Plasma coating apparatus and method of controlling the same

Abstract

This application provides a plasma coating apparatus and its control method. The plasma coating apparatus includes a first electrode plate, a second electrode plate, and a radio frequency (RF) component disposed in a reaction chamber, with the workpiece to be coated located between the first and second electrode plates. The RF component is signal-connected to both the first and second electrode plates to form an electric field between them. The first electrode plate is divided into multiple sub-electrode plates, each connected to the reaction chamber and signal-connected to the RF component. The RF component can provide RF signals to each sub-electrode plate to adjust its RF power. By dividing the first electrode plate into multiple sub-electrode plates independently connected to the RF component, the RF power of each sub-electrode plate can be individually adjusted as needed, thereby improving the uniformity of the coating thickness across different regions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, specifically to a plasma coating apparatus and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] With societal development and technological advancements, the precision requirements for optoelectronic devices such as semiconductors, flat panel displays, and solar cells are steadily increasing. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment, as one of the core devices for preparing surface thin films for optoelectronic devices, plays a crucial role in improving the precision of these devices by ensuring the uniformity of the deposited film thickness. Currently, in the reaction chamber of PECVD equipment, an electric field is formed by two opposing flat electrode plates. The upper electrode plate serves as the excitation electrode for plasma, while the lower electrode plate is grounded. In films formed using this deposition method, we have observed that the thickness of the edge region differs from that of other regions. Especially with long-term use of PECVD equipment, this thickness difference between the edge and other regions of the deposited film further increases, thus affecting the precision of the optoelectronic devices. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This application provides a plasma coating apparatus and its control method to improve the uniformity of the thickness of the coated film.

[0004] In a first aspect, a plasma coating apparatus is provided, comprising a reaction chamber configured to accommodate a workpiece to be coated. The plasma coating apparatus includes: a first electrode plate disposed in the reaction chamber; a second electrode plate disposed in the reaction chamber, the first electrode plate being positioned above the second electrode plate, wherein, when the workpiece to be coated is located in the reaction chamber, the workpiece is positioned between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, and the vertical projections of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate at least cover the workpiece; and a radio frequency (RF) component signal-connected to the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate respectively, thereby forming an electric field between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate; wherein the first electrode plate is divided into multiple sub-electrode plates, each sub-electrode plate being connected to the reaction chamber and each sub-electrode plate being signal-connected to the RF component, the RF component being capable of providing RF signals to each sub-electrode plate to adjust the RF power of the corresponding sub-electrode plate.

[0005] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, when the workpiece to be processed is located in the reaction chamber, the second electrode plate has a protrusion on the side facing the workpiece to be processed. In the orthographic projection of the protrusion onto the workpiece to be processed in the vertical direction, the protrusion overlaps with the workpiece to be processed. In the orthographic projection of the workpiece to be processed onto the first electrode plate in the vertical direction, at least one or more sub-electrode plates that overlap with the edge of the workpiece to be processed have a first radio frequency power, and one or more sub-electrode plates that overlap with the workpiece to be processed have a second radio frequency power. The first radio frequency power is less than the second radio frequency power.

[0006] In conjunction with the first aspect, some implementations of the first aspect further include: a position adjustment component connected to one or more sub-electrode plates, wherein, when the workpiece to be processed is located in the reaction chamber, the position adjustment component is configured to adjust the distance from each connected sub-electrode plate to the workpiece to be processed; wherein the position adjustment component is capable of adjusting the distance from one or more sub-electrode plates having a first radio frequency power to the workpiece to a first distance, and adjusting the distance from one or more sub-electrode plates having a second radio frequency power to the workpiece to a second distance, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, a sealing element is provided between any adjacent sub-electrode plates, and when the position adjustment assembly adjusts one or more sub-electrode plates to move in the vertical direction, the sealing element can maintain the adjacent sub-electrode plates in a sealed state; multiple sub-electrode plates are arranged in a multi-row, multi-column array in a horizontal plane, and each sub-electrode plate has the same area; or, multiple sub-electrode plates are arranged in a nested multi-ring structure in a horizontal plane, and each sub-electrode plate has the same area.

[0008] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, an air inlet is provided on the side of the reaction chamber where the first electrode plate is located, and a sub-electrode plate opposite to the air inlet is provided with an air inlet pipe communicating with the air inlet. Only the sub-electrode plate with the air inlet pipe is fixedly installed in the reaction chamber, and all sub-electrode plates except the sub-electrode plate with the air inlet pipe are respectively connected to the position adjustment component. The plasma coating equipment further includes: a spray element, which is located on the side of the first electrode plate away from the air inlet, the spray element is connected to the air inlet pipe, and the spray element is in the vertical direction. In the orthographic projection onto the first electrode plate, the spray element is located within the shadow area of ​​the sub-electrode plate with an air inlet pipe. The spray element is configured to spray gas into the reaction chamber. A flow equalizer is located on the side of the first electrode plate away from the air inlet. A buffer cavity is enclosed between the first electrode plate and the flow equalizer. The spray element is located in the buffer cavity. The flow equalizer has multiple flow equalizer holes. When the workpiece is located in the reaction chamber, the flow equalizer is located above the workpiece. The gas sprayed from the spray element can be buffered by the buffer cavity and then diffused evenly to the surrounding area of ​​the workpiece through the flow equalizer holes.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, multiple flow equalization holes are arranged in a honeycomb structure on the flow equalization plate; or, the flow equalization plate includes multiple sub-plates arranged at intervals along the vertical direction, with a buffer space enclosing each pair of adjacent sub-plates, and multiple flow equalization holes are evenly arranged on each sub-plate, with the flow equalization holes of any adjacent sub-plate being staggered.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, some implementations of the first aspect further include: multiple temperature sensors distributed on the protrusion, each temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the reaction chamber and generate a detection signal; a control unit electrically connected to the multiple temperature sensors, and electrically connected to a position adjustment component and a radio frequency component, the control unit configured to receive the detection signal and adjust the position adjustment component according to the detection signal; when the temperature detected by a temperature sensor is lower than a preset temperature, the control unit controls the position adjustment component to reduce the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates corresponding to the temperature sensor in the vertical direction and the workpiece to be processed; when the temperature detected by a temperature sensor is higher than the preset temperature, the control unit controls the position adjustment component to increase the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates corresponding to the temperature sensor in the vertical direction and the workpiece to be processed.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, some implementations of the first aspect further include: a plurality of heating elements, at least dispersed and uniformly arranged on the sidewalls of the reaction chamber, wherein the plurality of heating elements are configured to heat the reaction chamber.

[0012] The second aspect also provides a control method for plasma coating setup, which is applied to the plasma coating equipment described in the above embodiments. The plasma coating equipment includes a position adjustment component, and the control method includes: placing a workpiece to be processed in a reaction chamber and making the reaction chamber a vacuum state; adjusting the radio frequency power of each sub-electrode plate according to the relative position of the workpiece to be processed in the vertical direction with respect to each sub-electrode plate by a radio frequency component, wherein at least one or more sub-electrode plates near the edge region of the workpiece to be processed in the vertical direction are adjusted to a first radio frequency power, and the radio frequency power of sub-electrode plates at other positions opposite to the workpiece to be processed is adjusted to a second radio frequency power, wherein the first radio frequency power is less than the second radio frequency power; adjusting the distance of each sub-electrode plate from the workpiece to the workpiece in the vertical direction by the position adjustment component, so as to adjust at least the distance from one or more sub-electrode plates with the first radio frequency power to the workpiece to a first distance, and adjusting the distance from one or more sub-electrode plates with the second radio frequency power to the workpiece to a second distance, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

[0013] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the plasma coating equipment further includes multiple temperature detection devices and control devices. The method of adjusting the distance between each sub-electrode plate and the workpiece in the vertical direction via a position adjustment component further includes: multiple temperature detection devices respectively detecting the local temperature of the reaction chamber within their respective vertical regions opposite the workpiece, and each generating a corresponding detection signal; the control device receiving the detection signals from the multiple temperature detection devices, and controlling the position adjustment component to operate according to each detection signal, such that when the temperature detected by a temperature detection device is lower than a preset temperature, the control device controls the position adjustment component to operate, thereby reducing the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates corresponding to that temperature detection device in the vertical direction and the workpiece; and when the temperature detected by a temperature detection device is higher than the preset temperature, the control device controls the position adjustment component to operate, thereby increasing the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates corresponding to that temperature detection device in the vertical direction and the workpiece.

[0014] This application provides a plasma coating apparatus and its control method. The plasma coating apparatus has a reaction chamber, a first electrode plate disposed within the reaction chamber, and a second electrode plate positioned above it. When the workpiece to be coated is located within the reaction chamber, it is positioned between the first and second electrode plates. A radio frequency (RF) component is signal-connected to both the first and second electrode plates to create an electric field between them. The first electrode plate is divided into multiple sub-electrode plates, each of which is signal-connected to the RF component. The RF component can provide RF signals to each sub-electrode plate to adjust its RF power.

[0015] In this embodiment, the first electrode plate used to excite plasma is divided into multiple sub-electrode plates, and each sub-electrode plate is connected to a radio frequency component for signal transmission. This allows each sub-electrode plate to be independent and have adjustable radio frequency power, enabling adaptive adjustments according to actual needs. This results in a uniform and stable electric field between the first and second electrode plates, thereby improving the uniformity of the deposited film thickness. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and constitute a part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the application and are used to explain the application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the application. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional front view of a coating apparatus in one embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the first electrode plate and the radio frequency component in one embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate in one embodiment of this application.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate in yet another embodiment of this application.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate in yet another embodiment of this application.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate cooperating with the position adjustment component in one embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate cooperating with the position adjustment component in another embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate cooperating with the position adjustment component in another embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a flow uniform plate in one embodiment of this application.

[0026] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a flow uniform plate in another embodiment of this application.

[0027] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of a control method for a plasma coating apparatus according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following detailed description to provide a comprehensive understanding of this application. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this application can be implemented without some of these specific details. The following description of the embodiments is merely to provide a better understanding of this application by illustrating examples. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. The features and exemplary embodiments of various aspects of this application will be described in detail below.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional front view of a coating apparatus in one embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the first electrode plate and the radio frequency component in one embodiment of this application.

[0030] like Figure 1As shown, the plasma coating equipment has a reaction chamber 1, which is configured to house the workpiece to be processed.

[0031] It is understood that the plasma deposition is set up as a PECVD equipment, and the reaction chamber 1 is the PECVD reaction chamber. The reaction chamber 1 has an inlet 1a and an outlet 1b. The inlet 1a is connected to the gas inlet device 5 and is used to supply various reaction gases required for deposition into the reaction chamber 1. The outlet 1b is connected to the vacuum device and is used to evacuate the reaction chamber 1 and to remove excess gas after the reaction in the reaction chamber 1. The PECVD equipment may also include a conveyor for transporting the workpiece to be processed into and out of the reaction chamber 1, a furnace door for transporting the workpiece to be processed into and out of the reaction chamber 1, etc., which will not be described in detail.

[0032] Optionally, the workpiece to be processed can be a substrate 11 containing silicon material. After coating the surface of the substrate 11, semiconductor, solar cell and other products can be obtained. For ease of description, the workpiece to be processed will be referred to as "substrate" in the following. The shape and size of the substrate 11 can be adjusted according to actual needs and are not specifically limited.

[0033] Specifically, the reaction chamber 1 is provided with a first electrode plate 2 and a second electrode plate 3. The first electrode plate 2 is located above the second electrode plate 3. When the substrate 11 is located in the reaction chamber 1, the substrate 11 is located between the first electrode plate 2 and the second electrode plate 3. The orthogonal projections of the first electrode plate 2 and the second electrode plate 3 in the vertical Z direction at least cover the substrate 11. The radio frequency component 4 is signal-connected to the first electrode plate 2 and the second electrode plate 3 respectively, so that an electric field is formed between the first electrode plate 2 and the second electrode plate 3. The first electrode plate 2 is divided into multiple sub-electrode plates 21. Each sub-electrode plate 21 is connected to the reaction chamber 1 and signal-connected to the radio frequency component 4. The radio frequency component 4 can provide radio frequency signals to each sub-electrode plate 21 to adjust the radio frequency power of the corresponding sub-electrode plate 21.

[0034] It is understood that the radio frequency component 4 may include a positive radio frequency power supply 41 (also known as a ground electrode) and a negative radio frequency power supply, and the second electrode plate 3 is electrically connected to the positive radio frequency power supply 41, such as... Figure 2 Each sub-electrode plate 21 is connected to the negative terminal of the RF power supply through multiple parallel signal lines 42, and each signal line 42 can be equipped with a high-frequency impedance matching device, so that the RF power of each sub-electrode plate 21 can be individually controlled. The specific structure and specific setting position of the RF component 4 are not described in detail.

[0035] In this embodiment, the first electrode plate 2 used to excite plasma is divided into multiple sub-electrode plates 21, and the multiple sub-electrode plates 21 are respectively connected to the radio frequency component 4. This makes each sub-electrode plate 21 independent and its radio frequency power adjustable, so that it can be adaptively adjusted according to actual needs. This creates a uniform and stable electric field between the first electrode plate 2 and the second electrode plate 3, thereby improving the uniformity of the deposited film thickness.

[0036] In addition, in the original technical solution, the first electrode plate 2 is set as a whole, and the reaction chamber 1 only has a support member 13 below the edge of the first electrode plate 2 to support the first electrode plate 2. In the long term, the first electrode plate 2 will deform, that is, the middle position is prone to depression, resulting in uneven electric field and large thickness difference between the middle and edge regions of the film deposited on the substrate 11. In this embodiment, the first electrode plate 2 is divided into multiple sub-electrode plates 21, and each sub-electrode plate 21 is connected to the reaction chamber 1. This makes the first electrode plate 2 less prone to deformation in the long term of plasma coating equipment, improves the structural stability of the first electrode plate 2, ensures the uniformity of electric field between the first electrode plate 2 and the second electrode plate 3, and further improves the uniformity of coating thickness.

[0037] In some alternative embodiments, the second electrode plate 3 is movably connected to the lower part of the substrate 11 via a height adjustment member 12. The height adjustment member 12 can drive the second electrode plate 3 to move closer to or further away from the substrate 11 in the vertical direction Z. The interior of the second electrode plate 3 is arranged with a circulation pipeline for the reaction solution to pass through. The circulation pipeline extends out of the reaction chamber 1 through the interior of the height adjustment member 12 to connect to the liquid supply equipment for supplying and recovering the reaction solution. The reaction solution is the solution that generates plasma by ionization during the coating of the substrate 11, which will not be described in detail.

[0038] Furthermore, the reaction chamber 1 also includes a plurality of support members 13, which pass through the second electrode plate 3 to support the four corners or edges of the substrate 11, so that the substrate 11 is placed between the first electrode plate 2 and the second electrode plate 3.

[0039] Optionally, the second electrode plate 3 has a protrusion 31 on the side facing the substrate 11. In the orthographic projection of the protrusion 31 toward the substrate 11 in the vertical direction Z, the protrusion 31 overlaps with the substrate 11. The side wall of the reaction chamber 1 may also be provided with a baffle 14. The baffle 14 is disposed between the substrate 11 and the first electrode plate 2 in the vertical direction Z, and the edge of the baffle 14 may overlap with the edge of the protrusion 31 so that the electric field formed between the first electrode plate 2 and the second electrode plate 3 exactly covers the substrate 11.

[0040] It is understood that the specific structure of the second electrode plate 3 and related structures such as the height adjustment component 12 and circulation pipeline can be referred to the relevant instructions in the PECVD equipment, and will not be described in detail.

[0041] In the vertical projection of the substrate 11 onto the first electrode plate 2 in the Z direction, at least one or more sub-electrode plates 21 overlapping the edge of the substrate 11 have a first radio frequency (RF) power, and one or more sub-electrode plates 21 overlapping the substrate 11 have a second RF power, wherein the first RF power is less than the second RF power. Since the edge region of the substrate 11 corresponds to the edge position of the protrusion 31 of the second electrode plate 3, the electric field between the first electrode plate 2 and the second electrode plate 3 at this position is less uniform than the electric field at other positions, resulting in a larger difference in film thickness between the edge region and other positions. By setting the RF power of one or more sub-electrode plates 21 in the vertical Z direction relative to the edge region of the substrate 11 to be lower, and setting the RF power at other positions to be higher, the difference in film thickness between the edge and the middle positions caused by the protrusion 31 is reduced.

[0042] It is understandable that the specific values ​​of the first and second radio frequency power can be adjusted adaptively according to the actual situation, without being specifically limited.

[0043] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate in one embodiment of this application. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate in yet another embodiment of this application. Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate in yet another embodiment of this application. Figure 3 and Figure 4 Multiple sub-electrode plates 21 are arranged in a multi-row, multi-column array on a horizontal plane, with each sub-electrode plate 21 having the same area. It is understandable that the number of sub-electrode plates 21 into which a first electrode plate 2 is divided can be adaptively adjusted according to actual needs. The more sub-electrode plates 21 there are, the smaller the area of ​​each individual sub-electrode plate 21, resulting in higher precision corresponding to the edge region of the substrate 11, which is more conducive to improving the uniformity of the electric field. Figure 5 Multiple sub-electrode plates 21 are arranged in a multi-ring structure nested in the horizontal plane, and each sub-electrode plate 21 has the same area. Alternatively, the first electrode plate 2 can be divided in other ways, without specific limitations.

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate cooperating with the position adjustment component in one embodiment of this application. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the first electrode plate cooperating with the position adjustment component in another embodiment of this application. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the cooperation between the first electrode plate and the position adjustment assembly in another embodiment of this application. Figure 1 , Figures 6 to 8The plasma coating apparatus also includes a position adjustment component 6, which is disposed between the top wall of the reaction chamber 1 and the first electrode plate 2. The position adjustment component 6 connects the top wall of the reaction chamber 1 and one or more sub-electrode plates 21. The position adjustment component 6 is configured to adjust the distance between each connected sub-electrode plate 21 and the substrate 11. Specifically, the position adjustment component 6 can adjust the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates 21 with a first radio frequency power and the substrate 11 to a first distance, and adjust the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates 21 with a second radio frequency power and the substrate 11 to a second distance. The first distance is greater than the second distance. The greater the distance between the sub-electrode plate 21 near the edge and the substrate 11, the smaller the set radio frequency power, making the electric field in the edge region closer to the electric field in the center region, further improving the coating uniformity.

[0045] It is understandable that the greater the difference between the first RF power and the second RF power, the greater the difference between the first distance and the second distance of the set top. However, the difference between the first distance and the second distance can be greater than half the thickness of the sub-electrode plate 21.

[0046] In some alternative embodiments, the position adjustment component 6 may be configured as a plurality of cylinders 61, which are located outside the reaction chamber 1, with only the push rod of the cylinder 61 extending into the reaction chamber 1 to ensure that the cylinder 61 can operate normally, which will not be described in detail.

[0047] Understandably, the air inlet 1a is located on the top wall of the reaction chamber 1. The sub-electrode plate 21 on the first electrode plate 2, opposite to the air inlet 1a, is provided with an air intake pipe 22 communicating with the air inlet 1a. Only the sub-electrode plate 21 with the air intake pipe 22 is fixedly connected to the top wall of the reaction chamber 1 by a fixing member 62. All sub-electrode plates 21 except the one with the air intake pipe 22 are respectively connected to the push rods of multiple cylinders 61. That is, the sub-electrode plate 21 with the air intake pipe 22 is not adjustable; this sub-electrode plate 21 is located at the center of the first electrode plate 2, and the degree of movement of the other sub-electrode plates 21 in the vertical direction Z is referenced to the position of the fixed sub-electrode plate 21.

[0048] Optionally, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7 Adjacent sub-electrode plates 21 can be directly attached to each other. When the sub-electrode plates 21 move relative to each other in the vertical direction Z, a portion of the sidewalls of the sub-electrode plates 21 will always be in contact to prevent gas from passing between the sub-electrode plates 21. Alternatively, as... Figure 8A sealing element 63 is provided between any two adjacent sub-electrode plates 21, and when the position adjustment component 6 adjusts one or more sub-electrode plates 21 to move in the vertical direction Z, the sealing element 63 can maintain the adjacent sub-electrode plates 21 in a sealed state. It is understood that the sealing element 63 can be made of ceramic, high-temperature resistant rubber, etc.

[0049] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 , Figure 9 and Figure 10 The first electrode plate 2 is also provided with a spray element 7 and a flow equalizer 8 on the side away from the air inlet 1a. The spray element 7 is connected to the air inlet pipe 22, and in the vertical Z-direction orthogonal projection of the spray element 7 onto the first electrode plate 2, the spray element 7 is located within the shadow area of ​​the sub-electrode plate 21 with the air inlet pipe 22. The spray element 7 is configured to spray gas into the reaction chamber 1. A buffer cavity 8a is enclosed between the first electrode plate 2 and the flow equalizer 8. The spray element 7 is located in the buffer cavity 8a. The flow equalizer 8 is provided with a plurality of flow equalizer holes 81. When the substrate 11 is located in the reaction chamber 1, the flow equalizer 8 is located above the substrate 11. The gas sprayed from the spray element 7 can be buffered by the buffer cavity 8a and then diffused evenly to the surrounding area of ​​the substrate 11 through the flow equalizer holes 81, so that the gas diffuses evenly in the reaction chamber 1.

[0050] In some embodiments, the flow equalization plate 8 is made of aluminum, such as... Figure 9 The flow equalization holes 81 on the flow equalization plate 8 are arranged in a honeycomb-like structure, or, as... Figure 10 The flow equalizer 8 includes multiple sub-plates 82 arranged at Z intervals along the vertical direction. A buffer space 82a is enclosed between each pair of adjacent sub-plates 82. Multiple flow equalizer holes 81 are evenly arranged on each sub-plate 82, and the flow equalizer holes 81 of any adjacent sub-plate 82 are staggered to further improve the uniformity of gas distribution in the reaction chamber 1.

[0051] Understandably, when the flow equalization holes 81 of the flow equalization plate 8 are set as a honeycomb structure, the thickness of the flow equalization plate 8 cannot be less than 20 mm.

[0052] Optionally, the spray element 7 may include a plurality of spray pipes extending in a horizontal plane to enable uniform gas diffusion.

[0053] In some embodiments, the plasma coating apparatus further includes a plurality of temperature sensors 9 and a control unit. The plurality of temperature sensors 9 are distributed on the protrusion 31. Each temperature sensor 9 is configured to detect the temperature of the reaction chamber 1 and generate a detection signal. The control unit is electrically connected to the plurality of temperature sensors 9 and is electrically connected to the position adjustment component 6 and the radio frequency component 4. The control unit is configured to receive the detection signal and adjust the position adjustment component 6 according to the detection signal. When the temperature detected by a temperature sensor 9 is lower than a preset temperature, the control unit controls the position adjustment component 6 to operate, so as to reduce the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates 21 corresponding to the temperature sensor 9 in the vertical direction Z and the substrate 11. When the temperature detected by a temperature sensor 9 is higher than the preset temperature, the control unit controls the position adjustment component 6 to operate, so as to increase the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates 21 corresponding to the temperature sensor 9 in the vertical direction Z and the substrate 11. Multiple temperature sensors 9 located at the protrusion 31 are used to detect the temperature of the reaction chamber 1 in different areas, so that the temperature of the reaction chamber 1, especially the temperature of different areas of the substrate 11, can be adjusted in real time, thereby maintaining each area at the preset temperature, reducing the temperature difference between different areas of the substrate 11, and further improving the uniformity of the coating thickness.

[0054] Optionally, multiple temperature sensors 9 are disposed inside the protrusion 31, with some of the temperature sensors 9 distributed in positions opposite to the edge of the substrate 11, and others arranged in positions opposite to the middle region of the substrate 11, to improve the accuracy of temperature control within the reaction chamber 1, thereby improving temperature uniformity. It is understood that at least three temperature sensors 9 are included.

[0055] It is understandable that the preset temperature is the temperature required for coating, such as keeping the temperature in reaction chamber 1 at 80°C.

[0056] In some embodiments, the plasma coating apparatus further includes a plurality of heating elements (not shown) at least dispersed and uniformly arranged on the sidewall of the reaction chamber 1, the plurality of heating elements being configured to heat the reaction chamber 1. It is understood that the number of heating elements is more than 12, and the heating efficiency of the plurality of heating elements is the same, so that the reaction chamber 1 can be maintained at a preset temperature to further improve the uniformity of coating thickness.

[0057] Figure 11 This is a flowchart of a control method for a plasma coating apparatus according to an embodiment of this application.

[0058] This application also provides a control method for a plasma coating apparatus, such as... Figure 11As shown, this control method is applied to a plasma coating equipment. The plasma coating equipment can be referred to the relevant descriptions of the above embodiments. The steps of the control method for the plasma coating equipment are described below.

[0059] S110: Place the substrate 11 in the reaction chamber 1 and put the reaction chamber 1 into a vacuum state.

[0060] S120: The radio frequency component 4 adjusts the radio frequency power of each sub-electrode plate 21 according to the relative position of the substrate 11 in the vertical direction Z with each sub-electrode plate 21, wherein at least one or more sub-electrode plates 21 in the vertical direction Z near the edge of the substrate 11 are adjusted to a first radio frequency power, and the radio frequency power of sub-electrode plates 21 in other positions opposite to the substrate 11 is adjusted to a second radio frequency power, wherein the first radio frequency power is less than the second radio frequency power.

[0061] S130: The distance from each sub-electrode plate 21 to the substrate 11 in the vertical direction Z is adjusted by the position adjustment component 6, so as to adjust the distance from one or more sub-electrode plates 21 with the first radio frequency power to the substrate 11 to the first distance, and adjust the distance from one or more sub-electrode plates 21 with the second radio frequency power to the substrate 11 to the second distance, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

[0062] This embodiment adjusts the radio frequency power and distance from one or more sub-electrode plates 21 opposite to the edge region of the substrate 11 to place each region of the substrate 11 in a uniform and stable electric field, thereby reducing the difference in the thickness of the film deposited in each region of the substrate 11 and improving the uniformity of the film thickness.

[0063] In some embodiments, the step of adjusting the distance of each sub-electrode plate 21 from the substrate 11 in the vertical direction Z by the position adjustment component 6 may further include: multiple temperature detection elements 9 respectively detecting the local temperature of the reaction chamber 1 in the area opposite to the substrate 11 in the vertical direction Z, and each generating a corresponding detection signal; a control element receiving the detection signals from the multiple temperature detection elements 9, and the control element controlling the position adjustment component 6 to operate according to each detection signal, so that when the temperature detected by a temperature detection element 9 is lower than a preset temperature, the control element controls the position adjustment component 6 to operate, so as to reduce the distance of one or more sub-electrode plates 21 corresponding to the temperature detection element 9 in the vertical direction Z from the substrate 11; when the temperature detected by a temperature detection element 9 is higher than the preset temperature, the control element controls the position adjustment component 6 to operate, so as to increase the distance of one or more sub-electrode plates 21 corresponding to the temperature detection element 9 in the vertical direction Z from the substrate 11. In this embodiment, the temperature of different areas is detected in real time by the temperature detection element 9, thereby realizing real-time monitoring and adjustment of the temperature of different areas of the reaction chamber 1, improving the control accuracy of the temperature in the reaction chamber 1, which is conducive to improving the stability and consistency of the temperature in each area of ​​the reaction chamber 1, thereby improving the uniformity of the coating thickness.

[0064] It should be noted that the dimensions of layers and regions may be exaggerated in the accompanying drawings of this application for clarity. Furthermore, it is understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "on" another element or layer, it may be directly on the other element, or there may be intermediate layers. Additionally, it is understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being "below" another element or layer, it may be directly below the other element, or there may be more than one intermediate layer or element. Furthermore, it is understood that when a layer or element is referred to as being "between" two layers or two elements, it may be the only layer between the two layers or two elements, or there may be more than one intermediate layer or element. Similar reference numerals throughout indicate similar elements.

[0065] Furthermore, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes the element.

[0066] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0067] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications or equivalent substitutions made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A plasma coating apparatus, characterized in that, The plasma coating apparatus includes a reaction chamber configured to house a workpiece to be processed. A first electrode plate is disposed in the reaction chamber; A second electrode plate is disposed in the reaction chamber, and the first electrode plate is located above the second electrode plate. When the workpiece to be processed is located in the reaction chamber, the workpiece to be processed is located between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate, and the vertical projections of the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate onto the workpiece to be processed at least cover the workpiece to be processed. The radio frequency component is signal-connected to the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate respectively, so as to form an electric field between the first electrode plate and the second electrode plate; The first electrode plate is divided into multiple sub-electrode plates. Each sub-electrode plate is connected to the reaction chamber and is also connected to the radio frequency component. The radio frequency component can provide radio frequency signals to each sub-electrode plate to adjust the radio frequency power of the corresponding sub-electrode plate.

2. The plasma coating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the workpiece to be processed is located in the reaction chamber, the second electrode plate has a protrusion on the side facing the workpiece. In the vertical projection of the protrusion onto the workpiece, the protrusion overlaps with the workpiece. In the vertical projection of the workpiece to be processed onto the first electrode plate, at least one or more of the sub-electrode plates that overlap with the edge of the workpiece to be processed have a first radio frequency power, and one or more of the sub-electrode plates that overlap with the workpiece to be processed have a second radio frequency power, wherein the first radio frequency power is less than the second radio frequency power.

3. The plasma coating equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: A position adjustment assembly, connected to one or more of the sub-electrode plates, is configured to adjust the distance from each connected sub-electrode plate to the workpiece when the workpiece is located in the reaction chamber. The position adjustment component is capable of adjusting the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates having the first radio frequency power and the workpiece to a first distance, and adjusting the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates having the second radio frequency power and the workpiece to a second distance, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

4. The plasma coating equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, A sealing element is provided between any adjacent sub-electrode plates, and when the position adjustment assembly adjusts one or more sub-electrode plates to move in the vertical direction, the sealing element can maintain the adjacent sub-electrode plates in a sealed state. Multiple sub-electrode plates are arranged in a multi-row, multi-column array in a horizontal plane, and each sub-electrode plate has the same area; or, The multiple sub-electrode plates are arranged in a multi-ring structure on a horizontal plane, and each sub-electrode plate has the same area.

5. The plasma coating equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The reaction chamber has an air inlet on the side where the first electrode plate is located. The sub-electrode plate opposite the air inlet has an air inlet pipe communicating with the air inlet. Only the sub-electrode plate with the air inlet pipe is fixedly installed in the reaction chamber. All sub-electrode plates except those with the air inlet pipe are connected to the position adjustment assembly. The plasma coating equipment further includes: A spray element is disposed on the side of the first electrode plate away from the air inlet. The spray element is connected to the air inlet pipe, and in the vertical projection of the spray element onto the first electrode plate, the spray element is located within the shadow area of ​​the sub-electrode plate on which the air inlet pipe is disposed. The spray element is configured to spray gas into the reaction chamber. A flow equalizer is disposed on the side of the first electrode plate away from the air inlet. A buffer cavity is enclosed between the first electrode plate and the flow equalizer. The spray element is located in the buffer cavity. The flow equalizer is provided with multiple flow equalization holes. When the workpiece to be processed is located in the reaction chamber, the flow equalizer is located above the workpiece to be processed. The gas sprayed from the spray element can be buffered by the buffer cavity and then diffused evenly to the surrounding area of ​​the workpiece to be processed through the flow equalization holes.

6. The plasma coating equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, Multiple flow-equalizing holes are arranged in a honeycomb-like structure on the flow-equalizing plate; or, The flow equalization plate includes multiple sub-plates arranged at intervals along the vertical direction, with a buffer space between each pair of adjacent sub-plates, and multiple flow equalization holes evenly arranged on each sub-plate, with the flow equalization holes of any adjacent sub-plates being staggered.

7. The plasma coating equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, Also includes: Multiple temperature sensors are distributed on the protrusion, and each temperature sensor is configured to detect the temperature of the reaction chamber and generate a detection signal. A control unit is electrically connected to a plurality of the temperature detection elements, and is also electrically connected to the position adjustment component and the radio frequency component. The control unit is configured to receive the detection signal and adjust the position adjustment component according to the detection signal. When the temperature detected by a temperature detection element is lower than a preset temperature, the control unit controls the position adjustment component to operate, thereby reducing the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates corresponding to the temperature detection element in the vertical direction and the workpiece to be processed. When the temperature detected by a temperature detection element is higher than the preset temperature, the control unit controls the position adjustment component to operate, thereby increasing the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates corresponding to the temperature detection element in the vertical direction and the workpiece to be processed.

8. The plasma coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, Also includes: Multiple heating elements are at least dispersed and evenly arranged on the sidewall of the reaction chamber, and the multiple heating elements are configured to heat the reaction chamber.

9. A control method for a plasma coating apparatus, characterized in that, The plasma coating apparatus according to any one of claims 1-8, the plasma coating apparatus including a position adjustment component, the control method comprising: The workpiece to be processed is placed in the reaction chamber, and the reaction chamber is made into a vacuum state; The radio frequency (RF) power of each sub-electrode plate is adjusted by the RF component according to the relative position of the workpiece to be processed in the vertical direction with each sub-electrode plate. Specifically, the RF power of at least one or more sub-electrode plates in the vertical direction near the edge region of the workpiece to be processed is adjusted to a first RF power, and the RF power of the sub-electrode plates in other positions opposite to the workpiece to be processed is adjusted to a second RF power. The first RF power is less than the second RF power. The position adjustment component adjusts the distance of each sub-electrode plate in the vertical direction to the workpiece, so as to adjust the distance of one or more sub-electrode plates with a first radio frequency power to the workpiece to a first distance, and adjust the distance of one or more sub-electrode plates with a second radio frequency power to the workpiece to a second distance, wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

10. The control method for the plasma coating equipment according to claim 9, characterized in that, The plasma coating equipment further includes multiple temperature detection devices and control devices. The position adjustment component adjusts the distance between each sub-electrode plate and the workpiece in the vertical direction. The control method further includes: Each of the multiple temperature detection devices detects the local temperature of the reaction chamber within its respective area in the vertical direction opposite to the workpiece to be processed, and each generates a corresponding detection signal; The control unit receives detection signals from multiple temperature sensors. Based on each detection signal, the control unit controls the position adjustment component to operate. When the temperature detected by one of the temperature sensors is lower than a preset temperature, the control unit controls the position adjustment component to operate, thereby reducing the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates corresponding to that temperature sensor in the vertical direction and the workpiece. When the temperature detected by one of the temperature sensors is higher than the preset temperature, the control unit controls the position adjustment component to operate, thereby increasing the distance between one or more sub-electrode plates corresponding to that temperature sensor in the vertical direction and the workpiece.

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