurately measured, resulting in inaccurate temperature measurement, which in turn affects the process results, and multiple chambers need to be equipped with emissivity probes, resulting in high equipment costs.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides a rapid thermal processing equipment, including a loading and locking chamber and multiple process chambers. A radiation rate measuring device is provided in the loading and locking chamber, and the radiation rate measuring device is used to measure the radiation rate of the wafer in the loading and locking chamber. A temperature controller is provided in each process chamber, and each temperature controller is connected to the radiation rate measuring device.

[0005] Optionally, the loading lock chamber has an opening at the bottom, a base is installed at the opening, a support is provided on the upper surface of the base, and the support is used to support the wafer so that the wafer is spaced apart from the upper surface of the base; the radiation rate measuring device includes a probe assembly, the probe assembly is arranged on the base, and the probe assembly is located below the wafer.

[0006] Optionally, the probe assembly includes a protective cover and a radiometric probe, and the outer cover of the radiometric probe is provided with the protective cover.

[0007] Optionally, a mounting through hole is provided in the protective cover, and the emissivity probe is inserted into the mounting through hole.

[0008] Optionally, the upper surface of the emissivity probe is flush with the upper surface of the protective cover.

[0009] Optionally, the radiometric probe has a radiation end and a connection end connected to the radiation end, and a fixing plate is arranged between the radiation end of the radiometric probe and the connection end of the radiometric probe; the radiation end of the radiometric probe is inserted into the mounting through hole, and the protective cover is connected to the fixing plate by screws.

[0010] Optionally, two opposite waist holes are arranged on the fixing plate, and two fixing hole groups are arranged on the lower surface of the protective cover, and the two fixing hole groups are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with the two waist holes, and the fixing hole groups include one or more fixing holes.

[0011] Optionally, the base is provided with a connecting through hole, and the protective cover is inserted into the connecting through hole.

[0012] Optionally, the protective sleeve is threadedly connected in the connecting through hole.

[0013] Optionally, the upper surface of the protective cover is flush with the upper surface of the base.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the rapid thermal processing equipment provided by the present invention has the following beneficial effects: By setting a radiation rate measuring device in the loading lock chamber, setting a temperature controller in each process chamber, and connecting each temperature controller with the radiation rate measuring device, the radiation rate of the wafer in the loading lock chamber is measured by the radiation rate measuring device before the wafer is introduced into the process chamber. Since the temperature of the wafer does not change in the loading lock chamber, the problem of inaccurate radiation rate measurement caused by the deformation of the wafer in the loading lock chamber can be avoided, thereby ensuring the accuracy of temperature calculation; the measured radiation rate data is synchronized to the temperature controller of each process chamber, and the radiation rate data is called when the wafer enters each process chamber, and a fixed radiation rate value is used as a temperature control parameter during the process, so that there is no need to install a radiation rate measuring device in each process chamber, which can reduce equipment costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0016] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the structure of a rapid thermal processing device provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the top structure of a base provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A schematic cross-sectional structural diagram of a base provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a probe assembly provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 A schematic cross-sectional view of a probe assembly provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the emissivity probe and the fixing plate provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 A bottom view schematically showing an assembly structure of a radiometric probe and a fixing plate provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a protective cover provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 9 A bottom view schematic diagram of the protective cover provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] The reference numerals in the above drawings are as follows: 10. Load lock chamber; 11. Wafer; 12. Base; 13. Protective cover; 131. Fixing hole; 14. emissivity probe; 141. radiation end; 142. connection end; 15. Install through holes; 16. Fixed plate; 161. Waist hole. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to be used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0019] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0020] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present invention, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more, unless otherwise clearly and specifically defined.

[0021] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0022] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0023] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, a rapid thermal processing device is provided, including a load lock chamber 10 and a plurality of process chambers (not shown in the figure), a radiation rate measuring device is arranged in the load lock chamber 10, and the radiation rate measuring device is used to measure the radiation rate of the wafer 11 in the load lock chamber, and each process chamber is provided with a temperature controller (not shown in the figure), and each temperature controller is connected to the radiation rate measuring device. The rapid thermal processing device is provided with a load lock chamber 10 for placing the wafer 11 to be processed, wherein the load lock chamber 10 can be a vacuum chamber, and the wafer 11 to be processed is placed on a carrier in the load lock chamber 10. Before the wafer 11 enters the process chamber to perform the process, the wafer 11 is placed in the load lock chamber 10, and the radiation rate measuring device measures the radiation rate of the wafer 11. The temperature controller is used to receive the measurement data fed back by the radiation rate measuring device, and then control the heating temperature in the heating process chamber to realize the rapid thermal processing process of the wafer 11.

[0024] By applying the above technical solution of the present invention, a radiation rate measuring device is arranged in the load lock chamber 10, a temperature controller is arranged in each process chamber, and each temperature controller is connected to the radiation rate measuring device. Before the wafer 11 is introduced into the process chamber, the radiation rate measuring device is used to measure the radiation rate of the wafer 11 in the load lock chamber 10. Since the temperature of the wafer 11 does not change in the load lock chamber 10, the problem of inaccurate radiation rate measurement caused by deformation of the wafer 11 in the load lock chamber 10 can be avoided, thereby ensuring the accuracy of temperature calculation; the measured radiation rate data is synchronized to the temperature controller of each process chamber, the radiation rate data is called when the wafer 11 enters each process chamber, and a fixed radiation rate value is used as a temperature control parameter during the process, so that there is no need to install a radiation rate measuring device in each process chamber, which can reduce equipment costs.

[0025] See also Figures 1 to 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the bottom of the loading lock chamber 10 has an opening, and a base 12 is installed at the opening. A support member (not shown in the figure) is arranged on the upper surface of the base 12, and the support member is used to support the wafer 11 so that the wafer 11 is spaced apart from the upper surface of the base 12; the radiation rate measuring device includes a probe assembly, which is arranged on the base 12, and the probe assembly is located below the wafer 11. Specifically, the base 12 is installed at the bottom of the loading lock chamber 10, and the base 12 has an upper surface and a lower surface relative to each other. The upper surface of the base 12 is located in the loading lock chamber 10, and a dielectric reflective film is coated on the upper surface thereof. A plurality of support members are also distributed on the upper surface of the base 12, and the wafer 11 is placed on the support member so that a certain distance is maintained between the wafer 11 and the upper surface of the base 12, wherein the support member is usually a supporting ball made of quartz material.

[0026] See also Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the probe assembly includes a protective cover 13 and a radiometric probe 14. The outer cover of the radiometric probe 14 is provided with the protective cover 13 to protect the radiometric probe 14 from damage during the installation process. Optionally, the radiometric probe 14 and the protective cover 13 are detachably connected, which is convenient for the replacement and maintenance of the radiometric probe 14.

[0027] See also Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the protective cover 13 has a mounting through hole 15, and the radiation rate probe 14 is inserted into the mounting through hole 15. Specifically, the protective cover 13 can be made of a metal material, for example, a surface-coated aluminum alloy material, and the protective cover 13 adopts a hollow cylindrical structure, and the radiation rate probe 14 is placed in the mounting through hole 15.

[0028] See also Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, the upper surface of the radiation rate probe 14 is flush with the upper surface of the protective cover 13. The upper surface of the radiation rate probe 14 and the upper surface of the protective cover 13 are both facing the wafer 11, and the two upper surfaces are flush, which can not only enable the protective cover 13 to fully protect the radiation rate probe 14, but also will not affect the operation of the radiation rate probe 14.

[0029] See also Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, the radiation rate probe 14 has a radiation end 141 and a connection end 142 connected to the radiation end 141, and a fixing plate 16 is arranged between the radiation end 141 of the radiation rate probe 14 and the connection end 142 of the radiation rate probe 14; the radiation end 141 of the radiation rate probe 14 is inserted into the mounting through hole 15, and the protective cover 13 is connected to the fixing plate 16 by screws. The radiation end 141 of the radiation rate probe 14 is an end close to the wafer 11, and the connection end 142 of the radiation rate probe 14 is an end away from the wafer 11, wherein the outer side wall of the radiation end 141 of the radiation rate probe 14 is provided with an external thread, and the inner side wall of the mounting through hole 15 is provided with an internal thread. Before the probe assembly is installed on the base 12, the radiation end 141 of the radiation rate probe 14 is screwed into the mounting through hole 15 of the protective cover 13 through a threaded structure, and the upper surface of the radiation rate probe 14 is flush with the upper surface of the protective cover 13.

[0030] See also Figure 6 , Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Fig. 9 As shown, in this embodiment, two opposite waist holes 161 are provided on the fixing plate 16, and two fixing hole groups are provided on the lower surface of the protective cover 13, and the two fixing hole groups are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the two waist holes 161, and the fixing hole group includes one or more fixing holes 131. Specifically, the fixing plate 16 is a disc structure, and two waist holes 161 are provided on the disc surface of the fixing plate 16 for the screws used for fastening to pass through. The waist holes 161 are arc-shaped waist holes extending along the circumference of the fixing plate 16. The waist holes 161 can reduce the difficulty of docking between the screws and the fixing holes 131, which not only facilitates the insertion of the screws into the fixing holes 131, but also facilitates the assembly between the fixing plate 16 and the protective cover 13.

[0031] See also Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the base 12 is provided with a connecting through hole (not shown in the figure), and the protective cover 13 is inserted into the connecting through hole. The connecting through hole matches the protective cover 13, and after the radiation rate probe 14 and the protective cover 13 are assembled, the probe assembly is installed in the connecting through hole.

[0032] See also Figure 3As shown, in this embodiment, the protective cover 13 is threadedly connected to the connecting through hole. Specifically, the inner side wall of the protective cover 13 is provided with an internal thread, and the connecting through hole of the base 12 is provided with an external thread. The installed probe assembly is screwed into the connecting through hole through the external thread structure of the protective cover 13, and the height of the probe assembly can be flexibly adjusted by using the thread structure.

[0033] See also Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the upper surface of the protective cover 13 is flush with the upper surface of the base 12. Specifically, the upper surface of the radiation rate probe 14 is flush with the upper surface of the protective cover 13. Since the upper surface of the protective cover 13 is flush with the upper surface of the base 12, the upper surface of the radiation rate probe 14 is flush with the upper surface of the base 12, which can meet the measurement conditions and is convenient for installation and measurement.

[0034] In summary, the rapid thermal processing equipment provided by the present embodiment has at least the following beneficial technical effects: by arranging a radiation rate measuring device in the load lock chamber 10, arranging a temperature controller in each process chamber, and connecting each temperature controller with the radiation rate measuring device, the radiation rate of the wafer 11 in the load lock chamber 10 is measured by the radiation rate measuring device before the wafer 11 is introduced into the process chamber. Since the temperature of the wafer 11 does not change in the load lock chamber 10, the problem of inaccurate radiation rate measurement caused by deformation of the wafer 11 in the load lock chamber 10 can be avoided, thereby ensuring the accuracy of temperature calculation; the measured radiation rate data is synchronized to the temperature controller of each process chamber, the radiation rate data is called when the wafer 11 enters each process chamber, and a fixed radiation rate value is used as a temperature control parameter during the process, so that there is no need to install a radiation rate measuring device in each process chamber, which can reduce the equipment cost.

[0035] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present invention, and only specifically describe the technical principles of the present invention. These descriptions are only for explaining the principles of the present invention and cannot be interpreted as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention in any way. Based on the explanations here, any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention, and other specific implementations of the present invention that can be associated with by technicians in this field without creative labor, should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A rapid thermal processing device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a loading lock chamber and a plurality of process chambers. A radiation rate measuring device is arranged in the loading lock chamber, and the radiation rate measuring device is used to measure the radiation rate of the wafer in the loading lock chamber. A temperature controller is arranged in each process chamber, and each temperature controller is connected to the radiation rate measuring device.

2. The rapid thermal processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the load lock chamber has an opening, a base is installed at the opening, and a support is provided on the upper surface of the base, and the support is used to support the wafer so that the wafer is spaced apart from the upper surface of the base; The radiation rate measuring device comprises a probe assembly, wherein the probe assembly is arranged on the base and is located below the wafer.

3. The rapid thermal processing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The probe assembly comprises a protective cover and a radiometric probe, wherein the protective cover is disposed on an outer cover of the radiometric probe.

4. The rapid thermal processing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The protective cover is provided with a mounting through hole, and the emissivity probe is inserted into the mounting through hole.

5. The rapid thermal processing equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The upper surface of the emissivity probe is flush with the upper surface of the protective cover.

6. The rapid thermal processing equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The radiation rate probe comprises a radiation end and a connection end connected to the radiation end, and a fixing plate is arranged between the radiation end of the radiation rate probe and the connection end of the radiation rate probe; The radiation end of the emissivity probe is inserted into the mounting through hole, and the protective cover is connected to the fixing plate by screws.

7. The rapid thermal processing equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: The fixing plate is provided with two opposite waist holes, the lower surface of the protective cover is provided with two fixing hole groups, and the two fixing hole groups are provided in one-to-one correspondence with the two waist holes, and the fixing hole groups include one or more fixing holes.

8. The rapid thermal processing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The base is provided with a connecting through hole, and the protective cover is inserted into the connecting through hole.

9. The rapid thermal processing equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: The protective sleeve is threadedly connected in the connecting through hole.

10. The rapid thermal processing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The upper surface of the protective cover is flush with the upper surface of the base.

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