A process gas nozzle with ignition function and semiconductor processing equipment

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of wafer processing equipment technology, and more particularly to a process gas nozzle with ignition function and a semiconductor processing device, comprising a nozzle body and an ignition element; the nozzle body is disposed through the top cover of the reaction chamber and has an axially extending mounting groove recessed at its top; the nozzle body also has a gas flow channel, the two ends of which are respectively connected to a gas supply pipeline and the reaction chamber to deliver process gas into the reaction chamber; the ignition element is fixedly inserted in the mounting groove and is connected to a radio frequency power supply to generate an electric field that breaks down the process gas and the electric field covers at least part of the gas flow channel; this invention, by integrating the ignition element into the mounting groove of the nozzle body and making the electric field generated by the ignition element cover at least part of the gas flow channel, structurally achieves the coupling between the ignition area and the process gas delivery path, effectively solving the problem of misalignment between the discharge area and the gas output area caused by the traditional separate arrangement.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer processing equipment technology, and in particular to a process gas nozzle with ignition function and semiconductor processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In plasma processing equipment such as semiconductor resist removal, the top ignition structure and the gas inlet structure are usually arranged separately. The ignition head and the process gas outlet are spatially independent, which leads to the misalignment of the discharge area and the gas output area. This can easily cause problems such as unstable ignition, ignition delay, and frequent parasitic discharge. Moreover, the existing structure lacks a constraint design for the ignition electric field, and the discharge is prone to spread to non-target areas. This not only reduces energy utilization efficiency but also damages the cavity components due to abnormal discharge, thus restricting the stability and yield improvement of the plasma processing process. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to a process gas nozzle with ignition function and a semiconductor processing device. The purpose is to solve the problems of unstable ignition, parasitic discharge and low energy utilization caused by the misalignment of ignition and gas supply in traditional split structures, so as to achieve efficient and uniform ionization and stable delivery of process gas, and improve the consistency of plasma processing and process yield.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a process gas nozzle with ignition function, comprising a nozzle body and an ignition element; The nozzle body is installed through the top cover of the reaction chamber and has an axially extending mounting groove recessed at its top. The nozzle body is also provided with a gas flow channel. The two ends of the gas flow channel are respectively connected to the gas supply pipeline and the reaction chamber to deliver process gas into the reaction chamber. The ignition element is fixedly inserted into the mounting slot. The ignition element is connected to the radio frequency power supply to generate an electric field that breaks down the process gas. The electric field covers at least a portion of the gas flow channel, causing the process gas in the gas flow channel to be broken down into plasma when it flows through the area covered by the electric field.

[0005] Optionally, the gas flow channel includes a buffer chamber and several plasma channels; The buffer chamber is located outside the ignition element and is connected to the gas supply pipeline. Several plasma channels are arranged circumferentially, each plasma channel extends axially, and its inlet end is connected to the buffer chamber, and its outlet end is connected to the reaction chamber; wherein, the axial height of the buffer chamber is greater than the inner diameter of the gas supply pipeline, so that the flow rate of the process gas entering the buffer chamber from the gas supply pipeline is reduced due to the increased flow cross-sectional area.

[0006] Optionally, the process gas nozzle with ignition function further includes a metal shielding ring, the metal shielding ring including an annular axial section and an annular radial section connected to the top of the annular axial section, and the nozzle body including a main body and an annular edge portion surrounding the outer side of the main body. The annular axial segment is arranged between the main body and the top cover, and the annular radial segment is sandwiched between the bottom of the annular edge and the top of the top cover, so as to form a shielding cavity around the nozzle body, thereby confining the electric field generated by the ignition element within the shielding cavity; The annular radial section is provided with a gas channel that communicates with the gas supply pipeline and the buffer chamber. The inner diameter of the gas channel is between the axial height of the buffer chamber and the inner diameter of the gas supply pipeline, so that the flow velocity of the process gas entering the buffer chamber through the gas channel is reduced due to the expansion of the flow cross-sectional area.

[0007] Optionally, a first sealing ring is provided between the annular radial segment and the annular edge portion, and the first sealing ring extends circumferentially and is disposed around the outside of the ignition element to achieve a seal between the annular radial segment and the annular edge portion; A second sealing ring is provided between the annular radial section and the top cover. The second sealing ring extends circumferentially and is located on the outside of the ignition element to achieve a seal between the annular radial section and the top cover.

[0008] Optionally, the outlet end of the gas channel is connected to the inlet end of the buffer chamber, and the central axis of the gas channel intersects the tangential direction of the buffer chamber at the inlet end, forming a non-perpendicular angle, so as to guide the process gas introduced into the buffer chamber through the gas channel to rotate circumferentially along the inner wall of the buffer chamber; the central axis of the gas channel intersects the tangent of the buffer chamber at the inlet end, and the acute angle between the projection of the central axis on the plane of the buffer chamber and the tangent is 30° to 60°.

[0009] Optionally, the process gas nozzle with ignition function further includes a buffer component, which includes a fixed part, a sliding part, a blocking part, and an elastic connecting part. The fixing part is provided on the inner side wall of the gas outlet end of the gas channel and extends along the axial direction of the gas channel. The fixing part has a sliding groove that communicates with the gas channel. The sliding groove extends along the axial direction of the gas channel and communicates with the buffer cavity. The sliding part is slidably disposed within the sliding groove; One end of the elastic connector is fixed to the sliding part, and the other end extends along the axial direction of the gas channel and is fixed to the inner wall of the sliding groove. The blocking part is fixedly disposed on the sliding part and extends radially along the gas channel. The area of ​​the blocking part in the orthographic projection structure with the outlet end of the gas channel is less than or equal to the area of ​​its outlet end. Under the driving force of the process gas and the elastic force of the elastic connector, the blocking part moves along the axial direction of the gas channel toward or away from the ignition element to reduce the flow rate of the process gas.

[0010] Optionally, the buffer may further include an elastic seal; The elastic seal is disposed at the opening end of the sliding groove, and one end of the elastic seal is fixed to the sliding part, while the other end extends along the axial direction of the gas channel and is fixed to the inner sidewall of the sliding groove to prevent process gas from entering the sliding groove.

[0011] Optionally, the blocking part includes a blocking body and an arc-shaped guide part connected to the end of the blocking body away from the sliding part. The arc-shaped guide part is curved from the blocking body toward the buffer cavity, and its dome faces the gas outlet end of the gas channel.

[0012] Optionally, the blocking part includes a first sub-blocking part, a second sub-blocking part, and a driving part; The first sub-blocking part is fixedly disposed on the sliding part, and a movable groove is recessed in the side wall along the radial direction of the gas channel; The second sub-blocking part is at least partially movably inserted into the movable slot; The driving unit is located on the inner wall of the movable groove, and its driving end is connected to the second sub-blocking unit to drive the second sub-blocking unit to move radially along the gas channel toward or away from the bottom of the movable groove, thereby adjusting the gas flow area between the blocking unit and the inner wall of the gas channel.

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a semiconductor processing apparatus, including a reaction chamber, an induction coil, a top cover, and a process gas nozzle with an ignition function, wherein the top cover is disposed on the top of the reaction chamber, and the induction coil is arranged around the outside of the reaction chamber.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention integrates the ignition element into the mounting slot of the nozzle body, and makes the electric field generated by the ignition element cover at least part of the gas flow channel. Structurally, it achieves coupling between the ignition area and the process gas delivery path, effectively solving the problem of misalignment between the discharge area and the gas output area caused by the traditional separate arrangement. It significantly improves ignition stability, eliminates ignition delay and suppresses parasitic discharge, and significantly improves the efficiency and uniformity of plasma generation, thereby improving the stability and yield of semiconductor processing. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a semiconductor processing device in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 An enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at position A in the diagram; Figure 3 for Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the metal shielding ring and the nozzle body. Figure 4 for Figure 3 An enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at position B in the diagram is shown. Figure 5 for Figure 4 The diagram shows the structure of the blocking part.

[0016] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Reaction chamber; 2. Top cover; 31. Nozzle body; 32. Metal shielding ring; 321. Gas channel; 34. Ignition element; 35. Mounting slot; 36. Buffer chamber; 37. First sealing ring; 38. Plasma channel; 39. Second sealing ring; 4. Gas supply pipeline; 5. Buffer element; 51. Fixing part; 511. Sliding groove; 52. Sliding part; 53. Blocking part; 531. First sub-blocking part; 5311. Movable groove; 532. Second sub-blocking part; 533. Driving part; 54. Elastic connector; 55. Elastic seal. Detailed Implementation

[0017] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention. Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein should have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art. The terms "comprising" and similar expressions used herein mean that the element or object preceding the word covers the element or object listed following the word and its equivalents, but do not exclude other elements or objects.

[0018] This invention relates to a process gas nozzle with ignition function and a semiconductor processing device. The purpose is to solve the problems of unstable ignition, parasitic discharge and low energy utilization caused by the misalignment of ignition and gas supply in traditional split structures, so as to achieve efficient and uniform ionization and stable delivery of process gas, and improve the consistency of plasma processing and process yield.

[0019] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention provide a process gas nozzle with an ignition function, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the process gas nozzle with ignition function includes a nozzle body 31 and an ignition element 34. Preferably, the ignition element 34 has a T-shaped structure composed of a horizontal section and a vertical section, and its horizontal section is connected to the top of the nozzle body 31. The horizontal section is preferably a disc-shaped structure, and the vertical section is preferably a cylindrical structure.

[0020] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the nozzle body 31 is disposed through the top cover 2 of the reaction chamber 1 and has an axially extending mounting groove 35 recessed at its top. The groove cavity of the mounting groove 35 is preferably a cylindrical structure, and the volume of the groove cavity of the mounting groove 35 is greater than or equal to the volume of the vertical section of the ignition element 34. The nozzle body 31 is also provided with a gas flow channel, and the two ends of the gas flow channel are respectively connected to the gas supply pipeline 4 and the reaction chamber 1 to deliver process gas into the reaction chamber 1.

[0021] In some embodiments, the gas supply pipeline 4 includes a gas source and a gas delivery pipe, wherein the gas delivery pipe is used to connect the gas source and the gas flow channel.

[0022] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the ignition element 34 is fixedly inserted into the mounting slot 35. The ignition element 34 is connected to the radio frequency power supply to generate an electric field that breaks down the process gas and the electric field covers at least part of the gas flow channel, so that the process gas in the gas flow channel is broken down into plasma when it flows through the area covered by the electric field.

[0023] By directly fixing the ignition element 34 into the mounting slot 35 of the nozzle body 31, and utilizing the electric field generated by the RF power supply to directly cover the gas flow channel, precise coaxial matching between the ignition area and the gas output path is achieved. This design effectively eliminates problems such as ignition delay, arc instability, or parasitic discharge caused by the misalignment of the electric field and gas flow in traditional separate structures, ensuring that the process gas is efficiently and stably broken down into plasma the instant it flows through the electric field coverage area. At the same time, the close-range coverage of the electric field reduces energy loss during transmission, significantly improving the uniformity of plasma generation and energy utilization, thereby ensuring high stability and yield of semiconductor processing.

[0024] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the gas flow channel includes a buffer cavity 36 and several plasma channels 38; the cavity of the plasma channel 38 is preferably cylindrical.

[0025] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the buffer cavity 36 is arranged around the ignition element 34 and connected to the gas supply pipeline 4, specifically it can be connected to the gas transmission pipeline; the cavity of the buffer cavity 36 has a ring-shaped structure.

[0026] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, several plasma channels 38 are arranged circumferentially at intervals, each plasma channel 38 extends axially, and its inlet end is connected to the buffer chamber 36, and its outlet end is connected to the reaction chamber 1; it can be understood that the plasma channel 38 is located below the buffer chamber 36; the radial height of the buffer chamber 36 is smaller than the inner diameter of the plasma channel 38.

[0027] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the axial height of the buffer chamber 36 is greater than the inner diameter of the gas supply pipeline 4, so that the flow rate of the process gas entering the buffer chamber 36 from the gas supply pipeline 4 is reduced due to the increased flow cross-sectional area.

[0028] By creating a "flaring effect" between the buffer chamber 36 and the gas supply pipeline 4, the flow velocity of the high-speed input process gas is significantly reduced by utilizing the larger axial height and cross-sectional area of ​​the buffer chamber 36. This design effectively avoids turbulence or scouring effects in the ignition region due to excessively high initial velocity of the process gas, ensuring a stable and uniform distribution of the process gas in the electric field coverage area, thereby improving the stability and consistency of plasma breakdown. At the same time, the reduced flow velocity also prolongs the residence time of the process gas in the discharge region, which is conducive to more complete energy absorption and improves ionization efficiency and plasma density.

[0029] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the process gas nozzle with ignition function also includes a metal shielding ring 32, which includes an annular axial section and an annular radial section connected to the top of the annular axial section. The nozzle body 31 includes a main body and an annular edge portion surrounding the outside of the main body.

[0030] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the annular axial segment is arranged between the main body and the top cover 2, and the annular radial segment is sandwiched between the bottom of the annular edge and the top of the top cover 2, so as to form a shielding cavity around the nozzle body 31, thereby confining the electric field generated by the ignition element 34 within the shielding cavity.

[0031] The metal shielding ring 32 is used to construct a closed electromagnetic shielding boundary around the ignition element 34. Its annular axial section is arranged between the main body of the nozzle body 31 and the top cover 2, and its annular radial section is sandwiched between the annular edge of the nozzle body 31 and the top cover 2. The three work together to form an independent shielding cavity around the nozzle body 31, which can strictly confine the electric field generated by the ignition element 34 within the shielding cavity formed by the metal shielding ring 32. This effectively blocks the electric field from spreading to non-target areas outside the nozzle, avoiding damage to the top cover 2, reaction chamber 1 and other surrounding metal components caused by abnormal parasitic discharge, and preventing energy leakage. This ensures that the electric field energy is concentrated on the process gas in the gas flow channel, further improving plasma generation efficiency and process stability. At the same time, the shielding structure can also play a role in fixing and sealing, isolating the gas path, and ensuring the reliability of long-term equipment operation.

[0032] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the annular radial section is provided with a gas channel 321 that communicates with the gas supply pipeline 4 and the buffer chamber 36. The inner diameter of the gas channel 321 is between the axial height of the buffer chamber 36 and the inner diameter of the gas supply pipeline 4, so that the flow velocity of the process gas entering the buffer chamber 36 through the gas channel 321 is reduced due to the expansion of the flow cross-sectional area.

[0033] By designing the inner diameter of the gas channel 321 to be between the axial height of the buffer chamber 36 and the inner diameter of the gas supply pipeline 4, a smooth "stepped flare" transition structure is formed. This allows the process gas to gradually decrease in velocity as the flow cross-sectional area gradually increases during the process of entering the buffer chamber 36 from the gas supply pipeline 4 through the gas channel 321. This avoids flow separation, vortices, or pressure shocks caused by abrupt changes in pipe diameter, effectively suppressing the generation of turbulence and pulsation. At the same time, this gradual change in cross-section helps maintain the continuous stability of gas flow, allowing the process gas to diffuse and buffer more uniformly within the buffer chamber 36, creating ideal airflow conditions for the subsequent efficient and stable breakdown and generation of plasma in the electric field coverage area.

[0034] In some embodiments, the number of gas channels 321 can be one or several, which can be flexibly configured according to the process gas flow rate, the volume of the buffer chamber 36, and the plasma uniformity requirements: when the gas flow rate is small, a single gas channel 321 can meet the gas supply requirements, simplifying the gas path connection and processing technology; when the process requires a large gas flow rate or to further improve the uniformity of gas distribution, multiple gas channels 321 can be equally spaced along the annular radial section of the metal shielding ring 32, so that the process gas enters the buffer chamber 36 simultaneously from multiple positions. This avoids excessively high local flow velocity or airflow deviation caused by single-point air intake, and further suppresses turbulence generation through the mutual restraint of multiple airflows. Combined with the expansion and deceleration effect of the buffer chamber 36, it promotes the formation of a more stable and uniform circumferential swirling flow of the process gas in the buffer chamber 36, ensuring the consistency of subsequent plasma generation, and also improving the adaptability of the nozzle to different process scenarios.

[0035] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the buffer cavity 36 can be formed inside the main body; or it can be provided along the circumferential outer wall of the main body, in which case the process gas in the buffer cavity 36 is in contact with the annular axial section.

[0036] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, a first sealing ring 37 is provided between the annular radial segment and the annular edge portion. The first sealing ring 37 extends circumferentially and is disposed around the outside of the ignition element 34 to achieve a seal between the annular radial segment and the annular edge portion.

[0037] Under the action of the first sealing ring 37, a continuous circumferential seal is achieved between the annular radial section and the annular edge, which can form a reliable gas barrier at the assembly joint surface of the metal shielding ring 32 and the nozzle body 31, effectively preventing process gas from leaking out from the interface between the annular radial section and the annular edge, and avoiding process parameter fluctuations, cavity contamination and even safety hazards caused by process gas leakage.

[0038] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, a second sealing ring 39 is provided between the annular radial section and the top cover 2. The second sealing ring 39 extends circumferentially and is arranged around the outside of the ignition element 34 to achieve a seal between the annular radial section and the top cover 2.

[0039] The second sealing ring 39 forms a circumferentially continuous sealing barrier at the assembly interface between the annular radial section and the top cover 2. Together with the first sealing ring 37, it forms a complete sealing boundary. On the one hand, it completely blocks the leakage of process gas through the assembly gap between the nozzle body 31 and the top cover 2, avoiding unstable process pressure, cavity contamination and safety risks caused by gas escape. On the other hand, it prevents process byproducts, plasma or corrosive substances in the reaction chamber 1 from seeping back in, avoiding corrosion or discharge interference to the metal shielding ring 32, ignition element 34 and surrounding electrical structures.

[0040] In some embodiments, the first sealing ring 37 and the second sealing ring 39 can be made of high-temperature and corrosion-resistant perfluoroether rubber, fluororubber, or metal-coated graphite sealing rings. Such materials can withstand plasma corrosion, strong oxidizing gases, and high-temperature environments common in semiconductor processes. They maintain excellent elastic recovery and structural integrity even under long-term exposure to radio frequency electric field coupling heating and process gas scouring. This ensures that the first sealing ring 37 and the second sealing ring 39 maintain a tight fit between the annular radial section and the annular edge and the top cover 2 under continuous thermal cycling and pressure fluctuation conditions, avoiding gas leakage and shielding cavity failure caused by aging, deformation, or embrittlement of the seal. Furthermore, the chemical inertness of the material blocks the erosion of the sealing interface by process byproducts, further extending the service life of the sealing structure, reducing equipment maintenance frequency, and ensuring the long-term sealing reliability and operational stability of the nozzle in harsh process environments.

[0041] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the outlet end of the gas channel 321 is connected to the inlet end of the buffer chamber 36. The central axis of the gas channel 321 intersects the tangential direction of the buffer chamber 36 at the inlet end and forms a non-perpendicular angle to guide the process gas introduced into the buffer chamber 36 through the gas channel 321 to rotate circumferentially along the inner wall of the buffer chamber 36. The central axis of the gas channel 321 intersects the tangent of the buffer chamber 36 at the inlet end, and the acute angle between the projection of the central axis on the plane of the buffer chamber 36 and the tangent is 30° to 60°.

[0042] Connecting the outlet of gas channel 321 to the inlet of buffer chamber 36 in a non-perpendicular tangential manner, and making the central axis of gas channel 321 form an acute angle of 30° to 60° with the tangent at the inlet of buffer chamber 36, can guide the process gas to smoothly enter buffer chamber 36 at the optimal tangential angle, forming a stable and uniform circumferential swirling flow along its inner wall, rather than direct radial injection or generating turbulent impact. This angle range avoids the problems of insufficient gas kinetic energy, weak swirling intensity, and uneven mixing caused by too small an angle, and also prevents excessive deflection of airflow, increased local turbulence, or wall erosion loss caused by too large an angle. Thus, based on the expansion and deceleration of buffer chamber 36, the gas flow field is further optimized, the residence time and distribution uniformity of process gas in the electric field coverage area are extended, and the consistency and density distribution uniformity of plasma breakdown are significantly improved. At the same time, it lays a stable airflow foundation for the subsequent uniform transport of plasma to reaction chamber 1 through plasma channel 38.

[0043] Specifically, when the acute angle is 30°, the tangential kinetic energy of the process gas enters the buffer chamber 36, resulting in moderate swirling intensity and more stable airflow. This is suitable for fine processes requiring low flow rates and high uniformity, effectively avoiding airflow disturbances or excessively large central low-pressure areas caused by excessive swirling. When the acute angle is 60°, the tangential kinetic energy of the process gas increases significantly, and the swirling speed accelerates, creating a strong centrifugal effect within the buffer chamber 36. This promotes rapid and uniform distribution of the process gas in the circumferential direction, making it suitable for high-flow-rate and high-transfer-rate processes, while also enhancing the coupling efficiency between the gas and the electric field. When the acute angle is 45°, the tangential and radial components achieve optimal balance, avoiding excessive pressure loss and turbulence risks.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the process gas nozzle with ignition function also includes a buffer 5, which includes a fixing part 51, a sliding part 52, a blocking part 53, and an elastic connector 54. The fixing part 51 has an arc-shaped block or ring structure adapted to the curvature of the inner wall of the gas channel 321, and its outer contour is fitted and fixed to the inner side wall of the gas outlet end of the gas channel 321; the sliding part 52 has an outer shape adapted to the cavity shape of the sliding groove 511, and has a columnar or block structure; the blocking part 53 has a disc-shaped, arc-shaped panel-shaped, or frustum-shaped structure, and its outer diameter matches the inner diameter of the gas channel 321. The gas-facing end face can be set as a plane, an inwardly concave curved surface, or an outwardly convex arc-shaped guide surface.

[0045] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4As shown, the fixing part 51 is disposed on the inner sidewall of the gas outlet end of the gas channel 321 and extends along the axial direction of the gas channel 321. The fixing part 51 has a sliding groove 511 communicating with the gas channel 321. The sliding groove 511 extends along the axial direction of the gas channel 321 and communicates with the buffer cavity 36. The sliding part 52 is slidably disposed in the sliding groove 511. One end of the elastic connector 54 is fixed to the sliding part 52, and the other end extends along the axis of the gas channel 321. The obstruction part 53 is fixed to the inner wall of the sliding groove 511; the obstruction part 53 is fixed to the sliding part 52 and extends radially along the gas channel 321, and the area of ​​the obstruction part 53 in the orthographic projection structure with the outlet end of the gas channel 321 is less than or equal to the area of ​​its outlet end. Under the driving force of the process gas and the elastic force of the elastic connector 54, the obstruction part 53 moves along the axial direction of the gas channel 321 toward or away from the ignition element 34 to reduce the flow rate of the process gas.

[0046] By integrating a fixed part 51, a sliding part 52, a blocking part 53, and an elastic connector 54 along the axial direction on the inner wall of the outlet end of the gas channel 321, the blocking part 53 intercepts the process gas head-on, converting the dynamic pressure of the process gas into the deformation potential energy of the elastic connector 54. This allows the blocking part 53 to adaptively adjust itself along the axial direction of the gas channel 321 in response to fluctuations in the gas pressure. This not only prevents overpressure in the buffer chamber 36 by increasing the throttling area when the gas supply pressure rises instantaneously, but also maintains constant throttling damping by elastic reset when the gas pressure is stable. This achieves a secondary flexible reduction in the flow rate of the process gas and smoothing out pulsations.

[0047] In some embodiments, the elastic connector 54 may be a helical spring, a disc spring assembly, or an elastic rubber column.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the buffer 5 also includes an elastic seal 55; the elastic seal 55 is disposed at the opening end of the sliding groove 511, and one end of the elastic seal 55 is fixed to the sliding part 52, and the other end extends along the axial direction of the gas channel 321 and is fixed to the inner sidewall of the sliding groove 511 to prevent process gas from entering the sliding groove 511.

[0049] By setting an elastic sealing element 55 that moves synchronously with the sliding part 52 at the opening end of the sliding groove 511, a dynamic sealing barrier is constructed between the blocking part 53 and the sliding groove 511. This can seal the assembly gap between the sliding part 52 and the sliding groove 511 in real time, completely blocking the entry of particulate matter, reaction by-products or plasma carried by the process gas into the sliding groove 511. This effectively avoids the sliding part 52 from getting stuck, worn or the elastic connecting part 54 from failing due to impurity deposition, and ensures that the axial sliding freedom and dynamic response sensitivity of the buffer 5 remain stable for a long time.

[0050] In some embodiments, the elastic seal 55 may be made of perfluoroether rubber, filled polytetrafluoroethylene, or a metal bellows structure. These materials have excellent chemical inertness, resistance to plasma corrosion, and resistance to long-term compression set. They can maintain stable elastic recovery and sealing interface fit under the harsh environment of strong oxidizing gases, corrosive byproducts, and radio frequency electric field coupling heat commonly found in semiconductor processes, thus avoiding sealing failure caused by material aging, swelling, or embrittlement.

[0051] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the blocking part 53 includes a blocking body and an arc-shaped guide part connected to the end of the blocking body away from the sliding part 52. The arc-shaped guide part is curved from the blocking body toward the buffer cavity 36, with its dome facing the outlet end of the gas channel 321. By providing an arc-shaped guide part with its dome facing the outlet end of the gas channel 321 on the side of the blocking body facing the buffer cavity 36, the streamlined curved surface structure smoothly guides the process gas after throttling and deceleration. This transforms the frontal impact, airflow separation, and local eddies that are easily generated by the traditional planar blocking part 53 into an adhering flow along the curved surface, significantly reducing airflow resistance and pressure loss, and avoiding flow field unevenness caused by turbulent pulsation.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the blocking part 53 includes a first sub-blocking part 531, a second sub-blocking part 532, and a driving part 533. The driving part 533 may be, but is not limited to, a driving cylinder.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5As shown, the first sub-blocking part 531 is fixedly disposed on the sliding part 52, and has a movable groove 5311 recessed in the radial sidewall of the gas channel 321; the second sub-blocking part 532 is at least partially movably inserted into the movable groove 5311; the driving part 533 is disposed on the inner sidewall of the movable groove 5311, and its driving end is connected to the second sub-blocking part 532 to drive the second sub-blocking part 532 to move radially along the gas channel 321 toward or away from the bottom of the movable groove 5311, thereby adjusting the gas flow area between the blocking part 53 and the inner sidewall of the gas channel 321.

[0054] By setting a radially retractable second sub-blocking part 532 and a driving part 533 within the first sub-blocking part 531, an actively adjustable gas flow area adjustment mechanism is constructed. This allows the nozzle to overcome the limitations of traditional fixed throttling structures adapting to a single working condition. Based on real-time process requirements (such as changes in parameters like gas flow rate, pressure, and RF power), the effective flow area between the blocking part 53 and the inner wall of the gas channel 321 can be flexibly adjusted. In low-flow fine processes, the driving part 533 can control the second sub-blocking part 532 to extend outward from the movable slot 5311, reducing the flow area to enhance the throttling effect and ensure the stability and uniformity of low-speed airflow. In high-flow high-transfer processes, the second sub-blocking part 532 is controlled to retract into the movable slot 5311, increasing the flow area to reduce flow resistance and meet gas supply requirements, while avoiding back pressure accumulation or airflow blockage caused by excessive throttling.

[0055] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention also provide a semiconductor processing apparatus, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the semiconductor processing equipment includes a reaction chamber 1, an induction coil, a top cover 2, and a process gas nozzle with ignition function. The top cover 2 is located on the top of the reaction chamber 1, and the induction coil is arranged around the outside of the reaction chamber 1.

[0056] In some embodiments, the semiconductor processing equipment can be a plasma etching equipment, a plasma resist stripping equipment, or a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment. In a plasma etching equipment, the nozzle, through its coaxial ignition and tangential swirling gas inlet structure, stably breaks down the etching gas into a high-density, highly uniform plasma, and delivers it to the wafer surface in a low-flow-rate, laminar state, effectively improving the steepness of the etching profile and the uniformity of critical dimensions, and reducing sidewall damage and micro-load effects. In a plasma resist stripping equipment, oxygen or fluorine-containing resist stripping gas forms a mild and uniformly distributed plasma atmosphere after being controlled by the nozzle's three-stage gas flow, which can efficiently ash the photoresist at low temperatures while avoiding bombardment damage to the device structure by high-energy ions. In a chemical vapor deposition equipment, the reactive gas achieves uniform coverage and full activation of the wafer surface through the nozzle's optimized flow field distribution, significantly improving the film thickness uniformity, density, and step coverage, and reducing the particle defect rate.

[0057] While embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to these embodiments. However, it should be understood that such modifications and variations fall within the scope and spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention described herein may have other embodiments and can be implemented or carried out in various ways.

Claims

1. A process gas nozzle with ignition function, characterized in that, Including the nozzle body and ignition element; The nozzle body is installed through the top cover of the reaction chamber and has an axially extending mounting groove recessed at its top. The nozzle body is also provided with a gas flow channel. The two ends of the gas flow channel are respectively connected to the gas supply pipeline and the reaction chamber to deliver process gas into the reaction chamber. The ignition element is fixedly inserted into the mounting slot. The ignition element is connected to the radio frequency power supply to generate an electric field that breaks down the process gas. The electric field covers at least a portion of the gas flow channel, causing the process gas in the gas flow channel to be broken down into plasma when it flows through the area covered by the electric field.

2. The process gas nozzle with ignition function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas flow channel includes a buffer chamber and several plasma channels; The buffer chamber is located outside the ignition element and is connected to the gas supply pipeline. Several plasma channels are arranged circumferentially, each plasma channel extends axially, and its inlet end is connected to the buffer chamber, and its outlet end is connected to the reaction chamber; wherein, the axial height of the buffer chamber is greater than the inner diameter of the gas supply pipeline, so that the flow rate of the process gas entering the buffer chamber from the gas supply pipeline is reduced due to the increased flow cross-sectional area.

3. The process gas nozzle with ignition function according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a metal shielding ring, which includes an annular axial section and an annular radial section connected to the top of the annular axial section. The nozzle body includes a main body and an annular edge portion surrounding the outside of the main body. The annular axial segment is arranged between the main body and the top cover, and the annular radial segment is sandwiched between the bottom of the annular edge and the top of the top cover, so as to form a shielding cavity around the nozzle body, thereby confining the electric field generated by the ignition element within the shielding cavity; The annular radial section is provided with a gas channel that communicates with the gas supply pipeline and the buffer chamber. The inner diameter of the gas channel is between the axial height of the buffer chamber and the inner diameter of the gas supply pipeline, so that the flow velocity of the process gas entering the buffer chamber through the gas channel is reduced due to the expansion of the flow cross-sectional area.

4. The process gas nozzle with ignition function according to claim 3, characterized in that, A first sealing ring is provided between the annular radial segment and the annular edge portion. The first sealing ring extends circumferentially and is disposed around the outside of the ignition element to achieve a seal between the annular radial segment and the annular edge portion. A second sealing ring is provided between the annular radial section and the top cover. The second sealing ring extends circumferentially and is located on the outside of the ignition element to achieve a seal between the annular radial section and the top cover.

5. The process gas nozzle with ignition function according to claim 3, characterized in that, The outlet end of the gas channel is connected to the inlet end of the buffer chamber. The central axis of the gas channel intersects the tangential direction of the buffer chamber at the inlet end and forms a non-perpendicular angle to guide the process gas introduced into the buffer chamber through the gas channel to rotate circumferentially along the inner wall of the buffer chamber. The central axis of the gas channel intersects the tangent of the buffer chamber at the inlet end, and the acute angle between the projection of the central axis on the plane of the buffer chamber and the tangent is 30° to 60°.

6. The process gas nozzle with ignition function according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a buffer component, which comprises a fixed part, a sliding part, a blocking part, and an elastic connecting part; The fixing part is provided on the inner side wall of the gas outlet end of the gas channel and extends along the axial direction of the gas channel. The fixing part has a sliding groove that communicates with the gas channel. The sliding groove extends along the axial direction of the gas channel and communicates with the buffer cavity. The sliding part is slidably disposed within the sliding groove; One end of the elastic connector is fixed to the sliding part, and the other end extends along the axial direction of the gas channel and is fixed to the inner wall of the sliding groove. The blocking part is fixedly disposed on the sliding part and extends radially along the gas channel. The area of ​​the blocking part in the orthographic projection structure with the outlet end of the gas channel is less than or equal to the area of ​​its outlet end. Under the driving force of the process gas and the elastic force of the elastic connector, the blocking part moves along the axial direction of the gas channel toward or away from the ignition element to reduce the flow rate of the process gas.

7. The process gas nozzle with ignition function according to claim 6, characterized in that, The buffer also includes an elastic seal; The elastic seal is disposed at the opening end of the sliding groove, and one end of the elastic seal is fixed to the sliding part, while the other end extends along the axial direction of the gas channel and is fixed to the inner sidewall of the sliding groove to prevent process gas from entering the sliding groove.

8. The process gas nozzle with ignition function according to claim 6, characterized in that, The blocking part includes a blocking body and an arc-shaped guide part connected to the end of the blocking body away from the sliding part. The arc-shaped guide part is curved from the blocking body toward the buffer cavity, and its dome faces the gas outlet of the gas channel.

9. The process gas nozzle with ignition function according to claim 6, characterized in that, The blocking part includes a first sub-blocking part, a second sub-blocking part, and a driving part; The first sub-blocking part is fixedly disposed on the sliding part, and a movable groove is recessed in the side wall along the radial direction of the gas channel; The second sub-blocking part is at least partially movably inserted into the movable slot; The driving unit is located on the inner wall of the movable groove, and its driving end is connected to the second sub-blocking unit to drive the second sub-blocking unit to move radially along the gas channel toward or away from the bottom of the movable groove, thereby adjusting the gas flow area between the blocking unit and the inner wall of the gas channel.

10. A semiconductor processing apparatus, characterized in that, It includes a reaction chamber, an induction coil, a top cover, and a process gas nozzle with an ignition function as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the top cover is disposed on the top of the reaction chamber, and the induction coil is arranged around the outside of the reaction chamber.

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