Gas inlet structure, gas supply system of semiconductor process and processing method

Abstract

The invention discloses a gas inlet structure, a gas supply system of a semiconductor process and a processing method. The gas inlet structure is positioned at the upper part in a reaction cavity, and comprises a first gas channel and a second gas channel which are respectively used for introducing first gas and second gas; a gas inlet of the gas mixing cavity is connected with the first gas channel and the second gas channel, so that the first gas and the second gas are subjected to primary gas mixing in the gas mixing cavity to obtain primary mixed gas, and the caliber of a gas outlet of the gas mixing cavity is smaller than that of the gas inlet, so that the primary mixed gas is subjected to secondary gas mixing when being output; the final mixed gas is obtained. According to the gas inlet structure, the mixing point of two kinds of process gas easy to react can be delayed, the situation that the two kinds of process gas are mixed and reacted in advance to generate solid particles in the conveying process is avoided, meanwhile, the gas mixing effect of delayed gas mixing can be improved, and therefore the film forming quality and reliability of equipment are guaranteed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, and in particular to an air intake structure, an air supply system for a semiconductor process, and a processing method for a semiconductor process. Background Art

[0002] For semiconductor processes related to silicon boron nitride (SiBN), the process gas sources include several gases such as B2H6 and NH3. During the deposition process, all gases involved in the reaction need to flow into the reaction chamber at the same time and be ionized under the action of radio frequency, ultimately completing a new depolymerization reaction on the wafer surface. The role of radio frequency ionization is to allow some gases that have large bond energies and are not prone to new reactions at room temperature or low temperatures to undergo new polymerization reactions in an ionized state. However, the two reaction sources, B2H6 and NH3, have high reactivity with each other and can react rapidly at room temperature and pressure, producing a large amount of white powdery substance that adheres to the inner wall of the gas pipeline.

[0003] In existing deposition processes, the mixing point of multiple gas inlets is typically completed at or before the manifold assembly. The mixed gases are then transported through a gas pipeline to the wafer surface within the reaction chamber. Therefore, the existing gas inlet structure is not suitable for the above-mentioned deposition process, causing the two gas sources, B2H6 and NH3, to react prematurely during transmission and produce unwanted chemicals prematurely. This has a significant impact on the process results and the stability of the entire equipment. For example, prematurely generated powdered fixed particles will accumulate in the pipeline, causing pipeline blockage and other problems.

[0004] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, the art urgently needs an improved air intake structure that can delay the mixing point of two reactive process gases to avoid premature mixing and reaction during the transmission process to generate solid particles. At the same time, it can also improve the mixing effect of delayed mixing, thereby ensuring the film forming quality of the equipment and the reliability of the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following is a brief summary of one or more aspects to provide a basic understanding of these aspects. This summary is not an exhaustive overview of all conceivable aspects and is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of all aspects nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that will be provided later.

[0006] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the present invention provides an air intake structure, a gas supply system for a semiconductor process, and a processing method for a semiconductor process, which can delay the mixing point of two reactive process gases to avoid premature mixing and reaction during the transmission process to generate solid particles. At the same time, it can also improve the mixing effect of the delayed mixing, thereby ensuring the film forming quality of the equipment and the reliability of the equipment.

[0007] Specifically, the above-mentioned air intake structure provided according to the first aspect of the present invention is located above the reaction chamber, and the air intake structure includes: a first air channel and a second air channel, respectively used to introduce a first gas and a second gas; a mixing chamber, whose air inlet is connected to the first air channel and the second air channel, so that the first gas and the second gas are initially mixed in the mixing chamber to obtain a primary mixed gas, and the diameter of the air outlet of the mixing chamber is smaller than the diameter of the air inlet, so that the primary mixed gas is secondarily mixed when output to obtain a final mixed gas.

[0008] In addition, the gas supply system for the above-mentioned semiconductor process provided according to the second aspect of the present invention includes: a gas distribution manifold assembly, connected to the gas box, for equally transporting the process gas provided by the gas box to multiple reaction chambers, wherein the process gas includes a first gas and a second gas; and the above-mentioned gas intake structure provided by the first aspect of the present invention, which is arranged above each of the reaction chambers, connected to the gas distribution manifold assembly, for mixing the first gas and the second gas above the interior of each of the reaction chambers, and delivering the mixed gas into the reaction chamber.

[0009] In addition, the processing method of the above-mentioned semiconductor process provided according to the third aspect of the present invention includes the following steps: through the gas distribution manifold component in the gas supply system of the above-mentioned semiconductor process provided by the second aspect of the present invention, the first gas and the second gas are equally delivered to multiple reaction chambers respectively; through the air intake structure in the gas supply system, the first gas and the second gas are mixed above the interior of each reaction chamber, and the final mixed gas is delivered into the reaction chamber for a deposition process; and in response to the completion of the deposition process, a cleaning gas is introduced through the air intake structure to clean the reaction chamber. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The above features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the following drawings. In the drawings, the components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components with similar related properties or characteristics may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0011] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a gas supply system for a semiconductor process according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown;

[0012] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of an air distribution manifold assembly provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown;

[0013] Figure 3A shows a top view of an air intake structure provided according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 3B A bottom view of an air intake structure provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown;

[0015] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of a gas supply system for a semiconductor process according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown;

[0016] Figure 5 Showing a schematic cross-sectional view of an air intake structure provided in some other embodiments of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an air intake structure provided by some other embodiments of the present invention; and

[0018] Figure 7 A flowchart of a semiconductor process method according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0019] Reference numerals:

[0020] 100 gas supply system;

[0021] 110 air manifold assembly;

[0022] 111 air box;

[0023] 112 main gas distribution block;

[0024] 113 first manifold;

[0025] 114 Second air distribution manifold;

[0026] 115 first air intake distributor block;

[0027] 116 second air intake distributor block;

[0028] 120 air intake structure;

[0029] 121 gas mixing chamber;

[0030] 122 air intake;

[0031] 123 air outlet;

[0032] 124 pre-air outlet;

[0033] 130 water cooling plate;

[0034] 310 First Airway;

[0035] 320 Second Airway;

[0036] 311, 321 vents;

[0037] 330 air intake passage;

[0038] 141 first-level spray plate;

[0039] 142 secondary spray plate;

[0040] Steps S710 to S730. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The following specific embodiments illustrate the embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the contents disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention will be introduced in conjunction with the preferred embodiment, this does not mean that the features of this invention are limited to this embodiment. On the contrary, the purpose of introducing the invention in conjunction with the embodiment is to cover other options or modifications that may be extended based on the claims of the present invention. In order to provide a deep understanding of the present invention, the following description will include many specific details. The present invention can also be implemented without using these details. In addition, in order to avoid confusion or blurring the focus of the present invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0042] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0043] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood to refer to the orientations depicted in that section and the accompanying drawings. These relative terms are used solely for convenience of description and do not necessarily imply that the devices described herein must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0044] It will be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc. may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or portions, these components, regions, layers, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are merely used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or portions. Thus, a first component, region, layer, and / or portion discussed below may be referred to as a second component, region, layer, and / or portion without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0045] As mentioned above, in existing deposition processes, the mixing point of multiple gas inlets is typically completed at or before the manifold assembly. The mixed gases are then transported to the wafer surface in the reaction chamber via a gas pipeline. Therefore, the existing gas inlet structure is not suitable for the above-mentioned deposition process, causing the two gas sources B2H6 and NH3 to react prematurely during the transmission process and produce unwanted chemicals prematurely, which has a significant impact on the process effect and the stability of the entire equipment. For example, prematurely generated powdered fixed particles will accumulate in the pipeline, causing pipeline blockage and other problems.

[0046] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides an air intake structure, a gas supply system for a semiconductor process, and a processing method for a semiconductor process, which can delay the mixing point of two reactive process gases to avoid premature mixing and reaction to generate solid particles during the transmission process, and at the same time can improve the mixing effect of the delayed mixing, thereby ensuring the film forming quality of the equipment and the reliability of the equipment.

[0047] In some non-limiting embodiments, the above-mentioned air intake structure provided by the first aspect of the present invention can be configured in the gas supply system of the above-mentioned semiconductor process provided by the second aspect of the present invention, and used to implement the processing method of the above-mentioned semiconductor process provided by the third aspect of the present invention.

[0048] The working principle of the above-mentioned air intake structure will be described below in conjunction with some embodiments of the gas supply systems of semiconductor processes and the processing methods of semiconductor processes. Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments of the gas supply systems of these semiconductor processes and the processing methods of semiconductor processes are only some non-limiting implementation methods provided by the present invention, which are intended to clearly demonstrate the main concept of the present invention and provide some specific solutions that are convenient for the public to implement, rather than to limit all working modes or all functions of the air intake structure. Similarly, the air intake structure is also only a non-limiting implementation method provided by the present invention, and does not constitute a limitation on all working modes or all functions of the gas supply systems of these semiconductor processes, nor does it constitute a limitation on the implementation subject of each step in the processing method of the semiconductor process.

[0049] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1A schematic structural diagram of a gas supply system for a semiconductor process according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the gas supply system 100 of the semiconductor process may mainly include a gas distribution manifold assembly 110 and an air intake structure 120. The gas distribution manifold assembly 110 may be connected to a gas box 111, and is used to divide the process gas provided by the gas box 111 into equal parts (for example, divided into two) and transport them to multiple reaction chambers. Optionally, the gas box 111 may include several different reaction sources for providing several different process gases. For semiconductor processes related to silicon boron nitride (SiBN), the gas box 111 may include a first reaction source B2H6 and a second reaction source NH3, which are used to provide a first gas B2H6 and a second gas NH3 for the process, respectively.

[0051] Specifically, it can be combined Figure 2 Common understanding, Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of an air distribution manifold assembly provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the gas distribution manifold assembly 110 may include a main gas distribution block 112 connected to the gas box 111, for equally distributing the reaction source in the gas box 111. Figure 1 As shown, according to the number of reaction chambers, the main gas distribution block 112 can divide the reaction source in the gas box 111 into a corresponding number of process gases, and transport them to the corresponding reaction chambers through the gas distribution manifold.

[0053] Further, combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, in some preferred embodiments, when the gas box 111 includes two reaction sources, the main gas distribution block 112 divides the output equally between the first reaction source and the second reaction source. The first reaction source can be delivered to the first reaction chamber S1 and the second reaction chamber S2 via two first gas distribution manifolds 113. The second reaction source can be delivered to the first reaction chamber S1 and the second reaction chamber S2 via two second gas distribution manifolds 114.

[0054] In addition, the gas distribution manifold assembly 110 may also include an air intake distribution block located above each reaction chamber. Each air intake distribution block may include a tree-shaped multi-stage air distribution channel, for example, it may include a first-stage air distribution channel to divide the first gas and the second gas into two, and then through the second-stage air distribution channel located below it, it is used to divide the first gas and the second gas into four, and so on, so that the first gas and the second gas are respectively evenly introduced into the air intake structure 120. A first air intake distribution block 115 can be arranged above the first reaction chamber S1. A second air intake distribution block 116 can be arranged above the second reaction chamber S2.

[0055] Continue as Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments, the gas inlet structure 120 can be disposed above the interior of reaction chamber S1 and reaction chamber S2, respectively. Here, "above the interior of the reaction chamber" can be understood as the area near the interior upper portion of the reaction chamber. Furthermore, the gas inlet structure 120 in each reaction chamber can be connected to the gas manifold assembly 110 to mix the first gas and the second gas above the interior of each reaction chamber and deliver the mixed gas into the reaction chamber.

[0056] Specifically, in order to more accurately control the amount of process gas introduced into each reaction chamber, the gas manifold assembly 110 may be provided with a flow sensor and a pneumatic valve (not shown in the accompanying drawings). The flow sensor is used to detect the flow rate of the process gas, and the pneumatic valve is used to control the opening and closing state of the gas manifold. In some preferred embodiments, during the semiconductor process, the pneumatic valve may be opened after the flow sensor detects that the process gas flow rate is stable, thereby delivering a stable flow of process gas to each reaction chamber. This helps improve the stability of the subsequent deposition process and the uniformity of the thin film.

[0057] Next, see Figure 3A 、 Figure 3B as well as Figure 4 Common understanding, Figure 3A shows a top view of an air intake structure provided according to some embodiments of the present invention, Figure 3B A bottom view of an air intake structure provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0058] like Figure 3A and Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the gas inlet structure 120 located above each reaction chamber may include a first gas channel 310, a second gas channel 320, and a gas mixing chamber 121. The first gas channel 310 may be used to introduce a first gas (such as B2H6), wherein the flow path of the first gas may be as follows: Figure 4 As shown by the solid arrow in FIG. The second gas channel 320 can be used to introduce a second gas (such as NH3), wherein the flow path of the second gas can be as follows: Figure 4 The first air channel 310 and the second air channel 320 are two independent air intake channels, which can avoid premature contact and reaction between the two reactive gases during the air intake and transmission process.

[0059] Continue as Figure 4As shown, the air inlet 122 of the mixing chamber 121 can be connected to the first air channel 310 and the second air channel 320, so that the first gas and the second gas are mixed in the mixing chamber 121 to obtain a primary mixed gas. Furthermore, the diameter of the air outlet 123 of the mixing chamber 121 is smaller than that of the air inlet 122, thereby forming a mixing area with a wide inlet (the white outlet area corresponding to the air inlet 122) and a narrow outlet (the white outlet area corresponding to the air outlet 123), so as to finally form the above-mentioned Figure 4 In the embodiment shown, the position of the gas mixing chamber 121 is moved from the gas distribution manifold assembly 110 or upstream thereof in the prior art to the upper part of the reaction chamber downstream of the gas distribution manifold assembly 110, that is, the gas mixing is performed at an appropriate position above and closest to the wafer, thereby delaying the mixing point of the two reactive process gases, thereby preventing them from mixing and reacting prematurely during the transmission process to generate solid particles. In addition, as Figure 4 As shown, the cross-sectional shape of the mixing chamber 121 can be set to a rectangle (or quasi-rectangular), and with the help of the water-cooled plate 130 located below the air inlet structure 120, it is enclosed into a mixing area with a wide entry and a single-stage narrow exit, so that two-stage mixing can be performed before the mixed gas reaches the reaction chamber, thereby improving the mixing effect of delayed mixing, thereby ensuring the film forming quality of the equipment and the reliability of the equipment.

[0060] Alternatively, as Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, in some embodiments, the first air duct 310 and the second air duct 320 can be annular air ducts physically separated from each other, and the bottom of the first air duct 310 can be provided with multiple air outlet channels 311, and the bottom of the second air duct 320 can be provided with multiple air outlet channels 321, so that the first gas and the second gas can be uniformly transported along the air duct path to various regions within the annular mixing chamber 121 downstream thereof. Furthermore, by cooperating with the intake air distributor block in the above-mentioned air distributor manifold assembly 110, the first gas and the second gas can be uniformly transported to various regions of the corresponding annular first air duct 310 and annular second air duct 320 through the multi-stage air distributor channels in each intake air distributor block, thereby facilitating further improvement of the uniformity of the first gas and the second gas transported to the mixing chamber 121 via the first air duct 310 and the second air duct 320 in various regions within the annular mixing chamber 121.

[0061] Next, see Figure 5 , Figure 5 Schematic diagrams of cross-sectional structures of air intake structures provided according to other embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0062] like Figure 5As shown, in other preferred embodiments of the present invention, the mixing chamber 121 may include a pre-outlet 124 below, and the outlet 123 is located downstream of the pre-outlet 124. The diameter of the air inlet 122 in the mixing chamber 121 is larger than that of the pre-outlet 124, and the diameter of the pre-outlet 124 is larger than that of the outlet 123, so that the cross-sectional shape of the mixing chamber 121 can be an inverted trapezoid. Similarly, a water-cooled plate 130 located below the air inlet structure 120 can be used to enclose a mixing area with a wide inlet and a graded narrow outlet. The white area corresponding to the pre-outlet 124 represents a first-level narrow outlet structure, and the white area corresponding to the outlet 123 represents a second-level narrow outlet structure. This not only prolongs the mixing time of the first and second gases in the mixing chamber 121, but also allows the primary mixed gas to be mixed in stages through the pre-outlet 124 and the outlet 123 when it is output.

[0063] In the above Figure 5 In the embodiment shown, by performing a multi-stage small diameter reduction on the outlet structure of the mixing chamber 121, the turbulence intensity can be gradually enhanced, avoiding the "excessive disturbance" defect of a single-stage large diameter reduction, allowing multiple gases to be gradually mixed in a gradient disturbance, and ultimately improving the mixing accuracy, which is suitable for high-precision scenarios such as semiconductor specialty gas mixing. In addition, the "multi-stage narrow outlet" outlet structure in this embodiment has a smaller diameter reduction amplitude at each stage, reducing the local resistance coefficient, thereby avoiding the "pressure drop" problem of a single-stage diameter reduction. The pressure change gradient at the outlet structure position is smoother, and the energy loss is dispersed, thereby further reducing the pressure demand of the upstream gas supply and reducing the energy consumption of the system. Moreover, the above-mentioned "graded narrow outlet" outlet structure can also form a "pressure buffer barrier" to attenuate downstream pressure fluctuations (such as equipment shutdown, valve switching), reduce the impact of reverse interference on the mixing environment inside the mixing chamber 121, and ensure output stability.

[0064] For the above Figure 4 and Figure 5 The two embodiments shown in the figure can be selected by those skilled in the art according to the requirements of processing cost, processing difficulty, gas mixing accuracy, etc. If there is no requirement for processing cost and addition difficulty, and the gas mixing accuracy is high, it can be preferably used. Figure 5 The structure of the mixing chamber 121 with wide inlet and graded narrow outlet is shown. If you are very sensitive to cost and the quality requirements of the film are relatively not very high, you can prefer Figure 4 The mixing chamber 121 shown has a wide inlet and a single-stage narrow outlet structure.

[0065] Next, see Figure 6 , Figure 6 Schematic diagrams of cross-sectional structures of air intake structures provided according to other embodiments of the present invention are shown.

[0066] like Figure 6 As shown, in other preferred embodiments of the present invention, to further enhance the gas mixing effect, an angle structure can be formed between the outlet ends of the first gas channel 310 and the second gas channel 320, so that the extended lines of the two gas channels intersect within the gas mixing chamber 121 at a point of intersection P, thereby allowing the first gas and the second gas to collide with each other within the gas mixing chamber. In this embodiment, by changing the outlet directions of the outlet ends of the first gas channel 310 and the second gas channel 320, the two groups of gases can collide with each other within the gas mixing chamber 121, thereby enhancing the gas mixing effect.

[0067] Optionally, a 180° angle can be formed between the outlet ends of the first air duct 310 and the second air duct 320. For example, the outlet ends of the two air ducts can be respectively located on the left and right sides or the upper and lower sides of the mixing chamber 121, so that the extension lines of the two outlet ends intersect parallel to each other in the mixing chamber, and the first gas and the second gas form left and right collisions in the mixing chamber 121.

[0068] In other optional embodiments, an acute angle may be formed between the outlet ends of the first air channel 310 and the second air channel 320 so that the extension lines of the two outlet ends intersect in the mixing chamber 121, and the first gas and the second gas may form a cross-over in the mixing chamber 121.

[0069] Furthermore, if Figure 6 As shown, in some preferred embodiments, the angle between the outlet ends of the first air channel 310 and the second air channel 320 can be an obtuse angle, so that the intersection point P of the extended lines of the two air channels can be located in the central area or above the mixing chamber 121, and the first gas and the second gas intersect and collide in the central area or above the mixing chamber 121. Compared to the above-mentioned embodiment in which the output end angle is an acute angle, within the same mixing chamber 121, the output end angle of this embodiment is an obtuse angle, which can move the intersection point P upward, thereby moving the point of intersection and mixing of the two airflows upward, which helps to extend the mixing time of the two airflows and thus improve the mixing effect.

[0070] Furthermore, by changing the outlet direction of the first air channel 310 and the second air channel 320, the two groups of gases can form an air intake structure 120 with opposing directions in the mixing chamber 121, and the space required for the mixing chamber 121 can be reduced accordingly, thereby reducing the processing cost and difficulty. Figure 6 As shown, the cross-sectional shape of the mixing cavity 121 can be rectangular (corresponding to Figure 4 The embodiment shown) or inverted trapezoid (corresponding to Figure 5The cross-sectional shape can be reduced to a triangular shape, such as an isosceles triangle, to reduce the space required for the mixing chamber 121. By utilizing the water-cooling plate 130 below the intake structure 120, a mixing area with a wide inlet (the white outlet area corresponding to the intake port 122) and a single-stage narrow outlet (the white outlet area corresponding to the outlet port 123) can be formed.

[0071] Please continue back Figure 3A and Figure 4 In some preferred embodiments, the air inlet structure 120 may further include an air inlet channel 330 for introducing clean gas. The air inlet channel 330 may be adjacent to the air outlet 123 of the mixing chamber 121. This allows the air outlet 123 to be cleaned simultaneously with the clean gas during the process of introducing clean gas to clean the reaction chamber, thereby reducing the accumulation of particles at the air outlet 123 of the mixing chamber 121 and at the location of the air outlet channel. In this embodiment, by placing the air outlet path of the mixing chamber 121 close to the clean path, the probability of failures such as particulate matter within the device can be reduced, thereby balancing the risk of particles at the air outlet 123, improving the reliability of the device operation, and enhancing the film formation quality.

[0072] So far, the main structure of the air intake structure 120 provided by the first aspect of the present invention has been basically introduced. Please continue to return to Figure 4 Regarding the gas supply system 100 for the semiconductor process provided in the second aspect of the present invention, in some optional embodiments, the gas supply system 100 may further include a water-cooled plate 130 and a multi-stage spray plate located therebelow.

[0073] Specifically, if Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, a multi-stage spray plate can be arranged below the air intake structure 120, including a first-stage spray plate 141 with a first aperture and a second-stage spray plate 142 with a second aperture located below the first-stage spray plate 141, wherein the second aperture can be smaller than the first aperture, and is used to introduce the final mixed gas after multi-stage uniform gasification into the lower part of the reaction chamber, thereby improving the uniformity of the final mixed gas sprayed onto the wafer in the reaction chamber.

[0074] Furthermore, since the temperature of the shower plate will affect the temperature of the process gas sprayed through it, and process gases of different temperatures will directly affect the properties of the final film. Figure 4 As shown, preferably, a water cooling plate 130 can be provided between the air intake structure 120 and the multi-stage spray plate to adjust the temperature of the multi-stage spray plate. The specific structural arrangement of the water cooling plate 130 is not limited to the embodiment shown in the present invention. Optionally, corresponding water cooling plates can be provided for the first-stage spray plate 141 and the second-stage spray plate 142 in the multi-stage spray plate to independently control their temperatures.

[0075] At this point, the main structure of the gas supply system 100 for the semiconductor process provided by the second aspect of the present invention has been basically introduced. Each semiconductor process machine may include several reaction chambers (such as reaction chamber S1 and reaction chamber S1), and each reaction chamber has an independent set of gas delivery pipelines. Each set of gas delivery pipelines includes two separate and independent gas distribution manifolds, which transport the process gases required for the deposition process from the gas box to each gas inlet distribution block at a set flow rate. Each gas inlet distribution block includes a multi-stage gas distribution channel, which can evenly distribute each gas into multiple equal parts through two stages, and then redistribute it to the gas inlet structure 120 through multiple air holes.

[0076] The air intake structure 120 can be composed of two parts, the upper part including the terminal air distribution of the inner and outer sets of air channels, consisting of the first air channel 310 and the second air channel 320, corresponding to the two independent air intake pipes. A mixing chamber 121 is provided below the outlet of each air intake pipe. The lower part of the air intake structure 120 can be provided by any of the three aforementioned embodiments to achieve different mixing effects and cost-effectiveness.

[0077] Next, see Figure 7 , Figure 7 A flowchart of a semiconductor process method according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0078] like Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, a semiconductor process method may include the following steps: First, step S710 may be performed: a first gas and a second gas are equally delivered to a plurality of reaction chambers via a gas distribution manifold assembly in a semiconductor process gas supply system.

[0079] Specifically, it can be combined Figure 1 It is generally understood that at the beginning of the thin film deposition process, gas box 111 can be opened. The process gases are then evenly distributed to the multiple reaction chambers via gas distribution manifold assembly 110 according to the type and flow rate of the process gases required for the deposition process. For semiconductor processes involving silicon boron nitride (SiBN), gas box 111 can simultaneously supply the first gas, B2H6, and the second gas, NH3, to each reaction chamber.

[0080] Optionally, in some embodiments, for processes requiring high deposition precision, such as atomic layer deposition, the stability of the process gas flow can significantly impact the parameters of the deposited film. Therefore, the pneumatic valves can be opened to synchronously deliver stable process gas flows to each reaction chamber after the flow sensors in the gas manifold assembly 110 detect that the flow rates of the process gases are stable. In other words, the pneumatic valves in the gas manifold assembly 110 can be activated based on the stability of the flow rates.

[0081] In some processes that require relatively low deposition accuracy, for example, preparing an isolation film through a vapor deposition process, there is no need to wait for the gas flow to stabilize before entering the reaction chamber. For this purpose, the process gas can be delivered to each reaction chamber according to the action sequence of the switch valve in the gas box 111, that is, it can be kept synchronized with the switch valve in the gas box 111 or move in tandem.

[0082] Afterwards, step S720 may be performed: mixing the first gas and the second gas above the interior of each reaction chamber via the gas inlet structure in the gas supply system, and delivering the resulting mixed gas into the reaction chamber for a deposition process.

[0083] Specifically, the above Figure 4 ,or Figure 5 ,or Figure 6 The inlet structure 120 in the embodiment is positioned after the mixing point of the two reactive process gases to prevent premature mixing and reaction during transport, thereby preventing solid particle formation. Furthermore, because the mixing point is located close to the interior of the reaction chamber, the mixing path is relatively short. To maintain effective mixing, a mixing chamber 121 is provided at the lower portion of the inlet structure 120. Based on varying cost and process mixing requirements, improvements are made to the inlet 122, outlet 123, cross-sectional shape, and the outlet ends of the first and second air channels 310 and 320, respectively, to enhance mixing efficiency.

[0084] Thereafter, step S730 may be performed: in response to the completion of the deposition process, a cleaning gas is introduced through the gas inlet structure to clean the reaction chamber.

[0085] Specifically, after the deposition process is completed, the valves in the corresponding gas box 111 and the gas manifold assembly 110 can be closed. In addition, according to the frequency of the process, after a certain number of deposition cycles, the chamber cleaning stage can be entered to clean the attachments attached to the reaction chamber. Figure 4 As shown, since the gas inlet channel 330 for introducing the cleaning gas can be adjacent to the gas outlet 123 of the gas mixing chamber 121, the gas outlet 123 can be cleaned by the cleaning gas during the process of introducing the cleaning gas to clean the reaction chamber, thereby simultaneously cleaning the attachments attached to the gas outlet 123 of the gas mixing chamber 121 and the gas outlet channel in which it is located. After completing the preparations for the next deposition process, the next deposition process can be cycled again, that is, step S710 is executed.

[0086] By combining the above-mentioned semiconductor process gas supply system 100 including the air intake structure 120 and the semiconductor process processing method, the gas mixing requirements of a specific process can be achieved, and an ideal balance point can be achieved in terms of gas mixing effect and component life (close to the cleaning path), and while achieving better film quality, the reliability of equipment operation can be improved.

[0087] Although the above methods are illustrated and described as a series of acts for simplicity of explanation, it is to be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the acts, as some acts may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other acts from those illustrated and described herein or not illustrated and described herein but understandable to those skilled in the art according to one or more embodiments.

[0088] In summary, the present invention provides an air intake structure, a gas supply system for a semiconductor process, and a processing method for a semiconductor process, which can delay the mixing point of two reactive process gases to avoid premature mixing and reaction to generate solid particles during the transmission process, and at the same time can improve the mixing effect of delayed mixing, thereby ensuring the film forming quality of the equipment and the reliability of the equipment.

[0089] The previous description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An air intake structure, characterized in that: Located above the reaction chamber, The air intake structure comprises: The first gas channel and the second gas channel are used to introduce the first gas and the second gas respectively; A gas mixing chamber, wherein the gas inlet is connected to the first gas channel and the second gas channel, so that the first gas and the second gas are primarily mixed in the gas mixing chamber to obtain a primary mixed gas, and the gas outlet diameter of the gas mixing chamber is smaller than the gas inlet diameter, so that the primary mixed gas is secondarily mixed when output to obtain a final mixed gas.

2. The air intake structure according to claim 1, wherein: The lower portion of the mixing chamber includes a pre-gas outlet, and the gas outlet is located downstream of the pre-gas outlet. The diameter of the air inlet is larger than that of the pre-air outlet, and the diameter of the pre-air outlet is larger than that of the air outlet, so that the primary mixed gas is mixed in stages through the pre-air outlet and the air outlet respectively when being output.

3. The air intake structure according to claim 1, wherein: An angle structure is formed between the gas outlet ends of the first gas channel and the second gas channel, so that the extension lines of the two gas channels intersect in the gas mixing chamber, and the first gas and the second gas collide with each other in the gas mixing chamber.

4. The air intake structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The angle between the air outlet ends of the first air channel and the second air channel is an obtuse angle, so that the intersection point of the extended lines of the two air channels is located in the central area of ​​the mixing chamber or above it.

5. The air intake structure according to claim 1, wherein: include: The air inlet channel is used to introduce clean gas. The air inlet channel is adjacent to the air outlet of the gas mixing chamber, so that when the clean gas is introduced, the air outlet is cleaned by the clean gas.

6. The air intake structure according to claim 1, wherein: The first air channel and the second air channel are annular air channels that are physically separated from each other, and a plurality of gas outlet holes are provided at the bottom of each of the first air channel and the second air channel so that the first gas and the second gas are evenly transported to various areas within the annular gas mixing chamber along the air channel path.

7. A gas supply system for semiconductor process, characterized in that: include: A gas distribution manifold assembly connected to a gas box, for equally delivering process gas provided by the gas box to a plurality of reaction chambers, wherein the process gas includes a first gas and a second gas; as well as The air intake structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is arranged above each of the reaction chambers and connected to the gas distribution manifold assembly, and is used to mix the first gas and the second gas above the interior of each of the reaction chambers and to deliver the final mixed gas into the reaction chamber.

8. The gas supply system according to claim 7, wherein: The gas distribution manifold assembly is provided with a flow sensor and a pneumatic valve. After the flow sensor detects that the flow of the process gas is stable, the pneumatic valve is opened to deliver the process gas with a stable flow to each reaction chamber.

9. The gas supply system according to claim 7, wherein: Also includes: a multi-stage spray plate, disposed below the air inlet structure, comprising a first-stage spray plate having a first aperture and a second-stage spray plate located below the first-stage spray plate having a second aperture, wherein the second aperture is smaller than the first aperture, and is used to introduce the final mixed gas after multi-stage homogenization into the lower part of the reaction chamber; as well as A water cooling plate is located between the air intake structure and the multi-stage spray plate and is used to adjust the temperature of the multi-stage spray plate.

10. A semiconductor process processing method, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: The first gas and the second gas are equally delivered to the plurality of reaction chambers through the gas distribution manifold assembly in the gas supply system of the semiconductor process according to any one of claims 7 to 9; mixing the first gas and the second gas above the interior of each reaction chamber via a gas inlet structure in the gas supply system, and delivering the resulting mixed gas into the reaction chamber for a deposition process; and In response to the completion of the deposition process, a cleaning gas is introduced through the gas inlet structure to clean the reaction chamber.

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