Diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment, which comprises a pressure reducing and stabilizing device and a pneumatic execution device, and the pressure reducing and stabilizing device and the pneumatic execution device are connected into a whole or are connected through a connecting piece. The pressure reducing and stabilizing device and the pneumatic executing device are ingeniously combined, the structure is compact, the space utilization rate is increased, the quick opening and closing, pressure reducing and stabilizing functions of the valve can be achieved, and safe and stable operation of the whole system is guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of diaphragm valves, and more particularly to a diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment. Background Art

[0002] Among semiconductor equipment, thin-film deposition equipment, photolithography equipment, and etching equipment constitute the three core components of chip manufacturing, determining the sophistication of the chip manufacturing process. The thin films deposited by thin-film deposition equipment are the functional material layers within the chip structure. They are in high demand during chip manufacturing and directly impact chip performance.

[0003] Atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are core processes in semiconductor manufacturing, optical coatings, and new energy materials. ALD grows thin films layer by layer on a substrate by alternating the flow of precursor and reactant gases, achieving extremely high uniformity and step coverage. CVD, on the other hand, achieves rapid film formation by stimulating gas reactions at high temperatures or plasma. Both processes require high-precision gas control to ensure that the film composition, thickness, and uniformity meet requirements.

[0004] In atomic deposition equipment, the diaphragm valve is a key component of the gas delivery system, responsible for rapid opening and closing, and precise regulation of the on / off and flow of the reaction gas.

[0005] However, in order to ensure stable operation of the system and protect the equipment, the diaphragm valves currently used in semiconductor deposition equipment usually require an external pressure reducing valve, which increases the flow path length and gas switching delays, that is, valve opening and closing delays; it also makes the structure complex and increases the equipment size, making it difficult to adapt to compact ALD / CVD equipment.

[0006] Therefore, providing a diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment that effectively combines on-off, pressure reducing and voltage stabilizing functions is an issue that needs to be urgently addressed by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of this, the present invention provides a diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment, which has a compact structure and has the functions of fast switching, pressure reduction and pressure stabilization.

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0009] A diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment comprises a pressure reducing and stabilizing device and a pneumatic actuator. The pressure reducing and stabilizing device is connected to the pneumatic actuator as a whole or via a connector.

[0010] By adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0011] The clever combination of the pressure reducing and stabilizing device and the pneumatic actuator not only makes the structure compact and improves space utilization, but also enables rapid valve opening and closing, pressure reducing and pressure stabilizing functions, ensuring the safe and stable operation of the entire system.

[0012] Furthermore, the pressure reducing and stabilizing device includes a valve body, a support block, a valve core, a diaphragm, a valve cap, a button, a first valve seat and a second valve seat, the valve body having a medium inlet flow channel and a plurality of gas output flow channels; the support block is installed in the valve cavity of the valve body; the support block has a flow hole and a plurality of output holes, the flow hole corresponds to the position of the medium inlet flow channel, and the output hole is connected to the gas output flow channel; the valve core is installed in the flow hole; the diaphragm is sleeved on the valve core; the valve cap has a through hole in the center; the valve cap is installed in the The pneumatic actuator is connected to the valve body through a connecting piece, and the connecting piece is pressed onto the valve bonnet; the button is screwed on the top of the valve core and is slidably connected to the through hole, and the button is in contact with the diaphragm; the first valve seat is fixed on the top of the support block to form a sealing pair when it is in contact with the diaphragm; the second valve seat is fixed to the bottom of the support block to form a sealing pair with the valve core.

[0013] The beneficial effect of adopting the above-mentioned further technical solution is that a hole is dug in the middle of the diaphragm to embed the valve core, which fully utilizes the elastic stiffness of the diaphragm, so that it can not only replace the spring in the traditional pressure reducing valve to adjust the valve core opening, but also form a soft seal with the first valve seat to realize the opening and closing of the valve, greatly saving space and cost.

[0014] Furthermore, when the pneumatic actuator is connected to the valve body via the connecting piece, the support block is clearance-matched with the valve cavity, and the valve cap is clearance-matched with the support block.

[0015] The beneficial effect of adopting the above-mentioned further technical solution is that it is easy to disassemble, repair and replace.

[0016] Furthermore, the connecting piece is a nut, and the pneumatic actuator and the valve body are respectively threadedly connected to the nut.

[0017] The beneficial effect of adopting the above-mentioned further technical solution is that it can not only realize the connection combination of the pneumatic actuator and the valve body, but also apply pressure to the valve cap to fix the position of the support block and the diaphragm.

[0018] Furthermore, the pressure reducing and stabilizing device also includes a plurality of ant hole blocks, and the plurality of ant hole blocks are respectively fixed in a plurality of evenly distributed output holes; each of the ant hole blocks has 6 inlet counter-flow channels and 6 outlet counter-flow channels, and the 6 inlet counter-flow channels and the 6 outlet counter-flow channels are staggered and connected; a flow space is formed between the diaphragm and the support block; the inlet of each inlet counter-flow channel is connected to the flow space, and the outlet of each outlet counter-flow channel is connected to the gas output flow channel.

[0019] The beneficial effect of adopting the above-mentioned further technical solution is that the 12 flow channels are simultaneously offset, which greatly reduces the pressure while ensuring the flow rate.

[0020] Furthermore, a flow channel is formed between the bottom of the valve core and the medium inlet channel; correspondingly distributed counter-punching holes are opened on both sides of the bottom of the valve core, and a plurality of throttling holes are opened on the circumferential surface of the bottom of the valve core.

[0021] The beneficial effect of adopting the above-mentioned further technical solution is that, through hole diversion, porous throttling and gas counterflow, the pressure reduction function can be effectively achieved, and the gas flow rate and kinetic energy after throttling can be reduced.

[0022] Furthermore, the flow hole is in a frustum shape with a diameter gradually decreasing from top to bottom.

[0023] The beneficial effect of adopting the above-mentioned further technical solution is that an expansion structure is formed, the flow rate of the gas is effectively regulated, and the impact on the diaphragm is reduced.

[0024] Furthermore, the pneumatic actuator includes a cylinder body, a cylinder head, a valve stem, a first piston, a second piston and a spring, the bottom end of the cylinder body is connected to the valve body by the nut, and the bottom end of the cylinder body is pressed against the valve cap; the cylinder head is threadedly connected to the top of the cylinder body; the cylinder head has an air inlet for connecting to an external air circuit; the valve stem, the first piston and the second piston are distributed in sequence from bottom to top, and are all slidingly connected to the cavity of the cylinder body, and the second piston is slidingly connected to the cylinder head; the second piston has a first flow channel, the valve stem has a second flow channel, the air inlet, the first flow channel, the second flow channel and the bottom space of the cavity are connected in sequence; the spring is installed in the cavity and is located between the cylinder head and the second piston, so that the bottom end of the valve stem is pressed against the button.

[0025] The beneficial effect of adopting the above-mentioned further technical solution is that when gas is introduced into the air inlet, it flows into the bottom space of the cavity through the flow channel of the second piston and the valve stem, pressing the valve stem, the first piston, the second piston, and the spring to move upward; when the ventilation is stopped, the spring is subjected to its own compression force to control the first piston, the second piston, and the valve stem to move downward, thereby realizing the reciprocating motion of the valve stem, that is, the valve can be opened and closed quickly by turning on and off the air.

[0026] Furthermore, a first O-ring and a retaining ring are installed from top to bottom between the cylinder head and the second piston; a second O-ring is installed between the first piston and the valve stem; a third O-ring is installed between the first piston and the cylinder body; and a fourth O-ring is installed between the valve stem and the cylinder body.

[0027] The beneficial effect of adopting the above-mentioned further technical solution is to ensure the sealing effect.

[0028] Furthermore, a middle space is formed in the cavity between the valve stem and the first piston; and a breathing hole is provided on the side of the cylinder body and is connected to the middle space.

[0029] The beneficial effect of adopting the above-mentioned further technical solution is that it is used to exhaust air when the external air circuit pressure is too high, thereby protecting the spring from being crushed. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without paying any creative work.

[0031] Figure 1 The accompanying drawing is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment provided by the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 The accompanying drawing is a cross-sectional view of a diaphragm valve used in semiconductor deposition equipment as a pneumatic actuator in a ventilated state provided by the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 The attached picture is Figure 2 The enlarged structural diagram of part A (the structural diagram of the valve in the open state when the pneumatic actuator is ventilated);

[0034] Figure 4 The accompanying drawing is a cross-sectional view of a diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment provided by the present invention when the pneumatic actuator is not ventilated;

[0035] Figure 5The attached picture is Figure 4 The enlarged structural diagram of part A (the structural diagram when the pneumatic actuator is not ventilated and the valve is in the closed state);

[0036] Figure 6 The accompanying drawing is a cross-sectional view of a diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment provided by the present invention when the pneumatic actuator is ventilated and the valve body is ventilated;

[0037] Figure 7 The attached picture is Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of part A;

[0038] Figure 8 The accompanying drawing is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the anthill block provided by the present invention;

[0039] Figure 9 The accompanying drawing is a cross-sectional view of the anthill block provided by the present invention;

[0040] Figure 10 The accompanying drawing is a cross-sectional view of the support block provided by the present invention;

[0041] Figure 11 The accompanying drawing is a cross-sectional view of the valve core provided by the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] like Figure 1-11 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment, comprising a pressure reducing and stabilizing device 1 and a pneumatic actuator 2. The pressure reducing and stabilizing device 1 and the pneumatic actuator 2 are connected integrally or via a connector 3. In this embodiment, the connection via connector 3 is selected. The present invention cleverly combines the pressure reducing and stabilizing device 1 and the pneumatic actuator 2, resulting in a compact structure and improved space utilization. It also enables rapid valve opening and closing, pressure reduction, and pressure stabilization, ensuring safe and stable operation of the entire system.

[0044] Specifically, the pressure reducing and stabilizing device 1 includes a valve body 11, a support block 12, a valve core 13, a diaphragm 14, a valve cap 15, a button 16, a first valve seat 17 and a second valve seat 18. The valve body 11 has a medium inlet flow channel 111 and a plurality of gas output flow channels 112; the support block 12 is installed in the valve cavity of the valve body 11; the support block 12 has a flow hole 121 and a plurality of output holes 122, the flow hole 121 corresponds to the position of the medium inlet flow channel 111, and the output hole 122 is connected to the gas output flow channel 112; the valve core 13 is installed in the flow hole 121; the diaphragm 14 is sleeved on the valve core 13; the valve cap The valve cap 15 has a through hole in the center; the valve cap 15 is mounted on the support block 12 so that the diaphragm 14 is pressed between the support block 12 and the valve cap 15; the pneumatic actuator 2 is connected to the valve cap 15 as a whole, or the pneumatic actuator 2 is connected to the valve body 11 through a connector 3, and the connector 3 is pressed on the valve cap; the button 16 is screwed on the top of the valve core 13 and slidably connected to the through hole, while the button 16 is in contact with the diaphragm 14; the first valve seat 17 is fixed to the top of the support block 12 to form a sealing pair when in contact with the diaphragm 14; the second valve seat 18 is fixed to the bottom of the support block 12 to form a sealing pair with the valve core 13. The present invention digs a hole in the middle of the diaphragm 14 to embed the valve core 13, making full use of the elastic stiffness of the diaphragm 14, so that it can replace the spring in the traditional pressure reducing valve to adjust the opening of the valve core 13, and form a soft seal with the first valve seat 17 to open and close the valve, greatly saving space and cost.

[0045] Specifically, when the pneumatic actuator 2 is connected to the valve body 11 through the connector 3 , the support block 12 is clearance-matched with the valve cavity, and the valve cap 15 is clearance-matched with the support block 12 , which facilitates disassembly, maintenance, and replacement.

[0046] Specifically, the connecting member 3 is a nut, and the pneumatic actuator 2 and the valve body 11 are respectively threadedly connected to the nut, which not only realizes the connection combination of the pneumatic actuator 2 and the valve body 11, but also applies pressure to the valve cap 15 to fix the position of the support block 12 and the diaphragm 14.

[0047] In order to further optimize the technical solution of the present invention, the pressure reducing and stabilizing device 1 also includes a plurality of ant hole blocks 19, and the plurality of ant hole blocks 19 are respectively fixed in a plurality of evenly distributed output holes 122; in the present embodiment, the number of the ant hole blocks 19 is 8, which are evenly distributed along the circumference; each ant hole block 19 has 6 inlet counter-flow channels 191 and 6 outlet counter-flow channels 192, and the 6 inlet counter-flow channels 191 and the 6 outlet counter-flow channels 192 are staggered and connected; a circulation space is formed between the diaphragm 14 and the support block 12; the inlet 1911 of each inlet counter-flow channel 191 is connected to the circulation space, and the outlet 1921 of each outlet counter-flow channel 192 is connected to the gas output flow channel 112, so that the 12 flow channels are counter-flowed at the same time, which greatly reduces the pressure while ensuring the flow rate.

[0048] In order to further optimize the technical solution of the present invention, a flow channel is formed between the bottom of the valve core 13 and the medium inlet channel; correspondingly distributed counter-punching holes 131 are opened on both sides of the bottom of the valve core 13, and a plurality of throttling holes 132 are opened on the circumferential surface of the bottom of the valve core 13. Through hole diversion, multi-porous throttling, and gas counter-punching, the pressure reduction function can be effectively achieved, and the gas flow rate and kinetic energy after throttling can be reduced.

[0049] In order to further optimize the technical solution of the present invention, the flow hole 121 is in a truncated cone shape with a diameter gradually decreasing from top to bottom, thereby forming an expansion structure, effectively regulating the flow rate of the gas and reducing the impact on the diaphragm 14.

[0050] Specifically, the pneumatic actuator 2 includes a cylinder body 21, a cylinder head 22, a valve stem 23, a first piston 24, a second piston 25 and a spring 26. The bottom end of the cylinder body 21 is connected to the valve body 11 by a nut, and the bottom end of the cylinder body 21 is pressed against the valve cap 15; the cylinder head 22 is threadedly connected to the top of the cylinder body 21; the cylinder head 22 has an air inlet 221 for connecting to an external air circuit; the valve stem 23, the first piston 24 and the second piston 25 are distributed in sequence from bottom to top, and are all slidably connected to the cavity of the cylinder body 21, and the second piston 25 is slidably connected to the cylinder head 22; the second piston 25 has a first flow channel 251, and the valve stem 23 has a second flow channel 231. The air inlet 221, the first flow channel 251, the second flow channel 231 and the bottom space of the cavity are connected in sequence; the spring 26 is installed in the cavity and is located between the cylinder head 22 and the second piston 25, so that the bottom end of the valve stem 23 is pressed against the button 16. When gas is introduced into the air inlet 221, it flows into the bottom space of the cavity through the flow channel of the second piston 25 and the valve stem 23, pressing the valve stem 23, the first piston 24, the second piston 25 and the spring 26 to move upward; when the ventilation is stopped, the spring 26 is subjected to its own compression force to control the first piston 24, the second piston 25 and the valve stem 23 to move downward, thereby realizing the reciprocating motion of the valve stem 23, that is, the valve can be quickly opened and closed by turning on and off the air.

[0051] In order to further optimize the technical solution of the present invention, a first O-ring and a retaining ring are installed between the cylinder head 22 and the second piston 25, distributed from top to bottom; a second O-ring is installed between the first piston 24 and the valve stem 23; a third O-ring is installed between the first piston 24 and the cylinder body 21; and a fourth O-ring is installed between the valve stem 23 and the cylinder body 21 to ensure sealing.

[0052] In order to further optimize the technical solution of the present invention, a central space is formed in the cavity between the valve stem 23 and the first piston 24; a breathing hole 211 connected to the central space is provided on the side of the cylinder body 21, which is used to exhaust when the external air pressure is too high to protect the spring 26 from being crushed.

[0053] Working principle of the present invention:

[0054] When the air inlet 221 is not ventilated, the valve stem 23 is pressed by the spring 26 to press the button 16, so that the diaphragm 14 is flattened and tightly fits with the first valve seat 17 to form a soft seal. At this time, the valve is in a closed state.

[0055] When the air inlet 221 is ventilated, air flows into the bottom space of the cavity through the first flow channel 251 and the second flow channel 231, pressing the valve stem 23, the first piston 24, the second piston 25, and the spring 26 to move upward. The valve stem 23 no longer presses the button 16, and the diaphragm 14 recovers its shape under the action of its own elastic force, thereby opening the valve.

[0056] When the air inlet 221 is ventilated and the working medium is introduced into the medium inlet channel 111 of the valve body 11 at the same time, the valve core 13 moves downward under the pressure of the working medium, driving the button 16 to move downward and press the diaphragm 14. At the same time, the diaphragm 14 itself has its own elasticity, and the second valve seat 18 can be used to easily adjust the opening of the inlet (between the valve core 13 and the second valve seat 18), which can effectively realize the pressure reduction and stabilization function. The gas finally flows into the gas output channel 112 through multiple ant hole blocks 19.

[0057] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. Reference can be made to the common and similar parts between the various embodiments. For the devices disclosed in the embodiments, since they correspond to the methods disclosed in the embodiments, the description is relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the method description.

[0058] The above description of the disclosed embodiments is intended to enable one skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown herein but is intended to conform to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment, characterized in that: It comprises a pressure reducing and stabilizing device and a pneumatic actuator, wherein the pressure reducing and stabilizing device is connected to the pneumatic actuator as a whole or through a connecting piece.

2. The diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure reducing and stabilizing device includes a valve body, a support block, a valve core, a diaphragm, a valve cap, a button, a first valve seat and a second valve seat, the valve body having a medium inlet flow channel and a plurality of gas output flow channels; the support block is installed in the valve cavity of the valve body; the support block has a flow hole and a plurality of output holes, the flow hole corresponds to the position of the medium inlet flow channel, and the output hole is connected to the gas output flow channel; the valve core is installed in the flow hole; the diaphragm is sleeved on the valve core; the valve cap has a through hole in the center; the valve cap is installed on the support block so that the diaphragm is pressed between the support block and the valve cap; the pneumatic actuator is connected to the valve cap as a whole, or the pneumatic actuator is connected to the valve body through a connecting piece, and the connecting piece is pressed on the valve cap; the button is screwed on the top end of the valve core and is slidably connected to the through hole, and the button is in contact with the diaphragm; The first valve seat is fixed on the top of the support block to form a sealing pair when in contact with the diaphragm; the second valve seat is fixed on the bottom of the support block to form a sealing pair with the valve core.

3. The diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the pneumatic actuator is connected to the valve body through the connecting piece, the support block is clearance-matched with the valve cavity, and the valve cap is clearance-matched with the support block.

4. A diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The connecting piece is a nut, and the pneumatic actuator and the valve body are respectively threadedly connected to the nut.

5. The diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The pressure reducing and stabilizing device also includes a plurality of ant hole blocks, which are respectively fixed in a plurality of evenly distributed output holes; each of the ant hole blocks has 6 inlet counter-flow channels and 6 outlet counter-flow channels, and the 6 inlet counter-flow channels and the 6 outlet counter-flow channels are staggered and interconnected; a flow space is formed between the diaphragm and the support block; the inlet of each inlet counter-flow channel is connected to the flow space, and the outlet of each outlet counter-flow channel is connected to the gas output flow channel.

6. The diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: A flow channel is formed between the bottom of the valve core and the medium inlet channel; correspondingly distributed punching holes are opened on both sides of the bottom of the valve core, and a plurality of throttling holes are opened on the circumferential surface of the bottom of the valve core.

7. The diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The flow hole is in a truncated cone shape with a diameter that decreases from top to bottom.

8. The diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment according to claim 4, characterized in that: The pneumatic actuator includes a cylinder body, a cylinder cover, a valve stem, a first piston, a second piston and a spring. The bottom end of the cylinder body is connected to the valve body by the nut, and the bottom end of the cylinder body is pressed against the valve cap; the cylinder cover is threadedly connected to the top of the cylinder body; the cylinder cover has an air inlet for connecting to an external air circuit; the valve stem, the first piston and the second piston are distributed in sequence from bottom to top, and are all slidably connected to the cavity of the cylinder body, and the second piston is slidably connected to the cylinder cover; the second piston has a first flow channel, and the valve stem has a second flow channel, and the air inlet, the first flow channel, the second flow channel and the bottom space of the cavity are connected in sequence; the spring is installed in the cavity and is located between the cylinder cover and the second piston, so that the bottom end of the valve stem presses against the button.

9. The diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: A first O-ring and a retaining ring are installed between the cylinder cover and the second piston, distributed from top to bottom; a second O-ring is installed between the first piston and the valve stem; a third O-ring is installed between the first piston and the cylinder body; and a fourth O-ring is installed between the valve stem and the cylinder body.

10. The diaphragm valve for semiconductor deposition equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: A middle space is formed in the cavity between the valve stem and the first piston; and a breathing hole is provided on the side of the cylinder body and is communicated with the middle space.

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