PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) equipment

Abstract

The utility model discloses PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) equipment which comprises a shell; the electrostatic chuck is located in the shell and used for carrying out electrostatic adsorption and fixation on a wafer, and the electrostatic chuck comprises a through hole; the lifting ejector pin is located in the shell and penetrates through the through hole, and the lifting ejector pin is used for supporting the wafer and driving the wafer to ascend and descend relative to the electrostatic chuck; an air blowing opening is formed in the side wall of the lifting ejector pin and used for blowing the surface of the electrostatic chuck so as to remove impurity particles on the surface of the electrostatic chuck. Under the condition that the vacuum environment of the cavity is kept, particles on the surface of the electrostatic chuck can be blown away, and the effect of cleaning the surface of the electrostatic chuck is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor fabrication technology, and in particular to a PVD device. Background Technology

[0002] PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) chambers are widely used in semiconductor processes. In aluminum and copper processes, most process chambers have clamping voltages and back pressures on the back side of the wafer. The back pressure provides the process stability needed to ensure uniform wafer heating. However, due to the chamber environment or external wafer factors, particles can fall onto the surface of the chamber's electrostatic chuck, causing abnormal back pressure.

[0003] There are two main sources of microparticles on the surface of electrostatic chucks: 1) microparticles brought in by the wafer; 2) microparticles generated inside the chamber that fall onto the electrostatic chuck. Common methods for dealing with microparticles on the surface of electrostatic chucks include: 1) cyclically removing and placing wafers to carry the microparticles out of the chamber; 2) using a dedicated dummy wafer (which needs to be purchased separately) to remove the microparticles.

[0004] The effect of routinely taking out and putting in wafers is generally not very good. Special dummy wafers need to be purchased separately, and the effect becomes worse with each use. When the microparticles cannot be removed, the final method is to open the cavity for cleaning and perform PM (Preventive Maintenance) on the surface of the electrostatic chuck.

[0005] PVD chamber PM time is over 24 hours. When a chamber is in PM, production cannot continue, as PM leads to lost production capacity. Each PM requires replacing the PK (process kit), and each PM incurs PK replacement costs. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and provide a PVD device to remove particles from the surface of electrostatic chucks and avoid cleaning the cavities of the electrostatic chucks.

[0007] This utility model provides a PVD equipment, including: a housing; an electrostatic chuck located inside the housing for electrostatically adsorbing and fixing a wafer, the electrostatic chuck including a through hole; and a lifting pin located inside the housing and passing through the through hole, the lifting pin being used to support the wafer and drive the wafer to move up and down relative to the electrostatic chuck; the side wall of the lifting pin is provided with an air blowing port for blowing on the surface of the electrostatic chuck during times outside of normal operation of the PVD equipment to remove impurity particles from the surface of the electrostatic chuck.

[0008] Furthermore, the number of the lifting pins and the through holes are equal, and the lifting pins and the through holes correspond one-to-one.

[0009] The number of through holes is three, which are evenly distributed on the electrostatic chuck.

[0010] Furthermore, each of the lifting pins has multiple air inlets, which are evenly distributed on the circumferential sidewalls of the lifting pin.

[0011] Furthermore, each of the aforementioned lifting pins has multiple air inlets, which are distributed at different height positions along the longitudinal direction of the lifting pin.

[0012] Furthermore, the bottom of the lifting pin is connected to a lifting rod via a lifting ring. The lifting rod is located below the electrostatic chuck, has a first hollow cavity, and is connected to a gas input pipe. The lifting pin and the lifting ring each have a second hollow cavity and a third hollow cavity, respectively. The third hollow cavity connects the first hollow cavity and the second hollow cavity to transfer gas from the lifting rod to the lifting pin.

[0013] Furthermore, the plane where the lifting ring is located is parallel to the plane where the electrostatic chuck is located.

[0014] Furthermore, the gas is input into the lifting rod via a gas input pipe, and the gas input pipe is connected to the lifting rod via a flexible hose.

[0015] Furthermore, the gas input pipe is equipped with a manual valve, a pressure regulating valve, and a pneumatic valve.

[0016] Furthermore, the housing has a hollow cavity, the electrostatic chuck and the lifting ring are disposed near the bottom of the hollow cavity, the lifting ring is disposed below the electrostatic chuck, and the lifting rod passes through the hollow cavity from the bottom of the housing and is connected to the lifting pin through the lifting ring.

[0017] This invention can clean the surface of an electrostatic chuck by blowing away particles while maintaining a vacuum environment in the chamber. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a PVD device according to the present invention;

[0019] Figure 2 This is another structural schematic diagram of a PVD device according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air outlet of a PVD device according to this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the present utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present utility model and are not intended to limit the present utility model.

[0022] See Figures 1 to 3 , Figures 1 to 3 Arrows are used to indicate the direction of gas flow. A preferred embodiment of this utility model provides a PVD (Potentially Optical Deposition) device, including a housing 100, an electrostatic chuck 10, and a lifting pin 40. The electrostatic chuck 10 is located within the housing 100, which has a hollow cavity 200. The electrostatic chuck 10 is positioned near the bottom of the hollow cavity 200. The electrostatic chuck 10 is used for electrostatic adsorption and fixation of the wafer, and includes a through hole 101. The lifting pin 40 is located within the housing 100 and extends through the through hole. The lifting pin 40 supports the wafer and moves it up and down relative to the electrostatic chuck 10. An air outlet 44 is provided on the side wall of the lifting pin 40 for blowing air through the surface of the electrostatic chuck 10 when the PVD device is not operating normally, to remove impurity particles from the surface of the electrostatic chuck 10.

[0023] This application introduces a gas 50 into the PVD chamber via a rising ejector pin 40. The gas 50 enters from the lower end of the rising ejector pin 40 and exits from the upper end. When there are particles on the surface of the electrostatic chuck 10, the gas 50 can be turned on to blow away the surface of the electrostatic chuck 10, thereby cleaning the surface of the electrostatic chuck.

[0024] The number of lifting pins 40 and through holes 101 are equal, and each lifting pin 40 corresponds to one through hole 101. Preferably, there are three through holes, evenly distributed on the electrostatic chuck 10. Each lifting pin 40 has multiple air outlets 44, which are evenly distributed on the circumferential sidewall of the lifting pin 40. Each lifting pin 40 has multiple air outlets 44, which are distributed at different heights in the longitudinal direction of the lifting pin 40. Preferably, there are three air outlets 44, which blow gas 50 onto the surface of the electrostatic chuck 10 from three angles. Preferably, the three angles of the three air outlets 44 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the electrostatic chuck to cover the entire surface of the electrostatic chuck 10, so that particles on the surface of the electrostatic chuck 10 are blown away from the surface of the electrostatic chuck 10 by the blowing action of the gas 50. The gas outlet 44 is located at the upper end of the lifting pin 40. Gas 50 enters from the lower end of the lifting pin 40 and flows out from the upper end of the lifting pin 40. Gas 50 can be nitrogen or argon.

[0025] The bottom of the lifting pin 40 is connected to a lifting rod 20 via a lifting ring 60. The lifting rod 20 is located at the bottom of the electrostatic chuck 10, has a first hollow cavity 22, and is connected to a gas input pipe 30. The lifting pin 40 and the lifting ring 60 each have a second hollow cavity 42 and a third hollow cavity 62, respectively. The third hollow cavity 62 connects the first hollow cavity 22 and the second hollow cavity 42 to transfer gas 50 from the lifting rod 20 to the lifting pin 40. Preferably, the plane of the lifting ring 60 is parallel to the plane of the electrostatic chuck 10. This ensures that the distance from the third hollow cavity 62 of the lifting ring 60 to the corresponding air outlet of each lifting pin 40 is equal; for example, the distance to the air outlet of the lifting pin 40 closest to the lifting ring is equal, thus ensuring that the blowing force of the ejected gas 50 is uniform.

[0026] Gas 50 is introduced into the lifting rod 20 via gas inlet pipe 30, and the gas inlet pipe 30 is connected to the lifting rod 20 via hose 31. There is a sealed connection between hose 31 and the lifting rod 20, a sealed connection between the lifting rod 20 and the lifting ring 60, and a sealed connection between the lifting ring 60 and the lifting pin 40. In this way, gas 50 can completely enter the lifting pin 40 from the gas inlet pipe 30 without leakage.

[0027] The gas input pipe 30 is equipped with a manual valve 32, a pressure regulating valve 33, and a pneumatic valve 34. The manual valve 32 is used to allow gas 50 to enter or not enter the gas input pipe 30. The pressure regulating valve 33 is used to adjust the pressure of the gas 50 entering the lifting rod 20. The pneumatic valve 34 is used to allow gas 50 to enter or not enter the lifting rod 20. When purging is required, the pneumatic valve 34 is opened for purging, and the corresponding valve is closed after use.

[0028] The housing 100 of the PVD equipment has a hollow cavity 200. An electrostatic chuck 10 and a lifting ring 60 are arranged near the bottom of the hollow cavity 200. The lifting ring 60 is located below the electrostatic chuck 10. The lifting rod 20 passes through the hollow cavity 100 from below the housing 200 and is connected to the lifting pin 40 through the lifting ring 60.

[0029] This invention allows for the cleaning of electrostatic chuck surfaces by blowing gas through the surface of the chuck while maintaining a vacuum environment within the chamber. The particles on the surface of the electrostatic chuck are blown away by the gas.

[0030] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model and is not intended to limit this utility model in any form or substance. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and additions without departing from the method of this utility model, and these improvements and additions should also be considered within the protection scope of this utility model. Any modifications, alterations, and equivalent changes made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model using the disclosed technical content are equivalent embodiments of this utility model. Furthermore, any modifications, alterations, and evolutions made to the above embodiments based on the essential technology of this utility model still fall within the scope of the technical solution of this utility model.

Claims

1. A PVD apparatus, characterized in that, The utility model relates to a wafer cleaning device, which comprises: a housing; an electrostatic chuck in the housing for electrostatically clamping a wafer, the electrostatic chuck comprising through holes; and a lifting pin in the housing and penetrating the through holes, the lifting pin being used to support the wafer and drive the wafer to move up and down relative to the electrostatic chuck; the lifting pin is provided with a blowing port on the side wall, which is used to blow the surface of the electrostatic chuck to remove impurity particles on the surface of the electrostatic chuck.

2. The PVD apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The number of the lifting pins is equal to that of the through holes, and the lifting pins and the through holes correspond to each other one by one.

3. The PVD apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The number of the through holes is three, which are uniformly distributed on the electrostatic chuck.

4. The PVD apparatus of claim 1, wherein, Each lifting pin is provided with a plurality of blowing ports, and the blowing ports are uniformly distributed on the circumferential side wall of the lifting pin.

5. The PVD apparatus of claim 1, wherein, Each lifting pin is provided with a plurality of blowing ports, and the blowing ports are distributed at different height positions in the longitudinal direction of the lifting pin.

6. The PVD apparatus of claim 1, wherein, The bottom of the lifting pin is connected with a lifting rod through a lifting ring, the lifting rod is arranged at the bottom of the electrostatic chuck, has a first hollow cavity, and is connected with a gas input pipe, the lifting pin and the lifting ring are respectively provided with a second hollow cavity and a third hollow cavity, the third hollow cavity communicates with the first hollow cavity and the second hollow cavity to transmit the gas from the lifting rod to the lifting pin.

7. The PVD apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that The plane of the lifting ring is parallel to the plane of the electrostatic chuck.

8. The PVD apparatus of claim 6, wherein, The gas is input into the lifting rod through the gas input pipe, and the gas input pipe is connected with the lifting rod through a hose.

9. The PVD apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that, The gas input pipe is provided with a hand valve, a pressure regulating valve and a pneumatic valve.

10. The PVD apparatus of claim 9, wherein, The housing has a hollow cavity, the electrostatic chuck and the lifting ring are arranged close to the bottom of the hollow cavity, the lifting ring is arranged below the electrostatic chuck, the lifting rod penetrates into the hollow cavity from below the housing and is connected with the lifting pin through the lifting ring.

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