Pressing plate structure and coating equipment

Abstract

The utility model provides a pressing plate structure and coating equipment, and belongs to the technical field of semiconductor production equipment, the pressing plate structure comprises a first pressing plate and a second pressing plate, and the second pressing plate can be separated from the first pressing plate when a substrate abuts against the first pressing plate. A traditional integral pressing plate is improved into the first pressing plate and the second pressing plate which can be separated, when the substrate table ascends, the second pressing plate is used for pressing the peripheral side of the substrate, due to the fact that the size of the pressing plate actually making contact with the substrate is reduced, actually-accumulated heat is effectively reduced, and when film coating is completed, the pressing plate is used for pressing the peripheral side of the substrate. And the second pressing plate falls back to the first pressing plate again, and the heat is transferred out through the first pressing plate. Therefore, the pressing plate structure disclosed by the utility model can effectively solve the problem that the substrate is heated unevenly due to heat accumulation of the pressing plate, and can effectively improve the coating quality.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, specifically relating to a pressure plate structure and coating equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Magnetron sputtering, as a highly efficient thin-film deposition technology, is widely used in vacuum coating industries such as semiconductors and photovoltaics. Magnetron sputtering works by the interaction of an electric field and a magnetic field. Electrons, accelerated by the electric field, collide with argon atoms as they fly towards the substrate, ionizing into a large number of argon ions and electrons. The electrons then fly towards the substrate. The argon ions, accelerated by the electric field, bombard the target material, sputtering out a large number of target atoms and ions, which deposit onto the substrate to form a film. If the substrate is a silicon wafer, it can be adsorbed using an electrostatic chuck. However, if the substrate is made of a material such as glass, which is not conducive to electrostatic chuck adsorption, a pressure plate needs to be designed above the substrate. The weight of the pressure plate holds the substrate in place, preventing warping, deformation, and displacement.

[0003] In the relevant existing technology, the pressure plate is directly pressed on the periphery of the substrate and is lifted as the substrate stage is lifted. During the coating process, heat is easily accumulated, and the pressure plate cannot dissipate heat, which can easily lead to uneven heating of the glass substrate and affect the coating quality. Utility Model Content

[0004] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the aforementioned technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a pressure plate structure that can solve the problem of uneven heating of the substrate caused by heat accumulation in the pressure plate.

[0005] Secondly, this utility model provides a coating equipment that applies the above-mentioned pressure plate structure.

[0006] The pressure plate structure according to the first aspect of the present invention includes:

[0007] The first pressure plate has a first clearance window at its center.

[0008] The second pressure plate is attached to the periphery of the first pressure plate, and a second clearance window is provided in the center of the second pressure plate. The size of the second clearance window is smaller than that of the first clearance window.

[0009] The second pressure plate can separate from the first pressure plate when the substrate is held on top.

[0010] The pressure plate structure according to the embodiment of this utility model has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0011] The pressure plate structure in this utility model improves the traditional integral pressure plate into a separable first pressure plate and second pressure plate. When the substrate stage rises, the second pressure plate is used to press the periphery of the substrate. Since the actual size of the pressure plate in contact with the substrate is reduced, the actual heat accumulation is effectively reduced. When the coating is completed, the second pressure plate falls back onto the first pressure plate, and the first pressure plate is used to transfer the heat away.

[0012] Therefore, the pressure plate structure of this utility model can effectively solve the problem of uneven heating of the substrate caused by heat accumulation in the pressure plate, and can effectively improve the coating quality.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this utility model, an insulating part is provided on the lower end face of the second pressure plate, and the insulating part is located inside the first clearance window.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, a reflective portion is further provided on the lower end face of the second pressure plate. The reflective portion is disposed between the insulating portion and the second pressure plate, and a mirror reflective layer is provided on the surface of the reflective portion.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the second pressure plate is provided with a plurality of reflective portions above the insulating portion, and an insulating pad is provided between two adjacent reflective portions.

[0016] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the projection of the reflective part onto the horizontal plane completely covers the insulating part.

[0017] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the reflective portion extends horizontally above the first pressure plate, and the second pressure plate has a support portion disposed downward on the side away from the second clearance window. The support portion is located outside the reflective portion, and the lower end of the support portion protrudes downward relative to the reflective portion, so that a distance is maintained between the reflective portion and the first pressure plate.

[0018] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the insulating portion is flush with the edge of the second clearance window.

[0019] According to some embodiments of this utility model, one of the first pressure plate and the second pressure plate is provided with a positioning pin, and the other is provided with a positioning hole. The first pressure plate and the second pressure plate are horizontally limited by the positioning pin inserted into the positioning hole.

[0020] According to some embodiments of this utility model, the first pressure plate is provided with a cooling channel, and the cooling channel is connected to a cooling medium supply mechanism.

[0021] The coating apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention includes the pressure plate structure of any of the above embodiments.

[0022] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and some of these additional aspects and advantages will become apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0023] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of one working principle of the first pressure plate and the second pressure plate in this application;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of one structure of the second pressure plate in this application;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the first pressure plate, the second pressure plate, and the substrate stage in this application. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0028] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the directional descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the directional or positional relationship based on the directional or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0029] In the description of this utility model, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0030] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setting," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0031] In the description of this utility model, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this utility model. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0032] Reference Figures 1 to 3 An embodiment of this utility model proposes a pressure plate structure, comprising:

[0033] The first pressure plate 100 has a first clearance window at its center;

[0034] The second pressure plate 200 is attached to the periphery of the first pressure plate 100. The center of the second pressure plate 200 is provided with a second clearance window, the size of which is smaller than that of the first clearance window.

[0035] The second pressure plate 200 can separate from the first pressure plate 100 when the substrate 400 is held on top.

[0036] Understandably, the size of the first clearance window is larger than the size of the substrate 400 to be processed, so that the substrate 400 can pass through the first clearance window to contact the second pressure plate 200. The size of the second clearance window is matched with the size of the substrate 400 to be coated, so as to expose the coating area of ​​the substrate 400.

[0037] The first pressure plate 100 can be attached to the side wall of the vacuum chamber.

[0038] In the traditional structure, the pressure plate is an integral structure, with its outer edge set on the inner wall of the vacuum chamber and its inner side used to press the substrate 400. During the coating process, the pressure plate as a whole is heated, causing heat to accumulate and resulting in uneven heat distribution between the area of ​​the substrate 400 pressed by the pressure plate and the coating area.

[0039] In this embodiment, the pressure plate structure improves the traditional integral pressure plate into a separable first pressure plate 100 and second pressure plate 200. When the substrate stage 300 rises, the second pressure plate 200 is used to press the periphery of the substrate 400. Since the actual size of the pressure plate in contact with the substrate 400 is reduced, the actual heat accumulation is effectively reduced. When the coating is completed, the second pressure plate 200 falls back onto the first pressure plate 100, and the heat is transferred away by the first pressure plate 100.

[0040] Therefore, the pressure plate structure of this utility model can effectively solve the problem of uneven heating of the substrate 400 caused by heat accumulation in the pressure plate, and can effectively improve the coating quality.

[0041] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments of this utility model, an insulating part 201 is provided on the lower end face of the second pressure plate 200, and the insulating part 201 is located inside the first clearance window.

[0042] When the substrate stage 300 controls the substrate 400 to rise upwards to lift the second pressure plate 200, it will contact the lower end surface of the second pressure plate 200. In this embodiment, by setting an insulating part 201 at this position, the second pressure plate 200 contacts the substrate 400 through the insulating part 201. Since the thermal conductivity of the insulating material is poor, such as ceramic or PEEK, the use of the insulating part 201 to abut against the substrate 400 can effectively block the heat on the second pressure plate 200 from being transferred to the substrate 400, which is beneficial to ensuring the uniformity of heating of the substrate 400.

[0043] Furthermore, in traditional structures, the pressure plate is made of conductive metal. If the area in contact with the substrate 400 deforms, a state of near-contact but not actual contact will occur between the substrate 400 and the pressure plate, which is extremely prone to arcing and affects the film quality. In this embodiment, an insulating part 201 is provided to abut against the substrate 400. Since the insulating part 201 is an insulating structure, even if there is unevenness in the contact surface between it and the substrate 400, arcing will not occur, effectively solving the above problem and improving the film quality.

[0044] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In some embodiments of this utility model, a reflective part 202 is also provided on the lower end face of the second pressure plate 200. The reflective part 202 is disposed between the insulating part 201 and the second pressure plate 200, and a mirror reflective layer is provided on the surface of the reflective part 202.

[0045] It is understandable that the second pressure plate 200 will still accumulate a certain amount of heat when the substrate 400 is coated. In this embodiment, a reflective part 202 is provided between the insulating part 201 and the second pressure plate 200. The mirror reflective layer on the surface of the reflective part 202 can reflect the heat radiated from the second pressure plate 200 to the substrate 400 back, thereby further suppressing the temperature influence of the second pressure plate 200 on the substrate 400 and improving the coating quality of the substrate 400.

[0046] In some embodiments of this utility model, the second pressure plate 200 is provided with a plurality of reflective portions 202 above the insulating portion 201, and an insulating pad 203 is provided between two adjacent reflective portions 202.

[0047] This embodiment further reduces the temperature effect of the second pressure plate 200 on the substrate 400 by further providing multiple reflective parts 202 to reflect the heat radiated from the second pressure plate 200 to the substrate 400.

[0048] Since the substrate 400 and the second pressure plate 200 are in an abutting relationship, the multiple reflective parts 202 are preferably arranged vertically at intervals to increase the distance between the second pressure plate 200 and the substrate 400, and at the same time improve the heat reflection effect.

[0049] The horizontal dimension of the reflector 202 can be flexibly set as needed, and the dimensions of multiple reflectors 202 can be the same or different.

[0050] Furthermore, the multiple reflective parts 202 distributed vertically can be aligned vertically or have horizontal deviations.

[0051] It is understandable that since the reflective part 202 reflects radiant heat through a mirror reflective layer, and the second pressure plate 200 is located above the substrate 400, the mirror reflective layer can be provided only on the upper surface of the reflective part 202, or it can cover the other surfaces of the reflective part 202 at the same time.

[0052] The insulating pad 203 preferably has a small volume structure to further reduce contact heat conduction, which helps to reduce the heat on the second pressure plate 200 from being conducted to the insulating part 201 through the reflective part 202 and the insulating pad 203.

[0053] Combination Figure 1 The insulating part 201 is connected and fixed to the second pressure plate 200 by a fixing screw 204. The fixing screw 204 passes through both the reflective part 202 and the insulating gasket 203, fixing them together.

[0054] Of course, in order to improve installation stability, other connection structures may be added between the reflector 202 and the second pressure plate 200, which are not specifically limited here.

[0055] In some embodiments of this invention, the projection of the reflective portion 202 onto the horizontal plane completely covers the insulating portion 201. That is, the horizontal dimension of the reflective portion 202 is larger than that of the insulating portion 201.

[0056] In this embodiment, the insulating part 201 directly contacts the substrate 400. Due to the influence of the material properties, the thermal conductivity of the insulating part 201 will not effectively transfer the heat of the second pressure plate 200 to the substrate 400. By covering the insulating part 201 with the reflective part 202, the heat radiation from the second pressure plate 200 to the insulating part 201 can be effectively blocked. Therefore, the temperature of the substrate 400 in the contact area can be effectively avoided from being too high.

[0057] In some embodiments of this utility model, the reflective portion 202 extends horizontally above the first pressure plate 100.

[0058] It is understood that in this utility model, the outer edge region of the second pressure plate 200 overlaps the first pressure plate 100, and the insulating part 201 is located in the area corresponding to the first clearance window. In this embodiment, by extending the outer edge of the reflective part 202 to the top of the first pressure plate 100, the heat on the second pressure plate 200 is difficult to radiate downward to affect the substrate 400 within the area corresponding to the first clearance window.

[0059] Based on this, a support portion 205 is provided downward on the side of the second pressure plate 200 opposite to the second clearance window. The support portion 205 is located outside the reflective portion 202, and the lower end of the support portion 205 protrudes downward relative to the reflective portion 202, so that a distance is maintained between the reflective portion 202 and the first pressure plate 100. That is, the second pressure plate 200 abuts against the first pressure plate 100 through the support portion 205, preventing the reflective portion 202 from being damaged by contact with the first pressure plate 100.

[0060] The support 205 and the second pressure plate 200 can be an integral structure or a separate splicing structure.

[0061] In some embodiments of this utility model, the insulating part 201 is flush with the edge of the second clearance window.

[0062] Since the second clearance window is for exposing the substrate 400, and the insulating part 201 is for pressing the periphery of the substrate 400, this embodiment can ensure that the insulating part 201 presses the substrate 400 by keeping the edge of the insulating part 201 flush with the edge of the clearance window, while not obscuring the coating area of ​​the substrate.

[0063] It should be noted that "flush" does not mean completely identical. In actual production, there may be dimensional deviations, such as the insulation part 201 extending into the first clearance window.

[0064] In some embodiments of this utility model, one of the first pressure plate 100 and the second pressure plate 200 is provided with a positioning pin, and the other is provided with a positioning hole. The first pressure plate 100 and the second pressure plate 200 are horizontally limited by the positioning pin inserted into the positioning hole.

[0065] Since the second pressure plate 200 is lifted by the substrate 400 to separate from the first pressure plate 100, this embodiment can ensure that the position of the second pressure plate 200 remains consistent each time it falls back onto the first pressure plate 100 by setting a positioning pin and a positioning hole between the two, thereby successfully pressing the substrate 400.

[0066] Specifically, the area of ​​the second pressure plate 200 covering the first pressure plate 100 is provided with positioning holes, including multiple first positioning holes and one second positioning hole, which are evenly distributed around the first clearance window. Multiple positioning pins are provided on the upper surface of the first pressure plate 100 around the first clearance window, and the positioning pins are aligned vertically with the first and second positioning holes. The first positioning holes match the positioning pins, while the second positioning hole is an oblong hole or a tapered hole larger than the positioning pin.

[0067] Under normal conditions, the second pressure plate 200 is placed on the first pressure plate 100 through the engagement of the positioning pin with the first positioning hole and the second positioning hole. When the substrate 400 lifts the second pressure plate 200, the second pressure plate 200 separates from the first pressure plate 100, and the positioning hole also separates from the positioning pin. When the substrate 400 descends, the second pressure plate 200 falls back onto the first pressure plate 100. During this process, the second positioning hole can engage with the positioning pin for coarse positioning, which facilitates the automatic alignment of the positioning pin with the first positioning hole, allowing the positioning pin to be inserted into the first positioning hole.

[0068] In some embodiments of this utility model, the first pressure plate 100 is provided with a cooling channel 101, and the cooling channel 101 is connected to a cooling medium supply mechanism.

[0069] Since the substrate 400 is pressed by the second pressure plate 200 in this embodiment, the first pressure plate 100 does not need to rise and fall with the substrate 400. That is, the first pressure plate 100 can be fixed relative to the vacuum chamber. In this embodiment, a cooling channel 101 is provided on the first pressure plate 100 to allow the cooling medium to circulate. The second pressure plate 200 can be quickly cooled when it is supported on the first pressure plate 100, so as to facilitate continuous operation.

[0070] Alternatively, the second pressure plate 200 can be cooled by introducing cooling gas into the vacuum chamber.

[0071] The present invention also provides a coating apparatus comprising the pressure plate structure of any of the above embodiments.

[0072] Combination Figures 1 to 3 In one specific embodiment, the coating equipment includes a vacuum chamber and a substrate stage 300 that is vertically mounted within the vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber is equipped with multiple support portions that support the first pressure plate 100.

[0073] The first pressure plate 100 has a structure adapted to the circumferential sidewall contour of the vacuum chamber. The size of the first clearance window opened at the center of the first pressure plate 100 is smaller than the outer circumferential size of the substrate stage 300. The lower end face of the first pressure plate 100 is provided with positioning recesses that match the top holding part. The size of some positioning recesses is larger than the top holding part, and the size of some positioning recesses is exactly matched with the top holding part, so as to ensure that the first pressure plate 100 can be quickly aligned with the top holding part. The upper end face of the first pressure plate 100 is provided with positioning pins on both sides of the first clearance window at opposite corners.

[0074] A second clearance window is formed at the center of the second pressure plate 200, the size of which matches the area on the substrate 400 to be coated. Support portions 205 protrude downwards from the four edges of the second pressure plate 200. A first positioning hole and a second positioning hole are provided at the bottom of the support portion 205, located diagonally opposite the second clearance window and aligned vertically with the positioning pin. The first positioning hole is a hole that matches the positioning pin, and the second positioning hole is an oblong hole. The second pressure plate 200 is securely positioned on the first pressure plate 100 through the first and second positioning holes. The second pressure plate 200 extends into the first clearance window. In the portion extending beyond the first clearance window, two reflective portions 202 and an insulating portion 201 are provided from top to bottom on the lower end surface of the second pressure plate 200. The lower end of the insulating portion 201 is lower than the lower end of the support portion 205. Both the reflective portions 202 and the insulating portion 201 are in the form of plates. The insulating part 201 is connected to the second pressure plate 200 by passing upward through the two reflective parts 202 via a fixing screw 204. The fixing screw 204 is located on the outside of the substrate 400 to avoid contact with the substrate 400. The reflective parts 202 and the insulating part 201 are vertically aligned with the second clearance window on the side near the center of the vacuum chamber. Insulating gaskets 203 are fitted between the reflective parts 202 and between the reflective parts 202 and the second pressure plate 200 at the location where the fixing screw 204 passes. The two reflective parts 202 extend above the first pressure plate 100 on the side away from the center of the vacuum chamber, and a mirror reflective layer is provided on the upper end surface of the two reflective parts 202.

[0075] In the initial state, the substrate stage 300 is at the bottom, loading the substrate 400, with the second pressure plate 200 overlapping the first pressure plate 100. As the substrate stage 300 rises carrying the substrate 400, the insulating part 201 abuts against the edge area of ​​the substrate 400, and as the substrate stage 300 rises, the second pressure plate 200 separates from the first pressure plate 100, allowing the coating process to proceed. After coating is completed, the substrate stage 300 descends, and the second pressure plate 200 returns to its original position under the positioning action of the locating pin.

[0076] When the substrate stage 300 rises a further distance, the edge area of ​​the substrate stage 300 can lift the first pressure plate 100.

[0077] It is understood that the coating equipment of this embodiment has the following advantages:

[0078] 1. By adopting the combination of the first pressure plate 100 and the second pressure plate 200, the heat transfer area is reduced. At the same time, the insulation part 201 and the insulation gasket 203 are used to reduce contact heat transfer, and the reflective part 202 is used to reduce radiation heat transfer, which can effectively ensure the overall temperature uniformity of the substrate 400.

[0079] 2. It can prevent arcing between the pressure plate and the substrate 400.

[0080] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other unless otherwise specified.

Claims

1. A pressure plate structure, characterized in that, include: The first pressure plate has a first clearance window at its center. The second pressure plate is attached to the periphery of the first pressure plate, and a second clearance window is provided in the center of the second pressure plate. The size of the second clearance window is smaller than that of the first clearance window. The second pressure plate can separate from the first pressure plate when the substrate is held on top.

2. The pressure plate structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, An insulating part is provided on the lower end face of the second pressure plate, and the insulating part is located inside the first clearance window.

3. The pressure plate structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The lower end face of the second pressure plate is also provided with a reflective part, which is disposed between the insulating part and the second pressure plate, and the surface of the reflective part is provided with a mirror reflective layer.

4. The pressure plate structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second pressure plate has a plurality of reflective portions above the insulating portion, and an insulating pad is provided between two adjacent reflective portions.

5. The pressure plate structure according to claim 3, characterized in that, The projection of the reflective part onto the horizontal plane completely covers the insulating part.

6. The pressure plate structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The reflective portion extends horizontally above the first pressure plate. The second pressure plate has a support portion disposed downward on the side opposite to the second clearance window. The support portion is located outside the reflective portion, and the lower end of the support portion protrudes downward relative to the reflective portion, so that a distance is maintained between the reflective portion and the first pressure plate.

7. The pressure plate structure according to claim 2, characterized in that, The insulating portion is flush with the edge of the second clearance window.

8. The pressure plate structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, One of the first pressure plate and the second pressure plate is provided with a positioning pin, and the other is provided with a positioning hole. The first pressure plate and the second pressure plate are horizontally limited by the positioning pin inserted into the positioning hole.

9. The pressure plate structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first pressure plate is provided with a cooling channel, and the cooling channel is connected to a cooling medium supply mechanism.

10. A coating apparatus, characterized in that, Includes the pressure plate structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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