Pressure detection device of preceding-stage pipeline and thin film deposition equipment

Abstract

The utility model discloses a pressure detection device of a preceding-stage pipeline and thin film deposition equipment, the device comprises the preceding-stage pipeline, a mounting pipe and a vacuum gauge, the first end of the mounting pipe is connected with the vacuum gauge, and the second end of the mounting pipe passes through the side wall of the preceding-stage pipeline and extends into the preceding-stage pipeline; and an air inlet is formed in the second end of the mounting pipe, and the air inlet is opposite to the airflow direction of air in the preceding-stage pipeline. According to the application, the air inlet of the mounting pipe of the vacuum gauge extends into the preceding-stage pipeline and is arranged opposite to the airflow direction, so that dust or gas byproducts in the preceding-stage pipeline can be prevented from entering the mounting pipe in a turning manner, the blockage or zero drift of the vacuum gauge is avoided, the detection precision of the vacuum gauge is improved, and the service life of the vacuum gauge is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a pressure detection device for a front-end pipeline and a thin film deposition equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor equipment, vacuum gauges are typically installed in the front-end piping to monitor pressure and determine if the vacuum pump is malfunctioning or if there are leaks in the piping. This allows for timely control of valve opening and closing, preventing contamination of the equipment chamber. However, under certain process conditions, dust or gaseous byproducts can easily accumulate in the front-end piping, causing the vacuum gauge to become clogged or experience zero-point drift within a short period, severely impacting its measurement accuracy and lifespan. This problem not only increases equipment maintenance costs but can also affect process stability due to misjudgments of vacuum conditions. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a vacuum monitoring solution that can adapt to high-dust or contaminated environments to improve the reliability and production efficiency of semiconductor equipment. Utility Model Content

[0003] The present invention provides a pressure detection device for a pre-line pipeline and a thin film deposition equipment, which aims to solve the problem that dust or gas byproducts in the existing pre-line pipeline can easily clog the vacuum gauge and affect the measurement accuracy.

[0004] In a first aspect, this utility model provides a pressure detection device for a pre-pipeline, comprising: a pre-pipeline, an installation pipe and a vacuum gauge, wherein a first end of the installation pipe is connected to the vacuum gauge and a second end of the installation pipe extends through the side wall of the pre-pipeline into the pre-pipeline;

[0005] The second end of the mounting pipe is provided with an air inlet, which faces away from the airflow direction of the gas in the pre-pipeline.

[0006] Furthermore, the mounting pipe includes an outer pipe section and an inner pipe section connected together. One end of the outer pipe section is connected to the vacuum gauge, and the other end passes through the pipe wall of the pre-pipeline. The inner pipe section is bent from the other end of the outer pipe section toward the airflow direction, and the air inlet is located at the end of the inner pipe section away from the outer pipe section.

[0007] Furthermore, the inner pipe section is a quarter-circular arc pipe section.

[0008] Furthermore, the outer pipe section is a straight pipe section, and the outer pipe section is perpendicular to the upstream pipeline.

[0009] Furthermore, the distance between the air inlet and the wall of the pre-pipeline near the vacuum gauge is D1, and the diameter of the mounting pipe is D2, wherein D1 ≥ 2D2.

[0010] Furthermore, the air inlet is provided with a bevel, which faces the side of the pre-pipeline closest to the vacuum gauge.

[0011] Furthermore, the inclination angle of the beveled cut ranges from 30° to 45°.

[0012] Furthermore, the end of the inner pipe section away from the outer pipe section extends toward the airflow direction to form a blocking wall for the oblique cut.

[0013] Furthermore, the axial direction of the air inlet is parallel to the axial direction of the pre-pipeline.

[0014] Secondly, this utility model also provides a thin film deposition apparatus, including the pressure detection device of the aforementioned front-end pipeline.

[0015] This invention provides a pressure detection device for a pre-line pipeline and a thin film deposition equipment. The pressure detection device for the pre-line pipeline includes a pre-line pipeline, an mounting tube, and a vacuum gauge. The mounting tube has a first end and a second end. The first end is connected to the vacuum gauge, and the second end extends through the side wall of the pre-line pipeline into the interior of the pre-line pipeline. An air inlet is provided on the second end, which is positioned opposite to the airflow direction of the gas in the pre-line pipeline. This reduces the amount of dust or gaseous byproducts in the pre-line pipeline that bends and enters the interior of the mounting tube, thereby avoiding blockage or zero-point drift of the vacuum gauge and improving the detection accuracy and service life of the vacuum gauge. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the existing pressure detection device for the upstream pipeline is shown.

[0018] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the pressure detection device for the pre-line pipeline according to an embodiment of this utility model is shown;

[0019] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the gas flow direction of the pressure detection device in the pre-line pipeline according to an embodiment of this utility model is provided.

[0020] Figure label:

[0021] 1. Pre-pipeline; 2. Installation pipe; 21. Outer pipe section; 22. Inner pipe section; 23. Air inlet; 24. Baffle wall; 3. Vacuum gauge. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0023] The directional terms used in this invention, such as "up," "down," "front," "back," "left," "right," "inner," "outer," and "side," are merely for reference to the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are for explanation and understanding of this invention, and not for limiting it. Furthermore, in the accompanying drawings, structures that are similar or identical are indicated by the same reference numerals.

[0024] In semiconductor manufacturing processes, dust or gaseous byproducts in the front-end piping, due to their small mass, are easily deflected by airflow and enter the mounting tube of the vacuum gauge. These particles or contaminants gradually accumulate, causing blockages inside the vacuum gauge or contamination of the sensing elements, leading to zero drift or measurement inaccuracies. Traditional vacuum gauge mounting methods are insufficient to effectively prevent these problems, affecting stable equipment operation. Therefore, an optimized design is urgently needed to reduce the risk of contaminants entering the vacuum gauge and improve monitoring reliability.

[0025] Therefore, this utility model provides a pressure detection device for a pre-line pipeline and a thin film deposition equipment. By extending the air inlet of the vacuum gauge mounting tube into the pre-line pipeline and setting it in the opposite direction to the airflow direction, the amount of dust or gas byproducts in the pre-line pipeline that bends and enters the mounting tube can be reduced, thereby avoiding vacuum gauge blockage or zero drift, and improving the detection accuracy and service life of the vacuum gauge.

[0026] This utility model embodiment addresses the problem of impurities entering the vacuum gauge mounting tube. The specific approach is as follows: A segmented mounting tube is used, with one end connected to the vacuum gauge and the other end, equipped with an air inlet, extending into the pre-stage pipeline. This air inlet is positioned opposite to the airflow direction within the pre-stage pipeline. This differs from the existing vacuum gauge mounting tube, which directly connects to the wall of the pre-stage pipeline. Figure 1 As shown, the air inlet is located on the wall of the pre-pipeline. The air inlet of this application faces away from the airflow direction. In this way, dust or gaseous byproducts will be blocked by the wall of the mounting pipe and will not be able to bend and enter the mounting pipe from the air inlet, thereby avoiding vacuum gauge blockage or zero drift.

[0027] To better understand the above technical solutions, the following will provide a detailed explanation of the technical solutions in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0028] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 3 This utility model embodiment demonstrates a pressure detection device for a pre-stage pipeline 1, comprising: a pre-stage pipeline 1, an installation pipe 2, and a vacuum gauge 3. The first end of the installation pipe 2 is connected to the vacuum gauge 3, and the second end of the installation pipe 2 extends through the side wall of the pre-stage pipeline 1 into the pre-stage pipeline 1. The second end of the installation pipe 2 is provided with an air inlet 23, which faces away from the airflow direction of the gas in the pre-stage pipeline 1.

[0029] Specifically, the pre-pipeline 1 is a conduit in a semiconductor device used to connect the vacuum pump to the equipment chamber, for gas transmission and maintaining a vacuum environment; the vacuum gauge 3 is a sensor device used to measure the gas pressure within the conduit, assessing the vacuum pump's operating status and any leaks in the conduit by measuring the pressure. In this embodiment, the mounting pipe 2 is made of metal, with a standard flange at its first end for connecting to the vacuum gauge 3, and an open inlet 23 at its second end. The pre-pipeline 1 is a circular cross-section metal pipe with through holes in its sidewall for the mounting pipe 2 to pass through. The second end of the mounting pipe 2 extends vertically into the conduit from the through hole in the sidewall of the pre-pipeline 1, with the inlet 23 facing in the opposite direction to the main gas flow within the conduit, i.e., 180° reverse orientation. The mounting pipe 2 and the pre-pipeline 1 are connected by welding or a flange seal to ensure airtightness. During operation, because the air inlet 23 faces away from the airflow direction, when the gas in the pre-pipe 1 flows near the air inlet 23, an airflow separation zone (i.e., a region with a smaller velocity gradient due to the fluid bypassing the mounting pipe 2) is formed at the front end of the mounting pipe 2. The dynamic pressure of the gas in this region (i.e., the pressure component generated by the velocity) is significantly reduced. Since the vacuum gauge 3 measures static pressure, the reduction in dynamic pressure greatly reduces its interference with the reading of the vacuum gauge 3, making the measured value closer to the true pressure. Simultaneously, dust or gaseous byproducts moving with the main airflow advance along the airflow direction due to inertia. The pipe wall of the mounting pipe 2 will block impurities from entering the air inlet 23. Thus, impurities are unlikely to enter the mounting pipe 2 and contaminate the vacuum gauge 3, thereby preventing blockage or zero-point drift, ensuring the reading accuracy of the vacuum gauge 3, and extending its service life.

[0030] In this embodiment, by setting the air inlet 23 away from the airflow direction, the mounting pipe 2 forms an airflow blocking structure in the front-stage pipeline 1. When the gas flows through the mounting pipe 2, a velocity gradient change occurs at its front end, forming an airflow separation zone. The dynamic pressure component in this zone is significantly reduced, enabling the vacuum gauge 3 to accurately measure the static pressure value. At the same time, dust and by-products moving with the main airflow maintain their original trajectory due to inertia and are blocked by the pipe wall of the mounting pipe 2, preventing them from turning and entering the air inlet 23. This effectively prevents contaminants from entering the vacuum gauge 3, thereby avoiding blockage or zero-point drift problems in the vacuum gauge 3 and significantly improving the reliability and service life of the detection device.

[0031] Reference Figure 2 In one embodiment, the mounting pipe 2 includes an outer pipe section 21 and an inner pipe section 22 connected together. One end of the outer pipe section 21 is connected to the vacuum gauge 3, and the other end passes through the pipe wall of the pre-stage pipeline 1. The inner pipe section 22 is bent from the other end of the outer pipe section 21 toward the airflow direction. The air inlet 23 is located at the end of the inner pipe section 22 away from the outer pipe section 21. Specifically, the mounting pipe 2 includes an outer pipe section 21 and an inner pipe section 22. The outer pipe section 21 is a straight pipe structure, with one end sealed to the vacuum gauge 3 by a thread or flange, and the other end passing through the pipe wall of the pre-stage pipeline 1 and fixed. The inner pipe section 22 is bent from the end of the outer pipe section 21 that extends into the pre-stage pipeline 1 toward the airflow direction to form a bent structure. The air inlet 23 is located at the end of the inner pipe section 22 away from the outer pipe section 21, and its opening direction is opposite to the airflow direction. The outer pipe section 21 and the inner pipe section 22 are connected by welding or integral molding to ensure gas sealing. The bending angle of the inner pipe section 22 allows the air inlet 23 to be precisely positioned inside the pre-stage pipeline 1. During operation, the airflow flows along the pre-stage pipeline 1. The structure of the inner pipe section 22, which bends in the direction of the airflow, causes the air inlet 23 to face away from the airflow. When the gas flows through the inner pipe section 22, an airflow separation zone is formed at its front end, significantly reducing the dynamic pressure and minimizing interference with the reading of the vacuum gauge 3. At the same time, dust or gaseous byproducts move along the airflow direction due to inertia and are blocked by the pipe wall of the inner pipe section 22, making it difficult for them to enter the installation pipe 2 from the air inlet 23, thus avoiding contamination of the vacuum gauge 3 and ensuring the detection accuracy and service life of the vacuum gauge 3.

[0032] In this embodiment, the inner pipe section 22 is a quarter-circular arc pipe section. Specifically, the inner pipe section 22 is a quarter-circular arc pipe section, formed by bending one end of the outer pipe section 21 that extends into the pre-stage pipe 1 in the direction of airflow. The center of its arc is located inside the pre-stage pipe 1, and the arc opening faces away from the direction of airflow. The air inlet 23 is located at the end of the quarter-circular arc pipe section away from the outer pipe section 21. The radius of curvature of the quarter-circular arc pipe section is adapted to the diameter of the outer pipe section 21. The outer pipe section 21 and the arc pipe section are connected by welding or integral molding to ensure airtightness. During operation, the airflow flows along the pre-pipe 1. The arc-shaped structure of the quarter-circular pipe section makes the air inlet 23 face away from the airflow direction. When the gas flows through the arc-shaped pipe section, a stable airflow separation zone is formed at its front end, and the dynamic pressure is greatly reduced, which reduces the interference to the reading of the vacuum gauge 3. At the same time, dust or gas byproducts move along the airflow direction due to inertia and are blocked by the arc-shaped pipe wall of the arc-shaped pipe section, making it difficult to bypass the arc structure and enter the air inlet 23. This further reduces the possibility of impurities entering the mounting pipe 2, effectively avoids the vacuum gauge 3 from being blocked or drifting at the zero point, and ensures the measurement accuracy and service life of the vacuum gauge 3.

[0033] In this embodiment, the outer pipe section 21 is a straight pipe section, and it is perpendicular to the upstream pipeline 1. Specifically, the outer pipe section 21 of the mounting pipe 2 is a straight pipe section, one end of which is sealed to the vacuum gauge 3 via a thread or flange, and the other end passes vertically through the pipe wall of the upstream pipeline 1, so that the axis of the outer pipe section 21 is perpendicular to the axis of the upstream pipeline 1. The outer pipe section 21 and the pipe wall of the upstream pipeline 1 are connected by welding or flange to ensure airtightness. The vertical arrangement of the outer pipe section 21 makes the overall direction of the mounting pipe 2 form a standard T-shaped connection with the upstream pipeline 1. This orthogonal connection method facilitates the external installation and positioning of the vacuum gauge 3.

[0034] In one embodiment, the distance between the air inlet 23 and the wall of the pre-pipeline 1 near the vacuum gauge 3 is , and the diameter of the mounting pipe 2 is , where ≥2. Specifically, the front end of the air inlet 23 maintains a minimum distance from the inner wall of the pre-pipeline 1 near the vacuum gauge 3, which is set to be more than twice the nominal diameter of the mounting pipe 2, i.e., satisfying the relationship ≥2. In this embodiment, by strictly controlling the distance between the air inlet 23 and the pre-pipeline wall, it is ensured that the air inlet 23 is located in the center of the mainstream flow area of ​​the pre-pipeline 1, away from the low-speed flow area of ​​the pipe wall boundary layer. This arrangement can avoid the interference of unstable airflow near the pipe wall on pressure measurement, and also make the air inlet 23 in a relatively uniform airflow velocity area, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the vacuum gauge 3 measurement. Therefore, by placing the air inlet 23 in a stable airflow area away from the pipe wall, the influence of the boundary layer airflow disturbance of the pre-pipeline 1 is significantly reduced, dynamic pressure fluctuations are reduced, and the vacuum gauge 3 reading is more stable.

[0035] In one embodiment, the air inlet 23 has a beveled cut, which faces the side of the pre-pipeline 1 closest to the vacuum gauge 3. Specifically, the air inlet 23 at the end of the inner pipe section 22 adopts a beveled structure. The beveled cut is processed by cutting or molding, and its opening direction faces the side of the pre-pipeline 1 closest to the vacuum gauge 3. When the main airflow passes through, the beveled cut forms a physical blocking surface on one side of the pipe wall, which can effectively intercept dust and gaseous byproducts moving along the airflow direction. Due to inertia, the dust or gaseous byproducts are difficult to turn and enter the air inlet 23. This beveled cut structure, through the change of geometry, without affecting the gas pressure transmission, utilizes the specific angular relationship between the airflow direction and the cut orientation to ensure the normal pressure detection function of the vacuum gauge 3 and significantly improve the contaminant blocking effect, thereby effectively avoiding measurement errors and performance degradation of the vacuum gauge 3 caused by the entry of contaminants.

[0036] Furthermore, the inclination angle of the bevel is in the range of 30°-45°. Specifically, the bevel at the end of the inner pipe section 22 is designed with an inclination angle of 30°-45°. This angle is defined as the angle between the beveled plane and the original flat end face. A precise bevel structure is formed at the pipe end through precision machining. In this embodiment, the optimized angle range of 30°-45° is determined based on experimental simulations of airflow characteristics and particulate matter trajectories. When the angle is less than 30°, the blocking effect of the bevel is insufficient, and some fine particles may still enter with the airflow; when the angle is greater than 45°, it will cause excessive disturbance in the airflow at the inlet 23, affecting the pressure measurement accuracy. Within this preferred angle range, the bevel can provide sufficient blocking area to intercept pollutants moving with the main airflow without affecting the pressure measurement, perfectly balancing the dual requirements of measurement accuracy and pollution prevention, and achieving stable and reliable long-term operation of the vacuum gauge 3.

[0037] Reference Figure 3 Furthermore, the end of the inner pipe section 22 away from the outer pipe section 21 extends in the airflow direction to form the obliquely cut barrier wall 24. Specifically, the end of the inner pipe section 22 adopts a specific oblique cut structure, wherein the end away from the outer pipe section 21 extends in the airflow direction of the preceding pipeline 1 to form a barrier wall 24 with a significant height difference. The height of the barrier wall 24 is higher than the pipe wall on the other side of the air inlet 23, making the cross-section of the air inlet 23 present an asymmetrical "one high and one low" structure. In this embodiment, the extended barrier wall 24 protrudes from the side of the air inlet 23 near the middle of the preceding pipeline 1, extending to a certain height. When the main airflow carrying dust passes through, the baffle wall 24 directly intercepts pollutant particles that attempt to change direction. At the same time, since the extension direction of the baffle wall 24 is consistent with the airflow direction, it forms a downstream guiding effect. This not only does not interfere with the flow state of the main airflow, but also strengthens the guiding effect on pollutants, ensuring that the particles continue to move along the direction of the main airflow without entering the air inlet 23. This ingenious structural design achieves efficient isolation of pollutants through the dual effects of physical interception and fluid guidance, fundamentally solving the problem of contamination of the vacuum gauge 3.

[0038] In one embodiment, the axial direction of the air inlet 23 is parallel to the axial direction of the pre-pipeline 1. Specifically, the central axis of the air inlet 23 at the second end of the mounting pipe 2 is parallel to the main airflow direction of the pre-pipeline 1, and precision machining ensures that the end face of the air inlet 23 is strictly aligned with the axial direction of the pre-pipeline 1. In this embodiment, the parallel axial arrangement of the air inlet 23 makes its opening direction 180° opposite to the main airflow direction. When the airflow carrying pollutants passes through the pipeline, since the air inlet 23 is oriented completely opposite to the airflow direction, dust and gaseous byproducts maintain their original trajectory due to inertia and cannot change direction to enter the mounting pipe 2. At the same time, this parallel opposing structural design ensures that the airflow forms a stable pressure measurement area near the air inlet 23, which not only avoids the influence of turbulence on measurement accuracy, but also constructs an effective pollutant blocking mechanism through the opposite arrangement, enabling the vacuum gauge 3 to accurately detect pipeline pressure without being disturbed by pollutants.

[0039] This embodiment of the invention also provides a thin film deposition apparatus, including the pressure detection device of the aforementioned backing pipeline 1. Specifically, the pressure detection device of the backing pipeline 1 in this embodiment has been described in detail in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here for the sake of brevity.

[0040] Specifically, the thin film deposition equipment includes a reaction chamber, a vacuum pump, a pre-line pipeline 1, and a pressure detection device for the pre-line pipeline 1. The pre-line pipeline 1 connects the reaction chamber and the vacuum pump. The pressure detection device is installed on the pre-line pipeline 1 to monitor the pressure status within the pre-line pipeline 1 in real time. In this embodiment, the vacuum gauge 3 of the pressure detection device is connected to the pre-line pipeline 1 through a mounting pipe 2. Its inlet 23 extends into the pipeline and is arranged in the opposite direction to the airflow. During the thin film deposition process, this effectively prevents process gas byproducts and reaction particles from entering the mounting pipe 2, avoiding contamination of the vacuum gauge 3 and resulting in inaccurate measurements. Simultaneously, it ensures that the equipment control system obtains accurate pressure signals, thereby precisely adjusting process parameters, ensuring the stability and repeatability of the thin film deposition process, and improving product yield.

[0041] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this utility model, but the protection scope of this utility model is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can easily conceive of various equivalent modifications or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this utility model, and these modifications or substitutions should all be covered within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A pressure detecting device for a foreline, characterized by comprising: include: The system includes a pre-pipeline, an installation pipe, and a vacuum gauge. The first end of the installation pipe is connected to the vacuum gauge, and the second end of the installation pipe extends through the side wall of the pre-pipeline into the pre-pipeline. The second end of the mounting pipe is provided with an air inlet, which faces away from the airflow direction of the gas in the pre-pipeline.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The mounting pipe includes an outer pipe section and an inner pipe section. One end of the outer pipe section is connected to the vacuum gauge, and the other end passes through the pipe wall of the pre-pipeline. The inner pipe section is bent from the other end of the outer pipe section toward the airflow direction. The air inlet is located at the end of the inner pipe section away from the outer pipe section.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The inner pipe section is a quarter-circle arc pipe section.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein The outer pipe section is a straight pipe section and is perpendicular to the upstream pipe.

5. The pressure detection device for the upstream pipeline according to claim 2, characterized in that, The distance between the air inlet and the wall of the pre-pipeline near the vacuum gauge is D1, and the diameter of the mounting pipe is D2, wherein D1 ≥ 2D2.

6. The pressure detection device for the upstream pipeline according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air inlet is provided with a bevel, which faces the side of the pre-pipeline closest to the vacuum gauge.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein The inclination angle of the beveled cut ranges from 30° to 45°.

8. The pressure detection device for the upstream pipeline according to claim 6, characterized in that, The end of the inner pipe section away from the outer pipe section extends toward the airflow direction to form a barrier wall for the oblique cut.

9. The pressure detection device for the upstream pipeline according to claim 1, characterized in that, The axial direction of the air inlet is parallel to the axial direction of the pre-pipeline.

10. A thin film deposition apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the pressure detection device for the upstream pipeline as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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