Semiconductor process equipment and exhaust method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses semiconductor process equipment and an exhaust method thereof. The equipment comprises a process cavity, a process cup arranged in the cavity, a main exhaust system and an auxiliary exhaust system. A main exhaust outlet of the main exhaust system is formed in the lower portion or the bottom of the craft cup and used for exhausting gas in the craft cup, and main airflow for protecting the substrate is formed. The equipment is further provided with an auxiliary exhaust system independent of the main exhaust system, and an auxiliary exhaust outlet of the auxiliary exhaust system is formed in the process cavity and located in the outer area of the process cup. The auxiliary exhaust system is specially used for exhausting gas in the external area of the craft cup, so that an airflow dead zone which is easily formed at the corner of a cavity and near a movement mechanism in the traditional single exhaust design can be eliminated. According to the invention, the problem of pollutant accumulation in the air flow dead zone is solved through the partition cooperative work of the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system, the overall cleanliness of the process cavity is improved, and the pollution risk of the substrate is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, and in particular to a semiconductor process equipment with an optimized exhaust system and its exhaust method. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing processes, especially wet etching and cleaning, the cleanliness of the process environment is crucial to product yield. Tiny particles or chemical gases generated during the process, if not promptly removed, can re-adhere to the substrate surface, creating defects. Therefore, the design of the ventilation system for semiconductor process equipment is of paramount importance.

[0003] Existing wet process equipment typically has exhaust vents at the bottom or lower side of the process chamber to create negative pressure for exhausting waste gas. Inside the process chamber, there is a process cup for supporting the substrate. To protect the substrate, an air supply system is installed above the chamber, generating a clean airflow from top to bottom. The exhaust vent of the main exhaust system is generally located below the process cup, working in conjunction with the upward air supply to form a clear main airflow path, carrying away contaminants from the substrate processing area.

[0004] However, this single-exhaust design, centered on protecting the process cup, often creates an uneven airflow field within the chamber. Besides the process cup, other structures exist within the process chamber, such as swing arms and their movement mechanisms. The process cup typically protrudes from the bottom surface of the chamber, creating a chamber area around it that is lower than its upper surface. Since the main airflow is guided into the process cup and discharged through the main exhaust vent, these areas outside the process cup, especially in chamber corners and near complex movement mechanisms, experience extremely low airflow velocities, forming so-called airflow dead zones. Splashed droplets, generated particles, and chemical vapors during the process easily accumulate in these dead zones, becoming sources of contamination. When equipment operation or the opening and closing of chamber doors causes airflow disturbances, accumulated contaminants may escape from the dead zones and be drawn into the main airflow, ultimately causing secondary contamination of the substrate. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the present invention provides a semiconductor process equipment and its exhaust method.

[0006] The present invention provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including a process cavity, wherein a process cup for supporting a substrate is disposed within the process cavity; a main exhaust system, wherein a main exhaust port is disposed at the lower part or bottom of the process cup for discharging gas from the process cup; and an auxiliary exhaust system, which is independent of the main exhaust system, wherein an auxiliary exhaust port is disposed within the process cavity and located in the external region of the process cup for discharging gas from the external region of the process cup, thereby eliminating airflow dead zones within the process cavity.

[0007] Preferably, the device further includes a controller that independently or collaboratively controls the exhaust flow rates of the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system according to the currently executed process step.

[0008] Preferably, when the controller performs a process step that generates a large amount of gas, it simultaneously activates the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system to achieve the maximum total exhaust volume; and / or, when the equipment is in standby mode, it continuously operates the auxiliary exhaust system at a lower flow rate to continuously clear the airflow dead zone.

[0009] Preferably, the auxiliary exhaust system is further used to work with the main exhaust system to evacuate the process chamber when the exhaust capacity of the main exhaust system is insufficient to meet the process requirements, so as to provide a total exhaust volume that exceeds the upper limit of the capacity of the main exhaust system.

[0010] Preferably, the outer area of ​​the process cup is the cavity area surrounding the process cup that is lower than the upper surface of the process cup; the auxiliary exhaust vent is located in a corner of the cavity area or near the motion mechanism arranged in the cavity area.

[0011] Preferably, the device further includes an air supply system disposed above the process chamber, the air supply system being used to generate a clean airflow from top to bottom, the clean airflow mainly flowing through the process cup and being discharged from the main exhaust port, so as to form the main airflow protecting the substrate.

[0012] Preferably, the main exhaust system includes at least two main exhaust vents, which are symmetrically distributed around the circumference of the process cup; or, the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the auxiliary exhaust vent is smaller than the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the main exhaust vent; or, the exhaust capacity of the auxiliary exhaust system is less than one-quarter of the exhaust capacity of the main exhaust system.

[0013] Preferably, it further includes: a system exhaust system, which is independent of the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system, wherein the exhaust port of the system exhaust system is located in the equipment area outside the process chamber; or, the exhaust port of the system exhaust system is located in the area near the chemical supply pipeline or chemical container, for removing any chemical vapors that may leak.

[0014] Preferably, the device includes at least two process chambers, each of which is equipped with an independent main exhaust system and an auxiliary exhaust system.

[0015] Preferably, the controller dynamically changes the exhaust flow ratio between the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system according to different process steps in the processing flow of a single substrate.

[0016] Preferably, the auxiliary exhaust port includes a slit-type opening or a porous manifold extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of the outer area of ​​the process cup to form a linear or planar air extraction area to uniformly eliminate the airflow dead zone; or, the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system have their own independent exhaust pipes and flow control valves, and are connected to the same plant exhaust main.

[0017] The present invention also provides a ventilation method for semiconductor process equipment, the equipment including a process cavity with a process cup, the method comprising: discharging gas from the process cup through a main exhaust port located at the lower part or bottom of the process cup to form a main clean airflow for protecting the substrate within the process cup; and discharging gas from the outer region of the process cup through an auxiliary exhaust port located within the process cavity and outside the process cup, independent of the aforementioned discharge process, to eliminate airflow dead zones within the process cavity.

[0018] The technical solution of this application, through the zoned collaborative design of the main and auxiliary exhaust systems, can utilize the main exhaust system to ensure the cleanliness of the core process area, while using the auxiliary exhaust system to precisely remove airflow dead zones within the cavity, thereby improving the cleanliness level of the entire process cavity and reducing the risk of substrate contamination. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the semiconductor process equipment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the exhaust structure of the semiconductor process equipment of the present invention.

[0021] List of reference numerals

[0022] 1: Semiconductor process equipment; 100: Process chamber; 110: Process cup; 120: Swing arm; 200: Air supply system; 300: Main exhaust system; 310: Main exhaust outlet; 320: Main exhaust flow control valve; 400: Auxiliary exhaust system; 410: Auxiliary exhaust outlet; 420: Auxiliary exhaust flow control valve; 411: Ventilation plate. Detailed implementation method.

[0023] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0024] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the semiconductor process apparatus 1 of the present invention. The semiconductor process apparatus 1 includes at least one process cavity 100. The process cavity 100 is a sealed space for performing specific semiconductor processes. Inside the process cavity 100, a process cup 110 for supporting a substrate is disposed. The process cup 110 is typically a bowl-shaped structure, in which the substrate undergoes process steps such as chemical liquid treatment.

[0025] To maintain a clean environment within the process chamber 100, particularly in the substrate processing area, the equipment also includes an air supply system 200 positioned above the process chamber 100. The air supply system 200 generates a downward-flowing clean airflow. To remove waste gases, chemical vapors, and other contaminants generated during the process, the equipment is equipped with an exhaust system, which is divided into at least two independent subsystems: a main exhaust system 300 and an auxiliary exhaust system 400.

[0026] like Figure 2 As shown, the main exhaust system 300 undertakes the primary exhaust task. Its main exhaust port 310 is located at the lower part or bottom of the process cup 110. This design is to cooperate with the upper air supply system 200 to form a clear airflow path. The clean airflow generated by the air supply system 200 first flows through the upper space of the process chamber 100, then flows downward into the process cup 110, sweeping across the substrate surface, carrying away contaminants generated during the process operation and rapidly expelling them from the main exhaust port 310 below the process cup 110. This airflow path forms a main airflow protecting the substrate, serving as the primary barrier to ensure the cleanliness of the core process area. Optionally, to improve exhaust efficiency and uniformity, the main exhaust system 300 may include at least two main exhaust ports 310, symmetrically distributed along the circumference of the process cup 110.

[0027] However, relying solely on the main exhaust system 300 is insufficient to guarantee the cleanliness of the entire process chamber 100. The process cup 110 typically protrudes above the bottom surface of the process chamber 100. This creates a surrounding chamber area lower than its upper surface, known as the outer region of the process cup. Furthermore, other functional components are arranged inside the process chamber 100, such as motion mechanisms for performing operations, specifically one or more swing arms 120. These swing arms 120 have complex structures and all disturb the surrounding airflow. Since the main airflow is primarily guided into the process cup 110, the airflow velocity in these areas outside the process cup 110, especially in the corners of the chamber area and near the swing arms 120, is very low, forming dead zones.

[0028] To address this issue, the present invention introduces an auxiliary exhaust system 400. The auxiliary exhaust system 400 is independent of the main exhaust system 300. Its auxiliary exhaust vent 410 is not located near the process cup 110, but rather within the process cavity 100, specifically in the external region of the process cup 110. Specifically, the location of the auxiliary exhaust vent 410 is determined based on flow field simulation or actual testing, in areas within the process cavity 100 where airflow stagnation is likely to occur. For example, the auxiliary exhaust vent 410 can be located in a corner of the cavity area, or directly near moving mechanisms such as the swing arm 120 arranged within the cavity area. By directly installing exhaust vents in these dead zones, localized guided airflow can be generated, effectively revitalizing the stagnant gas in these areas and removing accumulated contaminants.

[0029] To achieve independent control, the main exhaust system 300 and the auxiliary exhaust system 400 have their own independent exhaust ducts and flow control valves. For example, the main exhaust system 300 is equipped with a main exhaust flow control valve 320, and the auxiliary exhaust system 400 is equipped with an auxiliary exhaust flow control valve 420. In actual equipment implementation, these two systems can be connected to the same main exhaust duct of the factory, but because their ducts and controls are independent, they can independently adjust their respective exhaust flow rates.

[0030] The design goals of the auxiliary exhaust system 400 differ from those of the main exhaust system 300. Its primary task is not to handle large exhaust volumes, but rather to perform supplementary cleaning. Therefore, its exhaust capacity and diameter are typically smaller than those of the main exhaust system 300. In a preferred embodiment, the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the auxiliary exhaust outlet 410 is smaller than that of the main exhaust outlet 310. Accordingly, the exhaust capacity of the auxiliary exhaust system 400 can be designed to be less than one-quarter of the exhaust capacity of the main exhaust system 300.

[0031] Furthermore, this main-auxiliary separation exhaust architecture brings another technical advantage. When the exhaust volume required by certain process conditions exceeds the upper limit of the capacity achievable by a single main exhaust system 300 under structural constraints, the auxiliary exhaust system 400 can perform a second function. In this case, the auxiliary exhaust system 400 is also used to work with the main exhaust system 300 to evacuate the process chamber 100. Since the two systems are independent, their exhaust capacities can be directly superimposed, thereby providing a total exhaust volume that exceeds the upper limit of the capacity of the main exhaust system 300.

[0032] To control the exhaust process, the semiconductor process equipment 1 also includes a controller. The controller independently or collaboratively controls the exhaust flow rates of the main exhaust system 300 and the auxiliary exhaust system 400 based on the currently executing process step. For example, when executing a process step that generates a large amount of gas, the controller can simultaneously activate the main exhaust system 300 for protecting the substrate and the auxiliary exhaust system 400 for cleaning dead zones to achieve the maximum total exhaust volume. When the equipment is in standby mode, the main exhaust system 300 can be shut down, and the controller can be configured to continuously operate the auxiliary exhaust system 400 at a lower flow rate to continuously clean the airflow dead zones. Furthermore, the controller is configured to dynamically change the exhaust flow rate ratio between the main exhaust system 300 and the auxiliary exhaust system 400 according to different process steps in the processing flow of a single substrate.

[0033] Corresponding to the above-described device, the present invention also provides an exhaust method for semiconductor process equipment. This method is implemented in a device including a process cavity 100 with a process cup 110, and includes: exhausting gas from the process cup 110 through a main exhaust port 310 located at the lower part or bottom of the process cup 110 to form a main clean airflow within the process cup 110 for protecting the substrate; and exhausting gas from the outer region of the process cup 110 through an auxiliary exhaust port 410 located within the process cavity 100 and outside the process cup 110, independent of the aforementioned exhaust process, to eliminate airflow dead zones within the process cavity 100.

[0034] In another embodiment, the device also includes a system exhaust system. This system exhaust system is independent of the main exhaust system 300 and the auxiliary exhaust system 400, and serves the equipment area outside the process chamber 100. Specifically, its exhaust ports can be located near chemical supply lines or chemical containers to remove any potentially leaked chemical vapors.

[0035] In a more complex equipment configuration, the semiconductor process equipment 1 may include at least two process chambers 100. To ensure that the processing environment of each process chamber 100 does not interfere with each other, each process chamber 100 is equipped with an independent main exhaust system 300 and an auxiliary exhaust system 400.

[0036] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, include: A process cavity, wherein a process cup for supporting a substrate is provided inside the process cavity; The main exhaust system has its main exhaust port located at the lower part or bottom of the process cup, for discharging the gas inside the process cup; as well as An auxiliary exhaust system, independent of the main exhaust system, has an auxiliary exhaust port located inside the process chamber and outside the process cup, for discharging gas from the outside of the process cup to eliminate dead zones in the airflow within the process chamber.

2. The semiconductor process equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes a controller that independently or collaboratively controls the exhaust flow rates of the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system according to the currently executed process steps.

3. The semiconductor process equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, When the controller executes a process step that generates a large amount of gas, it simultaneously activates the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system to achieve the maximum total exhaust volume. And / or, When the equipment is in standby mode, the auxiliary exhaust system continues to operate at a low flow rate to continuously clear the airflow dead zone.

4. The semiconductor process equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary exhaust system is also used to work with the main exhaust system to evacuate the process chamber when the exhaust capacity of the main exhaust system is insufficient to meet the process requirements, so as to provide a total exhaust volume that exceeds the upper limit of the capacity of the main exhaust system.

5. The semiconductor process equipment as described in claim 1 or 4, characterized in that, The outer region of the process cup is the cavity region surrounding the process cup that is lower than the upper surface of the process cup; The auxiliary exhaust vent is located in a corner of the chamber area or near the motion mechanism arranged within the chamber area.

6. The semiconductor process equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes an air supply system disposed above the process chamber. The air supply system is used to generate a clean airflow from top to bottom. The clean airflow mainly flows through the process cup and is discharged from the main exhaust port to form the main airflow that protects the substrate.

7. The semiconductor process equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The main exhaust system includes at least two main exhaust vents, which are symmetrically distributed around the circumference of the process cup; or, The effective cross-sectional area of ​​the auxiliary exhaust vent is smaller than the effective cross-sectional area of ​​the main exhaust vent; or... The exhaust capacity of the auxiliary exhaust system is less than one-quarter of the exhaust capacity of the main exhaust system.

8. The semiconductor process equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The system exhaust system is independent of the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system, and the exhaust port of the system exhaust system is located in the equipment area outside the process chamber; or... The exhaust port of the system is located near the chemical supply pipeline or chemical container to remove any leaked chemical vapors.

9. The semiconductor process equipment as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The equipment includes at least two process chambers, each of which is equipped with an independent main exhaust system and an auxiliary exhaust system.

10. The semiconductor process equipment as described in claim 2, characterized in that, In the processing flow of a single substrate, the controller dynamically changes the exhaust flow ratio between the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system according to different process steps.

11. The semiconductor process equipment as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The auxiliary exhaust port includes a slit-type opening or a perforated manifold extending along at least a portion of the perimeter of the outer area of ​​the process cup to form a linear or planar air extraction area to uniformly eliminate the airflow dead zone; or, the main exhaust system and the auxiliary exhaust system have their own independent exhaust pipes and flow control valves, and are connected to the same plant exhaust main.

12. A method for exhaust ventilation in semiconductor process equipment, the equipment comprising a process chamber provided with a process cup, the method comprising: The gas inside the process cup is discharged through the main exhaust port located at the lower part or bottom of the process cup, so as to form a main clean airflow for protecting the substrate inside the process cup. as well as, Gas from the outer region of the process cup is discharged through an auxiliary exhaust port located within the process cavity and outside the process cup, independent of the aforementioned discharge process, in order to eliminate airflow dead zones within the process cavity.

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