Plasma cleaning apparatus, semiconductor device, and device mounting method

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of semiconductor equipment, and discloses a plasma cleaning device, semiconductor equipment and an equipment installation method. The plasma cleaning device comprises a remote plasma source, a first cleaning pipeline and a second cleaning pipeline, wherein the remote plasma source is used for generating plasma. The first cleaning pipeline is connected to the remote plasma source and the reaction chamber, and the second cleaning pipeline is connected to the same remote plasma source and the exhaust pipeline and is connected to the upstream of the exhaust control valve. According to the device, the plasma can be directly input into the reaction chamber and the exhaust pipeline through the first cleaning pipeline and the second cleaning pipeline respectively, so that the plasma is prevented from being inactivated before reaching the exhaust control valve, the exhaust control valve can be thoroughly cleaned, the phenomena of accumulation, blockage and blockage of byproducts are avoided, and the service life of the reaction chamber is prolonged. Therefore, the time cost and the labor cost of disassembly and cleaning are reduced, and the efficiency of semiconductor process equipment is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment, and in particular to a plasma cleaning device, semiconductor equipment and an equipment installation method. Background Art

[0002] In existing semiconductor process equipment, plasma is often used to clean the reaction chamber and the exhaust pipeline connected to the reaction chamber. The plasma is generated from a remote plasma source, which is arranged outside the reaction chamber and connected to the reaction chamber through a pipeline. The plasma generated by the remote plasma source can pass through the reaction chamber and the exhaust pipeline in sequence, thereby cleaning the reaction byproducts remaining in the reaction chamber and the exhaust pipeline.

[0003] However, during cleaning, the exhaust pipe is often not cleaned thoroughly, resulting in accumulation of byproducts, jamming, and blockage in the exhaust pipe, especially in the butterfly valve and other control valves in the exhaust pipe. This further requires manual disassembly and cleaning, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive, affecting the working efficiency of semiconductor process equipment.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a plasma cleaning device, a semiconductor device and a device installation method to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the invention

[0005] The first object of the present invention is to provide a plasma cleaning device that can clean the reaction chamber and the exhaust pipeline more thoroughly to avoid the accumulation, jamming and blockage of by-products at the control valve of the exhaust pipeline.

[0006] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0007] A plasma cleaning device for cleaning a reaction chamber of a semiconductor device and an exhaust pipeline connected to the reaction chamber, comprising:

[0008] A remote plasma source for generating plasma;

[0009] a first cleaning pipeline, one end of which is connected to the remote plasma source, and the other end of which is connected to the reaction chamber, and a first portion of the plasma can flow through the first cleaning pipeline, the reaction chamber and the exhaust pipeline in sequence;

[0010] A second cleaning pipeline, one end of the second cleaning pipeline and the first cleaning pipeline are connected to the same remote plasma source, and the other end of the second cleaning pipeline is connected to the exhaust pipeline; the exhaust pipeline is provided with an exhaust control valve, the second cleaning pipeline is connected upstream of the exhaust control valve, and the second part of the plasma can flow through the second cleaning pipeline and the exhaust pipeline in sequence.

[0011] Preferably, the first cleaning pipeline and the second cleaning pipeline are connected to the remote plasma source via a three-way valve or a three-way joint.

[0012] Preferably, the three-way valve comprises a three-way regulating valve, and the three-way regulating valve is used to adjust the ratio of the plasma flowing into the first cleaning pipeline and the plasma flowing into the second cleaning pipeline.

[0013] Preferably, the first cleaning pipeline and the second cleaning pipeline are connected to the three-way joint, the first cleaning pipeline is provided with a first cleaning control valve, the first cleaning control valve is provided between the three-way joint and the reaction chamber, and,

[0014] The second cleaning pipeline is provided with a second cleaning control valve, and the second cleaning control valve is arranged between the three-way joint and the exhaust pipeline.

[0015] Preferably, a bending angle of the first cleaning pipeline and / or the second cleaning pipeline is not less than 90 degrees.

[0016] Preferably, the bending angle formed by the connection between the second cleaning pipeline and the exhaust pipeline is not less than 90 degrees; and / or,

[0017] The bending angle formed by the connection between the second cleaning pipeline and the first cleaning pipeline is not less than 90 degrees.

[0018] Preferably, the first cleaning pipeline and / or the second cleaning pipeline is provided with a lining structure inside, the lining structure is used for heat insulation and / or corrosion protection, and the lining structure is made of at least one material selected from ceramics, metals and fluorine-containing plastics.

[0019] Preferably, the lining structure comprises a detachably arranged lining part; and / or,

[0020] The lining structure includes a ceramic layer, a metal layer or a fluorine-containing plastic layer which is integrally arranged on the inner wall surface of the first cleaning pipeline and / or the second cleaning pipeline.

[0021] Preferably, the first cleaning pipeline and / or the second cleaning pipeline comprises a bellows, and the lining structure is arranged inside the bellows.

[0022] Preferably, the lining structure includes a bushing pipe, which is inserted into the bellows. A connecting flange is provided at the end of the bellows, and the bushing pipe is inserted into the connecting flange and the bellows.

[0023] Preferably, the exhaust pipeline is connected to a purge structure, the purge structure is connected between the exhaust control valve and the reaction chamber, and the second cleaning pipeline is connected between the purge structure and the reaction chamber.

[0024] Preferably, the plasma cleaning device also includes a third cleaning pipeline, the first cleaning pipeline is connected to the top of the reaction chamber, one end of the third cleaning pipeline and the first cleaning pipeline and the second cleaning pipeline are connected to the same remote plasma source, and the other end of the third cleaning pipeline is connected to the bottom of the reaction chamber, and the third part of the plasma can flow through the third cleaning pipeline, the reaction chamber and the exhaust pipeline in sequence.

[0025] Beneficial effects of the plasma cleaning device provided by the present invention: Compared with the cleaning device in the prior art, the plasma cleaning device provided by the present invention can directly input plasma into the reaction chamber and the exhaust pipeline respectively through the first cleaning pipeline and the second cleaning pipeline, thereby avoiding the plasma from being deactivated before reaching the exhaust control valve, ensuring that the exhaust control valve can obtain a thorough cleaning effect, avoiding the accumulation, jamming and clogging of byproducts, thereby reducing the time cost and labor cost of disassembly and cleaning, and improving the efficiency of semiconductor process equipment. At the same time, only one remote plasma source is used to realize the separate input into the reaction chamber and the exhaust pipeline, which can greatly save the structural cost of the plasma cleaning device.

[0026] The second object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor device that is easy to maintain and clean and has high working efficiency.

[0027] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0028] The semiconductor device comprises at least two reaction chambers, each of which is connected to an exhaust pipeline and the plasma cleaning device as described above, and each of which is connected to a remote plasma source, a first cleaning pipeline and a second cleaning pipeline in the plasma cleaning device.

[0029] The beneficial effects of the semiconductor equipment provided by the present invention are as follows: by connecting a plasma cleaning device, it is possible to ensure that the second part of the plasma can fully clean structures such as the exhaust control valve that are prone to accumulation of by-products before deactivation, thereby avoiding jamming and blockage at the exhaust control valve, reducing the maintenance frequency and maintenance cost of the semiconductor equipment, and improving the working efficiency of the semiconductor equipment.

[0030] A third object of the present invention is to provide a device installation method capable of installing the above-mentioned plasma device on an existing semiconductor device.

[0031] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0032] The device installation method is used to install the above-mentioned plasma cleaning device on the semiconductor device, comprising:

[0033] A remote plasma source is arranged outside the reaction chamber, a first cleaning pipeline is arranged between the remote plasma source and the reaction chamber, a second cleaning pipeline is arranged between the remote plasma source and the exhaust pipeline, and the second cleaning pipeline is connected to the upstream of the exhaust control valve of the exhaust pipeline.

[0034] Preferably, the bending angle of the first cleaning pipeline and / or the second cleaning pipeline is set to be no less than 90 degrees.

[0035] Preferably, the bending angle between the second cleaning pipeline and the exhaust pipeline is set to be no less than 90 degrees; and / or the bending angle between the second cleaning pipeline and the first cleaning pipeline is set to be no less than 90 degrees.

[0036] Preferably, the first cleaning pipeline and / or the second cleaning pipeline includes at least one bellows.

[0037] The beneficial effects of the equipment installation method provided by the present invention are as follows: through the above-mentioned equipment installation method, there is no need to modify the existing semiconductor process equipment pipelines. Only the corresponding structure needs to be added to conveniently set up a plasma cleaning device on the existing semiconductor equipment, thereby achieving high-quality and high-efficiency cleaning operations on the semiconductor equipment, improving the processing efficiency of the semiconductor equipment, which is beneficial to improving the processing quality of the semiconductor equipment, and can significantly avoid the accumulation, jamming and blockage of by-products at the exhaust control valve, so that the semiconductor equipment can be cleaned more thoroughly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Figure 1 It is an assembly diagram of the semiconductor device and the plasma cleaning device provided by the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2It is an assembly diagram of a first cleaning pipeline and a second cleaning pipeline in the plasma cleaning device provided by the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3 It is an internal structure diagram of the bellows and bushing provided by the present invention assembled by gravity;

[0041] Figure 4 It is an internal structure diagram of the welding connection between the bellows and the bushing provided by the present invention.

[0042] In the figure:

[0043] 10. reaction chamber; 11. exhaust pipeline; 111. exhaust control valve; 112. purge structure; 12. main exhaust pipe; 121. main exhaust valve; 13. cover body;

[0044] 20. Remote plasma source; 21. First cleaning pipeline; 211. First cleaning control valve; 22. Second cleaning pipeline; 221. Second cleaning control valve; 23. Three-way connector;

[0045] 100. Bellows; 101. Connecting flange; 102. Bushing; 1021. Clamping portion. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It is to be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention, rather than to limit the present invention. It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only parts related to the present invention, rather than all structures, are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0047] In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "connected", "connected", and "fixed" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0048] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first and second features are in direct contact, or may include that the first and second features are not in direct contact but are in contact through another feature between them. Moreover, a first feature being "above", "above" and "above" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and obliquely above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in level than the second feature. A first feature being "below", "below" and "below" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and obliquely below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in level than the second feature.

[0049] In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left" and other directions or positional relationships are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operate in a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish in the description and have no special meaning.

[0050] The following is based on the attached Figure 1 To Attachment Figure 4 The present invention introduces a plasma cleaning device, a semiconductor device and a device installation method.

[0051] refer to Figure 1 As shown, the existing semiconductor equipment includes a reaction chamber 10 and an exhaust pipe 11 connected to the reaction chamber 10. The reaction chamber 10 is used to process the substrate, and deposition (including vapor deposition, epitaxial deposition, etc.), diffusion or etching and other processing processes can be performed in the reaction chamber 10. These processing processes will use process gases, which can form deposition, diffusion or etching effects on the substrate and produce by-products. The unreacted process gas and by-products will settle to the bottom of the reaction chamber 10, and finally be discharged through the exhaust pipe 11 connected to the bottom of the reaction chamber 10. The exhaust pipe 11 is connected to an exhaust pump, which can provide power for the flow of process gases and by-products, thereby driving the process gases and by-products to be discharged from the semiconductor equipment through the exhaust pipe 11 and the exhaust pump.

[0052] Continue to refer to Figure 1 As shown, the plasma cleaning device mainly includes a remote plasma source 20, a first cleaning pipeline 21 and a second cleaning pipeline 22. The remote plasma source 20 is arranged outside the reaction chamber 10, and can generate plasma. The plasma has the characteristics of high temperature and high energy, and can react with by-products and other pollution and impurities to decompose them into volatile substances, thereby achieving the purpose of cleaning.

[0053] One end of the first cleaning pipeline 21 is connected to the remote plasma source 20, and the other end of the first cleaning pipeline 21 is connected to the reaction chamber 10. After a portion of the plasma generated by the remote plasma source 20 enters the reaction chamber 10 through the first cleaning pipeline 21, it first reacts with the by-products and other contaminants and impurities in the reaction chamber 10, and then enters the exhaust pipeline 11, reacts with the by-products and other contaminants and impurities in the exhaust pipeline 11, and finally, under the action of the exhaust pump, volatile substances and the like are discharged. Preferably, the first cleaning pipeline 21 is connected to the top of the reaction chamber 10, so that the plasma can fill the reaction chamber 10 from top to bottom, achieving a more thorough cleaning effect.

[0054] One end of the second cleaning pipeline 22 and the first cleaning pipeline 21 are connected to the same remote plasma source 20, and the other end of the second cleaning pipeline 22 is connected to the exhaust pipeline 11. In this way, it is avoided to set up another remote plasma source 20 separately for the second cleaning pipeline 22, which is beneficial to reduce the structural cost of the plasma cleaning device. The exhaust pipeline 11 includes an exhaust control valve 111 (such as a butterfly valve), and the exhaust control valve 111 is used to isolate the exhaust pipeline 11 when performing the above-mentioned treatment process, so as to form a vacuum, low pressure and other environmental requirements in the reaction chamber 10 that meet the treatment process. The second cleaning pipeline 22 is connected to the upstream of the exhaust control valve 111, that is, the position between the end of the exhaust pipeline 11 connected to the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust control valve 111. The second part of the plasma can flow directly into the exhaust pipe 11 through the second cleaning pipe 22, thereby bypassing the reaction chamber 10, avoiding the deactivation of the plasma and the inability to volatilize due to the long flow path, the curved path, etc., and ensuring that the exhaust pipe 11, especially the exhaust control valve 111, can obtain a sufficient and thorough cleaning effect.

[0055] Compared with the cleaning device in the prior art, the plasma cleaning device provided in the present invention can directly input plasma into the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust pipe 11 through the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22, respectively, thereby avoiding the plasma from being deactivated before reaching the exhaust control valve 111, ensuring that the exhaust control valve 111 can obtain a thorough cleaning effect, avoiding the accumulation, jamming and clogging of byproducts, thereby reducing the time cost and labor cost of disassembly and cleaning, and improving the efficiency of semiconductor process equipment. At the same time, only one remote plasma source 20 is used to realize the separate input into the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust pipe 11, which can greatly save the structural cost of the plasma cleaning device.

[0056] Preferably, in this embodiment, the first cleaning pipeline 21, the second cleaning pipeline 22 and the exhaust pipeline 11 include one or more pipeline parts, and the plasma can flow under the constraint of the pipeline parts. The bending angles formed by the pipeline parts themselves and the pipeline parts connected to each other are not less than 90 degrees, thereby reducing the probability of plasma deactivation when flowing through. When measuring the bending angle, for a straight pipe, the axis of one end coincides with the axis of the other end, then taking the midpoint of the pipeline part as the coordinate origin, the angle between the two axes can be measured to be 180 degrees, and the 180 degrees is the bending angle of the straight pipe. For an L-shaped bend, the axis of one end of the L-shaped bend is perpendicular to the axis of the other end of the L-shaped bend, then taking the intersection of the two axes as the coordinate origin, the bending angle can be measured to be 90 degrees. Therefore, the pipeline parts used in the present invention can be straight pipes, L-shaped bends, or something in between.

[0057] Exemplarily, the first cleaning pipeline 21 is a linear pipeline, using an integrally formed pipeline member, and the pipeline member is a straight pipe, and its bending angle is 180 degrees, which is within the range of not less than 90 degrees, and can avoid the deactivation of plasma when it flows through. Optionally, in some embodiments, the second cleaning pipeline 22 includes four pipeline members connected in sequence, each of which is a straight pipe with a bending angle of 180°, and the angle between any two adjacent connected pipeline members is set to be not less than 90 degrees, which can also reduce the probability of deactivation of plasma when it flows through.

[0058] Taking the second cleaning pipeline 22 as an example, refer to Figure 1 As shown, one of the pipe parts includes a bend pipe, which has a bend, and the bending angle at the bend is not less than 90 degrees, so as to avoid the deactivation of plasma due to excessive bending angle when flowing through the pipe part, thereby improving the utilization rate of plasma, reducing the power demand for the remote plasma source 20, and thus reducing the cost of the cleaning device.

[0059] It should be noted that when a pipe component (or a pipeline, such as the second cleaning pipeline 22 in this embodiment) has multiple bends, the bent pipe or pipeline can be regarded as an equivalent structure formed by connecting multiple straight pipes. Therefore, as long as the bending angle of each connection is not less than 90 degrees, it also falls within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second cleaning pipeline 22 is directly connected to the first cleaning pipeline 21, and the plasma can flow into the second cleaning pipeline 22 after passing through a part of the first cleaning pipeline 21. Therefore, the bending angle at the connection between the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22 should also be not less than 90 degrees, so as to avoid the plasma from being deactivated when flowing into the second cleaning pipeline 22. Similarly, the second cleaning pipeline 22 is directly connected to the exhaust pipeline 11, and the plasma can flow into the exhaust pipeline 11 after passing through the second cleaning pipeline 22. Therefore, the bending angle at the connection between the second cleaning pipeline 22 and the exhaust pipeline 11 should also be not less than 90 degrees, so as to avoid the plasma from being deactivated when flowing into the exhaust pipeline 11.

[0061] Optionally, in this embodiment, the exhaust pipeline 11 is connected to a purge structure 112, which is connected between the exhaust control valve 111 and the reaction chamber 10, and can blow inert gas into the exhaust pipeline 11 at a high flow rate, thereby purging and cleaning the exhaust control valve 111. The second cleaning pipeline 22 is connected between the purge structure 112 and the reaction chamber 10, so that the connection between the purge structure 112 and the exhaust pipeline 11 can be cleaned to avoid the accumulation of impurities such as byproducts at the connection between the purge structure 112 and the exhaust pipeline 11.

[0062] Continue to refer to Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the remote plasma source 20 is connected to a supply pipeline, and the supply pipeline is connected to the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22 through a three-way valve. After the plasma flows through the supply pipeline and the three-way valve, it enters the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22 respectively. The three-way valve can isolate the supply pipeline from the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22, so as to facilitate the realization of a vacuum, low pressure, and other environments in the reaction chamber 10 that are conducive to the processing process.

[0063] Preferably, the three-way valve is a three-way regulating valve, which can adjust the ratio of plasma flowing into the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22, so that by adjusting the ratio, the cleaning effect on the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust pipeline 11 can be taken into account. In particular, the three-way regulating valve can also control the ratio of plasma so that the plasma flows into only one of the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22, so as to clean the reaction chamber 10 or the exhaust pipeline 11 in a targeted manner.

[0064] Optionally, in some embodiments, Figure 2As shown, the supply pipeline can also be connected to the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22 through the three-way joint 23. At the same time, the first cleaning pipeline 21 is provided with a first cleaning control valve 211, and the first cleaning control valve 211 is arranged between the three-way joint 23 and the reaction chamber 10. Through the first cleaning control valve 211, the first cleaning pipeline 21 can be isolated. The second cleaning pipeline 22 is provided with a second cleaning control valve 221, and the second cleaning control valve 221 is arranged between the three-way joint 23 and the exhaust pipeline 11. Through the second cleaning control valve 221, the second cleaning pipeline 22 can be isolated. When the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22 are both isolated, it is also possible to facilitate the realization of a vacuum, low pressure, and other environments that are conducive to the processing process in the reaction chamber 10. It should be particularly noted that, in some embodiments, the above-mentioned supply pipeline and three-way valve, as well as the above-mentioned three-way connector 23, can also be regarded as a part of the first cleaning pipeline 21 (or the second cleaning pipeline 22), thereby also satisfying the requirement that the bending angle at the connection between the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22 is not less than 90 degrees, thereby achieving the effect of reducing plasma deactivation.

[0065] Optionally, in this embodiment, a lining structure is provided inside the first cleaning pipeline 21, the second cleaning pipeline 22 or the exhaust pipeline 11. The lining structure is made of at least one material selected from ceramic, metal (such as C276 Hastelloy) and fluorine-containing plastic (such as Teflon), and can play a heat insulation or corrosion-resistant role, thereby preventing the high temperature and high energy characteristics of plasma from damaging the pipeline parts and the seals connected to the pipeline parts, affecting their service life and air tightness.

[0066] In this embodiment, the lining structure includes detachably arranged lining parts. Exemplarily, the lining parts include structures such as the lining tube 102 and the protective sheet. The lining tube 102 or the protective sheet are arranged inside the first cleaning pipeline 21, the second cleaning pipeline 22 or the exhaust pipeline 11, which can reduce the degree of heating of the pipeline parts by plasma and the degree of corrosion of the inner wall surface of the pipeline parts, and also facilitate maintenance by replacing the lining tube 102 and the protective sheet.

[0067] More specifically, the pipe component includes a corrugated pipe 100, which can prevent hard connection and facilitate the assembly and installation of the pipe component. Figure 3 As shown, the bellows 100 is a telescopic pipe made of a flexible material, and two connecting flanges 101 are fixedly arranged at both ends of the telescopic pipe, which can be used to connect the bellows 100 with other adjacent pipe parts.

[0068] Optionally, in this embodiment, the bushing 102 is made of Hastelloy, and a clamping portion 1021 is protrudingly provided on the outer peripheral surface of one end thereof, and the other end can be inserted into the bellows 100 through the connecting flange 101, thereby providing heat insulation and corrosion protection for the inner wall of the bellows 100. When the bushing 102 is installed, the bellows 100 is tilted or vertically arranged, and the other end of the bushing 102 is inserted into the connecting flange 101 and the bellows 100, and the clamping portion 1021 can abut against the end surface of the connecting flange 101 under the action of gravity, thereby fixing the bushing 102 in the bellows 100. Before installing the bushing tube 102, the local temperature of the bellows 100 can reach 262 degrees Celsius or above. After installing the bushing tube 102, the overall temperature of the bellows 100 can be reduced to between 60 degrees Celsius and 87 degrees Celsius, achieving a very obvious thermal insulation protection effect, protecting the personal safety of operators, extending the service life of pipeline components, and improving the use efficiency of semiconductor equipment.

[0069] In some embodiments, the bushing 102 and the connecting flange 101 can be threaded or snap-connected, so that the bushing 102 can be detachably fixed in the bellows 100, or the bushing 102 can be welded to one of the connecting flanges 101, so that the bushing 102 can be installed at any angle without being restricted by gravity. In addition to the bellows 100, other pipe parts can also use the above-mentioned method to fix the lining structure, or use welding connection and other methods to connect the lining structure and the pipe parts as a whole or further reinforce them. This is not specifically limited in the present invention. For example, refer to Figure 4 As shown, the bushing tube 102 is welded and fixed to a connecting flange 101 on the left side of the figure, and can be slidably inserted into a connecting flange 101 on the right side of the figure, thereby improving the connection strength between the bushing tube 102 and the connecting flange 101.

[0070] Of course, in some other embodiments, a ceramic layer, a metal layer or a fluorine-containing plastic layer may be integrally provided on the inner wall surface of the pipe component, which can also provide heat insulation and anti-corrosion protection for the pipe component and is also within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0071] Optionally, in some embodiments, the plasma cleaning device further includes a third cleaning pipeline. The first cleaning pipeline 21 is connected to the top of the reaction chamber 10, one end of the third cleaning pipeline is connected to the remote plasma source 20, and the other end of the third cleaning pipeline is connected to the bottom of the reaction chamber 10. The third part of the plasma can flow through the third cleaning pipeline, the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust pipeline 11 in sequence, and cooperate with the first cleaning pipeline 21, so that the plasma can enter the reaction chamber 10 from the top and bottom of the reaction chamber 10 at the same time, and clean the top and bottom areas in the reaction chamber 10 at the same time, thereby improving the cleaning effect of the chamber as a whole, improving the cleaning efficiency, and saving cleaning time.

[0072] The present invention also provides a semiconductor device. In order to improve the processing efficiency of the substrate, two or more reaction chambers 10 are provided in the semiconductor device. Each reaction chamber 10 is connected to an exhaust pipeline 11 and the above-mentioned plasma cleaning device. In each plasma cleaning device, a remote plasma source 20, a first cleaning pipeline 21 and a second cleaning pipeline 22 are provided. Each reaction chamber 10 is connected to an exhaust pipeline 11 and a first cleaning pipeline 21, a second cleaning pipeline 22 and a remote plasma source 20 of a plasma cleaning device, so that each reaction chamber 10 is cleaned independently to ensure the continuous processing capacity of the multi-chamber semiconductor device. Optionally, multiple exhaust pipelines 11 are connected to a main exhaust pipe 12, and the main exhaust pipe 12 is provided with a main exhaust valve 121 to control the uniform discharge of gas.

[0073] By connecting the plasma cleaning device, the semiconductor device can ensure that the second part of the plasma fully cleans the exhaust control valve 111 and other structures that are prone to accumulation of by-products before deactivation, thereby avoiding the exhaust control valve 111 from getting stuck or clogged, reducing the maintenance frequency and maintenance cost of the semiconductor device, and improving the working efficiency of the semiconductor device.

[0074] The present invention also provides a device installation method for installing the above-mentioned plasma cleaning device on a semiconductor device. The device installation method comprises:

[0075] A remote plasma source 20 is arranged outside the reaction chamber 10, a first cleaning pipeline 21 is arranged between the remote plasma source 20 and the reaction chamber 10, a second cleaning pipeline 22 is arranged between the remote plasma source 20 and the exhaust pipeline 11, and the second cleaning pipeline 22 is connected to the upstream of the exhaust control valve 111 of the exhaust pipeline 11.

[0076] Specifically, in the above steps, the remote plasma source 20 can be installed on a rack of a semiconductor device, or on a structure such as a stand dedicated to installing the remote plasma source 20, as long as fixed installation can be achieved. When setting the first cleaning pipeline 21, it is necessary to add a first connection port that can connect a pipeline member on the reaction chamber 10, and then connect one or more pipeline members in the first cleaning pipeline 21 between the remote plasma source 20 and the reaction chamber 10. Optionally, in the present embodiment, the reaction chamber 10 is provided with a cover body 13, and the cover body 13 is covered from top to bottom at the opening of the reaction chamber 10 so as to facilitate the realization of environmental conditions such as low pressure and vacuum, and the above-mentioned first connection port is provided on the cover body 13. Of course, in some embodiments, the first connection port can also be provided at the upper end of the side wall of the reaction chamber 10, which also belongs to the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0077] Similarly, when setting up the second cleaning pipeline 22, it is necessary to set a second connecting port at a position upstream of the exhaust control valve 111 of the exhaust pipeline 11, and then connect one or more pipe components in the second cleaning pipeline 22 between the remote plasma source 20 and the exhaust pipeline 11.

[0078] Through the above-mentioned equipment installation method, there is no need to modify the existing semiconductor process equipment pipelines. Only the corresponding structure needs to be added to conveniently install a plasma cleaning device on the existing semiconductor equipment, thereby achieving high-quality and high-efficiency cleaning operations on the semiconductor equipment, improving the processing efficiency of the semiconductor equipment, and being beneficial to improving the processing quality of the semiconductor equipment. It can also significantly avoid the accumulation, jamming, and blockage of by-products at the exhaust control valve 111, so that the semiconductor equipment can be cleaned more thoroughly.

[0079] Optionally, in some embodiments, a remote plasma source 20 may be firstly arranged outside the reaction chamber 10, a first cleaning pipeline 21 may be arranged between the remote plasma source 20 and the reaction chamber 10, and plasma may be sequentially passed through the first cleaning pipeline 21, the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust pipeline 11, thereby achieving plasma cleaning of the reaction chamber 10. Furthermore, after the exhaust control valve 111 is not thoroughly cleaned, or later based on the purpose of preventing the exhaust control valve 111 from being not thoroughly cleaned, the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the exhaust pipeline 11 are modified, so that the second cleaning pipeline 22 is connected between the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the exhaust pipeline 11, and finally the above-mentioned plasma cleaning device is formed.

[0080] Optionally, in the device installation method, the first cleaning pipeline 21 or the second cleaning pipeline 22 is further included in the bending angle set to not less than 90 degrees. Exemplarily, the second cleaning pipeline 22 is formed by a pipe member with a bending angle of not less than 90 degrees, and the bending angle formed by the connection between two adjacent pipe members is also not less than 90 degrees, so that the bending angle of the pipeline is set to not less than 90 degrees, thereby achieving the effect of preventing plasma deactivation. Preferably, the bending angles of the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22 are both set to not less than 90 degrees.

[0081] Furthermore, the bending angle between the second cleaning pipeline 22 and the exhaust pipeline 11 is also set to be not less than 90 degrees, so as to prevent the plasma from being deactivated when passing through the connection between the second cleaning pipeline 22 and the exhaust pipeline 11. Similarly, in the present embodiment, the bending angle between the second cleaning pipeline 22 and the first cleaning pipeline 21 is also set to be not less than 90 degrees, so as to prevent the plasma from being deactivated when passing through the first cleaning pipeline 21 and entering the second cleaning pipeline 22.

[0082] Preferably, at least one bellows 100 is included in the second cleaning pipeline 22 or the first cleaning pipeline 21. Taking the second cleaning pipeline 22 as an example, the bellows 100 is connected to other pipe parts in the second cleaning pipeline 22, so that the second cleaning pipeline 22 can avoid the phenomenon of hard connection when being connected to the exhaust pipeline 11 or the first cleaning pipeline 21, which can reduce the manufacturing requirements and connection difficulty of the second cleaning pipeline 22. Of course, in some embodiments, at least one bellows 100 can also be provided in both the first cleaning pipeline 21 and the second cleaning pipeline 22, so as to further reduce the difficulty of connecting the plasma cleaning device to the semiconductor device.

[0083] The present invention also provides a cleaning method, which is used to clean the reaction chamber 10 of a semiconductor device and the exhaust pipe 11 connected to the reaction chamber 10. The cleaning method comprises:

[0084] The first part of the driving plasma flows through the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust pipe 11 in sequence, and the second part of the driving plasma directly enters the exhaust pipe 11 from the upstream of the exhaust control valve 111 in the exhaust pipe 11 .

[0085] Specifically, by using the above-mentioned plasma cleaning device, the first part of the plasma can flow through the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust pipe 11 through the first cleaning pipe 21, and the second part of the plasma can be driven into the exhaust pipe 11 from the upstream of the exhaust control valve 111 through the second cleaning pipe 22.

[0086] By passing the first part of the plasma through the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust pipe 11, the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust pipe 11 can be cleaned. By passing the second part of the plasma over the reaction chamber 10 and directly entering the exhaust pipe 11 from the upstream of the exhaust control valve 111, it can be ensured that the second part of the plasma can fully clean the exhaust control valve 111 and other structures that are prone to accumulation of by-products before deactivation, thereby avoiding the exhaust control valve 111 from being stuck or blocked.

[0087] It should be noted that the first part of the flow path of the driven plasma passes through the reaction chamber 10 and the exhaust pipe 11, and the second part of the driven plasma is driven into the exhaust pipe 11 from the upstream of the exhaust control valve 111. These two processes can occur simultaneously or one after another. The present invention does not make any specific limitations on this, as long as the corresponding cleaning effect can be achieved.

[0088] In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "some embodiments", "other embodiments", etc. means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0089] Obviously, the above embodiments of the present invention are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, various obvious changes, readjustments and substitutions can be made without departing from the protection scope of the present invention. It is not necessary and impossible to list all the embodiments here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A plasma cleaning device for cleaning a reaction chamber (10) of a semiconductor device and an exhaust pipe (11) connected to the reaction chamber (10), characterized in that: include: A remote plasma source (20), the remote plasma source (20) being used to generate plasma; a first cleaning pipeline (21), one end of the first cleaning pipeline (21) being connected to the remote plasma source (20), the other end of the first cleaning pipeline (21) being connected to the reaction chamber (10), and a first portion of the plasma being able to flow through the first cleaning pipeline (21), the reaction chamber (10) and the exhaust pipeline (11) in sequence; A second cleaning pipeline (22), one end of the second cleaning pipeline (22) and the first cleaning pipeline (21) are connected to the same remote plasma source (20), and the other end of the second cleaning pipeline (22) is connected to the exhaust pipeline (11); the exhaust pipeline (11) is provided with an exhaust control valve (111), the second cleaning pipeline (22) is connected upstream of the exhaust control valve (111), and the second part of the plasma can flow through the second cleaning pipeline (22) and the exhaust pipeline (11) in sequence.

2. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first cleaning pipeline (21) and the second cleaning pipeline (22) are connected to the remote plasma source (20) via a three-way valve or a three-way connector (23).

3. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The three-way valve comprises a three-way regulating valve, and the three-way regulating valve is used to adjust the ratio of the plasma flowing into the first cleaning pipeline (21) and the plasma flowing into the second cleaning pipeline (22).

4. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The first cleaning pipeline (21) and the second cleaning pipeline (22) are connected to the three-way joint (23), the first cleaning pipeline (21) is provided with a first cleaning control valve (211), the first cleaning control valve (211) is arranged between the three-way joint (23) and the reaction chamber (10), and, The second cleaning pipeline (22) is provided with a second cleaning control valve (221), and the second cleaning control valve (221) is arranged between the three-way connector (23) and the exhaust pipeline (11).

5. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bending angle of the first cleaning pipeline (21) and / or the second cleaning pipeline (22) is not less than 90 degrees.

6. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The bending angle formed by the connection between the second cleaning pipeline (22) and the exhaust pipeline (11) is not less than 90 degrees; and / or, The bending angle formed after the second cleaning pipeline (22) and the first cleaning pipeline (21) are connected is not less than 90 degrees.

7. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first cleaning pipeline (21) and / or the second cleaning pipeline (22) is provided with an inner lining structure, the inner lining structure is used for heat insulation and / or corrosion protection, and the inner lining structure is made of at least one material selected from ceramics, metals and fluorine-containing plastics.

8. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The lining structure includes detachably arranged lining parts; and / or, The lining structure comprises a ceramic layer, a metal layer or a fluorine-containing plastic layer which is integrally arranged on the inner wall surface of the first cleaning pipeline (21) and / or the second cleaning pipeline (22).

9. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first cleaning pipeline (21) and / or the second cleaning pipeline (22) comprises a bellows (100), and the lining structure is arranged inside the bellows (100).

10. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The lining structure comprises a bushing pipe (102), wherein the bushing pipe (102) is inserted into the bellows (100), a connecting flange (101) is provided at the end of the bellows (100), and the bushing pipe (102) is inserted into the connecting flange (101) and the bellows (100).

11. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The exhaust pipeline (11) is connected to a purge structure (112), the purge structure (112) is connected between the exhaust control valve (111) and the reaction chamber (10), and the second cleaning pipeline (22) is connected between the purge structure (112) and the reaction chamber (10).

12. The plasma cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plasma cleaning device further comprises a third cleaning pipeline, wherein the first cleaning pipeline (21) is connected to the top of the reaction chamber (10), one end of the third cleaning pipeline and the first cleaning pipeline (21) and the second cleaning pipeline (22) are connected to the same remote plasma source (20), and the other end of the third cleaning pipeline is connected to the bottom of the reaction chamber (10), and the third part of the plasma can flow through the third cleaning pipeline, the reaction chamber (10) and the exhaust pipeline (11) in sequence.

13. A semiconductor device, characterized in that The semiconductor device comprises at least two reaction chambers (10), each of the reaction chambers (10) being connected to an exhaust pipeline (11) and a plasma cleaning device as described in any one of claims 1 to 12, and each of the reaction chambers (10) being connected to a remote plasma source (20), a first cleaning pipeline (21) and a second cleaning pipeline (22) in the plasma cleaning device.

14. A method for installing an apparatus, for connecting the plasma cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 12 to a semiconductor apparatus, characterized in that: The device installation method comprises: A remote plasma source (20) is arranged outside a reaction chamber (10), a first cleaning pipeline (21) is arranged between the remote plasma source (20) and the reaction chamber (10), a second cleaning pipeline (22) is arranged between the remote plasma source (20) and an exhaust pipeline (11), and the second cleaning pipeline (22) is connected to the upstream of an exhaust control valve (111) of the exhaust pipeline (11).

15. The device installation method according to claim 14, characterized in that: The bending angle of the first cleaning pipeline (21) and / or the second cleaning pipeline (22) is set to be no less than 90 degrees.

16. The device installation method according to claim 15, characterized in that: The bending angle between the second cleaning pipeline (22) and the exhaust pipeline (11) is set to be no less than 90 degrees; and / or, The bending angle between the second cleaning pipeline (22) and the first cleaning pipeline (21) is set to be no less than 90 degrees.

17. The device installation method according to claim 15, characterized in that: The first cleaning pipeline (21) and / or the second cleaning pipeline (22) comprises at least one bellows (100).

Images