A thin film deposition apparatus

Abstract

This invention discloses a thin film deposition apparatus. The movable edge ring assembly of this apparatus includes: a ring assembly comprising a shielding ring having an axially extending shielding cylinder; and a lifting device electrically connected to the ring assembly, which drives the ring assembly to move up and down between a process position and a wafer transfer position. When the ring assembly is in the process position, the shielding cylinder surrounds the substrate to provide radial and internal electromagnetic shielding. When the ring assembly is in the wafer transfer position, the ring assembly is away from the substrate on the base, ensuring that the substrate is not obstructed by the ring assembly and can be transferred through a wafer transfer port on the sidewall of the processing cavity. Its advantages are: the movable edge ring assembly of this thin film deposition apparatus can achieve lifting and lowering of the ring assembly solely through the lifting device, without requiring movement of the base and substrate, effectively reducing instability factors during the lifting and lowering process. Simultaneously, the shielding ring provides omnidirectional enclosure of the substrate, forming a stable radio frequency electric field environment above the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment, and more specifically to a thin film deposition apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing process of semiconductor devices, a large number of micro-processing operations are required. Common methods include vapor phase deposition (PVD) or plasma processing, which utilize the principle of a vacuum reaction chamber to micro-process semiconductor components or substrates. Depending on whether the deposition process involves a chemical reaction, PVD can be divided into Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). PVD, due to its advantages such as ease of operation, strong film adhesion, low cost, and environmental friendliness, is widely used in materials science and surface engineering to prepare various functional thin films, such as wear-resistant coatings, decorative coatings, optical thin films, and conductive and insulating layers in electronic devices.

[0003] Physical vapor deposition is a thin film deposition technique performed in a vacuum environment. Its core principle is to transform the material from a target (solid) into a vapor state (gas), and then condense this vapor on the substrate surface to form a thin film.

[0004] In practical applications, physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology includes various deposition methods, such as magnetron sputtering, DC magnetron sputtering, RF magnetron sputtering, ion beam deposition, and evaporation deposition. Throughout the substrate processing, multiple process conditions affect the quality of the substrate surface treatment. These include the stability of components within the processing chamber of the thin film deposition apparatus, the distribution of the electromagnetic field, the distribution of process gases, and the pressure distribution within the reaction chamber. These factors directly or indirectly determine the quality of the substrate processing. However, in practical applications, the process environment within the processing chamber is often complex, making it difficult to achieve optimal synergy among various factors. An unstable process environment within the reaction chamber can affect the substrate surface treatment effect (e.g., causing uneven substrate surface composition, uneven processing depth, and uneven physical properties), thereby reducing the substrate yield. In particular, the substrate needs to be removed from the processing chamber after the processing is completed. To maintain the stability of the processing area, the substrate support is typically lowered, moved downwards to a sufficient stroke, and then lifted by a lifting rod. The substrate is then received through a mechanical wall and removed through a transfer port on the side wall of the chamber. This transfer port needs to be located on the side wall below the substrate processing area. However, the repeated raising and lowering of the large-volume substrate during operation can lead to instability in its position, ultimately resulting in inconsistent processing results. Therefore, improvements to existing thin-film deposition equipment are necessary.

[0005] It is understood that the above statements only provide background information related to the present invention and do not necessarily constitute prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Based on the aforementioned technical problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a thin film deposition apparatus. The movable edge ring assembly of this thin film deposition apparatus combines a ring assembly and a lifting device. The lifting of the ring assembly can be achieved solely through the lifting device, without the need for movement of the base and substrate. This effectively reduces instability factors during the lifting process of the ring assembly and helps to ensure the stability of the substrate processing environment. At the same time, it achieves all-round encirclement of the substrate through the shielding ring, so as to form a stable radio frequency electric field environment for substrate processing, thereby ensuring the processing effect of the substrate surface.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution:

[0008] A thin film deposition apparatus includes a movable edge ring assembly. The apparatus includes a vacuum processing chamber and a base located at the bottom of the chamber for supporting a substrate. The movable edge ring assembly comprises:

[0009] A ring assembly, the ring assembly including a shielding ring having an axially extending shielding cylinder;

[0010] A lifting device is electrically connected to the ring assembly. The lifting device is used to drive the ring assembly to move up and down, so that the ring assembly moves between the process position and the transfer position.

[0011] When the ring assembly is in the process position, the shielding cylinder surrounds the substrate to provide radial and internal electromagnetic shielding for the shielding cylinder;

[0012] When the ring assembly is in the transfer position, the ring assembly is away from the substrate on the base, so that the substrate is not blocked by the ring assembly and can be transferred from the transfer port on the side wall of the processing cavity.

[0013] Optionally, the lifting device is grounded.

[0014] Optionally, the lifting device includes:

[0015] A support ring for supporting the ring assembly;

[0016] A drive unit, which is used to provide driving force;

[0017] The transmission rod has one end connected to the drive device and the other end connected to the support ring. The transmission rod and the support ring are made of conductive material and form a grounding path.

[0018] Optionally, the transmission rod is connected to the support ring via a conductive connector.

[0019] Optionally, the ring assembly and the support ring are in conductive contact.

[0020] Optionally, the driving device is located outside the processing cavity, the support ring is located inside the processing cavity, and the lifting device further includes a retractable sealing assembly. The retractable sealing assembly is located outside the processing cavity and is arranged circumferentially around the transmission rod. One end of the retractable sealing assembly is connected to the cavity body of the processing cavity, and the other end is connected to the driving device. The retractable sealing assembly can extend and retract along the axial direction of the transmission rod.

[0021] Optionally, the lifting device includes at least two drive rods, each of which is evenly distributed along the circumference of the support ring.

[0022] Optionally, the driving device includes a drive motor or a cylinder drive device.

[0023] Optionally, the top of the processing cavity includes a target material disposed opposite to the base.

[0024] Optionally, the lower part of the ring assembly further includes a cover ring, which is disposed radially inside the shielding ring. When the ring assembly is in the process position, the cover ring covers the edge area of ​​the substrate.

[0025] Optionally, at least one liner is fixed to the inner wall of the processing chamber. The radius of the shielding ring is different from the radius of the liner, and the lower end of the liner overlaps with the upper end of the shielding ring in the height direction when in the process position. The liner and the ring assembly together form the processing space.

[0026] Optionally, there is an air extraction gap between the cover ring and the shielding ring, and the air extraction gap is located in the peripheral area outside the edge of the substrate.

[0027] Optionally, the shielding ring comprises:

[0028] The first structure extends along the upper surface of the support ring toward the center of the support ring;

[0029] The second structure extends downward from the first structure to form the shielding cylinder;

[0030] The third structure extends radially inward from the lower end of the second structure.

[0031] Optionally, the ring assembly further includes a cover ring disposed on the third structure.

[0032] Optionally, the shielding ring further comprises:

[0033] The fourth structure extends radially inward and upward from the third structure.

[0034] Optionally, the ring assembly further includes a cover ring disposed on the fourth structure.

[0035] Optionally, the shielding ring is an integral ring structure.

[0036] Optionally, the lifting device is located below or above the ring assembly, and when the ring assembly is in the transfer position, the lower end of the ring assembly is higher than the upper surface of the substrate.

[0037] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0038] In a thin film deposition apparatus of the present invention, the movable edge ring assembly combines the ring assembly and the lifting device. The lifting of the ring assembly can be achieved solely through the lifting device without the need for movement of the base and substrate. This effectively reduces instability factors during the lifting process of the ring assembly, helps to ensure the stability of the base and substrate, and thus ensures the stability of the substrate processing environment. At the same time, it achieves all-round encirclement of the substrate through the shielding ring, so as to form a stable radio frequency electric field environment for substrate processing, thereby ensuring the processing effect of the substrate surface.

[0039] Furthermore, in this invention, the lifting device is grounded so that the lifting device and the ring assembly form a generally stable grounding path, avoiding potential differences between the ring assembly and the cavity or other components, thereby ensuring the uniformity of potential around the substrate. At the same time, it also avoids the impact of the ring assembly's lifting on the process environment inside the cavity, which helps to ensure the stability and safety of substrate processing.

[0040] Furthermore, in this invention, the shielding ring and the cover ring are combined to form a ring assembly. The two are in stable contact, which reduces the contact gap inside the ring assembly and makes the overall conductivity of the ring assembly better. This effectively avoids the formation of potential differences between the components of the ring assembly, thereby avoiding interference with the cavity environment. On the other hand, the synchronous lifting and lowering of the two can reduce the operational complexity in actual production and help ensure the stability and safety of production.

[0041] Furthermore, in this invention, the thickness of the sheath layer above the substrate can be adjusted by simply raising and lowering the ring assembly using a lifting device, thereby adjusting the treatment effect on the substrate surface. This effectively addresses the impact of changes in the cavity environment caused by factors such as target material consumption or capping ring consumption on substrate treatment. Attached Figure Description

[0042] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are one embodiment of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort:

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a thin film deposition apparatus according to the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a partial three-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagram of a thin film deposition apparatus according to the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a lifting device according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0047] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," "having," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or terminal device that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or terminal device. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." or "including..." does not exclude the presence of additional elements in the process, method, article, or terminal device that includes said element.

[0048] It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are all in a very simplified form and use non-precise ratios, and are only used to facilitate and clearly illustrate the purpose of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0049] like Figure 1The diagram shows a schematic of a thin film deposition apparatus (magnetron sputtering device) according to the present invention. The apparatus includes two vacuum processing chambers 10, which can be used to process one or more substrates W, including depositing material on the upper surface of the substrate W. The chamber 10 is grounded and has a transfer port 11. The height of the transfer port 11 corresponds to the position of the upper surface of the base 31 to facilitate the transfer of the substrate W between the inside and outside of the processing chamber 10. A target 20 is also disposed at the top of the processing chamber 10, which is used to provide deposition material. The thin film deposition apparatus also includes a base assembly 30, which includes a base 31 disposed opposite to the target 20. The base 31 is supported by a support 32, which includes a bearing surface for supporting the substrate W. The thin film deposition apparatus further includes a gas spray nozzle and a radio frequency (RF) power supply. The gas spray nozzle introduces process gas into the processing chamber 10, and the RF power supply provides RF energy to the substrate 31 to form an RF electric field within the chamber. This electric field dissociates the process gas into plasma, which excites and accelerates the material in the target 20, causing it to form a thin film or coating in a vacuum environment. The thin film deposition apparatus also includes an electromagnetic coil for generating and controlling a magnetic field. During the process, the deposition material in the target 20 is evaporated into gaseous atoms or molecules through heating or ion bombardment (sputtering). An RF electric field is formed within the chamber by the RF power supply, while the electromagnetic coil forms uniform magnetic field lines perpendicular to the substrate W across the entire substrate W, improving the uniformity of sputtered ion deposition on the substrate W. The evaporated or sputtered gaseous atoms or molecules move to the surface of the substrate W under the influence of the RF electric and magnetic fields, condense, and deposit to form a thin film.

[0050] To further improve the quality of substrate surface treatment, the thin film deposition apparatus also includes an edge ring structure. In existing thin film processing apparatuses, the edge ring structure is typically fixedly mounted on a base, which is designed to be height-adjustable, allowing the base and edge ring structure to move vertically between the process position and the wafer transfer position, thus enabling wafer transfer. However, the base 31 is usually quite complex, containing multiple components with intricate internal wiring. During the lifting and lowering of the edge ring structure, the base 31 may suffer damage or malfunction to its internal components, affecting the intracavity RF environment and causing instability in the intracavity process environment. This introduces instability into substrate production, easily leading to unsatisfactory substrate processing results and reduced substrate yield.

[0051] To address the aforementioned issues, this application provides a movable edge ring assembly 33, comprising a ring assembly 331 and a lifting device 332. The ring assembly 331 includes a shielding ring 3311 having an axially extending shielding cylinder. The lifting device 332 is electrically connected to the ring assembly 331 and drives the ring assembly 331 to move up and down, allowing it to move between a process position and a transfer position. When the ring assembly 331 is in the process position, the shielding cylinder surrounds the substrate W, providing radial and internal electromagnetic shielding. When the ring assembly 331 is in the transfer position, it is positioned away from the substrate W on the base 31, ensuring that the substrate W is not obstructed and can be transferred from the transfer port 11 on the side wall of the processing cavity 10. At least a portion of the shielding cylinder has an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the substrate W, and the lifting device 332 allows at least a portion of the shielding cylinder to be positioned below the substrate W.

[0052] Based on the above structure, when a wafer transfer is required, the lifting device 332 drives the ring assembly 331 to move upward to the wafer transfer position, clearing the wafer transfer port 11 (e.g., Figure 1 (See right-side cavity diagram) This allows the robotic arm to enter the processing cavity 10 through the wafer transfer port 11, while simultaneously exposing the bearing surface of the base 31 for the robotic arm to pick up or place the wafer. After the robotic arm places the substrate W on the base 31 or removes it from the processing cavity 10, the lifting device 332 drives the ring assembly 331 downwards (e.g., moving the ring assembly 331 to the process position), thereby causing the shielding cylinder of the ring assembly 331 to block the wafer transfer port 11 (e.g., ...). Figure 1 (See diagram inside the left cavity), and surround the edge of the substrate W circumferentially. At this time, the bottom of the shielding cylinder is lower than the position of the substrate W, and its top is higher than the position of the substrate W.

[0053] As described above, the present invention can achieve the lifting and lowering of the ring assembly 331 through the lifting device 332. Compared with the prior art, which uses the base 31 to lift and lower the ring assembly 331, the present invention simplifies the drive structure required for lifting and lowering the ring assembly 331. The lifting and lowering of the ring assembly 331 can be achieved without moving the base 31 (the base 31 can be set to be stationary), effectively reducing the complexity of lifting and lowering the ring assembly 331, reducing instability factors during the lifting and lowering process, helping to ensure the stability of the base 31, reducing the probability of accidents, and lowering maintenance and equipment costs. On the other hand, the movable edge ring assembly 33 of the present invention has a simple structure, is easy to assemble, maintain, and replace, and facilitates the transfer of pieces. At the same time, compared with the base 31, the ring assembly 331 is relatively lightweight. Since the lifting device 332 in the present invention only drives the lifting and lowering of the ring assembly 331, it helps to reduce the requirements for the lifting load capacity of the lifting device 332, expanding the selection range of the lifting device 332. For example, a small drive device can be selected to save installation space. Furthermore, due to its smaller lifting load, it helps to improve the control accuracy of its lifting and lowering.

[0054] Furthermore, in practical applications, the installation position of the electromagnetic coil is usually unchanged, and the magnetic field distribution formed at the corresponding substrate W position will not change. The movable edge ring assembly 33 of the present invention can realize the lifting and lowering of the ring assembly 331 without the base 31 moving. The base 31 not moving means that the substrate W it supports does not move. Therefore, the magnetic field distribution formed by the electromagnetic coil at the substrate W remains unchanged, which helps to ensure the stability of the magnetic field distribution at the substrate W position, ensure the perpendicularity of ion bombardment of the substrate W, and thus improve the uniformity of substrate W processing.

[0055] Furthermore, such as Figure 1 As shown in the left chamber, after the wafer transfer is completed, the lifting device 332 can drive the ring assembly 331 to move downwards, causing the shielding cylinder to block the wafer transfer port 11. This prevents the environment outside the shielding cylinder (such as the wafer transfer port 11) from affecting the substrate W processing. Simultaneously, because the bottom of the shielding cylinder is lower than the height of the substrate W, the shielding cylinder achieves a comprehensive enclosure of the substrate W, forming a circumferential shielding effect. This confines the RF electric field at the substrate W from dissipating, especially preventing the RF electric field at the edges of the substrate W from leaking downwards. This creates a stable RF electric field environment for the substrate W processing, ensuring the material deposition effect throughout the substrate W (especially at the edges). Furthermore, by confining the RF electric field within its internal space through the shielding cylinder, this invention effectively improves the utilization rate of the RF power supply's RF energy, allowing the RF power supply to operate at lower power while meeting process requirements, thus helping to reduce energy loss during the process.

[0056] On the other hand, as mentioned above, during the process, the processing cavity 10 is affected by radio frequency electric fields and plasma. To ensure the stability of the process environment within the cavity, it is necessary to ensure that there are no unnecessary local capacitances within the cavity, that is, to ensure that there is no potential difference between components, so as to avoid phenomena such as arc discharge due to local capacitance. Based on this, in this invention, the lifting device 332 is grounded so that the lifting device 332 and the ring assembly 331 form a generally stable grounding path, avoiding the generation of potential differences between the ring assembly 331 and the cavity or other components, thereby ensuring the potential uniformity around the substrate W. At the same time, it also avoids the impact of the lifting of the ring assembly 331 on the process environment within the cavity, which helps to ensure the stability and safety of the substrate W processing.

[0057] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the lifting device 332 includes a support ring 3321, a driving device 3322, and a transmission rod 3323. The support ring 3321 supports the ring assembly 331, the driving device 3322 provides driving force, one end of the transmission rod 3323 is connected to the driving device 3322, and the other end is connected to the support ring 3321. The transmission rod 3323 and the support ring 3321 are made of conductive material, forming a grounding path. In practical applications, when the ring assembly 331 needs to be raised or lowered, the driving device 3322 provides an upward or downward driving force to the transmission rod 3323, causing the support ring 3321 connected to the transmission rod 3323 to rise or fall, thereby driving the ring assembly 331 supported by the support ring 3321 to move upward or downward. The lifting device 332 of this invention has a simple structure and convenient lifting operation. It requires only a few components to achieve the lifting of the ring assembly 331, and does not significantly affect other components during the lifting process, which is beneficial for maintaining the stability of the cavity environment.

[0058] As described above, to ensure a stable grounding path between the lifting device 332 and the ring assembly 331, the transmission rod 3323 and the support ring 3321 are made of conductive material. The grounded driving device 3322, the conductive transmission rod 3323, the support ring 3321, and the ring assembly 331 form a continuous conductive path, achieving stable grounding of the ring assembly 331. This ensures that the ring assembly 331 and other components such as the cavity have the same potential, preventing problems such as arcing due to potential differences. To further enhance the conductivity of the lifting device 332, the transmission rod 3323 is connected to the support ring 3321 via a conductive connector 3324. The conductive connector 3324 not only ensures the tightness of the connection between the transmission rod 3323 and the support ring 3321, improving the overall stability of the lifting device 332, but also enhances the conductivity at the connection between the transmission rod 3323 and the support ring 3321, ensuring that the transmission rod 3323 and the support ring 3321 are always in an equipotential state, thereby guaranteeing the overall conductivity of the lifting device 332. On the other hand, the shielding ring 3311 of the ring assembly 331 makes conductive contact with the support ring 3321, ensuring the conductivity at the contact point between the ring assembly 331 and the lifting device 332, thus guaranteeing the overall conductive stability of the lifting device 332 and the ring assembly 331.

[0059] like Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment, the driving device 3322 of the lifting device 332 is disposed outside the processing chamber 10, the support ring 3321 is disposed inside the processing chamber 10, the first end of the transmission rod 3323 is located outside the processing chamber 10 and connected to the driving device 3322, and the second end is located inside the processing chamber 10 and connected to the support ring 3321. The lifting device 332 also includes a retractable sealing assembly 3325 (see [link to documentation]). Figure 3 The retractable sealing assembly 3325 is disposed outside the processing chamber 10 and circumferentially surrounds the transmission rod 3323. One end of the retractable sealing assembly 3325 is connected to the cavity of the processing chamber 10, and the other end is connected to the drive device 3322. The retractable sealing assembly 3325 can extend and retract along the axial direction of the transmission rod 3323. Based on the above structure, the lifting device 332 surrounds the portion of the transmission rod 3323 located outside the processing chamber 10 through the retractable sealing assembly 3325 to isolate it from the atmosphere and vacuum environment, sealing the transmission rod 3323 in the sealed environment of the processing chamber 10, thereby ensuring the stability of the internal environment of the processing chamber 10.

[0060] In practical applications, when the drive device 3322 drives the transmission rod 3323 to move up and down, the retractable sealing assembly 3325 also extends and retracts along the axial direction of the transmission rod 3323. Optionally, the retractable sealing assembly 3325 includes a bellows, which has high mechanical toughness and a large extension stroke. It is not easily damaged even after multiple folding and expansion, eliminating the need for frequent replacement and reducing equipment maintenance costs.

[0061] Alternatively, the retractable sealing assembly 3325 can be made of a conductive material. As described above, one end of the retractable sealing assembly 3325 is connected to the cavity of the processing chamber 10, and the other end is connected to the driving device 3322. The retractable sealing assembly 3325 made of a conductive material ensures that the driving device 3322 and the processing chamber 10 are at the same potential, thus avoiding abnormal phenomena such as arcing caused by potential differences during the process, further guaranteeing the stability and safety of the process.

[0062] It is understood that the lifting device 332 includes at least two transmission rods 3323, each transmission rod 3323 being connected to a driving device 3322. The transmission rods 3323 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the support ring 3321 to ensure the uniformity of force on the support ring 3321 in the circumferential direction. In practical applications, each driving device 3322 applies the same driving force to each transmission rod 3323 to ensure the consistency of the lifting amplitude in each direction on the support ring 3321, thereby ensuring the horizontality and stability of the support ring 3321 and avoiding phenomena such as edge deviation in the substrate W processing due to different lifting amplitudes in different directions. In practical applications, two, three, or four transmission rods 3323 can be selected according to requirements; this invention does not impose any limitation on this.

[0063] Optionally, the drive device 3322 includes a drive motor or a cylinder drive device 3322. Of course, the drive device 3322 can also be other types of drive structures; in practical applications, the choice can be made based on factors such as required drive precision. As described above, the drive device 3322 in this invention only needs to lift and lower the ring assembly 331 around the base 31, and its lifting load is relatively small. Most drive devices 3322 on the market can achieve the above function; therefore, the selection range of the drive device 3322 is wide.

[0064] On the other hand, such as Figure 2As shown, the lower part of the ring assembly 331 also includes a cover ring 3312. The cover ring 3312 is disposed radially inside the shielding ring 3311. When the ring assembly 331 is in the process position, the cover ring 3312 covers the edge area of ​​the substrate W. In practical applications, the cover ring 3312 rises and falls with the rise and fall of the shielding ring 3311. When the lifting device 332 raises and lowers the shielding ring 3311 to the process position, the shielding cylinder of the shielding ring 3311 surrounds the substrate W, forming a stable radio frequency electric field environment above the substrate W. At the same time, the cover ring 3312 mounted on the shielding ring 3311 covers the edge of the substrate W to prevent process gases and their byproducts above the substrate W from contacting the back of the substrate W or the base 31, avoiding the formation of deposits in non-process areas (such as the back of the substrate W). Furthermore, since the cover ring 3312 covers the edge of the substrate W, it can press down on the edge of the substrate W to prevent warping and other phenomena, thus limiting the position of the substrate W.

[0065] In practical applications, the deposition effect on the substrate W surface can be adjusted by finely adjusting the height of the capping ring 3312. As the process is repeated, the erosion of the capping ring 3312 caused by ion bombardment deepens, and the thickness of the capping ring 3312 gradually thins, resulting in changes in the thickness of the plasma sheath layer at the edge of the substrate W. Furthermore, the impact on the substrate W surface differs between the early and late stages of the target material 20's lifespan; the later stage deposits more material at the edge of the substrate W, affecting the surface treatment effect. This invention can adjust the relative height of the capping ring 3312 to the substrate W by adjusting its height, thereby regulating the distribution of the sheath layer at the edge of the substrate W, affecting the edge deposition effect, and thus adjusting the uniformity of deposition on the entire substrate W surface. Therefore, the adjustable capping ring 3312 in this invention not only compensates for the non-uniformity of the target material 20 deposition but also mitigates the instability caused by its own consumption. On the other hand, the present invention can adjust the surface treatment effect of the substrate W by adjusting the cover ring 3312, without adjusting the base 31 and the substrate W, that is, without adjusting the distance between the substrate W and the target material 20, reducing the complexity of process adjustment, while avoiding the introduction of other unstable factors, which helps to ensure the stability of the substrate W processing process.

[0066] Furthermore, the lifting device 332 is grounded, and the lifting device 332, shielding ring 3311, and cover ring 3312 can form a stable grounding path. Since the cover ring 3312 is set on the shielding ring 3311, and the cover ring 3312 and the shielding ring 3311 rise and fall synchronously, the entire ring assembly 331 is a whole, and the two are in stable contact, resulting in better overall stability. At the same time, it can also reduce the contact gap between the components of the ring assembly 331 (this gap refers to the gap that can form a potential difference), making the overall conductivity of the ring assembly 331 better, effectively avoiding the formation of a potential difference between the components of the ring assembly 331, and thus avoiding interference with the cavity environment. On the other hand, the synchronous rise and fall of the two can reduce the operational complexity in actual production, which is conducive to ensuring the stability and safety of production.

[0067] In practical applications, a vacuum gap exists between the cover ring 3312 and the shielding ring 3311, and this vacuum gap is located in the peripheral region outside the edge of the substrate W. The processing cavity 10 has a vacuum port (usually at the bottom) for evacuating the cavity. Waste byproducts and other substances generated during the substrate W processing can be discharged through this vacuum gap to the vacuum port and then out of the cavity. As described above, the shielding cylinder of the shielding ring 3311 confines the radio frequency electric field within its internal space. This radio frequency electric field covers not only the central region of the substrate W but also the edge region of the substrate W. The ring assembly 331 of this invention sets the vacuum gap in the outer region outside the edge of the substrate W, which can prevent turbulence and other phenomena in the substrate W processing area (especially the edge of the substrate W), avoid the impact of vacuuming / evacuation on the edge of the substrate W, and help ensure the consistency of the processing environment between the center and edge of the substrate W. On the other hand, as mentioned above, the shielding cylinder achieves all-round encirclement of the substrate W and confines the radio frequency electric field in its internal space. Therefore, there is almost no radio frequency below the shielding cylinder. Even if a small amount of process gas is drawn to the bottom of the shielding cylinder through the evacuation gap, plasma will not be generated below it, which can avoid phenomena such as arc ignition and help ensure the stability of the evacuation gas path.

[0068] In practical applications, the shielding ring 3311 and the cover ring 3312 can be engaged in a snap-fit ​​contact. As the process is repeated, the erosion of the cover ring 3312 caused by ion bombardment will deepen, and the thickness of the cover ring 3312 will gradually decrease. Setting the cover ring 3312 to engage with the shielding ring 3311 not only ensures the stability of the cover ring 3312 during lifting and lowering but also facilitates the replacement of the cover ring 3312. Of course, in practical applications, other contact methods can also be used, and this invention does not limit this.

[0069] On the other hand, such as Figure 2As shown, the shielding ring 3311 includes a first structure 33111, a second structure 33112, and a third structure 33113. The first structure 33111 extends along the upper surface of the support ring 3321 toward the center of the support ring 3321; the second structure 33112 extends downward from the first structure 33111 to form the shielding cylinder; and the third structure 33113 extends radially inward from the lower end of the second structure 33112. In practical applications, the first structure 33111 is connected to the support ring 3321, providing sufficient support for the entire shielding ring 3311. The shielding cylinder formed by the second structure 33112 can surround the substrate W circumferentially to confine the radio frequency electric field within its internal space. It also shields the substrate W from the influence of the transfer port 11 and other components on the substrate W's processing environment, ensuring the uniformity of the radio frequency electric field above the substrate W. The third structure 33113 is located below the substrate W in the process state. Combined with the second structure 33112, it achieves omnidirectional enclosure of the substrate W, allowing the radio frequency electric field to cover the edge area of ​​the substrate W. This helps ensure the consistency of the processing environment between the central and edge areas of the substrate W, thereby ensuring the consistency of the surface treatment effect of the substrate W. As can be seen from the above, the shielding ring 3311, by combining the first structure 33111, the second structure 33112, and the third structure 33113, can effectively guarantee the surface treatment effect of the substrate W.

[0070] In one embodiment, a cover ring 3312 may be disposed on a third structure 33113. The contact position between the cover ring 3312 and the third structure 33113 has an air extraction gap, which is distributed circumferentially and located on the periphery of the edge of the substrate W, so as to discharge by-products and other substances generated during the processing of the substrate W.

[0071] Furthermore, the shielding ring 3311 also includes a fourth structure 33114, which extends radially inward and upward from the third structure 33113. Optionally, the cover ring 3312 is disposed on the fourth structure 33114, with an air extraction gap between them, and this air extraction gap is located on the periphery of the edge of the substrate W. In the process state, the air extraction gap is located below the periphery of the edge of the substrate W, and the distance between the air extraction gap and the edge of the substrate W is greater, which can further reduce its impact on the edge area of ​​the substrate W and help ensure the consistency of the processing environment between the central area and the edge area of ​​the substrate W.

[0072] Optionally, in one embodiment, the shielding ring 3311 is an integral ring structure to reduce its own contact gap, avoid the formation of potential differences between its internal components, and help ensure its overall conductivity and stability.

[0073] On the other hand, such as Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the lifting device 332 is located below the ring assembly 331, and its driving device 3322 is located below the processing chamber 10. Alternatively, the lifting device 332 can be located above the ring assembly 331. In this case, the driving device 3322 is positioned above the processing chamber 10, with one end of the transmission rod 3323 connected to the driving device 3322 and the other end connected to the support ring 3321. This effectively suspends the support ring 3321 inside the processing chamber 10, allowing it to connect to the ring assembly 331. The working principles of the two methods are similar or identical. In practical applications, the configuration can be adjusted according to site conditions and actual needs; this invention does not impose any limitations on this.

[0074] It should be noted that the thin film deposition apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the above-described structural composition. In other embodiments, it may be formed by other structural combinations, and the present invention does not limit this. For example, in another embodiment, the thin film deposition apparatus is a physical vapor deposition apparatus, which includes only one processing chamber 10 (of course, it may include three or more), and the processing chamber 10 has a base 31 and the movable edge ring assembly 33 of the present invention.

[0075] In summary, in the thin film deposition apparatus of the present invention, the movable edge ring assembly 33 combines the ring assembly 331 and the lifting device 332. The lifting of the ring assembly 331 can be achieved solely through the lifting device 332, without the need for the base 31 and the substrate W to move. This effectively reduces the instability factors during the lifting of the ring assembly 331, helps to ensure the stability of the base 31 and the substrate W, and thus ensures the stability of the substrate W processing environment. At the same time, it achieves all-round encirclement of the substrate W through the shielding ring 3311, so as to form a stable radio frequency electric field environment for the substrate W processing, thereby ensuring the processing effect of the substrate W surface.

[0076] Furthermore, in this invention, the lifting device 332 is grounded so that the lifting device 332 and the ring assembly 331 form a generally stable grounding path, avoiding the generation of potential difference between the ring assembly 331 and the cavity or other components, thereby ensuring the potential uniformity around the substrate W. At the same time, it also avoids the impact of the lifting of the ring assembly 331 on the process environment inside the cavity, which helps to ensure the stability and safety of the substrate W processing.

[0077] Furthermore, in this invention, the shielding ring 3311 and the cover ring 3312 are combined to form a ring assembly 331. The two are in stable contact, which reduces the contact gap inside the ring assembly 331 and makes the overall conductivity of the ring assembly 331 better. This effectively avoids the formation of potential differences between the components of the ring assembly 331, thereby avoiding interference with the cavity environment. On the other hand, the synchronous lifting and lowering of the two can reduce the operational complexity in actual production and help ensure the stability and safety of production.

[0078] Furthermore, in this invention, the thickness of the sheath layer above the substrate W can be adjusted by simply raising and lowering the ring assembly 331 using the lifting device 332, thereby adjusting the treatment effect on the surface of the substrate W. This can effectively address the impact of changes in the cavity environment caused by factors such as the consumption of the target material 20 or the consumption of the cap ring 3312 on the treatment of the substrate W.

[0079] At least one cylindrical liner fixed to the inner wall of the cavity can also be provided above the edge ring assembly 33 in this invention, such as... Figure 1 The 340 shown is an inner liner. The radius of the shielding ring 3311 of the movable edge ring assembly 33 of this invention is different from the radius of the inner liner 340, creating a gap between them. This prevents the shielding ring 3311 from colliding with the upper inner liner 340 when it moves up and down. Simultaneously, during the process, the lower end of the inner liner 340 and the upper end of the shielding ring 3311 overlap each other in the height direction. Thus, the combination of the fixed inner liner 340 and the movable edge ring assembly 33 surrounds the substrate W processing space. When wafer transfer is required, only the lowermost edge ring assembly 33 needs to be raised and lowered; the other inner liners 340 do not need to move, ensuring the stability of the internal environment of the processing cavity.

[0080] In addition to being positioned at the bottom of the cavity to lift the edge ring assembly 33 upwards, the lifting device 332 of the present invention can also be positioned at the top of the cavity or at other locations above the edge ring assembly 33, such as on the side wall of the cavity. The lifting device 332 located above the edge ring assembly 33 can extend downwards to the edge ring assembly 33 of the present invention via a transmission rod 3323 disposed in the gap between the inner liner 340 and the inner side wall of the cavity, thereby enabling the edge ring assembly 33 to move between the process position and the wafer transfer position.

[0081] 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 thin film deposition apparatus comprising a movable edge ring assembly, the thin film deposition apparatus including a vacuum processing chamber and a base located at the bottom of the processing chamber for supporting a substrate, characterized in that, The movable edge ring assembly includes: A ring assembly, the ring assembly including a shielding ring having an axially extending shielding cylinder; A lifting device is electrically connected to the ring assembly. The lifting device is used to drive the ring assembly to move up and down, so that the ring assembly moves between the process position and the transfer position. When the ring assembly is in the process position, the shielding cylinder surrounds the substrate to provide radial and internal electromagnetic shielding for the shielding cylinder; When the ring assembly is in the transfer position, the ring assembly is away from the substrate on the base, so that the substrate is not blocked by the ring assembly and can be transferred from the transfer port on the side wall of the processing cavity.

2. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting device is grounded.

3. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting device includes: A support ring for supporting the ring assembly; A drive unit, which is used to provide driving force; The transmission rod has one end connected to the drive device and the other end connected to the support ring. The transmission rod and the support ring are made of conductive material and form a grounding path.

4. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The transmission rod is connected to the support ring via a conductive connector.

5. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 3, characterized in that, There is a conductive contact between the ring assembly and the support ring.

6. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The driving device is located outside the processing cavity, the support ring is located inside the processing cavity, and the lifting device also includes a retractable sealing assembly. The retractable sealing assembly is located outside the processing cavity and is arranged circumferentially around the transmission rod. One end of the retractable sealing assembly is connected to the cavity body of the processing cavity, and the other end is connected to the driving device. The retractable sealing assembly can extend and retract along the axial direction of the transmission rod.

7. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, The lifting device includes at least two transmission rods, each of which is evenly distributed along the circumference of the support ring.

8. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, The driving device includes a drive motor or a cylinder driving device.

9. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the processing chamber includes a target material disposed opposite to the base.

10. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The lower part of the ring assembly also includes a cover ring, which is disposed on the radial inner side of the shielding ring. When the ring assembly is in the process position, the cover ring covers the edge area of ​​the substrate.

11. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, At least one liner is fixed to the inner wall of the processing chamber. The radius of the shielding ring is different from that of the liner. In the process position, the lower end of the liner overlaps with the upper end of the shielding ring in the height direction. The liner and the ring assembly together form the processing space.

12. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, There is an air extraction gap between the cover ring and the shielding ring, and the air extraction gap is located in the peripheral area outside the edge of the substrate.

13. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that, The shielding ring comprises: The first structure extends along the upper surface of the support ring toward the center of the support ring; The second structure extends downward from the first structure to form the shielding cylinder; The third structure extends radially inward from the lower end of the second structure.

14. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that, The ring assembly further includes a cover ring disposed on the third structure.

15. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that, The shielding ring also includes: The fourth structure extends radially inward and upward from the third structure.

16. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that, The ring assembly further includes a cover ring disposed on the fourth structure.

17. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The shielding ring is an integral ring structure.

18. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The lifting device is located below or above the ring assembly. When the ring assembly is in the transfer position, the lower end of the ring assembly is higher than the upper surface of the substrate.

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