Semiconductor processing device

Abstract

The invention discloses a semiconductor processing device, which comprises a reaction cavity and a flow field adjusting structure, and the flow field adjusting structure is assembled in the reaction cavity; and a plurality of flow guide structures are arranged on the flow field adjusting structure. The device provided by the invention can solve the problem that the position of the traditional pump port deviates from the center of the cavity, so that the non-uniform air flow is easily caused, and the negative influence on the deposition, etching and other processes is caused, and realizes the improvement of the uniformity of the flow field in the reaction cavity, thereby improving the quality and yield of the final product.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, and in particular to a semiconductor processing device. Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, it is crucial to maintain a precise vacuum environment because many process steps, such as thin film deposition, etching, ion implantation, etc., are carried out under high vacuum conditions. In these processes, the uniformity of gas flow directly affects the quality and yield of the product. Therefore, the design of the exhaust system of semiconductor equipment has become a factor that cannot be ignored.

[0003] Traditional semiconductor process equipment usually uses two methods for vacuum extraction: bottom pumping or side pumping. These methods have their own advantages and disadvantages, but no matter which method, the location and layout of the pump port have a significant impact on the uniformity of gas flow. Specifically, in many current semiconductor devices, the pump port is not located at the geometric center of the cavity, but is offset to one side or a specific area. Although this design can achieve more effective pumping in some scenarios, when the pump port deviates from the geometric center of the cavity, the gas flow rate on the side close to the pump port is significantly higher than the side away from the pump port. Due to the strong attraction of the pump port, the gas flows faster to the pump port, while the gas flow rate in the area away from the pump port is slower, forming uneven gas flow. This uneven gas flow makes the gas distribution in the cavity uneven, resulting in higher gas concentrations in some areas and lower concentrations in some areas. This uneven gas environment affects the gas reaction rate in chemical reactions, thin film deposition, etching and other processes, resulting in different processing effects on the entire wafer.

[0004] This non-uniform gas flow pattern not only affects the pumping efficiency, but more importantly, it has a negative impact on those processes that are extremely sensitive to the flow field. For example, in key steps such as deposition and etching, uneven pumping can cause problems such as poor concentricity and edge deviation in the generated film or structure, which in turn affects the performance and yield of the final product.

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to design a new device to solve the problem of uneven airflow caused by the traditional pump port design due to its position deviating from the center of the cavity, which has a negative impact on processes such as deposition and etching, and to improve the uniformity of the flow field in the reaction chamber, thereby improving the quality and yield of the final product. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide a semiconductor processing device.

[0007] To solve the above technical problems, the objective of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: providing a semiconductor processing device, comprising: a reaction chamber and a flow field adjustment structure, wherein the flow field adjustment structure is assembled in the reaction chamber; and a plurality of flow guide structures are arranged on the flow field adjustment structure.

[0008] Its further technical solution is: the reaction chamber is provided with a gas exhaust port, and the flow field adjustment structure is provided with a first adjustment area and a second adjustment area; the first adjustment area and the second adjustment area are respectively provided with a plurality of the guide structures, the first adjustment area is close to the gas exhaust port, and the second adjustment area is far away from the gas exhaust port.

[0009] A further technical solution is: the density of the guide structure on the first regulating area is less than the density of the guide structure on the second regulating area.

[0010] A further technical solution is as follows: the adjustment ring is divided into four adjustment areas, two of which are the first adjustment area and the second adjustment area, and the first adjustment area is not adjacent to the second adjustment area.

[0011] A further technical solution is: the flow field adjustment structure includes an adjustment ring.

[0012] A further technical solution is as follows: the flow guiding structure comprises a groove arranged on the flow field regulating structure.

[0013] A further technical solution is: under the condition of equal area, the number of grooves in the first adjustment area is less than the number of grooves in the second adjustment area.

[0014] A further technical solution is as follows: the flow field regulating structure further comprises a power assembly, and the regulating ring is connected to the power assembly.

[0015] Its further technical solution is: the power assembly includes a driven gear, a driving gear and a power source, the driven gear is connected to the side of the adjustment ring away from the guide structure, the driven gear is meshed with the driving gear, and the power source is connected to the driving gear.

[0016] A further technical solution is as follows: the driving gear is meshed with the driven gear through an idler gear.

[0017] A further technical solution is: it also includes a heating plate, the heating plate is installed in the reaction chamber, and the flow field adjustment structure is located below the heating plate.

[0018] A further technical solution thereof is: it also includes a bottom plate, and the bottom plate is located between the heating disk and the flow field regulating structure.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: the present invention assembles a flow field regulating structure in the reaction chamber, and the flow field regulating structure is provided with a first and a second regulating area with different flow guiding structure densities, wherein the first regulating area is close to the gas extraction port and has a lower flow guiding structure density thereon, which helps to slow down the gas flow velocity near the gas extraction port and prevent the local excessive pumping speed phenomenon. On the contrary, the second regulating area is far away from the gas extraction port and is provided with a higher density flow guiding structure, which aims to strengthen the gas flow in the area far away from the gas extraction port and ensure a more uniform gas flow distribution in the entire chamber. Through such a design, not only the uniformity of the flow field in the reaction chamber is effectively improved, but also the negative impact of uneven gas flow on key processes such as deposition and etching is significantly reduced. The overall quality and production yield of the product are improved.

[0020] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other accompanying drawings can be obtained based on these accompanying drawings without paying any creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an adjustment ring provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the top view of the adjustment ring provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of a semiconductor processing device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an adjustment ring provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a flow field adjustment structure provided by another embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Description of the symbols in the figure:

[0029] 10. Reaction chamber; 11. Vacuum port; 20. Flow field adjustment structure; 21. Adjustment ring; 22. First adjustment area; 23. Second adjustment area; 24. Symmetry line; 25. Driven gear; 26. Driving gear; 27. Power source; 28. Idle gear; 30. Flow guide structure; 40. Heating plate; 50. Bottom plate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] It should be understood that when used in this specification and the appended claims, the terms "include" and "comprises" indicate the presence of described features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0032] It should also be understood that the terms used in this specification of the present invention are only for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used in the specification of the present invention and the appended claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include plural forms.

[0033] It should be further understood that the term "and / or" used in the present description and the appended claims refers to any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items, and includes these combinations.

[0034] Traditional semiconductor process equipment usually uses bottom pumping or side pumping for vacuum extraction, and the position and layout of the pump port 11 significantly affect the uniformity of gas flow. The pump port of many devices is not located at the geometric center of the cavity, but is offset to one side or a specific area. When the pump port deviates from the center, the gas flow rate on the side close to the pump port is faster, while the flow rate in the area far from the pump port is slower, resulting in uneven airflow. Uneven airflow leads to uneven gas distribution in the cavity, affecting gas concentration and reaction rate. This uneven gas environment produces differences in chemical reactions, thin film deposition, etching and other processes, affecting the processing effect of the wafer. Especially in sensitive deposition and etching steps, uneven pumping can lead to problems such as poor film concentricity and deflection, affecting product performance and yield.

[0035] To this end, an embodiment of the present invention provides a semiconductor processing device to solve the problem of uneven airflow caused by the traditional pump port design due to its position deviating from the center of the cavity, which has a negative impact on processes such as deposition and etching, and improves the uniformity of the flow field in the reaction chamber, thereby improving the quality and yield of the final product.

[0036] Specifically, two solutions are provided, one of which is to effectively solve the problem of uneven airflow caused by the deviation of the pump port position from the center of the cavity by designing a flow field adjustment structure 20 with uneven groove density. By adjusting the distribution density of the grooves, the airflow in the area close to the air pump port 11 is less, and the airflow in the area away from the air pump port 11 is more, thereby optimizing the flow field distribution. This design improves the uniformity of the flow field in the reaction chamber, thereby improving the stability of processes such as deposition and etching and the quality and yield of the final product. The other is to add a power component on the basis of the former to realize the rotation of the adjustment ring 21, so as to adjust the pumping speed in different directions according to the process requirements, and the pumping rate in each direction can be accurately controlled to optimize the flow field in the reaction chamber.

[0037] In order to better understand the above technical solution, the above technical solution will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0038] See also Figures 1 to 3 The semiconductor processing device mentioned above includes: a reaction chamber 10 and a flow field adjustment structure 20, wherein a first adjustment area 22 and a second adjustment area 23 are provided on the flow field adjustment structure 20; a plurality of flow guide structures 30 are provided on the first adjustment area 22 and the second adjustment area 23 respectively, and the density of the flow guide structures 30 on the first adjustment area 22 is less than the density of the flow guide structures 30 on the second adjustment area 23; the reaction chamber 10 is provided with a gas extraction port 11, and the flow field adjustment structure 20 is assembled in the reaction chamber 10, wherein the first adjustment area 22 is close to the gas extraction port 11, and the second adjustment area 23 is far away from the gas extraction port 11.

[0039] The semiconductor processing device of this embodiment improves the uniformity of gas flow in the chamber by optimizing the design of the gas flow path, thereby improving the process effect.

[0040] Specifically, the reaction chamber 10 provides a chamber for accommodating wafers to be processed, and provides a closed environment for various semiconductor processes.

[0041] The flow field adjustment structure 20 is installed in the reaction chamber 10 to adjust the internal gas flow pattern to ensure a more uniform gas distribution. The structure specifically includes:

[0042] A plurality of guide structures 30 are respectively disposed in the first regulating area 22 and the second regulating area 23, wherein the density of the guide structures 30 in the first regulating area 22 is less than that in the second regulating area 23. The first regulating area 22 is disposed close to the air inlet 11, while the second regulating area 23 is disposed far away from the air inlet 11.

[0043] The gas extraction port 11 is located on the reaction chamber 10 and is responsible for extracting the processed gas in the chamber to maintain the vacuum condition in the chamber.

[0044] When the gas is drawn from both sides of the heating plate 40 in the reaction chamber 10, it first passes through the ceramic bottom plate 50 in the reaction chamber 10, and then passes through the guide structure 30 on the flow field adjustment structure 20. Since the first adjustment area 22 is close to the gas extraction port 11 and has fewer guide structures 30, it limits the amount of gas flowing out from the direction close to the gas extraction port 11; on the contrary, the second adjustment area 23 is far away from the gas extraction port 11 but has more guide structures 30, allowing more gas to flow out from this direction. Such a design effectively balances the natural flow velocity difference caused by the offset position of the gas extraction port 11, and promotes the uniformity of gas flow in the reaction chamber 10.

[0045] By introducing the flow field adjustment structure 20, the present invention solves the problem of uneven flow field caused by the position of the gas extraction port 11, and enhances the consistency and quality of wafer processing in key process steps such as deposition and etching. In particular, in sensitive deposition and etching steps, a uniform gas environment helps to achieve better film concentricity, reduce the occurrence of edge deviation, and ultimately improve the overall performance and yield of the product.

[0046] In one embodiment, see Figures 2 to 3 The above-mentioned adjustment ring 21 is divided into four adjustment areas, two of which are the first adjustment area 22 and the second adjustment area 23, and the first adjustment area 22 is not adjacent to the second adjustment area 23. Such a layout helps to form a more complex and accurate flow field control mode in the cavity.

[0047] Of course, in other embodiments, the adjustment ring 21 can actually be divided into other numbers of adjustment areas according to actual conditions, but not less than 2. When there are 2 adjustment rings 21, only the first adjustment area 22 and the second adjustment area 23 are left, and the two are adjacent.

[0048] It should be noted that each adjustment area is provided with a flow guide structure 30. Under the condition of equal area, the number of grooves in the first adjustment area 22 is less than the number of grooves in the second adjustment area 23, so that the groove density of the first adjustment area 22 is less than the groove density of the second adjustment area 23. Specifically, the number of grooves in the first adjustment area 22 is 3, and the number of grooves in the second adjustment area 23 is 9; this design allows more flexible control of the gas flow path, especially at different positions close to or away from the gas extraction port 11, and can better adjust the local gas flow rate to achieve the purpose of uniform overall flow field.

[0049] In one embodiment, the adjustment ring 21 is divided into a plurality of adjustment areas by two symmetry lines 24, one of which is defined as a first adjustment area 22, and the symmetric area of ​​the first adjustment area 22 is the second adjustment area 23, and the angle between the two symmetry lines 24 is 90°. This symmetrical design not only simplifies the assembly difficulty during the manufacturing process, but also ensures the consistency and predictability of the flow field adjustment effect, which is conducive to large-scale production and quality control.

[0050] In one embodiment, see Figures 2 to 3 The above-mentioned flow field adjustment structure 20 includes an adjustment ring 21.

[0051] In one embodiment, see Figures 2 to 3 The above-mentioned flow guiding structure 30 includes a groove arranged on the flow field regulating structure 20 .

[0052] In this embodiment, by providing grooves of different densities on the surface of the adjustment ring 21, the airflow resistance in the local area can be changed, thereby achieving the purpose of adjusting the airflow distribution.

[0053] The flow-guiding structure 30 can also be an effective component of a form, such as but not limited to baffles, grids, hole arrays or other elements that can change the direction and speed of local airflow. Their presence enables a relatively more uniform internal airflow distribution to be maintained even in the presence of the air extraction port 11, which is particularly important for ensuring uniform gas concentration and reaction rate; specifically, the baffle is a protruding structure that helps guide the fluid to flow in a predetermined direction, and can fine-tune the flow rate and direction by changing its height and spacing, which is suitable for application scenarios that require precise control of the flow field; the hole array allows part of the fluid to pass directly through the adjustment ring 21 to form a short-circuit effect, and can also be used in conjunction with other flow-guiding structures 30 to optimize the overall flow field characteristics.

[0054] It can be seen that the flow guide structure 30 is not limited to a simple groove design, but can achieve more accurate and flexible control of the fluid flow path through a variety of shapes. The selection of each shape should be based on the needs of the specific application scenario and the expected technical effect for comprehensive consideration.

[0055] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 The semiconductor processing device further includes a heating plate 40 , which is installed in the reaction chamber 10 , and the flow field adjustment structure 20 is located below the heating plate 40 .

[0056] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 The semiconductor processing device further includes a bottom plate 50 , which is located between the heating plate 40 and the flow field adjustment structure 20 .

[0057] In this embodiment, the base plate 50 includes but is not limited to a ceramic base plate 50 .

[0058] In this embodiment, the heating plate 40 is assembled in the reaction chamber 10 and is located in the core area of ​​the entire system. As a temperature control unit, the heating plate 40 is responsible for providing uniform and controllable heat input to the wafer or substrate placed thereon. It ensures that the chemical reaction occurs under ideal conditions by precisely adjusting the temperature, which in turn affects the quality and performance of the final product. It is usually made of materials with good thermal conductivity, such as graphite, ceramics, etc., and is equipped with built-in or external heating elements. The surface of the heating plate 40 is flat and smooth to reduce the impact on gas flow and ensure the consistency of heat transfer.

[0059] The bottom plate 50 is located between the heating plate 40 and the flow field adjustment structure 20, and serves as a supporting platform therebetween.

[0060] The base plate 50 not only provides mechanical support, but also serves to isolate the heating plate 40 from the flow field adjustment structure 20 below, preventing high temperature from being directly transmitted to the lower components, and avoiding deformation or damage of the material due to excessive temperature. In some cases, the base plate 50 may also have a certain heat exchange capacity to help maintain the temperature stability of the entire system. The design of the base plate 50 can include specific shapes or openings to further guide the airflow path and enhance the flow field adjustment effect. According to actual application requirements, the base plate 50 can be made of metal, composite materials or other suitable materials, and factors such as thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance and processing difficulty must be considered.

[0061] The gas first passes through the bottom plate 50 under the heating plate 40, then enters the groove of the adjustment ring 21, and is finally extracted through the exhaust port 11. By accurately designing the number and distribution of the grooves of the adjustment ring 21, the exhaust direction is effectively regulated, ensuring that a relatively uniform internal flow field can be maintained even when the exhaust port 11 is biased. This design not only solves the problem of uneven flow field caused by the position of the exhaust port 11, but also improves the consistency and quality of wafer processing in key process steps such as deposition and etching.

[0062] In summary, the present invention successfully overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art through an innovative exhaust ring design, provides an effective solution for achieving a more uniform and stable gas environment, and helps to improve product performance and yield in the semiconductor manufacturing process.

[0063] In another embodiment, the difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiment is that a power component is introduced to realize the rotation control of the flow field adjustment structure 20. This improvement not only enhances the functionality of the device, but also improves the process flexibility and efficiency.

[0064] Specifically, see Figures 4 to 6 The flow field adjustment structure 20 also includes a power assembly, and the adjustment ring 21 is connected to the power assembly. Different from the previous design that only relies on a fixed position to affect the airflow distribution, in this embodiment, the flow field adjustment structure 20 is endowed with the ability of dynamic adjustment. By installing the power assembly, the adjustment ring 21 can be directional rotated according to the actual process requirements, thereby accurately regulating the pumping speed in different directions.

[0065] In another embodiment, see Figures 4 to 6 The power assembly includes a driven gear 25, a driving gear 26 and a power source 27. The driven gear 25 is connected to the side of the adjustment ring 21 away from the guide structure 30. The driven gear 25 is meshed with the driving gear 26. The power source 27 is connected to the driving gear 26.

[0066] The driven gear 25 is located on the side of the adjusting ring 21 away from the guide structure 30, and is directly connected to the adjusting ring 21. Its main function is to receive the driving force from the transmission system and convert it into the rotational motion of the adjusting ring 21. As a key component in the power transmission chain, the driving gear 26 is driven by the power source 27 and transmits power to the driven gear 25 through gear meshing. The position and size design of the driving gear 26 must ensure that it can effectively drive the driven gear 25 without affecting the normal operation of other components. The power source 27 can be a motor or other form of energy conversion device, which is responsible for providing the necessary power support for the entire transmission system. The selection of the power source 27 should take into account factors such as response speed, power output stability and long-term operation reliability.

[0067] In another embodiment, in order to achieve a more flexible and smooth rotation operation, in some cases, the driving gear 26 is not directly meshed with the driven gear 25 , but is indirectly driven through one or more idle gears 28 .

[0068] Specifically, in the present embodiment, the driving gear 26 meshes with the driven gear 25 via the idler gear 28 .

[0069] An idler gear 28 is added between the driving gear 26 and the driven gear 25 to form a three-stage transmission mode of the driving gear 26, the idler gear 28, and the driven gear 25. The idler gear 28 can help change the direction of the force so that the power can be input from any angle without affecting the final output direction. By properly selecting the ratio of the number of teeth of each gear, a greater deceleration effect can be obtained without significantly increasing the complexity of the system, thereby improving the control accuracy. The use of the idler gear 28 can better adapt to the compact space constraints and make the entire transmission mechanism more reasonably arranged.

[0070] In summary, in this new embodiment, precise control of the rotation state of the pumping ring is achieved by introducing a power assembly and combining it with the existing flow field adjustment structure 20. Such an improvement not only improves the operating convenience and adaptability of the equipment, but also provides users with a wider range of process parameter adjustment options, which helps to further optimize the quality and yield of the semiconductor manufacturing process.

[0071] The semiconductor processing device mentioned above is provided with a first and a second adjustment area 23 having different densities of flow guide structures 30 by assembling a flow field adjustment structure 20 in a reaction chamber 10. The flow field adjustment structure 20 is provided with a first and a second adjustment area 23 having different densities of flow guide structures 30. The first adjustment area 22 is close to the gas extraction port 11 and has a lower density of flow guide structures 30 thereon, which helps to slow down the gas flow velocity near the gas extraction port 11 and prevent the local excessive pumping speed phenomenon. On the contrary, the second adjustment area 23 is far away from the gas extraction port 11 and is provided with a higher density of flow guide structures 30, which is intended to strengthen the gas flow in the area far away from the gas extraction port 11 and ensure a more uniform gas flow distribution in the entire chamber. Through such a design, not only the uniformity of the flow field in the reaction chamber is effectively improved, but also the negative impact of uneven gas flow on key processes such as deposition and etching is significantly reduced. The overall quality and production yield of the product are improved.

[0072] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the protection scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of various equivalent modifications or replacements within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, and these modifications or replacements should be included in the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A semiconductor processing device, characterized in that: include: A reaction chamber and a flow field adjustment structure, wherein the flow field adjustment structure is assembled in the reaction chamber; The flow field regulating structure is provided with a plurality of flow guiding structures.

2. A semiconductor processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reaction chamber is provided with a gas extraction port, and the flow field adjustment structure is provided with a first adjustment area and a second adjustment area; the first adjustment area and the second adjustment area are respectively provided with a plurality of the guide structures, the first adjustment area is close to the gas extraction port, and the second adjustment area is far away from the gas extraction port.

3. A semiconductor processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The density of the flow guiding structure on the first adjustment area is less than the density of the flow guiding structure on the second adjustment area.

4. A semiconductor processing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adjustment ring is divided into four adjustment areas, wherein two of the adjustment areas are the first adjustment area and the second adjustment area, and the first adjustment area is not adjacent to the second adjustment area.

5. The semiconductor processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The flow field adjustment structure includes an adjustment ring.

6. The semiconductor processing device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The flow guiding structure includes a groove arranged on the flow field regulating structure.

7. A semiconductor processing device according to claim 6, characterized in that: Under the condition of equal area, the number of grooves in the first adjustment area is less than the number of grooves in the second adjustment area.

8. The semiconductor processing device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The flow field adjustment structure also includes a power component, and the adjustment ring is connected to the power component.

9. A semiconductor processing device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The power assembly includes a driven gear, a driving gear and a power source, the driven gear is connected to a side of the adjustment ring away from the flow guide structure, the driven gear is meshed with the driving gear, and the power source is connected to the driving gear.

10. The semiconductor processing device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The driving gear is meshed with the driven gear through an idler gear.

11. The semiconductor processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a heating plate, which is installed in the reaction chamber, and the flow field adjustment structure is located below the heating plate.

12. The semiconductor processing device according to claim 11, characterized in that: It also includes a bottom plate, which is located between the heating disk and the flow field adjustment structure.

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