A semiconductor device butterfly valve cleaning device and a plasma processing apparatus

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of wafer processing equipment technology, and more particularly to a butterfly valve cleaning device and plasma processing equipment for semiconductor equipment. The device includes a butterfly valve housing, a rotating rod, a valve plate body, and a byproduct removal assembly. The valve plate body is rotatably disposed within the inner cavity of the butterfly valve housing via the rotating rod. The byproduct removal assembly includes a first cleaning component, a second cleaning component, and a third cleaning component. The first cleaning component is connected to a rotary drive component, and the first and third cleaning components are arranged radially. The second cleaning component is arranged axially and its two ends are respectively connected to the first and third cleaning components. By providing a first, second, and third cleaning component directly driven by the rotary drive component and corresponding to the top, circumferential outer wall, and bottom of the valve plate body, this invention can actively and directly physically scrape away the byproduct deposition layer on the surface of the valve plate body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer processing equipment technology, and more particularly to a semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device and a plasma processing device. Background Technology

[0002] In plasma processing equipment for semiconductor manufacturing, the pressure-controlled butterfly valve is a key component for maintaining the vacuum pressure of the process chamber. After prolonged use (e.g., after processing 1000 wafers), byproducts of the process gas gradually deposit on the surface of the valve plate's moving plate. These deposits alter the valve plate's physical properties, affecting not only the stability of pressure control but also, when they accumulate to a certain thickness, affecting the valve plate's opening and causing it to jam. This leads to equipment downtime, requiring vacuum breaking for disassembly and maintenance, severely impacting production efficiency.

[0003] To alleviate this problem, existing technologies typically employ a method of wrapping heating elements (such as heated foam) around the outside of the extraction pipe and valve to reduce the condensation of byproducts on the valve plate. However, this method has limitations: its heat is conducted from the outside in, failing to effectively and directly heat the core moving valve plate itself, resulting in poor removal efficiency; at the same time, to avoid exacerbating the risk of jamming due to excessive temperature difference and uneven expansion between the valve body and valve plate, the external heating temperature is strictly limited to a low level, further restricting the removal efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention relates to a butterfly valve cleaning device for semiconductor equipment and a plasma treatment device. The purpose is to effectively prevent valve plate jamming and pressure runaway caused by the accumulation of by-products by cleaning them in situ and online, thereby improving the stability and production efficiency of equipment operation and avoiding frequent vacuum breaking maintenance.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a butterfly valve cleaning device for semiconductor equipment, comprising a butterfly valve housing, a rotating rod, a valve plate body, and a by-product removal assembly: The valve plate body is rotatably disposed in the inner cavity of the butterfly valve housing via a rotating rod, and there is an adjustable gap between the circumferential outer wall of the valve plate body and the inner side wall of the butterfly valve housing to adjust the butterfly valve opening. The byproduct removal assembly includes a rotary drive component disposed on the valve plate body, and a first cleaning component, a second cleaning component, and a third cleaning component respectively disposed on the top, the circumferential outer wall, and the bottom of the valve plate body; The first cleaning component is connected to the rotary drive component. The first cleaning component and the third cleaning component are arranged radially, and the second cleaning component is arranged axially with its two ends connected to the first cleaning component and the third cleaning component, respectively. The rotary drive component drives the first cleaning component to rotate, thereby causing the second cleaning component and the third cleaning component to rotate synchronously, thereby cleaning the by-products on the top, circumferential outer wall and bottom of the valve plate body.

[0006] Optionally, the circumferential outer wall of the valve plate body is divided into two arc-shaped portions by the rotating rod; The first cleaning component includes two first sub-cleaning components, and the second cleaning component includes two second sub-cleaning components; Two first sub-cleaning components are disposed on the same radial line of the valve plate body. One end of each of the two first sub-cleaning components is disposed on opposite sides of the rotary drive component, and the other end is connected to the two second sub-cleaning components respectively. The two second sub-cleaning components are disposed on the two arc-shaped portions respectively. The rotation angle of the first sub-cleaning component is greater than or equal to 0° and less than or equal to 180°.

[0007] Optionally, the semiconductor device butterfly valve cleaning device further includes a by-product sensor and a control unit. The by-product sensor and the rotary drive are both connected to the control unit. The by-product sensor is used to collect by-product information from the top, circumferential outer wall and bottom of the valve plate body in real time. The control unit compares the by-product information with a preset threshold and controls the rotary drive to drive the first cleaning component to rotate according to the comparison result.

[0008] Optionally, the rotary drive includes: A rotating support is disposed on the top of the valve plate body and connected to the first sub-cleaning component; the rotating support is a ring-shaped structure. A fixed base is provided on the top of the rotating support, and its bottom is provided with a receiving groove communicating with the cavity of the rotating support; A rotary drive unit is fixedly disposed on the top wall of the receiving groove, and the drive end of the rotary drive unit is connected to the rotary support unit to drive the rotary support unit to rotate the first sub-cleaning component.

[0009] Optionally, the rotary drive further includes a first support portion and a second support portion disposed within the receiving groove. The two ends of the first support portion are respectively connected to the drive end of the rotary drive and the rotary support portion, and the two ends of the second support portion are respectively connected to the fixed seat and the valve plate body, so that when the rotary drive drives the rotary support portion to rotate through the first support portion, the fixed seat remains relatively stationary relative to the valve plate body under the limiting effect of the second support portion.

[0010] Optionally, the fixed base, the rotating support, the first cleaning component, the second cleaning component, and the third cleaning component are respectively provided with an annular air channel, an L-shaped air channel, a first air channel, a second air channel, and a third air channel, and the annular air channel, the L-shaped air channel, the first air channel, the second air channel, and the third air channel are connected sequentially; The first cleaning component, the second cleaning component, and the third cleaning component are respectively provided with a first air outlet structure, a second air outlet structure, and a third air outlet structure that communicate with the first air channel, the second air channel, and the third air channel. The fixed base is provided with a blower, and the air outlet of the blower is connected to the annular air channel.

[0011] Optionally, a plasma source is provided on the fixed base, and the outlet of the plasma source is connected to the annular gas channel, so that the plasma generated by the plasma source enters the L-shaped gas channel, the first gas channel, the second gas channel and the third gas channel through the annular gas channel, and acts on the surface of the valve plate body through the first gas outlet structure, the second gas outlet structure and the third gas outlet structure, thereby decomposing the by-products on the surface of the valve plate body.

[0012] Optionally, the cavities of the first, second, and third air outlet structures are all inclined, and the air outlets are all directed toward the valve plate body.

[0013] Optionally, the first cleaning component includes a cleaning body and a scraping cleaning part, wherein the scraping cleaning part is disposed on the symmetrical sidewall of the cleaning body; The scraping and cleaning part includes a contact surface and a scraping and cleaning surface. The contact surface is slidably contacted with the valve plate body. The scraping and cleaning surface is located on the side of the scraping and cleaning part away from the cleaning body, and is connected to the contact surface to form an acute angle structure. The scraping and cleaning surface is an arc-shaped structure and is curved toward the cleaning body.

[0014] Optionally, the semiconductor device butterfly valve cleaning device further includes a main drive unit and a connector. The main drive unit is located outside the butterfly valve housing, and the connector is located on the butterfly valve housing and connects the main drive unit and the rotating rod to transmit the driving force of the main drive unit to rotate the valve plate body inside the butterfly valve housing, thereby adjusting the opening degree of the butterfly valve.

[0015] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a plasma processing device, including a process chamber, a vacuum pump, a vacuum switch valve, a plasma generating element, and the aforementioned semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device. The process chamber and the vacuum pump are connected by a pipeline, the semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device is disposed on the pipeline, the vacuum switch valve is disposed between the semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device and the vacuum pump, and the plasma generating element is disposed in the process chamber.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention, by setting up a first cleaning component, a second cleaning component, and a third cleaning component directly driven by a rotary drive component and fully corresponding to the top, circumferential outer wall, and bottom of the valve plate body, can actively and directly physically scrape off the by-product deposit layer on the surface of the valve plate body. This achieves in-situ, online cleaning of by-products, thereby effectively preventing valve plate body jamming and pressure runaway caused by by-product accumulation, significantly improving the stability and production efficiency of equipment operation, and avoiding frequent vacuum breaking maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a plasma processing device according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a butterfly valve cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the valve plate body and the by-product removal assembly in the butterfly valve cleaning device according to some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the valve plate body and the first cleaning component in the butterfly valve cleaning device of some embodiments of the present invention.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Butterfly valve housing; 2. Main drive unit; 3. Connecting component; 4. Valve plate body; 5. By-product removal assembly; 51. Rotary drive unit; 511. Fixed base; 5111. Annular air passage; 512. Rotary support unit; 5121. L-shaped air passage; 513. Receiving groove; 514. Rotary drive unit; 515. First support unit; 52. First cleaning component; 521. First air passage; 522. First air outlet structure; 523. Cleaning body; 524. Scraping cleaning unit; 53. Second cleaning component; 531. Second air passage; 532. Second air outlet structure; 54. Third cleaning component; 541. Third air passage; 542. Third air outlet structure; 6. Blower unit; 7. Plasma source. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein should have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art. The terms "comprising" and similar expressions used herein mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects.

[0020] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention provide a butterfly valve cleaning device for semiconductor equipment. By cleaning byproducts in situ and online, it effectively prevents valve plate jamming and pressure runaway caused by the accumulation of byproducts, improves the stability of equipment operation and production efficiency, and avoids frequent vacuum breaking maintenance.

[0021] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device includes a butterfly valve housing 1, a rotating rod (unlabeled), a valve plate body 4, and a by-product removal assembly 5.

[0022] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the valve plate body 4 is rotatably disposed in the inner cavity of the butterfly valve housing 1 via a rotating rod, and there is an adjustable butterfly valve opening gap between the circumferential outer wall of the valve plate body 4 and the inner side wall of the butterfly valve housing 1.

[0023] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the byproduct removal assembly 5 includes a rotary drive 51 disposed on the valve plate body 4, and a first cleaning component 52, a second cleaning component 53, and a third cleaning component 54 respectively disposed on the top, the circumferential outer wall, and the bottom of the valve plate body 4.

[0024] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the first cleaning component 52 is connected to the rotary drive component 51. The first cleaning component 52 and the third cleaning component 54 are arranged radially, and the second cleaning component 53 is arranged axially with its two ends connected to the first cleaning component 52 and the third cleaning component 54 respectively. The rotary drive component 51 drives the first cleaning component 52 to rotate, thereby causing the second cleaning component 53 and the third cleaning component 54 to rotate synchronously, thereby cleaning the by-products on the top, circumferential outer wall and bottom of the valve plate body 4.

[0025] This embodiment constructs a fully covered three-dimensional cleaning frame that extends radially from the top, axially through the circumferential outer wall, and then radially from the bottom. By linking the first (radial), third (radial), and second (axial) cleaning components with the rotary drive 51, a cleaning network that can operate independently of the valve plate body 4 can be formed. When the rotary drive 51 is activated, this rigidly connected cleaning frame can synchronously and concentrically rotate and scrape the entire exposed surface (top, circumferential outer wall, and bottom) of the valve plate body 4, thereby achieving efficient and thorough physical removal of byproducts deposited on the complex three-dimensional curved surface. This solves the problem that traditional external cleaning methods cannot reach the bottom surface and slit areas of the valve plate body 4, greatly improving the thoroughness and reliability of the cleaning.

[0026] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the circumferential outer wall of the valve plate body 4 is divided into two arc-shaped portions by the rotating rod; the first cleaning component 52 includes two first sub-cleaning components, and the second cleaning component 53 includes two second sub-cleaning components; the two first sub-cleaning components are disposed on the same radial line of the valve plate body 4, one end of the two first sub-cleaning components is respectively disposed on opposite sides of the rotating drive component 51, and the other end is respectively connected to the two second sub-cleaning components, and the two second sub-cleaning components are disposed on the two arc-shaped portions, and the rotation angle of the first sub-cleaning component is greater than or equal to 0° and less than or equal to 180°.

[0027] This embodiment uses two cleaning components, the first cleaning component 52 and the second cleaning component 53, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the rotary drive component 51 and within the two arc-shaped portions. This allows the entire cleaning assembly to apply uniform cleaning force synchronously and symmetrically to the two semi-circular arc-shaped outer walls of the valve plate body 4 from the center point (where the rotary drive component 51 is installed) during operation. This symmetrical design not only ensures structural balance and stability during rotary drive, avoiding component vibration or wear caused by uneven force, but also ensures that byproducts on the surfaces of the two arc-shaped portions can be removed simultaneously and equally, without any cleaning dead angles. Simultaneously, the rotation angle of the first cleaning component is limited to within 180 degrees, allowing it to completely cover the surface area of ​​the valve plate body 4 it is responsible for during reciprocating rotation.

[0028] In one embodiment, the third cleaning member 54 is a strip-shaped structure, and the length of the strip-shaped structure is required to cover the bottom plate of the valve plate body 4, so that the rotation of the third cleaning member 54 can remove the by-products deposited on the bottom plate of the valve plate body 4.

[0029] In one embodiment, the semiconductor device butterfly valve cleaning device further includes a by-product sensor and a control unit. The by-product sensor and the rotary drive 51 are both connected to the control unit. The by-product sensor is used to collect by-product information from the top, circumferential outer wall and bottom of the valve plate body 4 in real time. The control unit compares the by-product information with a preset threshold and controls the rotary drive 51 to drive the first cleaning member 52 to rotate according to the comparison result.

[0030] This upgrades passive or scheduled cleaning to on-demand, intelligent proactive cleaning. By introducing byproduct sensors and controllers to form a closed-loop control system, the deposition status of byproducts on the valve plate surface (such as thickness and area) can be monitored in real time. When the deposition amount reaches a preset cleaning trigger threshold, the controller automatically activates the rotary drive 51 to perform the cleaning operation, achieving precise and efficient preventive maintenance. This not only avoids the energy consumption and wear caused by ineffective cleaning when the deposit is too thin, but more importantly, it prevents cleaning difficulties or even valve plate jamming caused by excessively thick deposits. Thus, it intervenes in time before byproducts affect equipment performance, maximizing cleaning effectiveness while optimizing equipment operating efficiency and maintenance cycles.

[0031] In one embodiment, the preset threshold can be a specific deposit thickness value, a percentage of coverage area, or a change in sensor signal strength. For example, the thickness threshold can be set as the minimum safe deposit thickness (e.g., tens to hundreds of micrometers) to prevent the valve plate from jamming; the coverage threshold can be set as the critical percentage of the valve plate surface covered by by-products (e.g., 20%-30%); and the signal strength threshold can be set based on the reading range of optical or capacitive sensors. The controller compares the real-time information collected by the by-product sensor with the preset threshold. When the threshold is reached or exceeded, a cleaning action is triggered, thereby achieving precise and on-demand preventative maintenance.

[0032] In one embodiment, the by-product sensing element can be an optical sensor, a capacitive sensor, or an infrared thermal imager. The optical sensor (e.g., a laser rangefinder or spectral sensor) can indirectly determine the by-product deposition thickness by monitoring changes in the light reflectivity of the valve plate body 4 surface; the capacitive sensor can detect changes in capacitance caused by variations in the dielectric constant of the deposit, thereby sensing the presence and accumulation of the deposit; and the infrared thermal imager can identify the distribution area of ​​the by-product by utilizing the difference in thermal radiation between the deposit and the substrate material of the valve plate body 4. These sensors convert the collected signals (such as light intensity, capacitance, and temperature distribution) into by-product information (such as thickness and coverage) and feed it back to the control unit, thereby achieving real-time, non-contact online monitoring.

[0033] In one embodiment, the controller can be a programmable logic controller, a microprocessor, or an embedded system. These controllers receive electrical signals from the by-product sensor and, through built-in algorithms (such as comparators or PID control logic), compare the collected by-product information with preset thresholds for thickness, coverage, etc., in real time. When data exceeds the threshold, the controller automatically generates and sends control commands to precisely drive the rotary drive 51 (such as a stepper motor or servo motor) to start, thereby causing the cleaning component to perform a rotary cleaning action at a specified angle, speed, or duration.

[0034] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the rotary drive 51 includes a rotary support 512, a fixed base 511, and a rotary drive 514.

[0035] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the rotating support part 512 is disposed on the top of the valve plate body 4 and connected to the first sub-cleaning component. The rotating support part 512 is a hollow cylindrical structure (which can be understood as its cavity being open from top to bottom). The fixed seat 511 is disposed on the top of the rotating support part 512, and its bottom is provided with a receiving groove 513 communicating with the cavity of the rotating support part 512. The rotating drive part 514 is fixedly disposed on the top wall of the receiving groove 513, and the driving end of the rotating drive part 514 is connected to the rotating support part 512 to drive the rotating support part 512 to drive the first sub-cleaning component to rotate.

[0036] In this embodiment, the annular rotating support 512 provides a rigid base for stable connection with multiple first sub-cleaning components, ensuring uniform transmission of driving force. The receiving groove 513 embeds the rotating drive unit 514 into the bottom of the fixed base 511, fully utilizing the axial space above the valve plate and achieving a compact encapsulation of the drive components. This layout fixes the stator portion of the rotating drive unit 514 (such as a motor) relative to the valve plate body 4 via the fixed base 511, while the output shaft (drive end) connects to and drives the rotating support 512, thereby precisely and efficiently transmitting rotational motion to the rigidly connected first sub-cleaning components, ultimately driving the entire cleaning frame to rotate. The entire structure is stable and compact, and the fixed installation of the drive components avoids cable entanglement problems caused by rotation.

[0037] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the rotary drive 51 further includes a first support portion 515 and a second support portion disposed in the receiving groove 513. The two ends of the first support portion 515 are respectively connected to the drive end of the rotary drive portion 514 and the rotary support portion 512. The two ends of the second support portion are respectively connected to the fixed seat 511 and the valve plate body 4, so that when the rotary drive portion 514 drives the rotary support portion 512 to rotate through the first support portion 515, the fixed seat 511 remains relatively stationary relative to the valve plate body 4 under the limiting effect of the second support portion.

[0038] This embodiment cleverly achieves the isolation of power transmission and structural support of the driving component through the division of labor between the first support part 515 and the second support part. The first support part 515 is responsible for transmitting the rotational power generated by the rotary drive part 514 (such as a motor) to the rotary support part 512, thereby driving the cleaning component. At the same time, the second support part directly connects the fixed seat 511 to the valve plate body 4 fixed below within the receiving groove 513, providing an independent static support for the entire rotary drive component 51 (including the fixed seat 511 and the rotary drive part 514) that does not rotate with the rotary support part 512. In this way, when the rotary support part 512 rotates with the cleaning component, the fixed seat 511 can remain stationary relative to the valve plate body 4 under the rigid limit of the second support part, thereby effectively preventing the air passages, circuits, etc. connected to the rotating component from becoming entangled or excessively twisted, greatly improving the structural stability and operational reliability of the device.

[0039] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3As shown, the fixed base 511, the rotating support 512, the first cleaning member 52, the second cleaning member 53, and the third cleaning member 54 are respectively provided with an annular air channel 5111, an L-shaped air channel 5121, a first air channel 521, a second air channel 531, and a third air channel 541, and the annular air channel 5111, the L-shaped air channel 5121, the first air channel 521, the second air channel 531, and the third air channel 541 are sequentially connected; the first cleaning member 52, the second cleaning member 53, and the third cleaning member 54 are also respectively provided with a first air outlet structure 522, a second air outlet structure 532, and a third air outlet structure 542 that communicate with the first air channel 521, the second air channel 531, and the third air channel 541; the fixed base 511 is provided with a blower 6, and the air outlet of the blower 6 is connected to the annular air channel 5111.

[0040] This embodiment constructs an integrated gas delivery and distribution system that runs through the entire cleaning assembly. The airflow blown out by the blower unit 6 originates from the fixed base 511, passes through the annular air channel 5111 and the L-shaped air channel 5121, and is then branched into the radial first air channel 521, the third air channel 541, and the axial second air channel 531, finally being ejected from the air outlet structure on each cleaning component, forming an "airway network" covering the top, outer wall, and bottom of the valve plate body 4. This system can precisely guide and deliver the airflow generated by the blower unit 6 to the working surface of each cleaning component, so that the cleaning process is not limited to physical scraping, but can also simultaneously perform airflow purging, thereby effectively blowing away loose sediment particles and assisting in the peeling of stubborn sediments, realizing the coordinated operation of mechanical cleaning and gas cleaning.

[0041] In one embodiment, the second, third, and first air outlet structures can all be jet holes or micropore arrays. These jet holes or micropore arrays are connected to their respective internal air channels, and their aperture, number, and arrangement are designed to ensure that the airflow delivered from the blower or plasma source can act directly on the surface of the valve plate body 4 in the corresponding area in a uniform, concentrated manner with a specific impact angle, thereby achieving effective purging of by-products.

[0042] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3As shown, a plasma source 7 is provided on the fixed base 511, and the outlet of the plasma source 7 is connected to the annular gas channel 5111, so that the plasma generated by the plasma source 7 enters the L-shaped gas channel 5121, the first gas channel 521, the second gas channel 531, and the third gas channel 541 through the annular gas channel 5111, and acts on the surface of the valve plate body 4 through the first gas outlet structure 522, the second gas outlet structure 532, and the third gas outlet structure 542, thereby decomposing the by-products on the surface of the valve plate body 4. This deep integration of plasma active cleaning and mechanical cleaning structures achieves highly efficient chemical decomposition of stubborn deposits.

[0043] By integrating the plasma source 7 onto the mounting base 511, the generated active plasma can be precisely delivered and evenly distributed to all areas to be cleaned on the surface of the valve plate body 4 via the aforementioned interconnected gas path network. When the plasma is ejected from the gas outlet structure of each cleaning component and acts on the by-products, the high-energy particles, free radicals, and active substances in it can chemically react with the deposits (usually polymers or inorganic substances), decomposing them into volatile small molecules. This "softening" or "vaporizing" removes stubborn deposits that are highly adhesive and difficult to scrape off, in addition to physical scraping. This synergistic cleaning mechanism greatly improves the ability to remove complex by-products and the cleanliness, making it particularly suitable for dealing with various stubborn deposits formed in semiconductor processes, thereby more thoroughly preventing valve jamming and extending equipment maintenance cycles.

[0044] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the cavities of the first air outlet structure 522, the second air outlet structure 532, and the third air outlet structure 542 are all inclined, and the air outlets are all facing the valve plate body 4. This determines the angle of action and coverage effect of the airflow (or plasma) ejected from inside the cleaning component on the valve plate surface. By inclining the cavities (i.e., the ends of the airflow channels) of each air outlet structure and ensuring that the air outlets are uniformly facing the valve plate body 4, it is possible to ensure that the airflow is sprayed onto the surface of the valve plate body 4 at a specific, non-perpendicular impact angle. This inclined design allows the airflow or plasma to flush the deposits more tangentially or at a certain angle, enhancing the shearing and peeling effect on the attached substances, rather than just a vertical impact; on the other hand, by precisely controlling the outlet direction, it is possible to ensure that the cleaning medium acts on the target area (the surface of the valve plate body 4) in a concentrated and efficient manner, reducing ineffective diffusion and energy loss, thereby improving cleaning efficiency and media utilization, and achieving precise and powerful removal of by-products.

[0045] In one embodiment, the inclination angle of the cavities of the first air outlet structure 522, the second air outlet structure 532, and the third air outlet structure 542 can be any angle between 15 degrees and 60 degrees. Specifically, a smaller inclination angle (e.g., 15-30 degrees) allows the airflow to scour the surface of the valve plate body 4 more tangentially, resulting in a stronger shearing and stripping effect on the deposits; while a larger inclination angle (e.g., 45-60 degrees) provides a more concentrated positive impact force, suitable for thicker or harder deposit layers. The specific angle can be optimized based on factors such as the surface curvature of the valve plate body 4, the characteristics of the deposits, and the pressure of the cleaning medium (e.g., compressed air or plasma) to ensure that the airflow can effectively cover the target area, while avoiding airflow scattering due to too small an angle or a decrease in medium utilization due to too large an angle.

[0046] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, the first cleaning component 52 includes a cleaning body 523 and a scraping cleaning section 524. The scraping cleaning section 524 is disposed on the symmetrical sidewall of the cleaning body 523. The scraping cleaning section 524 includes a contact surface and a scraping cleaning surface. The contact surface is slidably contacted with the valve plate body 4. The scraping cleaning surface is disposed on the side of the scraping cleaning section 524 facing away from the cleaning body 523, and is in contact with the contact surface to form an acute angle structure. The scraping cleaning surface is an arc-shaped structure and is curved towards the cleaning body 523. This provides an optimized structure for the cleaning component with an active scraping function. By symmetrically arranging the scraping cleaning sections 524 on both sides of the extending direction of the cleaning body 523, effective cleaning surfaces can be formed on both sides of the cleaning component when it rotates circumferentially. The scraping cleaning section 524 includes a contact surface that is slidably in contact with the valve plate body 4, and a scraping cleaning surface that forms an acute angle with the contact surface and is curved towards the cleaning body 523. This structure provides support by adhering to the valve plate body 4 on the contact surface, while using a sharp, inwardly curved scraping and cleaning surface like a "plow" or "shovel" to cut into and scrape up the by-product deposits adhering to the surface of the valve plate body 4 during rotation. This significantly improves the efficiency and thoroughness of physical scraping, especially for hardened or tightly adhered stubborn deposits, where it is more effective than simple flat scraping.

[0047] In one embodiment, the second cleaning member 53 and the third cleaning member 54 also include structures similar to the first cleaning member 52, which will not be described in detail here.

[0048] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2As shown, the semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device also includes a main drive unit 2 and a connecting member 3. The main drive unit 2 is located outside the butterfly valve housing 1, and the connecting member 3 is located on the butterfly valve housing 1 and connects the main drive unit 2 and the rotating rod to transmit the driving force of the main drive unit 2 to rotate the valve plate body 4 within the butterfly valve housing 1, thereby adjusting the opening degree of the butterfly valve. This achieves the decoupling and independence of the by-product cleaning function and the original on / off adjustment function of the butterfly valve. The main drive unit 2, the connecting member 3, and the rotating rod constitute a traditional butterfly valve opening adjustment system, responsible for pressure control during the process. The rotary drive unit 51 and the cleaning assembly integrated on the valve plate body 4 constitute an independent in-situ cleaning system. This separate design allows the two drive systems (main drive and rotary drive) to operate independently: when the valve opening needs to be adjusted to control airflow, the main drive unit 2 drives the rotating rod through the connecting piece 3, causing the entire valve plate body 4 (along with the cleaning assembly on it) to rotate within the butterfly valve housing 1; when cleaning is required, the main drive unit 2 can hold the valve plate body 4 in a fixed position (such as fully open or at an angle conducive to cleaning), and then the independent rotary drive unit 51 is activated to drive the cleaning assembly to rotate and scrape relative to the valve plate body 4. This design ensures that the cleaning operation does not interfere with the normal pressure regulation function of the butterfly valve, and the cleaning action itself is independent of the valve's open / closed state, enhancing the overall reliability and functional flexibility of the equipment.

[0049] In one embodiment, the main drive unit 2 and the connecting member 3 can be structured as follows: the main drive unit 2 adopts a servo motor or a stepper motor, and the connecting member 3 can include a coupling connected to the motor output shaft, and a transmission shaft that is sealed through the outside of the butterfly valve housing 1 (by rotating the dynamic seal) and fixedly connected to the internal rotating rod.

[0050] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention also provide a plasma processing device, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the plasma processing equipment includes a process chamber, a vacuum pump, a vacuum switch valve, a plasma generator, and the semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device. The process chamber and the vacuum pump are connected by a pipeline. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device is located on the pipeline. The vacuum switch valve is located between the semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device and the vacuum pump. The plasma generator is located inside the process chamber.

[0051] This embodiment uses an integrated butterfly valve cleaning device as a key component, embedded in situ into the vacuum extraction pipeline of the plasma processing equipment. Located between the process chamber and the extraction pump, and with an extraction switch valve between the cleaning device and the pump, this layout achieves safe decoupling of the cleaning operation from the process and extraction functions. During equipment operation, the cleaning device can perform online, automatic byproduct cleaning of the valve body 4 at any time, effectively preventing valve body 4 from jamming and pressure fluctuations caused by deposits. When cleaning is required, the extraction switch valve can be closed first to isolate the extraction pump, preventing debris from entering the pump body and causing contamination or damage, thus ensuring the safety of the core components of the equipment. This achieves real-time maintenance of key valves without interrupting the overall equipment operation or disrupting the vacuum, fundamentally improving the operational stability, reliability, and production efficiency of the plasma processing equipment.

[0052] In one embodiment, the plasma processing equipment can be a plasma etching equipment, a plasma chemical vapor deposition equipment, or a plasma resist removal equipment. The plasma etching equipment uses plasma to selectively pattern the wafer; the plasma chemical vapor deposition equipment uses plasma to enhance the chemical reaction and deposit a thin film on the wafer surface; and the plasma resist removal equipment uses plasma to remove photoresist or other organic matter from the wafer surface. In these devices, process byproducts (such as polymers generated from the reaction, byproduct particles) are highly likely to deposit on the butterfly valve plate body 4 in the exhaust path. Integrating the butterfly valve cleaning device into the exhaust pipe of these devices can effectively solve the common problems of deposit and valve jamming on the valve plate body 4, thereby significantly improving the online maintenance capability and production yield of the equipment.

[0053] While embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention described herein may have other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

Claims

1. A butterfly valve cleaning device for semiconductor equipment, characterized in that, Includes butterfly valve housing, rotating rod, valve plate body, and by-product removal assembly: The valve plate body is rotatably disposed in the inner cavity of the butterfly valve housing via a rotating rod, and there is an adjustable gap between the circumferential outer wall of the valve plate body and the inner side wall of the butterfly valve housing to adjust the butterfly valve opening. The byproduct removal assembly includes a rotary drive component disposed on the valve plate body, and a first cleaning component, a second cleaning component, and a third cleaning component respectively disposed on the top, the circumferential outer wall, and the bottom of the valve plate body; The first cleaning component is connected to the rotary drive component. The first cleaning component and the third cleaning component are arranged radially, and the second cleaning component is arranged axially with its two ends connected to the first cleaning component and the third cleaning component, respectively. The rotary drive component drives the first cleaning component to rotate, thereby causing the second cleaning component and the third cleaning component to rotate synchronously, thereby cleaning the by-products on the top, circumferential outer wall and bottom of the valve plate body.

2. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circumferential outer wall of the valve plate body is divided into two arc-shaped portions by the rotating rod; The first cleaning component includes two first sub-cleaning components, and the second cleaning component includes two second sub-cleaning components; Two first sub-cleaning components are disposed on the same radial line of the valve plate body. One end of each of the two first sub-cleaning components is disposed on opposite sides of the rotary drive component, and the other end is connected to the two second sub-cleaning components respectively. The two second sub-cleaning components are disposed on the two arc-shaped portions respectively. The rotation angle of the first sub-cleaning component is greater than or equal to 0° and less than or equal to 180°.

3. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a by-product sensor and a control unit. The by-product sensor and the rotary drive are both connected to the control unit. The by-product sensor is used to collect by-product information from the top, circumferential outer wall and bottom of the valve plate body in real time. The control unit compares the by-product information with a preset threshold and controls the rotary drive to drive the first cleaning component to rotate according to the comparison result.

4. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotary drive component includes: A rotating support is disposed on the top of the valve plate body and connected to the first sub-cleaning component; the rotating support is a ring-shaped structure. A fixed base is provided on the top of the rotating support, and its bottom is provided with a receiving groove communicating with the cavity of the rotating support; A rotary drive unit is fixedly disposed on the top wall of the receiving groove, and the drive end of the rotary drive unit is connected to the rotary support unit to drive the rotary support unit to rotate the first sub-cleaning component.

5. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The rotary drive also includes a first support portion and a second support portion disposed in the receiving groove. The two ends of the first support portion are respectively connected to the driving end of the rotary drive and the rotary support portion, and the two ends of the second support portion are respectively connected to the fixed seat and the valve plate body, so that when the rotary drive drives the rotary support portion to rotate through the first support portion, the fixed seat remains relatively stationary relative to the valve plate body under the limiting of the second support portion.

6. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The fixed base, the rotating support, the first cleaning component, the second cleaning component, and the third cleaning component are respectively provided with an annular air channel, an L-shaped air channel, a first air channel, a second air channel, and a third air channel, and the annular air channel, the L-shaped air channel, the first air channel, the second air channel, and the third air channel are connected sequentially; The first cleaning component, the second cleaning component, and the third cleaning component are respectively provided with a first air outlet structure, a second air outlet structure, and a third air outlet structure that communicate with the first air channel, the second air channel, and the third air channel. The fixed base is provided with a blower, and the air outlet of the blower is connected to the annular air channel.

7. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fixed base is provided with a plasma source, and the outlet of the plasma source is connected to the annular gas channel, so that the plasma generated by the plasma source enters the L-shaped gas channel, the first gas channel, the second gas channel and the third gas channel through the annular gas channel, and acts on the surface of the valve plate body through the first gas outlet structure, the second gas outlet structure and the third gas outlet structure, thereby decomposing the by-products on the surface of the valve plate body.

8. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cavities of the first, second, and third air outlet structures are all inclined, and the air outlets are all directed toward the valve plate body.

9. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first cleaning component includes a cleaning body and a scraping cleaning part, wherein the scraping cleaning part is disposed on the symmetrical sidewall of the cleaning body; The scraping and cleaning part includes a contact surface and a scraping and cleaning surface. The contact surface is slidably contacted with the valve plate body. The scraping and cleaning surface is located on the side of the scraping and cleaning part away from the cleaning body, and is connected to the contact surface to form an acute angle structure. The scraping and cleaning surface is an arc-shaped structure and is curved toward the cleaning body.

10. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a main drive unit and a connecting member. The main drive unit is located outside the butterfly valve housing, and the connecting member is located on the butterfly valve housing and connects the main drive unit and the rotating rod to transmit the driving force of the main drive unit to make the valve plate body rotate inside the butterfly valve housing, thereby adjusting the opening degree of the butterfly valve.

11. A plasma processing device, characterized in that, The device includes a process chamber, a vacuum pump, a vacuum switch valve, a plasma generator, and a semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device as described in any one of claims 1 to 10. The process chamber and the vacuum pump are connected by a pipeline. The semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device is disposed on the pipeline. The vacuum switch valve is disposed between the semiconductor equipment butterfly valve cleaning device and the vacuum pump. The plasma generator is disposed in the process chamber.

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