Buffer area device in thin film deposition equipment platform

Abstract

The utility model provides a buffer area device in a thin film deposition equipment platform, which is arranged between a loading area and thin film process chambers, and a wafer passes through the buffer area device and enters and exits from each thin film process chamber from the loading area; the buffer area device comprises a buffer space area, a conveying component installed in the buffer space area, a buffer area gas inlet end, a buffer area gas outlet end and a gas heating piece. The gas heating piece is mounted at the gas inlet end of the buffer area; when the buffer area device is in a working state, heated gas enters the buffer area device through the buffer area gas inlet end, flows in the buffer space area and is discharged through the buffer area gas outlet end, and the temperature in the buffer area device is maintained at a preset temperature. According to the utility model, the gas heated by the gas heating element enters the buffer area device from the gas inlet end of the buffer area, so that the temperature of the buffer area device is maintained at the preset temperature, the by-products of the chemical vapor deposition reaction are prevented from being solidified on the surface of the wafer, the buffer area, the loading area door and the like to generate particles, and the yield of the wafer is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductor processing, in particular to a buffer device in a thin film deposition equipment platform. Background Art

[0002] A plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition tool generally includes a front-end module, a loading area, a buffer area and a thin film process chamber.

[0003] Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition equipment requires specific reactants to grow thin films under specific temperature conditions and gas atmospheres, and other byproducts will be produced during the process. When the wafer is transferred from the process chamber to the buffer zone, the byproducts and reaction gases will enter the buffer zone along with the wafer, which is likely to produce particles on the wafer surface, buffer zone, loading area door, etc., and thus cause defects in the wafer. Utility Model Content

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, the utility model provides a buffer device in a thin film deposition equipment platform, wherein the buffer device is arranged between a loading area and a thin film process chamber, and wafers pass through the buffer device and enter and exit each thin film process chamber from the loading area. The buffer device comprises:

[0005] A buffer space area, a conveying component installed in the buffer space area, a buffer area air inlet end, a buffer area air outlet end and a gas heating element;

[0006] The gas heating element is installed at the air inlet end of the buffer zone, and the gas heating element includes a temperature-controlled power supply, a heating chamber body and a temperature sensor; the heating chamber body is provided with a gas inlet, a gas heating chamber, a heating element and a gas outlet, and the gas inlet and the gas outlet are arranged at both ends of the gas heating chamber; the heating element is arranged in the gas heating chamber; the temperature measuring part of the temperature sensor is arranged at the position of the gas outlet, and the detected temperature of the gas outlet is transmitted to the temperature-controlled power supply to control the working state of the gas heating element;

[0007] The buffer zone air inlet and the buffer zone air outlet are arranged on both sides of the conveying component; when the buffer zone device is in a working state, the heated gas enters the buffer zone device through the buffer zone air inlet, flows in the buffer space area, and is discharged from the buffer zone device through the buffer zone air outlet, thereby maintaining the temperature inside the buffer zone device at a preset temperature.

[0008] Preferably, the heating chamber body is wrapped with thermal insulation cotton.

[0009] Preferably, an isolation valve is provided between the gas heating element and the air inlet end of the buffer zone, and the isolation valve is in a normally open state.

[0010] Preferably, the temperature measuring part of the temperature sensor is a thermocouple.

[0011] Preferably, the heating element is a nickel-chromium alloy coil.

[0012] Preferably, a gas flow controller is provided on the outer side of the gas inlet of the heating chamber.

[0013] Preferably, the heated gas is nitrogen.

[0014] Preferably, the thin film process chamber is a diamond film growing process chamber, and the preset temperature of the buffer device is 150°C to 200°C.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution of the embodiment of the utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0016] The utility model arranges a gas heating element at the buffer zone air inlet end of the buffer zone device, and the gas heated by the gas heating element enters the buffer zone device from the buffer zone air inlet end, so that the temperature of the buffer zone device is maintained at a preset temperature, preventing the by-products of the chemical vapor deposition reaction from solidifying on the wafer surface, the buffer zone, the loading zone door, etc. to generate particles, thereby improving the yield of the wafer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the utility model or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the utility model. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative labor.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the buffer device in the thin film deposition equipment platform provided by an embodiment of the utility model. Figure 1 ;

[0019] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of a heating chamber body provided by an embodiment of the utility model;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the buffer device in the thin film deposition equipment platform provided by an embodiment of the utility model. Figure 2 ;

[0021] Description of reference numerals:

[0022] 1--Loading area;

[0023] 2--Buffer device;

[0024] 201--buffer space area;

[0025] 2011--Buffer zone air intake end;

[0026] 2012--Buffer zone outlet;

[0027] 202--Heating chamber body;

[0028] 2021--Gas inlet;

[0029] 2022--Gas heating chamber;

[0030] 2023--Gas outlet;

[0031] 2024--Heating elements;

[0032] 203--Isolation valve;

[0033] 204--Thermostat;

[0034] 205--Power supply;

[0035] 206--Transmission components;

[0036] 3--Thin film process chamber. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] As described in the background technology, when a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition machine grows a thin film, for example, when growing a BD film (diamond film), OMCTS (octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane) is used as a reactant. Due to the process requirements and the characteristics of the reactant, the chemical vapor deposition reaction will produce by-products, and these by-products have a certain condensation temperature. Before the process starts, the robotic arm in the buffer zone takes the wafer out of the loading area and transfers it to the buffer zone. The robotic arm rotates to the corresponding process chamber in the buffer zone, and the corresponding process chamber valve opens. The robotic arm transfers the wafer to the process chamber and then exits, and the process chamber valve is closed. After the reaction is completed, the process chamber valve is opened, the robotic arm in the buffer zone takes out the wafer, and the process chamber valve is closed. In the process of transferring the wafer from the process chamber to the buffer zone, by-products and reaction gases will enter the buffer zone along with the wafer. In order to prevent the reaction gas in the process chamber from entering the buffer zone, gas is introduced into the buffer zone to maintain the buffer zone in a positive pressure state. When the wafer completes the reaction in the process chamber and reaches the buffer zone, due to the high temperature in the process chamber and the relatively low temperature in the buffer zone, the byproducts of the chemical vapor deposition reaction are transferred from the high-temperature process chamber to the low-temperature buffer zone, and solidify as the temperature decreases. This easily causes the byproducts of the chemical vapor deposition reaction to solidify and generate particles on the wafer surface, the buffer zone, the loading zone door, etc. under the purge of gas. Based on this, in order to solve the above problems, an embodiment of the utility model provides a buffer zone device in a thin film deposition equipment platform, wherein the buffer zone device is arranged between the loading zone and the thin film process chamber, and the wafer enters and exits each thin film process chamber from the loading zone via the buffer zone device. The buffer zone device includes a buffer space area, a conveying component installed in the buffer space area, a buffer zone air inlet end, a buffer zone air outlet end, and a gas heating element:

[0038] The gas heating element is installed at the air inlet end of the buffer zone, and the gas heating element includes a temperature-controlled power supply, a heating chamber body and a temperature sensor; the heating chamber body is provided with a gas inlet, a gas heating chamber, a heating element and a gas outlet, and the gas inlet and the gas outlet are arranged at both ends of the gas heating chamber; the heating element is arranged in the gas heating chamber; the temperature measuring part of the temperature sensor is arranged at the position of the gas outlet, and the detected temperature of the gas outlet is transmitted to the temperature-controlled power supply to control the working state of the gas heating element;

[0039] The buffer zone air inlet and the buffer zone air outlet are arranged on both sides of the conveying component; when the buffer zone device is in a working state, the heated gas enters the buffer zone device through the buffer zone air inlet, flows in the buffer space area, and is discharged from the buffer zone device through the buffer zone air outlet, thereby maintaining the temperature inside the buffer zone device at a preset temperature.

[0040] The utility model arranges a gas heating element at the buffer zone air inlet end of the buffer zone device, and the gas heated by the gas heating element enters the buffer zone device from the buffer zone air inlet end, so that the temperature of the buffer zone device is maintained at a preset temperature, thereby preventing the by-products of the chemical vapor deposition reaction from solidifying on the wafer surface, the buffer zone, the loading zone door, etc. to generate particles.

[0041] In order to make the above-mentioned purposes, features and beneficial effects of the utility model more obvious and easy to understand, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the utility model will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments 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.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 This embodiment provides a buffer device 2 in a thin film deposition equipment platform, wherein the buffer device 2 is arranged between a loading area 1 and a thin film process chamber 3, and wafers pass through the buffer device 2 and enter and exit each thin film process chamber 3 from the loading area 1.

[0043] The wafer is transported from the loading area 1 to the thin film process chamber 3 through the buffer device 2, and a thin film is grown in the thin film process chamber 3 through a chemical vapor reaction; after the reaction is completed, the wafer is transported from the thin film process chamber 3 to the buffer device 2. Since the temperature of the process chamber 3 reaches 300-400 degrees Celsius when the thin film is deposited, and the temperature of the buffer device 2 is generally 40-50 degrees Celsius, when the wafer is transported to the buffer device 2 after the thin film process is completed, the byproducts of the chemical vapor deposition reaction will solidify in the buffer device 2 as the temperature decreases, and gas will be introduced into the buffer device 2 to maintain the positive pressure state of the buffer device 2, so the byproduct condensate will fall on the wafer, the buffer device and the door of the loading area 1 along the direction of the airflow. Based on this, the utility model sets a gas heating element at the air inlet end of the buffer zone device 2. The gas is heated by the gas heating element and then passes into the buffer zone device 2, so as to maintain the temperature in the buffer zone device 2 at a preset temperature, thereby preventing the by-products of the chemical vapor deposition reaction from solidifying on the wafer surface, the buffer zone, the loading zone door, etc. to generate particles, thereby improving the yield of the wafer.

[0044] In order to achieve the above technical effects, the buffer device 2 provided in this embodiment includes a buffer space area 201, a conveying component 206 installed in the buffer space area 201, a buffer gas inlet end 2011, a buffer gas outlet end 2012 and a gas heating element, and the conveying component 206 is used to transfer wafers from the loading area 1 through the buffer space area 201 to and from each of the thin film process chambers 3, and after the process is completed, transfer the wafers from the thin film process chamber 3 through the buffer space area 201 to the loading area 1. The conveying component 206 is a mature technology in this field, and therefore, the utility model does not limit the specific structure of the conveying component, such as a robot, etc.

[0045] The buffer zone air inlet 2011 and the buffer zone air outlet 2012 are both connected to the buffer space 201. The buffer zone air inlet 2011 is used to pass external gas into the buffer space 201, and the buffer zone air outlet 2012 is used to discharge the gas in the buffer space 201 to the outside of the buffer space 201. In this embodiment, the buffer zone air outlet 2012 is arranged on the lower side of the conveying component 206 close to the loading area 1.

[0046] The gas heating element is installed at the buffer zone air inlet end 2011, and the gas heating element includes a temperature-controlled power supply, a heating chamber body 202 and a temperature sensor. The heating chamber body 202 is provided with a gas inlet 2021, a gas heating chamber 2022, a heating element 2024 and a gas outlet 2023. The gas inlet 2021 and the gas outlet 2023 are arranged at both ends of the gas heating chamber 2022, and the heating element 2024 is arranged in the gas heating chamber 2022. When working, the gas enters the gas heating chamber 2022 from the gas inlet 2021, and after being heated by the heating element 2024, it enters the buffer space area 201 from the gas outlet 2023 and the buffer zone air inlet end 2011 in turn, and after flowing in the buffer space area 201, it is discharged through the buffer zone air outlet end 2012.

[0047] The temperature measuring part of the temperature sensor is arranged at the position of the gas outlet 2023, and is used for detecting the temperature of the gas outlet 2023, and transmitting the detected temperature of the gas outlet 2023 to the temperature-controlled power supply, and the temperature-controlled power supply controls the working state of the heating chamber body 202 according to the temperature of the gas outlet 2023. Specifically, the temperature-controlled power supply compares the temperature of the gas outlet 2023 with the preset temperature. When the temperature of the gas outlet 2023 is too high, the temperature-controlled power supply controls the heating chamber body 202 to stop heating to reduce the temperature of the buffer space area 201; when the temperature of the gas outlet 2023 is too low, the temperature-controlled power supply controls the heating chamber body 202 to heat to increase the temperature of the buffer space area 201.

[0048] The buffer zone air inlet 2011 and the buffer zone air outlet 2012 are arranged on both sides of the transmission component. When the buffer zone device 2 is in a working state, the heated gas enters the buffer zone space through the buffer zone air inlet 2011, flows in the buffer zone 201, and is discharged from the buffer zone device 2 through the buffer zone air outlet 2012, thereby maintaining the temperature inside the buffer zone device 2 at a preset temperature.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 3 As an embodiment, the temperature-controlled power supply includes a temperature controller 204 and a power supply 205, wherein the power supply 205 is connected to the temperature controller 204, and the temperature controller 204 is respectively connected to the temperature sensor and the heating chamber body 202. When the temperature controller 204 is powered on and starts working, the temperature controller 204 sends a heating signal to the heating chamber body 202, and the heating element 2024 of the heating chamber body 202 starts to heat the gas. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of the gas outlet 2023 of the heating chamber body 202 and transmits it to the temperature controller 204. The temperature controller 204 controls the working state of the heating element 2024 according to the temperature of the gas outlet 2023. Specifically, the temperature controller 204 compares the temperature of the gas outlet 2023 with the preset temperature. When the temperature of the gas outlet 2023 is too high, the temperature controller 204 controls the heating element 2024 to stop heating to lower the temperature of the buffer space area 201; when the temperature of the gas outlet 2023 is too low, the temperature controller 204 controls the heating element 2024 to heat to increase the temperature of the buffer space area 201.

[0050] As an embodiment, the heating chamber body 202 is wrapped with thermal insulation cotton to maintain the temperature of the gas heating element stable, prevent the heating chamber body 202 from dissipating heat outward, reduce heat loss, and improve the working efficiency of the gas heating element.

[0051] As an embodiment, an isolation valve 203 is provided between the heating chamber body 202 and the buffer zone air inlet end 2011, and the isolation valve 203 acts as a switch. The isolation valve 203 is in a normally open state, and the gas passes through the isolation valve 203 into the buffer zone 201. When it is not necessary to pass gas into the buffer zone 201, the isolation valve 203 can be closed.

[0052] Temperature sensors are mature technologies in the field of temperature measurement. Therefore, the present invention does not limit the specific type of temperature sensors. The present invention can select the type according to actual use requirements. For example, the temperature measuring part of the temperature sensor can be a thermal resistor or a thermocouple. The present invention does not make specific restrictions on this. In this embodiment, the temperature measuring part of the temperature sensor is preferably a thermocouple.

[0053] The heating chamber body 202 is a mature technology in the field of gas heating. Therefore, the present invention does not limit the specific type of the heating chamber body 202, and the present invention can be selected according to actual use requirements. As an embodiment, the heating element 2024 of the heating chamber body 202 is a nickel-chromium alloy winding wire.

[0054] In order to facilitate the control of the flow of gas entering the buffer space, as an embodiment, a gas flow controller is provided on the outer side of the gas inlet 2021 of the heating chamber.

[0055] This embodiment requires that the gas introduced into the buffer space 201 has no effect on the thin film deposition process, such as an inert gas. Since nitrogen can undergo chemical changes with certain substances only under high temperature and high energy conditions, but is basically an inert gas at ambient temperature and medium temperature and does not react with other substances, in one embodiment, the gas may be nitrogen.

[0056] Since different thin films are grown with different reactants, the byproducts produced are also different, so the freezing points of the byproducts are also different, and the preset temperatures of the corresponding buffer devices 2 are also different. As an embodiment, the thin film process chamber 3 is a process chamber 3 for growing a diamond film, and the diamond film uses OMCTS (octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane) as a reactant. The byproducts produced by the production of the diamond film require a temperature of 150°C to 200°C to prevent them from condensing, so the preset temperature of the buffer device 2 is 150°C to 200°C.

[0057] To sum up, the utility model arranges a gas heating element at the buffer zone air inlet end of the buffer zone device, and the gas heated by the gas heating element enters the buffer zone device from the buffer zone air inlet end, so that the temperature of the buffer zone device is maintained at a preset temperature, preventing the by-products of the chemical vapor deposition reaction from solidifying on the wafer surface, buffer zone, loading zone door, etc. to generate particles, thereby improving the yield of the wafer and solving the technical problem that the by-products solidify on the wafer surface, buffer zone, loading zone door, etc. due to the low buffer zone temperature to generate particles.

[0058] Although the utility model is disclosed as above, the utility model is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of the utility model shall be subject to the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A buffer device in a thin film deposition equipment platform, wherein the buffer device is arranged between a loading area and a thin film process chamber, and wafers pass through the buffer device and enter and exit each thin film process chamber from the loading area, wherein: The buffer device comprises: A buffer space area, a conveying component installed in the buffer space area, a buffer area air inlet end, a buffer area air outlet end and a gas heating element; The gas heating element is installed at the air inlet end of the buffer zone, and the gas heating element includes a temperature-controlled power supply, a heating chamber body and a temperature sensor; the heating chamber body is provided with a gas inlet, a gas heating chamber, a heating element and a gas outlet, and the gas inlet and the gas outlet are arranged at both ends of the gas heating chamber; the heating element is arranged in the gas heating chamber; the temperature measuring part of the temperature sensor is arranged at the position of the gas outlet, and the detected temperature of the gas outlet is transmitted to the temperature-controlled power supply to control the working state of the gas heating element; The buffer zone air inlet and the buffer zone air outlet are arranged on both sides of the conveying component; when the buffer zone device is in a working state, the heated gas enters the buffer zone device through the buffer zone air inlet, flows in the buffer space area, and is discharged from the buffer zone device through the buffer zone air outlet, thereby maintaining the temperature inside the buffer zone device at a preset temperature.

2. The buffer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating chamber body is wrapped with heat-insulating cotton.

3. The buffer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: An isolation valve is provided between the gas heating element and the air inlet end of the buffer zone, and the isolation valve is in a normally open state.

4. The buffer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature measuring part of the temperature sensor is a thermocouple.

5. The buffer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heating element is a nickel-chromium alloy coil.

6. The buffer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A gas flow controller is arranged outside the gas inlet of the heating chamber.

7. The buffer device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The heated gas is nitrogen.

8. The buffer device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The thin film process chamber is a diamond film growing process chamber, and the preset temperature of the buffer zone device is 150° C. to 200° C.

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