A target material structure for low-damage sputtering coating equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of magnetron sputtering, and discloses a target material structure of a low-damage sputtering coating device, comprising a wafer rotating mechanism and a target material bearing mechanism, wherein the target material bearing mechanism comprises a target material bearing device for placing a target material and a driving component for driving the target material bearing device to rotate on a horizontal plane with a fixed axis, wherein the driving component comprises a load-bearing column and a horizontal rotating mechanical arm, wherein both ends of the horizontal rotating mechanical arm are respectively connected to the target material bearing device and the load-bearing column through a rotating member; the rotating member comprises a mechanical arm rotating shaft and a rotating shaft; the mechanical arm rotating shaft is used for connecting the horizontal rotating mechanical arm with the load-bearing column; the rotating shaft is used for connecting the target material bearing device with the horizontal rotating mechanical arm; the invention specifically designs the target material rotating device so that the target material rotating device performs uniform circular motion around the wafer, thereby greatly improving the uniformity of the film layer, and effectively controlling the adverse effects of uneven film layer on the device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of magnetron sputtering, and in particular relates to a target material structure of a low-damage sputtering coating device. Background Art

[0002] Magnetron sputtering technology is a thin film deposition technology widely used in the semiconductor industry. It can produce high-quality thin films, such as packaging and OLED display technology to deposit electrodes and reflective layers to improve luminous efficiency and life. In order to reduce the target poisoning phenomenon, a low-damage sputtering coating equipment (DC Pulse power supply, dual twin targets) is widely used in industrial production. Its dual target system can increase the deposition rate and more uniform sputtering rate. However, at present, whether it is scientific research or industrial magnetron sputtering coating, it has a significant disadvantage. The film layer on the surface of the silicon wafer (Wafer) shows a thick middle and thin sides under the ellipsometer, which is bound to lead to differences in the performance of the final product. At present, there are two main coating methods for the target system of low-damage sputtering coating equipment. One is that the dual targets are placed statically in a "V" shape, and the wafer rotates automatically; the other is that the dual targets are placed face to face and parallel, moving on the wafer surface at a certain uniform rate, and the wafer rotates at a uniform rate. There is a problem with the above two methods: there is still a significant difference in the thickness of the film layer, which is thick inside and thin at the edge. Uniformity of film thickness and composition is a challenge, especially at high-speed deposition or on substrates of varying shapes.

[0003] Therefore, in view of the above situation, there is an urgent need to provide a low-damage sputtering coating equipment target material structure to overcome the shortcomings in current practical applications. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the above situation, in order to overcome the defects of the prior art, the present invention provides a target material structure of a low-damage sputtering coating equipment, which effectively solves the problems in the above background technology.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solutions: a target structure of a low-damage sputtering coating equipment, comprising a wafer rotating mechanism and a target carrying mechanism, wherein the target carrying mechanism comprises a target carrying device for placing the target material and a driving assembly for driving the target carrying device to rotate on a horizontal plane with a fixed axis.

[0006] Preferably, the driving assembly comprises a load-bearing column and a horizontal rotating mechanical arm, and two ends of the horizontal rotating mechanical arm are respectively connected to the target material carrying device and the load-bearing column through a rotating member.

[0007] Preferably, the rotating member includes a robot arm rotating shaft and a rotating shaft.

[0008] Preferably, the mechanical arm rotation axis is used to connect the horizontally rotating mechanical arm to the load-bearing column.

[0009] Preferably, the rotating shaft is used for connecting the target material carrying device and the horizontal rotating robot arm.

[0010] Preferably, the wafer rotating mechanism includes a wafer, a mask, a wafer holder and a mask holder, and the wafer and the mask are transferred to the positions of the wafer holder and the mask holder.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: before the film coating begins, the wafer rotating mechanism starts to rotate clockwise at a certain speed; when the sputtering pressure, sputtering gas flow rate, distance between the target and the wafer and other factors remain unchanged, the rotation angle per second of the horizontal rotating mechanical arm and the number of revolutions are calculated by the target film thickness. It is worth noting that the design of the rotating target structure is that the mechanical arm rotation axis, the horizontal rotating mechanical arm, the target material bearing device and the target material rotate counterclockwise, because if the target material bearing device and the wafer move in the same direction, the probability of uneven film layer will be significantly increased; There is no situation where the rotation axis of the robot arm is stationary at the connection between the robot arm rotation axis and the horizontal rotation robot arm, and the horizontal rotation robot arm rotates, the load-bearing column remains stationary, and the servo motor drives the rotation axis of the robot arm to move counterclockwise; there is no situation where the rotation axis is stationary at the connection between the rotation axis and the target material carrying device, and the target material carrying device rotates, and the servo motor drives the rotation axis to rotate clockwise, which is opposite to the direction of rotation of the horizontal rotation robot arm. The rotation axis speed setting always maintains the condition of the top view, that is, the target material carrying device always maintains a vertical state (the dotted line is the state after rotation), which can satisfy the target material carrying device, and rotates counterclockwise with the horizontal rotation robot arm;

[0012] The present invention specifically designs the target rotating device so that it performs uniform circular motion around the wafer, thereby greatly improving the uniformity of the film layer and effectively controlling the adverse effects of uneven film layers on the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The accompanying drawings are used to provide further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. They are used to explain the present invention together with the embodiments of the present invention and do not constitute a limitation of the present invention.

[0014] In the attached picture:

[0015] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention.

[0016] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the present invention.

[0017] In the figure: 1-Wafer rotating mechanism, 2-Wafer Holder, 3-Mask Holder, 4-Wafer, 5-Mask, 6-target material carrying device, 7-robotic arm rotating axis, 8-horizontal rotating robotic arm, 9-load-bearing column, 10-rotation axis, 11-target material. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments; based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0019] The current target material movement mode is either stationary or moving back and forth along the X direction. The present invention aims to design a target material rotation structure device for low-damage sputtering coating equipment. The change point is the X / Y synchronous movement of the target material, so that the target material makes uniform circular motion around the wafer, which is used to alleviate the current situation of uneven film thickness and reduce the risk of shortening the service life of the device due to uneven film layers.

[0020] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 , an embodiment of the present invention provides a low-damage sputtering coating equipment target structure, the low-damage sputtering coating equipment target structure includes a wafer rotating mechanism 1 and a target material carrying mechanism, the target material carrying mechanism includes a target material carrying device 6 for placing a target material 11 and a driving component for driving the target material carrying device 6 to rotate on a horizontal plane with a fixed axis;

[0021] The driving assembly includes a load-bearing column 9 and a horizontal rotating mechanical arm 8, and the two ends of the horizontal rotating mechanical arm 8 are respectively connected to the target material carrying device 6 and the load-bearing column 9 through a rotating member;

[0022] The rotating member includes a mechanical arm rotating shaft 7 and a rotating shaft 10;

[0023] The mechanical arm rotation shaft 7 is used to connect the horizontally rotating mechanical arm 8 and the load-bearing column 9;

[0024] The rotating shaft 10 is used for connecting the target material carrying device 6 and the horizontal rotating mechanical arm 8;

[0025] The wafer rotating mechanism 1 includes wafer 4, mask 5, wafer holder 2 and mask holder 3, and wafer 4 and mask 5 are transferred to the positions of wafer holder 2 and mask holder 3.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention, in the wafer rotating mechanism 1, wafer 4 and mask 5 are transmitted to the positions of wafer holder 2 and mask holder 3. After the alignment is completed, the wafer rotating mechanism 1 starts to rotate clockwise at a uniform speed according to the specifications; when the coating work is performed, under the action of the servo motor, the robot arm rotating shaft 7, the horizontally rotating robot arm 8, the rotating shaft 10 with the target material carrying device 6 and the target material 11 starts to make uniform circular motion around the wafer to achieve the uniformity of the film layer; after the coating is completed, the horizontally rotating robot arm 8, the target material carrying device 6 and the target material 11 will return to the initial position; the present invention specifically designs the target material rotating device to make a uniform circular motion around the wafer, the uniformity of the film layer is greatly improved, and the adverse effects of uneven film layer on the device are effectively controlled.

[0027] In summary, the working principle of the present invention is as follows:

[0028] 1) Before the coating begins, the wafer rotating mechanism 1 starts to rotate clockwise at a certain speed;

[0029] 2) Under the condition that the sputtering pressure, sputtering gas flow rate, distance between target 11 and Wafer 4 and other factors remain unchanged, the rotation angle per second of horizontal rotating robot 8 and the number of revolutions are calculated by target film thickness. It is worth noting that the design of the rotating target structure is that the robot arm rotation axis 7, horizontal rotating robot 8, target material bearing device 6 and target material 11 rotate counterclockwise. This is because if the target material bearing device 6 and Wafer 4 move in the same direction, the probability of uneven film layer will increase significantly;

[0030] 3) At the connection between the mechanical arm rotation axis 7 and the horizontal rotation mechanical arm 8, there is no situation where the mechanical arm rotation axis 7 does not move and the horizontal rotation mechanical arm 8 rotates, the load-bearing column 9 remains stationary, and the servo motor drives the mechanical arm rotation axis 7 to move counterclockwise;

[0031] 4) There is no situation at the connection between the rotating shaft 10 and the target material carrying device 6 where the rotating shaft 10 is stationary and the target material carrying device 6 is rotating. The servo motor drives the rotating shaft 10 to rotate clockwise, which is opposite to the rotation direction of the horizontal rotating robot arm 8. The rotating shaft speed setting always maintains the condition of the top view, that is, the target material carrying device 6 always maintains a vertical state (the dotted line is the state after rotation), which can satisfy the target material carrying device 6, and rotates counterclockwise with the horizontal rotating robot arm 8.

[0032] It should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as first and second, etc. are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device.

[0033] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A target material structure of a low-damage sputtering coating equipment, comprising a wafer rotating mechanism and a target material bearing mechanism, characterized in that: The target material carrying mechanism comprises a target material carrying device for placing the target material and a driving assembly for driving the target material carrying device to rotate on a horizontal plane with a fixed axis.

2. The target material structure of a low-damage sputtering coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The driving assembly comprises a load-bearing column and a horizontal rotating mechanical arm, and two ends of the horizontal rotating mechanical arm are respectively connected to the target material carrying device and the load-bearing column through a rotating member.

3. The target material structure of a low-damage sputtering coating device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rotating member includes a mechanical arm rotating shaft and a rotating shaft.

4. The target material structure of a low-damage sputtering coating device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The mechanical arm rotation axis is used for connecting the horizontally rotating mechanical arm with the load-bearing column.

5. The target material structure of a low-damage sputtering coating device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The rotating shaft is used for connecting the target material carrying device and the horizontal rotating mechanical arm.

6. The target material structure of a low-damage sputtering coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wafer rotating mechanism includes wafer, mask, wafer holder and mask holder, and the wafer and mask are transferred to the positions of wafer holder and mask holder.

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