Exhaust line and exhaust method for semiconductor vapor deposition

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an exhaust line and an exhaust method for semiconductor vapor deposition. The exhaust line of the present disclosure comprises a first pipe diameter section, a variable-diameter transition section, and a second pipe diameter section, wherein the pipe diameter of the second pipe diameter section is larger than the pipe diameter of the first pipe diameter section, wherein the variable-diameter transition section is between the first pipe diameter section and the second pipe diameter section and its pipe diameter gradually changes from the pipe diameter of the second pipe diameter section to the pipe diameter of the first pipe diameter section, the first pipe diameter section is connected to a working chamber through a first valve, and the second pipe diameter section is connected to a vacuum pump.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor device fabrication, and more specifically to exhaust channels, exhaust methods, and computer-readable storage media for semiconductor vapor deposition. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, when using vapor deposition (e.g., Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) or Sub-Atmospheric Chemical Vapor Deposition (SACVD)) equipment for semiconductor device fabrication, the chamber needs to be evacuated to a vacuum after the process. During this process, a large amount of gas needs to be extracted from the chamber through the foreline (FL). However, a significant amount of gas may accumulate in the foreline during this process, causing the pressure in the foreline to exceed the chamber pressure. This can lead to gas backflow into the chamber and contamination of the wafer.

[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of exhaust pipe for semiconductor vapor deposition. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0005] As described above, in order to address at least one of the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art, this disclosure provides an exhaust pipe for semiconductor vapor deposition, an exhaust method for semiconductor vapor deposition, and a computer-readable storage medium. By adding a variable diameter design to the existing exhaust pipe design, the pressure in the exhaust pipe is distributed in a stepped manner to facilitate pressure drop. Furthermore, it is preferable to further add an auxiliary exhaust branch to increase the exhaust capacity when necessary, thereby reducing the auxiliary pressure and effectively improving the exhaust capacity of the exhaust pipe, thus preventing gas backflow into the chamber and contaminating the wafer.

[0006] Specifically, the first aspect of this disclosure provides an exhaust pipe for semiconductor vapor deposition, comprising: a first diameter section; a diameter transition section; and a second diameter section, wherein the diameter of the second diameter section is larger than the diameter of the first diameter section, wherein the diameter transition section is located between the first diameter section and the second diameter section and its diameter gradually changes from the diameter of the second diameter section to the diameter of the first diameter section, the first diameter section is connected to a working chamber via a first valve, and the second diameter section is connected to a vacuum pump.

[0007] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the diameter ratio of the second pipe section to the first pipe section is in the range of 1.2-2.

[0008] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the variable diameter transition section has a variable diameter angle in the range of 15-30 degrees.

[0009] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the length of the first pipe section is greater than the length of the second pipe section.

[0010] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the first valve includes a throttle valve and a gate valve.

[0011] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the exhaust pipeline further includes a nitrogen pressure stabilizing pipeline, the inlet end of which is connected to a nitrogen source, and the outlet end of which is connected to the first pipe diameter section via a second valve.

[0012] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the exhaust pipeline further includes an auxiliary exhaust branch, the inlet end of which is connected to the first pipe diameter section via a third valve, and the exhaust end of which is connected to an auxiliary vacuum pump, wherein the inlet end of the auxiliary exhaust branch is further away from the working chamber than the outlet end of the nitrogen pressure stabilizing pipeline.

[0013] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the ratio of the diameter of the auxiliary exhaust branch to the diameter of the first pipe section is between 0.4 and 1.

[0014] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the exhaust pipe is used in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) equipment or a sub-atmospheric chemical vapor deposition (SACVD) equipment for semiconductor device processing.

[0015] Furthermore, a second aspect of this disclosure provides a method for venting the working chamber of a vapor deposition apparatus through an exhaust line according to the first aspect of this disclosure, the method comprising: continuously monitoring the difference between a pressure measured by a vacuum gauge in the working chamber and a pressure measured by a vacuum gauge in the exhaust line in response to the opening of a first valve; closing a second valve and / or the nitrogen source in response to the difference being less than a first value; opening a third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump to assist in venting in response to the difference being less than a second value after closing the second valve and / or the nitrogen source, wherein the second value is less than the first value; and stopping the vapor deposition process in response to the difference being less than or equal to a fifth value after opening the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump, wherein the fifth value is less than the second value.

[0016] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the method further includes: after opening the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump, determining whether the difference is greater than a third value; in response to the difference being greater than the third value, closing the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump; and in response to the difference being less than or equal to the third value, returning to monitoring whether the difference is less than the second value.

[0017] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this disclosure, the method further includes: after closing the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump, in response to the difference between the measured pressure values ​​of the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust pipe being greater than a fourth value, opening the second valve and / or the nitrogen source; and returning to continuously monitoring the difference between the measured pressure values ​​of the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust pipe.

[0018] Furthermore, a third aspect of this disclosure provides a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform the method described in the second aspect of this disclosure.

[0019] Furthermore, a fourth aspect of this disclosure provides a vapor deposition apparatus for semiconductor device fabrication, including an exhaust conduit as described in the first aspect of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The foregoing features and advantages of this disclosure will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related properties or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the exhaust pipe of a vapor deposition apparatus for semiconductor device fabrication according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0022] Figure 2A schematic flowchart of a method for venting a working chamber for processing a semiconductor device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0023] Figure label: Exhaust pipe 100 First diameter section 101 Variable diameter transition section 103 Second diameter section 105 First valve 107 Working chamber 109 Vacuum pump 111 Nitrogen pressure stabilizing pipeline 113 Second valve 115 Auxiliary exhaust branch 117 Third valve 119 Auxiliary vacuum pump 121 Exhaust pipe vacuum gauge 123 Chamber vacuum gauge 125 Detailed Implementation

[0024] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this disclosure, and those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this disclosure from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of this disclosure is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of this invention are limited to this embodiment. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of this disclosure. To provide a thorough understanding of this disclosure, many specific details will be included in the following description. This disclosure may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of this disclosure, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0025] In the description of this disclosure, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linkage" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure based on the specific circumstances.

[0026] Furthermore, the terms “up,” “down,” “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,” “horizontal,” and “vertical” used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in the paragraph and related figures. This relative terminology is for illustrative purposes only and does not imply that the described device must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure.

[0027] It is understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or portions, these components, regions, layers, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or portions. Therefore, the first component, region, layer, and / or portion discussed below may be referred to as the second component, region, layer, and / or portion without departing from some embodiments of this disclosure.

[0028] The inventors recognized that in existing vapor deposition (especially SACVD) processes, the gas in the chamber and exhaust pipe is mainly removed by a vacuum pump (e.g., a dry vacuum pump, or simply a dry pump). The exhaust pipe only has a pressure detection device but lacks a mechanism to regulate the exhaust pipe pressure. If the vacuum pump's capacity decreases, gas can become trapped in the exhaust pipe, causing the pressure in the exhaust pipe to exceed the chamber pressure, resulting in backflow and contamination of the wafer and chamber.

[0029] This disclosure provides an exhaust pipe and exhaust method for preventing gas backflow into the chamber during chemical vapor deposition (especially SACVD) processes. The exhaust pipe includes a main exhaust pipe, a pressure monitoring device for monitoring chamber pressure, a pressure monitoring device for monitoring the pressure of the main exhaust pipe, and a nitrogen pressure stabilizing pipe. The main exhaust pipe features a variable diameter design, resulting in a stepped pressure distribution, which is beneficial for pressure drop. Furthermore, the exhaust pipe also includes an auxiliary exhaust branch for assisting in exhaust when the exhaust capacity of the main exhaust pipe decreases, thereby helping to reduce the pressure drop between the chamber and the exhaust pipe and preventing gas backflow into the chamber. The exhaust method can also adjust the exhaust pipe pressure based on the pressure difference between the chamber and the exhaust pipe, thereby enabling timely control of the opening and closing of the nitrogen pressure stabilizing pipe and the auxiliary exhaust branch, thus minimizing the risk of gas backflow into the chamber and improving the efficiency of the chemical vapor deposition process.

[0030] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the exhaust pipe 100 of a vapor deposition apparatus for semiconductor device fabrication according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, the exhaust pipe 100 has a variable diameter design, including a first diameter section 101, a variable diameter transition section 103 and a second diameter section 105, wherein the diameter of the second diameter section 105 is larger than the diameter of the first diameter section 101.

[0032] from Figure 1As can be seen, the transition section 103 is located between the first diameter section 101 and the second diameter section 105, and its diameter gradually changes from the diameter of the second diameter section 105 to the diameter of the first diameter section 101. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the term "gradual change" can refer to a continuous and smooth change, such as... Figure 1 As shown. In one embodiment of this disclosure, the diameters of the first pipe section 101 and the second pipe section 105 are uniform, as shown. Figure 1 As shown. In one embodiment, the first pipe diameter section 101 and the second pipe diameter section 105 may be cylindrical pipe diameter sections. However, it will be understood that the first pipe diameter section 101 and the second pipe diameter section 105 may also be any other suitable shape, such as an elliptical cylindrical pipe diameter section, a prismatic pipe diameter section, etc.

[0033] from Figure 1 As can also be seen, the first pipe section 101 is connected to the working chamber 109 via the first valve 107, while the second pipe section 105 is connected to the vacuum pump 111. Thus, during the exhaust process, the first valve 107 opens, allowing gas to be discharged from the chamber through the exhaust pipe 100 via the action of the vacuum pump 111. In one example, the vacuum pump 111 can be a dry vacuum pump, or simply a dry pump.

[0034] In alternative embodiments of this disclosure, the exhaust pipe may not include a first diameter section, a second diameter section, or both. For example: The exhaust piping may consist only of a reducing pipe section. In this example, the smaller diameter end of the reducing pipe section is connected to the working chamber via a first valve, while the larger diameter end of the reducing pipe section is connected to the vacuum pump; or, The exhaust piping may consist only of a first diameter section and a reducing diameter section. In this example, the first diameter section is connected to the working chamber via a first valve, while the smaller diameter end of the reducing diameter section has the same diameter as the first diameter section and is connected to it. The larger diameter end of the reducing diameter section is connected to the vacuum pump; or... The exhaust pipe may consist of only a second diameter section and a reducing diameter section. In this example, the smaller diameter end of the reducing diameter section is connected to the working chamber via a first valve, and the larger diameter end of the reducing diameter section has the same diameter as the second diameter section and is connected to the second diameter section, which is connected to the vacuum pump.

[0035] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the pipe diameter ratio of the second pipe section 105 to the first pipe section 101 can be within any suitable ratio range, for example, within the range of 1.2-2. If it is greater than 2, it will affect the connection with the pump port below, and if it is less than 1.2, it will not play a role in rapid pressure drop.

[0036] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the transition section 103 can have any suitable transition angle. Considering that an excessively large transition angle would result in an overly long transition section (i.e., a too gradual change in pipe diameter), making installation inconvenient; and an excessively small transition angle would result in an overly short transition section (i.e., a too steep change in pipe diameter), potentially causing dust accumulation in the pipeline, the transition angle of the transition section 103 can be in the range of 15-30 degrees. See also... Figure 1 In the longitudinal section of the exhaust pipe 100, the diameter change angle refers to the angle between the diameter change transition section and the transverse direction of the exhaust pipe 100, where the longitudinal direction of the exhaust pipe 100 is the direction in which the exhaust pipe 100 extends, and the transverse direction of the exhaust pipe 100 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, the length of the first pipe diameter section 101 and the length of the second pipe diameter section 105 can be any suitable relationship. For example, in Figure 1 In the example shown, the length of the first pipe section 101 is greater than the length of the second pipe section 105. Of course, the length of the first pipe section 101 may also be equal to or less than the length of the second pipe section 105, depending on the specific installation environment of the semiconductor device processing equipment using the exhaust pipe of this disclosure, which will not be elaborated here.

[0037] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the first valve 107 may include a throttle valve, a gate valve, etc. Those skilled in the art will understand the valve arrangement between the exhaust pipe 100 and the working chamber based on this disclosure, and will not be described in detail here.

[0038] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, taking into account the case of SACVD, the exhaust line 100 may optionally include a nitrogen pressure regulating line, such as... Figure 1 As shown in the dashed box 113. In this embodiment, the inlet end of the nitrogen pressure stabilizing pipeline 113 is connected to a nitrogen source ( Figure 1 (not shown in the image), and the outlet of the nitrogen pressure stabilizing pipeline 113 is connected to the first diameter section 101 via the second valve 115.

[0039] In another embodiment of this disclosure, to enhance exhaust capacity and pressure regulation capability, the exhaust pipe 100 may optionally include an auxiliary exhaust branch, such as... Figure 1 As shown in the dashed box 117. In this embodiment, the intake end of the auxiliary exhaust branch 117 is connected to the first pipe diameter section 101 via a third valve 119, and the exhaust end of the auxiliary exhaust branch 117 is connected to the auxiliary vacuum pump 121. Preferably, as shown in the figure... Figure 1 As shown, the inlet of the auxiliary exhaust branch 117 is further away from the working chamber 109 than the outlet of the nitrogen pressure regulating line 113. In one example, the auxiliary vacuum pump 121 may be a dry pump.

[0040] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the diameter of the auxiliary exhaust branch 117 and the diameter of the first pipe section 101 can be any suitable ratio, such as 0.4-1, 0.5-0.6, 0.56-0.58, etc., so as to play a timely role in assisting pressure drop.

[0041] In another embodiment of this disclosure, the exhaust pipe 100 may be used in a CVD or SACVD equipment for semiconductor device processing.

[0042] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, such as Figure 1 As shown, an exhaust pipe vacuum gauge 123 for detecting the pressure of the exhaust pipe can also be installed in the exhaust pipe 100; a chamber vacuum gauge 125 for detecting the pressure of the working chamber can also be installed in the working chamber 109.

[0043] refer to Figure 2 It shows a schematic flowchart of a method 200 for venting a working chamber for processing a semiconductor device according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0044] exist Figure 2 In the example shown, method 200 is performed through the exhaust pipe described in this disclosure, as described above. Figure 1 The exhaust pipe 100 described herein can be used in SACVD processes. Therefore, the following will combine... Figure 1 To describe Figure 2 Example method 200 is shown.

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, method 200 may include step 201, in response to the opening of the first valve, continuously monitoring the difference between the measured pressure values ​​of the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust line. It will be understood that the first valve is a connecting valve (e.g., a gate valve) between the working chamber and the exhaust line. Figure 1 Once the first valve 107 is opened, the pressure difference between the chamber vacuum gauge 125 and the exhaust line vacuum gauge 123 is continuously monitored. Under normal circumstances, the pressure measured by the chamber vacuum gauge 125 will be greater than the pressure measured by the exhaust line vacuum gauge 123, allowing gas to be discharged from the working chamber 109 via the exhaust line 100 under the action of the vacuum pump 111, without the risk of gas backflow into the working chamber 109.

[0046] Optionally, method 200 may also monitor the pressure difference between the vacuum gauge readings of the working chamber and the exhaust pipe when the first valve is not opened, and if the pressure in the working chamber is lower than the pressure in the exhaust pipe, the first valve shall be prohibited from being opened to prevent gas from flowing back into the working chamber. Furthermore, if the pressure in the working chamber is lower than the pressure in the exhaust pipe, an alarm may be issued to alert relevant personnel to the risk of gas backflow.

[0047] Next, method 200 may include step 203, in response to the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust line being less than a first value, closing the second valve and / or the nitrogen source. It is understood that the second valve is the connecting valve between the nitrogen pressure stabilizing line and the exhaust line, for example... Figure 1 The second valve 115 shown, by closing the second valve and / or the nitrogen source, prevents nitrogen from being supplied to the exhaust line, thus helping to reduce the pressure in the exhaust line. In one example, considering that activating the nitrogen stabilization to supply nitrogen to the exhaust line would increase the pressure in the exhaust line, the first value can be set to a reasonably large value to provide an appropriate margin. For example, the first value can be several times the pressure increase in the exhaust line caused by activating the nitrogen stabilization, such as 2 times, 5 times, 10 times, or any other suitable multiple. This step reduces the pressure in the exhaust line by removing the nitrogen input, thereby mitigating or preventing the risk of gas backflow into the working chamber from the exhaust line.

[0048] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, step 203 can be divided into two sub-steps, such as... Figure 2 As shown: Sub-step 2031 determines whether the pressure difference is less than a first value. If the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust pipe is less than the first value, then method 200 proceeds to sub-step 2032, where the second valve and / or nitrogen source are closed. If the pressure difference is not less than the first value, then method 200 can cycle back to sub-step 2031. (Combined with...) Figure 1 If the difference between the measured pressure values ​​of the chamber vacuum gauge 125 and the exhaust line vacuum gauge 123 is less than the first value, the second valve 115 and / or the nitrogen source can be closed so that nitrogen is no longer supplied to the exhaust line 100.

[0049] After closing the second valve and the nitrogen source, method 200 may further include step 205, in response to the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust line being less than a second value, opening the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump to assist in exhaust. It can be understood that the third valve is the connecting valve between the auxiliary exhaust branch and the exhaust line, for example... Figure 1 The third valve 119 shown allows for auxiliary exhaust via an auxiliary exhaust branch, which in turn helps reduce the pressure in the exhaust line. In one example, the second value is less than the first value, indicating that the pressure difference between the working chamber and the exhaust line is continuously decreasing, requiring further increases in exhaust to prevent backflow.

[0050] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, step 205 can be divided into two sub-steps, such as... Figure 2As shown: Sub-step 2051, determine whether the pressure difference is less than the second value. If the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust pipe is less than the second value, then method 200 proceeds to sub-step 2052, where the third valve and auxiliary vacuum pump are opened. Combined with... Figure 1 If the difference between the measured pressure values ​​of the chamber vacuum gauge 125 and the exhaust pipe vacuum gauge 123 is less than the second value, the third valve 119 and the auxiliary vacuum pump 121 can be opened to enhance the exhaust capacity.

[0051] After opening the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump, method 200 may further include step 207, stopping the vapor deposition process in response to the difference between the measured pressure values ​​of the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust line being less than or equal to a fifth value. In one example, the fifth value is less than the second value. In a preferred embodiment of this disclosure, the fifth value may be sufficiently small, for example, zero or slightly greater than zero. In this case, the difference between the measured pressure values ​​of the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust line being less than or equal to the fifth value indicates that gas backflow may be imminent. For safety, the vapor deposition equipment needs to be shut down to prevent contamination of the semiconductor devices (e.g., wafers) in the working chamber. Optionally, in this case, an equipment alarm may also be triggered to warn of equipment failure.

[0052] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, step 207 can be divided into two sub-steps, such as... Figure 2 As shown: Sub-step 2071, determine whether the pressure difference is less than or equal to the fifth value, and if the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge of the working chamber and the vacuum gauge of the exhaust pipe is less than or equal to the fifth value, then method 200 proceeds to sub-step 2072, where the vapor deposition process is stopped; if the pressure difference is not less than or equal to the fifth value, then method 200 can proceed to step 209.

[0053] In step 209, in response to the pressure difference between the vacuum gauge readings of the working chamber and the exhaust line exceeding a third value, the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump are closed. In one example, the third value is greater than the second value. In this case, with the opening of the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump, the pressure difference increases, the risk of gas backflow is essentially eliminated, and therefore the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump can be closed to stop auxiliary exhaust.

[0054] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, step 209 can be divided into two sub-steps, such as... Figure 2 As shown: Sub-step 2091, determine whether the pressure difference is greater than the third value, and if the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge of the working chamber and the vacuum gauge of the exhaust pipe is greater than the third value, then method 200 proceeds to sub-step 2092, where the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump are closed; if the pressure difference is less than or equal to the third value, then method 200 can return to step 205, such as sub-step 2051, to determine whether the pressure difference is less than the second value.

[0055] After closing the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump, method 200 may further include step 211, in response to the difference between the measured pressure values ​​of the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust line being greater than a fourth value, opening the second valve and / or the nitrogen source, and returning to step 201. In one example, the fourth value is greater than the third value. Specifically: If only the second valve is closed in step 203, the second valve is opened in response to the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust line being greater than the fourth value. If only the nitrogen source is turned off in step 203, the nitrogen source is turned on in response to the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust pipe being greater than the fourth value. If the second valve and the nitrogen source are closed in step 203, the second valve and the nitrogen source are opened in response to the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust line being greater than the fourth value.

[0056] In yet another embodiment of this disclosure, step 211 can be divided into two sub-steps, such as... Figure 2 As shown: Sub-step 2111, determine whether the pressure difference is greater than the fourth value, and if the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge of the working chamber and the vacuum gauge of the exhaust pipe is greater than the fourth value, then method 200 proceeds to sub-step 2112, where the second valve and / or nitrogen source are opened, and then returns to step 201; if the pressure difference is less than or equal to the fourth value, then method 200 can return to step 209.

[0057] In another embodiment of this disclosure, if in step 205 it is determined that the pressure difference is not less than the second value, then method 200 may proceed to step 211 to determine whether the pressure difference is greater than the fourth value.

[0058] It will be understood that the "difference between the measured pressure values ​​of the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust pipe" mentioned herein refers to the difference between the measured pressure value of the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the measured pressure value of the vacuum gauge in the exhaust pipe, and the first, second, third, and fourth values ​​are all greater than zero. Considering that the opening of nitrogen in step 211 will increase the pressure in the exhaust pipe, the fourth value is generally set to be greater than the first value. In a preferred embodiment, the second value is half of the first value, the third value is 1.5 times the first value, and the fourth value is twice the first value.

[0059] Thus, the exhaust method of this disclosure sets multiple differential thresholds (e.g., a first value, a second value, a third value, and a fourth value), which effectively prevents the intensity of pressure changes in the exhaust pipe, making it possible not only to regulate the pressure in the exhaust pipe, but also to make the pressure regulation more precise and smooth.

[0060] Various embodiments of this disclosure also provide a vapor deposition apparatus for semiconductor device fabrication, the apparatus including an exhaust conduit as described in various embodiments of this disclosure, for example, combined with... Figure 1 The exhaust pipe 100 is described.

[0061] Various embodiments of this disclosure also provide a computer-readable storage medium having computer instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, perform the methods described in the various embodiments of this disclosure, such as combining... Figure 2 The method described in 200.

[0062] Although the methods described above are illustrated and depicted as a series of actions for the sake of simplicity, it should be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the actions, as some actions may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other actions from the illustrations and descriptions herein or not illustrated and described herein but which may be understood by those skilled in the art, according to one or more embodiments.

[0063] Those skilled in the art will understand that information, signals, and data can be represented using any of a variety of different techniques and skills. For example, the data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips described throughout the above description can be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, light fields or optical particles, or any combination thereof.

[0064] Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate this hardware-software interchangeability, the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described above in a generalized manner in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in different ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be construed as departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0065] Although the controller described in the above embodiments can be implemented through a combination of software and hardware, it is understood that the controller can also be implemented in software or hardware. For hardware implementation, the controller can be implemented using one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic devices for performing the above functions, or a selection of combinations of the above devices. For software implementation, the controller can be implemented using independent software modules such as procedures and functions running on a general-purpose chip, each module performing one or more functions and operations described herein.

[0066] The various illustrative logic modules and circuits described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed using a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in alternatives, it may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors cooperating with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0067] The steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of both. The software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor such that the processor can read and write information to / from the storage medium. In an alternative, the storage medium may be integrated into the processor. The processor and storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In an alternative, the processor and storage medium may reside as discrete components in the user terminal.

[0068] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the described functionality may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software as a computer program product, the functionality may be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on or through a computer-readable medium. A computer-readable medium includes both computer storage media and communication media, encompassing any medium that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one location to another. A storage medium may be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible to a computer. Any connection is also legitimately referred to as a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of a medium. As used in this article, disk and disc include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital multi-purpose discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs. Disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of these should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0069] The prior description of this disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An exhaust pipe for semiconductor vapor deposition, characterized in that, include: First diameter section; Variable diameter transition section; as well as The second pipe section has a larger diameter than the first pipe section. The variable diameter transition section is located between the first pipe diameter section and the second pipe diameter section, and its pipe diameter gradually changes from the pipe diameter of the second pipe diameter section to the pipe diameter of the first pipe diameter section. The first pipe diameter section is connected to the working chamber through a first valve, and the second pipe diameter section is connected to a vacuum pump.

2. The exhaust pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pipe diameter ratio between the second pipe section and the first pipe section is in the range of 1.2-2.

3. The exhaust pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The variable diameter transition section has a variable diameter angle in the range of 15-30 degrees.

4. The exhaust pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the first pipe section is greater than the length of the second pipe section.

5. The exhaust pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first valve includes a throttle valve and a gate valve.

6. The exhaust pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a nitrogen pressure stabilizing pipeline, the inlet of which is connected to a nitrogen source, and the outlet of which is connected to the first pipe diameter section via a second valve.

7. The exhaust pipe according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes an auxiliary exhaust branch, the inlet of which is connected to the first pipe section via a third valve, and the exhaust end of which is connected to an auxiliary vacuum pump, wherein the inlet of the auxiliary exhaust branch is further away from the working chamber than the outlet of the nitrogen pressure stabilizing pipeline.

8. The exhaust pipe according to claim 7, characterized in that, The ratio of the diameter of the auxiliary exhaust branch to the diameter of the first pipe section is between 0.4 and 1.

9. A method for venting the working chamber of a semiconductor vapor deposition apparatus through an exhaust pipe according to any one of claims 7-8, characterized in that, include: In response to the opening of the first valve, the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge of the working chamber and the vacuum gauge of the exhaust pipe is continuously monitored; In response to the difference being less than a first value, the second valve and / or the nitrogen source are shut off; After the second valve and / or the nitrogen source are closed, in response to the difference being less than the second value, the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump are opened to assist in exhaust, wherein the second value is less than the first value; After the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump are opened, the vapor deposition process is stopped in response to the difference being less than or equal to the fifth value, wherein the fifth value is less than the second value.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Also includes: After opening the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump, determine whether the difference is greater than a third value, wherein the third value is greater than the second value: In response to the difference being greater than the third value, the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump are shut off; In response to the difference being less than or equal to the third value, return to monitoring whether the difference is less than the second value.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that, Also includes: After closing the third valve and the auxiliary vacuum pump, in response to the difference between the measured pressure values ​​of the vacuum gauge in the working chamber and the vacuum gauge in the exhaust pipe being greater than a fourth value, the second valve and / or the nitrogen source are opened, wherein the fourth value is greater than the third value. Return to continuously monitoring the difference between the pressure values ​​measured by the vacuum gauge of the working chamber and the vacuum gauge of the exhaust pipe.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions thereon, characterized in that, When the computer instructions are executed by the processor, the method described in any one of claims 9-11 is performed.

13. A vapor deposition apparatus for semiconductor device fabrication, comprising an exhaust conduit as described in any one of claims 1-8.

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