Connecting piece of radio frequency circuit, radio frequency electrode assembly and semiconductor device processing equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a connecting piece of a radio frequency circuit, a radio frequency electrode assembly and semiconductor device processing equipment. The connecting piece of the radio frequency circuit is made of a conductive material. The connecting piece comprises a first connecting end, a second connecting end and a deformation part. And the first connecting end is fixedly connected with a heating disc of semiconductor device processing equipment. And the second connecting end is fixedly connected with the alternating current filter. The deformation part is located between the first connecting end and the second connecting end so as to lead radio frequency energy into the heating disc. And an included angle between the deformation part and at least one of the first connecting end and the second connecting end is an acute angle. The connecting piece can be used for better isolating heat generated by the heating unit and / or radio frequency energy and absorbing alternating stress generated by thermal expansion caused by the heat, so that the risk of fatigue fracture caused by the alternating stress in a radio frequency circuit is reduced, and the service life of the connecting piece is prolonged.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The utility model relates to the processing field of semiconductor device especially relates to a kind of connecting piece of radio frequency circuit, a kind of radio frequency electrode assembly and a kind of semiconductor device processing equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] In current high-temperature carbon material manufacturing technology, the RF power of the heating disc is very large, and the temperature of the RF rod of the heating disc is very high, thus generating a large amount of thermal expansion. Moreover, as the temperature of the heating disc is high, the connecting piece between the RF rod of the heating disc and the directly connected AC filter, as one of the important components on the RF introduction path, needs to isolate the heat conducted from the heating disc through the RF electrode plate and absorb the thermal expansion caused by high temperature. However, as the on-off of the RF circuit has a certain periodicity, the heat generated by the connection of the RF circuit will further increase the temperature of the RF electrode plate, thus increasing the thermal expansion amount of the RF electrode plate, and the disconnection of the RF circuit will reduce the thermal expansion amount of the RF electrode plate. Therefore, the on-off of the RF circuit will cause the connecting piece at the intermediate position to periodically deform, thus bearing alternating stress, and there is a risk of fatigue fracture after a period of use.

[0003] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects existing in the prior art, the present application provides a connecting piece of RF circuit, a radio frequency electrode assembly and a semiconductor device processing equipment, which can increase the cantilever length of the deformation part of the connecting piece of RF circuit by setting the included angle between the deformation part and at least one of the two connecting ends as an acute angle, prolong the heat transfer path, better isolate the heat generated by the heating unit and / or RF energy, and absorb the alternating stress caused by the thermal expansion caused by the heat, so as to reduce the risk of fatigue fracture caused by alternating stress in the RF circuit, thus prolonging the service life of the connecting piece. SUMMARY

[0004] The following gives a brief summary of one or more aspects to provide a basic understanding of these aspects. This summary is not an exhaustive overview of all contemplated aspects, and is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of all aspects nor to delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description to be given later.

[0005] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects existing in the prior art, the present application provides a connecting piece of RF circuit, a radio frequency electrode assembly and a semiconductor device processing equipment, which can increase the cantilever length of the deformation part of the connecting piece of RF circuit by setting the included angle between the deformation part and at least one of the two connecting ends as an acute angle, prolong the heat transfer path, better isolate the heat generated by the heating unit and / or RF energy, and absorb the alternating stress caused by the thermal expansion caused by the heat, so as to reduce the risk of fatigue fracture caused by alternating stress in the RF circuit, thus prolonging the service life of the connecting piece.

[0006] Specifically, the connector for the radio frequency circuit provided in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention is made of a conductive material. The connector includes a first connecting end, a second connecting end, and a deformable portion. The first connecting end is fixedly connected to a heating plate of semiconductor device processing equipment. The second connecting end is fixedly connected to an AC filter. The deformable portion is located between the first connecting end and the second connecting end to introduce radio frequency energy to the heating plate. The angle between the deformable portion and at least one of the first connecting end and the second connecting end is an acute angle.

[0007] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the included angles between the deformable portion and the first connecting end and the second connecting end are all acute angles. The deformable portion is an arc-shaped structure with a central angle greater than 180°.

[0008] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the angle range is 30° to 50°.

[0009] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the connector is made of copper. The radius of the arc-shaped structure is greater than 2 mm. The distance between the first connection end and the second connection end is greater than 4 mm. The length of the arc-shaped structure is greater than 14 mm.

[0010] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the radius of the arc-shaped structure is greater than 5 mm and less than 6.5 mm.

[0011] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the first connecting end of the connecting member is fixedly connected to the first RF rod of the heating plate handle via at least one first bolt, and / or the second connecting end of the connecting member is fixedly connected to the second RF rod of the AC filter via at least one second bolt.

[0012] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the first end of the first RF rod is connected to the RF electrode plate within the heating plate body, while the second end thereof extends within the envelope of the cylindrical metal cover of the heating plate handle. The first end of the second RF rod is connected to the AC filter, while the second end thereof extends within the envelope of the cylindrical metal cover. The connector connects the first and second RF rods within the envelope of the cylindrical metal cover.

[0013] In addition, the above-mentioned RF electrode assembly provided according to the second aspect of the present invention includes an RF electrode plate, at least one first RF rod, at least one second RF rod and at least one connecting member. The RF electrode plate is located inside the heating disk body and is connected to the heating unit located inside the heating disk body. The first end of the at least one first RF rod is connected to the RF electrode plate, and the second end thereof extends through the handle of the heating disk. The at least one second RF rod is connected to an AC filter for extracting the RF energy provided by it to drive the heating unit to operate and / or excite the RF electric field. The at least one connecting member is selected from the connecting member provided in the first aspect of the present invention, which is arranged between the first RF rod and the second RF rod, and is used to introduce the RF energy provided by the AC filter into the heating disk, isolate the heat generated by the heating unit and / or the RF energy, and absorb the alternating stress generated by the thermal expansion caused by the heat.

[0014] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the RF electrode assembly includes a plurality of the first RF rods, a plurality of the second RF rods, and a plurality of the connecting members, each of which is connected to one of the first RF rods and one of the second RF rods.

[0015] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the deformable portions of the connectors are disposed facing each other, and the minimum distance between any two of the deformable portions is greater than the minimum discharge distance of the corresponding conductive material.

[0016] Furthermore, the semiconductor device processing apparatus provided in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention includes a process chamber and a radio frequency electrode assembly as provided in the second aspect of the present invention. A heating plate is disposed in the process chamber. The radio frequency electrode assembly is configured to generate radio frequency energy and direct it to the heating plate to heat a wafer to be processed and / or to provide a radio frequency electric field within the process chamber. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The above features and advantages of the present invention can be better understood after reading the detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the following drawings. In the drawings, the components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components with similar related properties or characteristics may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a radio frequency electrode assembly provided according to some embodiments of the present utility model is shown.

[0019] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a radio frequency electrode assembly provided according to some embodiments of the present utility model is shown.

[0020] Figure 3A structure schematic view of a radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the reference example of the present application is shown.

[0021] Figure 4 A cross section schematic view of a deformation part of a connecting piece provided by some embodiments of the present application is shown.

[0022] Figure 5A A thermal deformation simulation diagram of a connecting piece provided by the reference example of the present application is shown.

[0023] Figure 5B A thermal deformation simulation diagram of a connecting piece provided by some embodiments of the present application is shown.

[0024] Reference signs:

[0025] 11 first radio frequency rod

[0026] 12 second radio frequency rod

[0027] 131 first connecting end

[0028] 132 second connecting end

[0029] 133 deformation part

[0030] 134 first bolt

[0031] 135 second bolt DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The embodiments of the present application will be described in detail by specific embodiments, and other advantages and effects of the present application can be easily understood by those skilled in the art from the content disclosed in the description. Although the description of the present application will be introduced in combination with the preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of the present application are limited to the embodiments. On the contrary, the purpose of introducing the present application in combination with the embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that can be extended based on the claims of the present application. In order to provide a deep understanding of the present application, many specific details will be included in the following description. The present application can also be implemented without using these details. In addition, in order to avoid confusion or obscure the focus of the present application, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0033] In the description of the present application, it should be pointed out that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connection" should be understood broadly, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integrally connected; it can be mechanical connection, or electrical connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through intermediate medium, or the communication inside two elements. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood to refer to the orientations depicted in that section and the accompanying drawings. These relative terms are used solely for convenience of description and do not necessarily imply that the devices described herein must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0035] It is understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc. may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or portions, these components, regions, layers, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are merely used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or portions. Thus, a first component, region, layer, and / or portion discussed below may be referred to as a second component, region, layer, and / or portion without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0036] As mentioned above, the RF circuit's on-off cycle is somewhat cyclical. The heat generated by the RF circuit's on-state further increases the temperature of the RF electrode plate, thereby increasing its thermal expansion. Disconnecting the RF circuit, on the other hand, reduces its thermal expansion. Consequently, the on-off cycle of the RF circuit causes periodic deformation of the intermediate connector, subjecting it to alternating stress and posing a risk of fatigue fracture after a period of use.

[0037] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the present invention provides a connector for a radio frequency circuit, a radio frequency electrode assembly and a semiconductor device processing equipment. The angle between the deformation portion of the connector for the radio frequency circuit and at least one of the two connection ends can be set to an acute angle, thereby increasing the cantilever length of the deformation portion and extending the heat transfer path, so as to better isolate the heat generated by the heating unit and / or radio frequency energy, and absorb the alternating stress generated by the thermal expansion caused by the heat, so as to reduce the risk of fatigue fracture caused by alternating stress in the radio frequency circuit, thereby extending the service life of the connector.

[0038] In some non-limiting embodiments, the RF electrode assembly provided in the second aspect of the present invention can be configured in the semiconductor device processing equipment provided in the third aspect of the present invention for implementation. Specifically, the semiconductor device processing equipment provided in the third aspect of the present invention includes a process chamber and the RF electrode assembly provided in the second aspect of the present invention. Here, a heating plate is configured in the process chamber. The RF electrode assembly is used to generate RF energy and introduce it into the heating plate to heat the wafer to be processed, and / or provide an RF electric field to the interior of the process chamber.

[0039] Please refer to the following for details Figure 1 . Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a radio frequency electrode assembly provided according to some embodiments of the present utility model is shown.

[0040] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the RF electrode assembly provided by the second aspect of the present invention includes an RF electrode plate, at least one first RF rod 11, at least one second RF rod 12, and at least one connector. Here, the RF electrode plate is located inside the heating disk body and is connected to the heating unit located inside the heating disk body. The first end of the at least one first RF rod 11 is connected to the RF electrode plate, and the second end thereof extends through the handle of the heating disk. The at least one second RF rod 12 is connected to an AC filter for extracting the RF energy provided by it to drive the heating unit to operate and / or excite the RF electric field. The at least one connector is selected from the connector provided by the first aspect of the present invention, which is arranged between the first RF rod 11 and the second RF rod 12, and is used to introduce the RF energy provided by the AC filter into the heating disk, isolate the heat generated by the heating unit and / or the RF energy, and absorb the alternating stress generated by the thermal expansion caused by the heat.

[0041] Please refer to Figure 2 . Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a radio frequency electrode assembly provided according to some embodiments of the present utility model is shown.

[0042] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the second aspect of the present invention provides an RF electrode assembly comprising a plurality of first RF rods 11, a plurality of second RF rods 12, and a plurality of connectors, which are configured to further reduce the amount of heat distributed to each connector, thereby isolating heat generated by the heating unit and / or RF energy and absorbing alternating stresses caused by thermal expansion resulting from this heat. Each connector connects one first RF rod 11 and one second RF rod 12.

[0043] Furthermore, the deformable portions 133 of each connector are disposed facing each other. Here, the minimum spacing between each deformable portion 133 (for example, the minimum spacing between one arc-shaped structure and another arc-shaped structure) is greater than the minimum discharge distance of the corresponding conductive material to prevent sparks from occurring when the distance is too close.

[0044] Furthermore, in Figure 1In the shown embodiment, the connecting piece is made of conductive material. Here, the connecting piece comprises a first connecting end 131, a second connecting end 132, and a deformation portion 133. The first connecting end 131 is fixedly connected to a heating disc of a semiconductor device processing equipment. The second connecting end 132 is fixedly connected to an AC filter. The deformation portion 133 is located between the first connecting end 131 and the second connecting end 132 to guide the RF energy to the heating disc. Here, the deformation portion 133 forms an acute angle with at least one of the first connecting end 131 and the second connecting end 132.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 3 . Figure 3 A structure diagram of a RF electrode assembly according to the reference example of the present application is shown.

[0046] As Figure 3 shown, the deformation portion 133 of the connecting piece of the existing RF circuit forms an obtuse angle or a right angle with the first connecting end 131 and the second connecting end 132. Here, the deformation portion 133 is of an n-type structure.

[0047] Further, due to the periodic on-off of the RF circuit, the periodic input or stop of the RF power will cause thermal expansion or shrinkage of the connecting piece, thereby causing the connecting piece to bear alternating stress. The relationship between the deformation D and the mechanical parameters of the connecting piece satisfies the following formula:

[0048]

[0049] wherein D is the deformation, L is the cantilever length, E is the Young's modulus, and I is the cross-sectional moment.

[0050] Therefore, in the case where the deformation D is a fixed value (for example: 2.5mm), in order to reduce the alternating load P, it is necessary to increase the cantilever length L of the connecting piece to alleviate the mechanical fatigue caused by the excessive alternating load P. Here, the cantilever length L of the connecting piece is the length between the center position of the deformation portion 133 and the first connecting end 131 or the second connecting end 132.

[0051] Thus, as Figure 1 shown, compared with the prior art of obtuse angle or right angle, the present application can effectively increase the cantilever length of the deformation portion 133 to prolong the heat transfer path, thereby better isolating the heat generated by the heating unit and / or the RF energy and absorbing the alternating stress caused by the thermal expansion of the heat. In this way, the present application can effectively reduce the risk of fatigue fracture caused by the alternating stress and prolong the service life of the connecting piece.

[0052] Please further refer to Figure 4 . Figure 4A cross-sectional view of a deformation part of a connecting piece is shown.

[0053] In Figure 4 In the shown embodiment, the angles α1 and α2 between the deformation part 133 and the first and second connecting ends 131 and 132 are acute angles. The deformation part 133 is a circular arc structure with a central angle greater than 180°. Here, the deformation part 133 is an Ω-shaped structure.

[0054] Further, in some preferred embodiments, the angles α1 and α2 are in the range of 30° to 50°.

[0055] In addition, in some alternative embodiments, one of the angles α1 between the deformation part 133 and the first connecting end 131 or the angle α2 between the deformation part 133 and the second connecting end 132 is a right angle, and the other is an acute angle. Here, the deformation part 133 is a D-shaped structure.

[0056] Further, the connecting piece is made of copper. Here, the fatigue strength of the copper material is in the range of 50 MPa to 60 MPa, the minimum creepage distance is 14 mm, and the minimum discharge distance is 4 mm. In order to adapt to the basic structure of the creepage distance and discharge distance of the copper material, the radius of the circular arc structure of the deformation part 133 is greater than 2 mm. The distance between the first connecting end 131 and the second connecting end 132 is greater than 4 mm to avoid the phenomenon of sparking due to too close distance. The length of the circular arc structure is greater than 14 mm.

[0057] In addition, in some alternative embodiments, the radius of the circular arc structure of the deformation part 133 is greater than 5 mm and less than 6.5 mm to further take into account the working life and installation space.

[0058] In addition, in Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the shown embodiment, the first connecting end 131 of the connecting piece is fixedly connected to the first radio frequency rod 11 of the heating disc handle part via at least one first bolt 134. Similarly, the second connecting end 132 of the connecting piece is fixedly connected to the second radio frequency rod 12 of the alternating current filter via at least one second bolt 135.

[0059] In addition, in some embodiments, the first end of the first radio frequency rod 11 is connected to a radio frequency electrode plate in the heating disc body, and the second end thereof extends into the envelope range of the cylindrical metal cover of the heating disc handle part. The first end of the second radio frequency rod 12 is connected to the alternating current filter, and the second end thereof extends into the envelope range of the cylindrical metal cover. The connecting piece connects the first radio frequency rod and the second radio frequency rod in the envelope range of the cylindrical metal cover. Here, the diameter of the cylindrical metal cover is in the range of 40 mm to 52 mm, and the height is in the range of 40 mm to 51 mm.

[0060] Please refer to Figure 5Aand Figure 5B . Figure 5A A thermal deformation simulation diagram of a connector provided according to a reference example of the present invention is shown. Figure 5B A thermal deformation simulation diagram of a connector provided according to some embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0061] like Figure 5A and Figure 5B As shown, technicians can simulate and compare the maximum stress borne by the center position of the connector of the n-type deformation part and the connector of the Ω-type deformation part under the same thermal deformation conditions. Figure 5A As shown in Figure 2, the maximum stress borne by the connector of the n-type deformation part is 1.253E9Pa, which exceeds the yield stress of the copper material 2.586E8Pa. Figure 5B As shown, the maximum stress borne by the connector of the radio frequency circuit of the Ω-shaped deformation portion provided by the present invention is 1.577E8, which does not exceed the yield stress of the copper material.

[0062] Furthermore, technicians can also conduct on-device performance tests on the n-type deformable portion connector and the RF circuit connector provided by the first aspect of the present invention. The existing n-type deformable portion connector broke after 296 cycles of alternating loads. However, the RF circuit connector provided by the first aspect of the present invention did not break after 34,787 cycles of alternating loads.

[0063] In summary, the above-mentioned RF circuit connectors, RF electrode assemblies and semiconductor device processing equipment provided by the present invention can increase the cantilever length of the deformation portion and extend the heat transfer path by setting the angle between the deformation portion of the RF circuit connector and at least one of the two connection ends to an acute angle, so as to better isolate the heat generated by the heating unit and / or RF energy, and absorb the alternating stress generated by the thermal expansion caused by the heat, so as to reduce the risk of fatigue fracture caused by alternating stress in the RF circuit, thereby extending the working life of the connector.

[0064] Although the above methods are illustrated and described as a series of acts for simplicity of explanation, it is to be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the acts, as some acts may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other acts from those illustrated and described herein or not illustrated and described herein but understandable to those skilled in the art according to one or more embodiments.

[0065] The previous description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A connector for a radio frequency circuit, made of a conductive material, characterized in that: The connecting piece includes: A first connecting end fixedly connected to a heating plate of a semiconductor device processing equipment; A second connection end is fixedly connected to an AC filter; and The deformable portion is located between the first connecting end and the second connecting end to introduce radio frequency energy to the heating plate, wherein an angle between the deformable portion and at least one of the first connecting end and the second connecting end is an acute angle.

2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein The included angles between the deformable portion and the first connecting end and the second connecting end are all acute angles, and the deformable portion is an arc-shaped structure with a central angle greater than 180°.

3. The connector according to claim 2, wherein: The angle range of the included angle is 30° to 50°.

4. The connector according to claim 2, wherein: The connecting piece is made of copper, wherein the radius of the arc-shaped structure is greater than 2 mm, the distance between the first connecting end and the second connecting end is greater than 4 mm, and the length of the arc-shaped structure is greater than 14 mm.

5. The connector according to claim 4, wherein: The radius of the arc-shaped structure is greater than 5 mm and less than 6.5 mm.

6. The connector according to claim 1, wherein: The first connecting end of the connecting member is fixedly connected to the first RF rod of the heating plate handle via at least one first bolt, and / or The second connecting end of the connecting member is fixedly connected to the second radio frequency rod of the AC filter via at least one second bolt.

7. The connector according to claim 6, wherein: The first end of the first RF rod is connected to the RF electrode plate in the heating plate body, and the second end thereof extends into the envelope of the cylindrical metal cover of the heating plate handle. The first end of the second radio frequency rod is connected to the AC filter, and the second end thereof extends into the envelope of the cylindrical metal cover. The connecting member connects the first radio frequency rod and the second radio frequency rod within the envelope of the cylindrical metal cover.

8. A radio frequency electrode assembly, characterized in that: include: The radio frequency electrode plate is located inside the heating plate body and is connected to the heating unit located inside the heating plate body; at least one first RF rod, a first end of which is connected to the RF electrode plate, and a second end of which extends through the handle of the heating disk; at least one second radio frequency rod connected to the AC filter, for extracting radio frequency energy provided by the rod for driving the heating unit to operate and / or exciting the radio frequency electric field; as well as At least one connector, selected from the connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, is provided between the first RF rod and the second RF rod, and is used to introduce the RF energy provided by the AC filter into the heating disk, isolate the heat generated by the heating unit and / or the RF energy, and absorb the alternating stress generated by the thermal expansion caused by the heat.

9. The radio frequency electrode assembly according to claim 8, wherein: The radio frequency electrode assembly includes a plurality of first radio frequency rods, a plurality of second radio frequency rods, and a plurality of connecting members, wherein each connecting member is respectively connected to one first radio frequency rod and one second radio frequency rod.

10. The radio frequency electrode assembly according to claim 9, wherein: The deformable portions of the connecting members are arranged facing each other, wherein the minimum distance between each of the deformable portions is greater than the minimum discharge distance of the corresponding conductive material.

11. A semiconductor device processing equipment, characterized in that: include: a process chamber in which a heating plate is disposed; as well as The RF electrode assembly according to any one of claims 8 to 10 is used to generate RF energy and introduce it into the heating plate to heat the wafer to be processed and / or provide an RF electric field to the interior of the process chamber.

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