Heat treatment equipment and air inlet device

Abstract

The invention discloses heat treatment equipment and an air inlet device, and relates to the technical field of heat treatment. The air inlet device comprises at least two air inlet holes distributed along a preset arc line, each air inlet hole is in one-to-one correspondence with different preset boundary points on a preset boundary, and the distance between each air inlet hole and the corresponding preset boundary point in the preset direction is equal; wherein the preset boundary is a circular boundary with the center point of the platform as the circle center and the radius of a wafer matched with the air inlet device as the radius; the preset direction is parallel to the surface of the platform, the preset arc line is symmetrical about a target plane, and the target plane is a plane formed by the preset direction and the normal direction of the platform. The distribution of the air inlet holes in the air inlet device is determined and limited through the wafer matched with the air inlet device, so that the distance from each air hole of the air inlet device to the edge of the wafer is equidistant, the radial edge gas concentration can be enhanced, and the thickness distribution of a film formed in the heat treatment process of the wafer is more uniform.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of heat treatment technology, and in particular to a heat treatment device and an air intake device. Background Art

[0002] Semiconductor processing using thermal processing equipment typically requires coating the wafer surface. Therefore, the uniformity of the wafer surface film is a key indicator of the film growth equipment's process performance. In current film deposition processes using RTP (Rapid Thermal Process) equipment, the wafer surface is coated using reactant gases introduced into the reaction chamber via a gas inlet. This gas inlet pattern can easily create a dovetail distribution within the reaction chamber, resulting in an M-shaped film thickness distribution on the wafer, which is detrimental to film uniformity.

[0003] In order to weaken the dovetail distribution of the reaction gas in the reaction chamber, edge airflow compensation can be adopted for the M-shaped film thickness distribution. However, this method can only correct the airflow in the edge area and usually requires the addition of additional gas paths, which is less effective in weakening the dovetail distribution in the reaction chamber. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application discloses a heat treatment device and an air intake device.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present application provides a heat treatment device, comprising:

[0006] A chamber; a platform for placing a wafer is provided in the chamber;

[0007] An air intake device; the air intake device includes at least two air intake holes distributed along a preset arc, each air intake hole corresponding to a different preset boundary point on the preset boundary, and the distance between each air intake hole and the corresponding preset boundary point in the preset direction is equal;

[0008] Among them, the preset boundary is a circular boundary with the center point of the platform as the center and the radius of the wafer adapted by the air intake device as the radius; the preset direction is parallel to the surface of the platform, and the preset arc is symmetrical about the target plane, and the target plane is a plane formed by the preset direction and the normal direction of the platform.

[0009] In this solution, the corresponding circular boundary can be determined by the wafer radius adapted to the air inlet device, and the circular boundary is used to limit the distance between the air inlet holes on the air inlet device and the boundary points on the circular boundary, so that each air hole of the air inlet device is equidistant from the edge of the wafer, which helps to enhance the radial edge gas concentration, weaken the dovetail distribution of the gas flow field, and make the film thickness distribution formed on the wafer during the heat treatment process more uniform. Moreover, the distance between each air inlet hole and the boundary point on the corresponding preset boundary in the preset direction is equal, which can ensure that when each air hole transports gas, the air flow path between the air hole and the wafer is consistent, thereby ensuring that the path of the gas transported to the wafer surface is consistent, further ensuring the uniformity of the gas, and improving the wafer coating effect.

[0010] In a possible embodiment, the heat treatment equipment further includes:

[0011] a first fixing component for fixing the air intake device;

[0012] Wherein, the first fixing component is arranged outside the chamber.

[0013] In this embodiment, by providing a fixing component for fixing the air intake device outside the reaction chamber, the air intake holes of the air intake device can be distributed on a curved surface whose curvature is consistent with the curvature of the wafer edge, so that each air hole of the air intake device is equidistant from the edge of the wafer, which helps to make the film thickness distribution of the wafer more uniform.

[0014] In a possible implementation, the first fixing component includes at least one positioning pin and at least one guide structure.

[0015] In this embodiment, by setting positioning pins and guide structures, the air intake device can be assisted in being fixed to the preset position of the heat treatment equipment, so that the air intake holes of the air intake device are equidistant from the edge of the wafer, which helps to make the film thickness distribution of the wafer more uniform.

[0016] In a possible embodiment, the heat treatment equipment further includes:

[0017] A magnetic suspension device is provided with a second fixing component; the magnetic suspension device fixes the platform via the second fixing component.

[0018] In this embodiment, the platform on which the wafer is placed can be fixed by the fixing components on the magnetic levitation device, so that the distance between each point on the edge of the wafer and the air inlet hole of the air inlet device is equidistant, thereby optimizing the gas flow field on the wafer surface and making the film thickness distribution formed on the wafer during the heat treatment process more uniform.

[0019] In a possible embodiment, the heat treatment equipment further includes:

[0020] an exhaust device for exhausting the gas after heat treatment in the chamber;

[0021] Wherein, each exhaust hole on the exhaust device corresponds to each air inlet hole on the air inlet device one by one and is centrally symmetrically arranged about a target position point, and the target position point is the geometric center of the chamber.

[0022] In this embodiment, by making the exhaust holes on the exhaust device symmetrical with the inlet holes on the inlet device, the combined action of the inlet holes and the outlet holes can make the gas distribution in the reaction chamber more uniform, further making the film thickness distribution of the wafer more uniform.

[0023] In a possible implementation manner, the curvature of the preset arc is consistent with the curvature of the preset boundary.

[0024] In this embodiment, since the air inlet holes on the air inlet device are distributed on a preset arc, the edge of the wafer coincides with the preset boundary after the wafer is loaded into the reaction chamber. Therefore, the curvature of the preset arc is consistent with the curvature of the preset boundary, which can make the distance between each point on the edge of the wafer and the air inlet holes of the air inlet device equidistant, thereby optimizing the gas flow field on the wafer surface and making the film thickness distribution formed on the wafer more uniform.

[0025] In a possible implementation manner, the height of the air inlet is higher than the surface of the platform.

[0026] In this embodiment, by setting the air inlet at a position higher than the position where the wafer is placed, it can be ensured that when the air inlet transports the reaction gas, the reaction gas is transported to the wafer surface, effectively reducing the interference with the reaction when the gas is directly transported to the wafer surface.

[0027] In a possible implementation manner, a gas output direction of the gas inlet hole is perpendicular to the surface of the platform.

[0028] In this embodiment, by setting the gas output direction of the air inlet to be perpendicular to the wafer surface and combining the height of the air inlet to be higher than the platform surface, the interference with the reaction when the gas is directly delivered to the wafer surface can be further reduced.

[0029] In a possible implementation manner, a gas output direction of the gas inlet hole forms an inclined angle with the surface of the platform.

[0030] In this embodiment, by tilting the air inlet holes, the horizontal component of the airflow velocity when the tilted air holes transport gas is increased, thereby increasing the horizontal velocity of the airflow and thus increasing the edge airflow distribution concentration.

[0031] In a possible embodiment, the heat treatment equipment further includes:

[0032] A connecting component having one end fixedly connected to the outer wall of the air intake device and the other end being positionally adjustable;

[0033] Wherein, the air inlet is provided at the other end of the connecting component.

[0034] In this embodiment, an orientation-adjustable connecting component can be used to connect the air inlet device and the air inlet hole, so that the inclination angle of the air hole can be adjusted. By adjusting the inclination angle of the air hole, the horizontal flow rate of the air flow is changed, thereby achieving control of the distribution of gas on the wafer surface.

[0035] In a possible implementation, the tilt angle corresponds to an inclination angle range of not less than 30 degrees and not more than 85 degrees.

[0036] In this embodiment, the tilt angle of the air hole can be pre-set. By limiting the tilt angle range of the air hole, the horizontal flow rate of the air flow is controlled within the preset range, avoiding excessive gas distribution errors on the wafer surface and improving the accuracy of film formation.

[0037] In a possible implementation, there is a negative correlation between the gas flow rate of the air inlet and the target distance; the target distance is the distance between the air inlet and the center point of the platform.

[0038] In this embodiment, the gas flow rate of the air inlet is negatively correlated with the distance between the air inlet and the center point of the platform. The target distance can be further adjusted to adjust the gas flow reaching the edge of the wafer to further weaken the dovetail distribution during film formation on the wafer surface.

[0039] In a first aspect, the present application provides an air intake device, which is the air intake device in the aforementioned heat treatment equipment, and is used to transport gas for heat treatment to a chamber of the heat treatment equipment.

[0040] In this solution, the air inlet holes are distributed on an air inlet device on a preset curved surface whose curvature is consistent with the curvature of the circular boundary corresponding to the wafer radius, so that each air hole of the air inlet device is equidistant from the edge of the wafer, making the film thickness distribution of the wafer more uniform.

[0041] The present application discloses a heat treatment device and an air intake device, which includes: a chamber with a platform for placing wafers inside; an air intake device; the air intake device includes at least two air intake holes distributed along a preset arc, each air intake hole corresponds one-to-one to a different preset boundary point on a preset boundary, and the distance between each air intake hole and the corresponding preset boundary point in a preset direction is equal; wherein the preset boundary is a circular boundary with the center point of the platform as the center and the radius of the wafer adapted by the air intake device as the radius; the preset direction is parallel to the surface of the platform, and the preset arc is symmetrical about a target plane, and the target plane is a plane formed by the preset direction and the normal direction of the platform. Through the heat treatment equipment and its air intake device in the present application, the corresponding circular boundary can be determined by the wafer radius adapted by the air intake device, and the air intake holes on the air intake device are limited to be equal in distance from the boundary points on the circular boundary through the circular boundary, so that each air hole of the air intake device is equidistant from the edge of the wafer, which helps to enhance the radial edge gas concentration, weaken the dovetail distribution of the gas flow field, and make the film thickness distribution formed on the wafer during the heat treatment process more uniform. Moreover, the distance between each air intake hole and the boundary point on the corresponding preset boundary in the preset direction is equal, which can ensure that when each air hole transports gas, the air flow path between the air hole and the wafer is consistent, thereby ensuring that the path of the gas transported to the wafer surface is consistent, further ensuring the uniformity of the gas and improving the wafer coating effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0042] 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.

[0043] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a heat treatment device provided in this application;

[0044] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an air intake device provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of gas distribution on a wafer surface;

[0046] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a vertical air inlet provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0047] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an inclined air inlet provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0048] Figure 6A schematic diagram of an air intake inclination angle provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the connection relationship between an air intake hole and an air intake device provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0050] Description of reference numerals:

[0051] 1- Air intake device;

[0052] 11-air inlet;

[0053] 111-vertical air inlet; 112-inclined air inlet;

[0054] 2- reaction chamber;

[0055] 21-edge ring; 22-rotating cover;

[0056] 3- Platform;

[0057] 4-Location pin;

[0058] 5-wafer;

[0059] 6-Connecting parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0061] like Figure 1 As shown, the present application discloses a heat treatment device, comprising an air inlet device 1, a chamber of a reaction chamber 2 and a platform 3 for placing a wafer 5. Further, as Figure 2 As shown, the present application discloses a method based on Figure 1The schematic diagram of the air intake process of the air intake device of the heat treatment equipment shown is mainly used in the process of semiconductor processing in rapid thermal processing equipment. The heat treatment equipment may include an air intake device 1 and a chamber of a reaction chamber 2. The edge ring (Edge Ring) 21 in the reaction chamber is a key auxiliary component, usually located around the edge of the wafer, used to optimize process uniformity, protect the wafer and maintain process stability. The rotary cover (Rotor Cover) 22 in the reaction chamber is mainly to protect the rotating mechanism, usually installed on the mechanical structure related to the wafer rotation in the chamber (such as a rotating base or drive shaft). The main function is to isolate the high temperature environment, prevent contamination and ensure process uniformity, thereby improving the reliability and consistency of the overall process. The air intake device 1 includes a plurality of air inlet holes 11 for transporting gas for heat treatment of the wafer 5 to the chamber 2 of the heat treatment equipment, thereby forming a film on the wafer in the reaction chamber. That is to say, through the heat treatment equipment and its air intake device in this application, thermal energy is used to drive the gas transported by the air inlet to produce chemical reactions or perform physical deposition. Through the synergistic effect of temperature-driven kinetic control and surface reaction mechanism, the gaseous or solid precursor (reaction gas) can be converted into a uniform solid film (such as an oxide layer, polysilicon, metal layer, etc.) on the wafer surface.

[0062] See also Figure 1 As shown, an embodiment of the present application discloses a heat treatment device, comprising: a chamber 2 with a platform 3 for placing a wafer 5 therein, and an air intake device 1.

[0063] The air intake device includes at least two air intake holes distributed along a preset arc, each air intake hole corresponds one-to-one to a different preset boundary point on the preset boundary, and the distance between each air intake hole and the corresponding preset boundary point in the preset direction is equal; wherein, the preset boundary is a circular boundary with the center point of the platform as the center and the radius of the wafer adapted by the air intake device as the radius; the preset direction is parallel to the surface of the platform, and the preset arc is symmetrical about the target plane, and the target plane is a plane formed by the preset direction and the normal direction of the platform.

[0064] The present application can determine the corresponding circular boundary by the wafer radius adapted by the air inlet device, and limit the distance between the air inlet hole on the air inlet device and the boundary point on the circular boundary through the circular boundary, so that each air hole of the air inlet device is equidistant from the edge of the wafer, which helps to enhance the radial edge gas concentration, weaken the dovetail distribution of the gas flow field, and make the film thickness distribution formed on the wafer during the heat treatment process more uniform. Moreover, the distance between each air inlet hole and the boundary point on the corresponding preset boundary in the preset direction is equal, which can ensure that when each air hole transports gas, the air flow path between the air hole and the wafer is consistent, thereby ensuring that the path of the gas transported to the wafer surface is consistent, further ensuring the uniformity of the gas, and improving the wafer coating effect.

[0065] It can be understood that the air intake device disclosed in this embodiment includes at least two air intake holes distributed along a preset arc, each air intake hole corresponds to a different preset boundary point on the preset boundary, and the distance between each air intake hole and the corresponding preset boundary point in the preset direction is equal. Figure 2 As shown, the multiple air holes 11 on the air intake device 1 are distributed on a preset arc, and each air intake hole corresponds one-to-one to a different preset boundary point on the preset boundary, and the distances in the preset direction are equal. In this way, since the preset boundary takes the center point of the platform 3 as the center of the circle and the radius of the wafer adapted to the air intake device as the radius, if the wafer 5 is placed on the surface of the platform 3, the curvature of the curved surface of the air intake device 1 is consistent with the curvature of the wafer 5 placed in the chamber of the reaction chamber 2.

[0066] In a specific embodiment, the gas inlet device 1 in this embodiment can be an insert-type gas inlet device (Gas Insert) with an arc-shaped design. The arc-shaped design in this embodiment primarily refers to the distribution surface of the various gas inlet holes on the gas inlet device being a curved surface. In other words, the surface of the gas inlet device where the gas inlet holes are located can be arc-shaped. In this case, the curvature of the curved surface on which the gas inlet holes are distributed on the gas inlet device can be determined in advance based on the curvature of the wafer currently to be processed. Thus, an insert-type gas inlet device with an arc-shaped design corresponding to a curved surface having a curvature consistent with the curvature of the wafer can be selected from multiple gas inlet devices. This insert-type gas inlet device can then be inserted into the heat treatment equipment so that the insert-type gas inlet device can deliver the reaction gas through the various gas holes to the reaction chamber for wafer processing. That is to say, in this embodiment, the wafer specifications that can be processed by the current heat treatment equipment can be determined in advance, and the corresponding wafer radius can be determined. Since the center of the wafer coincides with the center point of the platform on which the wafer is placed when the wafer is coated, a circular boundary can be constructed based on the wafer radius and the center point of the platform (at this time, the circular boundary coincides with the outer edge of the side of the wafer). Because the air inlet holes in the air intake device are distributed along the arc line, each air inlet hole corresponds one-to-one to different boundary points on the preset boundary and the distance in the preset direction is equal, so it can be ensured that the curvature of the preset arc is consistent with the curvature of the preset boundary. By making the curvature of the preset arc consistent with the curvature of the preset boundary, the distance between each point on the edge of the wafer and the air inlet hole of the air intake device can be equalized, thereby optimizing the gas flow field on the wafer surface and making the film thickness distribution formed on the wafer more uniform. In this way, through the arc design of the inserted air inlet device, the air inlet holes in the air inlet device are distributed on a curved surface whose curvature is consistent with the curvature of the wafer edge. Each air hole is equidistant from the edge of the wafer, which enhances the concentration of the radial edge reaction gas and weakens the dovetail distribution, which helps to make the film thickness distribution of the wafer more uniform.

[0067] It is understandable that the heat treatment equipment in the present application can be used to process wafer specifications corresponding to a wafer radius. For example, common wafer radii are 50mm, 75mm, 100mm and 150mm, respectively. Four corresponding models of air intake devices can be preset. That is to say, the curvature of the curved surface where the air intake holes on the air intake device are located can be designed in advance according to the wafer radius, so as to design an air intake device that corresponds to the wafer radius one by one. In this way, when processing wafers, the air intake device corresponding to the corresponding curvature can be selected according to the radius of the wafer. For example, in a specific embodiment, if the current heat treatment equipment is used to process wafers with a radius of 50mm, a curved surface with the same curvature can be determined based on the radius of 50mm, and the air intake device corresponding to the curved surface can be further determined. The air intake device is inserted into the heat treatment equipment so that each air hole of the air intake device is equidistant from the edge of the wafer, which helps to enhance the radial edge gas concentration and weaken the dovetail distribution of the gas flow field.

[0068] In an embodiment of the present application, the distance between each air inlet and the corresponding preset boundary point in a preset direction is equal; the preset direction is parallel to the surface of the platform, and the preset arc is symmetrical about a target plane, which is a plane formed by the preset direction and the normal direction of the platform. Specifically, a target plane can be constructed based on the preset direction and the normal direction of the platform, and the preset arc is then made symmetrical about the target plane. This ensures that the distance between each air inlet and the corresponding boundary point on the preset boundary in the preset direction is equal, thereby ensuring a consistent airflow path from the air inlet to the wafer, thereby achieving a consistent path for the gas delivered to the wafer surface, further ensuring gas uniformity, and improving the wafer coating effect.

[0069] It should also be noted that in the embodiment of the present application, a platform for placing wafers is provided in the chamber of the heat treatment equipment. When the wafer is not placed in the chamber and the air inlet device is not installed in the heat treatment equipment, the circular boundary can be determined with the center point of the platform as the center of the circle and the radius of the wafer adapted by the air inlet device as the radius. The platform in the embodiment of the present application is used to place the wafer, and the center point of the platform is the center of the wafer after the wafer is placed, that is, the center point of the platform coincides with the center of the wafer, and the platform is used to fix the wafer during processing. It can be understood that the surface of the platform can be parallel or approximately parallel to the horizontal plane, or it can be inclined to the horizontal plane, and this application does not limit this. And with respect to the above-mentioned circular boundary, it can be understood that if the platform is also a circular platform and the radius is the same as the wafer to be processed, then the above-mentioned circular boundary is the boundary of the platform; in another specific real-time mode, if the platform radius is different from the wafer, that is, after the wafer is placed on the platform, it does not completely coincide with the surface of the platform, then the above-mentioned circular boundary is a boundary determined with the center point of the platform as the center of the circle and the radius of the wafer adapted by the air inlet device as the radius.

[0070] In a specific embodiment, the heat treatment apparatus of this embodiment may further include a magnetic levitation device equipped with a second fixing component. The magnetic levitation device can secure the wafer platform via the second fixing component. In this way, the fixing component of the magnetic levitation device can secure the wafer platform, ensuring that each point on the wafer edge is equidistant from the air inlet of the air inlet device. This optimizes the gas flow field on the wafer surface and ensures a more uniform film thickness distribution during the heat treatment process.

[0071] That is to say, if Figure 2 As shown, when the wafer is processed in the reaction chamber, after the processing starts, the platform where the wafer is located can start to rotate. At this time, since the air inlet holes in the air inlet device are distributed on a surface with a curvature consistent with the curvature of the wafer edge, the air flow path from each air hole to the edge of the wafer is consistent and the distance is equal. Therefore, it can avoid the dovetail distribution of the gas flow field formed by the longer edge air flow path when the air holes are distributed on a plane, resulting in less edge air flow, so that the film formation on the wafer is more uniform. For example, when the wafer is coated with hydroxyl -OH and oxygen free radicals [O*], through the heat treatment equipment and air inlet device in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 a is the distribution of hydroxyl -OH and oxygen free radicals [O*] on the wafer surface when the traditional air inlet device is used for wafer coating. Figure 3 b is the distribution of hydroxyl -OH and oxygen free radicals [O*] on the wafer surface when the wafer is coated using the air intake device of this embodiment. It can be seen that after using the air intake device of this embodiment, the distribution of hydroxyl and oxygen free radicals on the wafer surface is significantly more uniform, further reducing the dovetail distribution of the gas flow field.

[0072] In a specific embodiment, the heat treatment equipment in this embodiment further includes a first fixing component disposed outside the chamber and used to fix the air intake device. By arranging a fixing component for fixing the air intake device outside the reaction chamber, the air intake holes of the air intake device can be distributed on a curved surface whose curvature is consistent with the curvature of the wafer edge, so that each air hole of the air intake device is equidistant from the edge of the wafer, which helps to make the film thickness distribution of the wafer more uniform. Specifically, the above-mentioned first fixing component may include at least one positioning pin 4 and at least one guide structure. By providing the positioning pin 4 and the guide structure, the air intake device can be assisted in being fixed to a preset position of the heat treatment equipment, so that each air intake hole of the air intake device is equidistant from the edge of the wafer, which helps to make the film thickness distribution of the wafer more uniform.

[0073] See also Figure 4 The side view of the heat treatment equipment shown in FIG. 1 further discloses a heat treatment equipment in the embodiment of the present application. It can be understood that, as shown in FIG. Figure 4As shown, after the wafer is placed on the platform surface, the wafer is located in the center of the reaction chamber, that is, the plane where the wafer is located is distributed along the dotted line in the figure, and the dotted line in the figure is the cross-section in the middle of the chamber. Therefore, it can be ensured that the height of the air inlet 111 on the air inlet device 1 is higher than the surface of the platform and higher than the surface of the wafer. In this way, by setting the air inlet to a position higher than the surface of the platform for placing the wafer, when the reaction gas is transported through the air inlet, the reaction gas can be efficiently transported to the wafer surface, and it can be avoided that when the air inlet is close to the wafer, the outflowing gas interferes with the gas reacting on the wafer surface, thereby effectively reducing the interference of the reaction when the gas is transported to the wafer surface when the air inlet is close to the wafer.

[0074] In one specific embodiment, the gas inlet holes can be arranged in a straight hole layout. Specifically, by locating the gas inlet holes perpendicular to the wafer surface, the gas output direction of the gas inlet holes is perpendicular to the surface of the platform, that is, the gas output direction of the gas inlet holes is perpendicular to the surface of the wafer. By locating the gas output direction of the gas inlet holes perpendicular to the wafer surface, interference with the reaction caused by direct gas delivery to the wafer surface is further reduced.

[0075] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown in the figure, if the wafer is located in the center of the reaction chamber, the air inlet point of the air hole needs to be higher than the cross section in the center of the chamber, so that the reaction gas can be delivered to the surface of the wafer when the air inlet is delivered. In addition, assuming that the wafer is placed horizontally on the platform, the air inlet in the air inlet device can be perpendicular to the horizontal plane, that is, the air inlet angle is 0°. Figure 4As shown in the figure, the arrow direction is the flow direction of the gas. When the air inlet of the air inlet device is vertically downward, that is, when the inclination angle is 0°, it can be understood that in this embodiment, vertical downward air inlet is conducive to achieving uniform distribution of gas. Specifically, the vertical downward air inlet method (such as through the top shower head) can directly and evenly cover the gas to the wafer surface, avoiding the local concentration gradient caused by lateral air inlet, and can also reduce turbulence. That is, since the vertical air flow follows the laminar flow characteristics in the initial stage, the collision with the chamber wall is reduced, and the particle generation is reduced. Accordingly, the implementation method of the air flow direction output from the air inlet from vertical to horizontal includes the following: (1) The guiding effect of the chamber geometric structure: Specifically, it can be achieved through a baffle or a diffuser. A baffle or a porous diffusion structure can be set under the shower head to force the vertical downward air flow to disperse and turn to the horizontal direction, forming a uniform "curtain flow" covering the wafer surface. For example: in a similar chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process (2) Pressure difference driven flow field distribution: This can be achieved through the dynamic balance between intake and exhaust. Since the exhaust port of the reaction chamber is usually located on the side wall or bottom, a pressure gradient is formed from the top (high pressure area) to the bottom / side (low pressure area). When the vertically injected gas flows downward, it is attracted by the low pressure area and gradually deviates in the exhaust direction (horizontally or obliquely). (3) Centrifugal effect of wafer rotation: This can be achieved through wafer rotation-assisted distribution. For example, in spin coating or certain CVD processes, the centrifugal force generated by the high-speed rotation of the wafer will force the vertically falling gas to move in the tangential direction (horizontally), further promoting the uniform spreading of the gas on the surface.

[0076] In another specific embodiment, the air inlet holes can be arranged in an inclined hole layout. Specifically, the gas output direction of the air inlet holes forms an inclined angle with the surface of the platform. By tilting the air inlet holes, the horizontal component of the air flow velocity when the inclined air holes transport gas is increased, and the horizontal flow velocity of the air flow can be increased, thereby increasing the edge air flow distribution concentration, specifically as follows: Figure 5 As shown, the height of the air inlet hole 112 on the air inlet device is higher than the surface of the wafer, and the gas output direction of the air inlet hole forms an inclined angle. Figure 4 Similarly, after the wafer is placed on the platform surface, the wafer is located in the center of the reaction chamber, that is, the plane where the wafer is located is distributed along the dotted line in the figure, and the dotted line in the figure is the cross-section in the middle of the chamber, so the height of the inclined air inlet hole 112 on the air inlet device is higher than the surface of the wafer.

[0077] For example, the above-mentioned inclination angle is the angle between the gas output direction of the air inlet and the horizontal direction, and the corresponding inclination angle range is not less than 30 degrees and not more than 85 degrees, that is, Figure 6 The angle in And it can be understood that the inclination angle range can be adjusted accordingly according to actual conditions. In this way, in this embodiment, the inclination angle of the air hole can be pre-set, and the horizontal flow rate of the air flow can be controlled within the preset range by limiting the inclination angle range of the air hole, thereby avoiding excessive distribution errors of the gas on the wafer surface and improving the accuracy of film formation.

[0078] In this embodiment, assuming that the wafer is placed parallel to the platform surface, the gas output direction of the air inlet is also inclined to the wafer surface. By setting the inclined air inlet, the horizontal flow velocity of the air flow can be increased, thereby increasing the edge air flow distribution concentration. Figure 4 In the side view of the heat treatment apparatus shown, the inclination angle of the air holes can be within the range of [30°, 85°]. That is, the inclination angle of the air holes of the air inlet device is within a preset inclination angle range, and the preset inclination angle range is no less than 30 degrees and no more than 85 degrees. By providing the inclined holes, the horizontal flow rate of the airflow can be increased, and the edge airflow distribution concentration can be increased. It is also understood that the above-mentioned inclined hole angle range can be adjusted accordingly based on different actual parameters such as the heat treatment apparatus structure, wafer specifications, and air hole size, and is not limited to a specific angle. It is sufficient to achieve the effect of increasing the gas flow rate by tilting the air holes. It is also understood that the above-mentioned inclination angle is positively correlated with the gas flow rate. That is, the smaller the inclination angle of the air holes, the smaller the corresponding horizontal flow rate of the gas delivered to the wafer due to the presence of the vertical component of the gas velocity. In this way, by adjusting the inclination angle of the air holes, the horizontal flow rate of the airflow can be changed, thereby more easily controlling the gas distribution on the wafer surface, further reducing the dovetail distribution of the gas flow field, and achieving a more uniform film thickness distribution.

[0079] In a specific embodiment, Figure 7 As shown, the heat treatment equipment provided by the present application also includes a connecting component 6 having one end fixedly connected to the outer wall of the air inlet device and the other end being adjustable in position; wherein, the air inlet hole is provided at the other end of the connecting component 6. The connecting component 6 is fixedly mounted on the air inlet device, and the specific structure of the connecting component 6 is not limited in this embodiment. The angle adjustment function between the air inlet device and the air inlet hole can be achieved by using a metal knob, a metal tube, or other specific component. By using the azimuthally adjustable connecting component to adjust the inclination angle of the air inlet hole, the horizontal flow rate of the airflow can be changed by changing the gas flow angle, thereby achieving control over the gas distribution on the wafer surface.

[0080] Further, such as Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, when each gas inlet hole is a vertical gas inlet hole, or when each gas inlet hole is an inclined gas inlet hole with the same inclination angle, the gas delivery paths formed by each gas inlet hole after delivering gas to the wafer placed on the platform in the reaction chamber are parallel to each other. In combination with the consistent distance between each gas hole and the edge of the wafer in the embodiment of the present application, when ensuring that the gas flow paths between the gas holes and the wafer are consistent when each gas hole delivers gas, it can ensure that the gas flow rate of the gas delivered to the reaction chamber by different gas inlets is consistent when it reaches the wafer surface, effectively reducing the dovetail distribution of the gas flow field, thereby making the film thickness distribution more uniform. Based on the above technical solution, it can be seen that the gas inlet holes in the embodiment of the present application are not limited to a specific vertical and / or inclined distribution. Therefore, accordingly, the straight holes on the gas inlet device, or the inclined holes at the same angle, have consistent flow paths and are equidistant and parallel, which helps to further reduce the dovetail distribution of the gas flow field. The arc design of the inserted gas inlet device (Gas Insert) and the change in the gas hole orientation angle improve the distribution area of ​​gas elements such as high concentration [O*] in the chamber, thereby improving film formation uniformity. Furthermore, it is understood that the chamber and reaction chamber in the above embodiments refer to Figure 1 The chamber of the reaction chamber 2 is shown.

[0081] In a specific embodiment, the gas flow rate of the air inlet is negatively correlated with the target distance; the target distance is the distance between the air inlet and the center point of the platform. Assuming that a wafer has been placed on the platform and the center of the wafer coincides with the center point of the platform, the target distance can also be understood as the distance between the air inlet and the center of the wafer. Correspondingly, the gas flow rate of the air inlet is also negatively correlated with the target distance. Figure 2 As shown, since the curvature of the distribution surface of each air inlet hole on the air inlet device 1 is consistent with the curvature of the wafer, in order to further increase the amount of gas at the edge of the wafer, the gas flow rate of the air holes close to the edge can be further increased to increase the gas flow rate of the corresponding air holes, so as to increase the amount of gas reaching the edge of the wafer and further reduce the dovetail distribution of the gas flow field, thereby making the film thickness distribution formed on the wafer during rotation more uniform. It can be understood that the farther the air inlet hole is from the wafer, the smaller the gas flow rate and gas flow rate will be due to the path loss of the gas reaching the wafer surface. In other words, the distance between the air hole and the wafer can be adjusted by adjusting the air inlet device 1, that is, by moving the air inlet device 1 close to the platform 3, thereby further changing the gas flow rate and gas flow rate, thereby achieving real-time adjustment of the gas concentration on the wafer surface to control the amount of gas reaching the wafer.

[0082] In a specific embodiment, the heat treatment equipment in the embodiment of the present application may further include an exhaust device for exhausting the gas after heat treatment in the chamber; wherein, each exhaust hole on the exhaust device corresponds to each air inlet hole of the air inlet device one by one and is centrally symmetrically arranged about the target position point, and the target position point is the geometric center of the chamber. By adapting the layout of the air inlet and the air outlet, the gas distribution in the reaction chamber is made more uniform, and the film thickness distribution of the wafer can be made more uniform. In this embodiment, the reaction chamber of the heat treatment equipment has exhaust holes corresponding to the air inlet device, and each exhaust hole on the exhaust device is centrally symmetrical with each air inlet hole of the air inlet device about the geometric center of the chamber. In this way, by using the matching layout of the air inlet and the exhaust port to optimize the airflow distribution, the airflow uniformity control of the film forming process of the heat treatment equipment can be further achieved.

[0083] The present application also provides an air intake device, which is an air intake device in the aforementioned heat treatment equipment, for delivering heat treatment gas to the chamber of the heat treatment equipment. For a detailed description of the air intake device, please refer to the relevant content of any of the aforementioned embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0084] By utilizing the air intake device in this embodiment, the air intake holes can be distributed on a preset curved surface whose curvature is consistent with the curvature of the circular boundary corresponding to the wafer radius, thereby realizing an arc-shaped design of the inserted air intake device, so that each air hole of the air intake device is equidistant from the edge of the wafer. This can be applied to the uniformity control of the gas flow in the film forming process of the RTP equipment, so that the film thickness distribution formed on the wafer during rotation is more uniform.

[0085] Each of the above modules or units can be implemented by software, hardware or a combination of software and hardware. For example, when air is taken in through the air intake device, the control unit for controlling the opening or closing of each air intake hole can be implemented based on hardware and / or software.

[0086] In this application, "implemented by software" means that the processor reads and executes program instructions stored in the memory to implement the functions corresponding to the above modules or units, where the processor refers to a processing circuit capable of executing program instructions, including but not limited to at least one of the following: a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller unit (MCU), or an artificial intelligence processor, etc., which are processing circuits capable of running program instructions. In other embodiments, the processor may also include circuits for other processing functions (such as hardware circuits for hardware acceleration, buses, and interface circuits, etc.). The processor can be presented in the form of an integrated chip, for example, in the form of an integrated chip whose processing function only includes the function of executing software instructions, or it can also be presented in the form of an SoC (system on a chip), that is, on a chip, in addition to including a processing circuit capable of running program instructions (usually referred to as a "core"), it also includes other hardware circuits for implementing specific functions (of course, these hardware circuits can also be implemented separately based on ASIC or FPGA). Accordingly, in addition to including the function of executing software instructions, the processing function can also include various hardware acceleration functions (such as AI computing, encoding and decoding, compression and decompression, etc.).

[0087] In this application, "implemented through hardware" means that the functions of the aforementioned modules or units are realized through hardware processing circuits that do not process program instructions. This hardware processing circuit can be composed of discrete hardware components or integrated circuits. To reduce power consumption and size, it is often implemented in the form of integrated circuits. Hardware processing circuits can include ASICs (application-specific integrated circuits) or PLDs (programmable logic devices). PLDs can include FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) and CPLDs (complex programmable logic devices). These hardware processing circuits can be individually packaged as a semiconductor chip (e.g., an ASIC) or integrated with other circuits (e.g., a CPU or DSP) to form a single semiconductor chip. For example, multiple hardware circuits and a CPU can be formed on a silicon substrate and packaged as a single chip, also known as an SoC. Alternatively, circuits implementing FPGA functions and a CPU can be formed on a silicon substrate and packaged as a single chip, also known as a SoPC (system on a programmable chip).

[0088] It should be noted that when the present application is implemented through software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware, different software and hardware may be used, and it is not limited to the use of only one type of software or hardware. For example, one module or unit may be implemented using a CPU, and another module or unit may be implemented using a DSP. Similarly, when implemented using hardware, one module or unit may be implemented using an ASIC, and another module or unit may be implemented using an FPGA. Of course, it is not limited to implementing some or all modules or units using the same software (such as all through a CPU) or the same hardware (such as all through an ASIC). In addition, those skilled in the art will know that software is generally more flexible but has lower performance than hardware, while hardware is just the opposite. Therefore, those skilled in the art can choose software or hardware or a combination of the two to implement according to actual needs.

[0089] The terms used in the embodiments of the present application are for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit the present application. The singular forms "a", "an", "the" and "the" used in the embodiments of the present application and the appended claims are also intended to include plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0090] It should be understood that the term "and / or" as used herein is simply a term used to describe the existence of three possible relationships between related objects. For example, "A and / or B" can represent the existence of A alone, the existence of both A and B, and the existence of B alone. Furthermore, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the related objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0091] It should be understood that the terms “first”, “second”, etc. used in this application are only used for the purpose of distinguishing descriptions, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance, nor can they be understood as indicating or implying an order.

[0092] In the description of this application, the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be understood as limiting this application.

[0093] It should be understood that "plurality" used in this application refers to at least two, ie, two or more than two.

[0094] It should be noted that in the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplarily" or "for example" are used to indicate examples, illustrations, or explanations. Any embodiment or design described in the embodiments of this application as "exemplarily" or "for example" should not be interpreted as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or designs. Rather, the use of words such as "exemplarily" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

Claims

1. A heat treatment equipment, characterized in that, include: A chamber; a platform for placing a wafer is provided in the chamber; Air intake device; The air intake device includes at least two air intake holes distributed along a preset arc, each air intake hole corresponds to a different preset boundary point on the preset boundary, and the distance between each air intake hole and the corresponding preset boundary point in the preset direction is equal; Among them, the preset boundary is a circular boundary with the center point of the platform as the center and the radius of the wafer adapted by the air intake device as the radius; the preset direction is parallel to the surface of the platform, and the preset arc is symmetrical about the target plane, and the target plane is a plane formed by the preset direction and the normal direction of the platform.

2. The heat treatment equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: a first fixing component for fixing the air intake device; Wherein, the first fixing component is arranged outside the chamber.

3. The heat treatment equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that The first fixing component includes at least one positioning pin and at least one guide structure.

4. The heat treatment equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that Also includes: A magnetic suspension device is provided with a second fixing component; the magnetic suspension device fixes the platform via the second fixing component.

5. The heat treatment equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: Also includes: an exhaust device for exhausting the gas after heat treatment in the chamber; Wherein, each exhaust hole on the exhaust device corresponds to each air inlet hole on the air inlet device one by one and is centrally symmetrically arranged about a target position point, and the target position point is the geometric center of the chamber.

6. The heat treatment equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The curvature of the preset arc is consistent with the curvature of the preset boundary.

7. The heat treatment equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The height of the air inlet is higher than the surface of the platform.

8. The heat treatment equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that The gas output direction of the gas inlet hole is perpendicular to the surface of the platform.

9. The heat treatment equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that An inclination angle is formed between the gas output direction of the gas inlet hole and the surface of the platform.

10. The heat treatment equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that Also includes: A connecting component having one end fixedly connected to the outer wall of the air intake device and the other end being positionally adjustable; Wherein, the air inlet is provided at the other end of the connecting component.

11. The heat treatment equipment according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The tilt angle corresponds to a tilt angle range of not less than 30 degrees and not more than 85 degrees.

12. The heat treatment equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: There is a negative correlation between the gas flow rate of the air inlet and the target distance; the target distance is the distance between the air inlet and the center point of the platform.

13. An air intake device, characterized in that: The gas intake device is the gas intake device in the heat treatment equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 12, and is used to transport gas for heat treatment into the chamber of the heat treatment equipment.

Images