Semiconductor process chamber, plasma ignition method, and semiconductor process apparatus

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology, specifically to a semiconductor process chamber, a plasma ignition method, and semiconductor process equipment. The provided semiconductor process chamber includes: a chamber body, an auxiliary ignition assembly, and a sputtering assembly. The chamber body has a process cavity, and the sidewall of the chamber body has mounting holes. The auxiliary ignition assembly includes pipes, valves, and an electron generator. The pipes are located at the mounting holes and have valves. The electron generator is located at one end of the pipes and outside the process cavity, used to generate thermionic electrons and deliver them to the process cavity through the pipes. The sputtering assembly includes a target and a sputtering power source. The sputtering power source is electrically connected to the target to output sputtering power to the target, thereby creating an electric field inside the process cavity. Under the action of the electric field and thermionic electrons, the process gas inside the process cavity is excited to form plasma. This invention can solve the problem that current process chambers require a large amount of process gas during the ignition process and can increase the cavity's ability to fill vias.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology, and more specifically, to a semiconductor process chamber, a plasma ignition method, and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In the back-end processes of semiconductor manufacturing or integrated circuit chip fabrication, magnetron sputtering in physical vapor deposition (PVD) is one of the most widely used techniques; for example, metal interconnects, hard masks, and packaging all require the use of PVD technology. The basic principle of PVD is: the substrate is the anode, the target is the cathode, and the direction of the electric field E is from the substrate to the target. Argon gas is commonly used as the gas medium in the vacuum chamber to enable and maintain glow discharge. When a high-voltage power supply is applied, electrons emitted from the cathode are accelerated towards the anode substrate under the influence of the electric field. During this movement, they collide with argon atoms, causing a glow discharge phenomenon that ionizes the argon atoms, releasing electrons and Ar atoms. + Electrons drift under the combined influence of electric and magnetic fields, sometimes simply referred to as E×B drift, moving along a cycloidal-like path. Under the influence of a toroidal magnetic field, electrons are confined within the plasma region near the target surface, providing electrons for the next collision with argon atoms. Typically, Ar... + Under the influence of an electric field, the target flies towards the cathode target and bombards the upper surface of the target with high energy, causing the cathode target to sputter. The sputtered target particles (atoms, molecules or ions) are deposited on the substrate, and some atoms have strong bonding with adjacent atoms to form a thin film.

[0003] In related technologies, during the self-ionization (SIP) PVD chamber process, a large amount of argon gas is required to excite the plasma during the ignition process. After successful ignition, the argon gas is gradually shut off, and the plasma is maintained through the self-ionization (SIP) process within the chamber. However, because the volume of the self-ionization chamber is relatively large, the argon gas in the chamber cannot be quickly removed. After successful ignition, the large amount of argon gas is detrimental to the collimation of chamber deposition, as a large amount of gas will collide with metal ions, causing them to lose their charge and thus fail to be attracted by the bias voltage of the substrate to deposit vertically downwards, ultimately leading to a decrease in the ability to fill pores. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a semiconductor process chamber, a plasma ignition method, and a semiconductor process apparatus, which can at least alleviate the problem that current process chambers require a large amount of process gas during the ignition process, reduce the amount of process gas required during ignition, and increase the chamber's ability to fill vias.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a semiconductor process chamber comprising:

[0006] The cavity has a process chamber inside, and the side wall of the cavity is provided with mounting holes;

[0007] An auxiliary ignition assembly includes a pipeline, a valve, and an electron generator. The pipeline is located at the mounting hole, and the valve is installed on the pipeline. The electron generator is located at one end of the pipeline and outside the process chamber, and is used to generate thermionic electrons and transport them to the process chamber through the pipeline.

[0008] A sputtering assembly includes a target and a sputtering power source. The sputtering power source is electrically connected to the target and is used to output sputtering power to the target to form an electric field inside the process cavity. Under the action of the electric field and the thermionic electrons, the process gas inside the process cavity is excited to form plasma.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the valve includes at least one of a pneumatic valve, an electric valve, or a solenoid valve.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the valve is signal-connected to a controller so that the controller can control the opening or closing of the valve.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, a temperature sensor is provided inside the process chamber for detecting the temperature inside the process chamber; the temperature sensor is signal-connected to a controller, and the controller controls the opening or closing of the valve based on the information transmitted by the temperature sensor.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the electron generator includes a housing and a filament disposed within the housing, the filament including at least one of iridium oxide filament, yttrium iridium oxide filament, or tungsten filament.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the sputtering power supply is an RF power supply and / or a DC power supply.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the sputtering assembly further includes a magnetron element disposed above the target material and used to generate a magnetic field on the surface of the target material.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the semiconductor process chamber further includes:

[0016] A base is disposed within the process cavity and is used to support the substrate; the base is positioned opposite to the target material below it along the height direction of the process cavity.

[0017] An RF power supply, connected to the base, is used to apply RF power to the base.

[0018] Secondly, the present invention provides a plasma ignition method applied to a semiconductor process chamber as described above, the method comprising:

[0019] Process gas is introduced into the process chamber;

[0020] Sputtering power is output to the target material using a sputtering power source, so that an electric field is formed inside the process cavity;

[0021] The temperature inside the process chamber is monitored. When the temperature reaches the temperature at which the electron generator produces thermionic electrons, the valve is opened to transport the thermionic electrons generated by the electron generator into the process chamber through the pipeline. The thermionic electrons excite the process gas in the process chamber to form plasma, thus completing the ignition.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present invention, before introducing process gas into the process chamber, the method further includes a step of evacuating the process chamber.

[0023] In some embodiments of the present invention, the flow rate of the process gas ranges from 30 sccm to 200 sccm.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present invention, the process gas includes argon.

[0025] In some embodiments of the present invention, the output power of the sputtering power supply ranges from 100W to 5000W.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present invention, the temperature at which the thermionic electrons are generated by the electron generator is adapted to the filament material in the electron generator, and the temperature range for the thermionic electrons generated by the electron generator is 200°C to 800°C.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present invention, after the ignition is completed, the valve is also closed.

[0028] Thirdly, the present invention provides a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes the aforementioned semiconductor process chamber; the semiconductor process chamber includes a magnetron sputtering deposition chamber.

[0029] The above-described technical solutions adopted in the embodiments of this application can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0030] This application's semiconductor process chamber not only includes a sputtering assembly but also an auxiliary start-up assembly. This auxiliary start-up assembly includes pipes, valves, and an electron generator. The pipes can be connected to mounting holes on the sidewall of the chamber, and valves are installed on the pipes. The electron generator is located at one end of the pipes and outside the process chamber, used to generate thermionic electrons which are then transported into the process chamber through the pipes. Therefore, by providing an electron generator capable of generating thermionic electrons, during the start-up process of the process chamber, opening the electron generator and valves allows the generated thermionic electrons to react with the process gas inside the chamber, generating plasma. In other words, by increasing the thermionic electrons to assist in the start-up of the process chamber, the probability of successful start-up can be increased, the required process gas during start-up can be reduced, and thus the chamber's via-filling capability can be enhanced. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or related technologies, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the provided drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a semiconductor process chamber provided for related technologies;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a semiconductor process chamber provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0035] 10-Cavity;

[0036] 20 - Auxiliary ignition assembly; 210 - Piping; 220 - Valve; 230 - Electron generator; 240 - Thermionic;

[0037] 30-Sputtering power supply;

[0038] 40-Target material;

[0039] 50 - Magnetically controlled element;

[0040] 60-Base;

[0041] 70-RF power supply;

[0042] 80-Plasma;

[0043] 90 - Process gas pipeline. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to specific embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0046] refer to Figure 1As shown, in the related technology, the semiconductor process chamber includes a cavity 10. A base 60 is located at the bottom of the cavity 10, and an RF bias voltage can be applied to the base 60 to attract metal ions for vertical downward sputtering. A target 40 is located at the top of the cavity 10, and a magnetron 50 (such as a magnetron) is located above the target 40. The target 40 is electrically connected to a sputtering power supply 30 (such as a high-voltage DC power supply) located outside the cavity 10. In the self-ionization (SIP) PVD chamber (e.g., TA, CU) process, the sputtering power supply 30 provides a high voltage to the target 40. A process gas, such as argon, is introduced into the process chamber from the bottom of the cavity through a process gas pipeline. Electrons generated by the target 40 collide with argon atoms during their movement, causing a glow discharge phenomenon that ionizes the argon atoms, producing electrons and Ar atoms. + Plasma 80, Ar + Under the influence of an electric field, the plasma flies toward the cathode target and bombards the upper surface of the target with high energy, causing the cathode target to sputter. The sputtered target particles (atoms, molecules or ions) are deposited on the substrate. After successful ignition, the SIP chamber can maintain plasma without relying on argon gas.

[0047] However, in self-ionization (SIP) PVD chambers, a large amount of argon gas is required to excite the plasma during the ignition process. After successful ignition, the argon gas is gradually shut off, and the plasma is maintained through the self-ionization (SIP) process within the chamber. However, because self-ionization chambers are relatively large, the argon gas in the chamber cannot be quickly evacuated. After successful ignition, the large amount of argon gas is detrimental to the collimation of chamber deposition, as a large amount of gas will collide with metal ions, causing them to lose their charge and thus fail to be attracted by the bias voltage of the substrate to deposit vertically downwards, ultimately leading to a decrease in the ability to fill the voids.

[0048] In view of this, the present invention discloses a semiconductor process chamber, a plasma ignition method, and a semiconductor process apparatus. The present invention mainly alleviates the problem of requiring a large amount of process gas (such as argon) during the ignition process in a self-ionization (SIP) PVD chamber by setting up an auxiliary ignition component, in order to reduce the process gas required during ignition and increase the chamber's ability to fill pores.

[0049] refer to Figure 2 As shown in the embodiment of this application, a semiconductor process chamber includes:

[0050] The cavity 10 has a process cavity inside, and the side wall of the cavity 10 is provided with mounting holes;

[0051] The auxiliary ignition assembly 20 includes a pipe 210, a valve 220, and an electron generator 230. The pipe 210 is located at the mounting hole, and the valve 220 is provided on the pipe 210. The electron generator 230 is located at one end of the pipe 210 and outside the process chamber, and is used to generate thermionic electrons 240 and transport them to the process chamber through the pipe 210.

[0052] The sputtering assembly includes a target 40 and a sputtering power supply 30. The sputtering power supply 30 is electrically connected to the target 40 to output sputtering power to the target 40, thereby creating an electric field inside the process cavity. Under the action of the electric field and thermionic electrons 240, the process gas inside the process cavity is excited to form plasma 80.

[0053] Optionally, the semiconductor process chamber can be a physical vapor deposition chamber. In some alternative embodiments, the semiconductor process chamber can be a magnetron sputtering deposition chamber.

[0054] Optionally, the semiconductor process chamber can be a self-ionized physical vapor deposition chamber, i.e., a self-ionized (SIP) PVD chamber.

[0055] It should be understood that "self-ionization" primarily refers to the ionization of the sputtered target material 40 metal atoms themselves, which then become the main ion source for maintaining the plasma. The main characteristic of a self-ionized (SIP) PVD chamber is its ability to generate and maintain high-density plasma 80 using the sputtered target material 40 (metal) atoms themselves, without relying on traditional argon glow discharge or additional external ionization sources (such as RF coils). Through chamber design (such as specific magnetic field configurations, high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering, etc.) and process parameters, the sputtered metal atoms can be efficiently ionized. The self-ionized (SIP) PVD chamber exhibits extremely high metal ionization rates, which allows the direction of deposited particles (mainly metal ions) to be controlled by substrate bias, resulting in excellent step coverage and filling capabilities in semiconductor manufacturing.

[0056] However, in related technologies, the self-ionizing (SIP) PVD chamber requires a large amount of process gas, such as argon, to excite the plasma 80 during the ignition process. In view of this, the inventors of this application have dedicated themselves to solving the aforementioned problem, and based on extensive research, have discovered that by setting an auxiliary ignition component 20 in the process chamber, the problem of requiring a large amount of process gas during the ignition process of the self-ionizing (SIP) PVD chamber can be effectively solved. Specifically:

[0057] In this embodiment of the invention, an auxiliary ignition assembly 20 is provided in the semiconductor process chamber. The auxiliary ignition assembly 20 mainly consists of a pipe 210, a valve 220, and an electron generator 230. The pipe 210 serves as a channel for transporting thermionic electrons 240 into the process chamber. The valve 220 can be used to control the entry of thermionic electrons 240 into the process chamber or to prevent gas from the process chamber from entering the electron generator 230. For example, the valve 220 can be opened when thermionic electrons 240 are needed to enter the process chamber, and closed when thermionic electrons 240 are not needed, while simultaneously preventing gas from the process chamber from entering the electron generator 230 and avoiding any impact on the electron generator 230. The electron generator 230 is a device capable of controllably generating and emitting thermionic electrons 240 (or electron beams), delivering thermionic electrons 240 into the process cavity, providing a directional energy flow (electron kinetic energy) to the process cavity, significantly reducing the energy threshold required for gas ionization (especially at low pressure), making the energy utilization of the main power supply (such as radio frequency power supply or high voltage DC voltage) more efficient, thereby reducing the difficulty of starting the main power supply and reducing the process gas required for starting.

[0058] Therefore, in this embodiment of the invention, the sputtering power supply 30 is electrically connected to the target material 40. The sputtering power supply 30 supplies power to the target material 40 to form an electric field inside the process cavity, which preheats the process cavity. On this basis, during the ignition process, the electron generator 230 and valve 220 are turned on to deliver the generated thermionic electrons 240 into the process cavity. The thermionic electrons 240 react with the process gas in the process cavity to generate plasma 80, reducing the difficulty of ignition of the sputtering power supply 30 and significantly reducing the energy threshold required for gas ionization (especially under low pressure). This makes the energy utilization of the sputtering power supply 30 more efficient. That is, by increasing the thermionic electrons 240 to assist in the ignition of the process cavity, the probability of successful ignition of the cavity can be increased, and the amount of process gas required during ignition can be reduced. Furthermore, since the amount of process gas required during ignition is reduced, the collision between the process gas and the target material 40 particles is reduced, which is beneficial for the bias voltage attraction of the substrate 60 and vertical downward deposition, thereby ensuring the cavity filling capability.

[0059] In the semiconductor process chamber of this embodiment, the chamber 10 includes a bottom wall and a side wall. The side wall can be arranged around the bottom wall to form a process chamber. Mounting holes for mounting the auxiliary ignition assembly 20 can be provided on the side wall of the chamber 10, facilitating subsequent maintenance. It should be understood that the size of the mounting hole is adapted to the size of the conduit 210. The open end of the conduit 210 can extend into the process chamber through the mounting hole, or the open end of the conduit 210 can also be located at the mounting hole.

[0060] It should be understood that one end of the pipe 210 is open and located at the mounting hole or inside the process chamber, the other end of the pipe 210 is connected to the electron generator 230, and a valve 220 is provided on the pipe 210. Both the valve 220 and the electron generator 230 are located outside the process chamber.

[0061] In the auxiliary ignition assembly 20 of this application embodiment, opening the valve 220 allows thermionic electrons 240 to be input into the process chamber, and closing the valve 220 stops the input of thermionic electrons 240 into the process chamber. Simultaneously, closing the valve 220 also prevents gas from the process chamber from entering the electron generator 230, thus avoiding any impact on the electron generator 230. Therefore, for ease of operation, the valve 220 is preferably a valve that can open or close automatically, or can be opened or closed by a controller.

[0062] In some embodiments, valve 220 includes at least one of a pneumatic valve, an electric valve, or a solenoid valve. For example, valve 220 may be a pneumatic valve, an electric valve, or a solenoid valve.

[0063] Preferably, the embodiments of this application use pneumatic valves, which are convenient to operate and control, easy to adjust, and have low cost. More preferably, valve 220 is a pneumatic solenoid valve, which can indirectly control the pneumatic actuator through electrical signals, ensuring safety and reliability.

[0064] In some embodiments, valve 220 is signal-connected to a controller so that the controller can control the opening or closing of valve 220. For example, valve 220 is a pneumatic valve or a pneumatic solenoid valve.

[0065] It should be understood that the pneumatic solenoid valve can be remotely operated via a PLC controller and CDA (compressed gas), thereby enabling the valve 220 to be opened or closed. This makes it easy to operate and highly efficient.

[0066] It should be noted that the specific working principle of controlling the opening or closing of valve 220, such as a pneumatic valve or a pneumatic solenoid valve, by the controller can refer to relevant technologies. As long as the opening or closing of valve 220 can be achieved, it is acceptable. This application embodiment does not limit this, and will not describe it in detail here.

[0067] In some embodiments, a temperature sensor is provided inside the process chamber to detect the temperature inside the process chamber; the temperature sensor is signal-connected to the controller, and the controller controls the opening or closing of the valve 220 based on the information transmitted by the temperature sensor. Optionally, the controller can be a PLC controller.

[0068] In this embodiment, the PLC controller is connected to the valve 220 and the temperature sensor respectively. When the preset temperature is reached, the temperature sensor can send a temperature signal to the controller. The controller can receive the temperature signal sent by the temperature sensor. The PLC controller can control the valve 220, such as a pneumatic valve or a pneumatic solenoid valve, to open automatically.

[0069] The electron generation mechanisms of the electron generator 230 include thermionic emission, field emission, and secondary electron emission. Thermionic emission primarily involves releasing electrons by heating a cathode material (such as a heating wire). In this embodiment, the electron generator 230 can utilize a conventional thermionic emission mechanism, such as a device that uses an energized heating wire to generate thermionic electrons 240. To ensure the continuous emission of thermionic electrons 240 from the heating wire, an electric field can be applied to the thermionic electrons 240, stably transporting them to the process cavity.

[0070] In some embodiments, exemplarily, the electron generator 230 includes a housing and a filament disposed within the housing, wherein the filament includes at least one of an iridium oxide filament, a yttrium iridium oxide filament, or a tungsten filament. In this electron generator 230, the filament is located within the housing and generates thermionic electrons 240 upon heating. Specifically, by heating the metal filament, the free electrons within it can gain sufficient energy to overcome the potential barrier at the material surface and overflow, forming an electron beam.

[0071] The housing can be made of insulating material. The interior of the housing can have a gap, which is evacuated to a vacuum state. In this way, the thermionic electrons generated by the filament will not collide with gas molecules as they pass through the gap, thus preventing the generation of unnecessary particles and plasma 80, and thus preventing the generation of plasma 80 in the electron generator 230.

[0072] In the embodiments of this application, the filament material can be iridium oxide, yttrium iridium oxide, tungsten filament, or other materials capable of generating thermionic electrons. Preferably, the filament in the embodiments of this application is made of iridium oxide.

[0073] It should be understood that the temperature at which thermionic electrons 240 are generated after being heated by electricity varies depending on the material of the filament. In this embodiment, yttrium oxide filament is used. When the filament is heated by electricity, the filament can generate thermionic electrons 240 when the temperature reaches above 300°C. That is, the temperature at which thermionic electrons 240 are generated by the yttrium oxide filament is above 300°C. This temperature is more suitable and more conducive to the process of the semiconductor process chamber.

[0074] In some embodiments, the sputtering power supply 30 is an RF power supply and / or a DC power supply. For example, the sputtering power supply 30 can be an RF power supply, or a DC power supply such as a high-voltage DC power supply, or a combination of an RF power supply and a DC power supply. The sputtering power supply 30 is electrically connected to the target material 40 to excite the process gas within the process chamber to form plasma 80.

[0075] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this application, the process gas can be argon (Ar), but is not limited to this, and can also be various other process gases known in the art.

[0076] It should also be noted that the power range of the sputtering power source 30 needs to be adjusted according to the size and material of the target 40. The power required for different sizes or materials of the target 40 is different. The specific power can be selected and adjusted according to the actual situation, and there is no limitation on this.

[0077] In some embodiments, the sputtering assembly further includes a magnetron 50 disposed above the target 40 for generating a magnetic field on the surface of the target 40. Exemplarily, the magnetron 50 may be a magnetron tube.

[0078] The magnetron described above is positioned above the target 40 and can be used to generate a magnetic field on the surface of the target 40 to confine electrons and help the plasma 80 to ignite and be maintained. In this embodiment, the magnetron can adopt a conventional structure, as long as it can effectively confine the electron trajectory through a magnetic field and significantly improve the plasma 80 density and sputtering efficiency.

[0079] In some embodiments, the semiconductor process chamber further includes a base 60, an RF power supply 70, and a process gas pipeline 90. The base 60 is disposed within the process chamber and serves to support the substrate. Along the height of the process chamber, the base 60 is positioned below the target 40. The RF power supply 70 is connected to the base 60 and applies RF power to the base 60. For example, the chamber 10 may have a target mounting position and a base mounting position. The target 40 can be disposed in the target mounting position within the chamber 10. The base 60 primarily supports the substrate and is located in the base mounting position, with the base 60 and the target 40 located in the target mounting position facing each other.

[0080] The bottom wall of the cavity 10 can be connected to a process gas pipeline 90, which is connected to the process cavity and is used to input process gas such as argon into the process cavity.

[0081] In this embodiment, during the semiconductor process chamber, an RF power supply 70 is applied to the substrate 60 to attract metal ions for downward sputtering, thus providing energy to the metal ions; the sputtering power supply 30 supplies power to the target 40, which promotes the ionization of Ar. +The target material (cathode) is bombarded to produce sputtering, ultimately achieving physical vapor deposition.

[0082] In particular, during the ignition process of the semiconductor process chamber, the filament in the electron generator 230 in the auxiliary ignition component 20 is heated by electricity. When the temperature reaches a certain temperature (the temperature at which the filament generates thermionic electrons), such as when the filament is a yttrium oxide filament, when the temperature reaches above 300°C, the filament can generate thermionic electrons 240. At this time, the valve 220 can be opened by the controller, and the thermionic electrons 240 will diffuse into the process chamber. The thermionic electrons 240 in the process chamber can react with the argon gas in the chamber to generate plasma 80 (the reaction formulas involved are shown below), and the ignition is successful.

[0083]

[0084] Furthermore, once the process chamber is successfully ignited, valve 220 can be closed to prevent residual argon or other gases in the process chamber from entering the electron generator 230, thus protecting the filament.

[0085] Accordingly, embodiments of this application also provide a plasma ignition method, applied to the aforementioned semiconductor process chamber, the ignition method comprising:

[0086] Process gas is introduced into the process chamber;

[0087] The sputtering power supply 30 outputs sputtering power to the target material 40, so that an electric field is formed inside the process cavity;

[0088] The temperature inside the process chamber is monitored. When the temperature reaches the temperature at which the electron generator 230 generates thermionic electrons 240, the valve 220 is opened to transport the thermionic electrons 240 generated by the electron generator 230 into the process chamber through the pipeline 210. The thermionic electrons 240 excite the process gas in the process chamber to form plasma 80, thus completing the ignition.

[0089] In this embodiment of the application, by setting the auxiliary ignition component 20, the probability of successful ignition of the chamber can be greatly improved, the amount of argon gas required for ignition can be reduced, and the ability of the chamber to fill holes can be increased.

[0090] In some embodiments, the process gas includes, but is not limited to, argon.

[0091] In some specific embodiments, the plasma ignition method includes:

[0092] First, evacuate the process chamber to achieve the required vacuum level; for example, evacuate the background vacuum level of the process chamber to 5 × 10⁻⁶. -3 Below Pa.

[0093] Then, turn on the process gas flow meter switch, adjust the flow rate, and introduce process gas into the process chamber. For example, turn on the argon flow meter switch, adjust the flow rate to 30 sccm to 200 sccm, and fill the process chamber with high-purity argon gas.

[0094] Typically, during the ignition process in the process chamber, the flow rate of the process gas, such as argon, is above 200 sccm. This large argon flow rate, after successful ignition, hinders the collimation of chamber deposition, ultimately leading to a decrease in well-filling capacity. However, in this embodiment, the required process gas, such as argon, for ignition can be reduced by decreasing the argon flow rate. The flow rate can be in the range of 30 sccm to 200 sccm, further reduced to 30 sccm to 100 sccm, and even further reduced to 40 sccm to 60 sccm. In other words, this embodiment allows the argon flow rate to be below 200 sccm, for example, 30 sccm, 40 sccm, 50 sccm, 60 sccm, 70 sccm, 80 sccm, 100 sccm, 120 sccm, 150 sccm, 200 sccm, etc. Therefore, by increasing the thermionic electrons 240 to assist in the ignition of the process chamber, the amount of argon gas required for ignition is reduced, the probability of successful ignition of the chamber is increased, the collimation of chamber deposition is improved, and the ability of the chamber to fill pores is increased.

[0095] Then, the sputtering power supply 30 is turned on, and sputtering power is output to the target 40 using the sputtering power supply 30. The power of the sputtering power supply 30 is adjusted according to the size and material of the target 40 to achieve the required power. In some embodiments, the output power range of the sputtering power supply 30 is 100W to 5000W, for example, it can be 100W, 200W, 500W, 1000W, 2000W, 3000W, 5000W, etc. For example, if the diameter of the target 40 is 300mm and the material of the target 40 is aluminum oxide, the RF power of the sputtering power supply 30, such as an RF power supply, can be adjusted to around 1000W.

[0096] It should be understood that the specific power value of the sputtering power source 30 can be adjusted according to the size and material of the target 40, and the specific value is not limited in the embodiments of this application.

[0097] Then, when the pressure in the process chamber rises to about 2 Pa, the electron generator 230 is turned on. The filament in the electron generator 230 is heated by electricity. When the temperature reaches the temperature at which the electron generator 230 generates thermionic electrons 240 (e.g., when using a yttrium oxide filament, the temperature reaches 300°C), the temperature sensor transmits a signal to the PLC controller. The PLC controller controls the automatic opening of valve 220. If the pneumatic valve is opened, the atoms in the filament begin to vibrate, causing the electrons in the atoms to gain enough energy to form thermionic electrons 240. Thermionic electrons 240 can diffuse into the process chamber through pipe 210. Thermionic electrons 240 in the process chamber can react with the argon gas in the process chamber to generate plasma 80 (the reaction formulas involved are shown below), and the ignition is successful.

[0098]

[0099] It should be understood that successful ignition can be determined by observing a blue glow in the observation window and a brief drop in pressure on the vacuum gauge.

[0100] In some embodiments, the temperature at which the thermionic electrons 240 are generated by the electron generator 230 is adapted to the filament material in the electron generator 230. The temperature range of the thermionic electrons 240 generated by the electron generator 230 is 200°C to 800°C, for example, it can be 200°C, 300°C, 400°C, 500°C, 600°C, 800°C, etc., depending on the selected filament material.

[0101] After ignition is complete, valve 220 is shut off. That is, when the process chamber ignites successfully, the chamber pressure will suddenly decrease. At this time, the PLC controller can send a signal to valve 220, such as a pneumatic valve, to automatically shut off valve 220. This prevents residual argon or other gases in the process chamber from entering the electron generator 230, thus protecting the filament.

[0102] In some embodiments, this application provides a semiconductor process apparatus including the aforementioned semiconductor process chamber; the semiconductor process chamber includes a magnetron sputtering deposition chamber.

[0103] The semiconductor process equipment provided in this application embodiment, by employing the semiconductor process chamber described above, can increase the probability of successful chamber ignition, while reducing the argon gas required for ignition and increasing the chamber's ability to fill vias.

[0104] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A semiconductor process chamber, characterized in that, The semiconductor process chamber is a self-ionizing PVD chamber, which includes: The cavity has a process chamber inside, and the side wall of the cavity is provided with mounting holes; An auxiliary ignition assembly includes a pipeline, a valve, and an electron generator. The pipeline is located at the mounting hole, and the valve is installed on the pipeline. The electron generator is located at one end of the pipeline and outside the process chamber, and is used to generate thermionic electrons and transport them to the process chamber through the pipeline. A sputtering assembly includes a target and a sputtering power source. The sputtering power source is electrically connected to the target and is used to output sputtering power to the target to form an electric field inside the process cavity. Under the action of the electric field and the thermionic electrons, the process gas inside the process cavity is excited to form plasma.

2. The semiconductor process chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve includes at least one of a pneumatic valve, an electric valve, or a solenoid valve. And / or, the valve is signal-connected to a controller to control the opening or closing of the valve via the controller.

3. The semiconductor process chamber according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, A temperature sensor is installed inside the process chamber to detect the temperature inside the process chamber; The temperature sensor is connected to the controller, and the controller controls the opening or closing of the valve based on the information transmitted by the temperature sensor.

4. The semiconductor process chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electron generator includes a housing and a filament disposed within the housing, the filament including at least one of iridium oxide filament, yttrium iridium oxide filament, or tungsten filament.

5. The semiconductor process chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sputtering power supply is an RF power supply and / or a DC power supply; And / or, the sputtering assembly further includes a magnetron element disposed above the target material for generating a magnetic field on the surface of the target material.

6. The semiconductor process chamber according to claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: The base is disposed within the process cavity and is used to support the substrate; Along the height direction of the process cavity, the base is positioned opposite to the target material below; An RF power supply, connected to the base, is used to apply RF power to the base.

7. A plasma ignition method, applied to a semiconductor process chamber as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method includes: Process gas is introduced into the process chamber; Sputtering power is output to the target material using a sputtering power source, so that an electric field is formed inside the process cavity; The temperature inside the process chamber is monitored. When the temperature reaches the temperature at which the electron generator produces thermionic electrons, the valve is opened to transport the thermionic electrons generated by the electron generator into the process chamber through the pipeline. The thermionic electrons excite the process gas in the process chamber to form plasma, thus completing the ignition.

8. The plasma ignition method for a semiconductor process chamber according to claim 7, characterized in that, Before introducing process gas into the process chamber, the method further includes a step of evacuating the process chamber. And / or, the flow rate of the process gas is in the range of 30 sccm to 200 sccm; And / or, the process gas includes argon.

9. The plasma ignition method for a semiconductor process chamber according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The output power range of the sputtering power supply is 100W to 5000W; And / or, the temperature at which the thermionic electrons are generated by the electron generator is adapted to the filament material in the electron generator, and the temperature range for the thermionic electrons generated by the electron generator is 200℃~800℃; And / or, after the ignition is completed, the valve is also closed.

10. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the semiconductor process chamber as described in any one of claims 1 to 6; The semiconductor process chamber includes a magnetron sputtering deposition chamber.

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