A method for preventing gas condensation during transport, a transport pipeline, and a deposition equipment.

Abstract

This application relates to the field of semiconductor equipment, disclosing a gas condensation prevention method, a delivery pipeline, and a deposition apparatus. The method includes: heating the gas source throughout its delivery to the deposition chamber via the pipeline body to maintain the gas temperature above its condensation point; guiding the gas direction using an arc-shaped bend pipe during delivery; diverting the gas flow using a Y-shaped tee pipe during delivery; and filtering the gas using a filter located at the end of the pipeline body near the deposition chamber inlet. This delivery method achieves efficient, precise, and uniform gas delivery and heating / insulation, eliminating the risk of condensation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment. Specifically, it relates to a gas condensation prevention method for transporting materials, a transport pipeline, and a deposition apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing processes, thin film deposition is one of the core steps in constructing advanced integrated circuit micro and nanostructures. As chip feature sizes approach the nanometer scale, technologies such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and atomic layer deposition (ALD, PEALD) are widely used to grow various critical dielectric, semiconductor, and metal thin films due to their excellent step coverage and film quality. In actual production, reaction gases or gaseous precursors such as tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) need to be precisely delivered from the gas source cabinet over a considerable distance to the deposition reaction chamber via dedicated pipelines.

[0003] However, many high-boiling-point precursor materials have low saturated vapor pressures at room temperature. When these gases are transported in pipelines, if the pipeline ambient temperature is not properly controlled or if local cold spots exist, the gases are highly susceptible to condensation and liquefaction during transport. This condensation phenomenon can lead to serious process defects: firstly, it causes fluctuations in the gas flow rate and composition entering the reaction chamber, directly disrupting the uniformity and thickness control of the thin film deposition; secondly, the accumulation of condensate droplets on the inner wall of the pipeline can easily trigger chemical side reactions, generating tiny particles. Once these particles are carried into the chamber by the gas flow, they cause severe substrate contamination, significantly reducing the wafer yield. Therefore, how to efficiently, accurately, and uniformly heat and maintain the transport pipeline to eliminate the risk of condensation is a critical technical bottleneck that urgently needs to be addressed in the current semiconductor equipment field. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed embodiments, a brief summary is given below. This summary is not intended as a general commentary, nor is it intended to identify key / important components or describe the scope of protection of these embodiments, but rather as a prelude to the detailed description that follows.

[0005] This disclosure provides a gas condensation prevention method, pipeline, and deposition equipment, aiming to eliminate the risk of condensation by efficiently, accurately, and uniformly transporting and heating the gas through the pipeline.

[0006] In some embodiments, a gas condensation prevention delivery method is provided, comprising: The gas source is heated throughout the process of being transported from the main body of the pipeline to the deposition chamber, so that the temperature of the gas in the main body of the pipeline is kept above the gas condensation point. During the process of gas being transported through the main body of the pipeline, an arc-shaped bend pipe is used to guide the gas to change direction; During the process of gas being transported through the main body of the pipeline, a Y-shaped tee is used to divert the gas; During the process of gas being transported through the main body of the pipeline, the gas is filtered using a filter, which is located at the end of the main body of the pipeline and near the inlet of the deposition chamber.

[0007] Preferably, during the process of the arc-shaped turning pipe guiding the gas to change direction, the bending radius of the arc-shaped turning pipe is not less than 3 times the outer diameter of the main pipe body.

[0008] Preferably, the bending radius of the arc-shaped bend is 3 to 8 times the outer diameter of the main pipe body.

[0009] Preferably, the Y-shaped tee pipe includes a main pipe and two branch pipes connected to the main pipe; During the process of the Y-shaped tee pipe splitting the gas, the angle between the centerlines of the two branch pipes is an acute angle.

[0010] Preferably, the included angle between the centerlines of the two branch pipes is greater than 30° and less than 90°.

[0011] Preferably, after the gas is filtered, the main body of the pipeline does not contain any valve components.

[0012] Preferably, after the gas is filtered by a filter, the main body of the pipeline includes a turning elbow or a branch pipe.

[0013] Preferably, the temperature of the gas in the main body of the pipeline is 10°C to 30°C higher than the gas condensation point.

[0014] In other embodiments, an anti-gas condensation conveying pipeline is provided, applied to any of the above-described anti-gas condensation conveying methods, the conveying pipeline comprising: The main body of the pipeline is through which the gas source is transported to the deposition chamber; The bends in the main body of the pipeline are arc-shaped bends; The branch points of the main pipeline are Y-shaped tees; A filter is installed at the end of the main pipeline and near the inlet of the deposition chamber; The main body of the pipeline is equipped with a heating device.

[0015] In other embodiments, a deposition apparatus is provided, including the aforementioned gas condensation prevention delivery pipeline; The deposition equipment is a chemical vapor deposition equipment, a physical vapor deposition equipment, or an atomic layer deposition equipment.

[0016] This disclosure provides a gas condensation prevention and transport method that achieves the following technical effects: Through the synergistic optimization of full-process heating and flow channel geometry, this method achieves efficient, non-destructive, and high-purity gas transport. Full-process heating completely eliminates the source of physical condensation and crystallization caused by temperature loss; the complementary design of the arc-shaped bend and the Y-shaped tee transforms right-angle impact into smooth sliding, eliminating boundary layer separation and fundamentally eliminating vortex zones and dead zones, ensuring a precise 1:1 symmetrical distribution of dual-path airflow and significantly improving the uniformity of film thickness. The end-cavity filter completes the final purification before entering the cavity, preventing gas tailing. This achieves a closed loop of flow field, thermal field, and purity.

[0017] The above general description and the description below are exemplary and illustrative only and are not intended to limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0018] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. These illustrations and drawings do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements having the same reference numerals in the drawings are shown as similar elements. The drawings are not to be scaled. And wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a gas condensation prevention and conveying method. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a gas condensation prevention conveying pipeline as shown in the embodiments of this specification; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the Y-shaped tee pipe shown in the embodiments of this specification; Figure 4 This is a comparison diagram of the right-angle bend tube and the arc-shaped bend tube shown in the embodiments of this specification; Figure 5 This is a comparison diagram of the T-shaped tee and the Y-shaped tee shown in the embodiments of this specification. Attached image description: 1. Pipeline body; 2. Pneumatic diaphragm valve; 3. Filter; 4. Arc-shaped bend pipe; 5. Y-shaped tee pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To provide a more detailed understanding of the features and technical content of the embodiments of this disclosure, the implementation of the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure. In the following technical description, for ease of explanation, several details are used to provide a full understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, one or more embodiments may still be implemented without these details. In other cases, well-known structures and devices may be simplified in their depiction to simplify the drawings.

[0021] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this disclosure are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate to implement embodiments of the present disclosure described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0022] Unless otherwise stated, the term "multiple" means two or more.

[0023] In this embodiment of the disclosure, the character " / " indicates that the objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B means: A or B.

[0024] The term "and / or" describes an association between objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B means: A or B, or A and B.

[0025] The term "correspondence" can refer to an association or binding relationship. The correspondence between A and B means that there is an association or binding relationship between A and B.

[0026] Reference Figure 1 A method for preventing gas condensation during transportation, comprising: S1: The gas source is heated throughout the process of being transported from the main body of the pipeline to the deposition chamber, so that the temperature of the gas in the main body of the pipeline is higher than the gas condensation point. S2: During the process of gas being transported through the main body of the pipeline, an arc-shaped turning pipe is used to guide the gas to change direction; S3: During the process of gas being transported through the main body of the pipeline, a Y-shaped tee is used to divert the gas; S4: During the process of gas being transported through the main body of the pipeline, the gas is filtered using a filter, which is located at the end of the main body of the pipeline and near the inlet of the deposition chamber.

[0027] Figure 2 The arrows indicate the direction of gas flow. The gas source flows through the air inlet, through the pneumatic diaphragm valve 2 and the filter 3, and through the Y-shaped three-way pipe 5, into the deposition chamber.

[0028] The pneumatic diaphragm valve 2 can compress air to drive the valve plate, achieving absolute sealing of the gas and millisecond-level rapid switching control. Its internal flow channel is designed to be very smooth, with a very small internal volume, and no physical dead corners like those inside the ball of a ball valve or at the threads of a needle valve.

[0029] When gas enters the deposition chamber, if gas is introduced from only one side of the deposition chamber, a concentration gradient will be generated after the gas enters the chamber, resulting in a thicker film on the side closer to the gas inlet and a thinner film on the side farther away.

[0030] Reference Figure 3 As shown in the internal structure diagram of the Y-shaped tee tube, the gas flow is split into two by the Y-shaped tee tube 5, which are respectively connected to the two sides of the same deposition chamber. The gas can be absolutely uniformly divided in a 1:1 ratio, ensuring that the flow rate and pressure of the two gas streams are completely consistent, thereby forming a symmetrical and uniform gas flow field above the wafer, which greatly improves the film quality.

[0031] The design of the arc-shaped bend tube 4 can eliminate eddies and localized temperature loss, as shown in the reference. Figure 4 Traditional 90° right-angle bend pipes cause gas to collide on the outside of the bend, while airflow stripping and vortex zones are generated on the inside. Gas stays in the vortex zone for a long time and the flow velocity approaches zero, making it very easy for heat exchange imbalance to occur and condensation to occur. In contrast, the arc-shaped bend pipe 4 keeps the gas flow line smooth and transitions smoothly, with low flow resistance, avoiding local condensation caused by sudden velocity drops.

[0032] Reference Figure 5 The Y-shaped tee 5 design allows for balanced flow splitting. In contrast, with a T-shaped tee, the gas undergoes a sharp 90° turn and head-on impact during flow splitting, leading to severe pressure fluctuations and energy loss, and creating vortex and stagnant zones. The Y-shaped tee 5 has a smaller branch angle, allowing the gas to "slide" into the branch along its original flow inertia, resulting in a more uniform velocity distribution and smoother flow splitting. This fundamentally reduces the disruption of gas phase equilibrium caused by sudden local pressure changes.

[0033] The overall installation of a heating device can provide active thermal compensation. The heating device can maintain the pipe wall temperature above the condensation point of the gas, and through continuous heat conduction, it can disrupt the thermodynamic conditions for gas condensation and crystallization.

[0034] By installing filter 3 at the end of the main pipeline, process purity can be ensured. During long-distance transportation, gas may precipitate crystals due to slight purity fluctuations, or carry away trace particles from the inner wall of the pipeline. Filtering as the final step before entering the deposition chamber is crucial to ensuring the yield of the epitaxial / deposition process.

[0035] These characteristics do not exist in isolation; they are closely coupled in both spatial and physical flow fields. On the one hand, if the main body of the pipeline is equipped with a heating device, but the pipeline uses right-angle elbows or T-shaped tees, then the gas flow rate is extremely slow or even stagnant in the right-angle dead zone. Even if a heating device is installed outside, because the fluid does not flow, the local heat cannot be evenly removed by convection, which can easily lead to "local overheating precipitation" or "edge cooling condensation".

[0036] After being configured in the manner described in the embodiments of this specification, the dynamically flowing gas and the heat from the pipe wall provided by the heating device undergo efficient and uniform convective heat exchange, resulting in a very small "gas temperature gradient" within the rectified flow field.

[0037] On the other hand, filter 3 itself is a high-resistance element. According to the gas law, a decrease in pressure will cause a decrease in the saturated vapor pressure of the gas, thereby triggering "expansion cooling" and condensation inside filter 3.

[0038] With the configuration shown in the embodiments of this specification, the arc-shaped bend pipe 4 and the Y-shaped tee pipe 5 at the front end minimize friction loss, leaving the dynamic pressure to the end. This ensures that the gas maintains a sufficiently high reference pressure when entering the filter 3, offsetting the pressure drop risk of the filter 3 itself, extending the service life of the filter 3, and preventing premature clogging of the filter element.

[0039] On the other hand, filter 3 is the irregularly shaped component with the largest surface area and heat capacity in the entire pipeline, and it is also the "disaster area" most prone to condensation. If condensation occurs in the upstream pipeline, liquid or particles will directly flush and instantly clog the filter element, causing process interruption.

[0040] After being configured in the manner described in the embodiments of this specification, the overall heating of the pipeline body 1 ensures that the gas remains 100% in a completely gaseous state before reaching the filter 3. This greatly reduces the interception load of the end filter 3, allowing it to focus only on intercepting occasional micron-sized particles rather than bearing large-area condensation droplets, thereby ensuring the stability and continuity of the semiconductor mass production process.

[0041] The interconnected and organically combined components achieve a synergistic effect of optimized flow field, reduced condensation, and particle interception. Through the synergistic optimization of full-process heating and flow channel geometry, this method enables efficient, non-destructive, and high-purity gas delivery. Full-process heating completely eliminates the source of physical condensation and crystallization caused by temperature loss. The complementary design of the arc-shaped bend and the Y-shaped tee transforms right-angle impacts into smooth sliding, eliminating boundary layer separation and fundamentally eliminating vortex zones and dead zones, ensuring a precise 1:1 symmetrical distribution of the dual airflow paths and significantly improving the uniformity of film thickness. The end-cavity filter performs final purification before entering the cavity, preventing gas tailing. This achieves a closed loop encompassing flow field, thermal field, and purity.

[0042] In the embodiments described in this specification, during the process of the arc-shaped turning pipe guiding the gas to change direction, the bending radius of the arc-shaped turning pipe is not less than 3 times the outer diameter of the main pipe body.

[0043] Furthermore, the bending radius of the arc-shaped turning pipe is 3 to 8 times the outer diameter of the main pipe body.

[0044] If the bending radius is too small, for example, less than three times the bend's radius, the airflow will encounter a drastic geometric change when turning. When the gas passes through the bend, due to centrifugal force, the faster-flowing fluid in the center of the pipe will be pushed outwards, while the slower-flowing fluid at the pipe wall will flow inwards, thus forming a pair of counter-rotating vortices. In bends with too small a radius, the inner side is prone to boundary layer separation due to the sudden increase in pressure and decrease in velocity, creating a large area of ​​dead water. Once the vapor deposition precursor gas enters the dead water zone, it will prematurely undergo thermal decomposition or condensation due to excessive residence time and uneven heat conduction.

[0045] When the bending radius of the arc-shaped bend pipe 4 is not less than 3 times the outer diameter of the main pipe body 1, the intensity of this secondary flow is controlled within a reasonable range, avoiding serious energy dissipation and preventing fluid boundary layer peeling.

[0046] However, when the radius exceeds 8 times, the decrease curve of the drag coefficient becomes very flat, and the actual physical length of the arc-shaped bend increases significantly. The increased frictional resistance due to the excessively long pipe will offset the local resistance optimization brought about by the large radius. In addition, the surface area of ​​the arc-shaped bend increases dramatically when the radius exceeds 8 times, and the heat dissipation surface of the pipe increases dramatically. This not only increases the power consumption load of the heating device, but also makes it very easy for small "local temperature differences (cold spots)" to form on the long outer arc surface due to environmental convection.

[0047] In the embodiments of this specification, the Y-shaped tee pipe includes a main pipe and two branch pipes connected to the main pipe; during the process of the Y-shaped tee pipe diverting the gas, the included angle between the centerlines of the two branch pipes is an acute angle.

[0048] Furthermore, the included angle between the centerlines of the two branch pipes is greater than 30° and less than 90°.

[0049] Traditional T-junctions can cause collisions when airflow diverges or merges, while this sharp-angled Y-shaped design offers the key advantage of achieving a "soft landing" and "low-loss transport" of airflow, suppressing physical abrupt changes caused by sharp turns.

[0050] When the angle is greater than 90°, the airflow will encounter a near-vertical collision or sharp turn at the branch point, and the kinetic energy will be violently converted into instantaneous high pressure. The drastic change in local pressure will directly disrupt the gas-liquid balance, causing the gas to be directly "crushed and precipitated" at the impact point, forming liquid droplets or solid particles.

[0051] The Y-shaped tee 5 has a small included angle, and the gas enters the branch pipe in a "sliding along the edge" manner, with minimal mechanical impact, which fundamentally eliminates physical condensation caused by impact pressure.

[0052] When gas makes a sharp turn greater than 90°, due to fluid inertia, the airflow will break away from the inner pipe wall, forming a huge vortex stagnation zone (dead zone) on the leeward side of the branch root.

[0053] When the included angle is limited to 30°–90°, the streamlines can smoothly transition along the pipe wall without boundary layer separation. Without dead zones, process gases will not linger, accumulate, or lose temperature, thus ensuring the "first-in, first-out" flow of gases and the dynamic response speed of the transport.

[0054] If the angle is less than 30°, the gap at the junction of the two branches becomes extremely narrow (sharp V-shaped). This tiny gap prevents the welding torch of the automated clean welding head from reaching the gap, easily causing incomplete penetration or localized overheating. Furthermore, the solution used in subsequent electrochemical polishing cannot flow evenly inside the sharp angle, resulting in an excessively rough inner surface. Additionally, if the two branches are too close together, the gap cannot accommodate the thickness of the heating element or heating pad. This tiny gap, unable to enclose the heating device, becomes a cold spot in the entire pipeline, where precursor gases condense and cause blockage.

[0055] When the angle is between 30° and 90°, the airflow splitting process is extremely gentle, and the dynamic pressure drop is minimized. This allows the gas to rush towards the end filter with stable pressure and velocity, avoiding insufficient flow at the end due to splitting losses. The Y-shaped tee allows the two gas streams in the branch pipe to "merge in parallel" with the same forward resultant force, resulting in minimal shear force, uniform mixing, and an extremely quiet and stable flow field.

[0056] In the embodiments described in this specification, the distance between the filter 3 and the inlet of the deposition chamber is no greater than 200 mm. After the gas is filtered by the filter, the main body of the pipeline does not include any valve components. After the gas is filtered by the filter, the main body of the pipeline includes a turning elbow or a branch pipe.

[0057] During frequent impacts and friction at the sealing surfaces of valves, trace amounts of metal particles or polymer debris inevitably arise. If a valve is installed after the filter, these newly generated particles will directly and unobstructedly enter the deposition chamber, leading to wafer failure. By eliminating any valves after the filter and allowing direct access to the deposition chamber via a smooth bend or Y-shaped branch pipe, the dead volume between the filter outlet and the chamber inlet can be compressed. Both bends and Y-shaped branch pipes microscopically guide the airflow at high speed and smoothly. Furthermore, the simple pipe shape allows for seamless encapsulation by a heating jacket, which, combined with heat radiation conducted from the chamber, creates a seamless, constant-temperature safety zone before the high-purity gas enters the chamber.

[0058] The function of filter 3 is to intercept particulate matter. However, under long-term airflow and temperature fluctuations, any pipe inner wall may experience the shedding of trace metal particles and the adsorption / desorption of gas molecules. Limiting the distance to within 200mm means that after leaving the filter, the gas only needs to travel a very short path to enter the deposition chamber. This minimizes the pipe surface area downstream of the filter, thereby reducing the probability of gas contamination by impurities on the pipe inner wall to zero, ensuring gas purity.

[0059] The deposition chamber is typically at a high temperature, while the external piping is maintained at a relatively low but condensation-resistant temperature by heating devices. The chamber inlet is the "interface" between the external heating piping and the internal high-temperature reaction chamber. If the distance is greater than 200mm, this section of piping outside the chamber is easily affected by both radiant heat from the chamber and convection from the external environment, creating a temperature gradient. If temperature control is inaccurate, a cold spot can easily form near the chamber inlet.

[0060] The short 200mm distance ensures that the gas instantly enters the chamber environment as soon as it exits filter 3, completely eliminating the risk of condensation and crystallization of the gas before it enters the chamber. The closer the filter is to the chamber opening, the smaller the dead volume between filter 3 and the chamber opening. When the upstream valve is closed, the residual gas in the pipeline can be instantly evacuated or carried away, which ensures the sharpness of process gas switching.

[0061] The end-pipe confinement is limited to within 200mm, ensuring that after passing through filter 3, the gas does not need to overcome the frictional resistance along the long pipeline. It can be directly injected into the deposition chamber with a stable dynamic pressure that meets the process expectations. If the final section is too long, the heating device would be very difficult to wind up near the chamber flange. Limiting it to within 200mm allows the chamber's own conductive heat to help "passively insulate" this short section, connecting with the active heating of the heating device, achieving temperature-drop-free transport throughout the entire flow from the gas source to the inside of the chamber.

[0062] In the embodiments of this specification, the heating device is an electric heating tape or a heating jacket; after the electric heating tape or heating jacket is heated, the temperature of the gas in the main body of the pipeline is 10°C to 30°C higher than the gas condensation point.

[0063] The areas where the arc-shaped bend pipe 4, the Y-shaped tee pipe 5, and the filter 3 are located are each set as independently controlled heating temperature zones; each heating temperature zone is independently equipped with a temperature sensor and a temperature controller.

[0064] The electric heating tape is highly flexible and can be tightly wrapped around the main body of the pipe 1. The heating jacket (such as a custom silicone heating jacket or fabric heating jacket) can be molded using a three-dimensional mold to perfectly wrap the geometrically complex components such as the Y-shaped tee pipe 5 and the filter 3. This all-around tight fit ensures that heat can efficiently enter the pipe wall and avoids microscopic cold spots caused by the air insulation layer.

[0065] The heating surface of the electric heating tape and heating jacket is uniform, avoiding the phenomenon of excessively high local temperature (leading to gas overheating and decomposition) or excessively low local temperature (leading to gas condensation).

[0066] The condensation point (saturated vapor pressure temperature) of a gas is not fixed; it varies with pressure. According to fluid mechanics, as the gas flows through the Y-shaped tee (section 5) and the microporous filter element of the end filter, local pressure drops and expansion occur. Gas expansion absorbs heat, causing it to cool down. If it is only heated to just the condensation point, the pressure drop as soon as the gas passes through filter 3 causes the temperature to plummet below the condensation point, resulting in condensation and blockage inside filter 3. Setting a temperature margin of 10℃ to 30℃ ensures that even if the gas undergoes expansion and cooling at filter 3, its temperature remains above the condensation point.

[0067] The gases in semiconductors are mostly complex organic or inorganic compounds. These gases not only have a "condensation point" but also a thermal decomposition temperature. If the temperature is set too high (e.g., exceeding the condensation point by more than 50°C), it is very easy to reach the thermal decomposition critical line of the gas. Once the gas undergoes thermal decomposition in the pipeline in advance, solid byproducts will be deposited on the inner wall of the pipe. This will not only clog the filter and contaminate the deposition chamber, but also lead to the scrapping of the pipeline.

[0068] The setting of 10°C to 30°C above the gas condensation point not only allows the gas to resist the pressure drop and cooling inside the end filter, but also protects the gas from premature decomposition due to overheating.

[0069] In the embodiments described in this specification, the temperature sensor can be disposed between the pipe wall and the heating device, close to the pipe wall, and is connected to the signal input port of the temperature controller.

[0070] The temperature controller runs a PID algorithm internally. It receives signals from the sensor, connects its signal output port to a solid-state relay, and outputs control signals to the solid-state relay.

[0071] Solid-state relays are connected to heating devices to control the on / off state of power, delivering electrical energy to the heating tape or heating jacket wrapped around the pipe.

[0072] In actual operation, the filter zone 3, due to its large size, high heat capacity, and rapid heat dissipation, will have its controller's PID parameters output high power for rapid heating. The arc-shaped bend pipe zone 4, with its thin body and fast temperature response, will be carefully heated by the controller with small pulse power to prevent overheating. The Y-shaped tee pipe zone 5, due to its irregular structure and the presence of branches and welding areas, has a heat capacity and heat dissipation area between the pipe and filter 3. The controller will use a moderate power for stable heating, preventing condensation at the branching seams and precisely controlling thermal inertia to prevent temperature overshoot at the junction that could lead to gas decomposition.

[0073] When gas begins to flow, the internal pressure drop and temperature decrease of filter 3 cause the gas to expand and cool as it flows through filter 3, absorbing a large amount of heat. The temperature sensor of filter 3 detects a decreasing trend in the pipe wall temperature. The temperature controller of filter 3 calculates the heat loss, increases the output duty cycle, and controls the heating jacket to supplement heat, adjusting the temperature to the set value before the gas has time to condense. At this time, the controllers of temperature zones 5 (Y-shaped tee pipe) and 4 (arc-shaped bend pipe) do not absorb heat due to expansion, and their controllers maintain low-power fine-tuning.

[0074] Near the inlet of the deposition chamber, due to the high temperature radiation of the chamber, the pipe near the chamber opening (downstream of the filter) will become hot. The temperature controller of filter 3 near the chamber opening will automatically shut off the heating because the temperature is too high. However, the temperature controllers of the arc-shaped bend pipe 4 and the Y-shaped tee pipe 5 far away from the chamber opening will continue to maintain heating independently to maintain the temperature gradient and prevent the temperature control blind spot caused by heat backflow.

[0075] In the embodiments described in this specification, the inner wall of the pipeline body 1 is provided with a smooth flow-reducing layer. The smooth flow-reducing layer is a stainless steel layer that has undergone electrochemical polishing or a fluoroplastic coating.

[0076] In actual operation, the smooth inner wall diaphragm, due to its microscopic smoothness, allows gas to glide rapidly within the pipe with a near-zero adsorption effect. This prevents condensation and protects the stability of the gas composition. As a result, the pipeline itself will not produce any flaking metal particles or corrosion debris during long-term operation, minimizing the interception pressure on the end filter. The filter element only needs to handle occasional particles carried by the gas source, significantly extending the filter's lifespan.

[0077] This specification also includes an anti-gas condensation conveying pipeline for use in the above-described anti-gas condensation conveying method, wherein the conveying pipeline comprises: The main body of the pipeline is through which the gas source is transported to the deposition chamber; The bends in the main body of the pipeline are arc-shaped bends; The branch points of the main pipeline are Y-shaped tees; A filter is installed at the end of the main pipeline and near the inlet of the deposition chamber; The main body of the pipeline is equipped with a heating device.

[0078] Reference Figure 2 The diagram shows the overall structure of the pipeline. The pipeline is equipped with arc-shaped bends, Y-shaped tees, filters, and heating devices. These components are interconnected and organically combined to achieve the combined effects of flow field optimization, condensation reduction, and particle interception. This creates a complete protective gas delivery pipeline that extends from "reducing condensation at the source" to "intercepting particles at the end."

[0079] The embodiments of this specification also include a deposition apparatus, which includes the above-described gas condensation prevention delivery pipeline; The deposition equipment is a chemical vapor deposition equipment, a physical vapor deposition equipment, or an atomic layer deposition equipment.

[0080] The foregoing description and accompanying drawings fully illustrate embodiments of this disclosure to enable those skilled in the art to practice them. Other embodiments may include structural, logical, electrical, procedural, and other changes. The embodiments represent only possible variations. Individual components and functions are optional unless explicitly required, and the order of operation may vary. Parts and features of some embodiments may be included in or replace parts and features of other embodiments. Moreover, the terminology used in this application is for describing embodiments only and is not intended to limit the claims. As used in the description of embodiments and claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to equally include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Similarly, the term “and / or” as used in this application means including one or more of the associated listed items and all possible combinations thereof. Additionally, when used in this application, the term "comprise" and its variations "comprises" and / or "comprising" refer to the presence of stated features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integrals, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprises a..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, or apparatus that includes said element. In this document, each embodiment may focus on the differences from other embodiments, and similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. For methods, products, etc., disclosed in the embodiments, if they correspond to the method section disclosed in the embodiments, the relevant parts can be referred to the description of the method section.

[0081] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of the embodiments of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0082] The methods and products disclosed in the embodiments herein (including but not limited to devices, equipment, etc.) can be implemented in other ways. For example, the device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of units may be merely a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. In addition, the mutual coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces, and the indirect coupling or communication connection of devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units, that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to implement this embodiment according to actual needs. In addition, the functional units in the embodiments of this disclosure may be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit may exist physically separately, or two or more units may be integrated into one unit.

Claims

1. A method for preventing gas condensation during transport, characterized in that, include: The gas source is heated throughout the process of being transported from the main body of the pipeline to the deposition chamber, so that the temperature of the gas in the main body of the pipeline is kept above the gas condensation point. During the process of gas being transported through the main body of the pipeline, an arc-shaped bend pipe is used to guide the gas to change direction; During the process of gas being transported through the main body of the pipeline, a Y-shaped tee is used to divert the gas; During the process of gas being transported through the main body of the pipeline, the gas is filtered using a filter, which is located at the end of the main body of the pipeline and near the inlet of the deposition chamber.

2. The gas condensation prevention conveying method according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the process of the arc-shaped turning pipe guiding the gas to change direction, the bending radius of the arc-shaped turning pipe is not less than 3 times the outer diameter of the main body of the pipeline.

3. The gas condensation prevention and conveying method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bending radius of the arc-shaped bend pipe is 3 to 8 times the outer diameter of the main pipe body.

4. The gas condensation prevention and conveying method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The Y-shaped tee pipe includes a main pipe and two branch pipes connected to the main pipe; During the process of the Y-shaped tee pipe splitting the gas, the angle between the centerlines of the two branch pipes is an acute angle.

5. The gas condensation prevention and conveying method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The included angle between the centerlines of the two branch pipes is greater than 30° and less than 90°.

6. The gas condensation prevention and conveying method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the gas is filtered, the main body of the pipeline does not contain any valve components.

7. The gas condensation prevention and conveying method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the gas is filtered by a filter, the main body of the pipeline includes a turning elbow or a branch pipe.

8. The gas condensation prevention and conveying method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The temperature of the gas in the main body of the pipeline is 10°C to 30°C higher than the gas condensation point.

9. A gas condensation prevention pipeline, characterized in that, The gas condensation prevention conveying method applied to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the conveying pipeline comprises: The main body of the pipeline is through which the gas source is transported to the deposition chamber; The bends in the main body of the pipeline are arc-shaped bends; The branch points of the main pipeline are Y-shaped tees; A filter is installed at the end of the main pipeline and near the inlet of the deposition chamber; The main body of the pipeline is equipped with a heating device.

10. A deposition apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the gas condensation prevention conveying pipeline as described in claim 9; The deposition equipment is a chemical vapor deposition equipment, a physical vapor deposition equipment, or an atomic layer deposition equipment.

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