Nozzle blockage detection device

Abstract

The utility model provides a nozzle blockage detection device. The nozzle blockage detection device comprises an air source box; the first end of the first gas pipeline is connected with the gas source box, and the second end of the first gas pipeline is coupled to the gas inlet end of a nozzle located in a process cavity of a machine table, so that gas in the gas source box passes through the first gas pipeline and is conveyed to the nozzle; the first end of the second gas pipeline is connected to the gas outlet end of the nozzle, the second end of the second gas pipeline serves as a gas exhaust port of the nozzle blockage detection device, and gas sprayed out of the nozzle enters the second gas pipeline through the first end of the second gas pipeline and is exhausted through the second end of the second gas pipeline; and the pressure gauge is arranged on the second gas pipeline and used for measuring the pressure of the gas sprayed out of the nozzle, and when the measured pressure value is smaller than a set threshold value, it is judged that the nozzle is blocked.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, in particular to a nozzle clogging detection device. Background Art

[0002] In the vapor deposition process, the gas enters the chamber through a channel on the machine platform. The channel has a plurality of nozzles, and the gas enters the chamber through the plurality of nozzles.

[0003] like Figure 1 As shown, it is a schematic diagram of the structure of the vapor deposition chamber in the prior art. The vapor deposition chamber includes: a chamber 10 and a plurality of nozzles 11 (including different nozzles 11 for the top channel and the side channel). The plurality of nozzles 11 penetrate the chamber 10, and the external gas enters the chamber 10 through the plurality of nozzles 11. Due to long-term use, the nozzle 11 may be blocked due to deposition, causing uneven film thickness of the product, such as one-sidedness, affecting product quality and production efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to find the problematic nozzle 11 and replace it.

[0004] When the engineer determines that the film thickness deviation is caused by the blockage of the nozzle 11, it is necessary to open the chamber to replace the nozzles 11 in the problematic area. Since it is impossible to determine which nozzles 11 are blocked, all the nozzles 11 in the problematic area can only be replaced, and the vapor deposition is re-performed after closing the chamber 10 to re-measure the film thickness. If the film thickness is still uneven after replacing the new nozzle 11, it is necessary to open the chamber again for replacement. The secondary maintenance and testing require at least 72 hours of engineering time. Due to the limited production capacity of the machine, the production progress is seriously affected. Summary of the invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the utility model is to provide a nozzle blockage detection device, which can quickly find out the blocked nozzle, reduce the occurrence of secondary maintenance, and improve production efficiency.

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the utility model provides a nozzle blockage detection device, which includes: a gas source box; a first gas pipeline, a first end of the first gas pipeline is connected to the gas source box, and a second end of the first gas pipeline is coupled to the gas inlet end of the nozzle located in the process chamber of the machine, so that the gas in the gas source box passes through the first gas pipeline and is transported to the nozzle; a second gas pipeline, a first end of the second gas pipeline is connected to the gas outlet end of the nozzle, and a second end of the second gas pipeline serves as a gas exhaust port of the nozzle blockage detection device, and the gas ejected from the nozzle enters the second gas pipeline through the first end of the second gas pipeline and is discharged through the second end of the second gas pipeline; a pressure gauge, the pressure gauge is arranged on the second gas pipeline, and is used to measure the pressure of the gas ejected from the nozzle. When the measured pressure value is less than a set threshold value, it is determined that the nozzle is blocked.

[0007] In some embodiments, a first valve is further included, which is arranged on the first gas pipeline and close to the first end of the first gas pipeline. When the first valve is in an open state, the gas in the gas source box is transported to the nozzle through the first gas pipeline.

[0008] In some embodiments, a pressure regulating valve is further included. The pressure regulating valve is disposed on the first gas pipeline and close to the first end of the first gas pipeline. The pressure regulating valve is used to adjust the gas pressure in the first gas pipeline.

[0009] In some embodiments, a mass flow controller is further included. The mass flow controller is disposed on the first gas pipeline and close to the second end of the first gas pipeline. The mass flow controller is used to measure and control the gas flow in the first gas pipeline.

[0010] In some embodiments, a filtering module and a third gas pipeline are also included; the filtering module is connected between the second end of the first gas pipeline and the third gas pipeline, and is used to filter the gas transported by the first gas pipeline; the third gas pipeline is further connected to the air inlet end of the nozzle, and is used to transport the filtered gas to the nozzle.

[0011] In some embodiments, a mass flow controller is further included. The mass flow controller is disposed on the third gas pipeline and is used to measure and control the gas flow in the third gas pipeline.

[0012] In some embodiments, the pressure gauge is disposed near the first end of the second gas pipeline.

[0013] In some embodiments, a second valve is further included, which is arranged on the second gas pipeline and close to the first end of the second gas pipeline. When the second valve is in an open state, the gas sprayed from the nozzle is discharged through the second gas pipeline.

[0014] In some embodiments, a vacuum pump is further included. The vacuum pump is disposed at the second end of the second gas pipeline, and the vacuum pump is used to extract the gas in the second gas pipeline.

[0015] In some embodiments, the gas source box is the gas source box of the machine, and the gas is clean compressed air.

[0016] In the above technical solution, a first gas pipeline is provided to be connected to the gas source box and the gas inlet end of the nozzle respectively, and a second gas pipeline is provided to be connected to the gas outlet end of the nozzle. The gas in the gas source box is transported to the gas inlet end of the nozzle through the first gas pipeline, and enters the second gas pipeline through the gas outlet end of the nozzle. A pressure gauge is provided on the second gas pipeline to measure the pressure of the gas after passing through the nozzle. When the nozzle is not blocked, the pressure value of the gas after passing through the nozzle is within a fixed range, and this pressure value is set as a set threshold. When the measured pressure value is less than the set threshold, it is determined that the nozzle is in a blocked state. In order to prevent false alarms, the above-mentioned set threshold may also be 90% or other proportions of the pressure value under the above-mentioned normal state to prevent false alarms when the nozzle is slightly blocked or the instrument measurement deviates.

[0017] It should be understood that the above general description and the detailed description below are only exemplary and explanatory and cannot limit the present invention. The techniques, methods and devices known to ordinary technicians in the relevant field may not be discussed in detail, but in appropriate cases, the techniques, methods and devices should be considered as part of the authorization specification. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the specific embodiment of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0019] Attached Figure 1 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a vapor deposition chamber in the prior art;

[0020] Attached Figure 2 The figure is a schematic structural diagram of the first embodiment of the nozzle blockage detection device of the utility model;

[0021] Attached Figure 3 The figure is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second embodiment of the nozzle blockage detection device of the utility model. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the utility model will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the implementation methods of the utility model, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the utility model, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the utility model.

[0023] Embodiment 1

[0024] See below Figure 2 , which is a structural schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the nozzle clogging detection device of the utility model; for the sake of ease of viewing, some structures are omitted.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, the nozzle blockage detection device includes: a gas source box 20, a first gas pipeline 21, a second gas pipeline 22 and a pressure gauge 23.

[0026] The first end 211 of the first gas pipeline 21 is connected to the gas source box 20, and the second end 212 of the first gas pipeline 21 is connected to the gas inlet end 111 of the nozzle 11 located in the process chamber of the machine, so that the gas in the gas source box 20 passes through the first gas pipeline 21 and is transported to the nozzle 11.

[0027] The first end 221 of the second gas pipeline 22 is connected to the gas outlet end 112 of the nozzle 11, and the second end 222 of the second gas pipeline 22 serves as the gas exhaust port of the nozzle clogging detection device; the gas ejected from the nozzle 11 enters the second gas pipeline 22 through the first end 221 and is exhausted through the second end 222.

[0028] The pressure gauge 23 is provided on the second gas pipeline 22, and is used to measure the pressure of the gas ejected from the nozzle 11. When the measured pressure value is less than a set threshold value, the nozzle 11 is determined to be clogged. The pressure value of the gas after passing through the nozzle 11 when the nozzle 11 is not clogged can be measured in advance, and this pressure value is set as the set threshold value; when the nozzle is clogged, the gas output will decrease, and the corresponding pressure value will also decrease; therefore, when the pressure value measured by the pressure gauge 23 for measuring the pressure of the gas ejected from the nozzle 11 is less than the set threshold value, the nozzle 11 is determined to be clogged.

[0029] In this embodiment, a first gas pipeline 21 is provided to be connected to the gas source box 20 and the gas inlet end 111 of the nozzle 11 respectively, and a second gas pipeline 22 is provided to be connected to the gas outlet end 112 of the nozzle 11. The gas in the gas source box 20 is transported to the gas inlet end 111 of the nozzle 11 through the first gas pipeline 21, and enters the second gas pipeline 22 through the gas outlet end 112 of the nozzle 11. A pressure gauge 23 is provided on the second gas pipeline 22 to measure the pressure of the gas after passing through the nozzle 11. When the nozzle 11 is not blocked, the pressure value of the gas after passing through the nozzle 11 will be greater than or equal to a set threshold value; when the measured pressure value is less than the set threshold value, it is determined that the nozzle 11 is in a blocked state. In order to prevent false alarms, the above-mentioned set threshold value can also be 90% or other proportions of the pressure value under the above-mentioned normal state to prevent false alarms when the nozzle 11 is slightly blocked or the instrument measurement deviates.

[0030] In this embodiment, the gas source box 20 is the gas source box of the machine, and the gas is clean compressed air (CDA). Using the gas source box of the machine as the gas source box 20 of the detection device can reduce the modification of the detection device to the machine. In other embodiments, the gas source box 20 can also be other gas source boxes that are easy to carry.

[0031] In this embodiment, the pressure gauge 23 is disposed near the first end 221 of the second gas pipeline 22 (i.e., near the gas outlet end 112 of the nozzle 11). By disposing the pressure gauge 23 near the gas outlet end 112 of the nozzle 11, it is possible to prevent the gas ejected from the nozzle 11 from being affected and changing its pressure when passing through the second gas pipeline 22, thereby affecting the detection result.

[0032] In this embodiment, a first valve 24 is further included. The first valve 24 is disposed on the first gas pipeline 21 and is close to the first end 211 of the first gas pipeline 21. When the first valve 24 is in an open state, the gas in the gas source box 20 is transported to the nozzle 11 through the first gas pipeline 21. Specifically, when the nozzle 11 does not need to be tested, the first valve 24 is in a closed state, and the gas in the gas source box 20 does not enter the first gas pipeline 21; when the nozzle 11 needs to be tested, the first valve 24 is in an open state, and the gas in the gas source box 20 enters the first gas pipeline 21.

[0033] In this embodiment, a pressure regulating valve 25 is further included, and the pressure regulating valve 25 is disposed on the first gas pipeline 21 and close to the first end 211 of the first gas pipeline 21, and the pressure regulating valve 25 is used to adjust the gas pressure in the first gas pipeline 21. Specifically, the pressure regulating valve 25 is disposed on the side of the first valve 24 away from the gas source box 20, and when the nozzle 11 is tested, the gas in the gas source box 20 enters the first gas pipeline 21, and the pressure regulating valve 25 is used to adjust the gas pressure in the first gas pipeline 21 to a fixed value.

[0034] In this embodiment, a mass flow controller (MFC) 26 is also included. The mass flow controller 26 is arranged on the first gas pipeline 21 and close to the second end 212 of the first gas pipeline 21. The mass flow controller 26 is used to measure and control the gas flow in the first gas pipeline 21. The mass flow controller (MFC) is an instrument for accurately measuring gas flow and automatically controlling gas flow. Specifically, the mass flow controller 26 is arranged on the first gas pipeline 21 and close to the second end 212 of the first gas pipeline 21 (i.e., close to the position of the inlet end 111 of the nozzle 11). The mass flow controller 26 is arranged here to measure the gas flow in the first gas pipeline 11, and the pressure regulating valve 25 is adjusted according to the gas flow to further adjust the gas flow entering the first gas pipeline 21, so as to prevent the excessive gas flow from impacting the pressure gauge 23 and reducing the life of the equipment.

[0035] In this embodiment, a second valve 27 is further included. The second valve 27 is disposed on the second gas pipeline 22 and close to the first end 221 of the second gas pipeline 22. When the second valve 27 is in an open state, the gas sprayed from the nozzle 11 is discharged through the second gas pipeline 22. Specifically, when the nozzle 11 needs to be tested, the second valve 27 is opened, and the gas passing through the nozzle 11 can enter the second gas pipeline 22.

[0036] In this embodiment, a pump 28 is further included, and the pump 28 is disposed at the second end 222 of the second gas pipeline 22, and the pump 28 is used to extract the gas in the second gas pipeline 22. Specifically, after the detection is completed, the gas in the second gas pipeline 22 can be extracted by the pump 28, so that the nozzle 11 that is not blocked can be normally used in the vapor deposition process.

[0037] Embodiment 2

[0038] See below Figure 3, which is a structural schematic diagram of the second embodiment of the nozzle clogging detection device of the utility model; for the sake of ease of viewing, some structures are omitted.

[0039] like Figure 3 As shown, Figure 2 The difference between the illustrated embodiment is that, in this embodiment, a filter module 30 and a third gas pipeline 31 are further included.

[0040] The filter module 30 is connected between the second end 212 of the first gas pipeline 21 and the third gas pipeline 31 , and is used to filter the gas transported by the first gas pipeline 21 .

[0041] The third gas pipeline 31 is further connected to the gas inlet end 111 of the nozzle 11 for delivering the filtered gas to the nozzle 11 .

[0042] The mass flow controller 26 is disposed on the third gas pipeline 31 , and the mass flow controller 26 is used to measure and control the gas flow in the third gas pipeline 31 .

[0043] This embodiment adds the filter module 30 to filter out impurities in the gas, thereby preventing impurities in the gas from passing through the nozzle 11 during detection, causing the detection itself to contaminate the nozzle and affect its cleanliness, and also easily contaminate the probe of the pressure gauge 23 and affect the operation of the pressure gauge 23.

[0044] It should be noted that, in this article, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "include", "comprise" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that the process, method, article or device including a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of more restrictions, there are elements defined by the sentence "also includes one...", and it is not excluded that there are other identical elements in the process, method, article or device including the elements. In addition, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments in the utility model and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. In addition, in the above description, the description of known components and technologies is omitted to avoid unnecessary confusion of the concept of the utility model. It should also be noted in this specification that "coupling" refers not only to the direct connection of one component with another component, but also to the indirect connection of one component with another component through an intermediate component.

[0045] The various embodiments of the present invention are described in a related manner, and the same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments.

[0046] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the utility model, and is not intended to limit the protection scope of the utility model. It should be pointed out that ordinary technicians in this technical field can make several improvements and modifications without departing from the principle of the utility model, and these improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the protection scope of the utility model.

Claims

1. A nozzle clogging detection device, characterized in that: include: Air source box; A first gas pipeline, wherein a first end of the first gas pipeline is connected to the gas source box, and a second end of the first gas pipeline is coupled to the gas inlet end of the nozzle located in the process chamber of the machine, so that the gas in the gas source box passes through the first gas pipeline and is transported to the nozzle; a second gas pipeline, wherein a first end of the second gas pipeline is connected to a gas outlet end of the nozzle, and a second end of the second gas pipeline serves as a gas discharge port of the nozzle blockage detection device, and gas ejected from the nozzle enters the second gas pipeline through the first end of the second gas pipeline and is discharged through the second end of the second gas pipeline; A pressure gauge is arranged on the second gas pipeline and is used to measure the pressure of the gas ejected from the nozzle. When the measured pressure value is less than a set threshold value, it is determined that the nozzle is blocked.

2. The nozzle clogging detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a first valve, which is arranged on the first gas pipeline and close to the first end of the first gas pipeline. When the first valve is in an open state, the gas in the gas source box is transported to the nozzle through the first gas pipeline.

3. The nozzle clogging detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a pressure regulating valve, which is arranged on the first gas pipeline and close to the first end of the first gas pipeline, and is used to adjust the gas pressure in the first gas pipeline.

4. The nozzle clogging detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a mass flow controller, which is arranged on the first gas pipeline and close to the second end of the first gas pipeline. The mass flow controller is used to measure and control the gas flow in the first gas pipeline.

5. The nozzle clogging detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes filter module and third gas pipeline: The filter module is connected between the second end of the first gas pipeline and the third gas pipeline, and is used to filter the gas transported by the first gas pipeline; The third gas pipeline is further connected to the gas inlet end of the nozzle for delivering the filtered gas to the nozzle.

6. The nozzle clogging detection device according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a mass flow controller, which is arranged on the third gas pipeline and is used to measure and control the gas flow in the third gas pipeline.

7. The nozzle clogging detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The pressure gauge is disposed near the first end of the second gas pipeline.

8. The nozzle clogging detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a second valve, which is arranged on the second gas pipeline and close to the first end of the second gas pipeline. When the second valve is in an open state, the gas sprayed from the nozzle is discharged through the second gas pipeline.

9. The nozzle clogging detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an air pump, which is arranged at the second end of the second gas pipeline and is used to extract the gas in the second gas pipeline.

10. The nozzle clogging detection device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gas source box is the gas source box of the machine, and the gas is clean compressed air.

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