Interstation isolation structure, multi-station process apparatus, and semiconductor process method

Abstract

This invention discloses an inter-station isolation structure, a multi-station process equipment, and a semiconductor process method. The inter-station isolation structure includes: an inlet duct disposed above the inter-station area between adjacent process stations to provide a first gas; and a baffle located below the outlet of the inlet duct to diffuse the first gas, forming an isolation air curtain of a predetermined thickness in the inter-station area between the adjacent process stations. This invention can adjust the thickness of the isolation air curtain to adapt to different inter-station spacings and operating conditions, while also optimizing the uniformity of the air curtain and improving its anti-disturbance capability, thereby effectively blocking inter-station gas crosstalk and ensuring process stability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, specifically to an inter-station isolation structure, a multi-station process equipment, a semiconductor process method, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] In multi-station semiconductor process equipment, the reaction chambers are often shared, with the reaction areas of each process station open and interconnected without physical separation. This makes it easy for reactant gases to cross-flow between adjacent process stations. Especially when different process stations are simultaneously performing differentiated process flows, different process gases are prone to mutual diffusion and cross-interference, seriously affecting the process performance and product yield of each station.

[0003] In existing technologies, some solutions for inter-station isolation employ liftable physical baffle structures. While these structures achieve direct physical barrier protection, they also introduce moving parts within the cavity. This not only increases the complexity of the cavity structure but also easily creates airflow dead zones around the baffle and at the lifting mechanism, increasing the risk of particulate contamination. Additionally, some solutions use air curtain isolation. However, existing air curtain structures mostly rely on fixed-aperture air intake and uniformly distributed extraction, making it impossible to precisely adjust the air curtain thickness according to inter-station distances and operating conditions. This leads to uneven air curtain distribution, excessively rapid flow velocity decay, and difficulty in forming a stable and effective isolation barrier. Such barriers are prone to failure under airflow disturbances within the station, thus failing to meet the high-reliability isolation requirements of multi-station processes.

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems in existing technologies, there is an urgent need in this field for an inter-station isolation technology that can adjust the thickness of the isolation air curtain to adapt to different inter-station spacings and operating conditions. At the same time, it can also optimize the uniformity of the air curtain and improve its anti-disturbance capability, thereby effectively blocking inter-station gas crosstalk and ensuring process stability. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0006] To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in the existing technology, the present invention provides an inter-station isolation structure, a multi-station process equipment, a semiconductor process method, and a computer-readable storage medium, which can adjust the thickness of the isolation air curtain to adapt to different inter-station spacing and operating conditions, while also optimizing the uniformity of the air curtain and improving its anti-disturbance capability, thereby effectively blocking inter-station gas crosstalk and ensuring process stability.

[0007] Specifically, the inter-station isolation structure provided by the first aspect of the present invention includes: an air inlet pipe disposed above the inter-station area of ​​adjacent process stations for providing a first gas; and a baffle located below the air outlet of the air inlet pipe to diffuse the first gas and form an isolation air curtain of a predetermined thickness in the inter-station area of ​​the adjacent process stations.

[0008] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the baffle is a split structure with adjustable width, the baffle includes multiple sub-baffles, and the effective width of the baffle is changed by adjusting the overlap of the sub-baffles.

[0009] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the baffle is installed below the air outlet via a distance adjustment device. By increasing the distance between the baffle and the air outlet, the thickness of the isolation air curtain is increased; by decreasing the distance between the baffle and the air outlet, the thickness of the isolation air curtain is reduced.

[0010] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the inter-station isolation structure further includes: an edge bushing disposed around the heating base within the process station. After the edge bushing rises with the heating base to the process position, it surrounds the outer exhaust ring to isolate the reaction zone within the station from the exhaust zone below.

[0011] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the outer wall of the edge bushing is provided with a labyrinth-shaped extension to form a labyrinth-shaped flow resistance zone near the suction ring.

[0012] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the suction ring is provided with a plurality of suction holes, wherein the suction holes are arranged at equal or non-equal intervals along the circumference of the suction ring, and / or the suction holes are arranged in layers along the axial direction of the suction ring, and / or the suction holes in different regions are provided with different apertures.

[0013] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the suction ring includes a spare hole that can be selectively blocked to switch the distribution position and density of the effective suction holes.

[0014] The multi-station process equipment provided according to the second aspect of the present invention includes: a reaction chamber having a plurality of process stations inside, each process station carrying out synchronous or asynchronous process reactions; and the inter-station isolation structure provided according to the second aspect of the invention, disposed between adjacent process stations, for forming an isolation air curtain in the inter-station area of ​​the adjacent process station when at least one process station is carrying out its process reaction.

[0015] Furthermore, the semiconductor process method provided by the third aspect of the present invention, implemented via the multi-station process equipment provided by the second aspect of the present invention, includes the following steps: determining whether to supply a first gas to an inter-station isolation structure based on the processing type of the multi-station process; supplying the first gas to the inter-station isolation structure in response to the processing type being a multi-station asynchronous process, thereby forming an isolation gas curtain of a preset thickness in the inter-station area of ​​adjacent process stations; feeding multiple wafers into multiple process stations within the multi-station process equipment; and supplying corresponding process gases to the multiple process stations respectively to perform the multi-station asynchronous process on the multiple wafers.

[0016] Furthermore, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable storage medium is provided on which computer instructions are stored. When the computer instructions are executed by a processor, the semiconductor process method described above, as provided in the third aspect of the present invention, is implemented. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The above-described features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related characteristics or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0018] Figure 1 A top view of a multi-station process equipment according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0019] Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of an inter-station isolation structure according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0020] Figure 3 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a multi-station process equipment according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0021] Figure 4 A flowchart of a semiconductor process method provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 5 The diagram shows pressure cloud maps of the reaction zones at each station within a multi-station process unit according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 A structural block diagram of a control device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0024] Figure label: More than 100 station-type process equipment; 110 Reaction Chamber; 111 Process Station; 112 Station Area; 113 Top cover plate; 120 Heating base; 130 First spray plate; 200-station isolation structure; 210 Intake pipe; 211 Air outlet; 220 baffle; 230 Second spray plate; 240 Edge bushing; 241 Extension; 250 suction ring; 251 Air extraction port; 260 Flow resistance region; 310 Reaction Zone; 320 Exhaust Zone; 510~560 First process chamber to sixth process chamber; 600 Control device; 610 Memory; 620 processor. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of the invention are limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of the present invention. To provide a thorough understanding of the invention, many specific details will be included in the following description. The invention may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of the invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0026] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in the relevant paragraphs and accompanying drawings. These relative terms are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that the described apparatus must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0028] It is understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or parts. Therefore, the first components, regions, layers, and / or parts discussed below may be referred to as second components, regions, layers, and / or parts without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0029] As mentioned above, in existing technologies, some solutions for inter-station isolation employ liftable physical baffle structures. While these structures achieve direct physical barrier protection, they also introduce moving parts within the cavity. This not only increases the complexity of the cavity structure but also easily creates airflow dead zones around the baffle and at the lifting mechanism, increasing the risk of particulate contamination. In addition, some solutions use air curtain isolation. However, existing air curtain structures mostly rely on fixed-aperture air intake and uniformly distributed extraction, making it impossible to precisely adjust the air curtain thickness according to inter-station distances and operating conditions. This leads to uneven air curtain distribution, excessively rapid flow velocity decay, and difficulty in forming a stable and effective isolation barrier. Such barriers are prone to failure under airflow disturbances within the station, thus failing to meet the high-reliability isolation requirements of multi-station processes.

[0030] To address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, this invention provides an inter-station isolation structure, a multi-station process equipment, a semiconductor process method, and a computer-readable storage medium. These components can adjust the thickness of the isolation air curtain to adapt to different inter-station spacings and operating conditions. They can also optimize the uniformity of the air curtain and improve its anti-disturbance capability, thereby effectively blocking inter-station gas crosstalk and ensuring process stability.

[0031] In some non-limiting embodiments, the inter-station isolation structure provided in the first aspect of the present invention can be configured in the multi-station process equipment provided in the second aspect of the present invention and used to implement the semiconductor process method provided in the third aspect of the present invention.

[0032] The working principle of the above-mentioned inter-station isolation structure will be described below with reference to some multi-station process equipment and semiconductor process methods. Those skilled in the art will understand that these multi-station process equipment and semiconductor process methods are merely non-limiting embodiments provided by this invention, intended to clearly demonstrate the main concepts of the invention and provide specific solutions convenient for public implementation, rather than limiting all operating methods or functions of the inter-station isolation structure. Similarly, this inter-station isolation structure is also only one non-limiting embodiment provided by this invention and does not limit other components in these multi-station process equipment or the implementing entities of each step in the semiconductor process method.

[0033] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 A top view of a multi-station process equipment according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0034] like Figure 1 As shown, in some embodiments of the present invention, the multi-station process equipment 100 may include a reaction chamber 110 and an inter-station isolation structure 200.

[0035] The reaction chamber 110 may include multiple process stations 111. Each process station 111 may be equipped with a heating base 120 for placing wafers. The wafers can undergo process reactions within the process stations 111. These process reactions may include, but are not limited to, deposition processes, etching processes, etc. After multiple wafers are fed into the multiple process stations 111 within the reaction chamber 110, synchronous or asynchronous process reactions can occur within the multiple process stations 111. The aforementioned multi-station process equipment 100 has a high degree of integration and a small footprint; the overall footprint of the equipment is significantly smaller than that of multiple independent process chambers with equivalent capacity.

[0036] In some embodiments, these process stations 111 can share a complete set of common resources such as vacuum environment and / or gas path and / or radio frequency and / or temperature control and / or exhaust. Only a common module of one set of cavities needs to be maintained, instead of maintaining each cavity individually. Therefore, the downtime for maintenance is shorter, which can improve the efficiency of machine maintenance.

[0037] Optionally, in some embodiments, the multiple process stations 111 within the reaction chamber 110 can be started and stopped simultaneously, executing the exact same process formulation in the same sequence. For example, as shown... Figure 1As shown, in a 6-station reaction chamber for thin film deposition, six wafers simultaneously enter the chamber, initiate arcing, deposit material, and exit the chamber at the same time, followed by simultaneous cooling. Because the process sequence of multiple process stations 111 is identical, and the airflow and environment within the chamber are interconnected between each process station 111, fluctuations in the chamber environment have a consistent impact on all wafers, thereby improving the uniformity of the inter-wafer process. When using a multi-station process equipment 100 for multi-station synchronous processing, the equipment's capacity can be maximized, with no process stations idle and the equipment operating at full capacity.

[0038] Optionally, in other embodiments, these multiple process stations 111 may also operate independently according to their respective process recipes and / or their respective start-stop sequences, performing multi-station asynchronous process processing with staggered wafer input / output or staggered process timing. For example, Figure 1 As shown, within the 6-station reaction chamber undergoing the annealing process, the first station has just completed heating and annealing and is preparing to transfer the wafer out of the chamber; the second station is maintaining a constant temperature; and the third station has just completed wafer feeding and is beginning to heat up. The timing of each station is completely staggered, with no waiting or synchronization between them. This multi-station asynchronous process reduces front-end transmission waiting time. The wafer transfer robot does not need to wait for the entire chamber to finish; it can immediately deliver the wafer from the shared station, thereby improving the smoothness of material flow throughout the machine.

[0039] In some embodiments, to avoid mutual interference between the process processes performed at each process station, an inter-station isolation structure 200 can be provided between adjacent process stations 111. Through the inter-station isolation structure 200, when at least one process station is performing its corresponding process reaction, the inter-station area 112 of the adjacent process station (…) Figure 1 The shaded area (in the image) forms an insulating air curtain. For example, as shown... Figure 1 As shown, the inter-station isolation structure 200 can be set in the fan-shaped area slightly outside the inter-station area 112.

[0040] Specifically, please combine Figure 2 and Figure 3 A shared understanding. Figure 2 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of an inter-station isolation structure according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown. Figure 3 A cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a multi-station process equipment according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0041] like Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the inter-station isolation structure 200 may include an air intake duct 210 and a baffle 220.

[0042] Combination Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the intake pipe 210 is located above the inter-station area 111 of adjacent process stations to provide a first gas. The intake pipe 210 can be located inside the upper cover plate 113. The first gas can be an inert gas that does not react with the process gas. A baffle 220 is provided below the outlet 211 of the intake pipe 210. The width of the baffle 220 allows the first gas to diffuse outward, thereby forming an isolation curtain of a preset thickness in the inter-station area 112 of adjacent process stations 111. Unlike traditional air curtains that only control the isolation effect through airflow velocity, this invention, by setting a baffle 220 below the outlet 221 and using the width of the baffle 220 to guide and diffuse the first gas, can precisely control the thickness of the air curtain, forming a stable and controllable thickness air curtain barrier. This effectively blocks the cross-diffusion of gas, particles, and process atmosphere between adjacent process stations, avoids mutual interference between the reaction environments of the two stations, and improves the process stability of each process station.

[0043] also, Figure 3 As shown, in some embodiments, each process station 111 is provided with a corresponding first spray plate 130 above it for introducing process gas downwards for process treatment. In this invention, the first gas is provided via an inlet pipe 210, which can create a clear spatial isolation between the first gas and the process gas, thereby avoiding mixing of the two, which would not only affect the isolation effect but also the process effect between each station.

[0044] Continue as Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the baffle 220 can be a split structure with adjustable width. The baffle 220 includes multiple sub-baffles. By adjusting the overlap of the sub-baffles, the effective width of the baffle 220 can be changed. The sub-baffles can be adjusted in various ways, such as folding and sliding, to unfold and combine into baffles 220 of different widths. The width of the baffle 220 determines the diffusion angle and lateral coverage range of the first airflow. When the distance between adjacent process stations is large, the sub-baffles are combined to increase the effective width of the baffle 220, thereby allowing the first airflow to diffuse more fully to both sides. The combined baffle 220 can make the first gas form a wider and thicker isolation curtain in the inter-station area 112. When the distance between adjacent process stations is small, the sub-baffles are overlapped to reduce the effective width of the baffle 220, thereby limiting the diffusion range of the first airflow. The overlapping baffle 220 can make the first gas form a concentrated, higher-velocity thin curtain in the inter-station area 112.

[0045] In some alternative embodiments, the baffle 220 may be mounted below the outlet 221 via a distance adjustment device (not shown in the figures). The distance between the baffle 220 and the outlet 221 determines the initial velocity and diffusion time of the first gas upon contact with the baffle 220. By increasing the distance between the baffle 220 and the outlet 221, the first gas has a longer free diffusion path before contacting the baffle 220. Based on this, the first gas forms a wider and thicker isolation curtain upon contact with the baffle 220. By decreasing the distance between the baffle 220 and the outlet 221, the first gas directly impacts the baffle 220, resulting in a more concentrated and thinner isolation curtain.

[0046] Furthermore, the aforementioned distance adjustment device may use a slide rail, a slot, or an adjusting bolt to achieve continuous or gear-type adjustment.

[0047] Specifically, in the slide rail type distance adjustment device, the baffle 220 is mounted on a vertical slide rail below the air outlet 221 via sliders on both sides. The sliders can slide freely along the slide rail and are fixed in position by locking components, thereby enabling continuous adjustment of the vertical distance between the baffle 220 and the air outlet 221. In this embodiment, the baffle 220 can smoothly rise and fall along the slide rail, with a wide adjustment range and no gear limitation, enabling precise fine-tuning of the distance between the baffle 220 and the air outlet 221.

[0048] In the slot-type distance adjustment device, multiple sets of slots are vertically spaced below the air outlet 221. Both ends of the baffle 220 are equipped with snap-fit ​​components that fit into the slots. By snapping the snap-fit ​​components into slots of different heights, the vertical distance between the baffle 220 and the air outlet 221 can be adjusted in stages. In this embodiment, the structure is simple and reliable, the adjustment operation is convenient, no additional locking mechanism is required, and preset height levels can be quickly switched, adapting to the rapid switching requirements of standardized working conditions.

[0049] In the bolt-type distance adjustment device, the baffle 220 is connected to the mounting base below the air outlet 221 via an adjusting bolt. One end of the adjusting bolt is fixed to the baffle 220, and the other end is threaded into the threaded hole of the mounting base. By rotating the adjusting bolt, the baffle 220 can be moved up and down axially, achieving continuous fine adjustment of the vertical distance. Optionally, a positioning scale or positioning nut can be provided on the bolt to achieve a gear-type positioning lock. The bolt-type distance adjustment method combines the flexibility of continuous fine adjustment and gear locking, has a compact structure, and high adjustment accuracy.

[0050] Continue as Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments, a second spray plate 230 may be included in the inter-station isolation structure 200. The second spray plate 230 is located below the baffle 220. Since the airflow diffused by the baffle 220 may have uneven edge velocity and local turbulence, the second spray plate 230 can be used to uniformly distribute the diffused first gas. After the first gas is rectified by the second spray plate 230, the effective action distance of the jet is longer, and it can maintain an effective flow velocity over a larger vertical height range. Even if there is process airflow disturbance in the reaction area of ​​each process station 111, the rectified isolation air curtain is not easily dispersed, thereby significantly improving the anti-interference capability of the air curtain and adapting to high airflow fluctuation conditions.

[0051] Next, please refer to Figure 3 .like Figure 3 As shown in the enlarged area I, the inter-station isolation structure 200 may further include an edge bushing 240. The edge bushing 240 is located around the heating base 120 within the process station 111. When the edge bushing 240 rises with the heating base 120 to the process position, it surrounds the outer suction ring 250, thereby isolating the upper reaction zone 310 within the station from the lower suction zone 320. In this embodiment, the suction port within the reaction chamber 110 is located at the bottom of the chamber. During the suction process, the edge bushing 240, after rising to the process position, laterally abuts against the outer suction ring 250, separating the upper reaction zone 310 from the lower suction zone 320, thereby restricting the gas path during suction (as shown by the gray arrow in area I) and directing it to the suction port of the suction ring 250.

[0052] In some embodiments, the number of evacuation ports located at the bottom of the reaction chamber 110 is limited (e.g., typically 1-2). Therefore, the uniformity of the flow field in the reaction zone 310 within each process station 111 cannot be guaranteed during evacuation. To address this, the evacuation ring 250 is a component consisting of a ring of small holes adjusted for evacuation uniformity based on simulation results. By ensuring that most process gases are drawn away through the evacuation ring 250, the uniformity of the flow field in the reaction zone 310 within each process station 111 can be improved during evacuation of the reaction chamber 110, eliminating significant bias and thereby improving the process performance of the wafers within each station.

[0053] In some alternative embodiments, the contact between the edge bushing 240 and the outer suction ring 250 can be a physical contact or a mating non-contact contact. A physical contact means that the outer wall of the edge bushing 240 abuts against the inner wall of the suction ring 250, and the two form a physical barrier in physical contact, thereby limiting the suction path.

[0054] A non-contact, mating connection can be achieved by fitting the outer wall of the edge bushing 240 to the inner wall of the suction ring 250 together, forming a flow resistance zone 260 with high resistance, thereby limiting the suction path. As shown in the partially enlarged area I, optionally, the outer wall of the edge bushing 240 may have a labyrinth-shaped extension 241. For example, this labyrinth-shaped extension 241 can be U-shaped. Through the extension 241, it can be joined with the inner wall extension of the suction ring 250 to form a U-shape, thereby creating a labyrinth-shaped (e.g., U-shaped) flow resistance zone 260 near the suction ring 250. By increasing the gas flow resistance of this passage, it is ensured that the gas path during suction preferentially selects the path leading to the suction port.

[0055] Furthermore, continuing as shown in the magnified area I, in the labyrinthine flow resistance zone 260, a long path with small gaps and multiple bends is formed by the non-contact splicing of the outer wall extension 241 of the edge bushing 240 and the inner wall extension of the suction ring 250. This not only increases the resistance of the suction path corresponding to the edge bushing 240, but also makes it more difficult for the gas in the lower suction zone 320 to flow back to the upper station reaction zone 310, thus avoiding contamination of the upper reaction zone 310.

[0056] In the above embodiments, the edge bushing 240, together with the extraction ring 250, forms a relatively independent single-station reaction space. This not only further enhances the isolation effect between stations, but also the edge bushing 240 with its labyrinthine extension 241 has a simple and reliable structure. During the process, it can form an effective flow resistance zone 260, thereby ensuring that most of the process gas is drawn away through the extraction ring 250. Furthermore, this flow resistance zone 260 can also prevent backflow of gas from the lower chamber, thus ensuring the stability and cleanliness of the process environment in the reaction zone 310 within the station.

[0057] Continuing as shown in the enlarged section I, in some embodiments, the extraction ring 250 is provided with multiple extraction holes 251. The extraction holes 251 can be arranged at equal or non-equal intervals along the circumference of the extraction ring 250. For example, the entire circumference of the extraction ring 250 may not be evenly distributed. In the reaction zone 310, the side closer to the reaction source has a high concentration of waste gas, requiring stronger extraction. To address this, the spacing of the extraction holes 251 on this side of the extraction ring 250 can be reduced, while the side farther from the reaction source has less waste gas, and the spacing of the extraction holes 251 on that side can be increased. By differentiating the density of the holes along the circumference of the extraction ring 250, the overall extraction flow rate can be balanced, preventing excessive negative pressure in some areas from entraining process gas, while other areas suffer from insufficient extraction leading to waste gas retention.

[0058] For example, the extraction holes 251 can be arranged in layers along the axial direction of the extraction ring 250. For instance, multiple layers of holes can be opened along the height direction of the extraction ring 250, with the number and / or position of holes in each layer adjusted. Since the process reaction mainly occurs in the middle of the cavity, extraction holes 251 can be densely arranged in the middle layer of the extraction ring 250. A small number of holes or no holes can be opened in the upper and lower layers of the extraction ring 250. By focusing extraction on the main reaction area and weakening extraction in the upper and lower areas, the accumulation of waste gas in the upper and lower corners can be prevented, improving the uniformity of extraction throughout the entire axial region of the reaction zone 310.

[0059] For example, the extraction holes 251 in different areas of the extraction ring 250 can be provided with different diameters. Large and small holes are arranged in combination on the same extraction ring 250, and the extraction volume of a single hole is controlled by the hole diameter. For example, large-diameter extraction holes can be provided in locations where exhaust gas accumulates and a large extraction volume is required. Small-diameter extraction holes can be provided in locations where the airflow is stable and only a small amount of balanced extraction is needed. Thus, balanced extraction can be achieved simply by matching the hole diameter to the local exhaust gas volume without changing the number of holes.

[0060] In some alternative embodiments, the extraction ring 250 includes selectable backup holes for switching the distribution position and density of the effective extraction holes 251. By reserving multiple sets of backup extraction holes in the extraction ring 250, the effective extraction distribution of the extraction ring 250 can be changed by blocking or opening different holes. For example, multiple arrays of extraction holes can be reserved circumferentially in the extraction ring 250. Depending on the process formulation, some redundant holes can be blocked, while the working holes are retained. When changing processes, the blocking positions can be switched to change the distribution area of ​​the effective extraction holes, thereby allowing the extraction ring 250 to adapt to the extraction uniformity requirements of different operating conditions.

[0061] Those skilled in the art can combine one or more of the above-mentioned methods of opening the air extraction holes 251 according to actual air extraction needs, and improve the air extraction uniformity of a single station by adjusting the distribution of the air extraction holes 251, thereby optimizing the process performance of each station.

[0062] This concludes the basic introduction to the inter-station isolation structure provided in the first aspect of the present invention and the multi-station process equipment described in the second aspect. Next, please refer to... Figure 4 . Figure 4 A flowchart of a semiconductor process method provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0063] like Figure 4 As shown, in some embodiments, the semiconductor process method may include the following steps S410 to S440.

[0064] Specifically, please combine Figures 1-3For mutual understanding, the first executable step is S410: based on the processing type of the multi-station process, determine whether to supply the first gas to the inter-station isolation structure.

[0065] Specifically, in some embodiments, the process to be performed by the multi-station process equipment 100 is a multi-station synchronous process. In this case, the first gas is not introduced into the inter-station isolation structure 200, and the airflow between each process station 111 is kept in sync with the environment so that the environmental fluctuations in the cavity have a consistent impact on all wafers, thereby improving the uniformity of the inter-wafer process.

[0066] When the process to be performed by the multi-station process equipment 100 is a multi-station asynchronous process, step S420 can be executed. Step S420 includes: supplying a first gas to the inter-station isolation structure 200 to form an isolation air curtain of a preset thickness in the inter-station area 112 of adjacent process stations 111. By forming an isolation air curtain of a preset thickness in each inter-station area 112, the originally open reaction zones 310 of each station can be blocked into independent single-station reaction spaces. At this time, when different process stations need to perform different process flows simultaneously, the stations will not affect each other.

[0067] Next, step S430 is executed: multiple wafers are fed into multiple process stations within the multi-station process equipment. Then, step S440 is executed: corresponding process gases are supplied to each of the multiple process stations to perform multi-station asynchronous process processing on the multiple wafers.

[0068] For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, in the 6-station reaction chamber for thin film deposition, at minute 0, the robotic arm delivers the first wafer to the first process station, which then positions itself and begins preheating. At minute 2, while the first wafer is in the isothermal preheating stage, the robotic arm, without waiting for the first process station to complete its process, delivers the second wafer to the second process station, which then positions itself. At minute 4, the second process station enters the preheating stage. The robotic arm continues delivering wafers to the third process station, which then starts its own process sequence. At minute 6, the third process station enters the preheating stage. The robotic arm delivers wafers to the fourth process station, which then starts its own process sequence. At minute 7, the second process station finishes preheating and enters the thin film deposition stage first. At this point, the second process station is still preheating, the third process station has just delivered a wafer, and the fourth process station has just begun positioning itself; the four stations are in completely different process stages. The thickness of the isolation curtain can be adjusted through the aforementioned inter-station isolation structure 200 to adapt to different inter-station spacing and operating conditions. At the same time, it can also optimize the uniformity of the curtain and improve its anti-disturbance capability, thereby effectively blocking inter-station gas crosstalk and ensuring process stability.

[0069] In addition, please see Figure 5 . Figure 5The diagram shows pressure cloud maps of the reaction zones at each station within a multi-station process unit according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0070] like Figure 5 In the pressure cloud diagram shown, during the evacuation process of each process chamber, it is assumed that the flow rate of process gas A in the first process station 510 is 2250 sccm, and the flow rate of process gas B in the second to sixth process stations 520-560 is 4000 sccm. Although the gas flow rates in the first process station 510 are different from those in the other process stations, the pressure cloud diagram results are the same. This means that there is no eccentricity in the evacuation process at any station, indicating good isolation between stations.

[0071] Next, please refer to Figure 6 . Figure 6 A structural block diagram of a control device provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0072] like Figure 6 As shown, in some non-limiting embodiments, the present invention also provides a control device 600, including a memory 610 and a processor 620. Here, the memory 610 includes, but is not limited to, the computer-readable storage medium provided in the fourth aspect above, on which computer instructions are stored. The processor 620 is connected to the memory 610 and configured to execute the computer instructions stored in the memory 610 to implement the semiconductor process method as provided in the third aspect of the present invention.

[0073] In summary, the present invention provides an inter-station isolation structure, a multi-station process equipment, a semiconductor process method, and a computer-readable storage medium, which can adjust the thickness of the isolation air curtain to adapt to different inter-station spacing and operating conditions. At the same time, it can also optimize the uniformity of the air curtain and improve its anti-disturbance capability, thereby effectively blocking inter-station gas crosstalk and ensuring process stability.

[0074] Although the methods described above are illustrated and depicted as a series of actions for the sake of simplicity, it should be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the actions, as some actions may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other actions from the illustrations and descriptions herein or not illustrated and described herein but which may be understood by those skilled in the art, according to one or more embodiments.

[0075] Those skilled in the art will further appreciate that the various illustrative logic blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability between hardware and software, the various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps are described above in a generalized manner in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends on the specific application and the design constraints imposed on the overall system. Those skilled in the art may implement the described functionality in different ways for each specific application, but such implementation decisions should not be construed as departing from the scope of the invention.

[0076] The various illustrative logic modules and circuits described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed using a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. The general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in alternatives, it may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors cooperating with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.

[0077] The steps of the methods or algorithms described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of both. The software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor such that the processor can read and write information to / from the storage medium. In an alternative, the storage medium may be integrated into the processor. The processor and storage medium may reside in an ASIC. The ASIC may reside in a user terminal. In an alternative, the processor and storage medium may reside as discrete components in the user terminal.

[0078] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the described functionality may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software as a computer program product, the functionality may be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or code on or through a computer-readable medium. A computer-readable medium includes both computer storage media and communication media, encompassing any medium that facilitates the transfer of a computer program from one location to another. A storage medium may be any available medium accessible to a computer. By way of example and not limitation, such a computer-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disc storage, disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible to a computer. Any connection is also legitimately referred to as a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of a medium. As used in this article, disk and disc include compact discs (CDs), laser discs, optical discs, digital multi-purpose discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs. Disks typically reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically using lasers. Combinations of these should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

[0079] The prior description of this disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An inter-station isolation structure, characterized in that, include: An intake duct is located above the station between adjacent process stations and is used to provide the first gas. as well as A baffle, located below the outlet of the air inlet pipe, diffuses the first gas to form an isolation air curtain of a predetermined thickness in the inter-station area of ​​the adjacent process stations.

2. The inter-station isolation structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The baffle is a split structure with adjustable width, comprising multiple sub-baffles. The effective width of the baffle can be changed by adjusting the overlap of the sub-baffles.

3. The inter-station isolation structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The baffle is installed below the air outlet via a distance adjustment device. By increasing the distance between the baffle and the air outlet, the thickness of the isolation air curtain is increased; by decreasing the distance between the baffle and the air outlet, the thickness of the isolation air curtain is decreased.

4. The inter-station isolation structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: An edge bushing is provided on the periphery of the heating base in the process station. After the edge bushing rises with the heating base to the process position, it surrounds the outer exhaust ring to isolate the reaction zone in the station from the exhaust zone below.

5. The inter-station isolation structure as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The outer wall of the edge bushing is provided with a labyrinth-shaped extension to form a labyrinth-shaped flow resistance zone near the suction ring.

6. The inter-station isolation structure as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The suction ring is provided with a plurality of suction holes, wherein the suction holes are arranged at equal or non-equal intervals along the circumference of the suction ring, and / or the suction holes are arranged in layers along the axial direction of the suction ring, and / or the suction holes in different regions are provided with different apertures.

7. The inter-station isolation structure as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The extraction ring includes spare holes that can be selectively blocked to switch the distribution location and density of the effective extraction holes.

8. A multi-station process equipment, characterized in that, include: The reaction chamber contains multiple process stations, each carrying out synchronous or asynchronous process reactions. as well as The inter-station isolation structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 is disposed between adjacent process stations and is used to form an isolation air curtain in the inter-station area of ​​the adjacent process station when at least one process station is carrying out its process reaction.

9. A semiconductor process method, characterized in that, The semiconductor process method, implemented via the multi-station process equipment as described in claim 8, includes the following steps: Based on the processing type of the multi-station process, determine whether to supply the first gas to the inter-station isolation structure; In response to the processing type being a multi-station asynchronous process, a first gas is supplied to the inter-station isolation structure to form an isolation air curtain of a preset thickness in the inter-station area of ​​adjacent process stations. Multiple wafers are fed into multiple process stations within a multi-station process equipment; and The corresponding process gases are provided to the multiple process stations to perform the multi-station asynchronous process on the multiple wafers.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions thereon, characterized in that, When the computer instructions are executed by the processor, the semiconductor process method as described in claim 9 is implemented.

Images