Time type continuous ALD coating production line

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of time type continuous ALD coating production line, using plate type laminated insert piece structure, loading capacity is not limited by size;Process chamber adopts double-layer structure of inner and outer cavities, process gas only flows through single group of silicon wafer, gas path is short, improves the utilization rate of precursor and shortens process cycle;Adopt well grid shape side heating structure, combined with upper uniform gas heating plate and lower pumping heating plate, realize the synchronous radiation heating to aluminum boat six surfaces, guarantee the uniformity of silicon wafer surface temperature;At the same time, modular plate type production line structure is adopted, which is convenient for process expansion and docking with automatic production line.The problems of limited loading capacity, low precursor utilization rate, poor temperature uniformity, low production efficiency and difficulty in integrating automatic production line of traditional tube type ALD equipment are solved, and the production efficiency, yield and input-output ratio of ALD coating are significantly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of coating equipment technology, and in particular to a time-type continuous ALD coating production line. Background Technology

[0002] Atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology, as a core process for nanoscale thin film fabrication, leverages its self-limiting surface reaction mechanism to achieve precise atomic-level deposition, demonstrating irreplaceable advantages in fields such as semiconductors, energy storage, and optical devices. Currently, mainstream ALD equipment on the market is primarily tubular in structure, offering mature technology, high deposition uniformity, and widespread application in thin film fabrication for various materials.

[0003] However, as the industry's demands for production efficiency, large-area deposition, and process flexibility continue to increase, traditional tubular ALD equipment has gradually revealed many limitations:

[0004] 1. Long gas path and low precursor utilization: The silicon wafers are arranged in multiple groups along the axial direction in the tubular cavity. The process gas enters from the tube opening and flows along the axial direction of the tube to the tail end. It needs to flow through the entire silicon wafer, resulting in a long precursor pulse and purging time and low utilization. At the same time, the gas field uniformity at the inlet and outlet ends is poor, and gas turbulence is easily generated at the tail end, which leads to a decrease in coating yield and limits the expansion of tube length, resulting in very limited equipment loading capacity.

[0005] 2. Poor temperature uniformity: In order to increase the loading capacity, tubular equipment often adopts a two-layer stacked boat structure with heating plates surrounding the upper and lower boats on all four sides. This increases the distance between the heating plates and the silicon wafers, as well as the distance from the edge of the silicon wafers to the center of the tube, resulting in a longer heating time and poor temperature uniformity on the surface of the silicon wafers. This affects the precise control of the ALD self-limiting reaction, reducing the final process effect and yield.

[0006] 3. Low production efficiency and high energy consumption: The process chamber of traditional single ALD equipment needs to be repeatedly exposed to the atmosphere, which not only introduces impurities such as gas and particulate dust, but also causes repeated temperature fluctuations, resulting in unstable processes and equipment. At the same time, the repeated vacuuming and heating processes lead to higher power consumption, and the idle time during heating in the coating cycle is too long, so equipment resources cannot be fully utilized and the input-output ratio is low.

[0007] 4. Difficulty in automation integration: The feeding and discharging methods of tubular structures are complex, making it difficult to seamlessly integrate with automated loading and unloading and continuous production lines, and thus difficult to meet the needs of large-scale industrial production.

[0008] Therefore, developing an efficient, uniform, modular, and easily integrated ALD coating production line has become a pressing technical problem to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0009] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a time-based continuous ALD coating production line, which solves the problems of limited equipment capacity, low precursor utilization, poor silicon wafer temperature uniformity, low production efficiency, high energy consumption, and difficulty in integrating into automated production lines in the prior art. It achieves efficient, uniform, and continuous production of ALD coating, thereby improving the input-output ratio of the production line.

[0010] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is: a time-type continuous ALD coating production line, comprising a feed end lifting and conveying device, a preheating chamber unit, at least one process chamber unit, a cooling chamber unit and a discharge end lifting and conveying device connected in sequence, with adjacent chamber units connected by a vacuum isolation valve, and also including a vacuum component for providing a vacuum environment for each chamber, a special gas component for providing process gas and an electrical cabinet component for controlling the operation of the production line.

[0011] The process chamber unit adopts a double-layer structure with inner and outer cavities, including a large process chamber and multiple independent small process chambers integrated within the large process chamber. Each independent small process chamber corresponds to a set of silicon wafers to be coated. The process gas flows through only a single set of silicon wafers in the independent small process chamber, which greatly shortens the gas flow path.

[0012] The independent process chamber is formed by a gas equalization plate, a lower heating plate, and a side heating plate device. The side heating plate device has a grid-shaped structure. Combined with the upper gas equalization plate and the lower heating plate, it realizes synchronous radiation heating of the six sides of the aluminum boat containing the silicon wafer, ensuring the uniformity of the silicon wafer surface temperature.

[0013] The production line adopts a plate conveyor structure, in which aluminum boats are placed on carrier plates for transport. The carrier plates circulate within the production line via a rotary conveyor device, and the loading capacity is not limited by size.

[0014] Furthermore, the process chamber unit also includes a process chamber, a process chamber cover, an armored heater, an outer corrugated pipe, an inner corrugated pipe, a vacuum pipe connector, a connecting rod, a synchronous lifting device, a frame, a lifting support, an exhaust hood, and a magnetohydrodynamic transmission device. The armored heater is installed above the gas equalization plate and heats the gas equalization plate through radiation, thereby transferring heat to the silicon wafer through thermal radiation. The synchronous lifting device is connected to the lifting support via the connecting rod and is used to lift the lower heating plate. When the lower heating plate is lifted to contact the bottom surface of the side heating plate device, a closed, independent small process chamber is formed. The upper ends of the outer and inner corrugated pipes are connected to the lower end face of the lifting support, and the lower ends are connected to the vacuum pipe connector, realizing vacuum isolation between the small process chamber and the large process chamber, and between the small process chamber and the atmospheric side, making the overall structure more compact.

[0015] Furthermore, the gas distribution plate is designed with double-layer pores, with two independent process gas inlets in each layer. The two layers correspond to the independent gas supply of precursor A / inert gas and precursor B / inert gas, respectively, to ensure that the process gas is evenly distributed on the silicon wafer surface.

[0016] Furthermore, the process chamber unit has a modular structure, and multiple process chamber units are connected by transition chambers or vacuum isolation valves. The transition chamber is equipped with a purging device and a vacuum pipeline, which can avoid mutual contamination between chambers during different process reactions and facilitate the expansion of composite coating according to process requirements.

[0017] Furthermore, infrared or resistance heaters are arranged on the upper and lower sides and both sides of the preheating chamber unit to ensure preheating efficiency and heating uniformity.

[0018] Furthermore, the cooling chamber unit integrates a uniform air blowing cooling system and a water cooling system, which simultaneously perform uniform air blowing cooling and water circulation indirect cooling from top to bottom, ensuring uniform and rapid cooling of the silicon wafer.

[0019] Furthermore, multiple aluminum boats can be placed on a single carrier plate at the same time. Three aluminum boats form a group, corresponding to an independent process chamber. The aluminum boats adopt a double-insertion single-sided coating or single-insertion double-sided coating structure, which can be flexibly selected according to process requirements.

[0020] Furthermore, both the feed end lifting conveyor and the discharge end lifting conveyor are used for the turnover conveying and height adjustment of the carrier plate, so as to realize the docking of the carrier plate with the upper process chamber and the lower rotary conveyor line.

[0021] Furthermore, the vacuum isolation valve includes a one-way vacuum isolation valve and a two-way vacuum isolation valve. One-way vacuum isolation valves are provided at the inlet end of the preheating chamber unit and the outlet end of the cooling chamber unit, while two-way vacuum isolation valves are provided between the remaining adjacent chambers.

[0022] As can be seen from the above description of the structure of the present invention, compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0023] 1. The plate conveyor and stacked boat insert structure are adopted, which can not be limited by size, and the space utilization rate is high, which significantly improves the coating production efficiency.

[0024] 2. The use of a zoned gas supply system, a porous distribution plate, and a double-layer gas channel design ensures that the precursor gas is evenly distributed and diffused on the substrate surface, avoiding problems such as residue and incomplete reaction. The process gas adopts a top-in, bottom-out design and flows through only a single set of silicon wafers, which greatly shortens the gas flow path, reduces the precursor pulse and purging time, reduces gas residue and waste, improves precursor utilization, and shortens the overall process cycle.

[0025] 3. The grid-shaped side heating structure, combined with the upper uniform heating plate and the lower suction heating plate, enables simultaneous radiation heating of the aluminum boat on all six sides, resulting in higher temperature uniformity on the silicon wafer surface. At the same time, each independent process chamber can be independently controlled for process parameters, improving the uniformity of ALD coating within and between wafers in the same batch, ensuring precise control of the ALD self-limiting reaction, and reducing film thickness differences caused by temperature gradients.

[0026] 4. The continuous production mode avoids repeated exposure of the process chamber to the atmosphere, reduces impurity contamination and temperature fluctuations, and lowers power consumption; at the same time, the carrier plate is circulated, which reduces equipment idle time and improves equipment resource utilization and input-output ratio.

[0027] 5. The plate-type production line structure and modular process chamber units are adopted, which can be easily expanded according to process needs to realize single process or composite coating production. It is also easy to seamlessly connect with automated loading and unloading and continuous production lines, which greatly reduces the cost of equipment modification. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0029] Figure 1 This is a front view of a three-section ALD coating device according to the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 This is a top view of a three-section ALD coating device according to the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a left view of the process chamber unit of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view (AA) of the process chamber unit during the carrier transfer state of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view (AA) of the process chamber unit in the lifting state of the carrier plate according to the present invention;

[0034] Figure 6 This is an axonometric view of the gas distribution plate of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 This is an axonometric view of the gas distribution plate, side heating plate device, and armored heater of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the modular expansion of the multi-processing-process chamber unit of the present invention.

[0037] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100 - Feed end lifting and conveying device; 200 - Preheating chamber unit; 300 - Process chamber unit; 400 - Cooling chamber unit; 500 - Discharge end lifting and conveying device; 600 - One-way vacuum isolation valve; 700 - Two-way vacuum isolation valve; 800 - Vacuum assembly; 900 - Special gas assembly; 110 - Electrical cabinet assembly; 120 - Automated loading and unloading equipment; 130 - Transition chamber; 301 - Process chamber; 302 - Process chamber cover; 303 - ... Armored heater, 304-Gas distribution plate, 305-Side heating plate device, 306-Lower heating plate, 307-Outer corrugated pipe, 308-Inner corrugated pipe, 309-Vacuum pipe joint, 310-Connecting rod, 311-Synchronous lifting device, 312-Frame, 313-Rotary conveyor device, 314-Lifting bracket, 315-Exhaust hood, 316-Magnetohydrodynamic transmission device, 317-Process gas inlet, 001-Aluminum boat, 002-Carrier plate, 003-Silicon wafer. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0039] like Figure 1-8 As shown, the present invention discloses a time-type continuous ALD coating production line, which mainly consists of a feeding end lifting and conveying device 100, a preheating chamber unit 200, a process chamber unit 300, a cooling chamber unit 400, a discharging end lifting and conveying device 500, a one-way vacuum isolation valve 600, a two-way vacuum isolation valve 700, a vacuum component 800, a special gas component 900, an electrical cabinet component 110, an automated loading and unloading device 120, and a rotary conveyor device 313.

[0040] The infeed end lifting conveyor 100 and the discharge end lifting conveyor 500 are respectively installed at the beginning and end of the production line for the turnover conveying and height adjustment of the carrier plate 002. The infeed end lifting conveyor 100 can convey the carrier plate 002 into the preheating chamber unit 200, and can also lift the carrier plate 002 from the lower rotary conveyor line to the conveying docking height with the preheating chamber unit 200; the discharge end lifting conveyor 500 can receive the carrier plate 002 conveyed from the cooling chamber unit 400 and lower the carrier plate 002 to dock with the lower rotary conveyor 313.

[0041] Infrared or resistance heaters are arranged on the top, bottom and sides of the preheating chamber unit 200, which can quickly and uniformly preheat the silicon wafer 003 entering the chamber, so that the silicon wafer 003 reaches a temperature close to that of the process reaction, thus shortening the heating time of the subsequent process chamber.

[0042] The process chamber unit 300 is the core part of this invention. It adopts a double-layer structure with inner and outer cavities and is composed of a process chamber 301, a process chamber cover 302, an armored heater 303, a gas equalization plate 304, a side heating plate device 305, a lower heating plate 306, an outer corrugated pipe 307, an inner corrugated pipe 308, a vacuum pipe joint 309, a connecting rod 310, a synchronous lifting device 311, a frame 312, a lifting support 314, an exhaust hood 315, a magnetohydrodynamic transmission device 316, and a process gas inlet 317.

[0043] The large process chamber integrates four relatively isolated independent process chambers, each corresponding to a silicon wafer group consisting of three aluminum boats 001. The side heating plate device 305 adopts a grid structure, which can accommodate three aluminum boats 001. The upper armored heater 303 is installed above the gas distribution plate 304, and heats the silicon wafers 003 by radiating heat to the gas distribution plate 304. The lower heating plate 306 can be raised and lowered by the synchronous lifting device 311. When the synchronous lifting device 311 raises the lifting bracket 314 and the lower heating plate 306 through the connecting rod 310, so that the lower heating plate 306 contacts the bottom surface of the side heating plate device 305, the gas distribution plate 304, the lower heating plate 306, and the side heating plate device 305 together form a relatively closed independent process chamber, realizing synchronous radiative heating of the aluminum boats 001 on all six sides.

[0044] The gas distribution plate 304 is designed with double-layer pores, with two independent process gas inlets 317 in each layer. The two layers correspond to the uniform gas supply of precursor A / inert gas and precursor B / inert gas, respectively, and both can be controlled independently to ensure that the process gas is evenly distributed and diffused on the surface of silicon wafer 003, avoiding problems such as residue and insufficient reaction.

[0045] The upper ends of the outer corrugated pipe 307 and the inner corrugated pipe 308 are connected to the lower end face of the lifting bracket 314, and the lower ends are connected to the vacuum pipe joint 309, forming a vacuum isolation between the small process chamber and the large chamber, as well as a vacuum isolation between the small process chamber and the atmosphere. The other end of the vacuum pipe joint 309 is connected to the vacuum component 800 for evacuating the small process chamber. The overall structure is compact and has a good vacuum isolation effect.

[0046] The process chamber unit 300 adopts a modular structure design. The production line can be equipped with a single process chamber unit 300 for single-process reaction coating, or multiple process chamber units 300 can be added for composite coating according to process requirements. A transition chamber 130 is designed between multiple process chamber units 300. The transition chamber 130 is equipped with a purging device and connected to a vacuum pipeline for evacuation, which can avoid cross-contamination between process chambers during different process reactions. If there is no significant cross-contamination between processes, a two-way vacuum isolation valve 700 can be directly used to replace the transition chamber 130.

[0047] The upper and lower cooling devices on the cooling chamber unit 400 integrate uniform air blowing cooling and water cooling, and perform uniform air blowing cooling and water circulation indirect cooling simultaneously from top to bottom to ensure uniform and rapid cooling of silicon wafer 003.

[0048] The aluminum boat 001 is used to hold the silicon wafer 003 and can adopt a double-insertion single-sided coating or single-insertion double-sided coating structure. Multiple aluminum boats 001 can be placed on a carrier board 002 for coating processing at the same time. In this embodiment, three aluminum boats 001 are grouped together and the coating process is carried out in corresponding independent process chambers.

[0049] The specific workflow is as follows:

[0050] Material loading stage: Automated loading and unloading equipment 120 is arranged on both sides of the feeding end lifting conveyor 100. The automated loading and unloading equipment 120 places the aluminum boat 001 filled with silicon wafers 003 to be processed onto the carrier plate 002. After automatic loading is completed, the feeding end lifting conveyor 100 transports the carrier plate 002 (including the aluminum boat 001 filled with silicon wafers 003) into the preheating chamber unit 200.

[0051] Preheating stage: Close the one-way vacuum isolation valve 600 at the inlet end and the two-way vacuum isolation valve 700 at the outlet end of the preheating chamber unit 200. The vacuum assembly 800 evacuates the preheating chamber unit 200. When the chamber reaches the set vacuum level, the silicon wafer 003 is indirectly heated by the heater until the set preheating temperature is reached.

[0052] Process transfer stage: At the same time, the process chamber unit 300 is also evacuated to reach the set vacuum level. After preheating is completed, the bidirectional vacuum isolation valve 700 between the preheating chamber unit 200 and the process chamber unit 300 is opened to transport the carrier plate 002 into the process chamber 301, and the bidirectional vacuum isolation valves 700 on both sides are closed.

[0053] Lifting and Heating Stage: The synchronous lifting device 311 activates the lifting mechanism, raising the lifting bracket 314 along with the lower heating plate 306 upwards. The lifted bracket contacts the carrier plate 002 and embeds it into the side heating plate device 305. The vacuum assembly 800 simultaneously evacuates both the large and small process chambers, achieving the required vacuum level for the process reaction. Simultaneously, the side heating plate device 305, the armored heater 303, and the lower heating plate 306 activate heating, indirectly and continuously heating the silicon wafer 003 in the aluminum boat 001 until it reaches the required process temperature and remains stable.

[0054] ALD Coating Stage: This is the core ALD coating stage, where the process reaction takes place within a closed process chamber. The process flow is as follows: A pulse of precursor A is introduced through a gas distribution plate 304, causing precursor A to undergo self-limiting adsorption on the silicon wafer 003 surface; then, inert gas is introduced to purge A, removing unadsorbed precursor A and byproducts; next, a pulse of precursor B is introduced, causing precursor B to undergo a self-limiting reaction with the precursor A adsorbed on the silicon wafer 003 surface; then, inert gas is introduced again to purge B, removing unreacted precursor B and byproducts. This cycle is repeated continuously. By controlling the number of cycles, the final film thickness on the silicon wafer 003 surface can be precisely controlled.

[0055] Cooling and unloading stage: After the silicon wafer coating process is completed, the synchronous lifting device 311 is activated to lower the carrier plate 002 back onto the magnetohydrodynamic transmission device 316 and to its lowest point. Then, the bidirectional vacuum isolation valve 700 between the process chamber unit 300 and the cooling chamber unit 400 is opened to transport the carrier plate 002 into the cooling chamber 400, and the bidirectional vacuum isolation valve 700 is closed. Inert gas is introduced into the upper and lower cooling devices of the cooling chamber unit 400 for uniform purging and cooling, while water circulation cooling is activated for both devices. When the silicon wafer 003 cools to the set temperature, the cooling chamber unit 400 is ventilated, and the one-way vacuum isolation valve 600 on the atmospheric side of the cooling chamber unit 400 is opened to transport the carrier plate 002 onto the discharge end lifting conveyor 500.

[0056] Carrier plate circulation stage: The discharge end lifting conveyor 500 lowers the carrier plate 002 to connect with the lower rotary conveyor 313. The rotary conveyor 313 transports the carrier plate 002 back to the feed end lifting conveyor 100, and then lifts it to the height position of loading and unloading. The automated loading and unloading equipment 120 completes the unloading of the aluminum boat 001, and then enters the next cycle operation.

[0057] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A time-based continuous ALD coating production line, characterized in that, The device includes a feed end lifting and conveying device (100), a preheating chamber unit (200), at least one process chamber unit (300), a cooling chamber unit (400), and a discharge end lifting and conveying device (500) connected in sequence. Adjacent chamber units are connected by a vacuum isolation valve. The device also includes a vacuum assembly (800) that provides a vacuum environment for each chamber, a special gas assembly (900) that provides process gas, and an electrical cabinet assembly (110) that controls the operation of the production line. The process chamber unit (300) adopts a double-layer structure with inner and outer cavities, including a large process chamber and multiple independent small process chambers integrated within the large process chamber. Each independent small process chamber corresponds to a set of silicon wafers (003) to be coated. The process gas flows through only a single set of silicon wafers (003) within the independent small process chamber. The independent process chamber is formed by a gas equalization plate (304), a lower heating plate (306) and a side heating plate device (305). The side heating plate device (305) has a grid-shaped structure. Combined with the upper gas equalization plate (304) and the lower heating plate (306), it realizes synchronous radiation heating of the six sides of the aluminum boat (001) containing the silicon wafer (003). The production line adopts a plate-type conveyor structure. The aluminum boat (001) is placed on the carrier plate (002) for transmission. The carrier plate (002) circulates within the production line through a rotary conveyor device (313).

2. The time-type continuous ALD coating production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process chamber unit (300) also includes a process chamber (301), a process chamber cover (302), an armored heater (303), an outer corrugated pipe (307), an inner corrugated pipe (308), a vacuum pipe joint (309), a connecting rod (310), a synchronous lifting device (311), a frame (312), a lifting support (314), an exhaust hood (315), and a magnetohydrodynamic transmission device (316). The armored heater (303) is installed above the gas distribution plate (304) and heats the gas distribution plate (304) by radiation to transfer heat to the silicon wafer (003). The synchronous lifting device (311) is connected to the lifting bracket (314) via the connecting rod (310) and is used to drive the lower heating plate (306) to rise and fall. When the lower heating plate (306) is lifted to contact the bottom surface of the side heating plate device (305), a closed independent process chamber is formed. The upper ends of the outer corrugated pipe (307) and the inner corrugated pipe (308) are connected to the lower end face of the lifting support (314), and the lower ends are connected to the vacuum pipe joint (309) to realize the vacuum isolation between the small process chamber and the large process chamber, and between the small process chamber and the atmospheric side.

3. The time-type continuous ALD coating production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gas distribution plate (304) is designed with double-layer gas holes, with two independent process gas inlets (317) in each layer, and the two layers correspond to the independent gas supply of precursor A / inert gas and precursor B / inert gas, respectively.

4. The time-type continuous ALD coating production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process chamber unit (300) is a modular structure. Multiple process chamber units (300) are connected by a transition chamber (130) or a vacuum isolation valve. The transition chamber (130) is equipped with a purging device and a vacuum pipeline.

5. The time-type continuous ALD coating production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, Infrared or resistance heaters are arranged on the upper and lower sides and both sides of the preheating chamber unit (200).

6. The time-type continuous ALD coating production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cooling chamber unit (400) integrates a uniform air blowing cooling system and a water cooling system, and performs uniform air blowing cooling and water circulation indirect cooling simultaneously from top to bottom.

7. The time-type continuous ALD coating production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple aluminum boats (001) can be placed on a carrier plate (002) at the same time. Three aluminum boats (001) form a group, corresponding to an independent process chamber. The aluminum boats (001) adopt a double-insertion single-sided coating or single-insertion double-sided coating structure.

8. The time-type continuous ALD coating production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feed end lifting conveyor (100) and the discharge end lifting conveyor (500) are both used for the turnover conveying and height adjustment of the carrier plate (002) to realize the docking of the carrier plate (002) with the upper process chamber and the lower rotary conveyor line.

9. The time-type continuous ALD coating production line according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vacuum isolation valve includes a one-way vacuum isolation valve (600) and a two-way vacuum isolation valve (700). The one-way vacuum isolation valve (600) is installed at the inlet end of the preheating chamber unit (200) and the outlet end of the cooling chamber unit (400), and the two-way vacuum isolation valve (700) is installed between the remaining adjacent chambers.

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