Liquid source tank and thin film deposition equipment

Abstract

The utility model discloses a liquid source tank and thin film deposition equipment, the liquid source tank comprises a tank body, an air inlet pipeline, an air outlet pipeline and a purging branch, the air inlet pipeline is communicated with the tank body, and a first valve and an air inlet valve are sequentially arranged along the air inlet direction of the air inlet pipeline; the air outlet pipeline is communicated with the tank body, and an air outlet valve and a second valve are sequentially arranged in the air outlet direction of the air outlet pipeline; and the purging branch is connected with the air inlet pipeline and the air outlet pipeline, a purging valve is arranged in the purging branch, one end of the purging branch is connected between the first valve and the air inlet valve, and the other end of the purging branch is connected between the second valve and the air outlet valve. The purging branch is arranged between the gas inlet pipeline and the gas outlet pipeline, gas can be purged through the first valve, the purging valve and the second valve, the pipeline of a dead zone is shortened, residues can be purged thoroughly, residue accumulation is avoided, and the process reliability is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of semiconductors, and particularly to a liquid source tank and a thin film deposition device. Background Art

[0002] Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a technology for manufacturing thin film materials. It deposits atoms or molecules layer by layer by precisely controlling chemical reactions to obtain thin films with extremely high uniformity and conformality. Due to its excellent thin film quality, ALD technology has been widely used in the semiconductor industry, optoelectronic field, and nanotechnology. However, in the ALD process, there are still some problems in the use of liquid precursors, especially in the design of their transfer systems. In an ALD device, the transfer of a liquid source usually involves a complex gas path system, which includes components such as storage containers (tanks), delivery pipelines (manifolds), valves, and manual valves for introducing the liquid source into the reaction chamber. To ensure that the liquid source can be effectively delivered to the reaction chamber and to avoid the adverse effects of residual substances on subsequent processes, a thorough purge is required after each process step. This process is crucial for maintaining the stability and repeatability of the ALD process. Existing ALD devices are designed with a specific gas path structure, that is, the liquid source passes through a series of pipelines and valves from the storage container and finally enters the reaction chamber. In this process, to remove the liquid source remaining in the gas path, a purge operation is usually carried out after the process is completed. According to the existing design, the purge gas first passes through the manual valve of the storage container (tank hand valve), then through the main delivery pipeline (manifold), and finally is discharged through the ALD valve and the outlet manual valve. However, in practical applications, it is found that this design has certain limitations. Specifically, there are so-called "dead zones" in the pipelines between the ALD valve and the inlet manual valve and between the ALD valve and the outlet manual valve, that is, the purge gas is difficult to reach and remove the residues in these areas. The existence of these dead zones leads to incomplete purging of the liquid source, causing the gradual accumulation of residual substances, which in turn affects the PA performance of the ALD process, manifested as a decrease in thin film quality. As a result, problems such as shortened service life of equipment components and increased maintenance costs occur. In the long run, this incomplete purge phenomenon will not only reduce the overall efficiency of the ALD device but also increase the maintenance frequency and cost. Summary of the Utility Model

[0003] The utility model provides a liquid source tank and a thin film deposition device, aiming to solve the problem that there are dead zones during the purging of the existing liquid source tank, resulting in incomplete purging and the accumulation of residues.

[0004] In a first aspect, the present utility model provides a liquid source tank, comprising:

[0005] A tank body;

[0006] An intake pipeline, which is communicated with the tank body, and a first valve and an intake valve are sequentially arranged along the intake direction of the intake pipeline;

[0007] An outlet pipeline, which is communicated with the tank body, and an outlet valve and a second valve are sequentially arranged along the outlet direction of the outlet pipeline;

[0008] A purging branch, which is respectively connected to the intake pipeline and the outlet pipeline, and a purging valve is arranged in the purging branch. Among them, one end of the purging branch is connected between the first valve and the intake valve, and the other end is connected between the second valve and the outlet valve.

[0009] Further, the purging valve is integrally provided with the outlet valve; or, the purging valve is integrally provided with the intake valve.

[0010] Further, the connection position of one end of the purging branch with the intake pipeline is a first connection point, and the connection position of the other end of the purging branch with the outlet pipeline is a second connection point. Among them, the first connection point is close to the intake valve and far from the first valve, and the second connection point is close to the outlet valve and far from the second valve.

[0011] Further, the intake pipeline and the outlet pipeline are vertically arranged at the top of the tank body and are communicated with the inside of the tank body, and the purging branch is parallel to the top of the tank body and both ends are respectively vertically connected between the intake pipeline and the outlet pipeline.

[0012] Further, the outlet valve and the purging valve are arranged back to back with respect to the outlet pipeline; and / or,

[0013] The intake valve and the outlet valve are arranged in the same direction.

[0014] Further, a pressure gauge is further arranged on the outlet pipeline, and the pressure gauge is connected between the second valve and the outlet valve.

[0015] Further, the first valve and the second valve are pneumatic valves; and / or,

[0016] The intake valve and the outlet valve are manual valves; and / or,

[0017] The purging valve is a pneumatic valve.

[0018] Further, the liquid source tank further includes a filling pipeline, the filling pipeline communicates with the tank body, and a third valve and a filling valve are provided along the filling direction of the filling pipeline.

[0019] Further, the filling valve is disposed adjacent to the intake valve and the outlet valve and is provided at the top of the tank body.

[0020] In a third aspect, the present invention further provides a thin film deposition device, including the above-mentioned liquid source tank.

[0021] The present invention provides a liquid source tank and a thin film deposition device. The liquid source tank includes a tank body, an intake pipeline, an outlet pipeline, and a purge branch. The intake pipeline and the outlet pipeline are both communicated to the inside of the tank body. The intake pipeline is provided with a first valve and an intake valve, and the outlet pipeline is provided with an outlet valve and a second valve. One end of the purge branch is connected between the first valve and the intake valve, and the other end of the purge branch is connected between the outlet valve and the second valve, so as to connect the intake pipeline and the outlet pipeline. A purge valve for controlling its on-off is provided on the purge branch. During purging, the intake valve and the outlet valve are closed, the purge valve is opened, the purge branch is conducted, and gas can be purged through the first valve, the purge valve, and the second valve, so that the dead zone from the first valve to the intake valve can be purged, and the dead zone from the outlet valve to the second valve can be purged, shortening the pipeline of the dead zone. Thereby, the residues can be purged cleanly, avoiding the accumulation of residues, improving the process reliability, extending the service life, and reducing the maintenance cost. Description of the Drawings

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are some embodiments of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0023] Figure 1 Shows a schematic diagram of the purge path of the liquid source tank according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 Shows a schematic diagram of the liquid source tank according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 Shows a top view schematic diagram of the liquid source tank according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 Shows Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the A-A cross-section of;

[0027] Figure 5 Shows a side view schematic diagram of the liquid source tank according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 shows Figure 5 a schematic cross-sectional view of the B-B section of

[0029] Reference numerals:

[0030] 1, tank body; 2, intake pipeline; 21, first valve; 22, intake valve; 3, outlet pipeline; 31, second valve; 32, outlet valve; 33, pressure gauge; 4, purge branch; 41, purge valve; 5, filling pipeline; 51, third valve; 52, filling valve. Specific embodiments

[0031] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0032] The directional terms mentioned in the present invention, such as "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", "side", etc., are only references to the directions in the attached drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for explaining and understanding the present invention, rather than for limiting the present invention. In addition, in the drawings, structures that are similar or the same are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0033] The embodiment of the present invention provides a liquid source tank and a thin film deposition device, which solves the problem that there are dead zones during the purging of the existing liquid source tank, resulting in incomplete purging and residue accumulation. By setting up a purge branch for purging, the pipeline of the dead zone is shortened, and the residue can be purged cleanly, improving the process reliability.

[0034] The specific idea for the embodiment of the present invention to solve the above dead zone problem is as follows:

[0035] There are mainly two dead zones in the current ALD during purging, which are respectively the pipeline section between the ALD valve and the inlet manual valve, and the pipeline section from the ALD valve to the outlet manual valve. In order to enable the gas to purge these two dead zones, a purge branch is added between the inlet pipeline and the outlet pipeline. One end of the purge branch is connected between the ALD valve and the inlet manual valve, and the other end of the purge branch is connected between the ALD valve and the outlet manual valve. In this way, during purging, the gas can blow towards the pipeline section between the ALD valve and the inlet manual valve, pass through the purge branch, and then blow out from the pipeline section from the ALD valve to the outlet manual valve. Thus, through this purge branch, both ends of the dead zone can be purged, shortening the pipeline of the dead zone and avoiding the accumulation of residues.

[0036] To better understand the above technical solution, the above technical solution will be described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of the specification and specific implementation manners.

[0037] Please refer to Figures 1-6 , an embodiment of the present utility model shows a liquid source tank, including a tank body 1, an inlet pipeline 2, an outlet pipeline 3 and a purge branch 4. The inlet pipeline 2 is communicated with the tank body 1, and a first valve 21 and an inlet valve 22 are sequentially arranged along the inlet direction of the inlet pipeline 2; the outlet pipeline 3 is communicated with the tank body 1, and an outlet valve 32 and a second valve 31 are sequentially arranged along the outlet direction of the outlet pipeline 3; the purge branch 4 is respectively connected to the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3, and a purge valve 41 is arranged in the purge branch 4. Among them, one end of the purge branch 4 is connected between the first valve 21 and the inlet valve 22, and the other end is connected between the second valve 31 and the outlet valve 32.

[0038] Refer to Figure 2, specifically, the tank body 1 is in a cylindrical shape with a hollow interior. The inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3 are vertically arranged at the top of the tank body 1 and extend into the interior of the tank body 1 to communicate with the interior of the tank body 1. The inlet pipeline 2 is provided with a first valve 21 and an intake valve 22. The first valve 21 is upstream of the intake valve 22, and the downstream of the intake valve 22 is the tank body 1. The first valve 21 is also the ALD valve. The intake valve 22 is the valve at the intake port of the tank body 1 for controlling the entry of gas into the interior of the tank body 1, and the intake valve 22 is arranged on the top of the tank body 1. The outlet pipeline 3 is provided with a second valve 31 and an exhaust valve 32. The second valve 31 is downstream of the exhaust valve 32, and the upstream of the exhaust valve 32 is the tank body 1. The second valve 31 is also the ALD valve. The exhaust valve 32 is the valve at the outlet of the tank body 1 for controlling the discharge of gas from the interior of the tank body 1, and the exhaust valve 32 is also arranged on the top of the tank body 1. The purge branch 4 is also arranged at the top of the tank body 1. The purge branch 4 is a relatively short pipeline with a length less than the diameter of the tank body 1. The purge branch 4 is arranged between the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3 on the top of the tank body 1, and both ends of the purge branch 4 are connected to the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3 respectively. A purge valve 41 is arranged on the purge branch 4. The purge valve 41 is used to control the on-off of the purge branch 4. During the process, the purge valve 41 is closed and the purge branch 4 is shut off; during purging, the purge valve 41 is opened and the purge branch 4 is conducted, so as to connect the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3. Among them, the connection end of the purge branch 4 and the inlet pipeline 2 is located between the first valve 21 and the intake valve 22, and the connection end of the purge branch 4 and the outlet pipeline 3 is located between the second valve 31 and the exhaust valve 32. Therefore, during purging, as Figure 1 shown in the purging path, the purging gas can enter from the first valve 21 of the inlet pipeline 2 and enter the dead zone between the first valve 21 and the intake valve 22 to purge this dead zone. The gas then passes through the purge branch 4 and enters the dead zone between the exhaust valve 32 and the second valve 31 in the outlet pipeline 3, and then purges this dead zone. Thus, the dead zone between the first valve 21 and the intake valve 22 can be purged, and the dead zone between the exhaust valve 32 and the second valve 31 can be purged, shortening the pipeline of the dead zone.

[0039] Through this embodiment, by adding the purge branch 4 to connect the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3, the dead zone between the first valve 21 and the intake valve 22 and the dead zone between the exhaust valve 32 and the second valve 31 can be purged, shortening the pipeline of the dead zone, avoiding the accumulation of residues, improving the process reliability, prolonging the service life, and reducing the maintenance cost.

[0040] In one embodiment, the purge valve 41 is integrally provided with the outlet valve 32; alternatively, the purge valve 41 is integrally provided with the inlet valve 22. Specifically, the integral provision of the purge valve 41 and the outlet valve 32 means integrating the purge valve 41 and the outlet valve 32 structurally. Structurally integrating the purge valve 41 and the outlet valve 32 can make the purge valve 41 as close as possible to the outlet valve 32, thereby shortening the pipeline in the dead zone as much as possible, reducing the dead zone to the minimum, and having a smaller volume and being lighter. Similarly, the integral provision of the purge valve 41 and the inlet valve 22 means integrating the purge valve 41 and the inlet valve 22 structurally. Structurally integrating the purge valve 41 and the inlet valve 22 can make the purge valve 41 as close as possible to the inlet valve 22, thereby shortening the pipeline in the dead zone as much as possible, reducing the dead zone to the minimum, and having a smaller volume and being lighter.

[0041] In one embodiment, the connection position of one end of the purge branch 4 to the intake pipeline 2 is the first connection point, and the connection position of the other end of the purge branch 4 to the outlet pipeline 3 is the second connection point, wherein the first connection point is close to the inlet valve 22 and far from the first valve 21, and the second connection point is close to the outlet valve 32 and far from the second valve 31.

[0042] Specifically, since the purge branch 4 connects the intake pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3, the connection position of the purge branch 4 to the intake pipeline 2 affects the length of the dead zone pipeline between the first valve 21 and the inlet valve 22. Because during purging, the inlet valve 22 and the outlet valve 32 are closed, and the purge path is from the first valve 21 to the purge branch 4, passing through the purge valve 41 and then being blown out from the second valve 31. Therefore, if the connection position is close to the first valve 21, the purge gas may directly enter the purge branch 4 after coming out of the first valve 21, and there is still a dead zone in the pipeline from this connection position to the inlet valve 22. Thus, in this embodiment, the connection position of the purge branch 4 to the intake pipeline 2, that is, the first connection point, is selected to be close to the inlet valve 22. In this way, the purge gas can flow through the entire pipeline from the first valve 21 to the inlet valve 22 as much as possible before flowing into the purge branch 4, purging the entire dead zone as much as possible, the pipeline from the first connection point to the inlet valve 22 is as short as possible, shortening the dead zone, improving the purge effect, and avoiding residue accumulation.

[0043] Similarly, the connection position of the purge branch 4 and the outlet pipeline 3 affects the length of the dead-end pipeline section from the second valve 31 to the outlet valve 32. Because during purging, the inlet valve 22 and the outlet valve 32 are closed, and the purging path is from the first valve 21 to the purge branch 4, through the purge valve 41, and then blown out from the second valve 31. Therefore, if the connection position is close to the second valve 31, the purge gas may directly pass through the second valve 31 and be discharged after coming out of the purge branch 4, and there is still a dead-end section in the pipeline from this connection position to the outlet valve 32. Thus, in this embodiment, the connection position of the purge branch 4 and the outlet pipeline 3, that is, the second connection point, is selected to be close to the outlet valve 32. In this way, the purge gas can flow through the entire pipeline section from the second valve 31 to the outlet valve 32 as much as possible and then be discharged through the second valve 31, purging the entire dead-end section as much as possible. The pipeline section from the second connection point to the inlet valve 22 is as short as possible, shortening the dead-end section, improving the purging effect, and avoiding residue accumulation.

[0044] In this embodiment, the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3 are vertically arranged at the top of the tank body 1 and are in communication with the inside of the tank body 1. The purge branch 4 is parallel to the top of the tank body 1 and its two ends are respectively vertically connected between the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3. Specifically, the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3 are adjacently arranged at the top of the tank body 1. The inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3 vertically penetrate the top of the tank body 1 and extend into the inside of the tank body 1 to be in communication with the inside of the tank body 1. The purge branch 4 is a straight short pipe. The purge branch 4 is also at the top of the tank body 1. The purge branch 4 is parallel to the top of the tank body 1. The two ends of the purge branch 4 are respectively connected to the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3. The purge branch 4 is located between the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3. The purge branch 4 is perpendicular to the inlet pipeline 2 and the outlet pipeline 3. In this way, the inlet pipeline 2, the outlet pipeline 3, and the purge branch 4 are all integrated at the top of the tank body 1, with a simple and compact structure, a small volume, and being more lightweight.

[0045] Further, the air outlet valve 32 and the purging valve 41 are arranged back-to-back with respect to the air outlet pipeline 3. The air inlet valve 22 and the air outlet valve 32 are arranged in the same direction. Specifically, the air inlet pipeline 2 and the air outlet pipeline 3 are arranged at a position near the center at the top of the tank body 1. The air outlet valve 32 and the purging valve 41 are arranged back-to-back with respect to the air outlet pipeline 3, that is, the air outlet valve 32 and the purging valve 41 are symmetric along the air outlet pipeline 3. The air outlet valve 32 faces forward, while the purging valve 41 faces backward. The air outlet valve 32 and the purging valve 41 make full use of the space at the top of the tank body 1. The air outlet valve 32 and the purging valve 41 are integrated together, with a smaller volume and lighter weight. In addition, the air inlet valve 22 and the air outlet valve 32 are both in the same direction. For example, the air inlet valve 22 and the air outlet valve 32 face forward, so that the operator can operate the air inlet valve 22 and the air outlet valve 32 on the same side, which is convenient for operation and maintenance.

[0046] In one embodiment, a pressure gauge 33 is further provided on the air outlet pipeline 3, and the pressure gauge 33 is connected between the second valve 31 and the air outlet valve 32. Specifically, the pressure gauge 33 is arranged between the second valve 31 and the air outlet valve 32 to detect the air pressure in this section of the pipeline, ensure that this section of the pipeline is purged clean, and avoid the residue of the liquid source.

[0047] In one embodiment, the first valve 21 and the second valve 31 are pneumatic valves. The air inlet valve 22 and the air outlet valve 32 are manual valves. The purging valve 41 is a pneumatic valve. Of course, it can be understood that in other embodiments, the above valves can also be other types of valves, which are not limited herein.

[0048] In one embodiment, the liquid source tank further includes a filling pipeline 5, and the filling pipeline 5 is communicated with the tank body 1. A third valve 51 and a filling valve 52 are arranged along the filling direction of the filling pipeline 5. Specifically, the liquid source tank is further provided with a filling pipeline 5. The filling pipeline 5 is also vertically arranged at the top of the tank body 1 and extends into the interior of the tank body 1 to communicate with the interior of the tank body 1. The filling pipeline 5 is provided with a third valve 51 and a filling valve 52. The third valve 51 is upstream of the filling valve 52, and the downstream of the filling valve 52 is the tank body 1. The filling pipeline 5 is used to add new liquid source to the storage tank to ensure that there is always enough liquid source supply in the tank body 1.

[0049] In this embodiment, the filling valve 52 is arranged adjacent to the air inlet valve 22 and the air outlet valve 32 at the top of the tank body 1. Specifically, the filling valve 52, the air inlet valve 22, the air outlet valve 32 and the purging valve 41 are all arranged at the top of the tank body 1. The air inlet valve 22, the air outlet valve 32 and the purging valve 41 are at the same level, and the filling valve 52 is slightly higher. All the valves are integrated at the top of the tank body 1, with a compact structure, small volume and lighter weight.

[0050] An embodiment of the present utility model further provides a thin film deposition device, which includes the liquid source tank of the above embodiment. Specifically, the liquid source tank has been described in detail in the above embodiment. For the sake of simplicity of the specification, it will not be elaborated here.

[0051] In this embodiment, by adopting a new gas path design, the problem of dead zones is effectively solved, the reliability of the process is improved, and the integrated design of the purge valve 41 and the outlet valve 32 can minimize the dead zone, reduce the maintenance cost, and make the volume more compact.

[0052] The above is only a specific implementation manner of the present utility model, but the protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed by the present utility model can easily think of various equivalent modifications or substitutions, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the protection scope of the present utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of the present utility model shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A liquid source tank, characterized in that, Comprising: A tank body; An intake pipeline, which is communicated with the tank body, and a first valve and an intake valve are sequentially arranged along the intake direction of the intake pipeline; An exhaust pipeline, which is communicated with the tank body, and an exhaust valve and a second valve are sequentially arranged along the exhaust direction of the exhaust pipeline; A purging branch, which is respectively connected with the intake pipeline and the exhaust pipeline, and a purging valve is arranged in the purging branch. Wherein, one end of the purging branch is connected between the first valve and the intake valve, and the other end is connected between the second valve and the exhaust valve.

2. The liquid source tank according to claim 1, wherein The purging valve is integrally provided with the exhaust valve; or, the purging valve is integrally provided with the intake valve.

3. The liquid source tank according to claim 1, wherein The connection position of one end of the purging branch with the intake pipeline is a first connection point, and the connection position of the other end of the purging branch with the exhaust pipeline is a second connection point. Wherein, the first connection point is close to the intake valve and far from the first valve, and the second connection point is close to the exhaust valve and far from the second valve.

4. The liquid source tank according to claim 3, characterized in that, The intake pipeline and the exhaust pipeline are vertically arranged at the top of the tank body and are communicated with the inside of the tank body, and the purging branch is parallel to the top of the tank body and the two ends are respectively vertically connected between the intake pipeline and the exhaust pipeline.

5. The liquid source tank according to claim 4, characterized in that, The exhaust valve and the purging valve are arranged back to back relative to the exhaust pipeline; and / or, The intake valve and the exhaust valve are arranged in the same direction.

6. The liquid source tank according to claim 1, wherein, A pressure gauge is further arranged on the exhaust pipeline, and the pressure gauge is connected between the second valve and the exhaust valve.

7. The liquid source tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first valve and the second valve are pneumatic valves; and / or, The intake valve and the exhaust valve are manual valves; and / or, The purging valve is a pneumatic valve.

8. The liquid source tank according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, It further comprises a filling pipeline, which is communicated with the tank body, and a third valve and a filling valve are arranged along the filling direction of the filling pipeline.

9. The liquid source tank according to claim 8, wherein The filling valve is adjacently arranged with the intake valve and the exhaust valve and is arranged at the top of the tank body.

10. A thin film deposition device, characterized in that, Comprising the liquid source tank according to any one of claims 1-9.

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