Gas homogenizing ring structure and semiconductor equipment

Abstract

The invention discloses a gas uniformizing ring structure and semiconductor equipment, the gas uniformizing ring structure comprises a ring body, a gas flow channel, a plurality of gas outlet holes and a rectification component, the gas flow channel is arranged in the ring body, the gas outlet holes are distributed along the circumferential direction of the ring body, and the gas outlet holes are in fluid communication with the gas flow channel; the rectifying components are arranged in the gas flow channel and located on the downstream portions of the gas outlet holes, and the rectifying components are configured to generate differential retardation on flowing gas flow so as to change the static pressure of the downstream areas of the corresponding gas outlet holes, so that the flow non-uniformity among the gas outlet holes is compensated. Static pressure of the downstream of each air outlet hole is adjusted through the rectification component under the differential retardation effect, and therefore the flow difference caused by different air inlet positions is compensated; the rectifying component enables the flow of the air outlet holes close to the air inlet area to be relatively reduced and the flow of the air outlet holes far away from the air inlet area to be relatively increased through local resistance increasing, so that the problem of non-uniform dynamic pressure and static pressure distribution caused by different runner lengths is solved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor, and in particular to a gas distribution ring structure and a semiconductor device. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, such as chemical vapor deposition, the process gas needs to be uniformly distributed to the wafer surface to ensure the uniformity of the formed film. For this purpose, a device called a gas distribution ring is often used, which is usually a ring structure with a gas channel inside and a plurality of gas outlets on the ring surface. The gas enters the gas channel through the gas inlet and flows out from these gas outlets to achieve uniform gas distribution in the circumferential direction. However, due to the fixed position of the gas inlet, the path length of the gas flowing to different gas outlets in the gas channel is significantly different, resulting in higher dynamic pressure and lower static pressure at the gas outlets close to the gas inlet, and larger gas flow; on the contrary, the dynamic pressure is lower and the static pressure is higher at the gas outlets far from the gas inlet, and the gas flow is smaller. This inherent flow characteristic makes the flow of each gas outlet of the gas distribution ring significantly uneven, thereby destroying the uniformity of the process gas distribution on the wafer surface. The result is directly reflected in the poor uniformity of the thickness of the deposited film on the wafer surface, and the thickness value may exceed the process specification, especially in the edge area, which is prone to defects such as jagged thickness distribution, seriously affecting product quality.

[0003] To solve the above problems, the prior art usually relies on repeated trial and adjustment of nozzle types and other means to indirectly improve the gas flow distribution in the chamber, but this method lacks pertinence, is inefficient, and consumes a lot of manpower and material resources. SUMMARY

[0004] Embodiments of the present application provide a gas distribution ring structure and a semiconductor device, which can fundamentally improve the technical problem of uneven gas distribution of the existing gas distribution ring.

[0005] To solve the above problems, according to one aspect of the present application, embodiments of the present application provide a gas distribution ring structure, which comprises a ring body, a gas flow channel, a plurality of gas outlets and a rectifying member. The gas flow channel is arranged in the ring body, the plurality of gas outlets are distributed along the circumference of the ring body, the gas outlets are in fluid communication with the gas flow channel, and the rectifying member is arranged in the gas flow channel and located downstream of each gas outlet. Each rectifying member is configured to differentially resist the gas flow therethrough to change the static pressure in the downstream area of the corresponding gas outlet, thereby compensating for the flow unevenness between the plurality of gas outlets.

[0006] In some embodiments, the gas flow channel comprises a first gas flow channel and a second gas flow channel, which are arranged in isolation from each other within the ring body; wherein the first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel are annular flow channels surrounding the ring body and are distributed on the front and back surfaces of the ring body.

[0007] In some embodiments, the gas outlet holes comprise a plurality of first-type gas outlet holes and a plurality of second-type gas outlet holes, the first-type gas outlet holes being in communication with the first gas flow channel, and the second-type gas outlet holes being in communication with the second gas flow channel.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first-type gas outlet holes and the second-type gas outlet holes form a plurality of gas outlet hole groups in an alternating combination, each of the gas outlet hole groups comprising two first-type gas outlet holes and one second-type gas outlet hole arranged therebetween; wherein the total number of the gas outlet hole groups is twelve, and the total number of the gas outlet holes is thirty-six.

[0009] In some embodiments, the central angle between any two adjacent first-type gas outlet holes is the same and is 14°-16°, and the central angle between any two adjacent second-type gas outlet holes is the same and is 29°-31°.

[0010] In some embodiments, the flow rectifying member is a semi-cylindrical annular structure, and the opening direction of the semi-cylindrical annular structure is opposite to the incoming flow direction of the gas flow in the gas flow channel.

[0011] In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the flow rectifying member is consistent with the hole diameter of the corresponding gas outlet hole, the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the flow rectifying member is 0.2 mm to 2 mm, and / or the opening angle of the flow rectifying member is 150°-200°.

[0012] In some embodiments, along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet, the height of each flow rectifying member decreases in turn; wherein the air inlet is the air inlet of the gas flow channel.

[0013] In some embodiments, along the gas flow direction, the gas outlet holes are numbered in turn as Group 1 to Group 12 in counterclockwise order from the air inlet, and the height of the flow rectifying member arranged at Group 1 and Group 12 ranges from 2 mm to 4 mm, the height of the flow rectifying member arranged at Group 2 and Group 11 ranges from 1.6 mm to 3.5 mm, the height of the flow rectifying member arranged at Group 3 and Group 10 ranges from 1.2 mm to 3 mm, the height of the flow rectifying member arranged at Group 4 and Group 9 ranges from 0.8 mm to 2.5 mm, the height of the flow rectifying member arranged at Group 5 and Group 8 ranges from 0.4 mm to 2 mm, and the height of the flow rectifying member arranged at Group 6 and Group 7 ranges from 0 mm to 1 mm.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present application, embodiments of the present application provide a semiconductor device comprising the gas distribution ring structure as described above.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the gas distribution ring structure of the present application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0016] The gas distribution ring structure provided by the present application comprises a ring body, a gas flow channel, a plurality of gas outlet holes and a rectifying member, the gas flow channel is arranged in the ring body, the gas outlet holes are distributed along the circumference of the ring body, the gas outlet holes are in fluid communication with the gas flow channel, and the rectifying member is arranged in the gas flow channel and located downstream of each gas outlet hole. Each rectifying member is configured to produce differential resistance to the gas flow passing through it to change the static pressure in the downstream area of the corresponding gas outlet hole, thereby compensating for the flow unevenness between the plurality of gas outlet holes.

[0017] The present application provides a ring-shaped flow channel basic structure for gas distribution by the ring body, the gas flow channel realizes circumferential transportation of the gas, the gas outlet holes are used to guide the gas out to the wafer area, and the rectifying member adjusts the static pressure downstream of each gas outlet hole through differential resistance, thereby compensating for the flow difference caused by different gas inlet positions. Further, the rectifying member increases the resistance locally to relatively reduce the flow of the gas outlet holes in the area close to the gas inlet and relatively increase the flow of the gas outlet holes in the area far from the gas inlet, thereby overcoming the problem of uneven distribution of dynamic pressure and static pressure caused by different flow channel lengths in the background art, ultimately realizing the improvement of the uniformity of the gas outlet of the gas distribution ring, and avoiding the occurrence of out-of-tolerance or jagged distribution defects of the film thickness on the wafer surface.

[0018] The semiconductor device provided by the present application is designed based on the above-mentioned gas distribution ring structure, and the beneficial effects thereof are described above and will not be repeated here.

[0019] The above description is only a summary of the technical solutions of the present application. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present application and to implement the content of the description, the following will describe the preferred embodiments of the present application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0020] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings needed in the embodiment description. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can also be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.

[0021] Figure 1 A perspective view of a gas distribution ring structure provided by an embodiment of the present application is shown;

[0022] Figure 2Figure 6 shows another perspective view of the gas distribution ring structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 3 Figure 7 is a partial enlarged view of A in Figure 6; Figure 2

[0024] Figure 4 Figure 8 shows a top view of the gas distribution ring structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 5 Figure 9 shows a sectional view of the gas distribution ring structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 6 Figure 10 shows a structural schematic view of the gas distribution ring structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 7 Figure 11 is a partial enlarged view of B in Figure 10; Figure 6

[0028] Figure 8 Figure 12 shows a top view of the rectifying member in the gas distribution ring structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 9 Figure 13 shows a front view of the rectifying member in the gas distribution ring structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 10 Figure 14 shows a distribution diagram of the rectifying member corresponding to the second type of gas outlet hole in the gas distribution ring structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 11 Figure 15 shows a pressure distribution diagram of the gas outlet channel of the traditional gas distribution structure;

[0032] Figure 12 Figure 16 shows a pressure distribution diagram of the gas outlet channel of the gas distribution ring structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 13 Figure 17 shows a comparison diagram of the flow distribution at the second type of gas outlet hole between the traditional gas distribution structure and the gas distribution ring structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 14 Figure 18 shows a comparison diagram of the flow distribution at the first type of gas outlet hole between the traditional gas distribution structure and the gas distribution ring structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Reference signs:

[0036] 1, ring body; 2, gas flow channel; 21, first gas flow passage; 22, second gas flow passage; 3, gas outlet hole; 31, first type of gas outlet hole; 32, second type of gas outlet hole; 4, rectifying member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION​​

[0037] In order to further clarify the technical means and effects of the present application for achieving the intended purpose, the following will describe in detail the specific embodiments, structures, features and effects of the present application according to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. In the following description, different "an embodiment" or "embodiments" do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, the specific features, structures or characteristics in one or more embodiments can be combined in any suitable form.

[0038] In the description of the present application, it should be clear that the terms "first", "second", and the like in the specification and claims of the present application and the above-mentioned drawings are used to distinguish similar objects, and do not necessarily describe a specific order or sequence; the terms "vertical", "horizontal", "longitudinal", "front", "back", "left", "right", "up", "down", "horizontal" and the like indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application, and do not mean that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation or position, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0039] In the description of the present application, it should be noted that unless otherwise specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connection", "connection" should be broadly understood, for example, it can be fixedly connected, or it can be detachably connected, or integrally connected; it can be mechanically connected, or it can be electrically connected; it can be directly connected, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0040] In order to better understand the above technical solutions, the above technical solutions will be described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments of the specification.

[0041] Embodiment 1

[0042] The present embodiment provides a gas distribution ring structure, as shown in Figures 1-10 The gas distribution ring structure includes a ring body 1, a gas flow channel 2, a plurality of gas outlet holes 3 distributed along the circumference of the ring body 1, and a flow regulating member 4 disposed in the gas flow channel 2 downstream of each gas outlet hole 3. Each flow regulating member 4 is configured to differentially resist the flow of gas passing through it to change the static pressure in the downstream region of the corresponding gas outlet hole 3, thereby compensating for the non-uniformity of flow between the plurality of gas outlet holes 3.

[0043] A kind of gas distribution ring structure includes ring body 1, gas flow channel 2 is arranged inside ring body 1, gas flow channel 2 is used to guide process gas flow;Gas outlet hole 3 is opened in the ring surface of ring body 1, and it is distributed along the circumferential direction of ring body 1 and is communicated with gas flow channel 2, so that gas can flow out from gas flow channel 2 to the outside via gas outlet hole 3;Rectifying member 4 is arranged inside gas flow channel 2 and is located at the downstream position of each gas outlet hole 3, and its installation mode is such that rectifying member 4 is directly opposite to the direction of gas flow, for generating local resistance effect to the gas flowing through it.The position of rectifying member 4 corresponds to the position of gas outlet hole 3 one by one, and each rectifying member 4 is located at the side of corresponding gas outlet hole 3 close to the downstream of gas flow, and it generates influence to the gas flow by its specific shape and size, so as to adjust the pressure distribution of gas flow at gas outlet hole 3.More specifically, ring body 1 is used as the main structure of gas distribution ring for accommodating and supporting gas flow channel 2, gas outlet hole 3 and rectifying member 4, and its annular structure is suitable for the installation requirement of semiconductor process chamber;Gas flow channel 2 is used to transport gas from gas inlet to each gas outlet hole 3, and it is the key flow path for realizing the circumferential distribution of gas;Gas outlet hole 3 is used to spray gas at a certain angle and speed, and it directly affects the uniformity of gas coverage on wafer surface;Rectifying member 4 reduces the dynamic pressure of gas and increases the static pressure by generating local resistance to gas flow, so as to adjust the gas flow rate flowing out from gas outlet hole 3, and its size and shape are designed differently according to the different positions of gas outlet hole 3, so as to compensate for the uneven pressure distribution caused by the length difference of flow channel.

[0044] When ring body 1, gas flow channel 2, gas outlet hole 3 and rectifying member 4 work together, gas enters gas flow channel 2 from gas inlet and flows along the circumferential direction of ring body 1, and when flowing through the position of each gas outlet hole 3, part of the gas flow is blocked by rectifying member 4 to generate local pressure change;More specifically, rectifying member 4 generates differential resistance effect to the gas flow, so that the static pressure of the downstream region of gas outlet hole 3 close to the gas inlet is increased, thereby increasing the outflow resistance of the gas flow at this position, so that more gas is pushed to the gas outlet hole 3 far away from the gas inlet, and finally the outlet flow rate of all gas outlet holes 3 tends to be consistent, improving the uniformity of gas distribution.

[0045] The embodiment provides annular flow channel basic structure for gas distribution by ring body 1, gas flow channel 2 realizes the circumferential transportation of gas, gas outlet hole 3 is used to guide gas out to wafer area, and rectifying member 4 adjusts the static pressure downstream of each gas outlet hole 3 by differential resistance effect, thereby compensating for the flow difference caused by different gas inlet positions;Further, rectifying member 4 relatively reduces the flow rate of gas outlet hole 3 close to the gas inlet by local resistance increase, and relatively increases the flow rate of gas outlet hole 3 far away from the gas inlet, thereby overcoming the problem of uneven distribution of dynamic pressure and static pressure caused by different flow channel lengths in the background art, finally realizing the improvement of gas distribution uniformity of gas distribution ring, and avoiding the occurrence of out-of-tolerance or sawtooth distribution defects of wafer surface film thickness.

[0046] In specific embodiments, as Figure 1As shown, the gas flow channel 2 comprises a first gas flow passage 21 and a second gas flow passage 22, which are arranged in isolation from each other within the ring body 1; wherein the first gas flow passage 21 and the second gas flow passage 22 are both annular flow channels surrounding the ring body 1 and distributed on the front and back sides of the ring body 1.

[0047] The first gas flow passage 21 and the second gas flow passage 22 are two completely independent and physically isolated flow channels inside the ring body 1, and there is no channel connecting between them, which ensures the absolute separation of the gases. More specifically, the first gas flow passage 21 is formed on the front side of the ring body 1, and the second gas flow passage 22 is formed on the back side of the ring body 1, which are in a back-to-back parallel annular layout in space, and together constitute a double-layer annular gas distribution system. This design allows the two channels to handle two different process gases at the same time without mixing with each other.

[0048] The first gas flow passage 21 is used to transport a specific process gas, such as oxygen, while the second gas flow passage 22 is used to transport another different process gas, such as silane. Each has its own role to provide a closed and continuous annular flow path for its corresponding gas, so that the gas can be distributed along the entire circumference of the ring body 1. The key significance of this isolation design is to avoid the premature mixing of the two gases inside the uniform gas ring and cause pre-reaction, so as to ensure that they can only begin to mix after leaving the respective gas outlets 3 and entering the process chamber, which lays a solid foundation for the accurate and uniform distribution of the reaction gas on the wafer surface.

[0049] Two gases are introduced into the corresponding annular flow channel from the respective independent gas inlet, and flow along the circumferential direction to fill the entire flow channel. More specifically, each gas flows out through a series of gas outlets 3 on its own flow channel, and since the two flow channels are spatially isolated, the two gases do not mix until they are sprayed out of the gas outlets 3 distributed on the front and back sides of the ring body 1, and then diffuse and mix in the chamber space outside the ring body 1. This working mode greatly enhances the uniformity and controllability of gas distribution, because it eliminates the uneven mixing of gases that may occur in long flow channels, ensuring that the gas concentration field above the wafer surface is highly consistent in the circumferential direction, thereby ultimately significantly improving the thickness uniformity of the film formed on the wafer surface.

[0050] In specific embodiments, as shown in Figure 2 The gas outlet 3 comprises a plurality of first-type gas outlets 31 and a plurality of second-type gas outlets 32, the first-type gas outlets 31 are in communication with the first gas flow passage 21, and the second-type gas outlets 32 are in communication with the second gas flow passage 22.

[0051] The first type of gas outlet holes 31 are in fluid communication with the first gas flow channel 21, and the second type of gas outlet holes 32 are in fluid communication with the second gas flow channel 22, both of which are completely independent and do not intersect in the flow path. More specifically, the circumferential distribution positions of the first type of gas outlet holes 31 and the distribution positions of the second type of gas outlet holes 32 are staggered and spaced from each other, and they together constitute a complete array of gas outlet holes on the ring body 1, but this staggered distribution is designed based on the need for independent delivery and accurate proportioning of the two gases, and each type of gas outlet hole is strictly subordinate to its corresponding gas flow channel. The role of the first type of gas outlet holes 31 is to inject the first process gas, such as oxygen, in the first gas flow channel 21 connected thereto into the process chamber; the role of the second type of gas outlet holes 32 is to independently inject the second process gas, such as silane, in the second gas flow channel 22 connected thereto. Their respective roles are to serve as the final release outlets for the two gases independently, ensuring that the gases remain separated before leaving the gas distribution ring, thereby achieving controllable discharge of the gases to the chamber.

[0052] The two gases are respectively injected from the respective gas flow channels via the dedicated types of gas outlet holes. More specifically, since the two types of gas outlet holes are staggered on the ring surface, this enables the two gases to form a highly uniform and dense distribution of mixed starting points in space in the chamber, and the gases only begin to diffuse and mix with each other after leaving the gas outlet holes 3. This working mode greatly facilitates the rapid and uniform mixing of the two gas flows, forming a more uniform gas phase environment in terms of composition and concentration above the wafer, thereby effectively improving the consistency of the chemical reaction on the wafer surface, and ultimately significantly improving the thickness uniformity of the deposited film.

[0053] In specific embodiments, as shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the first type of gas outlet holes 31 and the second type of gas outlet holes 32 form a plurality of gas outlet hole groups in an alternating combination, each of the gas outlet hole groups including two first type of gas outlet holes 31 and one second type of gas outlet hole 32 disposed therebetween; wherein the gas outlet hole groups have a total of twelve groups, and the total number of gas outlet holes 3 is thirty-six.

[0054] The first type of gas outlet hole 31 and the second type of gas outlet hole 32 form a plurality of gas outlet hole groups in an alternating combination, each of which includes two first type of gas outlet holes 31 and one second type of gas outlet hole 32 arranged therebetween. This specific arrangement is carefully designed based on the flow ratio requirements of the two process gases. More specifically, since the gas flow requirement of oxygen in the process recipe is about half of that of silane, the number of second type of gas outlet holes 32 representing the oxygen outlet is set to half of the number of first type of gas outlet holes 31 representing the silane outlet, i.e. one second type of gas outlet hole 32 corresponds to two first type of gas outlet holes 31 in each group. Placing the second type of gas outlet hole 32 in the middle of the two first type of gas outlet holes 31 can ensure that the outlet holes of each gas are evenly distributed at equal angles on the torus circumference, for example, the angles between all second type of gas outlet holes 32 remain consistent, and the angles between all first type of gas outlet holes 31 also remain consistent. The technical effect of this arrangement is to accurately match the gas flow requirements with the outlet area distribution, structurally ensuring that both gases can be uniformly emitted in the circumferential direction at their required flow rates, creating ideal initial conditions for uniform mixing in the chamber, and fundamentally optimizing the uniformity of wafer surface gas distribution.

[0055] The total number of the gas outlet holes 3 is thirty-six, which is a specific implementation of the above-mentioned gas ratio principle. More specifically, the division of twelve groups means that there are twelve second type of gas outlet holes 32 and twenty-four first type of gas outlet holes 31, which perfectly meets the process requirement that the amount of oxygen is about half of that of silane. The total number of thirty-six gas outlet holes and their grouping method form a highly symmetrical and balanced gas outlet system on the circumference of the ring, which has the technical effect of achieving the optimal geometric layout of all gas outlet holes on the torus surface while meeting the specific flow ratio of the two gases, avoiding local gas over-concentration or over-dilution, and enabling the mixed gas flowing out of the uniform gas ring to form a gas cover layer over the wafer with extremely uniform composition and flow rate, ultimately significantly improving the thickness consistency of thin film deposition.

[0056] In specific embodiments, the central angles between any two adjacent first type of gas outlet holes 31 are the same, all being 14°-16°, preferably 15°; the central angles between any two adjacent second type of gas outlet holes 32 are the same, all being 29°-31°, preferably 30°.

[0057] The central angle between any two adjacent first-type vent holes 31 is the same, ranging from 14° to 16°, preferably 15°. This feature precisely quantifies the circumferential uniformity of the first-type vent holes 31. More specifically, this definition ensures that all twenty-four first-type vent holes 31, representing silane gas, exhibit a perfectly equidistant distribution on the circumference of the ring body 1, with the angular deviation between each hole strictly controlled within a very small range. The technical effect of this highly consistent angular spacing is that it ensures that the flow path resistance characteristics of silane gas flowing out from each outlet in the circumference of the entire gas distribution ring are basically consistent, thereby making the flow distribution of silane gas in the 360° direction of the ring surface extremely uniform. This effectively avoids the phenomenon of excessively high or low local gas concentrations that may occur due to uneven outlet distribution, providing a crucial prerequisite for forming a uniform silane gas coverage on the wafer surface.

[0058] The central angle between any two adjacent second-type vents 32 is the same, ranging from 29° to 31°, preferably 30°. This definition also ensures that the twelve second-type vents 32 representing oxygen are distributed at an absolutely equiangular angle on the circumference. More specifically, the preferred central angle of 30° is a mathematical result that perfectly matches the total number of twelve vents, making the relative positions of each oxygen outlet on the circumference symmetrical and equivalent. The technical effect of this uniform distribution is that oxygen gas can flow out uniformly from each preset outlet on the toroidal surface in a completely consistent flow pattern, thereby forming a continuous and stable oxygen gas flow distribution above the wafer without any weaknesses. This fundamental uniform distribution, combined with the uniform distribution of silane gas, lays a solid and reliable physical foundation for the rapid and uniform mixing of the two gases in the chamber, ultimately resulting in a highly uniform thin film deposition.

[0059] In a specific embodiment, such as Figures 8-10 As shown, the rectifier 4 is a semi-cylindrical annular structure, and its opening direction is directly opposite to the incoming flow direction of the gas flow channel 2.

[0060] The semi-cylindrical annular structure means that the component is a semi-annular structure obtained by cutting a cylinder along the axial direction, the outer surface of the cylinder faces the wall of the gas flow channel 2, and the concave surface formed by the opening directly faces and meets the impact of the gas flow. The technical effect of this specific shape and orientation design is to produce the best resistance and flow guiding effect on the oncoming gas in an extremely efficient and streamlined manner. When the high-speed gas flows into the concave area of the flow regulating component 4, the flow cross section suddenly expands, the flow rate is forced to decrease, according to Bernoulli's principle, the dynamic pressure of the gas is significantly reduced, and the static pressure is correspondingly increased; further, the arrangement of the opening directly facing the flow direction ensures that the flow regulating component 4 can realize the conversion of kinetic energy to pressure energy of the gas flow with the smallest flow loss, thereby accurately adjusting the local static pressure of the downstream area of the gas outlet hole 3 at the position thereof, and finally providing an efficient and controllable technical means for compensating the circumferential flow unevenness of the uniformizing ring.

[0061] In specific embodiments, the inner diameter of the flow regulating component 4 is consistent with the hole diameter corresponding to the gas outlet hole 3, and the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the flow regulating component 4 is 0.2mm to 2mm; and / or the opening angle of the flow regulating component 4 is 150°-200°.

[0062] The inner diameter of the flow regulating component 4 is consistent with the hole diameter corresponding to the gas outlet hole 3, and the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the flow regulating component 4 is 0.2mm to 2mm, which is a precise definition of the key size parameter of the flow regulating component 4. More specifically, the design of keeping the inner diameter consistent with the hole diameter of the gas outlet hole 3 ensures that the flow regulating component 4 can accurately align and cover the inlet area of the gas outlet hole 3, so that most of the gas flow passing through this area can be effectively affected by the flow regulating component 4 without uncontrolled bypass flow; the difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the flow regulating component 4, i.e. the radial thickness of the flow regulating component 4, is controlled in the range of 0.2mm to 2mm, which is a moderate thickness that makes it have sufficient structural strength to withstand the impact of the gas flow without deformation, and also can produce appropriate fluid resistance as an effective barrier in the flow channel. The technical effect of this size matching is to form a locally high pressure area with matched size and controllable resistance characteristics directly downstream of the gas outlet hole 3, when the gas flows through this area, the change of flow cross section optimally converts the kinetic energy into pressure energy, thereby significantly increasing the static pressure at this position, and accurately increasing the gas flow rate from the corresponding gas outlet hole 3, which is an important structural parameter for realizing the circumferential flow uniformity compensation of the uniformizing ring.

[0063] The opening angle of the rectifying member 4 is 150° to 200°, which defines the width of the opening of the semi-cylindrical annular structure. More specifically, this angle range means that the rectifying member 4 is not a strict semicircle, but an annular structure with a wider opening. The technical effect of this wide opening design is that it can guide and diffuse the oncoming airflow in a more gentle and gradual manner, avoiding excessive turbulence or vortex energy loss phenomena that may occur due to sudden changes in flow cross-section; further, the opening range of 150° to 200° creates an ideal hydrodynamic shape that allows the airflow to smoothly enter the concave area of the rectifying member 4 and fully expand, thereby maximizing the flow velocity and improving the static pressure, ensuring high efficiency of kinetic energy to pressure energy conversion, ultimately enabling the rectifying member 4 to achieve stable downstream static pressure of the specific air outlet hole 3 with optimal performance.

[0064] In specific embodiments, the height of each rectifying member 4 decreases in turn along the direction from close to the air inlet to far from the air inlet; wherein the air inlet is the air inlet of the gas flow channel 2.

[0065] The height distribution of the rectifying member 4 follows a clear and continuous gradient change rule. More specifically, this feature indicates that the physical height of the rectifying member 4 is not a fixed value, but is designed as a decreasing variable according to its distance from the air inlet. The rectifying member 4 closest to the air inlet has the largest height value, and as the airflow flows circumferentially along the ring body 1, the height of the rectifying member 4 set downstream of the air outlet hole 3 farther from the air inlet also gradually decreases, forming a smooth height gradient. The technical effect of this arrangement of decreasing height in turn is to accurately compensate for the inherent uneven pressure distribution due to the length difference of the flow channel, because the airflow near the air inlet has the highest dynamic pressure and the lowest static pressure, and the high rectifying member 4 set here can produce the strongest resistance effect, maximizing the local static pressure to inhibit excessive gas flow from the proximal air outlet hole 3; on the contrary, in the area away from the air inlet, the dynamic pressure of the airflow has naturally decayed and the static pressure has risen, and the low rectifying member 4 set here only produces a slight resistance, allowing enough gas to flow smoothly from the distal air outlet hole 3; through this differential design of height gradient, the outlet flow of all air outlet holes 3 is finally adjusted to a high uniform level, fundamentally solving the core technical problem of uneven circumferential gas distribution of the uniform gas ring.

[0066] In specific embodiments, the air outlets 3 are numbered from the air inlet in the direction of the gas flow, from the nearest end to the farthest end, as the first group to the twelfth group in a counterclockwise direction, and the height of the flow regulating member 4 arranged at the first group and the twelfth group ranges from 2 mm to 4 mm; the height of the flow regulating member 4 arranged at the second group and the eleventh group ranges from 1.6 mm to 3.5 mm; the height of the flow regulating member 4 arranged at the third group and the tenth group ranges from 1.2 mm to 3 mm; the height of the flow regulating member 4 arranged at the fourth group and the ninth group ranges from 0.8 mm to 2.5 mm; the height of the flow regulating member 4 arranged at the fifth group and the eighth group ranges from 0.4 mm to 2 mm; and the height of the flow regulating member 4 arranged at the sixth group and the seventh group ranges from 0 mm to 1 mm.

[0067] The air outlets 3 are numbered according to their relative positions from the air inlet, from the nearest end to the farthest end, as the first group to the twelfth group, and the sixth group and the seventh group are located at the midpoint, and the height of the flow regulating member 4 at each group position is specified. More specifically, this distribution presents a highly symmetrical and continuously decreasing distribution rule, that is, the first group and the twelfth group are the nearest and farthest ends from the air inlet, and the height of the flow regulating member 4 is the largest, ranging from 2 mm to 4 mm, to exert the strongest flow regulating effect; and as the position moves to the sixth group and the seventh group in the middle of the ring body, the height of the flow regulating member 4 decreases in turn to 0 to 1 mm, which means that no flow regulating block or only a very short flow regulating block can be set at the midpoint position. The technical effect of this precise decreasing gradient in height is to achieve micron-level accurate compensation of the circumferential pressure distribution in the gas flow channel 2, because the dynamic pressure of the gas flow gradually decreases and the static pressure gradually increases from the air inlet to the midpoint of the flow channel, and by matching different heights of the flow regulating member 4 at different positions, the largest resistance effect can be generated at the nearest and farthest inlet areas with the highest dynamic pressure to significantly increase the static pressure and thus suppress excessive air outlet, and the smallest effect can be applied at the midpoint area of the flow channel with the highest static pressure to avoid insufficient air outlet. This height customization design makes the outlet flow of all thirty-six air outlets 3 adjusted to almost the same level, thereby fundamentally eliminating the inherent air outlet unevenness of the uniformizing ring and ultimately ensuring excellent uniformity of thin film deposition on the wafer surface.

[0068] The working process of the uniform gas ring structure provided by the embodiment starts from two process gases entering the first gas flow channel 21 and the second gas flow channel 22 inside the ring body 1 respectively from independent gas inlets and being isolated from each other. More specifically, the gas representing silane is transported through the first gas flow channel 21, and the gas representing oxygen is transported through the second gas flow channel 22, both of which flow along the circumference of the ring body 1 in completely separated annular flow channels. When the gas advances in the flow channel, it passes through a series of gas outlets 3, in which the first type of gas outlet 31 is in communication with the first gas flow channel 21, and the second type of gas outlet 32 is in communication with the second gas flow channel 22. These gas outlets are distributed in the form of twelve gas outlet groups, each group consisting of two first type gas outlets 31 sandwiching one second type gas outlet 32, a total of thirty-six holes, and the central angles between the same type of gas outlets are strictly consistent. When the gas flow passes through the downstream area of each gas outlet 3, it encounters a semicylindrical annular flow regulating member 4 installed directly opposite the flow direction. The inner diameter of the flow regulating member 4 is consistent with the hole diameter of the corresponding gas outlet 3, the outer diameter is between 0.2mm and 2mm larger than the inner diameter, and the opening angle is between 150 degrees and 200 degrees. Most importantly, the height of these flow regulating members 4 presents a gradient change according to the distance from the gas inlet of the group they belong to, from 2mm to 4mm at the nearest end and the first group and the farthest end and the twelfth group, to 0 to 1mm at the midpoint of the flow channel, the sixth group and the seventh group, and then symmetrically decreasing. During the working process, the flow regulating member 4 significantly increases the local static pressure in the near-end and far-end flow channel areas by producing a differentiated resistance effect on the gas flow, thereby inhibiting excessive gas flow, while minimizing flow resistance in the flow channel midpoint area where the static pressure is naturally higher. Through this precise compensation mechanism, the outlet flow rates of all thirty-six gas outlets 3 eventually reach a high degree of consistency, and the two gases are quickly and uniformly mixed in the chamber after leaving the respective gas outlets, thereby forming a gas curtain on the wafer surface that is extremely uniform in composition and flow rate, completely solving the technical problems of film thickness out-of-tolerance and jagged edges caused by uneven gas outlet mentioned in the background art.

[0069] The uniform gas ring structure provided by the embodiment produces significant technical effects by introducing the flow regulating member 4, specifically in the form of a significant improvement in gas flow uniformity and a significant improvement in static pressure distribution. More specifically, experimental data show that, as shown in Figure 13 , for the oxygen gas channel, the flow distribution range of the ordinary uniform gas ring is 0.124x10 -7 , while the flow distribution range of the uniform gas ring using the present flow regulating design is significantly reduced to 0.026x10 -7 , which means that the flow uniformity of the oxygen gas is improved by seventy-nine percent; for the silane gas channel, as shown in Figure 14 , the flow distribution range of the ordinary uniform gas ring is 0.178x10 -8 , while the flow distribution range of the flow-regulating uniform gas ring is optimized to 0.05x10 -8, which is equivalent to a 72% improvement in the flow uniformity of the silane gas. These quantitative data are visually verified by the oxygen and silane flow distribution graphs, which clearly show that the flow curves of the gas outlet holes 3 become extremely flat after rectification.

[0070] As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the pressure distribution comparison chart reveals the essence of the working principle: there is a large pressure gradient in the gas outlet of the ordinary uniform gas ring, while the static pressure distribution of the gas outlet becomes more uniform after adding the rectification block; this improvement is due to the differential resistance effect of the rectification member 4 on the gas flow, which effectively compensates for the pressure loss caused by the difference in flow path length, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the gas flow, and completely solving the problems of uneven film thickness and edge jagged defects on the wafer surface. Figure 11 Figure 12 As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the pressure distribution comparison chart reveals the essence of the working principle: there is a large pressure gradient in the gas outlet of the ordinary uniform gas ring, while the static pressure distribution of the gas outlet becomes more uniform after adding the rectification block; this improvement is due to the differential resistance effect of the rectification member 4 on the gas flow, which effectively compensates for the pressure loss caused by the difference in flow path length, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the gas flow, and completely solving the problems of uneven film thickness and edge jagged defects on the wafer surface.

[0071] Embodiment 2

[0072] The semiconductor device of this embodiment comprises the uniform gas ring structure of embodiment 1.

[0073] The semiconductor device of this embodiment can significantly improve its process performance and production efficiency by adopting the uniform gas ring structure of embodiment 1. More specifically, since the uniform gas ring structure is internally provided with rectification members 4 having specific sizes and gradient distribution rules, it can greatly improve the uniformity of the flow of the two process gases to the wafer surface, thereby directly greatly improving the consistency of the film thickness deposited on the wafer, effectively avoiding quality problems such as thickness values exceeding specifications and edge jagged defects. Furthermore, this inherent performance improvement enables the device to run without relying on traditional compensation methods such as repeated testing and adjustment of nozzle types, greatly saving the cost of manpower and materials required for maintenance and adjustment, and ultimately ensuring the efficiency, stability and reliability of the semiconductor manufacturing process.

[0074] The above is only a specific embodiment of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and any skilled person in the art can easily think of various equivalent modifications or replacements within the technical scope disclosed by the present application, which should be covered by the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be subject to the protection scope of the claims.​

Claims

1. A gas homogenizing ring structure, characterized by, The uniform gas ring structure comprises a ring body, a gas flow channel, gas outlet holes and a flow regulating member. The gas flow channel is arranged in the ring body. The gas outlet holes are arranged in the circumferential direction of the ring body. The gas outlet holes are in fluid communication with the gas flow channel. The flow regulating member is arranged in the gas flow channel downstream of each gas outlet hole. Each flow regulating member is configured to produce differential resistance to the airflow flowing therethrough, so as to change the static pressure of the downstream area of the corresponding gas outlet hole, thereby compensating for the uneven flow among the plurality of gas outlet holes.

2. The gas distribution ring structure of claim 1, wherein, The gas flow channel comprises a first gas flow channel and a second gas flow channel. The first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel are arranged in isolation from each other in the ring body. The first gas flow channel and the second gas flow channel are annular flow channels surrounding the ring body and arranged on the front and back surfaces of the ring body.

3. The gas distribution ring structure of claim 2, wherein, The gas outlet holes comprise a plurality of first-type gas outlet holes and a plurality of second-type gas outlet holes. The first-type gas outlet holes are in communication with the first gas flow channel. The second-type gas outlet holes are in communication with the second gas flow channel.

4. The gas distribution ring structure of claim 3, wherein, The first-type gas outlet holes and the second-type gas outlet holes are combined in an alternating manner to form a plurality of gas outlet hole groups. Each gas outlet hole group comprises two first-type gas outlet holes and a second-type gas outlet hole arranged therebetween. There are twelve gas outlet hole groups in total, and the total number of gas outlet holes is thirty-six.

5. The gas distribution ring structure of claim 4, wherein, The central angle between any two adjacent first-type gas outlet holes is the same, and is 14°-16°. The central angle between any two adjacent second-type gas outlet holes is the same, and is 29°-31°.

6. The gas distribution hoop structure of claim 1, wherein, The flow regulating member is a semi-cylindrical annular structure, and the opening direction of the flow regulating member is opposite to the incoming flow direction of the airflow in the gas flow channel.

7. The gas distribution ring structure of claim 6, wherein, The inner diameter of the flow regulating member is consistent with the hole diameter of the corresponding gas outlet hole. The difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the flow regulating member is 0.2mm-2mm. The opening angle of the flow regulating member is 150°-200°.

8. The gas distribution hoop structure of claim 1, wherein, The height of each flow regulating member decreases in sequence along the direction from the air inlet to the air outlet. The air inlet is the air inlet of the gas flow channel.

9. The gas distribution hoop structure of claim 8, wherein, The gas outlet holes are numbered in sequence as group 1 to group 12 in counterclockwise direction from the air inlet. The height of the flow regulating member arranged at group 1 and group 12 ranges from 2mm to 4mm. The height of the flow regulating member arranged at group 2 and group 11 ranges from 1.6mm to 3.5mm. The height of the flow regulating member arranged at group 3 and group 10 ranges from 1.2mm to 3mm. The height of the flow regulating member arranged at group 4 and group 9 ranges from 0.8mm to 2.5mm. The height of the flow regulating member arranged at group 5 and group 8 ranges from 0.4mm to 2mm. The height of the flow regulating member arranged at group 6 and group 7 ranges from 0mm to 1mm.

10. A semiconductor device, characterized by comprising: The semiconductor device comprises the uniform gas ring structure according to any one of claims 1-9.

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