Pre-cleaning chamber and pre-cleaning equipment

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a pre-cleaning cavity and pre-cleaning equipment, the pre-cleaning equipment comprises the pre-cleaning cavity, the pre-cleaning cavity comprises a first cavity wall, an air inlet part and a second cavity wall, the air inlet part is connected between the first cavity wall and the second cavity wall, and a cavity is defined by the first cavity wall, the air inlet part and the second cavity wall; a gap is formed between the face, facing the first cavity wall, of the air inlet piece and the first cavity wall and communicates with the cavity. A groove is formed in the face, facing the first cavity wall, of the air inlet piece and communicates with the cavity through the gap. A plurality of first channels which are arranged side by side at intervals are arranged in the gas inlet part, each first channel penetrates through the bottom surface of the groove, each first channel is provided with a gas inlet, and the gas inlets are formed in the surface, facing the second cavity wall, of the gas inlet part and used for receiving process gas. According to the scheme provided by the embodiment of the invention, the gas inlet area of the pre-cleaning chamber is increased, so that the uniformity of the process gas entering the pre-cleaning chamber and the pre-cleaning equipment is relatively good.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor equipment, and in particular to a pre-cleaning chamber and pre-cleaning equipment. Background Art

[0002] Before semiconductor processing begins, wafers need to be cleaned. A widely used cleaning device in the semiconductor industry currently operates by exciting cleaning gas into a plasma, which chemically reacts and physically bombards the wafer, removing impurities from the wafer surface. The uniformity of gas entering the cleaning chamber directly affects the uniformity of plasma distribution, making it a key factor influencing cleaning results. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides a pre-cleaning chamber and a pre-cleaning device. Compared with the prior art, the pre-cleaning chamber has an increased gas inlet area, so that the process gas entering the pre-cleaning chamber has better uniformity.

[0004] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application proposes a pre-cleaning chamber comprising a first chamber wall, an air inlet member, and a second chamber wall, wherein the air inlet member is connected between the first chamber wall and the second chamber wall, the first chamber wall, the air inlet member, and the second chamber wall enclosing a cavity, a gap being formed between the surface of the air inlet member facing the first chamber wall and the first chamber wall, the gap being connected to the cavity. A groove is provided on the surface of the air inlet member facing the first chamber wall, the groove being connected to the cavity via the gap; a plurality of first channels are provided in the air inlet member, spaced side by side, each first channel extending through the bottom surface of the groove, each first channel having an air inlet formed on the surface of the air inlet member facing the second chamber wall, the air inlet being used to receive process gas.

[0005] By forming a cavity by the first cavity wall, the air inlet member, and the second cavity wall, a gap is formed between the surface of the air inlet member facing the first cavity wall and the first cavity wall, the gap being connected to the cavity, and a groove is provided on the surface of the air inlet member facing the first cavity wall, the groove being connected to the cavity through the gap, thereby increasing the air intake area of ​​the pre-cleaning chamber while ensuring a simple and easy-to-manufacture structure. By providing a plurality of first channels arranged side by side and spaced apart within the air inlet member, each first channel extending through the bottom surface of the groove, each first channel having an air inlet formed on the surface of the air inlet member facing the second cavity wall, the air inlet is used to receive process gas, and can fully and evenly receive process gas from the outside, thereby promoting uniformity of air intake.

[0006] In one implementation of the first aspect, the width of the slit is less than or equal to the depth of the groove. By making the width of the slit less than or equal to the depth of the groove, the process gas can first quickly fill the entire groove, that is, be evenly distributed within the groove. Subsequently, the process gas can slowly diffuse into the pre-cleaning chamber through the slits at various azimuth angles, ultimately achieving a uniform gas intake effect.

[0007] In one implementation of the first aspect, the cavity is used to accommodate plasma, and the plasma forms a sheath at the inner wall of the first cavity wall; the width of the gap is less than or equal to twice the thickness of the sheath. In this implementation, the pre-cleaning chamber can be assembled with a plasma device, and the plasma device can ionize the process gas in the cavity to turn the process gas into plasma. When the plasma contacts the inner wall of the first cavity wall, a region with a significant potential gradient can be formed near the inner wall of the first cavity wall due to the potential difference and uneven charge distribution. This region is called a sheath. By making the width of the gap of the pre-cleaning chamber less than or equal to twice the thickness of the sheath, it is beneficial to prevent plasma from leaking to the outside through the gap, to prevent plasma from affecting the process gas from entering the cavity, and to facilitate uniform entry of the process gas into the pre-cleaning chamber.

[0008] In one implementation of the first aspect, the cavity is used to accommodate plasma, and the plasma forms a sheath on the inner wall of the first cavity wall; the length of the slit is greater than or equal to three times the thickness of the sheath. By ensuring that the length of the slit in the pre-cleaning chamber is greater than or equal to three times the thickness of the sheath, plasma is prevented from leaking from the slit to the outside, plasma is prevented from affecting the entry of process gas into the cavity, and process gas is facilitated to enter the pre-cleaning chamber uniformly.

[0009] In one implementation of the first aspect, the slit extends in a direction toward the first chamber wall from one end of the slit-connected groove to one end of the slit-connected cavity. Forming a slit between the gas inlet member and the first chamber wall, wherein the slit extends in a direction toward the first chamber wall from one end of the slit-connected groove to one end of the slit-connected cavity, facilitates the slow diffusion of process gas into the pre-cleaning chamber from the slit at various azimuth angles, ultimately achieving uniform gas intake.

[0010] In one implementation of the first aspect, the slit extends in a linear or curved direction. Forming a slit between the gas inlet member and the first chamber wall, wherein the slit extends in a linear or curved direction, facilitates the slow diffusion of process gas into the pre-cleaning chamber from the slit at various azimuth angles, ultimately achieving uniform gas intake.

[0011] In one implementation of the first aspect, the gas inlet member includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion being connected to the first portion, and the second portion being located on a side of the first portion facing away from the first chamber wall. The first portion is connected between the first and second chamber walls, a gap is formed between the surface of the first portion facing the first chamber wall and the first chamber wall, a groove is provided on the surface of the first portion facing the first chamber wall, and a plurality of first channels are provided in the first portion, spaced side by side. By establishing the first and second portions, wherein the second portion is connected to the first portion, the second portion is located on a side of the first portion facing away from the first chamber wall, the first portion is connected between the first and second chamber walls, a gap is formed between the surface of the first portion facing the first chamber wall and the first chamber wall, the groove is provided on the surface of the first portion facing the first chamber wall, and the plurality of first channels are provided in the first portion, spaced side by side, the process gas can first quickly fill the entire groove, i.e., be evenly distributed in the groove, and then the process gas can slowly diffuse into the pre-cleaning chamber through the gaps at various azimuth angles, ultimately achieving a uniform gas intake effect.

[0012] In one implementation of the first aspect, the second cavity wall includes a cavity wall body and an adjusting member, wherein the adjusting member is connected between the air inlet member and the cavity wall body. A second channel is provided in the adjusting member, the second channel is communicated with the first channel, and the second channel is used to connect to the gas source and receive the process gas delivered by the gas source. By establishing the cavity wall body and the adjusting member, wherein the adjusting member is connected between the air inlet member and the cavity wall body, and a second channel is provided in the adjusting member, the second channel is communicated with the first channel, and the second channel is used to connect to the gas source and receive the process gas delivered by the gas source, it is possible to ensure that the process gas smoothly enters the pre-cleaning chamber through the adjusting member, thereby ultimately achieving a uniform air intake effect.

[0013] Secondly, embodiments of the present application provide a pre-cleaning apparatus comprising a plasma device and the aforementioned pre-cleaning chamber. The plasma device is configured to ionize process gas entering a cavity to generate plasma. By providing this pre-cleaning chamber within the pre-cleaning apparatus, the process gas can enter the cavity evenly, thereby generating a uniformly distributed plasma under the action of the plasma device. The plasma can evenly bombard the surface of the workpiece to be cleaned, ultimately achieving an excellent cleaning effect.

[0014] In one implementation of the second aspect, the plasma apparatus further includes a pedestal, a portion of which is located within the cavity and another portion of which is located outside the cavity. The pedestal can support a workpiece to be cleaned. The workpiece to be cleaned can be, for example, a wafer. The pedestal can support the workpiece to be cleaned and can also transport the workpiece to be cleaned to a location where it is bombarded by the plasma. By incorporating the pedestal into the pre-cleaning equipment, the pedestal can serve as an electrode to ionize the process gas and also support and transport the workpiece to be cleaned.

[0015] In one implementation of the second aspect, when the pre-cleaning device is in operation, a sheath may be formed at the inner wall of the first cavity wall. The width of the slit of the pre-cleaning chamber is less than or equal to twice the thickness of the sheath, and / or the length of the slit of the pre-cleaning chamber is greater than or equal to three times the thickness of the sheath. By making the width of the slit of the pre-cleaning chamber less than or equal to twice the thickness of the sheath and the length of the slit of the pre-cleaning chamber greater than or equal to three times the thickness of the sheath, it is helpful to prevent plasma from leaking to the outside through the slit, to prevent plasma from affecting the process gas from entering the cavity, and to facilitate uniform entry of the process gas into the pre-cleaning chamber. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the pre-cleaning equipment according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0017] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 AA sectional view of the pre-cleaning equipment in FIG;

[0018] Figure 3 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the air inlet component of the pre-cleaning chamber of an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 4 1 is a schematic top view of the air intake member according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 BB cross-sectional view of the air intake part;

[0021] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 CC cross-sectional view of the air intake part;

[0022] Figure 7 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the adjustment member of the pre-cleaning chamber according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 8 1 is a schematic top view of the structure of the adjusting member according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 9 is a DD cross-sectional view of the adjusting member of the embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 10 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the local enlarged structure at E in the middle;

[0026] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the local enlarged structure at F in the middle;

[0027] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the pre-cleaning device of an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 13 This is a top view of an air intake member according to another embodiment of the present application.

[0029] Figure 14 This is a top view of an air intake member according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0030] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of an air intake cavity and a gap according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of an air intake cavity and a gap according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the relative positional relationship between the plasma and the pre-cleaning chamber according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0033] Reference numerals

[0034] 1- Pre-cleaning equipment; 1a- Pre-cleaning chamber; 10- Gas inlet and outlet structure; 11- Gas inlet cavity; 12- Gap; 13- Gas to be ionized; 14- Plasma; 15- Sheath;

[0035] 2-air inlet member; 2a-first portion; 2b-second portion; 20-plasma device; 21-first surface of air inlet member; 23-third surface of air inlet member; 24-fourth surface of air inlet member; 25-first connecting hole; 27-air inlet; 28-first channel; 29-groove;

[0036] 3-adjusting member; 31-second connecting hole; 32-second air inlet; 33-second channel; 34-air outlet; 35-fixing groove;

[0037] 4-second cavity wall; 4a-cavity wall body;

[0038] 5-base; 51-carrier; 52-lifting rod;

[0039] 6-first cavity wall; 61-bottom surface of the first cavity wall; 62-slant surface of the first cavity wall; 63-side surface of the first cavity wall; 64-inner wall of the first cavity wall;

[0040] 7-coil;

[0041] 8-Cavity. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The directional terms mentioned in the embodiments of the present application, such as "upper," "lower," "front," "back," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," "side," "top," and "bottom," are merely references to the directions in the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are intended to better and more clearly illustrate and understand the embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of the present application.

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the pre-cleaning device 1 according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 AA sectional view of the pre-cleaning device 1 (full text plus label). Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the pre-cleaning apparatus 1 may include a pre-cleaning chamber 1 a , a plasma device 20 , a susceptor 5 , etc. The pre-cleaning chamber 1 a may include an air inlet 2 , a second chamber wall 4 , and a first chamber wall 6 .

[0044] Schematically, the first chamber wall 6 can be a hood-like structure or a dome structure. The first chamber wall 6 can be located on the inner side of the coil 7. Schematically, the first chamber wall 6 can be insulating. For example, the first chamber wall 6 can be made of insulating materials such as quartz, which can avoid arcing between the first chamber wall 6 and the air inlet 2. Alternatively, the first chamber wall 6 can also be conductive, and the dimensions of the first chamber wall 6 and the air inlet 2 can be designed to avoid arcing between the two. The first chamber wall 6 can act as a seal to avoid leakage of the process gas filled into the pre-cleaning chamber 1a. Schematically, the first chamber wall 6 can also have adsorption properties for particulate matter. When the process gas ionized by the ionization device bombards the wafer surface under the action of the electric field, it can cause particles to splash everywhere. The first chamber wall 6 with adsorption properties can adsorb and fix the particles splashing upwards, thereby preventing the particles from falling and causing secondary contamination to the wafer surface.

[0045] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the air inlet member 2 can be generally annular in structure. The air inlet member 2 can be arranged between the first chamber wall 6 and the second chamber wall 4. Schematically, the air inlet member 2 can be connected to the "skirt" of the first chamber wall 6. A detachable connection can be formed between the air inlet member 2 and the adjustment member 3. The air inlet member 2 can provide a portion of the gas path for the process gas entering the pre-cleaning chamber 1a from the outside. The air inlet member 2 cooperates with the first chamber wall 6 to allow the process gas to enter the pre-cleaning chamber 1a in an orderly manner and to evenly distribute the process gas in the upper part of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a.

[0046] like Figure 2As shown, schematically, the second cavity wall 4 may include an adjusting member 3 and a cavity wall body 4a.

[0047] The adjusting member 3 can be a generally annular structure. The adjusting member 3 can be connected between the gas inlet member 2 and the chamber wall body 4a. The end of the adjusting member 3 facing the gas inlet member 2 can be in communication with the gas inlet member 2, while the end of the adjusting member 3 facing away from the gas inlet member 2 can be detachably connected to the chamber wall body 4a. The adjusting member 3 can be used to input process gas into the pre-cleaning chamber 1a.

[0048] Combine Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the cavity wall body 4a can be a box-shaped structure with an open side. The cavity wall body 4a can be arranged below the adjustment member 3. The bottom of the cavity wall body 4a can have an opening, and the lower end portion of the base 5 can be exposed to the cavity wall body 4a through the opening. The cavity wall body 4a can play a sealing role to prevent the process gas filled into the pre-cleaning chamber 1a from leaking. The cavity wall body 4a can also have adsorption properties for particulate matter. When the process gas ionized by the coil 7 bombards the wafer surface under the action of the electric field, it can cause particles to splash everywhere. The cavity wall body 4a with adsorption properties can adsorb and fix the particles splashing downward, which can help prevent the particles from floating in the pre-cleaning chamber 1a, and ultimately prevent the particles from causing secondary contamination to the wafer surface. The cavity wall body 4a can be made of a conductive material. Schematically, the conductive material can be aluminum.

[0049] like Figure 2 As shown, the first cavity wall 6 , the second cavity wall 4 and the air inlet member 2 can be combined to form a cavity 8 .

[0050] The plasma device 20 is used to ionize the process gas to form plasma. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the plasma device 20 may include a base 5 and a coil 7. The coil 7 may be formed by winding a wire. The coil 7 may surround the side of the first chamber wall 6 and may be spaced a certain distance from the side of the first chamber wall 6. When the coil 7 is energized, it provides an electric field that ionizes the process gas introduced into the pre-cleaning chamber 1a.

[0051] like Figure 2 As shown, in one possible embodiment, a portion of the susceptor 5 can be located within the cavity 8, while another portion is located outside the cavity 8. The side of the susceptor 5 facing the coil 7 can be used to support a workpiece to be cleaned, such as a wafer. The susceptor 5 can also serve as an electrode, creating a voltage difference and an electric field between the susceptor 5 and the energized coil 7. This electric field ionizes the process gas in the cavity 8 to generate plasma, which bombards the workpiece to be cleaned, supported on the susceptor 5, achieving a cleaning effect.

[0052] like Figure 2As shown, schematically, the base 5 can be an "umbrella-shaped" structure or a T-shaped structure. The base 5 can be used to pick up and transport wafers and transport the wafers to a position bombarded by plasma. Exemplarily, the base 5 can include a carrier 51 and a lifting rod 52. The carrier 51 of the base 5 can carry the wafer, and the lifting rod 52 of the base 5 can pass through the opening at the bottom of the cavity wall body 4a and can move up and down, that is, a part of the lifting rod 52 is located in the cavity 8, and the other part of the lifting rod 52 is located outside the cavity 8. The lifting rod 52 can be used to move the carrier 51 to a position bombarded by plasma. The movement steps of the base 5 driving the wafer can be as follows: the lifting rod 52 can first rise to the first position and can receive the wafer, and then the lifting rod 52 can rise to the second position, and the wafer at this position can be bombarded by plasma. After the pre-cleaning is completed, the lifting rod 52 can fall to the second position and can send the wafer out of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a. The base 5 can be made of conductive material and can be provided with a lower electrode (not shown in the figure). The lower electrode can generate a bias when the pre-cleaning chamber 1a is working, that is, it can generate an electric field. The electric field can drive the ionized process gas to bombard the wafer located on the top plate of the base 5, and ultimately achieve the effect of removing impurities on the wafer surface and cleaning the wafer.

[0053] The above is an overview of the overall assembly and the general structure of each component of the pre-cleaning apparatus 1. The structure of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a in the pre-cleaning apparatus 1 will be further described below.

[0054] Figure 3 : is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the air inlet 2 of the pre-cleaning chamber of an embodiment of the present application, Figure 4 It is a schematic top view of the air intake member 2 according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0055] Combine Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the air inlet member 2 may include a first portion 2a and a second portion 2b.

[0056] like Figure 2 As shown, the end of the first portion 2a facing away from the first cavity wall 6 can be detachably connected to the adjustment member 3. A groove 29 can be provided on the side of the first portion 2a facing the first cavity wall 6. Schematically, there is one groove 29, which can extend around the entire cavity to form a closed annular groove. Alternatively, there can be at least two grooves 29, each of which can be, for example, roughly C-shaped, a minor arc, a semicircular, or a major arc, and other curved shapes. These grooves 29 can be spaced apart and can be disconnected from each other.

[0057] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 BB cross-sectional view of the air intake member 2. Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the gas inlet member 2 may be provided with a plurality of first channels 28 spaced side by side, each of which may extend through the bottom surface of the groove 29. Each first channel 28 may have an air inlet 27 formed on the surface of the gas inlet member 2 facing the second chamber wall 4. The air inlet 27 may be used to receive process gas. Illustratively, the aperture of the air inlet 27 may be larger than the aperture of the first channel 28. The air inlet 27 may serve as an inlet for the process gas to enter the first channel 28. The first channel 28 may serve as part of the gas path for the process gas entering the pre-cleaning chamber 1a from the outside.

[0058] Combine Figure 5 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the air inlet member 2 may further include an air inlet member first surface 21 , which is connected to the side surface of the groove 29 and may extend in a direction pointing toward the first cavity wall 6 .

[0059] like Figure 3 、 Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, the second part 2b can be roughly annular. The second part 2b can be connected to the first part 2a, and an angle can be formed between the second part 2b and the first part 2a, and the angle can be roughly 90 degrees. Figure 2 As shown, the second part 2b can be located on the side of the first part 2a facing away from the first chamber wall 6, or in other words, along the direction from the first chamber wall 6 to the second chamber wall 4, the first chamber wall 6, the first part 2a, and the second part 2b are arranged in sequence. The outer diameter of the second part 2b can be, for example, smaller than the outer diameter of the first part 2a. The second part 2b can have an adsorption capacity for particulate matter. When the process gas ionized by the coil 7 bombards the wafer surface under the action of the electric field, it can cause particles to fly everywhere. The second part 2b can adsorb the particles flying toward the air inlet 2 on its surface, thereby preventing the particles from entering the interior of the air inlet 2 and causing blockage, and also preventing the particles from causing secondary contamination to the wafer surface. The second part 2b can be made of an insulating material. Schematically, the insulating material can be quartz.

[0060] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 CC cross-sectional view of the air intake member 2. Figure 6 and Figure 4As shown, the first connection hole 25 can be provided on the outside of the groove 29. The first connection hole 25 can be, for example, a stepped hole. The number of the first connection holes 25 can be greater than or equal to 2. Schematically, in an embodiment of the present application, there can be 8 first connection holes 25, and the angle formed by the line connecting any two adjacent first connection holes 25 and the center of the air intake member 2 can be 45°. In another embodiment of the present application, there can be 6 first connection holes 25, that is, the angle formed by the line connecting any two adjacent first connection holes 25 and the center of the air intake member 2 can be 60°. The first connection hole 25 can cooperate with a fixing part, such as a screw, etc., so that the air intake member 2 can form a detachable connection relationship with other components.

[0061] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the adjustment member 3 of the pre-cleaning chamber of the embodiment of the present application. Figure 8 FIG. 3 is a top view of the adjusting member 3 according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the adjusting member 3 can be a roughly annular structure. The inner ring structure of the adjusting member 3 can be provided with a plurality of second connection holes 31. The adjusting member 3 can include a plurality of fixing grooves 35. The adjusting member 3 can form a detachable connection with the air inlet member 2, so when the customer wants to adjust and clean the components in the pre-cleaning chamber 1a, such as the air inlet member 2, the cavity wall body 4a, the first cavity wall 6, etc., the customer can directly remove the adjusting member 3 to facilitate the processing of other components, and then complete the adjustment and cleaning of the air inlet member 2 and other components without changing the connection of other components, which can ultimately simplify the maintenance process of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a and reduce maintenance costs.

[0062] The second connection hole 31 can be provided on the inner ring structure of the adjustment member 3. The second connection hole 31 can be greater than or equal to 2. Schematically, in an embodiment of the present application, there can be 8 second connection holes 31, that is, the angle formed by any two adjacent second connection holes 31 and the center of the adjustment member 3 can be 45°. In another embodiment of the present application, there can be 6 second connection holes 31, that is, the angle formed by any two adjacent second connection holes 31 and the center of the adjustment member 3 can be 60°. The number of the second connection holes 31 and the first connection holes 25 can be correspondingly equal. A detachable connection can be generated between the second connection hole 31 and the first connection hole 25 by a fixing member, such as a screw, etc., so that a detachable connection relationship can be formed between the air intake member 2 and the adjustment member 3.

[0063] The gas outlet 34 can be provided on the upward surface of the inner ring structure of the adjustment member 3. There can be multiple gas outlets 34, and the number of gas outlets 34 can be equal to the number of second gas inlets 32. The gas outlet 34 can provide an outlet for the process gas entering through the second gas inlet 32 ​​to enter other components of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a.

[0064] Figure 9 DD is a cross-sectional view of the adjusting member 3 of the embodiment of the present application. Figure 9 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, a second channel 33 may be provided in the adjusting member 3. The second channel 33 may have a plurality of second gas inlets 32, and the second gas inlets 32 may be formed on the surface of the adjusting member 3 facing away from the cavity 8. The second gas inlet 32 ​​may be used to receive process gas from a gas source. The second channel 33 may have a gas outlet 34. The second channel 33 may be connected to the first channel 28 through the gas outlet 34. The second channel 33 may exist in both the outer ring structure of the adjusting member 3 and the inner ring structure of the adjusting member 3. The second channel 33 may serve as part of the gas path for the process gas entering the pre-cleaning chamber 1a from an external gas source, that is, the second channel 33 may be used to connect to the gas source and receive the process gas delivered by the gas source.

[0065] The fixing groove 35 can be provided on the outer side of the adjusting member 3. Illustratively, the fixing groove 35 can be in the shape of a "half-U-shaped groove," meaning that the side of the fixing groove 35 facing away from the center of the adjusting member 3 can be hollow. The fixing groove 35 can have a connecting hole at its bottom, allowing the adjusting member 3 to be secured to the cavity wall body 4a via a fixing member passing through the connecting hole, ultimately forming a detachable connection between the fixing groove 35 and the cavity wall body 4a.

[0066] Figure 10 yes Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the local enlarged structure at E in the middle. Figure 10 、 Figure 1 、 Figure 3 and Figure 7 As shown, the first connection hole 25 on the air intake member 2 can correspond one-to-one with the second connection hole 31 on the adjustment member 3, and a fixing member can be passed through both the first connection hole 25 and the second connection hole 31, thereby forming a detachable connection between the air intake member 2 and the adjustment member 3. The air outlet 34 of the adjustment member 3 can be connected to the air intake 27 of the air intake member 2, thereby allowing gas from the air source to enter the second channel 33 through the second air intake 32 and then enter the first channel 28 of the air intake member 2 through the air outlet 34.

[0067] Combine Figure 10 、 Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the "cap-shaped" first cavity wall 6 can be installed on the air inlet member 2, and the annular upper surface of the air inlet member 2 except the second portion 2b can be in corresponding contact with the "cap brim" of the first cavity wall 6 and can form a connection. The air inlet member 2 and the first cavity wall 6 can be enclosed to form an air inlet cavity 11 and a gap 12, that is, one end of the first portion 2a facing the first cavity wall 6 is in partial contact with the first cavity wall 6, and a gap 12 is formed between the one end and the first cavity wall 6. The air inlet cavity 11 and the gap 12 can together constitute an air inlet and outlet structure 10. The process gas in the first channel 28 can enter the air inlet cavity 11 and can diffuse out from the gap 12, and finally the process gas can enter the cavity 8 of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a.

[0068] The principle of uniform gas flow in pre-cleaning chamber 1a is as follows: After the process gas enters first channel 28, due to the large diameter of first channel 28, the process gas can quickly enter the inlet chamber 11 and simultaneously exit through slit 12. However, due to the small diameter of slit 12, which can be considered a narrow slit, the process gas in the inlet chamber 11 can slowly diffuse out of slit 12. Therefore, the process gas can first quickly fill the entire annular inlet chamber 11, that is, be evenly distributed within the inlet chamber 11. Subsequently, the process gas can slowly diffuse into the pre-cleaning chamber from slits 12 at various angles, ultimately achieving uniform gas flow.

[0069] Figure 11 yes Figure 10 The schematic diagram of the local enlarged structure at F in the middle. Figure 11 、 Figure 3 、 Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the air inlet member 2 may further include an air inlet member third surface 23. The air inlet member third surface 23 may be the inner side wall of the groove 29 of the air inlet member 2, so that there may be a gap between the upper end of the air inlet member third surface 23 and the bottom surface of the groove 29. The first cavity wall 6 may include a first cavity wall bottom surface 61. When the first cavity wall 6 contacts and forms a connection with the air inlet member 2, an air inlet cavity 11 may be formed between the groove 29 and the first cavity wall bottom surface 61. A gap 12 may be formed between the surface of the air inlet member 2 facing the first cavity wall 6 and the first cavity wall 6, wherein the width H of the gap 12 may be less than or equal to the depth of the groove 29, and the length L of the gap 12 may be greater than the length of the air inlet cavity 11. The gap 12 is connected to the cavity 8, wherein the gap 12 extends in a direction pointing to the first cavity wall 6 from one end of the gap 12 connected to the groove 29 to one end of the gap 12 connected to the cavity 8. Under this design, the process gas entering the air inlet chamber 11 from the first channel 28 can first fill the entire air inlet chamber 11 quickly, and at the same time diffuse out from the narrow gap 12 slowly, and finally be evenly distributed in the upper end chamber of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a.

[0070] Figure 12This is a schematic diagram of the working principle of the pre-cleaning device 1 according to the embodiment of the present application. Figure 16 and Figure 10 As shown, the gas to be ionized 13 from the gas source can enter the second channel 33 through the second gas inlet 32 ​​of the adjustment member 3, and then enter the first channel 28 through the gas inlet 27 of the gas inlet member 2. After entering the gas inlet chamber 11, the gas to be ionized 13 can quickly fill the entire gas inlet chamber 11 and at the same time slowly diffuse out from the narrow gap 12, and finally be evenly distributed in the upper chamber of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a ( Figure 16 The coil 7 can be electrically driven to ionize the gas to be ionized 13 gathered in the upper chamber of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a, thereby forming a plasma 14. Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the relative position relationship between the plasma 14 and the gas inlet and outlet structure 10 in the embodiment of the present application. Figure 17 and Figure 16 As shown, the plasma 14 can be composed of electrically neutral positive and negative ion clusters. The plasma 14 can move downward under the action of the electric field generated by the bias voltage provided on the susceptor 5. Then, the plasma 14 can move from the upper chamber of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a to the wafer on the susceptor 5, and finally bombard the wafer surface and clean impurities on the wafer surface.

[0071] The groove 29 of the air inlet member 2 may be in the shape of a 360° ring, and thus the air inlet cavity 11 and the gap 12 may be in the shape of a 360° ring. It should be noted that the groove 29 may also be in other angles and / or other shapes.

[0072] Figure 13 FIG2 is a top view of an air inlet member 2 according to another embodiment of the present invention. Figure 13 The groove 29 may also be in a 180° semicircular shape. Correspondingly, the number and position of the first channels 28 may also be adjusted accordingly. For example, a plurality of first channels 28 may be provided only in the area where the grooves 29 are provided, and no first channel 28 may be provided in the area where the grooves 29 are not provided.

[0073] Figure 14 This is a top view of the air intake member 2 according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 14, the groove 29 can also be in the shape of an arc arranged along the circumference, and there can be multiple grooves 29, and the multiple grooves 29 are spaced apart from each other. For example, the entire air intake member 2 can be divided into three parts corresponding to a 120° central angle, and in each part corresponding to a 120° central angle, the air intake cavity 11 and the gap 12 can be in the shape of an arc corresponding to a 60° central angle, and then there are three arc-shaped areas corresponding to a 60° central angle in the entire air intake member 2 that can be provided with a first channel 28, and can subsequently cooperate with the first cavity wall 6 to form an air inlet and outlet structure. The above is a case where the air inlet and outlet structure occupies half of the arc corresponding to the 120° central angle. The air inlet and outlet structure can also occupy a quarter of the arc corresponding to the 120° central angle, and in this case, the groove 29 can be in the shape of an arc corresponding to a 30° central angle.

[0074] The above examples illustrate that the groove 29 can have other angles and shapes. It should be noted that, in addition to being annular, the gas inlet member 2 can also have an elliptical, square, or other configuration. Therefore, the shape of the groove 29 can be modified accordingly, ultimately ensuring that the process gas from the gas source can smoothly enter the pre-cleaning chamber 1a and be evenly distributed at the upper end of the pre-cleaning chamber 1a.

[0075] Figure 11 、 Figure 13 as well as Figure 14 The various variations of the shape and structure of the groove 29 are described. The groove 29, the first surface 21 of the air inlet member, and the bottom surface 61 of the first cavity wall can also cooperate to form the air inlet cavity 11 and the gap 12 in other structures, and still play the role of air inlet and outlet.

[0076] Figure 15 FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the air inlet cavity 11 and the gap 12 according to another embodiment of the present application. Figure 15 and Figure 2 As shown, the first cavity wall 6 may further include a first cavity wall inclined surface 62, the first surface 21 of the air inlet member may be inclined, and the extension direction of the first surface 21 of the air inlet member toward the pre-cleaning chamber may point to the first cavity wall 6. When the first cavity wall 6 contacts and connects with the air inlet member 2, an air inlet cavity 11 may be formed between the third surface 23 and the bottom surface 22 of the air inlet member and the bottom surface 61 of the first cavity wall, and an inclined gap 12 may be formed between the first surface 21 of the air inlet member and the first cavity wall inclined surface 62, wherein the gap 12 extends in a direction pointing to the first cavity wall 6 from one end of the gap 12 connecting to the groove 29 to one end of the gap 12 connecting to the cavity 8.

[0077] Figure 16 Schematic diagram of the air inlet cavity 11 and the gap 12 according to an embodiment of the present application. Figure 16The air inlet member 2 may further include an air inlet member fourth surface 24, and the first cavity wall 6 may further include a first cavity wall side surface 63. When the first cavity wall 6 and the air inlet member 2 are in contact and connected, an air inlet cavity 11 may be formed between the air inlet member third surface 23, the bottom surface 22, and the first cavity wall bottom surface 61. A horizontal portion of a gap 12 may be formed between the air inlet member first surface 21 and the first cavity wall bottom surface 61, and a vertical portion of a gap 12 may be formed between the air inlet member fourth surface 24 and the first cavity wall side surface 63. The gap 12 extends in a direction pointing toward the first cavity wall 6, from one end of the gap 12 connecting to the groove 29 to the end of the gap 12 connecting to the cavity 8.

[0078] The above examples illustrate two possible variations in the structure of the air intake member 2 and the first cavity wall 6. It should be noted that the shapes of the air intake cavity 11 and the slit 12 formed by the air intake member 2 and the first cavity wall 6 can be arbitrarily modified, provided that the slit 12 extends from one end communicating with the groove 29 to the other end communicating with the cavity 8 and pointing toward the first cavity wall 6.

[0079] It should be pointed out that Figure 11 The length L of the first cavity wall bottom surface 61, that is, the length L of the gap 12, and the distance H between the first cavity wall bottom surface 61 and the first surface 21 of the air inlet member, that is, the width H of the gap 12, can be designed based on the thickness of the sheath layer.

[0080] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the relative position relationship between the plasma 14 and the pre-cleaning chamber according to the embodiment of the present application. Figure 17 and Figure 11 As shown, because the relative mass of the electrons in plasma 14 is much smaller than that of the ions in plasma 14, the electrons can more quickly approach the inner wall 64 of the first chamber wall under the action of the electric field, thereby making the electron concentration in the inner wall 64 of the first chamber wall greater than that in the plasma 14. Therefore, a concentration difference of the electrons, i.e., a potential difference, can exist between the electrically neutral plasma 14 and the inner wall 64 of the first chamber wall, thereby causing the inner wall 64 of the first chamber wall to have a negative potential relative to the plasma 14. Therefore, an electric field directed toward the inner wall 64 of the first chamber wall can exist between the inner wall 64 of the first chamber wall and the plasma 14, thereby forming a "transition zone" between the two, also known as the sheath 15. In other words, the inner wall 64 of the first chamber wall can be used to form the sheath 15. In this embodiment, the thickness of the sheath 15 can be approximately 1 mm.

[0081] In the embodiment of the present application, the distance H between the upper end of the third surface 23 of the air inlet member and the first surface 21 of the air inlet member, that is, the width H of the gap 12 can be less than or equal to twice the thickness of the sheath 15. For example, the width of the gap 12 can be about 2 mm. This can prevent the gas to be ionized 13 in the gap 12 from being ionized to form an electrically neutral plasma 14. The length L of the gap 12 can be greater than or equal to three times the thickness of the sheath 15. For example, the length L can be about 3 mm. This can prevent the plasma 14 from entering the gap 12 and can prevent the plasma 14 from leaking from the gap 12 to the outside. At the same time, it can prevent the plasma from affecting the process gas from entering the cavity, which can ultimately help the process gas to enter the pre-cleaning chamber evenly.

[0082] The above description is made using the process equipment as the pre-cleaning equipment 1 and the process chamber as the pre-cleaning chamber 1a as an example. In fact, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this. The process equipment can be any semiconductor equipment, and the process equipment can include a process chamber for performing semiconductor processes.

[0083] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise specified, "and / or" is simply a description of the association relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, "A and / or B" can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone.

[0084] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, “plurality” refers to two or more than two.

[0085] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish technical features for clear description, and should not be understood as implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated.

[0086] The directional terms mentioned in the embodiments of this application, such as "upper," "lower," "front," "back," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," "side," "top," and "bottom," etc., are merely references to directions in the accompanying drawings. Therefore, these directional terms are intended to better and more clearly illustrate and facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, and are not intended to explicitly or implicitly indicate that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this application.

[0087] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", and "set on..." should be understood in a broad sense. For example, "connection" can be a detachable connection or a non-detachable connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium.

[0088] As described above, the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the above embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the above embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application.

Claims

1. A pre-cleaning chamber, characterized in that: The invention comprises a first cavity wall, an air inlet and a second cavity wall, wherein the air inlet is connected between the first cavity wall and the second cavity wall, the first cavity wall, the air inlet and the second cavity wall form a cavity, a gap is formed between the surface of the air inlet facing the first cavity wall and the first cavity wall, and the gap is connected with the cavity; The surface of the gas inlet member facing the first cavity wall is provided with a groove, and the groove is connected with the cavity through the gap; a plurality of first channels arranged side by side and spaced apart are provided in the gas inlet member, each of the first channels passes through the bottom surface of the groove, and each of the first channels has an air inlet, and the air inlet is formed on the surface of the gas inlet member facing the second cavity wall, and the air inlet is used to receive process gas.

2. The pre-cleaning chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: The width of the gap is less than or equal to the depth of the groove.

3. The pre-cleaning chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The cavity is used to accommodate plasma, and the plasma forms a sheath at the inner wall of the first cavity wall; the width of the gap is less than or equal to 2 times the thickness of the sheath.

4. The pre-cleaning chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The cavity is used to accommodate plasma, and the plasma forms a sheath at the inner wall of the first cavity wall; the length of the gap is greater than or equal to 3 times the thickness of the sheath.

5. The pre-cleaning chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The slit extends from one end of the slit connected to the groove to one end of the slit connected to the cavity in a direction pointing to the first cavity wall.

6. The pre-cleaning chamber according to claim 5, characterized in that: The slit extends along a straight line direction or a curved line direction.

7. The pre-cleaning chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The air inlet member comprises a first part and a second part, the second part is connected to the first part, and the second part is located on a side of the first part facing away from the first cavity wall; The first part is connected between the first cavity wall and the second cavity wall, the gap is formed between the surface of the first part facing the first cavity wall and the first cavity wall, the surface of the first part facing the first cavity wall is provided with the groove, and the first part is provided with a plurality of first channels arranged side by side and spaced apart.

8. The pre-cleaning chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The second cavity wall includes a cavity wall body and an adjusting member, wherein the adjusting member is connected between the air inlet member and the cavity wall body; a second channel is provided in the adjusting member, wherein the second channel is connected to the first channel, and the second channel is used to connect to a gas source and receive process gas transported by the gas source.

9. A pre-cleaning device, characterized in that: The pre-cleaning chamber comprises a plasma device and the pre-cleaning chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the plasma device is used to ionize a process gas entering the cavity to turn the process gas into plasma.

10. The pre-cleaning device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The plasma device comprises a base, a part of which is located in the cavity, and another part of which is located outside the cavity; the base is used for carrying a workpiece to be cleaned.

11. The pre-cleaning device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The inner wall of the first cavity wall is used to form a sheath layer; The width of the slit of the pre-cleaning chamber is less than or equal to 2 times the thickness of the sheath layer, and / or the length of the slit of the pre-cleaning chamber is greater than or equal to 3 times the thickness of the sheath layer.

Images