Heating disc and thin film deposition apparatus

Abstract

The application relates to a heating disc and a thin film deposition device, wherein the heating disc has a first direction, the heating disc comprises a disc body and a supporting cylinder, a cooling mechanism is arranged in the disc body, the cooling mechanism comprises: a first flow channel and a second flow channel which are arranged at intervals along the first direction, and the first flow channel and the second flow channel are both arranged in a structure which diffuses from the center to the periphery; a liquid inlet pipe and a liquid outlet pipe, the liquid inlet pipe is communicated with the center of the first flow channel, and the liquid outlet pipe is communicated with the center of the second flow channel; and a connecting channel which is arranged outside the circumference of the disc body and is used for connecting the first flow channel and the second flow channel; wherein the medium enters the center of the first flow channel, diffuses to the periphery, enters the second flow channel through the connecting channel, flows back to the center of the second flow channel and finally flows out through the liquid outlet pipe. The application has the effects of improving the cooling uniformity and improving the stability of the temperature field.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of thin film deposition equipment, and in particular to a heating plate and thin film deposition equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Thin film deposition equipment is a key process tool in semiconductor manufacturing, photovoltaics, and other fields, and its performance directly affects the quality and reliability of thin film deposition. During the thin film deposition process, the heating plate, as one of the core components, primarily serves to support the wafer and provide a uniform and stable heating field. After the wafer is placed on the surface of the heating plate, it is necessary to maintain a highly uniform and stable surface temperature field during the deposition process to ensure consistent film thickness and a dense structure.

[0003] In practical processes, the flexibility and precision of temperature control are crucial. Heating plates typically operate at temperatures above 400℃. During process changes or equipment maintenance, the temperature of the heating plate needs to be adjusted accordingly. Relying solely on natural cooling makes it difficult to actively adjust the cooling rate and direction, failing to meet the precise control requirements for dynamic temperature changes in the process. Therefore, conventional solutions usually involve designing cooling channels inside the heating plate, circulating a cooling medium (such as deionized water or inert gas) into these channels to achieve active cooling. While this method can improve cooling efficiency to some extent, it has significant drawbacks: Because the cooling medium initially enters the flow channel at a low temperature, it continuously exchanges heat with the heating plate during its flow, causing the medium's own temperature to gradually rise. This results in a significant gradient in cooling capacity across different sections of the flow channel. This temperature rise along the flow path prevents the heating plate from achieving uniform cooling in the radial direction, leading to uneven temperature distribution on the heating plate surface. During thin film deposition on the wafer, this uneven temperature field of the heating plate is directly transmitted to the wafer surface, causing localized temperature differences and affecting the uniformity of thin film deposition. This can lead to thin film thickness fluctuations, compositional deviations, or crystal defects, ultimately reducing device performance and process yield.

[0004] Therefore, existing heating plate cooling solutions still fall short in achieving uniform and controllable cooling. There is an urgent need for a heating plate that can improve cooling uniformity and temperature field stability to meet the increasingly demanding temperature control requirements of high-end thin film deposition processes. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a heating plate and a thin film deposition apparatus, which have the advantages of improving cooling uniformity and enhancing temperature field stability.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A heating plate, having a first direction, includes a plate body and a support cylinder. A cooling mechanism is disposed within the plate body. The cooling mechanism includes: a first flow channel and a second flow channel, spaced apart along the first direction, both the first and second flow channels having a structure that diffuses from the center outwards; an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, the inlet pipe being connected to the center of the first flow channel and the outlet pipe being connected to the center of the second flow channel; and a connecting channel disposed on the outer circumference of the plate body to connect the first and second flow channels. A medium enters the center of the first flow channel and diffuses outwards, enters the second flow channel via the connecting channel, flows back to the center of the second flow channel, and finally flows out through the outlet pipe.

[0007] To achieve the above technical solution, during operation, the coolant enters through the inlet pipe at the center of the plate, first flowing into the center of the first flow channel. Then, the coolant spreads evenly in a circular pattern along the first flow channel. When the coolant reaches the outermost periphery of the first flow channel, it enters the outer periphery of the second flow channel evenly through the connecting channel located on the outer periphery. Next, the coolant flows in the reverse direction in the second flow channel, that is, it flows evenly back from the periphery to the center, and finally exits through the outlet pipe at the center of the plate. This flow path of "center inlet → bottom first layer circular outward diffusion → outer annular hole uniform rise → top second layer circular inward backflow → center outlet" cleverly utilizes axial space to achieve the integration of a double-layer cooling flow channel without increasing the radial dimension of the heating plate, resulting in a higher degree of integration. The coolant enters from the center, where the temperature is lowest, and diffuses evenly outward in the first flow channel of the lower layer for the first heat exchange. At this point, the heat exchange proceeds synchronously and evenly outward from the center, with heat zones evenly circling outwards, minimizing the temperature difference between different areas. Furthermore, due to the connection between the support cylinder and the disc, the center of the disc is covered, resulting in slower heat dissipation, while the exposed edges dissipate heat quickly. This allows the coolant to dissipate heat faster than the center, even when it reaches the edge where the temperature is higher, further reducing the temperature difference between the edges and the center and ensuring uniformity. As the coolant temperature rises, it enters the second flow channel of the upper layer evenly through the connecting channels distributed in a ring around the periphery. Here, it flows back evenly radially inwards. The second flow channel is closer to the heater, allowing it to continue efficient heat exchange, thus performing a second heat exchange on the higher-temperature central area. This double-layer reverse flow design makes the heat exchange intensity uniform throughout the disc's radial direction, effectively compensating for the differences in cooling capacity caused by the coolant's temperature rise along the flow path, and greatly improving the uniformity of cooling across the entire disc surface.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the cooling mechanism further includes an inlet channel and an outlet channel, both of which are annular. The outlet channel is located within the area enclosed by the inlet channel, and the inlet channel, outlet channel, and first flow channel are on the same plane. It also includes a clearance channel, which is located on the side of the inlet channel near the support cylinder. One end of the clearance channel is connected to the inlet channel, and the other end extends toward the center of the plate and is connected to the inlet pipe.

[0009] The above technical solution enables the liquid inlet pipe, liquid inlet channel and first flow channel to form a stepped liquid inlet flow channel and the liquid outlet pipe, liquid outlet channel and second flow channel to form a liquid outlet flow channel that are stacked in the first direction and do not affect each other. This ensures that the entire cooling mechanism is compact and that the liquid inlet pipe and liquid outlet pipe can be integrated into the support cylinder, thereby ensuring that the entire heating plate is not too large and will affect its use.

[0010] It is understandable that having the inlet channel, outlet channel, and first flow channel on the same plane means that, along the thickness direction of the disk body, i.e., the first direction, they will only occupy the size of the thickest flow channel, minimizing the encroachment on the disk body space and improving integration. In some embodiments, the thickness of the three is the same, and the upper and lower surfaces overlap. In this way, the cooling medium entering the inlet channel can radiate from the center to the periphery along the annular structure and then disperse into the first flow channel. Similarly, the cooling medium from the second flow channel can converge from the periphery to the center and finally flow into the outlet channel, achieving uniform diffusion while effectively improving integration.

[0011] Understandably, due to size limitations, the inlet channels are arranged in a ring shape. Although this reduces the axial space occupied, it inevitably occupies more radial space. Furthermore, the diameter of the support cylinder is subject to fixed standard requirements. If the diameter of the inlet channel is large and a connecting hole is opened along the axial direction, the connecting hole may be outside the coverage area where the support cylinder contacts the disc. In this case, it would be difficult to integrate the inlet pipe into the support cylinder. Therefore, an avoidance channel was designed. One end of the avoidance channel is connected to the inlet channel, and the other end extends towards the center of the disc before connecting to the inlet pipe. In this way, it is equivalent to moving the opening of the inlet channel a certain distance towards the center of the disc, which allows for better integration and installation of the inlet pipe and improves the overall system integration.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the first flow channel includes a plurality of first annular flow channel portions arranged radially along the heating plate, and a plurality of first radial flow channel portions for mutual communication are arranged between adjacent first annular flow channel portions.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the second flow channel includes a plurality of second annular flow channel portions arranged radially along the heating plate, and a plurality of second radial flow channel portions for mutual communication are provided between adjacent second annular flow channel portions.

[0014] The above technical solution increases the flow channel length and heat exchange area, ensuring that the coolant can uniformly cover the entire heating plate cross-section.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the distribution density of the first and second flow channels gradually decreases along the direction from the center of the disk to the outer periphery.

[0016] To achieve the above technical solution, the flow channels are more densely arranged in the central region of the heating plate, resulting in stronger heat exchange capacity; while in the peripheral region, the flow channels are relatively sparsely arranged. This is because the central region of the heating plate typically has a higher heat load (the outer side of the heating plate exchanges heat with the outside environment, causing its temperature to converge with the lower temperature in the central region), requiring stronger cooling capacity. By adjusting the flow channel density, the radial heat flux density distribution of the heating plate can be further matched, thereby allowing for more precise control of radial temperature uniformity.

[0017] As a preferred embodiment of this application, the disc body includes a cover plate, a base, and a cooling seat arranged sequentially along the first direction. The support cylinder is connected to the side of the cooling seat away from the base. The first flow channel is disposed on the side of the second flow channel facing the support cylinder. The top of the cooling seat is provided with a first fluid groove, and a cover is provided on the first fluid groove. The surface of the cover is flush with the surface of the cooling seat, and a first flow channel is formed between the first fluid groove and the cover. A second fluid groove is provided on the bottom wall of the base, and a second flow channel is formed between the second fluid groove and the surfaces of the cooling seat and the cover. A plurality of holes are provided at equal intervals on the outer ring of the cover, and the plurality of holes constitute the connecting channel.

[0018] To achieve the above technical solution, a principle for forming the first and second flow channels is proposed. This processing method, which involves first processing the tank and then adding a cap, is simple, eliminates the need for an integral molding process, effectively reduces costs, and ensures high precision to guarantee the uniformity of the radial flow of the liquid.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment of this application, it further includes: an adsorption mechanism for adsorbing and fixing the product onto the cover plate, the adsorption mechanism including a plurality of adsorption grooves arranged alternately on the cover plate, an adsorption channel disposed in the disc body, and an adsorption tube disposed in the support cylinder, the adsorption channel, the adsorption grooves and the adsorption tube being interconnected.

[0020] To achieve the above technical solution, during operation, the adsorption mechanism evacuates the adsorption tank through the adsorption channel, creating a negative pressure within the tank. This ensures the wafer is flat and firmly adsorbed and fixed onto the cover plate, preventing displacement during heating or processing. This solution integrates the adsorption mechanism, improving the applicability of the heating plate. Furthermore, the adsorption mechanism is formed by machining grooves within the cover plate, eliminating the need for additional physical structures and further enhancing the integration of the heating plate.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment of this application, it further includes an air curtain mechanism, which includes: an air curtain channel disposed within the cover plate, the air curtain channel extending from the center of the cover plate outwards; an air inlet pipe disposed within the support cylinder, one end of the air inlet pipe communicating with the air curtain channel; air blowing holes disposed within the cover plate and spaced apart along the periphery of the cover plate; and an air guide ring disposed within the periphery of the cover plate, the air guide ring being spaced apart from the air blowing holes, the air guide ring having a guide surface on the side of the cover plate near the side wall, the guide surface being inclined away from the center of the cover plate in the direction away from the disc body.

[0022] To achieve the above technical solution, during operation, the external blowing mechanism simultaneously delivers gas (such as inert gases like nitrogen) to each blowing hole through the air inlet pipe and air curtain channel. The high-speed airflow exits from the blowing hole and enters the space between the guide ring and the blowing hole. Then, guided by the guide surface, the airflow changes direction, forming a uniform airflow that is blown upwards and outwards. Ultimately, this forms a ring-shaped, outwardly expanding, trumpet-shaped air curtain around the wafer and cover plate, effectively reducing the amount of external particles and reaction byproducts floating into the reaction area above the wafer, thus ensuring the purity and uniformity of the thin film deposition process. This solution further integrates the function of the air curtain, further improving the system's integration and enhancing the applicability of the heating plate.

[0023] As a preferred embodiment of this application, a plurality of gas grooves are provided on the bottom wall of the cover plate, and gas covers are provided on the gas grooves, forming the air curtain channel between the gas grooves and the gas covers.

[0024] The above technical solution facilitates processing and ensures that the air curtain channel, the aforementioned cooling channel, and the adsorption channel are each set up independently and do not interfere with each other, thus ensuring that each functional module can work independently and stably.

[0025] The present invention provides a thin film deposition apparatus, including a heating plate and a deposition chamber, wherein the heating plate is disposed in the deposition chamber and a spray head is disposed above the heating plate.

[0026] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: 1. The flow path of "center inlet → bottom first layer circular outward diffusion → outer layer annular holes uniformly rising → top second layer circular inward recirculation → center outlet" cleverly utilizes axial space to achieve the integration of a double-layer cooling channel without increasing the radial dimension of the heating plate, resulting in higher integration. The coolant enters from the center with the lowest temperature and diffuses uniformly outward in the lower first channel for the first heat exchange. As the coolant temperature rises, it enters the upper second channel uniformly through the connecting channels distributed around the periphery. At this point, it flows radially inward uniformly for the second heat exchange in the higher-temperature central area. This double-layer reverse flow design makes the heat exchange intensity uniform throughout the radial direction of the plate, effectively compensating for the differences in cooling capacity caused by the coolant temperature rise along the path, and greatly improving the uniformity of cooling across the entire plate surface.

[0027] 2. By integrating heating, air curtain channel, adsorption and cooling functions into a single heating plate without significantly altering the overall size, the system achieves a very high degree of integration. Furthermore, the heating plate boasts comprehensive functions and greater applicability.

[0028] 3. An external blowing mechanism simultaneously delivers gas (such as inert gases like nitrogen) to each blowing hole through an air curtain channel. The high-speed airflow exits the blowing hole and enters the space between the guide ring and the cover plate. Then, guided by the guide surface, the airflow changes direction, forming a uniform airflow that is blown upwards and outwards. This ultimately forms a ring-shaped, outwardly expanding, trumpet-shaped air curtain around the wafer and cover plate, effectively reducing the amount of external particles and reaction byproducts floating into the reaction area above the wafer, thus ensuring the purity and uniformity of the thin film deposition process. Attached Figure Description

[0029] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of Embodiment 1 of this application. Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of Embodiment 1 of this application. Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the front and side views of Embodiment 1 of this application. Figure 4 This is an exploded view from the reverse side in Embodiment 1 of this application. Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the cooling seat in Embodiment 1 of this application. Figure 6 This is a cross-sectional view of the base in Embodiment 1 of this application. Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of Embodiment 1 of this application. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the adsorption mechanism in Embodiment 1 of this application. Figure 9 This is a partial enlarged view of part A in Embodiment 1 of this application. Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of Embodiment 2 of this application. Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view of Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0030] Figure label: 1. Disc body; 11. Cover plate; 111. Gas tank; 112. Gas cover; 12. Base; 121. Second fluid tank; 122. Insertion slot; 13. Cooling base; 131. First fluid tank; 132. Sealing cover; 100. Support cylinder; 2. Adsorption mechanism; 21. Adsorption tank; 22. Adsorption channel; 23. Adsorption tube; 3. Heating mechanism; 31. Heater; 40. Cooling mechanism; 411. First flow channel; 4111. First annular flow channel section; 4112. First radial flow channel section; 412. Second flow channel; 4121. Second annular flow channel section; 4122. Second radial flow channel section; 413. Connecting channel; 414. Liquid inlet channel; 414a. Clearance channel; 415. Liquid outlet channel; 416. Liquid inlet pipe; 417. Liquid outlet pipe; 5. Air curtain mechanism; 51. Air blowing hole; 52. Air curtain channel; 53. Air guide ring; 531. Guide surface; 54. Air inlet pipe; 6. Sedimentation chamber; 7. Spray head. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1 to 11 This application will be described in further detail. Example 1

[0032] refer to Figures 1 to 6 This application discloses a heating plate, including a plate body 1 and a support cylinder 100. For ease of description, the axial direction of the plate body is defined as the first direction Z (as shown in the Z-axis direction in the figure). The plate body 1 is used to support and heat the wafer, and the support cylinder 100 is connected below the plate body 1 to support the plate body 1 and accommodate various pipes. A double-layer cooling mechanism 40 is provided inside the plate body 1.

[0033] Specifically, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6The cooling mechanism 40 includes a first flow channel 411 and a second flow channel 412 spaced apart along a first direction Z, both configured to diffuse from the center outwards. A connecting channel 413 for interconnection is provided on the outer periphery of the first flow channel 411 and the second flow channel 412. An inlet pipe 416 and an outlet pipe 417 are provided at the center of the plate body 1, both integrated inside the support cylinder 100, making the entire heating plate structure more compact and avoiding bulky volume caused by excessive external piping. The inlet pipe 416 is connected to the center of the first flow channel 411 via an inlet channel 414, and the outlet pipe 417 is connected to the center of the second flow channel 412 via an outlet channel 415. The connecting channel 413 is located on the outer periphery inside the plate body 1 to connect the outer periphery of the first flow channel 411 with the outer periphery of the second flow channel 412.

[0034] In terms of fluid path design, this scheme adopts a unique path of "center inlet, bottom diffusion, outer layer rise, and top recirculation," as follows: During operation, the coolant enters the center of the first flow channel 411 from the inlet pipe 416, and then diffuses evenly radially outwards along the first flow channel 411, undergoing the first heat exchange with the disk body 1 during this process. When the coolant reaches the outermost periphery of the first flow channel 411, it enters the outer periphery of the second flow channel 412 evenly through the connecting channel 413 (in this embodiment, holes distributed in a circumferential ring) located on the outer periphery. Next, the coolant flows in the reverse direction in the second flow channel 412, that is, it flows evenly back from the periphery to the center of the disk body 1, undergoing the second heat exchange with the disk body 1 during this process. Finally, the coolant flows out from the center of the second flow channel 412 and is discharged through the outlet pipe 417.

[0035] This flow path, characterized by "central liquid inlet → bottom first layer circular outward diffusion → outer layer annular holes uniformly rising → top second layer circular inward recirculation → central outflow," cleverly utilizes axial space to achieve the integration of a double-layer cooling channel without increasing the radial dimension of the heating plate, resulting in higher integration. The coolant enters from the lowest temperature center and diffuses uniformly outward in the lower first channel 411 for the first heat exchange. As the coolant temperature rises, it enters the upper second channel 412 uniformly through the outer annular connecting channels 413, where it flows radially inward uniformly for a second heat exchange in the higher-temperature central region. This double-layer reverse flow design ensures consistent heat exchange intensity throughout the radial direction of the plate 1, effectively compensating for differences in cooling capacity caused by the coolant's temperature rise along the flow path and significantly improving the uniformity of cooling across the entire plate surface.

[0036] Furthermore, the coolant enters from the center, where the temperature is lowest, and diffuses evenly outward in the first flow channel 411 of the lower layer for the first heat exchange. At this time, the heat exchange is synchronous and uniformly diffused outward from the center, with the heat zones evenly circumferentially outward, minimizing the temperature difference between different areas. Because the support cylinder 100 is connected to the disk 1, the center of the disk 11 is covered, resulting in slower heat dissipation, while the edges of the disk 1 are exposed and dissipate heat quickly. This allows the coolant to dissipate heat faster than the center even when it reaches the edge, further reducing the temperature difference between the edge and the center of the disk 1 and ensuring uniformity. As the coolant temperature rises, it enters the second flow channel 412 of the upper layer evenly through the annular connecting channels on the outer periphery. At this time, it flows back evenly radially inward. The second flow channel 412 is closer to the heater, allowing it to continue to perform efficient heat exchange, thus performing a second heat exchange on the higher-temperature central area. This double-layer reverse flow design makes the heat exchange intensity uniform throughout the radial direction of the disk 1, effectively compensating for the differences in cooling capacity caused by the coolant's temperature rise along the flow path, and greatly improving the uniformity of cooling across the entire disk surface.

[0037] Understandably, from the perspective of heat load distribution, the outer wall of the heating plate is exposed to the deposition chamber environment, where it undergoes thermal radiation and convection heat transfer with the relatively low-temperature chamber environment, causing heat to dissipate outward from the edge area. Conversely, the central area of ​​the heating plate is surrounded by materials, resulting in a longer heat dissipation path and easier heat accumulation. Therefore, under the same heating power, the temperature in the edge area tends to be lower, while the temperature in the central area tends to be higher. This necessitates the strongest cooling capacity to compensate. Placing the inlet in the center means that the coolant with the lowest temperature first exchanges heat with the central area, which has the highest heat load. This precise allocation of cooling capacity ensures a spatial match between cooling capacity and heat load requirements—the area most in need of cooling receives the strongest cooling.

[0038] If an edge-inlet design is adopted, the coolant will first cool the edge area with a lower heat load when it flows in at the lowest initial temperature. By the time it reaches the center, the temperature has increased and the cooling capacity has decreased, but it still has to deal with the center area with the highest heat load. This will inevitably lead to insufficient cooling in the center and excessive cooling at the edges, exacerbating temperature unevenness.

[0039] After entering the first flow channel 411 from the center, the coolant diffuses radially and uniformly outwards along the channel. During this process, the coolant continuously absorbs heat, its temperature gradually increases, and its heat exchange capacity gradually decreases. Simultaneously, from the perspective of heat load distribution, as the coolant diffuses from the center outwards, the heat load corresponding to its radial position gradually decreases—the central region has the highest heat load, while the areas near the edges have lower heat loads due to heat dissipation from the outside. This synchronous change of "gradually increasing coolant temperature (decreasing cooling capacity)" and "gradually decreasing radial heat load (decreasing cooling demand)" forms a perfect match: in the central region, the coolant temperature is lowest and the cooling capacity is strongest, handling the largest heat load; in the outer peripheral region, the coolant temperature has increased and the cooling capacity has weakened, just enough to handle the smaller heat load. This synchronous change avoids a spatial mismatch between cooling capacity and cooling demand, making the actual heat exchange at each radial point tend to be balanced.

[0040] When the coolant flows to the outermost periphery of the first flow channel 411, it enters the outer periphery of the second flow channel 412 through the connecting channel 413. The ingenuity of this "peripheral rise" design lies in the fact that the temperature distribution state established by the coolant during the radial diffusion process is completely preserved and transferred to the upper flow channel.

[0041] After entering the second flow channel 412, the coolant begins to flow back evenly from the periphery to the center. During this process, the coolant undergoes a second heat exchange with the disk 1. As the coolant flows back from the outer periphery to the center, the area it passes through gradually transitions from a lower heat load to a higher heat load. Although the overall temperature of the coolant is already high at this time, the temperature distribution is still lower than the disk temperature. This distribution allows the coolant to retain a certain cooling capacity when flowing to the central area, enabling a second heat exchange compensation for the central area with the highest heat load. At the same time, the temperature of the coolant also gradually increases from the outer periphery to the center. At this time, the coolant in the first flow channel 411 is cold in the middle and hot in the outside, while the coolant in the second flow channel 412 is hot in the middle and cold in the outside, which can compensate for each other, thereby ensuring the cooling control of the disk 1.

[0042] In other words, if only the lower layer performs a single diffusion heat exchange, the central region, while receiving the strongest initial cooling, may still be insufficient to fully balance its heat load, or may lead to overcooling in the central region. The secondary heat exchange through upper-layer recirculation is equivalent to "cooling enhancement" and "cooling complementarity" for the central region, further compensating for its heat load requirements. The coolant is finally discharged from the outlet channel 415 at the center of the plate 1 via the outlet pipe 417. At this point, the coolant has completed two heat exchanges, and its outlet temperature reflects the average effect of the entire heat exchange process.

[0043] Reference Figures 3 to 4The disk body 1 includes a cover plate 11, a base 12, and a cooling seat 13 arranged sequentially along the first direction Z. A support cylinder 100 is connected to the side of the cooling seat 13 away from the base 12. The top of the cooling seat 13 is provided with a first fluid groove 131, and a cover 132 is provided on the first fluid groove 131. The surface of the cover 132 is flush with the surface of the cooling seat 13, and a first flow channel 411 is formed between the first fluid groove 131 and the cover 132. A second fluid groove 121 is provided on the bottom wall of the base 12, and a second flow channel 412 is formed between the second fluid groove 121 and the surfaces of the cooling seat 13 and the cover 132. A plurality of holes are provided at equal intervals on the outer ring of the cover 132, and the plurality of holes constitute a connecting channel 413.

[0044] To achieve the above technical solution, a principle for forming the first flow channel 411 and the second flow channel 412 is proposed. This processing method, which involves processing the tank first and then adding the cap 132, is simple, does not require an integral molding process, can effectively reduce costs, and has high precision to ensure the uniformity of the radial flow of the liquid.

[0045] Further reference Figure 5 and Figure 6 In order to achieve a more compact spatial layout, such as Figure 4 As shown, this embodiment employs a unique stepped design for the inlet channel 414 and the outlet channel 415. Specifically, the outlet channel 415 is located inside the first flow channel 411, and the inlet channel 414 is located below the outlet channel 415. The inlet pipe 416 connects to the lower part of the inlet channel 414, and the outlet pipe 417 connects to the lower part of the outlet channel 415. This layout allows the inlet flow channel, composed of the inlet pipe 416, the inlet channel 414, and the first flow channel 411, to stack with the outlet flow channel, composed of the outlet pipe 417, the outlet channel 415, and the second flow channel 412, in the first direction Z without interfering with each other. This stepped stacking layout not only ensures that the functions of the inlet and outlet flow channels are independent and do not affect each other, but also makes the space utilization of the entire cooling mechanism extremely compact. More importantly, this compact layout allows the inlet pipe 416 and outlet pipe 417 to be perfectly integrated into the support cylinder 100, thus ensuring that the overall size of the heating plate will not be too large due to the exposed pipes, avoiding affecting the overall layout and use of the equipment.

[0046] It is understandable that the liquid inlet channel 414, liquid outlet channel 415, and the first flow channel 411 being on the same plane means that, along the thickness direction of the disk body 1, i.e., the first direction Z, they will only occupy the size of the thickest flow channel, minimizing the encroachment on the space of the disk body 1 and improving integration. In some embodiments, the thickness of the three is the same, and the upper and lower surfaces overlap. In this way, the cooling medium entering the liquid inlet channel 414 can radiate from the center to the periphery along the annular structure and then diffuse to the first flow channel 411. Similarly, the cooling medium from the second flow channel 412 can converge from the periphery to the center and finally flow into the liquid outlet channel 415, achieving uniform diffusion while effectively improving integration.

[0047] Understandably, due to size limitations, the inlet channel 414 and outlet channel 415 are arranged in a ring shape. Although this reduces the axial space occupied, it inevitably occupies more radial space. The diameter of the support cylinder 100 is fixed by standard requirements. If the diameter of the inlet channel 414 is large and a connecting hole is opened along the axial direction, the connecting hole may be outside the coverage surface of the support cylinder 100 and the disk body 1. In this case, it would be difficult to integrate the inlet pipe 416 into the support cylinder 100. Therefore, an avoidance channel 414a is designed. One end of the avoidance channel 414a is connected to the inlet channel 414, and the other end extends towards the center of the disk body 1 and then connects to the inlet pipe 416. In this way, it is equivalent to moving the opening of the inlet channel 414 a certain distance towards the center of the disk body 1. This allows for better integration and installation of the inlet pipe 416 and improves the overall system integration.

[0048] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 To further optimize the fluid distribution and heat dissipation uniformity of the cooling channels, in this embodiment, the first channel 411 and the second channel 412 can be designed as a mesh structure. For example, the first channel 411 includes a plurality of first annular channel portions 4111 arranged radially along the heating plate, and a plurality of first radial channel portions 4112 for connecting adjacent first annular channel portions 4111. Similarly, the second channel 412 includes a plurality of second annular channel portions 4121 arranged radially along the heating plate, and a plurality of second radial channel portions 4122 for connecting adjacent second annular channel portions 4121. This structure increases the channel length and heat exchange area, ensuring that the coolant can uniformly cover the entire cross-section of the heating plate.

[0049] refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6In some preferred embodiments, the distribution density of the first flow channel 411 and the second flow channel 412 can be set to gradually decrease from the center of the disk 1 to the outer periphery. That is, the flow channels are more densely arranged in the central region of the heating disk, resulting in stronger heat exchange capacity; while in the edge region, the flow channels are relatively sparsely arranged. This is because the central region of the heating disk usually has a larger heat load (the outer side of the heating disk exchanges heat with the outside, resulting in a lower temperature on its outer side compared to the central region), requiring stronger cooling capacity. By adjusting the flow channel density, the radial heat flux density distribution of the heating disk can be further matched, thereby more precisely controlling the radial temperature uniformity.

[0050] refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 To facilitate manufacturing and ensure uniform fluid flow, the disc body 1 also includes a base 12 and a cooling seat 13 arranged sequentially in a direction away from the cover plate 11. An insert groove 122 is provided on the top of the base 12 for mounting the heater 31.

[0051] refer to Figure 7 In order to achieve reliable fixation of the wafer, an adsorption mechanism 2 is also provided. The adsorption mechanism 2 is used to adsorb and fix the product on the cover plate 11. The adsorption mechanism 2 includes several adsorption grooves 21 arranged in an alternating manner on the cover plate 11, an adsorption channel 22 arranged in the disk body 1, and an adsorption tube 23 arranged in the support cylinder 100. The adsorption channel 21, the adsorption groove 22 and the adsorption tube 23 are interconnected.

[0052] The adsorption tank 21 can be in the form of a grid or a combination of concentric rings and radial grooves. The outlet of the adsorption channel 22 is used to connect to an external negative pressure mechanism (such as a vacuum pump). During operation, the adsorption mechanism 2 evacuates air from the adsorption tank 21 through the adsorption channel 22, creating a negative pressure inside the adsorption tank 21, thereby flattening and firmly adsorbing and fixing the wafer onto the cover plate 11, preventing it from shifting during heating or processing.

[0053] Back Figure 3 and Figure 4 The heating mechanism 3 is used to heat the cover plate 11 to reach the required process temperature. In this embodiment, the heating mechanism 3 includes a heater 31 (e.g., an electric heating tube or a water heating tube) disposed in the disc 1 below the cover plate 11. Preferably, as shown in the figure, the disc 1 has an embedding groove 122, and the heater 31 is embedded in the embedding groove 122. This embedded flat design allows the heater 31 to simultaneously heat the cover plate 11 at multiple points on the cross-section, and then, through the heat conduction of the cover plate 11 itself, ensures the uniformity of the temperature on the top surface of the cover plate 11, improving heat conduction efficiency and temperature response speed.

[0054] Please see Figure 8 and Figure 9It also includes an air curtain mechanism 5, which includes: an air curtain channel 52, which is disposed inside the cover plate 11 and extends from the center of the cover plate 11 to the surrounding area; an air inlet pipe 54, which is disposed inside the support cylinder 100 and one end of the air inlet pipe 54 is connected to the air curtain channel 52; an air blowing hole 51, which is disposed in the cover plate 11 and is provided at intervals along the periphery of the cover plate 11; and an air guide ring 53, which is disposed on the periphery of the cover plate 11 and is provided at intervals between the air guide ring 53 and the air blowing hole 51. The air guide ring 53 is provided with a guide surface 531 on the side of the cover plate 11 near the side wall. The guide surface 531 is inclined in the direction away from the disk body 1 and towards the direction away from the center of the cover plate 11.

[0055] In this embodiment, several gas grooves 111 are formed on the bottom wall of the disc 1 below the cover plate 11, and then an air cover 112 is covered on the gas grooves 111, thereby forming a sealed air curtain channel 52 between the gas grooves 111 and the air cover 112. The inlet of the air curtain channel 52 can be connected to an external blowing mechanism (such as an air pump) through a pipe.

[0056] The air guide ring 53 maintains a certain distance from the side wall of the cover plate 11, forming an annular airflow buffer space. The side of the air guide ring 53 closest to the side wall of the cover plate 11 is provided with a guide surface 531. The guide surface 531 is inclined in the direction away from the disk body 1 (i.e. upward) and away from the side wall of the cover plate 11 (i.e. outward), forming a funnel shape.

[0057] During operation, the external blowing mechanism simultaneously delivers gas (such as inert gas like nitrogen) to each blowing hole 51 through the air curtain channel 52. The high-speed airflow exits from the blowing holes 51 and enters the space between the guide ring 53 and the sidewall of the cover plate 11. Then, guided by the guide surface 531, the airflow changes direction, forming a uniform airflow that is blown upwards and outwards, ultimately forming a ring-shaped, outwardly expanding trumpet-shaped air curtain around the wafer and the cover plate 11. This effectively reduces the amount of external particles and reaction byproducts floating into the reaction area above the wafer, thereby ensuring the purity and uniformity of the thin film deposition process.

[0058] It should be noted that the air curtain channel 52 is independently set up with the aforementioned cooling channels (first channel 411, second channel 412) and adsorption channel 22, and does not interfere with each other, ensuring that each functional module can work independently and stably.

[0059] By integrating heating, air curtain, adsorption, and cooling functions into a single heating plate without significantly altering the overall size, the system boasts a high degree of integration and comprehensive functionality, making it more versatile. Example 2 refer to Figure 10 and Figure 11This invention also provides a thin film deposition apparatus, which includes a deposition chamber 6 and a heating plate as described in Embodiment 1, installed inside the deposition chamber 6. Inside the deposition chamber 6, a spray head 7 is disposed above the heating plate for uniformly spraying reactive gases onto the wafer placed on the heating plate. By employing the aforementioned heating plate, which possesses high uniformity temperature control, high integration, and cleanliness protection capabilities, this thin film deposition apparatus can significantly improve the thickness uniformity, compositional consistency, and overall process yield of the deposited thin film on the wafer.

[0060] The implementation principle of the heating plate and thin film deposition apparatus provided by this invention is as follows: Through a unique double-layer reverse cooling channel design, efficient utilization of axial space is achieved. The coolant flows along the path of "center inlet → bottom first layer circular outward diffusion → outer layer annular hole uniform rise → top second layer circular inward return → center outflow", which greatly improves the uniformity of cooling. At the same time, by setting the cooling channel, air curtain channel 52 and adsorption channel 22 independently, it is ensured that each functional module does not interfere with each other and can work independently and stably. With the optimized channel density distribution, reliable vacuum adsorption and effective active air curtain protection, the problems of uneven cooling, insufficient temperature control accuracy, low integration and susceptibility to contamination in the prior art are effectively solved, which greatly improves the thermal uniformity of the heating plate and the cleanliness of the process environment, and meets the stringent requirements of high-end thin film deposition processes.

[0061] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A heating plate having a first direction (Z), characterized in that, It includes a disc body (1) and a support cylinder (100), wherein a cooling mechanism (40) is provided inside the disc body (1), and the cooling mechanism (40) includes: The first flow channel (411) and the second flow channel (412) are arranged at intervals along the first direction (Z), and both the first flow channel (411) and the second flow channel (412) are configured to diffuse from the center to the periphery. The inlet pipe (416) and the outlet pipe (417) are connected to the center of the first flow channel (411) and the outlet pipe (417) is connected to the center of the second flow channel (412). A connecting channel (413) is provided on the outer circumference inside the disk body (1) to connect the first flow channel (411) and the second flow channel (412); The medium enters the center of the first flow channel (411) and diffuses outwards, enters the second channel through the connecting channel (413), then flows back to the center of the second flow channel (412), and finally flows out through the outlet pipe (417).

2. The heating plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cooling mechanism (40) further includes an inlet channel (414) and an outlet channel (415). Both the inlet channel (414) and the outlet channel (415) are annular. The outlet channel (415) is located within the area enclosed by the inlet channel (414). The inlet channel (414), the outlet channel (415), and the first flow channel (411) are on the same plane. It also includes a clearance channel (414a), which is located on the side of the liquid inlet channel (414) near the support cylinder (100). One end of the clearance channel (414a) is connected to the liquid inlet channel (414), and the other end extends toward the center of the disc (1) and is connected to the liquid inlet pipe (416).

3. The heating plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first flow channel (411) includes a plurality of first annular flow channel portions (4111) arranged radially along the heating plate, and a plurality of first radial flow channel portions (4112) for mutual communication are arranged between adjacent first annular flow channel portions (4111).

4. The heating plate according to claim 3, characterized in that: The second flow channel (412) includes a plurality of second annular flow channel portions (4121) arranged radially along the heating plate, and a plurality of second radial flow channel portions (4122) for mutual communication are arranged between adjacent second annular flow channel portions (4121).

5. The heating plate according to claim 4, characterized in that: The distribution density of the first flow channel (411) and the second flow channel (412) gradually decreases from the center of the disk (1) to the outer periphery.

6. The heating plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The disc body (1) includes a cover plate (11), a base (12) and a cooling seat (13) arranged sequentially along the first direction (Z). The support cylinder (100) is connected to the side of the cooling seat (13) away from the base (12). The first flow channel (411) is arranged on the side of the second flow channel (412) facing the support cylinder (100). The cooling base (13) has a first fluid groove (131) on its top, and a cover (132) is provided on the first fluid groove (131). The surface of the cover (132) is flush with the surface of the cooling base (13), and a first flow channel (411) is formed between the first fluid groove (131) and the cover (132). The base (12) has a second fluid groove (121) on its bottom wall, and a second flow channel (412) is formed between the second fluid groove (121) and the surfaces of the cooling base (13) and the cover (132). The cover (132) has several holes evenly spaced on its outer ring, and the holes constitute the connecting channel (413).

7. The heating plate according to any one of claims 6, characterized in that, Also includes: The adsorption mechanism (2) is used to adsorb and fix the product on the cover plate (11). The adsorption mechanism (2) includes a plurality of adsorption grooves (21) arranged in an alternating manner on the cover plate (11), an adsorption channel (22) arranged in the disc body (1), and an adsorption tube (23) arranged in the support cylinder (100). The adsorption channel (22), the adsorption groove (21), and the adsorption tube (23) are interconnected.

8. The heating plate according to claim 7, characterized in that: It also includes an air curtain mechanism (5), which includes: An air curtain channel (52) is provided inside the cover plate (11), and the air curtain channel (52) extends from the center of the cover plate (11) to the surrounding area; An air intake pipe (54) is disposed inside the support cylinder (100), and one end of the air intake pipe (54) is connected to the air curtain channel (52); Air blowing holes (51) are provided on the cover plate (11) and multiple air blowing holes (51) are provided at intervals along the periphery of the cover plate (11); And an air guide ring (53) is provided on the periphery of the cover plate (11). The air guide ring (53) is spaced apart from the air blowing hole. The air guide ring (53) has a guide surface (531) on the side wall of the cover plate (11) and the guide surface (531) is inclined in the direction away from the center of the cover plate (11) along the direction away from the disc body (1).

9. The heating plate according to claim 8, characterized in that: The bottom wall of the cover plate (11) is provided with a plurality of gas grooves (111), and an air cover (112) is provided on the gas grooves (111). The air curtain channel (52) is formed between the gas grooves (111) and the air cover (112).

10. A thin film deposition apparatus, characterized in that: Includes a heating plate as described in any one of claims 1-9, and a deposition chamber (6), wherein the heating plate is disposed in the deposition chamber (6), and a spray head (7) is disposed above the heating plate.

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