Intake pipe and furnace tube equipment

Abstract

The present application discloses an intake pipe and a furnace tube device. The intake pipe includes an air inlet end and a terminal end. A plurality of air outlet holes are distributed between the air inlet end and the terminal end. The air outlet angle of the air outlet holes near the air inlet end is greater than the air outlet angle of the air outlet holes near the terminal end. Herein, the air outlet angle is the included angle between the opening direction of the air outlet hole and a reference line, and the reference line is the horizontal connection line between the center of the intake pipe of the intake pipe and the center of the substrate in the furnace tube device. By changing the air outlet angle of the air outlet holes in the present application, the larger the air outlet angle of the air outlet holes, the more the airflow can be distributed in the peripheral area of the substrate. Without changing the air outlet volume of the air outlet holes, the adsorption amount of the precursor in the edge area of the substrate can be increased. This adjustment effectively reduces the thickness difference between the peripheral area and the central area of the substrate near the air inlet end, so as to reduce the difference in in-plane uniformity of different substrates in the vertical direction caused by the uneven air outlet volume of the intake pipe in the vertical direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and particularly to an intake pipe and a furnace tube equipment. Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, furnace tube equipment is widely used in multiple key process steps, such as oxidation, thin film deposition, and annealing, due to its excellent substrate throughput and machine stability. The furnace tube equipment includes a susceptor and an intake pipe. The susceptor carries multiple substrates and drives the substrates to rotate, and the intake pipe is used to supply gas into the furnace tube equipment.

[0003] Due to the difference in the gas outlet volume of the intake pipe in its extending direction, the gas outlet volume near the intake end is larger, and the gas outlet volume near the end is smaller, resulting in a difference in the in-plane uniformity between the substrates near the intake end and the substrates near the end of the current furnace tube equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To solve the technical problem of the difference in the in-plane uniformity between the substrate near the intake end of the intake pipe and the substrate near the end of the intake pipe in the furnace tube equipment, this application proposes an intake pipe for a furnace tube equipment. The furnace tube equipment is used to process substrates and includes an intake end and an end. A plurality of air outlet holes are distributed between the intake end and the end. The air outlet angle of the air outlet holes near the intake end is greater than the air outlet angle of the air outlet holes near the end. Wherein, the air outlet angle is the included angle between the opening direction of the air outlet hole and a reference line, and the reference line is the horizontal connection line between the center of the intake pipe of the intake pipe and the center of the substrate in the furnace tube equipment.

[0005] In an embodiment of this application, the plurality of air outlet holes are divided into a plurality of air outlet hole groups. The air outlet angles of the air outlet holes in each air outlet hole group are the same, and the air outlet angles of the plurality of air outlet hole groups increase sequentially from the end to the intake end.

[0006] In an embodiment of this application, the air outlet angle of the air outlet hole closest to the end is 0°.

[0007] In an embodiment of this application, the plurality of air outlet holes are divided into a plurality of first air outlet hole columns. In each first air outlet hole column, the air outlet angle of the air outlet hole near the intake end is greater than the air outlet angle of the air outlet hole near the end.

[0008] In an embodiment of this application, in each first air outlet hole column, the air outlet angle of the air outlet hole closest to the end is greater than 0°.

[0009] In an embodiment of this application, the range of the air outlet angle is 0 - 15°.

[0010] In an embodiment of the present application, the outlet angles of the plurality of air outlet holes gradually increase from the end to the air inlet end.

[0011] In an embodiment of the present application, the sizes of the plurality of air outlet holes are the same.

[0012] In an embodiment of the present application, the intake pipe further includes a second row of air outlet holes, and the second row of air outlet holes includes a plurality of air outlet holes with the same outlet angle.

[0013] The present application also provides a furnace tube device for solving the above technical problems, including: a process tube; a susceptor, including a plurality of carrying positions arranged in the vertical direction, the carrying positions being used for carrying substrates, and the susceptor being used for driving the substrates into the process tube and rotating; at least one intake pipe as described above, arranged in the process tube and extending along the vertical direction, and each carrying position corresponds to at least one of the air outlet holes.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present application, it further includes a gas supply pipeline and a pressure booster. The gas supply pipeline is connected to the air inlet end of the intake pipe for supplying gas to the intake pipe, and the pressure booster is arranged on the gas supply pipeline for increasing the gas supply pressure of the gas supply pipeline.

[0015] The positive and progressive effects of the present application are as follows: By changing the outlet angle of the air outlet holes, the distribution of the air flow can be changed. The closer to the air inlet end, the more the opening direction of the air outlet holes deviates from the center of the substrate. In the ALD process, the larger the outlet angle of the air outlet holes, the more the air flow can be distributed in the peripheral area of the substrate. Without changing the air outlet volume of the air outlet holes, the adsorption amount of the precursor in the edge area of the substrate can be increased. This adjustment effectively reduces the thickness difference between the peripheral area and the central area of the substrate near the air inlet end, so as to reduce the in-plane uniformity difference of different substrates in the vertical direction caused by the uneven air outlet volume of the intake pipe in the vertical direction. Description of the Drawings

[0016] Figure 1 Structural schematic diagram of the intake pipe according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the outlet angle and the substrate according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the outlet angle and the substrate according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the outlet angle and the substrate according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 5 Structural schematic diagram of the intake pipe according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 6 Schematic structural diagram of an intake pipe according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 7 Schematic structural diagram of an intake pipe according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 8 Schematic structural diagram of a furnace tube device according to an embodiment of the present application. Detailed implementation manners

[0024] The present application will be further described below by way of embodiments, but the present application is not limited to the scope of the embodiments.

[0025] In related processes of a furnace tube device, taking the ALD process as an example, a precursor is first introduced and adsorbed on the surface of a substrate, and then a reaction gas is introduced to react with the precursor to form a film layer. On the existing intake pipe, the opening directions of multiple air outlet holes are the same and face the center of the substrate. Since the opening directions of the air outlet holes face the center of the substrate, the adsorption amount of the precursor in the central region of the substrate is larger than that in the edge region, resulting in a phenomenon of thicker in the middle and thinner at the edges. Moreover, the gas outlet amount of the air outlet holes closer to the lower part of the intake pipe is larger, which leads to a greater increase trend in the middle thickness of the substrate closer to the lower part than that in the edge region thickness, and further leads to worse in-plane uniformity of the substrate closer to the lower part. In order to change the situation that the uneven gas outlet amounts of multiple air outlet holes of the intake pipe cause differences in the in-plane uniformity of the substrate at different positions, the existing solutions usually change the size of the air outlet holes.

[0026] Such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown, this embodiment provides a different solution. An intake pipe 100 for a furnace tube device, the furnace tube device is used to process a substrate, the intake pipe 100 includes an air inlet end 130 and a terminal end 120, and a plurality of air outlet holes 110 are distributed between the air inlet end 130 and the terminal end 120. The air outlet angle θ of the air outlet holes 110 closer to the air inlet end 130 is greater than the air outlet angle θ of the air outlet holes 110 closer to the terminal end 120. Among them, the air outlet angle θ is the included angle between the opening direction of the air outlet hole 110 and a reference line, and the reference line is the horizontal connection line between the center of the intake pipe of the intake pipe 100 and the center of the substrate W of the furnace tube device. Such as Figure 2 shown, the opening direction is represented by a dotted line, the reference line is represented by a solid line, and moreover, the opening direction and the reference line are both parallel to the substrate W. Among them, the air inlet end 130 is at the lowermost part, and the terminal end 120 is located at the uppermost part. The drilling direction (i.e., the opening direction) of the air outlet holes 110 all faces the center of the intake pipe of the intake pipe 100.

[0027] By changing the gas outlet angle θ of the gas outlet holes 110, the distribution of the gas flow can be changed. The closer to the gas inlet end 130, the more the opening direction of the gas outlet holes 110 deviates from the center of the substrate W. In the ALD process, the larger the gas outlet angle θ of the gas outlet holes, the more the gas flow can be distributed in the peripheral area of the substrate W. Without changing the gas outlet volume of the gas outlet holes 110, the adsorption amount of the precursor in the edge area of the substrate W can be increased. This adjustment effectively reduces the thickness difference between the peripheral area of the substrate W near the gas inlet end 130 (lower part) and the central area of the substrate W, so as to reduce the in-plane uniformity difference of different substrates W in the vertical direction caused by the uneven gas outlet volume of the inlet pipe 100 in the vertical direction.

[0028] Among them, Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figures 5 - 8 The drilling directions of the gas outlet holes 110 shown all face the center of the inlet pipe of the inlet pipe 100.

[0029] As Figure 4 shown, in some embodiments, the gas outlet holes 110 can be drilled obliquely, and the drilling direction can also not face the center of the inlet pipe of the inlet pipe 100.

[0030] In some embodiments, the inlet pipe 100 can also be horizontally arranged for a horizontal furnace tube.

[0031] As Figure 5 shown, in some embodiments, the multiple gas outlet holes 110 are divided into multiple gas outlet hole groups from the end 120 to the gas inlet end 130. The gas outlet angles of the multiple gas outlet holes 110 in each gas outlet hole group are the same, and the gas outlet angles of the multiple gas outlet hole groups increase from the end 120 to the gas inlet end 130. Among them, the sizes of the multiple gas outlet holes 110 in each gas outlet hole group are the same. The grouping design can reduce the complexity of the angle adjustment of each gas outlet hole 110. The gas outlet angles of each gas outlet hole group are the same, which reduces the processing difficulty, is beneficial to reducing the manufacturing cost, and makes the production process more operable. Among them, in some embodiments, the sizes of the multiple gas outlet holes 110 in each gas outlet hole group can also be different. When the sizes of the multiple gas outlet holes 110 in each gas outlet hole group are different, the sizes of the multiple gas outlet holes 110 show a gradually decreasing trend along the direction from the end 120 to the gas inlet end 130 to balance the difference in gas outlet volume.

[0032] As Figure 1 shown, in some embodiments, the gas outlet angle of the gas outlet holes 110 gradually increases from the end 120 to the gas inlet end 130. This solution can more precisely adjust the in-plane uniformity difference of different substrates caused by the uneven gas outlet volume of the inlet pipe 100 in the vertical direction.

[0033] As Figures 1 to 5, in some embodiments, the gas outlet angle of the gas outlet hole 110 closest to the end 120 is 0°. When the sizes of the plurality of gas outlet holes 110 are the same, the gas outlet volume of the uppermost gas outlet hole 110 is the least. The substrate can obtain more gas volume with a gas outlet angle of 0° than with a gas outlet angle greater than 0°. Since the substrate is in a rotating state, this design ensures that the gas is more evenly distributed over the entire surface of the substrate. The one closest to the end 120 is the gas outlet hole 110 with the highest position in the vertical direction.

[0034] In some embodiments, as Figure 6 shown, the plurality of gas outlet holes 110 are divided into a plurality of first gas outlet hole columns S1. In each first gas outlet hole column S1, the gas outlet angle of the gas outlet hole 110 closer to the air inlet end 130 is greater than the gas outlet angle of the gas outlet hole 110 closer to the end 120. Through the design of multiple columns of gas outlet holes, compared with the single airflow formed by a single column of gas outlet holes, the gas distribution range of multiple columns of gas outlet holes is wider, and it can cover multiple regions of the substrate (such as the middle and the periphery), further optimizing the uniformity of the airflow distribution.

[0035] As Figure 6 shown, the gas outlet angles of the multiple gas outlet holes in the two first gas outlet hole columns S1 of the intake pipe 100 gradually increase. In some embodiments, it is also possible to set up a column of gas outlet holes with gradually increasing gas outlet angles, and another column of gas outlet holes 110 with gas outlet angles increasing in a grouped manner as Figure 5 shown.

[0036] In some embodiments, as Figure 6 shown, in each first gas outlet hole column S1, the gas outlet angle of the gas outlet hole 110 closest to the end 120 is greater than 0°. The total gas outlet volume of multiple columns of gas outlet holes is relatively large, and the gas outlet angle is greater than 0°, so the gas does not directly face the center of the substrate. This design can alleviate the problem that the adsorption amount of gas in the middle region of the substrate may be too high due to the over-concentration of the airflow in the middle region.

[0037] In some embodiments, in one first gas outlet hole column, the gas outlet angle of the gas outlet hole 110 closest to the end 120 can be made equal to 0°, and in the remaining first gas outlet hole columns, the gas outlet angle of the gas outlet hole 110 closest to the end 120 is greater than 0°.

[0038] In some embodiments, the range of the gas outlet angle is 0 - 15°. When adjusting the gas outlet angle within this range, the gas outlet angle will not be too large, resulting in the over-concentration of the airflow to the peripheral region of the substrate.

[0039] In some embodiments, the sizes of the plurality of gas outlet holes 110 are the same. The differences in in-plane uniformity of different substrates caused by uneven gas outlet volumes of the plurality of gas outlet holes 110 can be adjusted only by adjusting the gas outlet angle, without adjusting the sizes of the gas outlet holes 110.

[0040] As shown Figure 7 in the figure, the intake pipe 100 further includes a second row of air outlet holes S2, and the second row of air outlet holes S2 includes a plurality of air outlet holes 110 with the same air outlet angle.

[0041] As shown Figure 8 in the figure, this embodiment further provides a furnace tube device, which includes a process tube 200, a susceptor 300, and at least one of the above-mentioned intake pipes 100. The susceptor 300 includes a plurality of loading positions arranged in the vertical direction, and the loading positions are used to carry a plurality of substrates W. The susceptor 300 is used to drive the substrate W into the process tube 200 and rotate. The intake pipe 100 is arranged in the process tube 200 and extends in the vertical direction. A plurality of air outlet holes 110 correspond to the plurality of loading positions. Among them, the susceptor 300 enters or exits the process tube 200 through a susceptor lifting device.

[0042] The rotation of the susceptor 300 makes the gas more evenly distributed on the substrate W. Through the design that the susceptor 300 rotates and the air outlet angle of the air outlet holes 110 of the intake pipe 100 increases from the end 120 to the intake end 130, the in-plane uniformity of the substrates W at different positions can be improved.

[0043] Among them, each loading position corresponds to at least one air outlet hole 110. Specifically, the air outlet hole 110 corresponds to the gap between the loading positions at the corresponding positions to supply gas to the surface of the substrate W on the loading position. The design that each air outlet hole 110 corresponds to each loading position enables the gas to be accurately distributed for each substrate W.

[0044] In some embodiments, the furnace tube device further includes a gas supply pipeline 410 and a pressure booster 430. The gas supply pipeline 410 is connected to the intake pipe 100 for supplying gas to the intake pipe 100. The pressure booster 430 is arranged on the gas supply pipeline 410 for increasing the gas supply pressure of the gas supply pipeline 410. By increasing the gas supply pressure, the gas can quickly cover the surface of the substrate W to complete the adsorption of the gas on the surface of the substrate W. Among them, a valve 420 is further arranged on the gas supply pipeline 410 for opening or closing the gas supply pipeline 410. The pressure booster 430 can adopt a gas storage tank to store gas in advance, and when gas supply is required, the gas can be quickly released into the process tube 200.

[0045] In some embodiments, the furnace tube device is used for processes such as ALD and LPCVD.

[0046] The size, quantity, and shape of the air outlet holes 110 in the above figures are only for illustration and are not limited here.

[0047] Although the specific embodiments of the present application have been described above, those skilled in the art should understand that this is only an example. Without departing from the principle and essence of the present application, those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to these embodiments, but these changes and modifications all fall within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. An intake pipe for a furnace tube device, the furnace tube device being used for processing a substrate, characterized in that, It includes an air inlet end and an end. A plurality of air outlet holes are distributed between the air inlet end and the end. The air outlet angle of the air outlet holes near the air inlet end is greater than that of the air outlet holes near the end. Wherein, the air outlet angle is the included angle between the opening direction of the air outlet hole and a reference line, and the reference line is the horizontal connection line between the center of the air inlet pipe and the center of the substrate in the furnace tube equipment; wherein, the plurality of air outlet holes are divided into a plurality of air outlet hole groups, and the air outlet angles of the air outlet holes in each air outlet hole group are the same. The air outlet angles of the plurality of air outlet hole groups gradually increase from the end to the air inlet end, and the sizes of the plurality of air outlet holes in each air outlet hole group gradually decrease along the direction from the end to the air inlet end.

2. The intake pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air outlet angle of the air outlet hole closest to the end is 0°.

3. The intake pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plurality of air outlet holes are divided into a plurality of first air outlet hole columns. In each first air outlet hole column, the air outlet angle of the air outlet hole near the air inlet end is greater than that of the air outlet hole near the end.

4. The intake pipe according to claim 3, wherein, In each first air outlet hole column, the air outlet angle of the air outlet hole closest to the end is greater than 0°.

5. The intake pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The range of the air outlet angle is 0 - 15°.

6. The intake pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air inlet pipe further includes a second air outlet hole column, and the second air outlet hole column includes a plurality of air outlet holes with the same air outlet angle.

7. A furnace tube device, characterized in that, It includes: A process tube; A susceptor, including a plurality of loading positions arranged in the vertical direction. The loading positions are used for loading substrates, and the susceptor is used to drive the substrates into the process tube and rotate. At least one air inlet pipe according to any one of claims 1 - 6, which is arranged in the process tube and extends along the vertical direction. Each loading position corresponds to at least one of the air outlet holes.

8. The furnace tube equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, It further includes an air supply pipeline and a pressure booster. The air supply pipeline is connected to the air inlet end of the air inlet pipe for supplying air to the air inlet pipe, and the pressure booster is arranged on the air supply pipeline for increasing the air supply pressure of the air supply pipeline.

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