Valve seat assembly and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a valve seat assembly and semiconductor process equipment, and the valve seat assembly comprises a base body which is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet which are formed in the surface of the base body, and a plurality of flow channels which are formed in the base body, and the air inlet and the air outlet are respectively communicated with different flow channels; the valve body is connected with the base body and used for connecting or disconnecting the different flow channels, so that a transmission channel for precursor transmission is connected between the air inlet and the air outlet, or a transmission channel of a corresponding precursor is disconnected; wherein at least two sub-runners are arranged in at least part of the runners, and at least part of the sub-runners are bent and intersect with each other to form an intersecting runner; a blocking block is arranged in the intersection flow channel, an opening is formed in the side, away from the sub-flow channel, of the intersection flow channel, and the blocking block blocks the opening. Therefore, the sub-flow channels are partially bent and mutually intersected, the total length of the flow channel is shortened, the reaction period is shortened, and the blocking block is arranged on the flow path of the precursor, so that a dead zone is prevented from being formed.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor equipment, in particular to a valve seat assembly and a semiconductor process equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] For example, in an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, gas phase precursors are alternately introduced into a reaction chamber, the precursors are chemically adsorbed on the surface of a wafer and react to form a thin film; after a plurality of precursors are introduced into the reaction chamber to participate in the reaction, inert gas is used to remove excess precursors and by-products from the reaction chamber; the above steps are repeated multiple times according to different processes, and a thin film of a certain thickness is finally obtained.

[0003] In related technologies, a valve seat with a flow channel is usually used in combination with a corresponding valve body to realize logical control of the gas into the chamber. However, due to the design standards and processing accuracy of the flow channel, the existing valve seat structure is complex, the internal flow channel is long, a large number of valve bodies are needed to realize the control logic of the gas circuit, which occupies a large space inside the chamber and also increases the reaction period of the deposition equipment, which is not conducive to the improvement of production capacity; at the same time, there are dead zones in the flow channel structure inside the valve seat, which are prone to particle accumulation, affecting product yield. SUMMARY

[0004] Therefore, the present application provides a valve seat assembly to solve the problems of the existing valve seat structure being complex, the internal flow channel being long, a large number of valve bodies being needed to realize the control logic of the gas circuit, and dead zones existing in the flow channel and being prone to particle accumulation. In addition, the present application also provides a semiconductor process equipment with the valve seat assembly.

[0005] To achieve the above purpose, the present application provides the following technical solutions: A valve seat assembly, comprising: a base body having a gas inlet and a gas outlet arranged on the surface of the base body, and a plurality of flow channels arranged inside the base body, the gas inlet and the gas outlet being respectively communicated with different flow channels; a valve body connected with the base body, for opening or closing the connection between different flow channels, to open a transmission channel for precursor transmission between the gas inlet and the gas outlet, or to close the transmission channel of the corresponding precursor; wherein at least two sub-flow channels are arranged in at least part of the flow channels, the sub-flow channels are at least partially curved and intersect with each other to form an intersection flow channel; a plug is arranged in the intersection flow channel, and the intersection flow channel has an opening away from the side of the sub-flow channel, and the plug blocks the opening.

[0006] Optionally, in the valve seat assembly, the valve seat assembly comprises a plurality of flow channel groups, any of the flow channel groups comprises a plurality of flow channels controlled by the valve body to be opened or closed to guide or cut off the transmission channel between different inlet ports and outlet ports.

[0007] Optionally, in the valve seat assembly, the base body is provided with a first inlet port, and the first inlet port is arranged on the bottom wall of the base body. The flow channel group comprises a first flow channel arranged in the interior of the base body, and the first flow channel comprises a first sub-flow channel and a second sub-flow channel. One end of the first sub-flow channel is in communication with the first inlet port, and one end of the second sub-flow channel forms a connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body. The other end of the first sub-flow channel and the other end of the second sub-flow channel are close to each other and intersect to form the intersection flow channel.

[0008] Optionally, in the valve seat assembly, the first sub-flow channel has a first vertical section and a first inclined section, and the second sub-flow channel has a second vertical section and a second inclined section. The first vertical section and the second vertical section are arranged perpendicularly to the bottom wall of the base body, and the first inclined section and the second inclined section are arranged in a direction close to each other. One end of the first vertical section is in communication with the first inlet port, and the other end is in communication with one end of the first inclined section. One end of the second vertical section forms the connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body, and the other end is in communication with one end of the second inclined section.

[0009] Optionally, in the valve seat assembly, the flow channel group comprises a second flow channel arranged in the interior of the base body, and the second flow channel comprises at least three sub-flow channels. One end of at least three sub-flow channels respectively forms a connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body, and the other end is close to each other and intersects to form the intersection flow channel.

[0010] Optionally, in the valve seat assembly, at least three sub-flow channels respectively have a vertical section and an inclined section. The vertical sections are respectively arranged perpendicularly to the bottom wall of the base body, and the inclined sections are respectively arranged in a direction close to each other. One end of the vertical section respectively forms the connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body, and the other end is in communication with the inclined section.

[0011] Optionally, in the valve seat assembly, the base body is provided with a second inlet port, and the second inlet port is arranged on the side wall of the base body. The interior of the base body is provided with a third flow channel, and the third flow channel comprises a third sub-flow channel and a fourth sub-flow channel. One end of the third sub-flow passage is communicated with the second gas inlet, and the other end is communicated with one end of the fourth sub-flow passage, and the other end of the fourth sub-flow passage forms a connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body.

[0012] Optionally, in the valve seat assembly, the valve seat assembly further comprises a heating element, and a mounting hole is formed in the side wall of the base body. At least part of the heating element is inserted into the mounting hole.

[0013] Optionally, in the valve seat assembly, the valve seat assembly comprises a plurality of heating elements, and the plurality of heating elements are uniformly arranged on the base body. And / or, the valve seat assembly comprises an even number of heating elements, and the heating elements are arranged in pairs in mirror image.

[0014] Optionally, in the valve seat assembly, an over-temperature switch is further arranged on the base body, and the over-temperature switch is connected with the heating element; the over-temperature switch is used to open or close the heating element when the real-time temperature of the base body is different from a preset value.

[0015] Optionally, in the valve seat assembly, a sealing joint is further arranged on the base body, and the gas inlet is connected with an external gas supply device through the sealing joint. And / or, a sealing element is arranged at the connecting part of the gas outlet and the reaction cavity.

[0016] A semiconductor process equipment comprises the valve seat assembly.

[0017] The valve seat assembly provided by the application sets an air inlet and an air outlet on the surface of the base body, and sets a plurality of flow channels in the interior of the base body. The valve body is connected with the base body, and is used for opening or closing the connection between different flow channels, so as to open a transmission channel for the precursor to flow between the air inlet and the air outlet, and then realize the logical control of the valve body on the cavity entry path of the precursor. At least two sub-flow channels are arranged in at least part of the flow channels, and the sub-flow channels are at least partially curved and intersect with each other. Compared with the horizontal flow channel and the vertical flow channel in the related art, the flow channels arranged in a curved manner and intersecting with each other can shorten the total length of the flow channels in the interior of the base body, reduce the bending of the flow channels, realize the optimization of the precursor flow path, reduce the transmission time of the precursor in the interior of the base body, and then shorten the reaction period of the process, which is beneficial to improving the production capacity. At the same time, compared with the related art, the block is arranged on one side of the horizontal flow channel and has a spacing with the vertical flow channel. In the process of precursor flow, a dead zone with poor flow is generated, and part of the precursor is easily left and reacts with each other to form particulate matter residues. After the sub-flow channels in the application are at least partially curved and intersect with each other to form an intersection flow channel, the opening on the side of the intersection flow channel away from the sub-flow channel is blocked by the block, the sealing of the entire flow channel is realized, and since the block is arranged on the flow path of the precursor, the formation of the dead zone is avoided, and the formation of the particulate matter residues is further avoided, thereby ensuring the product yield. In addition, since the total length of the flow channels in the interior of the base body is shortened, the corresponding base body structure can be simplified, and the curved and intersecting flow channels can break the limitation of the installation position of the valve body on the horizontal flow channel and the vertical flow channel, so that the valve seat assembly provided by the application can use a smaller number of valve bodies to meet the corresponding requirements, thereby reducing the use cost and the later maintenance cost. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or the prior art description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only embodiments of the present application, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor on the basis of the provided drawings.

[0019] Figure 1 The structure schematic view of the valve seat assembly provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Figure 2 The structure bottom view of the valve seat assembly provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0021] Figure 3 The structure schematic view of the base body provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0022] Figure 4 The structure schematic view of the first flow channel provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0023] Figure 5 A structure diagram of a second flow channel provided for an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0024] Figure 6 A structure diagram of a third flow channel provided for an embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative work fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0026] In the related art, in the process of manufacturing a semiconductor chip, special gas needs to be introduced into a reaction chamber to achieve a specific physical or chemical reaction on the surface of a wafer, such as crystal growth, oxidation process, deposition process, etching process, doping process, annealing process, etc.

[0027] For example, in an atomic layer deposition process, gaseous precursors (including general gas and special gas) need to be alternately introduced into the reaction chamber to produce chemical adsorption and reaction on the surface of the wafer to form a thin film. In the related art, a valve body is usually used in combination with a corresponding flow channel to achieve logical control of the inlet gas. The flow channel is usually opened in the inside of the valve seat, and the valve body is connected with the flow channel in the valve seat through a W-shaped sealing valve or a C-shaped sealing valve and keeps sealing. In the related valve seat structure, including a valve block, a bottom plate and a bottom block, the valve body is arranged on the valve block, the valve block is fixedly connected with the bottom plate, and the valve block is connected with the bottom block through a bird foot structure, the bottom block is provided with a gas outlet for the precursors to enter the reaction chamber. Although the above-mentioned valve seat structure can change the inlet direction of the precursors, the installation position of the valve body, the flow channels inside the valve block, the bottom plate and the bottom block, especially the intersection positions of multiple flow channels, are all arranged as horizontal flow channels or vertical flow channels. The internal flow channel is complex, the flow channel path is long, the reaction period of the deposition process is lengthened, and thus the process property of the thin film is affected.

[0028] Meanwhile, due to the machining characteristics of the flow channel in the valve seat structure, the valve seat structure can only use a W-type sealing valve to achieve connection and sealing. Since the W-type sealing valve has certain design standards for flow channel adaptation, and is limited by machining restrictions, at the intersection of multiple flow channels, the length of the horizontal flow channel will necessarily be greater than the side wall position of the vertical flow channel. At the same time, the plug also needs to be arranged on one side of the horizontal flow channel and has a spacing with the vertical flow channel to achieve sealing of the flow channel. The above structure inevitably produces a dead zone with poor flow during the process of the precursor flowing into the horizontal flow channel from the vertical flow channel and then flowing into different vertical flow channels. When multiple precursors remain in the dead zone, a reaction will occur and form particulate matter residues, which will then carry the particulate matter residues into the reaction chamber during the subsequent gas supply process, thereby affecting product yield.

[0029] In some other gas path control modules, the valve body and the valve seat use a C-type sealing valve to achieve connection, which needs to use a horizontal flow channel or a vertical flow channel to connect with the inlet (outlet) gas port of the valve body. This makes the flow channel inside the valve seat be a horizontal flow channel and a vertical flow channel. If it is necessary to form a connected flow channel on the same plane, at least two vertical flow channels and one horizontal flow channel need to be arranged, which increases the length of the overall flow channel and prolongs the deposition reaction period. In addition, a large number of valve bodies need to be used to achieve the alternate supply of multiple precursors, and the C-type sealing valve needs to use additional sealing elements to achieve sealing. A large number of sealing connections increase the difficulty of installation and maintenance.

[0030] In view of the above situation, such as Figures 1-6As shown, the embodiment of the present application provides a valve seat assembly, which comprises a base body 1 and a valve body 2; the base body 1 has an air inlet and an air outlet 15 arranged on the surface of the base body 1, and a plurality of flow channels arranged in the interior of the base body 1, the air inlet and the air outlet 15 are respectively communicated with different flow channels; the valve body 2 is connected with the base body 1, and is used for opening or closing the connection between different flow channels, so as to open the transmission channel for precursor transmission between the air inlet and the air outlet 15, or close the transmission channel of the corresponding precursor; wherein at least two sub-flow channels 110 are arranged in at least part of the flow channels, the sub-flow channels 110 are at least partially curved and intersect with each other, forming an intersection flow channel 16; the intersection flow channel 16 is provided with a plug 3, and the side of the intersection flow channel 16 away from the sub-flow channel 110 has an opening, and the plug 3 blocks the opening. In this way, by partially bending the sub-flow channels 110 and arranging them close to each other, the intersection is finally realized. Compared with the related art which only uses horizontal flow channels and vertical flow channels to realize the connection, the embodiment of the present application can reduce the overall length of the internal flow channels of the valve seat, shorten the flow path of the precursor, and further shorten the entire reaction period, thereby improving the yield. At the same time, after the sub-flow channels 110 are partially bent and arranged to intersect with each other to form the intersection flow channel 16, the plug 3 is blocked on the side of the intersection flow channel 16 away from the sub-flow channel 110, which can form a seal for the flow channel on one hand, preventing the precursor from leaking, and on the other hand, the plug 3 is arranged on the flow path of the precursor, avoiding the generation of dead zones, ensuring smooth flow of the precursor in the entire flow channel area, preventing the precursor from remaining and reacting with each other to generate particulate matter, and further improving the product yield. In addition, due to the shortening of the flow channel length, the overall structure of the valve seat can be more compact, and the curved and intersecting flow channels can break the limitation of the installation position of the valve body 2 on the horizontal flow channels and the vertical flow channels, so that the valve seat assembly provided by the present application can use a smaller number of valve bodies 2 to meet the corresponding requirements, thereby reducing the use cost and the later maintenance cost.

[0031] In an optional embodiment, at least two sub-flow channels 110 are arranged in part of the flow channels, and the plurality of sub-flow channels 110 can be partially curved and extend in a direction close to each other, and finally form an intersection flow channel 16; or one or more sub-flow channels 110 remain vertical, and the rest of at least one sub-flow channel 110 is partially curved and extends in a direction close to the vertical sub-flow channel 110, and finally forms an intersection flow channel 16.

[0032] To further shorten the length of the flow channel, the sub-flow channel 110 can be arranged to be partially inclined. Compared with the sub-flow channel 110 arranged to be curved, the sub-flow channel 110 arranged to be inclined can further shorten the total length of the flow channel and improve the transmission efficiency of the precursor. It should be noted that, considering the limitation of the processing tool, the angle between the extension direction of the sub-flow channel 110 arranged to be inclined and the extension direction of the sub-flow channel 110 arranged to be horizontal or vertical should be obtuse. In this way, the processing tool can avoid bearing more processing resistance when processing is inclined, which is beneficial to the rapid forming of the sub-flow channel 110 and can avoid the processing tool being scrapped due to excessive force, thereby increasing the processing cost.

[0033] The valve body 2 in the valve seat assembly includes a valve plate, an air inlet hole and an air outlet hole. The flow channel forms a connecting hole on the surface of the base body 1. The valve body 2 is installed on the base body 1. The air inlet hole and the air outlet hole are coaxially arranged with the connecting holes of different flow channels, respectively. The air inlet and the air outlet 15 are respectively communicated with different flow channels. The valve body 2 controls the conduction or shutdown between the flow channels by driving the valve plate to move, thereby forming a transmission channel for the precursor to flow between the air inlet and the air outlet 15. In the embodiment, the connecting hole is arranged on the bottom wall of the base body 1, and correspondingly, the valve body 2 is also installed on the bottom wall of the base body 1. In other embodiments, the connecting hole can also be arranged on the side wall of the base body 1 according to the installation position of the valve body 2.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1-3 The valve seat assembly includes a plurality of flow channel groups. Any flow channel group includes a valve body 2 and a plurality of flow channels controlled by the valve body 2 to conduct the transmission channel between different air inlets and air outlets 15. In the embodiment, each flow channel group includes three different forms of flow channels, including a first flow channel 10 having two sub-flow channels 110 and intersecting with each other, a second flow channel 11 having three sub-flow channels 110 and intersecting with each other, and a third flow channel 12 having only horizontal and vertical sub-flow channels 110. Each flow channel group includes at least one of the first flow channel 10, the second flow channel 11 and the third flow channel 12. The valve body 2 is used to connect the connecting holes of the first flow channel 10 and the second flow channel 11, the connecting holes of the second flow channel 11 and the third flow channel 12, and the connecting holes of the first flow channel 10 and the third flow channel 12, respectively. Each flow channel group can be respectively communicated with a plurality of air inlets and air outlets 15, thereby being able to control the conduction or shutdown between the flow channels by the valve body 2, and conduct the transmission channel for the flow of different precursors between different air inlets and air outlets 15.

[0035] Specifically, the first flow channel 10 enables communication between the air inlet and the valve body 2 on the same plane, the second flow channel 11 enables communication between different flow channels on the same plane, and the third flow channel 12 enables communication between the air inlet or outlet 15 and the valve body 2 on different planes. Thus, by combining these different types of flow channels, a large number of valve bodies 2, air inlets, and / or outlets 15 can be integrated within the same plane of the base 1, further improving the integration of the valve seat assembly.

[0036] by Figure 3 For example, the substrate 1 has three flow channel groups inside. Each flow channel group includes three valve bodies 2, a first flow channel 10, a second flow channel 11, and three third flow channels 12. The first flow channel 10 is connected to an air inlet, and the three third flow channels 12 are connected to an air outlet 15 and two other air inlets, respectively. The second flow channel 11 changes the flow direction of the precursor to cooperate with the valve bodies 2, thus connecting the first flow channel 10 and the three third flow channels 12. In other embodiments, the substrate 1 may also have more different types of flow channel structures and more flow channel groups. The configuration of each flow channel group can be the same or different.

[0037] Please refer to the following: Figures 2-6 The specific structures of the first flow channel 10, the second flow channel 11, and the third flow channel 12 are described respectively.

[0038] like Figures 3-4 As shown, a first air inlet 13 is provided on the base 1, and the first air inlet 13 is located on the bottom wall of the base 1; a first flow channel 10 is provided inside the base 1, and the first flow channel 10 includes a first sub-flow channel 100 and a second sub-flow channel 101; one end of the first sub-flow channel 100 is connected to the first air inlet 13, and one end of the second sub-flow channel 101 forms a connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base 1; the other end of the first sub-flow channel 100 and the other end of the second sub-flow channel 101 approach each other and converge to form a first converging flow channel 160. Thus, the first air inlet 13 and the connecting hole are both located on the bottom wall of the base 1, and are connected by the first sub-flow channel 100 and the second sub-flow channel 101, respectively. The first sub-flow channel 100 and the second sub-flow channel 101 are close to each other inside the base 1 and converge to form the first converging flow channel 160. The first block 30 seals the side of the first converging flow channel 160 away from the first sub-flow channel 100 and the second sub-flow channel 101, forming a seal. After the precursor enters the first sub-flow channel 100 through the first air inlet 13, it continues to flow along the first sub-flow channel 100 and enters the second sub-flow channel 101 at the first converging flow channel 160. Since the first block 30 blocks the flow path of the precursor, the gas flow in the entire first flow channel 10 is smooth, avoiding the formation of dead zones with poor flow as in related technologies.

[0039] In optional embodiments, as shown in Figure 4 , the first sub-flow channel 100 and the second sub-flow channel 101 are both at least partially curved towards each other to achieve intersection. In other embodiments, either of the first sub-flow channel 100 and the second sub-flow channel 101 can be arranged vertically, and the other can be arranged as a curved pipe or an inclined pipe to achieve intersection. Regardless of the above arrangement, the length of the at least partially curved sub-flow channel 110 in the embodiments of the present application can be shortened compared with the horizontal flow channel and the vertical flow channel in the related art, thereby facilitating the integration of the base body 1.

[0040] Specifically, the first sub-flow channel 100 has a first vertical section 1000 and a first inclined section 1001; the second sub-flow channel 101 has a second vertical section 1010 and a second inclined section 1011; the first vertical section 1000 and the second vertical section 1010 are arranged perpendicularly to the bottom wall of the base body 1, and the first inclined section 1001 and the second inclined section 1011 are arranged towards each other; one end of the first vertical section 1000 is in communication with the first gas inlet 13, and the other end is in communication with one end of the first inclined section 1001; one end of the second vertical section 1010 forms a connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body 1, and the other end is in communication with one end of the second inclined section 1011. In this way, the first sub-flow channel 100 and the second sub-flow channel 101 are both partially inclined, on the one hand, the length of the flow channel is effectively shortened by arranging the first inclined section 1001 and the second inclined section 1011, and on the other hand, the angle between the inclined section 1101 and the vertical section 1100 can be reduced, the resistance when processing the inclined section 1101 is reduced, and the formation of the inclined section 1101 is facilitated. Among them, the first sub-flow channel 100 and the second sub-flow channel 101 are respectively provided with the first vertical section 1000 and the second vertical section 1010, which can meet the arrangement requirements of the C-type sealing valve. The embodiments of the present application integrate the flow channel structure suitable for the C-type sealing valve and the W-type sealing valve, realize the penetration of the flow channel suitable for the C-type sealing valve on the same surface (as shown in the first flow channel 10), and further improve the integration of the valve seat assembly. Preferably, the connection position of the first vertical section 1000 and the first inclined section 1001 is rounded, and the connection position of the second vertical section 1010 and the second inclined section 1011 is rounded, so that the precursor can be more smooth when turning, and avoid the precursor to form residues at the connection position. Figures 3-4

[0041] Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 ​​As shown, the inner part of the base body 1 is provided with a second flow channel 11, which includes at least three sub-flow channels 110; one end of the at least three sub-flow channels 110 respectively forms a connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body 1, and the other end is close to each other and converges to form a second converging flow channel 161. As known from the above, the main function of the second flow channel 11 is to realize the change of the flow direction of the precursor, which cooperates with the valve body 2 to realize the conduction between the first flow channel 10 and the third flow channel 12, respectively, and the first flow channel 10 and the third flow channel 12 are respectively communicated with the gas inlet and the gas outlet 15. By conducting or shutting off the sub-flow channels 110 in the different second flow channels 11, the switching between different gas inlets and gas outlets 15 can be realized to supply different precursors to flow. In the second flow channel 11, the second block 31 is also blocked on the side away from the sub-flow channel 110 of the second converging flow channel 161. After the precursor flows into the sub-flow channel 110 in the second flow channel 11 through other first flow channels 10 or third flow channels 12, it continues to flow along the current sub-flow channel 110 and enters other sub-flow channels 110 at the second converging flow channel 161. Since the second block 31 blocks the flow path of the precursor, the gas flows smoothly in the entire second flow channel 11, and the dead zone of poor flow in the related art can also be avoided.

[0042] Among them, more sub-flow channels 110 can be arranged in the second flow channel 11, but it should be noted that when the second flow channel 11 has more sub-flow channels 110, it means that more valve bodies 2 are needed to cooperate with them, which not only increases the complexity of the flow channel, but also needs more installation space for the valve body 2. Those skilled in the art can select a second flow channel 11 with a suitable number of sub-flow channels 110 according to the use space of the valve seat and the number of precursors needed to be used.

[0043] In optional embodiments, as shown in Figure 5 At least three sub-flow channels 110 are at least partially curved towards each other to realize convergence. In other embodiments, one or more sub-flow channels 110 can also be arranged in a vertical direction, and the remaining at least one sub-flow channel 110 can be arranged as an elbow pipe or an inclined pipe to realize convergence. Regardless of which of the above arrangements, the flow length of the at least partially curved sub-flow channel 110 in the embodiments of the present application can be effectively shortened compared with the horizontal flow channel and the vertical flow channel in the related art, thereby facilitating the integration of the base body 1.

[0044] Specifically, the at least three sub-flow channels 110 respectively have a vertical section 1100 and an inclined section 1101; the vertical section 1100 is respectively arranged perpendicular to the bottom wall of the base body 1, and the inclined section 1101 is respectively arranged towards each other; one end of the vertical section 1100 respectively forms a connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body 1, and the other end respectively communicates with the inclined section 1101. Similarly, as shown in Figure 5As shown, the at least three sub-flow channels 110 are all partially inclined, on the one hand, the length of the flow channel is shortened by the setting of the inclined section 1101, on the other hand, the angle between the inclined section 1101 and the vertical section 1100 can be reduced, the resistance when processing the inclined section 1101 is reduced, and the molding of the inclined section 1101 is facilitated. Among them, the at least three sub-flow channels 110 are also respectively provided with a vertical section 1100, which can meet the setting requirements of the C-shaped sealing valve. The embodiment of the application integrates the flow channel structure suitable for the C-shaped sealing valve and the W-shaped sealing valve, realizes the penetration of the flow channel suitable for the C-shaped sealing valve on the same surface (such as Figure 3 and Figure 5 the second flow channel 11 shown), and further improves the integration of the valve seat assembly. Preferably, the connection position between the vertical section 1100 and the inclined section 1101 is set as a round corner, so that the precursor can be smoother in the turning process, and residues are avoided at the connection position.

[0045] As shown in Figure 1 , Figure 3 and Figure 6 , the second air inlet 14 is arranged on the base body 1, and the second air inlet 14 is arranged on the side wall of the base body 1; the inside of the base body 1 is provided with a third flow channel 12, and the third flow channel 12 includes a third sub-flow channel 120 and a fourth sub-flow channel 121; one end of the third sub-flow channel 120 is communicated with the second air inlet 14, and the other end is communicated with one end of the fourth sub-flow channel 121, and the other end of the fourth sub-flow channel 121 forms a connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body 1. As shown in Figure 6 , the third sub-flow channel 120 is a horizontal flow channel, and the fourth sub-flow channel 121 is a vertical flow channel. The connection position of the third sub-flow channel 120 and the fourth sub-flow channel 121 can also be set as a round corner, so as to improve the smoothness of the precursor in the turning process, and avoid residues at the connection position.

[0046] In another embodiment, the third flow channel 12 can also be composed of a third sub-flow channel 120, a fourth sub-flow channel 121 and a fifth sub-flow channel. Among them, the third sub-flow channel 120 can be a horizontal flow channel and be communicated with the second air inlet 14 arranged on the side wall of the base body 1; the fourth sub-flow channel 121 can be a vertical flow channel and form a connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body 1; the fifth sub-flow channel is a inclined pipe, and its two ends are communicated with the third sub-flow channel 120 and the fourth sub-flow channel 121 respectively. Preferably, the connection parts of the third sub-flow channel 120 and the fifth sub-flow channel 110, and the connection parts of the fourth sub-flow channel 121 and the fifth sub-flow channel are all set as round corners, so as to avoid residues of the precursor at the connection parts. In this way, the fifth sub-flow channel is set as a inclined pipe, which can further shorten the length of the flow channel.

[0047] Next, taking the atomic layer deposition process as an example, the working principle of the valve seat assembly is further described in combination with the first flow channel group 80 in Figure 3 .

[0048] In order to distinguish different first flow channels 10, second flow channels 11, third flow channels 12, first gas inlets 13, second gas inlets 14 and gas outlets 15 in different flow channel groups, the first flow channel 10 in the first flow channel group 80 is called a first flow channel individual a; the second flow channel 11 is called a second flow channel individual b; the three third flow channels 12 are called a third flow channel individual c, a third flow channel individual d and a third flow channel individual e respectively; the first gas inlet 13 is called a first gas inlet individual I; the two second gas inlets 14 are called a second gas inlet individual II and a second gas inlet individual III respectively; and the gas outlet 15 is called a gas outlet individual IV.

[0049] The first flow channel group 80 includes a first valve body 20, a second valve body 21, a third valve body 22, a first flow channel individual a, a second flow channel individual b, a third flow channel individual c, a third flow channel individual d and a third flow channel individual e; one end of the first flow channel individual a is in communication with the first gas inlet individual I, and the other end forms a first connecting hole 171 on the bottom wall of the base body 1; the second flow channel individual b forms a second connecting hole 172, a third connecting hole 173 and a fourth connecting hole 174 on the bottom wall of the base body 1 respectively; one end of the third flow channel individual c is in communication with the second gas inlet individual II, and the other end forms a fifth connecting hole 175 on the bottom wall of the base body 1; one end of the third flow channel individual d is in communication with the second gas inlet individual III, and the other end forms a sixth connecting hole 176 on the bottom wall of the base body 1; one end of the third flow channel individual e is in communication with the gas outlet individual IV, and the other end forms a seventh connecting hole 177 on the bottom wall of the base body 1; the first valve body 20 is in communication with the first connecting hole 171 and the second connecting hole 172 respectively; the second valve body 21 is in communication with the third connecting hole 173 and the fifth connecting hole 175 respectively; and the third valve body 22 is in communication with the fourth connecting hole 174, the sixth connecting hole 176 and the seventh connecting hole 177 respectively. The first gas inlet individual I is used to supply first general gas, the first general gas is long-flow gas, the second gas inlet individual II is used to supply second general gas, the second general gas is short-flow gas, and the second gas inlet individual III is used to supply first special gas.

[0050] During the purging stage before the deposition process, the first general gas needs to be supplied into the reaction chamber, at this time, the third valve body 22 is controlled to be opened, and part of the sub-flow channels in the second valve body 21 and the first valve body 20 are controlled to be closed, so that the third connecting hole 173, the fifth connecting hole 175 and the sixth connecting hole 176 are closed, and the remaining connecting holes are opened. The first general gas enters the first flow channel individual a through the first gas inlet individual I, flows along the first flow channel individual a through the first connecting hole 171, passes through the third valve body 22, enters the second flow channel individual b through the second connecting hole 172, flows along the second flow channel individual b, then passes through the fourth connecting hole 174, passes through the first valve body 20, enters the third flow channel individual e through the seventh connecting hole 177, and finally enters the reaction chamber through the gas outlet individual IV along the third flow channel individual e.

[0051] After the deposition process begins, the first stage reaction is initiated, which requires the introduction of a carrier gas, specifically the second gas in this embodiment. Since the short-flow gas has a faster flow rate and higher pressure than the long-flow gas, the first and second gases can be introduced into the reaction chamber simultaneously. At this time, the third valve body 22 and the second valve body 21 are opened, and some sub-channels in the first valve body 20 are closed, causing the sixth connection hole 176 to close while the remaining connection holes are opened. The second general gas enters the third flow channel c through the second inlet II, passes through the fifth connecting hole 175 along the third flow channel c, passes through the second valve body 21, and then enters the second flow channel b through the third connecting hole 173. The first general gas enters the first flow channel a through the first inlet I, passes through the first connecting hole 171 along the first flow channel a, passes through the third valve body 22, and then enters the second flow channel b through the second connecting hole 172. The first and second general gases are mixed in the second flow channel b. The mixed gas passes through the fourth connecting hole 174, passes through the first valve body 20, passes through the seventh connecting hole 177, enters the third flow channel e, and then enters the reaction chamber through the outlet IV along the third flow channel e. After the second general gas enters the reaction chamber, the first valve body 20 is opened and the third valve body 22 is closed, so that the first and second connecting holes 171 and 172 are closed, and the remaining connecting holes are opened. The first special gas enters the third flow channel d through the second inlet Ⅲ, passes through the sixth connecting hole 176 along the third flow channel d, passes through the first valve body 20, and enters the third flow channel e through the seventh connecting hole 177. It mixes with the first general gas in the third flow channel e. The mixed gas enters the reaction chamber through the outlet Ⅳ to react. After the reaction, the first valve body 20 and the second valve body 21 are closed.

[0052] To facilitate the distinction between the first air inlet 13 and the second air inlet 14 in different flow channel groups, the first air inlet 13 in the second flow channel group 81 is referred to as the first air inlet individual V; the two second air inlets 14 are referred to as the second air inlet individual VI and the second air inlet individual VII, respectively; the first air inlet 13 in the third flow channel group 82 is referred to as the first air inlet individual VIII, and the two second air inlets 14 are referred to as the second air inlet individual IX and the second air inlet individual X, respectively.

[0053] like Figure 3As shown, the base 1 also includes a second flow channel group 81 and a third flow channel group 82, wherein the second flow channel group 81 and the third flow channel group 82 are completely identical to the configuration of the first flow channel group 80, with the only difference being the relative position relationship of the first flow channel 10, the second flow channel 11 and the third flow channel 12, and the different gas inlets and outlets 15 connected. The second flow channel group 81 is provided with a first gas inlet individual V for supplying the third general gas, a second gas inlet individual VI for supplying the fourth general gas, and a second gas inlet individual VII for supplying the second special gas; the third flow channel group 82 is provided with a first gas inlet individual VIII for supplying the fifth general gas, a second gas inlet individual IX for supplying the sixth general gas, and a second gas inlet individual X for supplying the third special gas.

[0054] In the above-mentioned first stage reaction, after the second general gas in the first flow channel group 80 enters the reaction cavity, a one-way flow channel in the second flow channel group 81 connected to the first gas inlet individual V is turned on, and the two-way flow channels connected to the second gas inlet individual VI and the second gas inlet individual VII are turned off, so that the third general gas is supplied into the reaction cavity; at the same time, a one-way flow channel in the third flow channel group 82 connected to the first gas inlet individual VIII is turned on, and the two-way flow channels connected to the second gas inlet individual IX and the second gas inlet individual X are turned off, so that the sixth general gas is supplied into the reaction cavity.

[0055] For example, in the second stage reaction, the first stage reaction can be referred to, in the second flow channel group 81, the third general gas is supplied in a long gas supply mode, and the carrier gas fourth general gas is supplied synchronously and mixed in the flow channel, after the mixed gas is supplied into the reaction cavity, the supply of the third general gas is turned off, and the second special gas is supplied, after the reaction is completed, the supply of the second special gas and the fourth general gas is turned off, and the third general gas is supplied; at this time, in the first flow channel group 80, only the first general gas is kept in a long gas supply mode, and the rest of the gas is turned off; at the same time, in the third flow channel group 82, only the fifth general gas is kept in a long gas supply mode, and the rest of the gas is turned off.

[0056] In the third stage reaction, the first stage reaction and the second stage reaction can be continued to be referred to, in the third flow channel group 82, the fifth general gas is supplied in a long gas supply mode, and the carrier gas sixth general gas is supplied synchronously and mixed in the flow channel, after the mixed gas is supplied into the reaction cavity, the supply of the fifth general gas is turned off, and the third special gas is supplied, after the reaction is completed, the supply of the third special gas and the sixth general gas is turned off, and the fifth general gas is supplied; at this time, in the first flow channel group 80, only the first general gas is kept in a long gas supply mode, and the rest of the gas is turned off; at the same time, in the second flow channel group 81, only the third general gas is kept in a long gas supply mode, and the rest of the gas is turned off.

[0057] In optional embodiments, the valve seat assembly in the embodiments of the present application can also be adapted to different processes, such as passing special gas in two flow channel groups at the same time. Meanwhile, those skilled in the art can understand that the common gas and special gas in the gas outlet can be different according to different processes, for example, the common gas can be nitrogen, oxygen, argon, hydrogen, etc., the special gas can be borane (B2H6) for doping, phosphine (PH3), silane (SiH4) for thin film deposition, chlorine (Cl2) for etching, nitrogen fluoride (NF3) for cleaning, hydrogen fluoride (HF), etc., which are not limited in the embodiments.

[0058] Regarding the processing method of the first flow channel 10, the second flow channel 11 and the third flow channel 12, taking the first flow channel 10 as an example, an operator can first open a connecting hole on the bottom wall of the base body 1 and process a vertical flow channel towards the inside of the base body 1 to meet the use requirement of the C-shaped sealing valve; then open a processing inclined hole on the surface opposite to the bottom wall of the base body 1 and process an inclined flow channel towards the inside of the base body 1, the inclined flow channel and the vertical flow channel are through in the inside of the base body 1, thereby forming a sub-flow channel, and then repeating the above steps to process another sub-flow channel on the symmetric side and seal the first plug 30 at the processing inclined hole to form the first flow channel 10 as shown in Figure 4 Preferably, during the processing, a round corner can be used to connect the vertical flow channel and the inclined flow channel to reduce the residue of the precursor at the turning position.

[0059] Regarding the processing method of the second flow channel 11, it is completely the same as the first flow channel 10, the difference is only in the number of sub-flow channels, which will not be described herein. Regarding the processing method of the third flow channel 12, it is consistent with the prior art, that is, a horizontal flow channel is opened on the side wall of the base body 1 and a vertical flow channel is opened on the bottom wall of the base body 1 to be directly connected.

[0060] In addition to the above structural changes of the flow channel, the valve seat assembly provided by the embodiments of the present application is also optimized in the following aspects.

[0061] As shown in Figures 1-2 , the valve seat assembly further comprises a heating element 4, and a mounting hole is opened on the side wall of the base body 1; at least part of the heating element 4 is inserted into the mounting hole. Due to the improvement of the above flow channel structure, the base body 1 can be integrally arranged, so that the heating element 4 is inserted into the mounting hole to heat the base body 1, thereby ensuring the temperature of the precursor flowing in the inside of the base body 1. Optionally, the above heating element 4 can be a heating rod.

[0062] In order to further improve the heating effect of the heating element 4 on the base body 1, the valve seat assembly comprises a plurality of heating elements 4, the plurality of heating elements 4 are uniformly arranged on the base body 1, and the plurality of heating elements 4 should be arranged parallel to the plane where the base body 1 is located, and can be arranged along the long edge direction of the base body 1 (such as Figure 2The substrate 1 can be arranged at even intervals along its left and right sides (e.g., along the short side of the substrate 1). Figure 2 The substrate 1 can be arranged at uniform intervals (vertically and vertically), or it can be evenly arranged at an angle to the edge of the substrate 1. Alternatively, as... Figure 2 As shown, the valve seat assembly includes an even number of heating elements 4, which are arranged in pairs in a mirror image. There may be two heating elements 4, which are inserted into the mounting holes on one side of the base 1 and mirrored in a direction that is at an angle to the edge of the base 1. There may also be four heating elements 4, which are inserted into the mounting holes on both sides of the base 1. There may also be six, eight or more heating elements 4, which are inserted into different mounting holes around the base 1 to achieve uniform heating of the base 1.

[0063] like Figure 1 As shown, an over-temperature switch 5 is also provided on the substrate 1, and the over-temperature switch 5 is connected to the heating element 4. The over-temperature switch 5 is used to turn the heating element 4 on or off when the real-time temperature of the substrate 1 differs from the preset value. It should be noted that most of the special gases used in semiconductor processes (such as silane SiH4, phosphine PH3, diborane B2H6, etc.) are spontaneously combustible, highly toxic, or highly reactive. When the ambient temperature rises abnormally, it may cause spontaneous combustion or explosion of the gas, or cause gas decomposition, or cause failure of the sealing material. Therefore, by integrating the over-temperature switch 5 on the substrate 1, it is possible to effectively monitor and prevent the valve seat assembly from causing danger due to abnormally high temperatures, thereby improving the safety performance of the base assembly.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, a sealing joint 6 is also provided on the base 1, and the air inlet is connected to an external air supply device through the sealing joint 6. The sealing joint 6 can be a VCR (Vacuum Coupling Radius) seal, which can achieve interlocking through internal and external threaded nuts, and generate plastic deformation by squeezing the metal gasket to form a sealing surface. After the gasket is deformed, it fits tightly with the conical surface of the joint, which can achieve nanoscale sealing.

[0065] Optionally, a seal 7 is provided at the connection between the air outlet and the reaction chamber. Due to the optimized flow channel structure, the substrate 1 provided in this embodiment can achieve an integrated design, improving the overall sealing performance of the substrate 1. Only the connection between the air outlet and the chamber on the entire substrate 1 requires an additional seal 7, further improving the ease of installation and practicality of the valve seat assembly and reducing the possibility of leakage in the precursor. The seal 7 can be a sealing ring.

[0066] In addition, this application also provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including the valve seat assembly described above. In this application embodiment, the semiconductor process apparatus may be a deposition apparatus, an oxidation apparatus, an etching apparatus, an annealing apparatus, etc.

[0067] The semiconductor processing apparatus has the beneficial effects brought by the valve seat assembly, please refer to the above description, which will not be repeated here.

[0068] The above describes the basic principles of the present application in combination with specific embodiments, but it should be pointed out that the advantages, advantages, effects and the like mentioned in the present application are only examples and cannot be considered as the must-haves of the various embodiments of the present application. In addition, the specific details disclosed above are only for the purpose of example and understanding, and are not limited to the specific details disclosed above.

[0069] The block diagrams of the devices, apparatuses, equipment, systems involved in the present application are only illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply the connection, arrangement, configuration shown in the block diagram. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, equipment, systems can be connected, arranged, configured in any way. Words such as "include", "contain", "have" and the like are open-ended words, which mean "include but not limited to", and can be used interchangeably. The words "or" and "and" used herein mean the word "and / or", and can be used interchangeably unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The word "such as" used herein means the phrase "such as but not limited to", and can be used interchangeably.

[0070] It should also be noted that in the devices, equipment and methods of the present application, each component or each step can be decomposed and / or recombined. These decompositions and / or recombinations should be considered as equivalent solutions of the present application.

[0071] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided so that any person skilled in the art can make or use the present application. Various modifications to these aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0072] It should be understood that the adjectives "first", "second", "third", "fourth", "fifth" and "sixth" used in the description of the embodiments of the present application are only used for clearer description of the technical solutions and cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present application.

[0073] The above description has been given for the purpose of illustration and description. In addition, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of the present application to the forms disclosed herein. Although a number of example aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain modifications, alterations, changes, additions and sub-combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A valve seat assembly, characterized by include: The substrate has an air inlet and an air outlet disposed on the surface of the substrate, and a plurality of flow channels disposed inside the substrate, wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are respectively connected to different flow channels; The valve body, connected to the base, is used to open or close the connection between different flow channels, so as to open the transmission channel for the precursor to be transmitted between the air inlet and the air outlet, or close the transmission channel of the corresponding precursor. In this embodiment, at least two sub-channels are provided in at least a portion of the flow channel, and the sub-channels are at least partially curved and intersect each other to form a converging flow channel; a block is provided in the converging flow channel, and the side of the converging flow channel away from the sub-channel has an opening, and the block seals the opening.

2. The valve seat assembly of claim 1, wherein, The valve seat assembly includes multiple flow channel groups, each of which includes multiple flow channels controlled by the valve body to open or close the transmission channel between different air inlets and air outlets.

3. The valve seat assembly of claim 2, wherein, The substrate is provided with a first air inlet, which is located on the bottom wall of the substrate; The flow channel assembly includes a first flow channel disposed inside the substrate, and the first flow channel includes a first sub-flow channel and a second sub-flow channel; One end of the first sub-channel is connected to the first air inlet, and one end of the second sub-channel forms a connection hole on the bottom wall of the substrate; The other end of the first sub-channel approaches the other end of the second sub-channel and merges to form the first converging channel.

4. The valve seat assembly of claim 3, wherein, The first sub-channel has a first vertical section and a first inclined section; the second sub-channel has a second vertical section and a second inclined section; The first vertical segment and the second vertical segment are arranged perpendicular to the bottom wall of the base, and the first inclined segment and the second inclined segment are arranged in a direction that approaches each other; One end of the first vertical section is connected to the first air inlet, and the other end is connected to one end of the first inclined section; one end of the second vertical section forms the connecting hole on the bottom wall of the substrate, and the other end is connected to one end of the second inclined section.

5. The valve seat assembly of claim 2, wherein, The flow channel group includes a second flow channel disposed inside the substrate, and the second flow channel includes at least three sub-flow channels; At least three of the sub-channels have a connecting hole formed at one end on the bottom wall of the substrate, and the other ends are close to each other and converge to form a second converging channel.

6. The valve seat assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, At least three of the sub-channels each have a vertical section and an inclined section; The vertical sections are respectively arranged perpendicular to the bottom wall of the base, and the inclined sections are respectively arranged in a direction that approaches each other; One end of the vertical section forms the connecting hole on the bottom wall of the substrate, and the other end is connected to the inclined section.

7. The valve seat assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base is provided with a second air inlet, which is located on the side wall of the base; The matrix has a third flow channel inside, which includes a third sub-flow channel and a fourth sub-flow channel; One end of the third sub-channel is connected to the second air inlet, and the other end is connected to one end of the fourth sub-channel. The other end of the fourth sub-channel forms a connection hole on the bottom wall of the substrate.

8. The valve seat assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The valve seat assembly also includes a heating element, and the side wall of the base is provided with mounting holes; At least a portion of the heating element is inserted into the mounting hole.

9. The valve seat assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The valve seat assembly includes a plurality of heating elements, which are uniformly disposed on the substrate. And / or, the valve seat assembly includes an even number of the heating elements, which are arranged in pairs in a mirror image.

10. The valve seat assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that, The substrate is also provided with an over-temperature switch, which is connected to the heating element; the over-temperature switch is used to turn the heating element on or off when the real-time temperature of the substrate differs from a preset value.

11. The valve seat assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate is also provided with a sealing joint, and the air inlet is connected to an external air supply device through the sealing joint; And / or, the connection between the gas outlet and the reaction chamber is provided with a sealing element.

12. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the valve seat assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

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