Multi-chambered radio frequency control system, process apparatus and method for semiconductor devices

Abstract

The application discloses a multi-chamber radio frequency control system, a semiconductor device process equipment and a method. The radio frequency control system comprises a first group of radio frequency control units, a first radio frequency power supply and a first power distributor, which are used for providing the same target radio frequency signal to the lower electrode of a plurality of process cavities in a first group; and a second group of radio frequency control units, a second radio frequency power supply and a second power distributor, which are used for providing the same target radio frequency signal to the lower electrode of a plurality of process cavities in a second group, wherein the plurality of process cavities in the first group and the plurality of process cavities in the second group are arranged at intervals. The application can not only improve the consistency of radio frequency parameter matching between multi-chambers, but also reduce the risk of radio frequency crosstalk between adjacent chambers, and avoid the directionality of the uniformity of the coating in each chamber, thereby improving the consistency of the process effect of the multi-chamber semiconductor process as a whole.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, specifically to a multi-chamber radio frequency control system, a semiconductor device process equipment, a semiconductor device process method, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing processes, the addition of radio frequency (RF) systems can reduce the temperature requirements of chamber reactions and increase reaction rates. Therefore, RF systems are an indispensable subsystem in semiconductor equipment. Multi-chamber semiconductor process equipment possesses a natural advantage in production efficiency and is widely used in high-volume industries such as memory and displays.

[0003] Currently, the radio frequency (RF) systems in multi-chamber semiconductor process equipment are independently configured. Each chamber corresponds to an independent RF system, including RF power supplies, impedance matching devices, regulators, and filters. However, a common problem with existing semiconductor process RF systems is that if the equipment has multiple chambers, it requires an equal number of independent RF systems, resulting in large equipment footprints and bulky designs. Furthermore, these independent RF systems do not exchange data directly internally but rely on communication networks to communicate with each other. These inter-station communication networks are complex, with long communication links and numerous nodes. Moreover, frequent power fluctuations between stations lead to lags in RF system adjustments. Therefore, not only is RF matching between chambers difficult and process uniformity hard to guarantee, but the large number of RF components also increases costs and complicates maintenance.

[0004] To address these issues, existing technologies often use a single RF system for multiple process cavities. However, when adjacent cavities share the same RF system, crosstalk can easily occur. Adjacent cavities sharing the RF system can interfere with each other due to shared link coupling and spatial electromagnetic coupling. Signal fluctuations in one cavity can be transmitted to adjacent cavities via the shared link or spatial radiation, disrupting their normal RF states and causing RF parameter inconsistencies. Furthermore, sharing the same RF system with any cavity can easily lead to directional variations in the uniformity of the coating.

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems in the existing technology, there is an urgent need in the field for a multi-chamber radio frequency control technology that can not only improve the consistency of radio frequency parameter matching between multiple chambers, but also reduce the risk of radio frequency crosstalk between adjacent chambers, and avoid the directionality of the coating uniformity in each chamber, thereby improving the overall consistency of the process effect of multi-chamber semiconductor processes. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0007] To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a multi-chamber radio frequency control system, a semiconductor device process equipment, a semiconductor device process method, and a computer-readable storage medium. This not only improves the consistency of radio frequency parameter matching between multiple chambers but also reduces the risk of radio frequency crosstalk between adjacent chambers. Furthermore, it avoids directional uniformity of the coating in each chamber, thereby improving the overall consistency of the process effect of the multi-chamber semiconductor process.

[0008] Specifically, the multi-chamber radio frequency control system provided according to the first aspect of the present invention includes: a first group of radio frequency control units, including a first radio frequency power supply and a first power divider, for providing the same target radio frequency signal to the lower electrodes of multiple process cavities in the first group; and a second group of radio frequency control units, including a second radio frequency power supply and a second power divider, for providing the same target radio frequency signal to the lower electrodes of multiple process cavities in the second group, wherein the multiple process cavities in the first group and the multiple process cavities in the second group are spaced apart from each other.

[0009] Furthermore, the semiconductor device process equipment provided according to the second aspect of the present invention includes: a plurality of process cavities, divided into a first group and a second group, wherein the plurality of process cavities in the first group and the plurality of process cavities in the second group are spaced apart from each other; and the multi-cavity radio frequency control system provided according to the first aspect of the present invention, for providing a target radio frequency signal to each of the process cavities for plasma process processing.

[0010] Furthermore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the process method for the semiconductor device described above is implemented using the process equipment for the semiconductor device described above as provided in the second aspect of the present invention. The process method includes the following steps: dividing the process cavities in the process equipment into a first group and a second group according to a grouping rule, wherein a plurality of process cavities in the first group and a plurality of process cavities in the second group are spaced apart from each other; connecting a first group of radio frequency control units to a plurality of process cavities in the first group and providing the same target radio frequency signal to the lower electrodes of the plurality of process cavities in the first group; connecting a second group of radio frequency control units to a plurality of process cavities in the second group and providing the same target radio frequency signal to the lower electrodes of the plurality of process cavities in the second group; and performing plasma processing in each process cavity in the first group and the second group based on the target radio frequency signal.

[0011] Furthermore, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having computer instructions stored thereon. When the computer instructions are executed by a processor, a process method for implementing the semiconductor device described above according to the third aspect of the present invention is implemented. Attached Figure Description

[0012] The above-described features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related characteristics or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0013] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a process apparatus for a semiconductor device according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0014] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a multi-chamber radio frequency control system according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0015] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a multi-chamber radio frequency control system according to other embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0016] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of radio frequency hardware within a cavity provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0017] Figure 5 A flowchart of a process method for a semiconductor device according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0018] Figure label:

[0019] 100 process equipment;

[0020] 110 First Chamber;

[0021] 120 Second Chamber;

[0022] 130 Third Chamber;

[0023] 140. Fourth chamber;

[0024] 150 Fifth Chamber;

[0025] 160. Sixth Chamber;

[0026] Group 170, 301;

[0027] Groups 180 and 302 are the second group;

[0028] 200 RF control system;

[0029] 210 First group of radio frequency control units;

[0030] 211 First Radio Frequency Power Supply;

[0031] 212 First power divider;

[0032] 213 First impedance matching circuit;

[0033] 214 First lower electrode adjuster;

[0034] 215~227, 411 Upper electrode adjuster;

[0035] 220 Second group of radio frequency control units;

[0036] 221 Second RF Power Supply;

[0037] 222 Second Power Divider;

[0038] 223 Second impedance matching circuit;

[0039] 224 Second lower electrode adjuster;

[0040] 310 and 320 process cavities;

[0041] 410 spray plate;

[0042] 420 heating plate;

[0043] 421 Lower electrode adjuster;

[0044] Steps S510~S540. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of the invention are limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of the present invention. To provide a thorough understanding of the invention, many specific details will be included in the following description. The invention may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of the invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0046] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0047] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in the relevant paragraphs and accompanying drawings. These relative terms are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that the described apparatus must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0048] It is understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or parts. Therefore, the first components, regions, layers, and / or parts discussed below may be referred to as second components, regions, layers, and / or parts without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0049] As mentioned above, a common problem with existing semiconductor RF systems is their large footprint and bulky design. Furthermore, not only is RF matching between chambers difficult and process uniformity hard to guarantee, but the large number of RF components also increases costs and complicates maintenance. To address this, current technologies often share a single RF system across multiple process chambers. However, when adjacent chambers share the same RF system, crosstalk can easily occur. Moreover, sharing the same RF system across any chamber can lead to directional variations in coating uniformity.

[0050] To address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, this invention provides a multi-chamber radio frequency control system, a semiconductor device process equipment, a semiconductor device process method, and a computer-readable storage medium. This not only improves the consistency of radio frequency parameter matching between multiple chambers but also reduces the risk of radio frequency crosstalk between adjacent chambers. Furthermore, it avoids directional distortion in the uniformity of coating within each chamber, thereby improving the overall consistency of the process effect in multi-chamber semiconductor manufacturing.

[0051] In some non-limiting embodiments, the multi-chamber radio frequency control system provided in the first aspect of the present invention can be configured in the process equipment of the semiconductor device provided in the second aspect of the present invention, and used to implement the process method of the semiconductor device provided in the third aspect of the present invention.

[0052] Specifically, in some non-limiting embodiments, the computer-readable storage medium provided in the fourth aspect of the present invention stores computer instructions thereon. When the computer instructions are executed by a processor, they can be used to implement the process method of the semiconductor device provided in the third aspect of the present invention.

[0053] The working principle of the multi-chamber radio frequency control system described below will be described with reference to embodiments of semiconductor device process equipment and methods. Those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments of semiconductor device process equipment and methods are merely non-limiting implementations provided by the present invention, intended to clearly demonstrate the main concepts of the invention and provide specific solutions convenient for public implementation, rather than limiting all operating modes or functions of the multi-chamber radio frequency control system. Similarly, the multi-chamber radio frequency control system is also only one non-limiting implementation provided by the present invention, and does not limit all operating modes or functions of these semiconductor device process equipment, or the implementing entities and execution order of the steps in these semiconductor device process methods.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a process apparatus for a semiconductor device according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0055] like Figure 1As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the semiconductor device process equipment 100 may include multiple process cavities and a multi-chamber radio frequency control system. Each process cavity may include a spray plate and a heating plate. The heating plate supports the wafer. The wafer may be processed within the space between the spray plate and the heating plate. Further, an upper electrode may be provided in the spray plate, and a lower electrode may be provided in the heating plate. After the radio frequency power supply is connected, an electric field may be formed between the two electrodes, causing the process gas in the cavity to ionize and generate plasma, so as to perform plasma process processing within the process space of both. Optionally, the plasma process processing includes, but is not limited to, plasma deposition processes and plasma etching processes. Correspondingly, the process gas may be selected as a deposition gas (such as SiH4) or an etching gas (CF4), etc.

[0056] Multiple process cavities can be divided into a first group 170 and a second group 180. The process cavities within the first group 170 and the process cavities within the second group 180 can be spaced apart from each other. The multi-cavity RF control system can be used to provide target RF signals to each process cavity for corresponding plasma processing.

[0057] Preferably, such as Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the semiconductor device process equipment 100 may include six process chambers. A six-chamber machine achieves an optimal balance in terms of throughput, flexibility, and cost efficiency. Compared to machines with fewer chambers (e.g., two or four), a six-chamber machine not only meets the needs of medium-scale production but also integrates multi-step processes, eliminating the need for workpiece transport across equipment, thereby reducing contamination and environmental fluctuations and improving product yield. Furthermore, compared to machines with more chambers (e.g., eight or twelve), the six-chamber machine has a relatively lower unit cost, making it suitable for cost-sensitive applications.

[0058] Continue as Figure 1 As shown, for the six process chambers in the process equipment 100, the first chamber 110, the third chamber 130 and the fifth chamber 150, which are separated by one chamber, can be divided into a first group 170, and the remaining second chamber 120, the fourth chamber 140 and the sixth chamber 160, which are separated by one chamber, can be divided into a second group 180.

[0059] In some alternative embodiments, the first chamber 110 and the fourth chamber 140, which are two chambers apart, may be grouped together; the second chamber 120 and the fifth chamber 150 may be grouped together; and the third chamber 130 and the sixth chamber 160 may be grouped together.

[0060] Furthermore, please combine Figure 2 Common understanding Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a multi-chamber radio frequency control system according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0061] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the multi-chamber RF control system 200 may include a first group of RF control units 210 and a second group of RF control units 220. The first group of RF control units 210 may include a first RF power supply 211 and a first power divider 212, used to provide the same target RF signal to the lower electrodes of multiple process chambers within the first group 170. Here, "same target RF signal" refers to target RF signals that are of the same origin, synchronous, and have the same characteristics. Multiple process chambers (first chamber 110, third chamber 130, and fifth chamber 150) within the first group 170 share the same RF power supply, which can eliminate individual differences between multiple RF power supplies from the source, thereby unifying the plasma state and process conditions of each chamber and helping to improve the consistency of process effects in each chamber.

[0062] Similarly, the second group of RF control units 220 may include a second RF power supply 221 and a second power divider 222, for providing the same target RF signal to the lower electrodes in multiple process cavities within the second group 180. The multiple process cavities in the first group 170 and the multiple process cavities in the second group 180 are spaced apart from each other. The target RF signal provided by the second group of RF control units 220 is adjusted to be substantially consistent with the target RF signal provided by the first group of RF control units 210.

[0063] Optionally, such as Figure 2 As shown, each group of RF control units also includes an impedance matching device. For example, a first impedance matching device 213 is disposed between the first RF power supply 211 and the first power divider 212 to match the output impedance of the first RF power supply 211 with the input impedance of the first power divider 212. Similarly, a second impedance matching device 223 can be configured in the same position in the second group of RF control units 220. In this embodiment, the impedance matching device can eliminate the impedance mismatch between the RF power supply and the power divider, ensuring that RF energy is efficiently and without reflection transmitted to the power divider.

[0064] In the above embodiments, a single RF power supply distributes the same RF signal evenly to multiple process cavities (e.g., three) via a power divider. Since the RF signals of all cavities within the same group originate from the same oscillation source and the same power amplification link, the frequency stability, power accuracy, and phase consistency of the signals received by each cavity within the same group can be synchronized. Furthermore, because the cavities sharing the same RF signal are spaced apart, shared link coupling and spatial electromagnetic coupling are reduced, thus significantly reducing the risk of RF crosstalk between adjacent cavities.

[0065] Furthermore, if adjacent chambers are grouped together, the symmetrical arrangement of the physical field during thin film deposition will cause directional variations in coating uniformity. Specifically, with Figure 1 For example, if the first chamber 110, the second chamber 120, and the third chamber 130 located on the same side are divided into a first group, sharing the first group of radio frequency control units, and the fourth chamber 140, the fifth chamber 150, and the sixth chamber 160 located on the other side are divided into a second group, sharing the second group of radio frequency control units, then due to the mirror symmetry of the physical fields in the left and right regions, the energy and density of charged particles (such as deposited ions) in the plasma will form gradient boundaries along the left and right directions. For example, the particle energy in the left region (first group) is higher, while the particle energy in the right region (second group) is lower, or the peak position of the particle distribution in the left and right regions shifts along the left and right directions. The energy and density of the deposited particles directly determine the coating thickness and compactness. The difference in particle characteristics between the left and right regions will cause the coating results (thickness, composition) of the three chambers on the left to tend to be consistent, and the three chambers on the right to also tend to be consistent, but the coating parameters in the left and right chambers will show regular deviations, ultimately resulting in a clear directionality in the coating uniformity along the left and right directions.

[0066] In this regard, in the embodiments provided by the present invention, the field coupling directionality caused by adjacent chambers within the same group can be broken through the spaced grouping. The field distributions of the two staggered layouts can complement each other and cancel each other out, dispersing path differences and coupling interference, thereby eliminating directional deviations in coating uniformity.

[0067] Specifically, after being grouped at intervals (e.g., the first chamber 110, the third chamber 130, and the fifth chamber 150 form the first group, and the second chamber 120, the fourth chamber 140, and the sixth chamber 160 form the second group), the chambers within the same group are separated by the chambers in the other group. Adjacent chambers belong to different RF systems, which physically cuts off the strong coupling path along a single direction within the same group. The RF field radiation and reflection signals of the chambers within the same group are isolated and buffered by the intermediate chambers in different groups, thereby reducing the formation of a field strength gradient along a fixed direction (e.g., horizontally) and making the field distribution more dispersed and uniform. In addition, if the RF field of the first group has a slight distribution deviation due to path differences, for example, the RF field strength of the first chamber 110 is slightly higher, the staggered layout of the second group will cause its deviation direction to be offset from that of the first group, for example, the RF field strength of the second chamber 120 is slightly lower. Overall, the field distribution deviations of the two sets of chambers, when superimposed, do not form a regular deviation in a single direction (such as the previous horizontal gradient), but instead present a uniformly dispersed state, which can ultimately eliminate the directionality of coating uniformity.

[0068] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, in order to reduce the device size, the number of process cavities controlled by a set of radio frequency control units can be increased as much as possible. Theoretically speaking, for Figure 1In the illustrated 6-chamber embodiment, the optimal solution is for one set of RF control units to directly control 6 process chambers. However, this is technically challenging to operate, and current technology cannot meet the requirement of such high integration. Furthermore, the integration difficulty is even greater for machines with more chambers (such as 8 or 12 chambers). Therefore, considering the feasibility of the solution, some preferred embodiments of this invention divide all chambers spaced one chamber apart into a first group 170, and the remaining chambers into a second group 180. Each group is provided with a set of RF control units, which maximizes the number of process chambers controlled by a single set of RF control units within a reasonable range of technical difficulty.

[0069] In comparison, such as Figure 1 In some alternative embodiments of the 6-chamber embodiment shown, non-adjacent chambers can be grouped in pairs, with chambers in the same group spaced two chambers apart. For example, the first chamber 110 and the fourth chamber 140 can be grouped together, the second chamber 120 and the fifth chamber 150 can be grouped together, and the third chamber 130 and the sixth chamber 160 can be grouped together. Compared to the three-part grouping embodiment described above, the two-part grouping of the process equipment 100 requires an additional placement area for another set of radio frequency control units, which leads to a decrease in productivity per unit area.

[0070] In some other alternative embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, in the process cavity device 300 with 8 process cavities, all process cavities can also be divided into two groups according to the preferred grouping rule described above. All process cavities 310 that are spaced one chamber apart are divided into the first group 301, and the remaining process cavities 320 that are spaced one chamber apart are divided into the second group 302, thereby further improving the productivity per unit area and improving the consistency of RF parameter matching between multiple cavities.

[0071] In the above embodiments, a power divider can be used to distribute power. Its principle is to construct a branch network using microstrip branch lines and perform impedance matching using quarter-wavelength microstrip transmission lines, ensuring that the impedance seen from each of the three ports is equal to 50 ohms, thus achieving maximum energy transmission efficiency while branching. Figure 2 As shown, the first power divider 212 and the second power divider 222 can be used for communication between two sets of RF control units. By matching the power distribution between different groups through real-time data exchange, the accuracy of RF parameter allocation between multiple chambers in different groups can be improved. Furthermore, power distribution can affect process results; therefore, by adjusting the deviation values ​​of the allocation of each process chamber within multiple groups, the process deposition rate can be increased, and the uniformity difference of film thickness between chambers can be reduced.

[0072] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, by connecting the radio frequency (RF) control unit to the lower electrode within each process cavity and employing RF bottom-introduction, process orientation can be improved. The electric field generated after applying RF can precisely guide plasma ions to vertically bombard the wafer surface, thereby improving the thin film density of the deposition process or enhancing the pattern accuracy of the etching process. Moreover, since the RF energy acts directly beneath the wafer, plasma energy transfer is more concentrated and controllable, resulting in less damage to thin wafers, sensitive substrates, and other workpieces. In contrast, RF top-introduction via a spray plate leads to a wider plasma diffusion range, which can easily cause wafer edge damage.

[0073] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the first RF power supply 211 or the second RF power supply 221 can be selected as a high-frequency power supply and / or a low-frequency power supply according to different process requirements. For process scenarios requiring high plasma density, low ion bombardment energy, and pursuing process uniformity and low damage, a high-frequency power supply can be preferred as the RF power supply. For process scenarios requiring strong ion bombardment energy, thick-layer processing, or requiring changes to the physical properties of the material surface, a low-frequency power supply can be preferred as the RF power supply. For process scenarios that require both high plasma density (ensuring process uniformity) and strong ion bombardment energy (ensuring reaction depth / effect), a combination of high-frequency and low-frequency power supplies can be preferred as the RF power supply.

[0074] Next, please refer to Figure 4 , Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of radio frequency hardware within a cavity provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0075] Can be combined Figure 2 and Figure 4 It is understood that in some embodiments, each process cavity within each group may include a lower electrode adjuster 421. The input terminals of corresponding lower electrode adjusters within the same group may be connected to the same power divider. For example, the input terminal of the first lower electrode adjuster 214 may be connected to the first power divider 212, and the output terminal may be connected to the heating plate serving as the lower electrode in each process cavity of the first group, for synchronously adjusting the impedance matching parameters of multiple process cavities in each group, thereby maximizing the synchronous increase of the radiation power required by the process in each process cavity within the group. The configuration of the second lower electrode adjuster 224 in the second group of RF control units 220 is the same as the configuration of the first lower electrode adjuster 214 in the first group of RF control units 210.

[0076] Furthermore, continue as Figure 4 As shown, in some preferred embodiments, each process chamber within the group may have an upper electrode adjuster 411. The upper electrode adjuster 411 can be connected to a spray plate 410 serving as the upper electrode, for individually adjusting the capacitive reactance characteristics and potential of the upper electrode in each process chamber. Combined with... Figure 2It is understood that the upper electrode adjusters 215, 216, and 217 are respectively installed in the multiple process chambers of the first group. The upper electrode adjusters 225, 226, and 227 are respectively installed in the multiple process chambers of the second group.

[0077] Specifically, such as Figure 4 As shown, the spray plate 410 is connected to the upper electrode adjuster 411. A capacitor and an inductor can be connected in series in the grounding circuit of the spray plate 410 to form an adjustable LC network. The spacing between the capacitor plates, the number of inductor turns, and the position of the inductor in the magnetic core can be adjusted by a servo motor / stepper motor, thereby changing the capacitive reactance characteristics of the upper electrode and making the capacitive reactance of the spray plate circuit conjugate-matched with the RF source impedance, reducing signal reflection.

[0078] In the prior art, after the heating plate 420 introduces a radio frequency (RF) signal, the spray plate 410 is typically directly grounded, with its potential equal to that of the surrounding cavity. In this case, the cavity will induce a parasitic plasma field with the heating plate 420, diverting energy and thus reducing the energy required for the process area between the heating plate 420 and the spray plate 410. Even if the impedance of the heating plate 420 is adjusted, the problem persists if the RF signal is introduced from the spray plate 410. To address this, in the embodiment provided by this invention, by adding an upper electrode adjuster 411, the capacitive reactance characteristics of the spray plate 410 can be altered, creating a potential difference between the spray plate 410 and the surrounding cavity components. For example, reducing the capacitance characteristics of the spray plate 410 can concentrate the electric field between the spray plate 410 and the heating plate 420, thereby weakening the potential between the heating plate 420 and the cavity components, making it insufficient to generate a plasma field, and thus suppressing parasitic plasma. In other words, by adopting the impedance adjustment method of dual regulators, while the heating plate 420 has a lower electrode regulator 421, the impedance adjustment of the spray plate 410 is added, which can solve the problem of plasma field parasitism and poor power distribution between the spray plate 410 and the heating plate 420, so that the RF power can be effectively concentrated in the wafer process area, improving process performance and power conversion efficiency.

[0079] Furthermore, the input power, phase, and impedance of each process cavity within a group can be adjusted using other RF hardware to further improve the uniformity of the plasma field generated in each cavity, thereby enhancing the uniformity and repeatability of the deposited process film thickness. For example, the input power and impedance can be adjusted by changing the capacitance and inductance using a servo motor. Phase adjustment can be achieved by changing the equivalent line length through adjustments to the capacitor array, redundant capacitors, and inductors, thus adjusting the phase angle.

[0080] In the above embodiments, by independently installing the upper electrode adjuster 411 and the lower electrode adjuster 421 in each process cavity, they are brought as close as possible to the end of use, thereby reducing the impact of radio frequency interference on their performance.

[0081] This concludes the basic description of the first aspect of the present invention, which provides the aforementioned multi-chamber radio frequency control system, and the second aspect, which provides the aforementioned semiconductor device process equipment. In the aforementioned multi-chamber radio frequency control system 200, centralized control of the radio frequency of multiple chambers within each group is achieved through group control. A power divider precisely distributes the energy of the target radio frequency signal within each group to the multiple process cavities within that group according to a preset ratio, achieving parameter allocation balance. Each group of radio frequency control units controls the multiple chambers within its group and dynamically adjusts the power allocation within these chambers, thereby ensuring uniformity and consistency of parameters such as radio frequency power and phase. Ultimately, this improves the uniformity and accuracy of radio frequency parameter allocation among multiple chambers.

[0082] Furthermore, since the multi-chamber RF control system 200 can control multiple chambers from a single chamber, the number of RF components can be reduced, thereby improving the integration and space utilization of the equipment, reducing the need for external space, and saving costs.

[0083] Next, please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 A flowchart of a process method for a semiconductor device according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0084] like Figure 5 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the semiconductor device manufacturing process may include steps S510-S540. First, step S510 may be performed, dividing the process cavities in the process equipment into a first group and a second group according to a grouping rule. The grouping rule is to divide all process cavities spaced apart by a certain number of chambers into the first group, and to divide the remaining process cavities spaced apart by a certain number of chambers into the second group, so that the multiple process cavities in the first group and the multiple process cavities in the second group are spaced apart from each other.

[0085] Next, step S520 can be executed to connect the first group of RF control units to multiple process cavities within the first group, and provide the same target RF signal to the lower electrodes of the multiple process cavities within the first group. Then, step S530 can be executed to connect the second group of RF control units to multiple process cavities within the second group, and provide the same target RF signal to the lower electrodes of the multiple process cavities within the second group. Finally, step S540 can be executed to perform plasma processing based on the target RF signal in each process cavity within the first and second groups.

[0086] Furthermore, such as Figure 4As shown, in some embodiments, each process cavity within the group has an upper electrode adjuster connected to a spray plate serving as the upper electrode, and a lower electrode adjuster connected to a heating plate serving as the lower electrode. When performing step S540, the capacitive reactance characteristics and potential of the upper electrode in each process cavity can be adjusted via each upper electrode adjuster to concentrate the electric field between the spray plate and the heating plate, thereby reducing plasma field parasitism between the spray plate 410 and the heating plate 420. This allows the RF power to be effectively concentrated in the wafer's process region, thereby improving process performance and power conversion efficiency.

[0087] In summary, the present invention provides a multi-chamber radio frequency control system, a semiconductor device process equipment, a semiconductor device process method, and a computer-readable storage medium, which can not only improve the consistency of radio frequency parameter matching between multiple chambers, but also reduce the risk of radio frequency crosstalk between adjacent chambers, and avoid the directionality of the uniformity of the coating in each chamber, thereby improving the overall consistency of the process effect of multi-chamber semiconductor process.

[0088] Although the methods described above are illustrated and depicted as a series of actions for the sake of simplicity, it should be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the actions, as some actions may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other actions from the illustrations and descriptions herein or not illustrated and described herein but which may be understood by those skilled in the art, according to one or more embodiments.

[0089] Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the steps of the methods or algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of both. The software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor so that the processor can read and write information to / from the storage medium. In an alternative, the storage medium may be integrated into the processor. The processor and storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In an alternative, the processor and storage medium may reside as discrete components in the user terminal.

[0090] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the described functionality may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software as a computer program product, the functionality may be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on or through a computer-readable medium. A computer-readable medium includes both computer storage media and communication media, encompassing any medium that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one location to another. A storage medium may be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible to a computer. Any connection is also legitimately referred to as a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of a medium. As used in this article, disk and disc include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital multi-purpose discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs. Disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of these should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0091] The prior description of this disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A multi-chamber radio frequency control system, characterized in that, include: The first group of radio frequency control units includes a first radio frequency power supply and a first power divider, which are used to provide the same target radio frequency signal to the lower electrodes in multiple process cavities within the first group; as well as The second group of radio frequency control units includes a second radio frequency power supply and a second power divider, which are used to provide the same target radio frequency signal to the lower electrodes of multiple process cavities in the second group, wherein the multiple process cavities in the first group and the multiple process cavities in the second group are spaced apart from each other.

2. The radio frequency control system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple process chambers in the first group and the multiple process chambers in the second group are spaced apart by one chamber.

3. The radio frequency control system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Each process cavity within the group includes a lower electrode adjuster. The input terminals of each lower electrode adjuster within the same group are connected to the same power divider, and their output terminals are connected to the heating plates that serve as the lower electrodes within each process cavity of the group, for synchronously adjusting the impedance matching parameters of multiple process cavities in each group.

4. The radio frequency control system as described in claim 3, characterized in that, Each process chamber within the group has an upper electrode adjuster connected to a spray plate serving as the upper electrode, used to adjust the capacitive reactance characteristics and potential of the upper electrode in each process chamber.

5. The radio frequency control system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the radio frequency control units further includes an impedance matching device, which is located between the radio frequency power supply and the power divider, so that the output impedance of the radio frequency power supply matches the input impedance of the power divider.

6. The radio frequency control system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first radio frequency power supply or the second radio frequency power supply includes a high-frequency power supply and a low-frequency power supply.

7. A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus, characterized in that, include: Multiple process chambers are divided into a first group and a second group, with the multiple process chambers in the first group and the multiple process chambers in the second group being spaced apart from each other; as well as The multi-chamber radio frequency control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6 is used to provide target radio frequency signals to each of the process chambers for plasma process processing.

8. A process method for a semiconductor device, characterized in that, The process method is implemented using the process equipment of the semiconductor device as described in any one of claims 7, and includes the following steps: The process chambers in the process equipment are divided into a first group and a second group according to the grouping rules, wherein multiple process chambers in the first group and multiple process chambers in the second group are arranged at intervals. The first group of radio frequency control units is connected to multiple process cavities within the first group, and the same target radio frequency signal is provided to the lower electrode in the multiple process cavities within the first group. The second group of radio frequency control units is connected to multiple process cavities within the second group, and the same target radio frequency signal is provided to the lower electrodes of the multiple process cavities within the second group; and In each process cavity within the first and second groups, plasma processing is performed based on the target radio frequency signal.

9. The process method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, Each process chamber within the group has an upper electrode adjuster connected to a spray plate serving as the upper electrode, and a lower electrode adjuster connected to a heating plate serving as the lower electrode. The step of performing plasma processing based on the target radio frequency signal in each process cavity within the first group and the second group includes: The capacitive reactance characteristics and potential of the upper electrode in each process chamber are adjusted by the upper electrode adjusters to concentrate the electric field between the spray plate and the heating plate.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions thereon, characterized in that, When the computer instructions are executed by the processor, the process method of the semiconductor device as described in claim 8 or 9 is implemented.

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