Multi-chambered independent electromagnetically shielded plasma processing apparatus

Abstract

The application belongs to the field of semiconductor equipment and discloses a multi-cavity independent electromagnetic shielding plasma process device which can realize independent electromagnetic shielding effect of each cavity in the multi-cavity device. The plasma process device comprises a cavity part and an electromagnetic shielding structure. The cavity part comprises: a plurality of upper cavity modules, each of which comprises an upper electrode, and the plurality of upper cavity modules are independently arranged with each other; a middle cavity body, each of the plurality of upper cavity modules is connected with the middle cavity body; and a lower cavity body which is detachably connected with the middle cavity body and is sealingly connected with the middle cavity body. The electromagnetic shielding structure comprises: a plurality of upper cavity shielding shells, each of which is adapted to surround the outer periphery of one upper cavity module from the upper part, and the plurality of upper cavity shielding shells are respectively adapted to be electrically connected with the middle cavity body, and the middle cavity body is adapted to be electrically connected with the lower cavity body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates primarily to the semiconductor field, and more particularly to a plasma process apparatus with multi-cavity independent electromagnetic shielding. Background Technology

[0002] In plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment, a spray plate is typically used as the pass electrode (upper electrode). The spray plate is connected to an impedance matching device and an RF power supply, forming a parallel conductor plate structure with the substrate tray, which serves as the lower electrode. During the deposition process, the RF power supply is turned on, and RF current flows through the RF lines. If this RF current is not shielded, it can easily cause electromagnetic interference with surrounding equipment and may lead to accidental contact and safety hazards.

[0003] Based on process requirements, the radio frequency systems of each process cavity in plasma processing equipment need to be independent of each other. Therefore, how to handle the electromagnetic shielding requirements of each cavity and ensure that the cavities are independent and do not interfere with each other is the core issue of plasma equipment. Taking a common dual-cavity device as an example, the lower cavity is made of aluminum, and the electromagnetic field shielding and isolation between the two cavities can be achieved through the aluminum cavity. On this basis, when the number of process cavities continues to increase, in order to enable the substrate to be transported between different process cavities, more complex cavity structures and substrate moving mechanisms are required compared to dual-cavity devices. Therefore, multi-cavity plasma processing equipment is inherently difficult to design. At present, there is a lack of well-developed multi-cavity equipment structures in the field, and under such circumstances, electromagnetic shielding design that balances the processing functions of multi-cavity processing equipment is particularly important. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this application is to provide a plasma process device with independent electromagnetic shielding for multiple cavities, which can achieve independent electromagnetic shielding effect for each cavity in the multi-cavity device.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a plasma processing apparatus with multi-cavity independent electromagnetic shielding, comprising a cavity section and an electromagnetic shielding structure. The cavity section includes: multiple upper cavity modules, each upper cavity module including an upper electrode, the multiple upper cavity modules being independently arranged; a middle cavity, the multiple upper cavity modules being respectively connected to the middle cavity; and a lower cavity, detachably connected to the middle cavity, and the lower cavity being sealed to the middle cavity. The electromagnetic shielding structure includes: multiple upper cavity shielding shells, each upper cavity shielding shell adapted to surround the outer periphery of one upper cavity module from above, the multiple upper cavity shielding shells being respectively adapted to be electrically connected to the middle cavity, and the middle cavity being adapted to be electrically connected to the lower cavity.

[0006] For example, the middle cavity has a process area, and the lower cavity is configured with a plurality of bases and has a transmission area. The transmission area receives a substrate from the outside and transmits it to the process area through the plurality of bases. Each base corresponds to an upper cavity module and forms an independent process cavity between the process area and the upper cavity module.

[0007] For example, the plurality of process chambers are in fluid communication with each other, and the plasma process apparatus is configured to control the chamber environment parameters and / or gas supply parameters of the plurality of process chambers as a whole, wherein the chamber environment parameters include pressure parameters and / or temperature parameters.

[0008] For example, the plasma process apparatus is configured to individually control the radio frequency power of each of the plurality of process cavities and to independently electromagnetically shield each of the plurality of process cavities.

[0009] For example, the plurality of upper cavity shielding shells have a first contact surface with the middle cavity, and the middle cavity has a second contact surface with the lower cavity. The electromagnetic shielding structure further includes a first conductive element disposed on the first contact surface and / or a second conductive element disposed on the second contact surface, wherein the first conductive element is used to close the first contact surface in an electrically connected manner, and the second conductive element is used to close the second contact surface in an electrically connected manner, thereby performing the electromagnetic shielding.

[0010] For example, there are multiple first conductive elements, each of which corresponds to one of the multiple upper cavity modules, and the upper cavity shielding cover is provided with a horizontal extension near the first contact surface.

[0011] For example, the upper cavity shielding cover is further provided with a blocking portion, which extends from one side of the horizontal extension portion in a non-horizontal direction.

[0012] For example, the blocking portion extends adjacent to the inner wall of the central cavity.

[0013] For example, the plasma process apparatus further includes an insulating isolation block located on the side of the blocking portion away from the horizontal extension.

[0014] For example, the lower cavity is adapted to be configured with a plurality of bases, and the plasma process apparatus further includes a seal located between the middle cavity and the lower cavity to form a sealed loop around the plurality of bases.

[0015] For example, the second conductive element is adjacent to and surrounds the seal to form a conductive loop, the conductive loop being arranged parallel to at least a portion of the sealing loop.

[0016] For example, the first conductive element and / or the second conductive element are disconnected in the circumferential direction.

[0017] For example, the first conductive element and / or the second conductive element have one or more disconnection regions in the circumferential direction, wherein the upper electrode is adapted to connect to an RF power supply, and the length of the disconnection region is determined according to the RF vacuum wavelength corresponding to the RF power of the RF power supply.

[0018] For example, the first conductive element and / or the second conductive element are elastic.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following advantages: This application proposes a plasma process device with multi-cavity independent electromagnetic shielding. By setting multiple upper cavity modules, a multi-cavity process can be realized. At the same time, the middle cavity and the lower cavity can be separated from each other, which facilitates the operation of the multi-cavity process and the maintenance of the device. On this basis, by setting multiple upper cavity shielding shells corresponding to multiple upper cavity modules respectively, and setting each cavity to have an independent upper cavity shielding shell, each cavity can be independently electromagnetically shielded. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of this application; they are incorporated into and constitute a part of this application. The drawings illustrate embodiments of this application and, together with this specification, serve to explain the principles of this application. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an existing semiconductor process chamber; Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of a plasma processing apparatus with multi-cavity independent electromagnetic shielding according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 Is it like this? Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the plasma process apparatus in the illustrated embodiment from a top view. Figure 4 Is it like this? Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional view of the plasma process apparatus in the illustrated embodiment, and a partial enlarged view thereof; Figure 5 Is it like this? Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the assembled middle and lower cavities of the plasma processing apparatus in the illustrated embodiment; Figure 6 Is it like this? Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional view of the assembled middle and lower cavities of the plasma processing apparatus in the illustrated embodiment; Figure 7 Is it like this? Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of the cavity in the plasma processing apparatus shown in the embodiment; Figure 8 Is it like this? Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the lower cavity of the plasma processing apparatus in the illustrated embodiment; Figure 9 Is it like this? Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the fixed components of the plasma process apparatus in the illustrated embodiment; Figure 10 Is it like this? Figure 2 An electromagnetic simulation diagram of a local location in the plasma processing apparatus shown in the embodiment. Figure 11 Is it like this? Figure 2 Electromagnetic simulation diagrams of other local locations in the plasma processing apparatus shown in the embodiment.

[0021] List of key reference numerals: Semiconductor process chamber 10, through electrode plate 11, ground cover 12, radio frequency power supply 13, parasitic capacitance 14, substrate tray 15, plasma process device 20, spray plate 200, upper cavity shielding cover 21, cover side wall 210, first vertical part 211, second vertical part 212, second horizontal extension part 213, cover top 214, exhaust ring 215, cover lower edge 216, first horizontal extension part 217, upper cavity cover 218; The middle cavity 22, the middle cavity body 220, the first cavity area 221, the upper surface of the middle cavity 222, the first disconnection area 223, the first groove 224, the accommodating space 226, the assembly part 227, the lower cavity 23, the lower cavity body 230, the second cavity area 231, the upper surface of the lower cavity 232, the second disconnection area 233, the second groove 234, and the recessed part 236; First conductive component 241, second conductive component 242, third conductive component 243, sealing component 25, fixing component 26, insulating isolation block 260, ceramic meniscus 261, locking groove 262, circular reinforcing rib 271, long strip reinforcing rib 272; first side 31, second side 32, gap 33, external magnetic field region 300. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely some examples or embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, these drawings can be applied to other similar scenarios without creative effort. Unless obvious from the context or otherwise specified, the same reference numerals in the drawings represent the same structures or operations.

[0023] As indicated in this application and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" are not specifically singular and may include plural forms. Generally speaking, the terms "comprising" and "including" only indicate the inclusion of explicitly identified steps and elements, which do not constitute an exclusive list, and the method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0024] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps described in these embodiments do not limit the scope of this application. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it need not be further discussed in subsequent drawings.

[0025] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by directional terms such as "front, back, up, down, left, right", "horizontal, vertical, horizontal" and "top, bottom" is usually based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description. Unless otherwise stated, these directional terms do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation on the scope of protection of this application; the directional terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the inner and outer contours relative to the outline of each component itself.

[0026] For ease of description, spatial relative terms such as "above," "on top of," "on the upper surface of," "above," etc., are used herein to describe the spatial positional relationship of a device or feature as shown in the figures to other devices or features. It should be understood that spatial relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations in use or operation beyond the orientation of the device as described in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, a device described as "above" or "on top of" other devices or structures would subsequently be positioned as "below" or "under" other devices or structures. Thus, the exemplary term "above" can include both "above" and "below." The device may also be positioned in other different ways (rotated 90 degrees or in other orientations), and the spatial relative descriptions used herein will be interpreted accordingly.

[0027] Furthermore, it should be noted that the use of terms such as "first" and "second" to define components is merely for the purpose of distinguishing the corresponding components. Unless otherwise stated, these terms have no special meaning and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application. In addition, although the terminology used in this application is selected from commonly known and used terms, some terms mentioned in this application's specification may have been chosen by the applicant according to his or her judgment, and their detailed meanings are explained in the relevant sections of this description. Moreover, this application should be understood not only through the actual terms used, but also through the meaning implied by each term.

[0028] It should be understood that when a component is referred to as "on another component," "connected to another component," "coupled to another component," or "in contact with another component," it can be directly on, connected to, coupled to, or in contact with that other component, or there may be an intervening component. In contrast, when a component is referred to as "directly on another component," "directly connected to," "directly coupled to," or "directly in contact with" another component, there is no intervening component. Similarly, when a first component is referred to as "electrically contacting" or "electrically coupled to" a second component, there is an electrical path between the first and second components that allows current to flow. This electrical path may include capacitors, coupled inductors, and / or other components that allow current to flow, even if there is no direct contact between the conductive components.

[0029] Figure 1A schematic diagram of a conventional semiconductor process chamber 10 is shown. This chamber 10 is suitable for applications such as plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) or plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment. In such equipment, a spray plate is typically used as a through electrode plate 11. The through electrode plate 11 connects to an impedance matching device and an RF power supply 13, forming a parallel conductor plate structure with a substrate tray 15 serving as the lower electrode. An electromagnetic shielding cover is formed around the through electrode plate 11 (i.e., the spray plate) using a metallic material, and connected to other parts of the chamber, constituting a grounded shielding housing 12 for the entire RF system. This electromagnetic shielding structure shields and confines the electromagnetic radiation from the RF circuitry within the grounded shielding housing 12, isolating the equipment's RF circuitry from operators and other equipment. During the deposition process, the RF power supply 13 is turned on, and RF voltage and current flow through the RF circuitry. Without the grounded housing 12, accidental contact by personnel could cause a safety accident. Furthermore, there are radio frequency electric and magnetic fields around the radio frequency lines, which radiate outward in the form of electromagnetic waves. Without the grounding cover 12, this electromagnetic radiation will cause electromagnetic interference to other electronic devices in the vicinity, affecting the normal operation of other electronic devices in the vicinity.

[0030] The grounding enclosure 12 forms a stable parasitic capacitance 14 with the power line, stabilizing the impedance of the RF line. The RF line and surrounding conductors together constitute a capacitive structure. This capacitance is determined by the RF line structure and does not change with factors such as frequency; it is generally called parasitic capacitance 14. The impedance of parasitic capacitance 14 is inversely proportional to the frequency and is connected in parallel with the load. If the RF signal frequency is low, the impedance of parasitic capacitance 14 is much greater than the load, and its influence can be considered negligible. However, as the RF signal frequency increases, the impedance of parasitic capacitance 14 decreases, and its influence on the entire RF line gradually increases and cannot be ignored. Therefore, shielding of each structure on the RF line is necessary. The shielding structure of the entire chamber needs to use a metal material with good conductivity and be connected to form a common ground.

[0031] Under these circumstances, electromagnetic shielding structures are relatively easy to implement for simple single-cavity process chambers, for example, referring to... Figure 1 The diagram shows a complete conductive grounded enclosure, but there are still shortcomings in the electromagnetic shielding design of multi-chamber structures in this field. Furthermore, the lower chamber of the four-chamber device based on this application is designed as a separate unit from the middle chamber. The upper electrode (spray plate) of the upper chamber module is designed with an independent upper chamber shielding shell, which, together with the middle and lower chambers, forms a grounded cavity. How to design the electrical connections between the metal components of the upper, middle, and lower chambers, and ensure that the radio frequency systems of multiple process chambers are independent and do not interfere with each other, thus isolating the electromagnetic fields inside and outside the equipment chambers, is the core technical problem to be solved in the design of the plasma process device in this application.

[0032] An embodiment of this application is referred to. Figures 2-9 A multi-cavity independently electromagnetically shielded plasma processing device 20 (hereinafter referred to as "device 20") is proposed, wherein, Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the exploded structure of device 20. According to... Figure 2 The device 20 comprises two structural parts: a cavity section and an electromagnetic shielding structure. The cavity section includes multiple upper cavity modules, a middle cavity 22, and a lower cavity 23, while the electromagnetic shielding structure includes multiple upper cavity shielding covers 21. Based on this, Figure 3 This is a top view of device 20. Figure 4 A schematic diagram showing a cross-sectional view of device 20 is provided. Figure 5 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the combined middle cavity 22 and lower cavity 23 is shown. Figure 6 A schematic diagram showing the cross-sectional view after the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23 are combined is shown. Figure 7 and Figure 8 These are three-dimensional schematic diagrams of the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23, respectively. Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the fixing component 26 in this embodiment. The following is a description of its structure in conjunction with... Figures 2-9 The details of the structure of each part of the device 20 are explained in detail.

[0033] First, the cavity portion of device 20 in this embodiment will be described. (Refer to...) Figure 2 Each upper cavity module includes an upper electrode, and multiple upper cavity modules are independently configured. The multiple upper electrodes of the multiple upper cavity modules each correspond to a process cavity (hereinafter referred to as a "cavity" or "chamber") of the device 20. In this embodiment, the upper electrode is implemented as a spray plate 200, which is adapted to be electrically connected to the output terminal of an impedance matching device to form a through electrode plate. Based on this, multiple upper cavity modules are respectively connected to the middle cavity 22, and a lower cavity 23 is detachably connected to the middle cavity 22, with a sealed connection between the lower cavity 23 and the middle cavity 22.

[0034] The lower cavity 23 is adapted to be equipped with multiple bases. During the process in the device 20, the bases are adapted to serve as lower electrodes corresponding to the spray plate 200 in the device 20. The bases are adapted to cooperate with the upper electrode (spray plate 200) to complete the process on the substrate. The electromagnetic shielding structure in this embodiment includes multiple upper cavity shielding shells 21. Each upper cavity shielding shell 21 is adapted to surround the outer periphery of an upper cavity module from the top, and each upper cavity shielding shell 21 is an independent integral piece. Further, the multiple upper cavity shielding shells 21 are respectively adapted to be electrically connected to the middle cavity 22, and the middle cavity 22 is adapted to be electrically connected to the lower cavity 23, thereby forming a complete shielding path. When the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23 are grounded, the multiple upper cavity shielding shells 21, together with the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23, constitute a grounded shielding electrode, and independently provide electromagnetic shielding for the process cavity corresponding to each upper electrode.

[0035] Furthermore, the middle cavity 22 forms a process area, and the lower cavity 23 is equipped with multiple bases and forms a transfer area. The transfer area receives substrates from the outside and transfers them to the process area through the multiple bases, wherein each base corresponds to an upper cavity module. When the base rises to the process area, an independent process cavity is formed between the base and the corresponding upper cavity module. As an example, this embodiment shows an implementation with four process cavities. In this embodiment, the lower cavity 23 is configured to be detachably connected to the middle cavity 22. This configuration facilitates the maintenance of the bases and robotic arms configured in the lower cavity 23, wherein the robotic arms can be used to transfer substrates in the transfer area. For the device 20, the multiple process cavities are fluidly connected to each other, and the device 20 is configured to control the chamber environment parameters and / or gas supply parameters of the multiple process cavities as a whole, wherein the chamber environment parameters include pressure parameters and / or temperature parameters.

[0036] It is understandable that pressure parameters can be subdivided according to the actual process control process, such as the vacuum pressure of device 20 under no-load conditions, and the working pressure of different stages such as plasma ignition / deposition / etching. Temperature parameters can further include chamber temperature. In addition, gas supply parameters include precursor temperature parameters, carrier gas flow rate parameters, and precursor dosage. It should be noted that chamber environment parameters refer to the temperature of the chambers themselves, such as the middle chamber 22 and the lower chamber 23, and are not entirely equivalent to the reaction temperature of the process chambers. Preferably, during the process, device 20 can independently control the reaction temperature of each process chamber by heating the spray plate 200, the base, etc., but the reaction temperatures of each process chamber tend to converge during the process.

[0037] Based on this, the device 20 in this embodiment is further configured to control the radio frequency power of each of the multiple process chambers individually. For example, each process chamber is equipped with an independent radio frequency power supply and impedance matching device, and each of the multiple process chambers is independently electromagnetically shielded. This application does not limit the specific parameter types involved in the chamber environment parameters and gas supply parameters. For different processing conditions, the specific parameter types can be controlled according to the conventional parameter control methods of plasma process devices in the art. By setting the device 20 to control the above-mentioned process parameters (including chamber environment parameters and / or gas supply parameters) of multiple process chambers as a whole, when multiple process chambers process the substrate simultaneously, since the process parameters affecting the deposition effect tend to be consistent, the consistency of the substrate processed by the device 20 can be improved.

[0038] The structural details of the cavity section in device 20 are further explained below, first referring to... Figure 2 In this embodiment, the device 20 is adapted to have four process cavities, therefore a total of four upper cavity shielding covers 21 are designed to correspond to the above four process cavities. According to Figure 2 A clearer reference Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 Multiple upper cavity shielding shells 21 are electrically connected to the middle cavity body 22. The middle cavity body 22 includes a middle cavity body 220 and multiple first cavity regions 221 formed on the middle cavity body 220. The upper surface 222 of the middle cavity body 220 contacts the lower edge 216 of the shells of the multiple upper cavity shielding shells 21. Figure 2 As shown, each first cavity region 221 corresponds to an upper cavity shielding cover 21.

[0039] Further integration Figure 4 As shown, each first cavity region 221 of the central cavity 22 is adapted to correspond to an upper cavity module. In one embodiment, each upper cavity module includes a spray plate 200, an exhaust ring 215, and an upper cavity cover 218. Exemplarily, each upper cavity cover 218 can be connected to a gas source. The reaction gas diffuses from the center to the edge in the space between the upper cavity cover 218 and the spray plate 200, and is finally introduced into the reaction space formed between the base and the spray plate 200 by the spray plate 200. The structure of the upper cavity module can be referred to the conventional structure in existing semiconductor process devices, and will not be elaborated in detail here as it is not the focus of this application.

[0040] Continue to refer to Figure 2The lower cavity 23 is detachably connected to the middle cavity 22. The lower cavity 23 includes a lower cavity body 230 and a plurality of second cavity regions 231 formed on the lower cavity body 230. Each second cavity region 231 is adapted to be fitted with a base. After assembly, each second cavity region 231 corresponds vertically to a first cavity region 221 in the device 20, and the upper surface 232 of the lower cavity body 230 contacts the lower surface of the middle cavity of the middle cavity body 220. The structure of the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23 after assembly is as follows: Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown. It is understandable that, referring to... Figure 2 The upper cavity shielding shell 21, the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23, from top to bottom, are connected together to form a grounded shell for electromagnetic shielding, thereby providing independent electromagnetic shielding for the multiple process cavities in the device 20.

[0041] The cavity portion of device 20 has been systematically described above. The electromagnetic shielding structure of device 20 will now be described in detail. First, in this embodiment, the electromagnetic shielding structure, in addition to the multiple upper cavity shielding shells 21, also includes conductive elements. These conductive elements are used to achieve electrical connections between the upper cavity shielding shells 21 and the middle cavity 22, and between the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23. Specifically, the multiple upper cavity shielding shells 21 and the middle cavity 22 have a first contact surface, and the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23 have a second contact surface. In this embodiment, the electromagnetic shielding structure of device 20 also includes a first conductive element 241 disposed on the first contact surface (see reference). Figure 4 ) and the second conductive element 242 disposed on the second contact surface (refer to Figure 8 It is understood that this application is not limited to including both the first conductive element 241 and the second conductive element 242 in all embodiments, and in some other embodiments, only one of the first conductive element 241 and the second conductive element 242 may be provided.

[0042] Furthermore, the first conductive element 241 is used to seal the first contact surface in an electrically connected manner, and the second conductive element 242 is used to seal the second contact surface in an electrically connected manner, thereby achieving independent electromagnetic shielding for each cavity. Preferably, each conductive element in this embodiment can be implemented as a metal gasket, so that when the various detachable components of the device 20 make contact for electromagnetic shielding, especially between the upper cavity shielding shell 21 and the middle cavity 22, the line-to-surface contact (the lower edge 216 of the shell is narrower, equivalent to a line, and the upper surface 222 of the middle cavity is wider, equivalent to a surface) is converted to a surface-to-surface contact. Increasing the contact area of ​​the interface is beneficial to improving the sealing effect of the interface, thus making the electrical connection between the upper cavity shielding shell 21 and the middle cavity 22 and the electrical connection between the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23 more stable, thereby enhancing the electromagnetic shielding effect. More preferably, the conductive element can also be made elastic to further enhance the stability of the electrical connection and play a positive role in improving the tolerance of the device 20.

[0043] More specifically, such as Figure 2 At least a portion of the lower edge 216 of the housing shown is electrically connected between a first conductive element 241 and at least a portion of the upper surface 222 of the cavity, and at least a portion of the lower surface of the cavity is electrically connected between a second conductive element 242 and at least a portion of the upper surface 232 of the lower cavity. (See more details) Figure 7 and Figure 8 In this embodiment, the first conductive element 241 is disposed around each first cavity region 221, and the second conductive element 242 is disposed around the edge of the lower surface of the middle cavity and the edge of the upper surface 232 of the lower cavity. Figure 7 The upper surface 222 of the cavity is shown to have a first groove 224 suitable for accommodating the first conductive element 241. Figure 8 The lower cavity upper surface 232 is shown to have a second groove 234 suitable for accommodating the second conductive element 242. The above-mentioned method of accommodating the conductive element through the groove makes the assembly of the conductive element in the device 20 more stable and reliable, and facilitates the improvement of the stability of electromagnetic shielding.

[0044] For the first conductive element 241, the spray plate 200 located on the upper part of each process cavity serves as an RF pass electrode plate, and the RF electric field near it is relatively strong. The first contact surface between the upper cavity shielding shell 21 corresponding to the spray plate 200 and the middle cavity 22 on the upper part of each process cavity is ensured by the first conductive element 241 that surrounds the corresponding position of each process cavity, so that the upper cavity shielding shell 21 corresponding to the spray plate 200 in each process cavity and the middle cavity 22 are electrically connected independently, and the RF systems of each process cavity can also be independent of each other.

[0045] For the second conductive element 242, refer to Figure 8In this embodiment, the position of the second conductive element 242 is also related to the sealing element 25 between the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23. Specifically, the lower cavity 23 is adapted to be configured with multiple bases, and the device 20 also includes, for example, Figure 8 The seal 25 shown is located between the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23. When the base has not yet risen to the process area, the seal 25 forms an integral sealing loop around the multiple bases. Furthermore, a second conductive element 242 is adjacent to and surrounds the seal 25 to form a conductive loop, which is at least partially parallel to the sealing loop.

[0046] Further preferably, in some embodiments of this application, the first conductive element 241 and / or the second conductive element 242 are disconnected in the circumferential direction and have one or more disconnected regions in their respective circumferential directions. Further preferably, the upper electrode in the upper cavity module (such as the spray plate 200 in this embodiment) is adapted to connect to a radio frequency power supply, and the length of the disconnected region is determined according to the radio frequency vacuum wavelength corresponding to the radio frequency power of the radio frequency power supply. First, refer to... Figure 7 The first conductive element 241 has a plurality of first disconnection regions 223 in the circumferential direction, and the first groove 224 for accommodating the first conductive element 241 has a plurality of first disconnection segments corresponding to the first disconnection regions 223. By setting the first disconnection regions 223, the overall size of the device 20 can be reduced and the floor space can be saved. Of course, this application is not limited thereto; in other embodiments of this application, the first conductive element can also be set continuously or intermittently.

[0047] More specifically, a path for the first conductive element 241 can be arranged around the locations of some inherent metal devices (such as the metal plate for mounting a barometer) in the first cavity region 221 within each process cavity. The first conductive element 241 can be disconnected at the locations of the inherent metal devices to avoid them, thereby compressing the overall volume of the device 20. Based on this, the device 20 is connected to a radio frequency (RF) power supply. To ensure electromagnetic shielding, in this embodiment, it is preferable to set the length corresponding to any first disconnection region 223 to be less than or equal to two-thousandths of the RF vacuum wavelength corresponding to the RF power. For example, using a 13.56 MHz RF power, two-thousandths of the vacuum wavelength is approximately 44 mm. More preferably, the length of the first disconnection region can also be set to be less than or equal to one-thousandth of the RF vacuum wavelength.

[0048] Reference Figure 8 The second conductive element 242 has multiple second disconnection regions 233 in the circumferential direction. Figure 8The diagram shows a partial segment of the second disconnection region 233 located at the outermost edge of the lower cavity body 230. Similarly, in different embodiments of this application, the second conductive element may also be continuously disposed. The device 20 is connected to a radio frequency (RF) power supply, which has RF power. To ensure electromagnetic shielding effectiveness, the length of any second disconnection region 233 is less than or equal to one percent of the RF vacuum wavelength corresponding to the RF power. For example, using an RF power supply with an operating frequency of 13.56 MHz, the electromagnetic wave vacuum wavelength at this frequency is approximately 22 m, then one percent of the vacuum wavelength is 220 mm.

[0049] A comparison with the length limit of the first disconnection region 223 shows that the upper limit of the length of the second disconnection region 233 is greater than that of the first disconnection region 223. This is because the location of the second conductive element 242 is farther from the spray plate 200 (i.e., the energized electrode) than that of the first conductive element 241. When the substrate is located in the process cavity through the base (substrate holder or hot plate), the second contact surface between the lower surface of the middle cavity and the upper surface of the lower cavity 232 can be considered to be below the plane of the base. Both the cavity and the base are grounded electrodes, and the radio frequency electromagnetic field strength at this location is relatively weak. Therefore, the allowable disconnection length limit of the second conductive element 242 is larger than that of the first conductive element 241, thereby better optimizing the internal structural layout of the device 20 and reducing the footprint of the device 20.

[0050] Based on this, this embodiment also has a more preferred detailed design regarding the relationship between the upper cavity shielding cover 21 and the middle cavity 22, to enhance the electromagnetic shielding effect. First, combined with Figure 4 In this embodiment, there are multiple first conductive elements 241, each corresponding to one of the multiple upper cavity modules. In this embodiment, the upper cavity shielding cover 21 has a horizontal extension near the first contact surface to increase the area of ​​the first contact surface. When the contact area between the upper cavity shielding cover 21 and the middle cavity 22 increases, the sealing effect of the interface between the upper cavity shielding cover 21 and the middle cavity 22 is better, thus strengthening the stability of the electrical connection and enhancing the electromagnetic shielding effect.

[0051] according to Figure 4 There are two different contact surfaces between the upper cavity shielding shell 21 and the middle cavity 22, located at two different positions: a first position S1 and a second position S2. Firstly, for the first contact surface at the first position S1, the lower edge 216 of the upper cavity shielding shell 21 is configured to have a first horizontal extension 217. In this embodiment, the first horizontal extension 217 is formed by increasing the area of ​​the lower bottom surface of the upper cavity shielding shell 21 (i.e., the area of ​​the lower edge 216 of the shell), so that the area of ​​the lower bottom surface is wider than the thickness of the sidewall of the vertically downward-extending shell sidewall 210. As an example, combined with... Figure 7 In this embodiment, the first conductive element 241 is installed on the middle cavity 22 through the first groove 224. In this embodiment, the area of ​​the bottom surface of the lower edge 216 of the upper cavity shielding cover 21 at the first position S1 (i.e., the area of ​​the first horizontal extension 217) can be set to be greater than or equal to twice the width of the first groove 224, so that the first horizontal extension 217 of the lower edge 216 of the cover can completely cover the first conductive element 241 located in the first groove 224, and the electromagnetic shielding effect is enhanced by increasing the contact area.

[0052] On the other hand, continue to refer to Figure 4 For the second position S2, the upper cavity shielding cover 21 is provided with a second horizontal extension 213, and similarly, the middle cavity 22 is provided with a third groove at the corresponding position to accommodate the first conductive element 241 near the second position S2. Figure 4 As shown, the second horizontal extension 213 is wider, allowing it to completely cover the first conductive element 241. For example, the width of the second horizontal extension 213 may be greater than or equal to twice the width of the third groove.

[0053] Although this embodiment shows that the width of the horizontal extension at both the first position S1 and the second position S2 is greater than or equal to twice the width of the corresponding groove for mounting the conductive element, this application is not limited thereto. In some other embodiments, depending on the different installation errors under different operating conditions, the width of the horizontal extension at only one position (such as the first horizontal extension 217 or the second horizontal extension 213) may be set to be wider (for example, twice or more the width of the groove for accommodating the conductive element), thereby increasing the area of ​​the first contact surface. In addition, by setting the horizontal extension to widen and thicken the first contact surface, a certain tolerance for machining tolerances and installation errors can be reserved, which facilitates the assembly and assembly of the device 20 and helps to further improve the stability and reliability of electromagnetic shielding.

[0054] On the other hand, it should be noted that although this embodiment shows an implementation in which the groove accommodating the conductive element is completely covered by the horizontal extension to enhance the contact between the conductive element and the upper cavity shielding cover where the horizontal extension is located, this application is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of this application, fasteners or other means can be used to fix the conductive element to the cavity to increase its contact area with the cavity, thereby enhancing the electromagnetic shielding effect. Furthermore, in the case of providing the horizontal extension, fasteners can be used to fix the conductive element to the cavity to further enhance the electromagnetic shielding effect.

[0055] In addition to increasing the area of ​​the first contact surface by extending and widening the horizontal extension in the horizontal direction, further reference is made to... Figure 4In this embodiment, the upper cavity shielding cover 21 is further provided with a second vertical portion 212 as a blocking portion, which is used to enhance the shielding effect in a non-horizontal direction. In some embodiments of this application, the blocking portion extends from one side of the horizontal extension portion in a non-horizontal direction, and the blocking portion and the horizontal extension portion form an intersecting shielding portion. Figure 4 For the second horizontal extension 213, one side extends vertically downward to form a second vertical portion 212 as a blocking portion. The second horizontal extension 213 and the second vertical portion 212 form the aforementioned cross-shielding portion, thereby forming a cross-shielding combined structure in the electromagnetic field of the multiple process cavities inside the device 20. This means that in the radiation path of electromagnetic waves, the second horizontal extension 213 can provide electromagnetic shielding in the longitudinal direction, and the second vertical portion 212 can provide electromagnetic shielding in the transverse direction. It is understood that the blocking portion in this embodiment is implemented as the second vertical portion 212 extending in the vertical direction, but this application is not limited thereto. In different embodiments of this application, based on the setting of the horizontal extension portion, any blocking portion extending in a non-horizontal direction can be further provided, so that the edge portion of the upper cavity shielding cover 21 can achieve electromagnetic shielding in different directions.

[0056] More preferably, in some embodiments, the blocking portion extends adjacent to the inner wall of the central cavity 22, so that the cross-shielding portion and a portion of the central cavity 22 form an overlapping shield. See details... Figure 4 The second vertical portion 212, acting as a barrier, extends near the inner wall of the central cavity 22, so that the cross shielding portion composed of the second horizontal extension 213 and the second vertical portion 212 overlaps with a portion of the central cavity 22 to form a shield. Specifically, the central cavity 22 itself serves as a grounded cavity, and its upper end face is electrically connected to the upper cavity shielding cover 21 via the first conductive element 241 to form a shielding path. Simultaneously, a barrier is added to one side of the inner wall of the central cavity 22. Especially at the junction between two adjacent process cavities, the double-overlapping shielding of the barrier and the central cavity 22 further enhances the electromagnetic shielding effect, resulting in better electromagnetic shielding. Figure 4 As shown in the enlarged view on the right, assuming the electromagnetic waves from the left-side process cavity radiate outwards, due to the presence of the blocking section and the horizontal extension section, even if there is space for outward radiation due to factors such as tolerance issues or loose contact between various local components, the blocking section and the horizontal extension section with different extension directions surround the edge of the central cavity 22, causing the outward radiation path of the electromagnetic waves to form a zigzag shape, thereby enhancing the attenuation of the electromagnetic waves. Therefore, through the aforementioned arrangement of the horizontal extension section and the blocking section, their cooperation enhances the fault tolerance of the device 20. It is understood that the aforementioned horizontal extension section and the blocking section each have their own independent functions and effects, and can be used separately in different embodiments.

[0057] The main details of the cavity portion and electromagnetic shielding structure of device 20 have been described above. The following section will continue to introduce other structural details of device 20 in this embodiment. First, refer to... Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 As mentioned above, the device 20 also includes multiple exhaust rings 215 (material can be ceramic), with each spray plate 200 contacting the exhaust ring 215. Furthermore, to ensure the sealing of each process chamber, in this embodiment, in addition to providing a sealing element 25 surrounding multiple bases between the middle cavity 22 and the lower cavity 23, the sealing element 25 can also be continuously and in a closed loop disposed between the exhaust ring 215 and the middle cavity body 220, and between the spray plate 200 and the exhaust ring 215. Although this embodiment provides sealing elements 25 between multiple components to achieve a sealed connection between the process chambers in the device 20, it is not excluded that in other embodiments of this application, only some of the components listed above may be connected by sealing elements. Since the sealing of the process chambers is crucial for the substrate processing of the device 20, providing a continuous and closed loop of sealing elements 25 between separable components can improve the sealing performance of the substrate processing environment within the process chamber.

[0058] Reference Figure 6 The upper surface 232 of the lower cavity is used for fixed connection with the middle cavity body 220. The lower cavity body 23 is also provided with a recessed part 236 connected to the upper surface 232 of the lower cavity. The recessed part 236 and the lower surface of the middle cavity form a receiving space 226. In order to realize the multi-cavity process, according to Figure 2 As shown, the four second cavity regions 231 in the lower cavity 23 of the device 20 are interconnected, and the device 20 also includes a substrate transmission module to facilitate the operation of the substrate. Figure 6 The assembly unit 227 shown, by mounting a rotatable and movable (left-right or up-down) robotic arm, can perform substrate transfer operations between two second cavity areas 231 on the side closer to the substrate transfer module and two second cavity areas 231 on the side farther from the substrate transfer module. (Refer to...) Figure 8 It can be seen that the second conductive element 242 located in the second groove 234 is arranged around the receiving space 226 where the robot is located, ensuring that the internal and external electromagnetic fields of each process cavity are isolated from each other.

[0059] Although the substrate can be flexibly transferred using a robotic arm, when considering the split structure of device 20, the lower cavity 23 is fixedly connected to the outer frame of device 20 and is relatively stable. The middle cavity 22, however, is only supported by the lower cavity body 230 through the middle cavity body 220 located at the edge, but the center of the middle cavity 22 is suspended. Devices located above each process cavity, such as the spray plate 200 and the upper cavity shielding shell 21, need to be mounted on the middle cavity 22. The middle cavity 22 is subject to the weight of the devices above each process cavity and the atmospheric pressure during the vacuum state of the process cavity, making it prone to deformation such as central collapse. To reduce this risk of deformation, the middle cavity 22 in this embodiment is preferably provided with reinforcing ribs. These reinforcing ribs are part of the upper end of the middle cavity 22, allowing the middle cavity 22 to contact the upper cavity shielding shell 21 through the reinforcing ribs. To ensure the strength of the reinforcing ribs, carbon steel can be used. Specifically, the reinforcing ribs include circular reinforcing ribs 271 and elongated reinforcing ribs 272. Reference Figure 5 Circular reinforcing ribs 271 are located in the central region of the upper surface 222 of the cavity, and elongated reinforcing ribs 272 are located on the cavity body 220 between adjacent first cavity regions 221. The elongated reinforcing ribs 272 are fixedly connected to the circular reinforcing ribs 271. Because of the reinforcing ribs, the surface of the reinforcing ribs on the cavity body 220 at the locations where they are provided serves as the upper surface 222 of the cavity. Figure 5 As shown, the elongated reinforcing ribs 272, together with the circular reinforcing ribs 271 used to connect the elongated reinforcing ribs 272, form a cross-shaped reinforcing rib structure to enhance the structural strength of the central cavity 22, reduce the risk of collapse and deformation of the central cavity 22, and further improve the stability and reliability of the device 20 while ensuring multi-cavity manufacturing and complete electromagnetic shielding. It should be emphasized that although this embodiment shows the upper end of the central cavity 22 as an elongated reinforcing rib 272, in some other basic embodiments... Figure 4 The portion containing the elongated reinforcing rib 272 shown can actually be part of the central cavity body 220. That is, in embodiments where the elongated reinforcing rib 272 is not provided, Figure 4 The central cavity body 220 extends upward to contact the second horizontal extension 213.

[0060] For further details, please refer to Figure 7 The central cavity body 220 is suitable for mounting circular reinforcing ribs 271 and elongated reinforcing ribs 272. As described above, the upper cavity shielding cover 21 in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 4A horizontal extension and a blocking portion are provided at the second position S2 shown. In this embodiment, since a long strip reinforcing rib 272 is provided on the central cavity body 220, the horizontal extension and the blocking portion cover at least a portion of the long strip reinforcing rib 272, thereby making the structural design of the device 20 more compact. Specifically, in this embodiment, the side of any upper cavity shielding cover 21 near the adjacent upper cavity shielding cover 21 is stepped. Specifically, the stepped shape includes a first vertical portion 211, a second vertical portion 212, and a second horizontal extension 213 connecting the first vertical portion 211 and the second vertical portion 212, wherein the first vertical portion 211 is connected to the top 214 of the cover. According to Figure 4 As shown in the enlarged view, the first vertical portion 211, the second vertical portion 212, and the second horizontal extension portion 213 of the two adjacent upper cavity shielding shells 21 cover at least a portion of the elongated reinforcing rib 272. The stepped shape overlapping the elongated reinforcing rib 272 increases the contact area, avoiding poor contact caused by machining tolerances and installation errors. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, the cross shielding portion formed by the stepped sidewalls (including the second horizontal extension portion 213 and the second vertical portion 212) can significantly reduce electromagnetic field leakage caused by poor contact, even in the event of contact problems, due to the bends in the gaps.

[0061] Based on this, to ensure the electromagnetic shielding integrity of each process cavity, the upper cavity shielding shell 21, the middle cavity 22, and the lower cavity 23 can be made of aluminum or aluminum alloy materials with good conductivity. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the conductive components also include a third conductive component 243. Since the middle cavity 22 is provided with reinforcing ribs, to further enhance the electromagnetic shielding effect, the lower surface of the elongated reinforcing rib 272 can be electrically connected to the middle cavity body 220 via the third conductive component 243.

[0062] Reference Figure 4 Although the reinforcing ribs enhance the stability of the central cavity 22, considering the area where the reinforcing ribs are located, the lateral distance between the second vertical portion 212 and the spray plate 200 (typically less than 10 mm in some embodiments of this application) is closer than the distance between the upper cavity shielding cover 21 and the spray plate 200 on the side without reinforcing ribs, making it prone to air breakdown and insulation failure. Therefore, to reduce the risk of breakdown and improve the safety and reliability of the device 20, an insulating isolation block 260 is preferably provided in this embodiment, located on the side of the blocking portion away from the horizontal extension portion. (Refer to...) Figure 4 The insulating block 260 is located inside the second vertical portion 212. Preferably, referring to... Figure 2 and Figure 9The device 20 includes an annular fixing component 26, in which an insulating isolation block 260 is embedded. The insulating isolation block 260 is made of non-metallic insulating material, preferably PI, PEEK, or PTFE (Teflon). Solid insulating media are more difficult to break down than air; the breakdown voltage required for solid insulating media is at least an order of magnitude greater than that required for air. In the horizontal direction, the space between the through electrode plate (spray plate 200) and the upper cavity shielding shell 21 (more specifically, the shell sidewall 210) is narrow. Ceramic materials are difficult to process, and the finished product is easily broken. In actual processes, the spray plate 200 needs to be heated. Therefore, considering the process conditions and limitations, it is preferable to use Teflon material to manufacture the insulating isolation block 260, and to produce it as follows: Figure 9 The semi-circular shape shown.

[0063] More specific basis Figure 9 In this embodiment, the fixing component 26 includes two mating ceramic menisci 261, each having a locking groove 262 that engages with the insulating isolation block 260. In this embodiment, the insulating isolation block 260 and the ceramic menisci 261 are designed with a snap-fit ​​stepped engagement structure, which helps to fix their relative positions. Furthermore, the device 20 also includes fasteners for fixing the fixing component 26 to the upper cavity shielding housing 21, wherein the fasteners include screws, for example. Since the ceramic menisci 261 and the insulating isolation block 260 are located between the through electrode plate (spray plate 200) and the grounded upper cavity shielding housing 21, their position affects the parasitic capacitance at that location, thereby affecting the overall impedance of the device's radio frequency system. To ensure the stability of the RF system of the equipment and to ensure that the impedance does not change during disassembly and assembly so that the impedance value of the mass-produced equipment does not deviate, this embodiment preferably uses fasteners such as screws to fix the fixing component 26 to the upper cavity shielding shell 21 together, and further ensures the stability of the connection between the insulating isolation block 260 and the ceramic meniscus 261 through a snap-fit ​​structure.

[0064] In this embodiment, refer to Figure 9 Each fixing component 26 is designed with three insulating isolation blocks 260. When assembled in the device 20, the insulating isolation blocks 260 are positioned inside the corresponding second vertical portion 212 between adjacent upper cavity shielding shells 21 due to the structure of the elongated reinforcing ribs 272. In this embodiment, near the circular reinforcing ribs 271, the insulating isolation blocks 260 primarily serve to fix two adjacent ceramic menisci 261, facilitating the assembly and stability of the fixing components 26. This embodiment designs and installs the spray plate 200, upper cavity shielding shell 21, insulating isolation blocks 260, and reinforcing ribs within the relatively small space of each process cavity. Through the optimized structural design of each module, a small footprint is maintained for the equipment.

[0065] To further demonstrate the effect of the above-mentioned structural improvements to device 20 Figure 10 and Figure 11 Simulation diagrams for device 20 are shown. Among them, Figure 10 As shown Figure 4 The diagram shows a simulation comparison of the effects of any upper cavity shielding shell 21 near the first side 31 of an adjacent upper cavity shielding shell and the second side 32 near the edge of the device. Specifically, the first side 31 has elongated reinforcing ribs 272. It can be seen that due to the installation of these elongated reinforcing ribs 272, the distance between the upper cavity shielding shell 21 and the electrode plate (spray plate 200) is closer than the corresponding distance on the second side 32, resulting in a stronger electric field and a greater risk of breakdown or insulation failure. Nevertheless, the addition of a semi-annular insulating isolation block 260 effectively prevents electrical breakdown. Furthermore, Figure 11 The upper part shows a simulation of the tight installation between the upper cavity shielding shell 21 and the long strip reinforcing rib 272, while Figure 11 The lower half of the diagram shows a simulated effect of a gap 33 between the upper cavity shielding shell 21 and the elongated reinforcing rib 272. Due to manufacturing or installation issues, there is no tight connection between the top of the elongated reinforcing rib 272 and the upper cavity shielding shell 21, resulting in a gap 33. However, the radiation path of the electromagnetic field, bent at right angles, ensures that the electromagnetic shielding effect is not affected. As described above, refer to... Figure 4 The stepped sidewalls, i.e., the cross-shielded portions (including the second horizontal extension 213 and the second vertical portion 212), together with the sidewalls and top surface of the elongated reinforcing ribs 272, constitute a shielding structure. Even if there is a problem of poor contact causing gaps 33, the bent gaps can greatly reduce electromagnetic field leakage caused by poor contact. Specifically, this is manifested in... Figure 11 The electric field in the upper and lower half of the external magnetic field region 300 is close to 0V / m, indicating that the shielding effect of the upper cavity shielding shell 21 with cross shielding is good.

[0066] Compared to traditional single-cavity devices or ordinary dual-cavity devices, this application reserves space in the lower cavity for a rotatable and movable robotic arm. Considering the installation and maintenance space for the robotic arm, the semiconductor process apparatus is designed as a split type, comprising an upper cavity shielding shell for the spray plate, a middle cavity, and a lower cavity. These three components together form a grounded cavity. Conductive elements are added at the connection points between the three components to achieve stable and reliable electrical connections, ensuring that the radio frequency systems of each process cavity are independent and do not interfere with each other, and that the electromagnetic fields inside and outside the process cavities are isolated from each other. In some preferred embodiments, the conductive elements are designed as disconnected connections to save space; and details such as reinforcing ribs, a stepped design on the sidewall of the upper cavity shielding shell, and insulating isolation blocks are added to improve the stability, reliability, and safety of the apparatus in multiple ways.

[0067] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, the above disclosure is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this application. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and corrections to this application. Such modifications, improvements, and corrections are suggested in this application, and therefore remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0068] Furthermore, this application uses specific terms to describe embodiments of the application. For example, "an embodiment," "one embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic related to at least one embodiment of the application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" mentioned twice or more in different locations in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of the application can be appropriately combined.

[0069] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description of the present application and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments, the foregoing description of the embodiments of the present application sometimes combines multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not imply that the subject matter of the present application requires more features than those mentioned in the claims. In fact, the embodiments contain fewer features than all the features of the single embodiments disclosed above.

[0070] In some embodiments, numbers describing the quantity of components and attributes are used. It should be understood that such numbers used in the description of embodiments are modified in some examples with the terms "approximately," "approximately," or "generally." Unless otherwise stated, "approximately," "approximately," or "generally" indicates that the numbers are allowed to vary by ±20%. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters used in the specification and claims are approximate values, which may be changed depending on the characteristics required by individual embodiments. In some embodiments, numerical parameters should take into account specified significant digits and employ a general method of digit reservation. Although the numerical ranges and parameters used to confirm their breadth of scope in some embodiments of this application are approximate values, in specific embodiments, such values ​​are set as precisely as feasible.

[0071] Although this application has been described with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art should recognize that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate this application, and various equivalent changes or substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, any changes or modifications to the above embodiments within the essential spirit of this application will fall within the scope of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A plasma processing apparatus with multi-cavity independent electromagnetic shielding, characterized in that, Includes a cavity and an electromagnetic shielding structure, wherein, The cavity portion includes: Multiple upper cavity modules, each upper cavity module including an upper electrode, the multiple upper cavity modules being independently configured; A central cavity, wherein the plurality of upper cavity modules are respectively connected to the central cavity; The lower cavity is detachably connected to the middle cavity, and the lower cavity and the middle cavity are sealed together. The electromagnetic shielding structure includes: a plurality of upper cavity shielding shells, each of the upper cavity shielding shells being adapted to surround the outer periphery of an upper cavity module from the top, the plurality of upper cavity shielding shells being adapted to be electrically connected to the middle cavity, and the middle cavity being adapted to be electrically connected to the lower cavity.

2. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The middle cavity has a process area, and the lower cavity is equipped with multiple bases and forms a transmission area. The transmission area receives the substrate from the outside and transmits it to the process area through the multiple bases. Each of the bases corresponds to one of the upper cavity modules, and an independent process cavity is formed between the process area and the upper cavity module.

3. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The multiple process chambers are fluidly connected to each other, and the plasma process apparatus is configured to control the chamber environment parameters and / or gas supply parameters of the multiple process chambers as a whole. The chamber environment parameters include pressure parameters and / or temperature parameters.

4. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The plasma process apparatus is configured to individually control the radio frequency power of each of the plurality of process cavities and to independently electromagnetically shield each of the plurality of process cavities.

5. The plasma process apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The plurality of upper cavity shielding shells have a first contact surface with the middle cavity, and the middle cavity has a second contact surface with the lower cavity; The electromagnetic shielding structure further includes a first conductive element disposed on the first contact surface and / or a second conductive element disposed on the second contact surface.

6. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The number of the first conductive elements is multiple, and each first conductive element corresponds to one of the multiple upper cavity modules. The upper cavity shielding cover is provided with a horizontal extension near the first contact surface.

7. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The upper cavity shielding cover is also provided with a blocking part, which extends from one side of the horizontal extension part in a non-horizontal direction.

8. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The blocking portion extends adjacent to the inner wall of the central cavity.

9. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes an insulating block located on the side of the blocking portion away from the horizontal extension.

10. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The lower cavity is adapted to be configured with multiple bases, and the plasma process apparatus also includes a sealing element; The seal is located between the middle cavity and the lower cavity to form a sealing loop around the plurality of bases.

11. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 10, characterized in that, The second conductive element is adjacent to and surrounds the seal to form a conductive loop, the conductive loop being arranged parallel to at least a portion of the sealing loop.

12. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The first conductive element and / or the second conductive element are disconnected in the circumferential direction.

13. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 12, characterized in that, The first conductive element and / or the second conductive element have one or more disconnection regions in the circumferential direction, wherein, The upper electrode is adapted to connect to an RF power supply, and the length of the disconnection region is determined according to the RF vacuum wavelength corresponding to the RF power of the RF power supply.

14. The plasma process apparatus as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The first conductive element and / or the second conductive element are elastic.

Images