A showerhead for plasma ignition and semiconductor processing apparatus

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of wafer processing equipment, in particular to a showerhead for plasma ignition and a semiconductor processing equipment, which comprises a metal piece, an ignition piece body and a plurality of breakdown rods; the metal piece is fixedly inserted into a top cover; the inside of the metal piece is provided with a sealed cavity in communication with a gas source supply pipeline; a plurality of first channels are arranged through the bottom of the metal piece and are in communication with the sealed cavity and a reaction chamber, so that process gas flows through the sealed cavity and is then input into the reaction chamber; the ignition piece body is fixedly inserted into the metal piece and partially extends into the sealed cavity; an installation cavity is arranged in the inside of the ignition piece body; a plurality of second channels are arranged through the ignition piece body and are arranged in a circumferential interval; each breakdown rod is movably inserted into the second channel and partially extends into the installation cavity; the breakdown rod is connected with a radio frequency power supply; the ignition structure and the gas inlet structure are integrated in the same showerhead, the breakdown rod can be extended out of the installation cavity to contact process gas and excite plasma before ignition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wafer processing equipment technology, and more particularly to a nozzle for plasma ignition 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 nozzle for plasma ignition and a semiconductor processing device. The purpose is to achieve precise matching between the discharge area and the process gas output path through the integrated design of the ignition component and the gas inlet structure, thereby solving the problems of unstable ignition, ignition delay and parasitic discharge caused by traditional separate arrangements. At the same time, it avoids damage to the breakdown rod due to long-term exposure to plasma, ensuring process stability, extending the service life of components, and improving the semiconductor processing yield.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a nozzle for plasma ignition, comprising a metal part, an ignition body, and a plurality of penetration rods; The metal component is fixedly inserted into the top cover. The interior of the metal component is provided with a sealed cavity that is connected to the gas supply pipeline. The bottom of the metal component is provided with several first channels that connect the sealed cavity and the reaction chamber, so that the process gas flows through the sealed cavity and is then input into the reaction chamber. The ignition element body is fixedly inserted into the metal part and partially extends into the sealed cavity. The ignition element body has an installation cavity inside and several second channels arranged circumferentially through it. Each of the aforementioned breakdown rods is movably inserted into the second channel and partially extends into the mounting cavity. The breakdown rods are connected to a radio frequency power supply so that the breakdown rods move to the outside of the second channel before ignition to ignite and excite the plasma, and move back into the second channel after ignition.

[0005] Optionally, the nozzle for plasma ignition further includes a circumferential drive, a connecting part, and a rotating part; The circumferential drive component is located on the top of the ignition component body and connected to the connecting part. The free end of the connecting part movably passes through the top of the ignition component body and extends into the mounting cavity. The bottom of the connecting part is fixedly connected to the rotating part. The first end of each of the penetration rods is hinged to the circumferential outer wall of the rotating part, and at the hinge point, the central axis of the penetration rod intersects the tangential direction of the rotating part and forms a non-perpendicular angle, and its second end is movably disposed in the second channel; The circumferential drive component drives the connecting part and the rotating part to rotate counterclockwise or clockwise, causing the second end of the puncture rod to extend out of the second channel or retract into the second channel.

[0006] Optionally, the angle between the extension structure of the penetration rod along the extension direction and the normal at the hinge of the rotating part is 10°-50°, and the length of the penetration rod is greater than the axial length of the cavity of the second channel.

[0007] Optionally, a penetration needle is fixed to the second end of the penetration rod, and the radial cross-sectional area of ​​the penetration needle decreases in the direction away from the penetration rod, so that the electric field generated by the penetration rod is concentrated at the end of the penetration needle away from the penetration rod.

[0008] Optionally, the nozzle for plasma ignition may further include several axial drive components and several sealing components; The ignition component body has several third channels arranged circumferentially. The third channels extend axially and communicate with the second channels. Each of the sealing components is movably disposed in each of the third channels. The inner wall of the mounting cavity is recessed with several circumferentially spaced receiving grooves. Each receiving groove is connected to each of the third channels. Each axial driving member is correspondingly disposed in each receiving groove and connected to the sealing member, so as to drive the sealing member to move axially downward to insert into the second channel or move axially upward to disengage from the second channel, so as to open or block the second channel.

[0009] Optionally, the axial drive includes a pushing part and a blocking part; The blocking part is disposed in the receiving groove and connected to the sealing member located in the receiving groove. One end of the pushing part is fixed to the circumferential outer wall of the connecting part, and the other end extends radially into the corresponding receiving groove and abuts against the blocking part therein. The end face of the blocking part facing the pushing part is set as an inclined surface; The pushing part moves upward against the blocking part as the connecting part rotates, causing the sealing member to rise.

[0010] Optionally, the nozzle for plasma ignition may further include several elastic connectors; One end of each of the elastic connectors is fixed to the top of each of the sealing members, and the other end extends axially and is fixed to the top wall of the receiving groove, so as to compress or elongate the sealing member by axially lifting and lowering.

[0011] Optionally, the axial distance between the top and bottom of the inclined surface is greater than the axial distance of the second channel.

[0012] Optionally, it may also include several scraping rings; Each of the scraping rings is fixed to the circumferential outer wall of the ignition element body, and each of the scraping rings is coaxially covered on the outer side of the end of each second channel away from the mounting cavity. The inner diameter of the through cavity of each scraping ring is adapted to the diameter of the penetration rod so as to slide and connect with the penetration rod extending out of the second channel, thereby scraping off the by-products deposited on its surface when the penetration rod retracts into the second channel.

[0013] Optionally, the scraping ring includes a contact surface and a scraping cleaning surface. The contact surface is slidably in contact with the puncture rod. The scraping cleaning surface is located on the side of the scraping ring facing away from the puncture rod and forms an acute angle structure with the contact surface. The scraping cleaning surface is an arc-shaped structure and is bent toward the puncture rod.

[0014] Optionally, the nozzle for plasma ignition may further include several leak-proof covers arranged at circumferential intervals. Each of the aforementioned leak-proof covers is fixed to the circumferential outer wall of the ignition element body, each of the aforementioned leak-proof covers is disposed on the outside of each of the aforementioned scraping rings, and each leak-proof cover is provided with a through portion for the penetration rod to pass through.

[0015] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a semiconductor processing apparatus, including a reaction chamber, a top cover, a dielectric window, and an induction coil, as well as the aforementioned nozzle for plasma ignition, wherein the dielectric window is disposed between the top cover and the reaction chamber, and the induction coil is arranged around the outside of the dielectric window.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention integrates the ignition structure and the air intake structure into the same nozzle, allowing the breakdown rod to extend outside the mounting cavity before ignition to contact the process gas and excite plasma. This solves the problem of misalignment between the discharge area and the gas output area caused by the traditional separate arrangement, effectively avoiding defects such as unstable ignition, ignition delay, and frequent parasitic discharge. Furthermore, after ignition, the breakdown rod can be retracted into the second channel, reducing abnormal bombardment and damage to the ignition components by the plasma during the process. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 Schematic diagrams of the plasma processing equipment in some embodiments of the present invention; Figure 2 for Figure 1 An enlarged structural diagram of location A is shown below; Figure 3 for Figure 2 An enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at position B is shown; Figure 4 for Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the rotating part, the puncture rod, and the puncture needle shown in the figure; Figure 5 for Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure of the blocking part.

[0018] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Reaction chamber; 2. Top cover; 3. Medium window; 4. Induction coil; 5. Gas supply pipeline; 6. Metal parts; 61. Sealing cavity; 62. First channel; 71. Ignition element body; 711. Mounting cavity; 72. Circumferential drive component; 73. Connecting part; 74. Rotating part; 75. Second channel; 76. Puncture rod; 77. Puncture needle; 78. Third channel; 79. Receiving groove; 8. Sealing component; 9. Elastic connector; 10. Axial drive component; 101. Pushing part; 102. Blocking part; 11. Scraping ring; 12. Leak-proof cover. Detailed Implementation

[0019] 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.

[0020] This invention relates to a nozzle for plasma ignition and a semiconductor processing device. The purpose is to achieve precise matching between the discharge area and the process gas output path through the integrated design of the ignition component and the gas inlet structure, thereby solving the problems of unstable ignition, ignition delay and parasitic discharge caused by traditional separate arrangements. At the same time, it avoids damage to the breakdown rod due to long-term exposure to plasma, ensuring process stability, extending the service life of components, and improving the semiconductor processing yield.

[0021] To address the problems existing in the prior art, embodiments of the present invention provide a nozzle for plasma ignition, such as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the nozzle for plasma ignition includes a metal part 6, an ignition body 71, and several penetration rods 76.

[0022] In some embodiments, the metal part 6 is fixedly inserted into the top cover 2. The interior of the metal part 6 is provided with a sealed cavity 61 that communicates with the gas supply pipeline 5. The bottom of the metal part 6 is provided with a plurality of first channels 62 that communicate with the sealed cavity 61 and the reaction chamber 1, so that the process gas flows through the sealed cavity 61 and is then input into the reaction chamber 1.

[0023] This embodiment integrates the air intake function into the metal part 6. The process gas is uniformly buffered and stabilized through the internal sealed cavity 61. Then, the gas (including plasma) is directly delivered to the reaction chamber 1 through several first channels 62 at the bottom. This simplifies the connection structure between the nozzle and the external gas path, avoids the leakage risk caused by additional piping, and ensures the uniformity of the process gas output distribution.

[0024] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the ignition element body 71 is fixedly inserted into the metal part 6 and partially extends into the sealing cavity 61. The ignition element body 71 has an internal mounting cavity 711, and a plurality of second channels 75 arranged circumferentially at intervals are provided through the ignition element body 71. Preferably, the plurality of second channels 75 are arranged at equal intervals circumferentially, and the number of second channels 75 can be set to 2, 3, or more. The circumferential, axial, and radial directions described in this invention are consistent with or parallel to the circumferential, axial, and radial directions of the reaction chamber 1, and will not be elaborated further.

[0025] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, each of the breakdown rods 76 is movably inserted into the second channel 75 and partially extends into the mounting cavity 711. The breakdown rods 76 are connected to the radio frequency power supply so that the breakdown rods 76 move to the outside of the second channel 75 before ignition to ignite and excite the plasma, and move to the second channel 75 after ignition.

[0026] This setup enables the ignition component to be "activated on demand and stored away after use": before ignition, the breakdown rod 76 extends out of the second channel 75, and after the radio frequency power is turned on, a concentrated strong electric field is quickly formed to accurately trigger plasma ignition, greatly improving the ignition success rate and avoiding parasitic discharge; after ignition, it is promptly retracted into the second channel 75, which not only prevents the breakdown rod 76 from being exposed to the process plasma for a long time and suffering from abnormal bombardment and by-product deposition and erosion, thus extending the service life of the ignition component, but also avoids it from interfering with the electric field distribution of the main reaction zone, ensuring the stability of subsequent processes.

[0027] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the nozzle for plasma ignition also includes a circumferential drive 72, a connecting part 73, and a rotating part 74.

[0028] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the circumferential drive member 72 is disposed on the top of the ignition element body 71 and connected to the connecting part 73. The free end of the connecting part 73 movably passes through the top of the ignition element body 71 and extends into the mounting cavity 711. The bottom of the connecting part 73 is fixedly connected to the rotating part 74. In this embodiment, the connecting part 73 is preferably arranged axially.

[0029] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the first end of each of the penetration rods 76 is hinged to the circumferential outer wall of the rotating part 74, and at the hinge point, the central axis of the penetration rod 76 intersects the tangent of the rotating part 74, forming a non-perpendicular angle. Its second end is movably disposed in the second channel 75. The circumferential drive member 72 drives the connecting part 73 and the rotating part 74 to rotate counterclockwise or clockwise, causing the second end of the penetration rod 76 to extend out of the second channel 75 or retract into the second channel 75.

[0030] Through the linkage transmission structure of "rotating part 74 and non-perpendicular hinge", the piercing rod 76 can be driven to make stable axial extension and retraction along the second channel 75 by the rotation of the circumferential drive member 72 alone. There is no need to configure an additional complex linear drive mechanism, which greatly simplifies the drive layout inside the ignition body 71 and saves installation space. The non-perpendicular angle design can efficiently convert the circumferential torque of the rotating part 74 into the axial displacement of the piercing rod 76, making the extension and retraction response more sensitive. At the same time, the hinge structure itself has a self-locking characteristic, which can effectively prevent the piercing rod 76 from being accidentally displaced due to vibration during the process, ensuring the accuracy of the ignition position and the reliability of operation.

[0031] In some embodiments, the circumferential drive 72 can be a stepper motor or a servo motor. Its output end is coaxially fixed to the connecting part 73 through a coupling. By precisely controlling the rotation angle and direction of the output shaft, the rotation stroke of the rotating part 74 can be adjusted accordingly, thereby precisely controlling the extension length and retraction position of the penetration rod 76 to meet the ignition requirements under different process scenarios.

[0032] In some embodiments, the bottom of the rotating part 74 is rotatably connected to or spaced apart from the inner bottom wall of the mounting cavity 711.

[0033] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the angle between the extension structure of the puncture rod 76 along its extension direction and the normal at the hinge point of the rotating part 74 is 10°-50°. This angle range allows for optimal conversion efficiency between the circumferential driving force of the rotating part 74 and the axial displacement of the puncture rod 76. If the angle is less than 10°, the rotation stroke of the rotating part 74 will be too large to meet the extension length requirement of the puncture rod 76, which will not only reduce the response speed but also increase the load on the circumferential drive component 72. If the angle is greater than 50°, the lateral component force during the extension and retraction of the puncture rod 76 will be too large, which may cause friction and jamming between the puncture rod 76 and the inner wall of the second channel 75, or even wear on the hinge structure. Controlling the angle within the range of 10°-50° ensures that the puncture rod 76 obtains sufficient extension displacement to closely follow the gas output path for efficient ignition, while minimizing lateral friction to ensure smooth and stable extension and retraction, reducing drive energy consumption, and extending the service life of the hinge structure.

[0034] In some embodiments, the length of the puncture rod 76 is greater than the axial length of the cavity of the second channel 75. This ensures that when the circumferential drive member 72 extends the puncture rod 76, its second end can completely protrude outside the second channel 75 and be fully exposed to the process gas atmosphere required for ignition. This avoids the problem of insufficient extension causing the electric field to be shielded by the inner wall of the second channel 75 and the ignition energy to be dispersed. At the same time, after retracting into place, a portion of the puncture rod 76 remains inside the second channel 75. The inner wall of the second channel 75 can be used to radially limit the puncture rod 76, preventing it from swinging freely in the mounting cavity 711, ensuring its positional stability after retraction, and reducing wear between the puncture rod 76 and the entrance of the second channel 75, further extending the service life of the component.

[0035] In some embodiments, the puncture rod 76 is preferably cylindrical, and the inner diameter of the second channel 75 is larger than the diameter of the puncture rod 76. This clearance fit design provides sufficient radial movement allowance for the reciprocating extension and retraction of the puncture rod 76, effectively avoiding the risk of jamming caused by thermal expansion, and ensuring smooth and stable extension and retraction of the puncture rod 76.

[0036] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, a penetration needle 77 is fixed to the second end of the penetration rod 76. The radial cross-sectional area of ​​the penetration needle 77 decreases in the direction away from the penetration rod 76, so that the electric field generated by the penetration rod 76 is concentrated at the end of the penetration needle 77 away from the penetration rod 76.

[0037] The placement of the penetration needle 77 utilizes the tip discharge effect to highly concentrate the electric field generated by the penetration rod 76 at the end of the penetration needle 77 away from the penetration rod 76, forming a strong electric field locally that far exceeds the uniform electric field. This significantly reduces the starting voltage required for plasma ignition, effectively solving the problems of difficult ignition and delayed ignition of traditional flat or blunt electrodes. At the same time, the concentrated strong electric field can accurately anchor the discharge initiation position, avoiding parasitic discharges caused by electric field divergence. This allows the plasma to ignite stably only near the penetration needle 77, improving ignition efficiency and success rate, reducing damage to the cavity components caused by abnormal discharges in non-target areas, and further ensuring process stability.

[0038] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the nozzle for plasma ignition also includes several axial drive components 10 and several sealing components 8.

[0039] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the ignition body 71 has a plurality of third channels 78 arranged circumferentially. The third channels 78 extend axially and communicate with the second channel 75. Each of the sealing members 8 is movably disposed in each of the third channels 78.

[0040] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the inner wall of the mounting cavity 711 has a plurality of accommodating grooves 79 arranged circumferentially. Each accommodating groove 79 is connected to each of the third channels 78 in a one-to-one correspondence. Each of the axial driving members 10 is correspondingly disposed in each of the accommodating grooves 79 and connected to the sealing member 8, so as to drive the sealing member 8 to move axially downward to insert into the second channel 75 or move axially upward to disengage from the second channel 75, so as to open or block the second channel 75.

[0041] The configuration of this embodiment allows the sealing member 8 to move upward during the ignition phase to open the second channel 75, ensuring that the breakdown rod 76 can smoothly extend out of the second channel 75 to discharge. After ignition, the breakdown rod 76 is driven to retract into the second channel 75, while the sealing member 8 is driven to move downward and insert into the second channel 75, completely sealing the second channel 75. This not only prevents the process byproducts in the sealed cavity 61 from flowing back into the ignition structure and causing contamination and blockage, but also prevents the plasma in the main reaction zone from entering the mounting cavity 711 through the second channel 75 and burning the internal precision components.

[0042] It is worth noting that when the second channel 75 is blocked, the bottom of the blocking member 8 contacts the inner bottom wall of the second channel 75 to achieve complete blocking.

[0043] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the axial drive member 10 includes a pushing part 101 and a blocking part 102. This embodiment allows the movement of the sealing member 8 and the movement of the penetration rod 76 to be linked; that is, only the rotation of the connecting part 73 needs to be adjusted to synchronously control the two movements. Furthermore, the pushing part 101 is preferably a cylindrical rod-shaped structure, and the blocking part 102 is preferably a fan-shaped plate-shaped structure.

[0044] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the blocking part 102 is disposed in the receiving groove 79 and connected to the sealing member 8 located in the receiving groove 79. One end of the pushing part 101 is fixed to the circumferential outer wall of the connecting part 73, and the other end extends radially into the corresponding receiving groove 79 and abuts against the blocking part 102 therein.

[0045] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the end face of the blocking part 102 facing the pushing part 101 is set as an inclined surface.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the pushing part 101 moves upward against the blocking part 102 as the connecting part 73 rotates, thus causing the sealing member 8 to rise. In this embodiment, the pushing part 101 rotates synchronously with the connecting part 73 and abuts against the inclined surface of the blocking part 102, directly converting the circumferential rotational motion into axial lifting and lowering motion of the sealing member 8 through the blocking part 102. There is no need to add an independent axial drive source. The dual control of the extension and retraction of the penetration rod 76 and the opening and closing of the second channel 75 can be completed synchronously by relying solely on the rotation of the ignition element itself. This greatly simplifies the internal drive structure and control logic of the nozzle, and reduces the difficulty and failure risk of coordinated control of multiple power sources. At the same time, the guide design of the inclined surface makes the lifting and lowering process smoother and avoids rigid impact.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the nozzle for plasma ignition also includes several elastic connectors 9; one end of each elastic connector 9 is fixed to the top of each sealing member 8, and the other end extends axially and is fixed to the top wall of the receiving groove 79, so as to compress or extend the sealing member 8 by axially lifting and lowering.

[0048] In this embodiment, the elastic connector 9 provides a controllable axial preload and reset reference for the sealing component 8: when the pushing part 101 rotates with the connecting part 73 and abuts against the blocking part 102 upward, the elastic connector 9 is compressed and stores energy, which buffers the rigid impact between the pushing part 101 and the inclined surface, avoiding instantaneous overload damage to the hinge or transmission structure; when the connecting part 73 rotates and the pushing part 101 disengages from the inclined surface of the blocking part 102, the elastic connector 9 releases the stored elastic potential energy, automatically pulling the sealing component 8 downward to reset, realizing the autonomous fall of the sealing component 8 and reliable sealing of the second channel 75, without the need for an additional reverse drive structure.

[0049] In some embodiments, the elastic connector 9 is preferably a spring.

[0050] In some embodiments, the axial distance between the top and bottom of the inclined surface is greater than the axial distance of the second channel 75. This dimensional design ensures reliable switching of the blocking function in terms of movement stroke: when the pushing part 101 rotates to abut the bottom of the inclined surface, the maximum displacement of the lifting part 102 is sufficient to drive the blocking member 8 to completely disengage from the second channel 75, completely opening the second channel 75, ensuring that the penetration rod 76 can extend unimpeded to the outside of the mounting cavity 711 to complete ignition, avoiding the blockage of the second channel 75 by the residual part of the blocking member 8, which would cause the penetration rod 76 to be stuck or the discharge space to be limited; and when the pushing part 101 rotates away from the inclined surface and the elastic connector 9 pulls the blocking member 8 to reset, the blocking member 8 can be fully inserted into the second channel 75 axially.

[0051] Of course, in other embodiments, the axial drive component 10 can also be a cylinder to drive the up and down movement of the sealing component 8, which will not be elaborated here.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the nozzle for plasma ignition also includes several scraping rings 11.

[0053] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, each of the scraping rings 11 is fixed to the circumferential outer wall of the ignition body 71, and each of the scraping rings 11 is coaxially covered on the outer side of the end of each of the second channels 75 away from the mounting cavity 711. The inner diameter of the through cavity of each scraping ring 11 is adapted to the diameter of the penetration rod 76 so as to slide and connect with the penetration rod 76 extending out of the second channel 75, thereby scraping off the by-products deposited on its surface when the penetration rod 76 retracts into the second channel 75.

[0054] The scraping ring 11 is coaxially mounted on the outer end of the second channel 75. Its through cavity is adapted to the diameter of the puncture rod 76, which can form a real-time "sliding scraping" cleaning action during the retraction of the puncture rod 76. On the one hand, the tight fit structure directly scrapes off the hard shell-like deposits such as polymers and reaction by-products deposited on the surface of the puncture rod 76, avoiding impurities from being carried into the interior of the second channel 75 with the puncture rod 76, causing jamming or blockage, and reducing the probability of motion failure from the root. On the other hand, the scraping action forms a physical cleaning interface on the surface of the puncture rod 76, preventing the accumulation of by-products from changing the shape and electric field distribution of the puncture rod 76, ensuring the stable tip discharge performance of the puncture needle 77 during each ignition, and reducing the corrosion and wear of the puncture rod 76 material by by-products, extending the service life of the ignition component. Moreover, the scraping ring 11 is integrated into the outer wall of the ignition component body 71, eliminating the need for additional external cleaning mechanisms. While maintaining the compactness of the nozzle structure, it achieves a self-cleaning function, greatly reducing the frequency and cost of maintenance.

[0055] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the scraping ring 11 includes a contact surface and a scraping cleaning surface. The contact surface is slidably contacted with the puncture rod 76. The scraping cleaning surface is located on the side of the scraping ring 11 facing away from the puncture rod 76 and forms an acute angle structure with the contact surface. The scraping cleaning surface is an arc-shaped structure and is bent toward the puncture rod 76.

[0056] The acute-angled structure creates a cutting edge similar to a scraper at the edge of the contact surface. When the puncture rod 76 retracts, it can apply concentrated shearing force to the hard byproducts attached to the surface, resulting in a scraping efficiency far higher than that of a flat surface structure. Furthermore, the arc-shaped scraping and cleaning surface can catch the scraped debris and guide it away from the puncture rod 76, preventing debris from falling back onto the surface of the puncture rod 76 and causing secondary contamination.

[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the nozzle for plasma ignition also includes a plurality of leak-proof covers 12 arranged circumferentially; each leak-proof cover 12 is fixed to the circumferential outer wall of the ignition body 71, each leak-proof cover 12 covers the outside of each scraping ring 11, and each leak-proof cover 12 is provided with a through portion through which the penetration rod 76 passes.

[0058] In this embodiment, the leak-proof cover 12 is installed on the outside of the scraping ring 11 and fixed to the circumferential outer wall of the ignition body 71. This is equivalent to constructing an independent closed collection chamber around each cleaning scraping ring 11, which can catch the by-product debris scraped off by the scraping ring 11 from the source. On the one hand, it prevents the scraped hard deposits from directly falling into the reaction chamber 1 to contaminate the wafer or interfere with the plasma distribution. On the other hand, it also prevents the debris from splashing onto other precision structures of the nozzle (such as the rotating part 74, hinge point, etc.) to cause secondary pollution or jamming. At the same time, the gap between the through part on the leak-proof cover 12 and the penetration rod 76 can form a natural barrier boundary, which allows the penetration rod 76 to extend and retract freely, while restricting the diffusion of by-products outward. This allows the impurities generated by scraping to be concentrated and constrained in the closed space inside the leak-proof cover 12, which is convenient for subsequent unified cleaning and maintenance.

[0059] 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 device includes a reaction chamber 1, a top cover 2, a dielectric window 3, and an induction coil 4, as well as the nozzle for plasma ignition. The dielectric window 3 is located between the top cover 2 and the reaction chamber 1, and the induction coil 4 is arranged around the dielectric window 3.

[0060] In some embodiments, the semiconductor processing equipment can be a plasma etching equipment, an ashing and photoresist stripping equipment, or a chemical vapor deposition equipment. These types of equipment all rely on a stable plasma environment to achieve wafer material removal, photoresist stripping, or thin film deposition processes. The nozzle of the present invention can be directly integrated into the top of the reaction chamber 1 of the above-mentioned equipment. Through the integrated design of the ignition element and the air intake structure, it provides fast and stable plasma ignition conditions for different process scenarios.

[0061] 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 nozzle for plasma ignition, characterized in that, Includes metal parts, the ignition element body, and several penetration rods; The metal component is fixedly inserted into the top cover. The interior of the metal component is provided with a sealed cavity that is connected to the gas supply pipeline. The bottom of the metal component is provided with several first channels that connect the sealed cavity and the reaction chamber, so that the process gas flows through the sealed cavity and is then input into the reaction chamber. The ignition element body is fixedly inserted into the metal part and partially extends into the sealed cavity. The ignition element body has an installation cavity inside and several second channels arranged circumferentially through it. Each of the aforementioned breakdown rods is movably inserted into the second channel and partially extends into the mounting cavity. The breakdown rods are connected to a radio frequency power supply so that the breakdown rods move to the outside of the second channel before ignition to ignite and excite the plasma, and move back into the second channel after ignition.

2. The nozzle for plasma ignition according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes circumferential drive components, connecting parts, and rotating parts; The circumferential drive component is located on the top of the ignition component body and connected to the connecting part. The free end of the connecting part movably passes through the top of the ignition component body and extends into the mounting cavity. The bottom of the connecting part is fixedly connected to the rotating part. The first end of each of the penetration rods is hinged to the circumferential outer wall of the rotating part, and at the hinge point, the central axis of the penetration rod intersects the tangential direction of the rotating part and forms a non-perpendicular angle, and its second end is movably disposed in the second channel; The circumferential drive component drives the connecting part and the rotating part to rotate counterclockwise or clockwise, causing the second end of the puncture rod to extend out of the second channel or retract into the second channel.

3. The nozzle for plasma ignition according to claim 2, characterized in that, The angle between the extension structure of the penetration rod along its extension direction and the normal at the hinge of the rotating part is 10°-50°, and the length of the penetration rod is greater than the axial length of the cavity of the second channel.

4. The nozzle for plasma ignition according to claim 2, characterized in that, A penetration needle is fixed to the second end of the penetration rod. The radial cross-sectional area of ​​the penetration needle decreases in the direction away from the penetration rod, so that the electric field generated by the penetration rod accumulates at the end of the penetration needle away from the penetration rod.

5. The nozzle for plasma ignition according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes several axial drive components and several sealing components; The ignition component body has several third channels arranged circumferentially. The third channels extend axially and communicate with the second channels. Each of the sealing components is movably disposed in each of the third channels. The inner wall of the mounting cavity is recessed with several circumferentially spaced receiving grooves. Each receiving groove is connected to each of the third channels. Each axial driving member is correspondingly disposed in each receiving groove and connected to the sealing member, so as to drive the sealing member to move axially downward to insert into the second channel or move axially upward to disengage from the second channel, so as to open or block the second channel.

6. The nozzle for plasma ignition according to claim 5, characterized in that, The axial drive component includes a pushing part and a blocking part; The blocking part is disposed in the receiving groove and connected to the sealing member located in the receiving groove. One end of the pushing part is fixed to the circumferential outer wall of the connecting part, and the other end extends radially into the corresponding receiving groove and abuts against the blocking part therein. The end face of the blocking part facing the pushing part is set as an inclined surface; The pushing part moves upward against the blocking part as the connecting part rotates, causing the sealing member to rise.

7. The nozzle for plasma ignition according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes several flexible connectors; One end of each of the elastic connectors is fixed to the top of each of the sealing members, and the other end extends axially and is fixed to the top wall of the receiving groove, so as to compress or elongate the sealing member by axially lifting and lowering.

8. The nozzle for plasma ignition according to claim 6, characterized in that, The axial distance between the top and bottom of the inclined surface is greater than the axial distance of the second channel.

9. The nozzle for plasma ignition according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes several scraping rings; Each of the scraping rings is fixed to the circumferential outer wall of the ignition element body, and each of the scraping rings is coaxially covered on the outer side of the end of each second channel away from the mounting cavity. The inner diameter of the through cavity of each scraping ring is adapted to the diameter of the penetration rod so as to slide and connect with the penetration rod extending out of the second channel, thereby scraping off the by-products deposited on its surface when the penetration rod retracts into the second channel.

10. The nozzle for plasma ignition according to claim 9, characterized in that, The scraping ring includes a contact surface and a scraping cleaning surface. The contact surface is slidably in contact with the puncture rod. The scraping cleaning surface is located on the side of the scraping ring facing away from the puncture rod and forms an acute angle structure with the contact surface. The scraping cleaning surface is an arc-shaped structure and is bent toward the puncture rod.

11. The nozzle for plasma ignition according to claim 9, characterized in that, It also includes several leak-proof covers arranged at intervals along the circumference; Each of the aforementioned leak-proof covers is fixed to the circumferential outer wall of the ignition element body, each of the aforementioned leak-proof covers is disposed on the outside of each of the aforementioned scraping rings, and each leak-proof cover is provided with a through portion for the penetration rod to pass through.

12. A semiconductor processing apparatus, characterized in that, It includes a reaction chamber, a top cover, a dielectric window, and an induction coil, as well as a nozzle for plasma ignition as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the dielectric window is disposed between the top cover and the reaction chamber, and the induction coil is arranged around the dielectric window.

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