A semiconductor processing apparatus
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC LINGANG
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-09
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-09
Smart Images
Figure CN122177712A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to a semiconductor processing apparatus. Background Technology
[0002] Semiconductor manufacturing involves various process technologies, such as etching, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD). In these processes, process gases are introduced into the reaction chamber via an inlet device, and then excess process gases are removed after the reaction by an extraction assembly. Simultaneously, a balance must be struck between choking and pumping within the reaction chamber to improve the uniformity of the gas flow field, thereby enhancing the semiconductor manufacturing process.
[0003] Specifically, in the manufacturing process, if the choke effect is too strong, it will increase the gas flow resistance, leading to a decrease in the efficiency of the extraction components in drawing process gases. This, in turn, prolongs the purging time required for the reaction chamber and reduces the substrate production efficiency. Conversely, if the choke effect is weakened, it will reduce the gas flow resistance. Although reducing the gas flow resistance will improve the efficiency of the extraction components in drawing process gases, an excessively fast extraction rate may cause a decrease in extraction uniformity, resulting in an uneven gas flow field within the reaction chamber and reducing the substrate production yield. In addition, different process processes correspond to different process pressures, and the existing cavity structure design cannot change the extraction flow rate, causing the cavity to be unable to meet the changes in process pressure, thus failing to achieve the optimal manufacturing effect. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a semiconductor processing apparatus to adjust the gas flow rate and gas extraction efficiency, thereby ensuring the balance between choke and gas extraction, while ensuring that the pressure in the reaction chamber can meet the process pressure corresponding to different process steps.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a semiconductor processing apparatus, comprising: a reaction chamber having a gas spray head at its top; a base disposed opposite to the gas spray head for supporting a substrate; an upper bushing circumferentially surrounding the gas spray head, the upper bushing having a plurality of first through holes circumferentially; and a lower bushing circumferentially surrounding the base, the lower bushing having a plurality of second through holes circumferentially. The base moves the substrate to a processing position, and the upper bushing and the lower bushing move vertically relative to each other to the circumference of the substrate, such that the first through holes and the second through holes at least partially overlap to form a gas extraction channel.
[0006] Optionally, the upper bushing and the lower bushing are coaxially arranged, and the inner diameter of the upper bushing is larger than the outer diameter of the lower bushing.
[0007] Optionally, the diameter of the gas spray head is larger than the diameter of the base, and the gas spray head covers the lower bushing.
[0008] Optionally, there is a gap between the inner wall of the upper bushing and the outer wall of the lower bushing, and the process gas flowing out from the gap is less than 20% of the total process gas flow rate under the current operating conditions.
[0009] Optionally, the process gas flowing out from the gap is less than 10% of the total process gas flow rate under the current operating conditions.
[0010] Optionally, the ratio of the height of the first through hole to the height of the upper bushing is not greater than 1 / 2; the ratio of the height of the second through hole to the height of the lower bushing is not greater than 1 / 2.
[0011] Optionally, the first through hole is located at the upper part of the upper bushing, the second through hole is located at the lower part of the lower bushing, and the first through hole and the second through hole are centrally symmetrical about the center point of the gap between the upper bushing and the lower bushing.
[0012] Optionally, the first through hole is centrally located in the height direction of the upper bushing, and the second through hole is centrally located in the height direction of the lower bushing.
[0013] Optionally, the height of the upper bushing is equal to the height of the lower bushing, and the shape and size of the first through hole are the same as those of the second through hole.
[0014] Optionally, the wall thickness of the upper bushing and the lower bushing ranges from 2 to 40 mm.
[0015] Optionally, the semiconductor processing apparatus further includes a first driving device and a second driving device; the first driving device is connected to the upper bushing and is used to drive the upper bushing to move in a vertical direction; the second driving device is connected to the lower bushing and is used to drive the lower bushing to move in a vertical direction.
[0016] Optionally, the first driving device and / or the second driving device are provided with a rotary driving member for driving the upper bushing and / or the lower bushing to rotate circumferentially.
[0017] Optionally, when the base moves to the substrate transport position, the upper bushing moves to the circumference of the gas spray head, and the lower bushing moves to below the base, forming a channel for substrate transport between the upper bushing and the base.
[0018] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the present invention has at least the following advantages: by setting a relatively movable upper bushing and a lower bushing, and the upper bushing and the lower bushing are respectively provided with a first through hole and a second through hole, when the base and the substrate are in the process processing position and the upper bushing and the lower bushing surround the circumference of the substrate, by adjusting the relative position of the upper bushing and the lower bushing, the overlap area of the first through hole and the second through hole on the upper and lower bushings can be adjusted, thereby realizing the adjustment of the air flow rate and air extraction efficiency. This not only ensures the balance between choke and air extraction, but also adjusts the pressure in the reaction chamber to adapt to the process pressure corresponding to different process processes, thereby improving the manufacturing effect of the substrate. Attached Figure Description
[0019] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a semiconductor processing apparatus performing a processing process according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged side view of the upper and lower bushings outlined in the dashed line;
[0021] Figure 3 This is a perspective view of the upper and lower bushings in the semiconductor processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the semiconductor processing device performing substrate transfer according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] Figure 5 (a) is an enlarged side view of a semiconductor processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a first through-hole and a second through-hole with a large area. Figure 5 (b) is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first through hole and a second through hole with a large area;
[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the upper and lower bushings of a semiconductor processing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0025] The technical solutions, structural features, achieved objectives, and effects of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.
[0026] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions. They are only used to facilitate and clarify the purpose of illustrating the embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of the present invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportional relationship, or adjustments to the size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention, provided that they do not affect the effects and objectives that the present invention can produce.
[0027] It should be noted that, in this invention, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only the expressly listed elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus.
[0028] Research has found that the uniformity of the gas flow field within the reaction chamber of semiconductor processing devices significantly impacts substrate production yield. Furthermore, different process technologies require different process pressures, necessitating adjustments to the gas flow rate and efficiency within the reaction chamber to optimize manufacturing results. However, current chamber designs cannot dynamically adjust the gas flow rate and efficiency, preventing real-time balance between choke and extraction within the reaction chamber. This can lead to uneven gas flow or failure to meet process pressure requirements, ultimately reducing substrate production yield.
[0029] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, embodiments of the present invention provide a semiconductor processing apparatus, such as... Figures 1-4 As shown, the semiconductor processing apparatus includes: a reaction chamber 101 with a wafer transfer port 111 on its sidewall for transferring a substrate W; a gas spray head 102 disposed at the top of the reaction chamber 101, connected to a gas source 112 for supplying process gases (such as reactive gases and inert gases) into the reaction chamber 101; a base 103 disposed opposite to the gas spray head 102 and located at the bottom of the reaction chamber 101 for supporting the substrate W; an upper bushing 104 circumferentially surrounding the gas spray head 102, the upper bushing 104 having a plurality of first through holes 141 circumferentially; and a lower bushing 105 circumferentially surrounding the base 103, the lower bushing 105 having a plurality of second through holes 151 circumferentially. When the base 103 moves the substrate W to the processing position (e.g., when...), Figure 1 As shown), the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 move relative to each other in the vertical direction. That is, in this embodiment, the upper bushing 104 moves downward and the lower bushing 105 moves upward. The upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 move to the circumference of the substrate W, so that the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 surround the circumference of the substrate W, and the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151 on the upper and lower bushings at least partially overlap to form an air extraction channel 108 (e.g., as shown). Figure 2As shown), this allows the process gas to be drawn away by the extraction assembly 113 located at the bottom or side wall of the reaction chamber 101 through the extraction channel 108.
[0030] In this embodiment, by controlling the vertical movement distances of the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105, the overlap area between the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151 is increased or decreased, thereby adjusting the size of the flow cross-section of the extraction channel 108 and thus regulating the extraction flow rate and extraction efficiency. Furthermore, based on the adjustment of the extraction flow rate and extraction efficiency, on the one hand, the balance between choke and extraction within the reaction chamber 101 can be maintained; on the other hand, the process pressure within the reaction chamber can be adapted to different process procedures, improving the manufacturing effect of different processes. In other embodiments, the overlap area between the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151 can also be adjusted by controlling only the movement distance of either the upper bushing 104 or the lower bushing 105.
[0031] Among them, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 are coaxially arranged, and the inner diameter R1 of the upper bushing 104 is larger than the outer diameter R2 of the lower bushing 105 to avoid squeezing and collision between the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 during relative movement. The wall thickness of the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 ranges from 2 to 40 mm. If the wall thickness of the upper and lower bushings is less than 2 mm, they may not be able to withstand the high pressure difference, easily leading to mechanical failure and affecting the control and stability of the suction flow. If the wall thickness of the upper and lower bushings is greater than 40 mm, it will cause greater resistance to the gas in the suction channel 108, potentially increasing the turbulence of the gas flow and affecting the stability and uniformity of the gas flow field.
[0032] Furthermore, to ensure that the process gas input from the gas spray head 102 can uniformly cover the surface of the substrate W, the diameter of the gas spray head 102 is larger than the diameter of the base 103, and the gas spray head 102 covers the lower bushing 105. When the lower bushing 105 and the upper bushing 104 surround the circumference of the substrate W, a processing space is formed between the gas spray head 102 and the base 103, allowing the process gas to fill the processing space and thus cover the surface of the substrate W. Simultaneously, by adjusting the overlap area between the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151, the gas flow field distribution and process pressure within the processing space can be adjusted in real time, thereby optimizing the manufacturing process.
[0033] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, there is a gap between the inner wall of the upper bushing 104 and the outer wall of the lower bushing 105, and the process gas flowing out from the gap is less than 20% of the total process gas flow rate under the current process conditions. If a large amount of the process gas flows out directly from this gap, it will weaken the choking effect of the upper and lower bushings, causing uneven gas flow field and fluctuations in process pressure within the reaction chamber 101, thereby leading to a decrease in the production yield of the substrate W. Preferably, 10% or less of the process gas flows out from the gap.
[0034] Among them, such as Figure 1 As shown, the ratio of the height of the first through hole 141 to the height of the upper bushing 104 is no greater than 1 / 2, and the ratio of the height of the second through hole 151 to the height of the lower bushing 105 is no greater than 1 / 2, to prevent the areas of the first through hole 141 on the upper bushing 104 and the second through hole 151 on the lower bushing 105 from being too large when the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 partially overlap (e.g., Figure 5 As shown), the annular wall of the upper bushing 104, which does not have the first through hole 141, cannot completely cover the second through hole 151, and the annular wall of the lower bushing 105, which does not have the second through hole 151, cannot completely cover the first through hole 141. This causes the process gas to flow out through the extraction channel 108 formed by the overlapping portion of the non-first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151. Figure 5 The first region 1411 above the first through hole 141 and the second region 1511 below the second through hole 151 cause leakage of process gas, affecting the uniformity of the gas flow field and the stability of the process pressure, and weakening the choke adjustment capability of the upper and lower bushings.
[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the first through hole 141 is centered in the height direction of the upper bushing 104, and the second through hole 151 is centered in the height direction of the lower bushing 105, which makes it easier to control the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 in the vertical direction, and makes it easier to adjust the size of the overlap area between the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151.
[0036] In another embodiment, such as Figure 6As shown, the first through hole 141 is located at the upper part of the upper bushing 104, and the second through hole 151 is located at the lower part of the lower bushing 105. The first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151 are centrally symmetrical about the center point A of the gap between the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105. That is, if the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 are rotated 180 degrees around the center point A of the gap, the position of the first through hole 141 will coincide with that of the second through hole 151. This ensures that when the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 overlap, the lower annular wall of the upper bushing 104 can completely cover the second through hole 151, and the upper annular wall of the lower bushing 105 can completely cover the first through hole 141. This ensures that the process gas can only flow out through the exhaust channel 108 formed by the overlapping part of the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151. Preferably, the height of the upper bushing 104 is equal to the height of the lower bushing 105, and the shape and size of the first through hole 141 are the same as those of the second through hole 151. This simplifies the control of the upper and lower bushings, makes it easier to adjust the overlap area between the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151, and improves production efficiency.
[0037] Among them, such as Figure 1 As shown, the semiconductor processing apparatus further includes a first driving device 106 and a second driving device 107. The first driving device 106 is connected to the upper bushing 104 via a first transmission rod 161, and is used to drive the upper bushing 104 to move vertically. The second driving device 107 is connected to the lower bushing 105 via a second transmission rod 171, and is used to drive the lower bushing 105 to move vertically. Specifically, when the base 103 rises to the process position, the first driving device 106 drives the upper bushing 104 to move vertically downwards to the circumference of the substrate W, and the second driving device 107 drives the lower bushing 105 to move vertically upwards to the circumference of the substrate W, forming a processing space between the gas spray head 102 and the base 103. Optionally, the first driving device 106 and the second driving device 107 are motors or cylinders.
[0038] During the process of processing, such as Figure 1As shown, the first driving device 106 and the second driving device 107 respectively drive the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 to move vertically, adjusting the overlap area of the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151. This maintains the balance between choke and suction within the processing space, eliminating the need to open the reaction chamber 101 to replace bushings of different sizes. In-situ control of suction efficiency is achieved, improving process efficiency. Furthermore, the vertical positions of the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 can be adjusted according to different process procedures, thereby regulating suction efficiency and matching the pressure within the processing space with the corresponding process pressure, optimizing the manufacturing process.
[0039] Furthermore, the first driving device 106 and the second driving device 107 are provided with a rotary driving member (not shown in the figure) for driving the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 to rotate horizontally. When the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 are located circumferentially on the substrate W, that is, when the inner wall of the upper bushing 104 is at least partially opposite to the outer wall of the lower bushing 105, the overlapping area of the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151 can be adjusted horizontally by the rotary driving member to achieve more precise control of the pumping efficiency. In other embodiments, the rotary driving member can be disposed in the first driving device 106 or the second driving device 107 to drive the upper bushing 104 or the lower bushing 105 to rotate, that is, one bushing remains stationary while the other bushing rotates horizontally in the circumferential direction, which can also achieve adjustment of the overlapping area of the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151 in the horizontal direction.
[0040] When performing the substrate transfer process, such as Figure 4 As shown, the base 103 is provided with a plurality of lifting pins 131 at intervals for lifting the substrate W. When the base 103 moves to the substrate transfer position, the substrate transfer position is located below the transfer port 111. The first driving device 106 drives the upper bushing 104 to move to the circumference of the gas spray head 102, so that the inner wall of the upper bushing 104 is opposite to the outer circumference of the gas spray head 102. The second driving device 107 drives the lower bushing 105 to move below the base 103. A channel for the substrate W to be transferred is formed between the upper bushing 104 and the base 103, corresponding to the transfer port 111. The lifting pins 131 lift the substrate W, so that the substrate W is separated from the upper surface of the base W. Then, the robot (not shown in the figure) takes the substrate W out of the reaction chamber 101 through the transfer port 111.
[0041] In one specific embodiment, taking the movement of the upper bushing 104 as an example, the first driving device 106 is a motor. The motor includes a motor shaft, a lead screw, and a main nut. The lead screw is fixedly connected to the motor shaft through a coupling. The main nut is mounted on the first transmission rod 161 and meshes with the lead screw. When the motor shaft rotates, it drives the lead screw to rotate through the coupling. The rotation of the lead screw causes the main nut to move up and down along the lead screw, thereby driving the first transmission rod 161 to move vertically, and thus driving the upper bushing 104 to move up and down. Furthermore, to achieve circumferential rotation of the upper bushing 104, a locking nut is provided on one side of the main nut, and a gear set is provided at one end of the lead screw as the rotation drive. By rotating the lead screw, the main nut is adjusted to the desired position, and then the locking nut is tightened to press against the main nut, ensuring that the main nut does not move along the lead screw axis. The gear set includes a meshing drive wheel and a driven wheel, as well as a brake. The drive wheel is mounted on the lead screw, and the driven wheel is mounted on the first transmission rod 161. When the upper bushing 104 moves vertically, the brake fixes the drive wheel and the driven wheel. When the upper bushing 104 rotates, the locking nut fixes the main nut, and the brake is released, allowing the motor shaft to drive the drive wheel to rotate and drive the driven wheel to rotate, thereby driving the first transmission rod 161 and the upper bushing 104 to rotate horizontally in the circumferential direction. The structure for driving the lower bushing 105 is the same as the structure for the upper bushing 104, and will not be described again here. The above is merely one feasible technical solution provided by the present invention, and the present invention does not limit it.
[0042] In summary, the semiconductor processing apparatus provided by the present invention, by providing a relatively movable upper bushing 104 and a lower bushing 105, and the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 respectively having a first through hole 141 and a second through hole 151, when the base 103 and the substrate W are in the process processing position and the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105 surround the circumference of the substrate W, by adjusting the relative position of the upper bushing 104 and the lower bushing 105, the overlap area of the first through hole 141 and the second through hole 151 on the upper and lower bushings can be adjusted, thereby realizing the adjustment of the gas flow rate and gas extraction efficiency. This not only ensures the balance between choke and gas extraction, but also adjusts the pressure in the reaction chamber to adapt to the process pressure corresponding to different process processes, thereby improving the process manufacturing effect of the substrate W.
[0043] Although the present invention has been described in detail through the preferred embodiments above, it should be understood that the above description should not be considered as a limitation of the present invention. Various modifications and substitutions to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the above description. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A semiconductor processing apparatus, characterized in that, include: The reaction chamber is equipped with a gas spray head at the top; A base, which is disposed opposite to the gas spray head, is used to support the substrate; An upper bushing is arranged circumferentially around the gas spray head, and the upper bushing is provided with a plurality of first through holes in its circumferential direction; A lower bushing is arranged circumferentially around the base, and the lower bushing is provided with a plurality of second through holes in its circumferential direction; The base moves the substrate to the processing position, and the upper bushing and the lower bushing move relative to each other in the vertical direction to the circumference of the substrate, so that the first through hole and the second through hole at least partially overlap to form an air extraction channel.
2. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The upper bushing and the lower bushing are coaxially arranged, and the inner diameter of the upper bushing is larger than the outer diameter of the lower bushing.
3. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, The diameter of the gas spray head is larger than the diameter of the base, and the gas spray head covers the lower bushing.
4. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, There is a gap between the inner wall of the upper bushing and the outer wall of the lower bushing, and the process gas flowing out from the gap is less than 20% of the total process gas flow rate under the current operating conditions.
5. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that, The process gas flowing out of the gap is less than 10% of the total process gas flow rate under the current operating conditions.
6. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The ratio of the height of the first through hole to the height of the upper bushing is not greater than 1 / 2; the ratio of the height of the second through hole to the height of the lower bushing is not greater than 1 / 2.
7. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, The first through hole is located at the upper part of the upper bushing, and the second through hole is located at the lower part of the lower bushing. The first through hole and the second through hole are centrally symmetrical about the center point of the gap between the upper bushing and the lower bushing.
8. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, The first through hole is centered in the height direction of the upper bushing, and the second through hole is centered in the height direction of the lower bushing.
9. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The height of the upper bushing is equal to the height of the lower bushing, and the shape and size of the first through hole are the same as those of the second through hole.
10. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The wall thickness of the upper bushing and the lower bushing ranges from 2 to 40 mm.
11. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a first driving device and a second driving device; the first driving device is connected to the upper bushing and is used to drive the upper bushing to move in the vertical direction; the second driving device is connected to the lower bushing and is used to drive the lower bushing to move in the vertical direction.
12. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, The first driving device and / or the second driving device are provided with a rotary driving component for driving the upper bushing and / or the lower bushing to rotate circumferentially.
13. The semiconductor processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, When the base moves to the substrate transport position, the upper bushing moves to the circumference of the gas spray head, and the lower bushing moves to below the base, forming a channel for substrate transport between the upper bushing and the base.