Air inlet transition pipe and furnace tube machine table

Abstract

The utility model relates to an air inlet transition pipe and a furnace tube machine table, and the air inlet transition pipe comprises a pipe body which is used for conveying a gas-liquid mixture; the first dividing part extends along the pipe body in the pipe body, and the first dividing part is made of a porous material; the first dividing part is used for dividing liquid drops in a gas-liquid mixture introduced into the first end of the pipe body, and the divided gas-liquid mixture is discharged through the second end of the pipe body. The method has the effects that the large-particle liquid drops in the gas-liquid mixture are segmented, and spherical defects of the semiconductor product are reduced.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor processing equipment, and in particular to an air inlet transition pipe and a furnace tube machine. BACKGROUND

[0002] At present, oxide layer growth is an important link in semiconductor process, which provides blocking and stress mitigation for subsequent processes. Furnace tube machines are widely used in front-end Si oxide layer process due to high production yield and low cost, and Si oxide layer film quality and defect quantity are increasingly important for production efficiency and product yield.

[0003] In related technologies, when growing Si oxide layer, high-temperature gas-liquid mixture is often introduced into the furnace tube machine to assist the growth of the oxide layer. Wet oxygen enters the furnace in the form of liquid gas, and uneven heat and flow rate cause large droplets to leave water vapor residues in the reaction, resulting in Ball defect PA (ball defect) problem, which affects the film quality of the oxide layer. CONTENT OF THE UTILITY MODEL

[0004] To solve the above problems, the present application is proposed. According to an aspect of the present application, an air inlet transition pipe is provided for connecting a furnace tube machine, comprising: a pipe body for conveying a gas-liquid mixture; a first dividing component extending in the pipe body along the pipe body, the first dividing component being composed of a porous material; the first dividing component is used to divide droplets in the gas-liquid mixture introduced into the first end of the pipe body, and the divided gas-liquid mixture is discharged through the second end of the pipe body.

[0005] Exemplarily, a second dividing component is further included, the second dividing component is provided with a plurality of dividing holes, and the second dividing component and the first dividing component are respectively arranged at two ends of the pipe body.

[0006] Exemplarily, the second dividing component includes a sieve plate, a plurality of dividing holes are uniformly arranged on the sieve plate, and the thickness of the sieve plate is 6-10 mm.

[0007] Exemplarily, the sieve plate is provided with dividing holes with a preset aperture, and the preset aperture is negatively related to the number of the dividing holes.

[0008] Exemplarily, the preset aperture is 0.1-0.12 mm, and the mesh number of the dividing holes is 120-140.

[0009] Exemplarily, the first dividing component includes a porous dividing block arranged in the pipe body, and the porous dividing block has a microporous structure.

[0010] For example, one end of the porous dividing block is fixed to the second end of the tube body, and the other end extends along the tube body inside the tube body. The porous dividing block is arranged close to the inner wall of the tube body around its perimeter.

[0011] For example, the second dividing component is disposed at the first end of the tube body, the first dividing component is disposed at the second end of the tube body, and the diameter of the dividing hole in the second dividing component is larger than the diameter of the microporous structure.

[0012] For example, the second segment and / or the first segment are integrally formed with the tube body.

[0013] According to another aspect of this application, a furnace tube machine is provided, comprising: a furnace body, wherein the furnace body is provided with an air inlet channel, and an air inlet and an exhaust port are respectively provided at both ends of the air inlet channel; a cavity is provided inside the furnace body, and the exhaust port is located at the top of the cavity and communicates with the cavity; an air inlet pipe, the air inlet pipe being used to transport gas or a gas-liquid mixture; a crystal boat, the crystal boat being disposed in the cavity of the furnace body, the crystal boat being used to carry a wafer; and the aforementioned air inlet transition pipe, the air inlet transition pipe connecting the air inlet and the air inlet pipe, so that the gas or the gas-liquid mixture enters the cavity through the air inlet channel; wherein the gas or the gas-liquid mixture contacts the wafer from top to bottom.

[0014] The inlet transition pipe of this application has a first dividing component made of porous material inside the pipe. When the gas-liquid mixture passes through the first dividing component, the porous material in the first dividing component can divide the large droplets in the gas-liquid mixture, reduce the size of the droplets, thereby reducing the impact of large droplets on the oxide layer growth process and reducing spherical defects on the oxide layer surface, so as to improve the film quality. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this application and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this application to explain the application and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0016] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the main structure of the intake transition pipe in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0017] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the second segmentation component and the first segmentation component in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0018] Figure 3A schematic diagram of a sieve plate in the embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0019] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the sieve plate in the embodiment of the present application for dividing a gas-liquid mixture is shown.

[0020] Figure 5 A pipeline pressure backflow test data graph is shown.

[0021] Figure 6 A control test graph of semiconductor oxidation of the gas inlet transition pipe in the embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0022] Reference signs: 10, pipe body; 11, first end; 12, second end; 2, second dividing component; 21, dividing hole; 3, first dividing component. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present application more obvious, the following will describe the example embodiments according to the present application in detail with reference to the drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present application, rather than all the embodiments of the present application, and it should be understood that the present application is not limited to the example embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of the present application described in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor should fall within the protection scope of the present application.

[0024] As Figures 1-2 shown, the embodiment of the present application provides a gas inlet transition pipe, comprising: a pipe body 10, a first dividing component 3. Wherein, the pipe body 10 is used for conveying a gas-liquid mixture.

[0025] The first dividing component 3 extends along the pipe body 10 in the pipe body 10, and the first dividing component 3 is composed of a porous material; the first dividing component 3 is used for dividing liquid droplets in the gas-liquid mixture entering the first end 11 of the pipe body 10, and the divided gas-liquid mixture is discharged through the second end 12 of the pipe body 10.

[0026] The gas inlet transition pipe in the embodiment of the present application is provided with the first dividing component 3 composed of a porous material in the pipe body 10, when the gas-liquid mixture passes through the first dividing component 3, the porous material in the first dividing component 3 can divide large particle liquid droplets in the gas-liquid mixture, reduce the size of the liquid droplets, and can reduce the influence of large particle liquid droplets on the growth process of the oxidation layer, so as to reduce the spherical defects on the surface of the oxidation layer, and achieve the effect of improving the film quality.

[0027] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The intake transition pipe further comprises a second segmentation component 2, and a plurality of segmentation holes 21 are arranged on the second segmentation component 2. The second segmentation component 2 and the first segmentation component 3 are respectively arranged at two ends of the pipe body 10. In the embodiment of the application, the second segmentation component 2 comprises a sieve plate. Exemplarily, the sieve plate can be a quartz sieve plate, and a plurality of segmentation holes 21 are uniformly arranged on the quartz sieve plate. When the gas-liquid mixture passes through the quartz sieve plate, the segmentation holes 21 on the quartz sieve plate can segment the large-particle liquid drops, so that the liquid drops in the gas-liquid mixture form more uniform small-particle liquid drops, and the spherical defects on the oxidation layer caused by water vapor residues of the large-particle liquid drops are reduced.

[0028] Exemplarily, the thickness of the quartz sieve plate is 6-10 mm, and the diameter of the quartz sieve plate is 45-55 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness of the quartz sieve plate is 7 mm, 8 mm, 9 mm, etc., and when the sieve plate is a circular plate, the diameter thereof can be 50 mm, 50.3 mm, 51 mm, etc. The quartz sieve plate has a sufficient thickness, so as to cope with the residual stress after semiconductor processing and ensure that the quartz sieve plate has better mechanical strength. In addition, the thickness of the quartz sieve plate also determines the travel of the gas-liquid mixture in the segmentation holes 21. Controlling the thickness of the quartz sieve plate within a suitable range can ensure that the gas-liquid mixture in the segmentation holes 21 has sufficient travel, so as to effectively segment the large-particle liquid drops.

[0029] The quartz sieve plate is provided with segmentation holes 21 with a preset aperture, and the preset aperture is negatively correlated with the number of segmentation holes 21. When the overall diameter of the quartz sieve plate is determined, the segmentation holes 21 are uniformly arranged, and the more the number of segmentation holes 21 on the quartz sieve plate, the smaller the inner diameter of the single segmentation hole 21. The size parameter design of the segmentation holes 21 needs to balance the segmentation accuracy and the difficulty of laser processing of the quartz device. If the aperture is too large, the segmentation effect and accuracy will decrease, and if the aperture is too small, the quartz processing difficulty will increase and the mechanical strength of the quartz sieve plate will be affected. Exemplarily, the preset aperture of the segmentation holes 21 is 0.1-0.12 mm, and the mesh number of the segmentation holes 21 is 120-140. In some embodiments, the inner diameter of the segmentation holes 21 is 0.105 mm, 0.106 mm, 0.108 mm, etc. (the minimum drilling diameter in the industry is about 0.1 mm), and the mesh number is 120 mesh, 130 mesh or 140 mesh, etc. In this way, the segmentation progress of the quartz sieve plate and the processing difficulty of the quartz sieve plate can be considered. The number of holes C on each quartz sieve plate is equal to the cross-sectional area S of the intake transition pipe / (25.4*25.4)*140. Based on the above parameter design, the segmentation holes 21 on the quartz sieve plate can effectively segment the large-particle liquid drops in the gas-liquid mixture, and also ensure that the quartz sieve plate has better mechanical strength.

[0030] Exemplarily, the segmentation holes 21 on the quartz sieve plate in the embodiments of the present application are formed by laser drilling. Compared with traditional mechanical drilling and electric spark processing, laser drilling technology can drill holes with high precision and high efficiency in materials with high hardness and high melting point, and has the characteristics of no contact, small laser focusing range (up to microns), large depth-diameter ratio, and no pollution. Laser drilling can be divided into four stages: the laser beam irradiates the quartz sieve plate, and the quartz sieve plate receives light energy; the light energy is converted into heat energy to cause non-destructive heating of the quartz sieve plate; the processing area is melted, vaporized and removed to form the structure of the segmentation hole 21; and the processing is completed, and the processing area is condensed to form a quartz sieve plate structure with segmentation holes 21.

[0031] Exemplarily, at least one of the second segmentation component 2 and the first segmentation component 3 and the pipe body 10 are integrally formed, thereby ensuring the mechanical strength of the overall structure. In some embodiments, the second segmentation component 2, the first segmentation component 3 and the pipe body 10 are formed into the structure of the gas inlet transition pipe by integral molding.

[0032] As Figure 4 shown, it is a schematic diagram of the quartz sieve plate for segmenting the gas-liquid mixture in the embodiments of the present application. The gas-liquid mixture passing through the pipeline has a size difference in droplets mainly due to the fact that the flow velocity distribution in the pipeline is not uniform. Because there is no absolutely smooth inner wall of the quartz pipe, the roughness causes the flow velocity near the quartz wall to be slower due to resistance, and the different velocity distribution leads to the aggregation of liquid molecules. The segmentation and rectification process can reduce the probability of occurrence of such droplet aggregation. The interaction force between solid molecules and liquid molecules is not the same, and the intermolecular force of the liquid is smaller. The gas-liquid mixture will have a pressurization process before passing through the gas inlet transition pipe. Under the pressure of the gas flow and the segmentation hole 21 (see Figure 3 ) of the quartz sieve plate, droplet separation and gas rearrangement are realized, the original large-particle droplets are segmented, and the size control and stable flow of the original non-uniform liquid and gas are realized. The gas-liquid mixture passing through the gas inlet transition pipe after segmentation is more uniform and stable. In the subsequent processing process, the droplets can be more fully vaporized, reducing the adverse effects on the growth of the oxidation layer. When generating a flow chemical vapor deposition film (FCVD) in a furnace tube machine, the diffusion of water vapor on the film is more uniform, and the situation that droplets cover the film surface to affect the diffusion efficiency is less likely to occur.

[0033] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3The second end 12 of the pipe body 10 is connected to the furnace tube machine to send the separated gas-liquid mixture into the furnace tube machine. The first end 11 of the pipe body 10 is connected to the ignition end of the furnace tube machine, so that the gas-liquid mixture entering the gas inlet transition pipe is high-temperature gas-liquid after being heated. Due to the heat release reaction of the wet oxygen process, the temperature of the pipe body 10 is about 300°C. The first end 11 of the gas inlet transition pipe is provided with a quartz sieve plate structure, which has strong heat resistance and can ensure the service life of the gas inlet transition pipe.

[0034] It should be noted that because the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the pipe body 10 are close to and away from the ignition end of the furnace tube machine, respectively, the temperature of the section of the pipe body 10 close to the ignition nozzle is higher, and the temperature of the remaining part is lower. Because the first end 11 of the gas inlet transition pipe has a relatively high temperature, it can reduce the condensation phenomenon of the gas in the inner wall of this part of the pipeline, and reduce the large droplets of condensation in the inner wall near the first end 11. However, overall, the uneven heat in the long and narrow space of the pipe body 10 will exacerbate the unevenness of the pressure and the unevenness of the gas molecules, causing the molecules to further gather and liquefy, and macroscopically, there is a "cold spot" in the gas path, causing the water vapor to exist in a liquefied state. Therefore, the gas-liquid mixture in the gas inlet transition pipe in the present application is separated again by the first separation component 3 at the second end 12 of the pipe body 10, and at the same time, the first separation component 3 is used for flow stabilization, reducing the impact caused by the liquefaction inside the pipe body 10.

[0035] Exemplarily, the first dividing component 3 includes a porous dividing block disposed within the tube body 10, the porous dividing block having a microporous structure. Exemplarily, the first dividing component 3 is made of porous ceramic, the porous dividing block being a porous ceramic block, one end of the porous ceramic block being fixed to the second end 12 of the tube body 10, and the other end extending along the tube body 10 inside the tube body 10. The porous ceramic block is disposed close to the inner wall of the tube body 10. When the gas-liquid mixture passes through the second end 12 of the tube body 10, the structure of the porous ceramic block can be used for dividing and stabilizing the flow. In this embodiment, the porous ceramic block at the second end 12 of the tube body 10 is made of porous silicon carbide ceramic (SBI ceramic). On the one hand, the structure of the porous ceramic block can further divide large droplets that may appear inside the tube body 10 (such as those that appear due to aggregation on the inner wall of the tube body 10), ensuring as much as possible that large droplets will not enter the furnace tube machine. On the other hand, while maintaining a stable flow environment within the tube 10, the structure with porous ceramics can significantly improve the back pressure velocity. The use of porous ceramic blocks has a noticeable flow stabilizing effect on the process of hydrogen-oxygen ignition and steam generation. For example, the aperture of the dividing holes 21 on the second dividing component 2 is larger than the aperture of the microporous structure within the first dividing component 3. Furthermore, since the second dividing component 2 and the first dividing component 3 are located at the first end 11 and the second end 12 of the tube 10, respectively, a better droplet breaking effect can be provided when the gas-liquid mixture moves from the first end 11 to the second end 12.

[0036] like Figure 5 The chart shown is a graph of pipeline pressure backflow test data for the pipe body. Pipeline pressure backflow test is also known as Tube back pressure test. This method is commonly used to determine the flow characteristics of fluid in a pipeline. Figure 5 The two sets of pressure data represent the experimental and control groups, respectively. The data changes show that using a pipe with a porous ceramic structure nearly doubles the back pressure velocity, thus significantly improving the fluid back pressure velocity. The porous ceramic block structure in this application, in addition to further segmenting the droplets, also effectively stabilizes the gas flow in the inlet transition pipe as it passes through the second end. This makes it less likely for droplets to re-aggregate after entering the furnace tube, thus reducing spherical defects.

[0037] like Figure 6As shown, it is a control test diagram of semiconductor oxidation of the gas inlet transition pipe in the embodiment of the present application. The three broken lines in the figure correspond to the experimental groups of the upper part (TOP), the middle part (CTR) and the bottom part (BTM) respectively. The abscissa represents the number of tests, and the ordinate represents the number of spherical defects. As can be seen from the figure, a large number of spherical defects exist in the multiple experimental groups before the gas inlet transition pipe of the embodiment of the present application is installed, but after the gas inlet transition pipe of the embodiment of the present application is installed, the spherical defects are significantly reduced. The effective segmentation and flow stabilization of the gas-liquid mixture by the first segmentation assembly and the second segmentation assembly can reduce the spherical defects on the semiconductor in the oxidation growth process. Moreover, compared with the scheme of reducing condensation by heating the pipeline in the prior art, the scheme of the present application does not conflict with it, and they can be combined with each other to further improve the film quality. The two ends of the gas inlet transition pipe are improved, which does not increase the space cost and the cost is relatively low.

[0038] Based on the above description, the gas inlet transition pipe in the embodiment of the present application is provided with the second segmentation assembly and the first segmentation assembly on the first end and the second end of the pipe body respectively. When the gas-liquid mixture passes through the pipe body, it will pass through the second segmentation assembly and the first segmentation assembly in turn, thereby segmenting the large droplets in the gas-liquid mixture and reducing the size of the droplets. Moreover, the gas-liquid mixture passing through the pipe body can be effectively stabilized, so that the influence of the large droplets on the growth in the oxidation layer growth process in the furnace body can be reduced, the spherical defects on the surface of the oxidation layer can be reduced, and the effect of improving the film quality can be achieved.

[0039] The furnace tube machine table in the embodiment of the present application also provides a furnace tube machine table, which comprises a furnace body, a gas inlet pipe, a wafer boat and the above-mentioned gas inlet transition pipe.

[0040] The furnace body is provided with a gas inlet channel, and the gas inlet channel is provided with a gas inlet and an exhaust outlet at both ends. The furnace body is provided with a cavity, and the exhaust outlet is located at the top of the cavity and communicates with the cavity. The gas inlet pipe is used for conveying gas or gas-liquid mixture; the wafer boat is arranged in the cavity of the furnace body, and the wafer boat is used for carrying wafers. Exemplarily, the wafer boat carries a plurality of wafers, and the plurality of wafers are arranged in the cavity of the furnace body in sequence and uniformly. In some embodiments, the number of wafers in the furnace body is 80-120.

[0041] The gas inlet transition pipe connects the gas inlet and the gas inlet pipe, so that the gas or gas-liquid mixture enters the cavity through the gas inlet channel, and the gas or gas-liquid mixture contacts the wafers carried on the wafer boat from top to bottom.

[0042] The furnace body of the furnace tube machine table and the second end of the above-mentioned gas inlet transition pipe are connected, the gas-liquid mixture is conveyed to the second end through the first end of the gas inlet transition pipe, and finally enters the furnace body. The furnace tube machine table is provided with an ignition end, and the ignition end is close to the first end of the gas inlet transition pipe.

[0043] The furnace pipe machine table in the embodiment of the present application is provided with the above-mentioned gas inlet transition pipe, and the second dividing component and the first dividing component are arranged on the first end and the second end of the pipe body respectively. When the gas-liquid mixture passes through the pipe body, it will pass through the second dividing component and the first dividing component in sequence, thereby dividing the large particle droplets in the gas-liquid mixture and reducing the size of the droplets. Moreover, the gas-liquid mixture passing through the pipe body can be effectively stabilized, so that the influence of the large particle droplets on the growth in the process of the growth of the oxidation layer in the furnace body can be reduced, and the spherical defects on the surface of the oxidation layer can be reduced, so as to achieve the effect of improving the film quality.

[0044] Although example embodiments have been described herein with reference to the attached drawings, it is to be understood that the example embodiments are merely exemplary and are not intended to limit the scope of the present application. Various changes and modifications can be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present application. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present application as claimed.

[0045] In the specification provided herein, a large number of specific details are described. However, it can be understood that the embodiments of the present application can be practiced without these specific details. In some examples, well-known methods, structures and techniques are not shown in detail in order not to obscure the understanding of the present specification.

[0046] Similarly, it is to be understood that, in order to simplify the present application and help understand one or more of the various inventive aspects, in the description of the example embodiments of the present application, various features of the present application are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, this method of the present application should not be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed present application requires more features than those explicitly recited in each claim. Rather, as reflected by the corresponding claims, the inventive point is that the corresponding technical problem can be solved with fewer features than all the features of a certain disclosed single embodiment. Therefore, the claims following the specific embodiments are hereby expressly incorporated into the specific embodiments, wherein each claim itself is a separate embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Those skilled in the art can understand that, except for the mutual exclusivity between features, all the features disclosed in the present specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) and all the processes or units of any method or device disclosed in this way can be combined in any combination. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed in the present specification (including the accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) can be replaced by an alternative feature that provides the same, equivalent or similar purpose.

[0048] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will recognize that references to various embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claims that are set forth below by the mere description of certain esembodiments. Instead, descriptions of esembodiments are intended to describe possible embodiments, and any esembodiment can be used in combination with any other embodiment, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0049] The above description is only specific embodiments or specific embodiment of the present application, the scope of protection of the present application is not limited to this, any skilled in the art within the scope of the present application disclosed technology, can easily think of changes or replacement, should be covered in the scope of protection of the present application. The scope of protection of the present application should be subject to the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An intake transition pipe, characterized in that, For connecting furnace tube equipment, including: Pipe body, the pipe body being used to transport a gas-liquid mixture; A first dividing component extends along the tube body within the tube body and is made of a porous material. The first dividing component is used to divide the liquid droplets in the gas-liquid mixture that is introduced into the first end of the tube, and the divided gas-liquid mixture is discharged through the second end of the tube.

2. The intake transition pipe according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a second dividing component, which has multiple dividing holes. The second dividing component and the first dividing component are respectively located at both ends of the tube body.

3. The intake transition pipe according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second dividing component includes a sieve plate, with a plurality of dividing holes evenly distributed on the sieve plate, and the thickness of the sieve plate is 6-10mm.

4. The intake transition pipe according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sieve plate is provided with dividing holes of a preset diameter, wherein the preset diameter is negatively correlated with the number of dividing holes.

5. The intake transition pipe according to claim 4, characterized in that, The preset aperture is 0.1-0.12mm, and the mesh size of the dividing hole is 120-140 mesh.

6. The intake transition pipe according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first dividing component includes a porous dividing block disposed within the tube body, the porous dividing block having a microporous structure.

7. The intake transition pipe according to claim 6, characterized in that, One end of the porous dividing block is fixed to the second end of the tube body, and the other end extends along the tube body inside the tube body. The porous dividing block is arranged close to the inner wall of the tube body around its perimeter.

8. The intake transition pipe according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second dividing component is disposed at the first end of the tube body, and the first dividing component is disposed at the second end of the tube body. The diameter of the dividing hole in the second dividing component is larger than the diameter of the microporous structure.

9. The intake transition pipe according to any one of claims 2-8, characterized in that, The second segment and / or the first segment are integrally formed with the tube body.

10. A furnace tube machine, characterized in that, The furnace tube machine includes: The furnace body is provided with an air intake channel, and an air inlet and an exhaust outlet are respectively provided at both ends of the air intake channel. The furnace body is provided with a cavity, and the exhaust outlet is located at the top of the cavity and communicates with the cavity. An air intake pipe is used to transport gas or a gas-liquid mixture; A crystal boat is disposed within the cavity of the furnace body and is used to carry wafers; The inlet transition tube as described in any one of claims 1-9 connects the inlet port and the inlet pipe to allow the gas or the gas-liquid mixture to enter the cavity through the inlet channel; wherein the gas or the gas-liquid mixture contacts the wafer from top to bottom.

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