Air intake adjusting device for plasma etching machine

Abstract

The application provides a kind of plasma etching machine air intake regulating device, including cylinder and air intake device, cylinder axial two ends are equipped with air inlet and air outlet hole group, all are communicated with internal air-tight cavity, air intake device is communicated with air inlet through connecting pipeline, including large hole gas diffuser and small hole gas diffuser, large hole gas diffuser top communicates connecting pipeline air outlet end, bottom can be rotatably arranged in air-tight cavity, there is airflow passage in it along the axial direction, multiple air outlet holes are radially equidistant on passage side wall.Small hole gas diffuser is coaxially arranged below large hole gas diffuser, upper surface is filter plane, uniformly distributed filter small hole, gas flows to reaction zone uniformly through airflow passage, air outlet hole and filter small hole, this device realizes airflow active homogenization through rotating large hole gas diffuser and fixed small hole gas diffuser cooperation, optimizes gas distribution, overcomes the defect of traditional scheme.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of plasma etching, and more particularly to an air intake regulating device for a plasma etching machine. Background Technology

[0002] In plasma etching processes, the uniformity of gas intake directly affects etching accuracy and process stability. Traditional gas intake regulating devices typically employ a metal tube arrangement structure, distributing gas through vents on the tube surface. However, this design has significant drawbacks: the metal tube arrangement leads to a complex cavity structure, making installation and maintenance difficult. Furthermore, because the distribution of vents and the spacing between tubes are difficult to control precisely, turbulence easily forms within the cavity, resulting in uneven gas distribution. Especially in low-vacuum environments, the free path of gas molecules increases, making it difficult to achieve uniform diffusion through the direct injection method of the metal tubes. This results in poor gas flow stability in the etching region, affecting process consistency.

[0003] To address the problem of uneven gas distribution, existing technologies have proposed various improvement schemes, such as multi-stage flow splitting structures or rotary nozzles. Multi-stage flow splitting reduces gas velocity through a combination of a distribution plate and a guide vane, while rotary nozzles utilize centrifugal force to disperse the airflow. However, these solutions still have inherent drawbacks: multi-stage flow splitting structures are bulky, increasing cavity complexity; while rotary nozzles can improve gas dispersion, their sealing performance and long-term operational reliability face challenges. Furthermore, the fixed installation of metal tubes or ceramic diffusers requires extremely high assembly precision; even slight misalignment can lead to uneven airflow distribution, and thermal expansion or mechanical vibration may further exacerbate this problem, making it difficult to maintain stable intake uniformity in actual processes.

[0004] The core problem with existing technologies lies in their passive diffusion mechanism and fixed structural design. The direct jet flow from the metal tube vents lacks dynamic adjustment capabilities, and the gas cannot be fully mixed before entering the reaction zone, especially when processing large substrates, where the airflow distribution differs significantly between the edge and center regions. Furthermore, the complex pipe layout not only increases manufacturing costs but also makes equipment maintenance and cleaning difficult. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide an air intake regulating device for a plasma etching machine with uniform air intake.

[0006] According to one aspect of this application, a plasma etching machine inlet regulating device is provided, comprising:

[0007] The cylinder block has an air inlet and an air outlet assembly at its two axial ends, and both the air inlet and the air outlet assembly are connected to the airtight cavity inside the cylinder block.

[0008] An air intake device, which is connected to the air intake port via a connecting pipe, the air intake device comprising:

[0009] The large-hole diffuser plate has its top connected to the air outlet end of the connecting pipe and its bottom rotatably disposed in the airtight cavity. Several airflow channels are axially connected inside the large-hole diffuser plate. On the circumferential sidewall of each airflow channel, multiple air outlets are equidistantly arranged radially. The distribution plane of the air outlets is parallel to the bottom surface of the large-hole diffuser plate.

[0010] A small-hole aerator is coaxially disposed below the bottom surface of the large-hole aerator. The upper surface of the small-hole aerator forms a filter plane corresponding to the air outlet. Multiple filter holes are evenly distributed on the filter plane.

[0011] The gas flows out of the outlet through the airflow channel and flows evenly to the reaction zone of the cylinder through the filter holes.

[0012] In one specific embodiment, the air outlet group is connected to an air compressor device, which is used to draw gas from the airtight cavity to create a low vacuum environment in the airtight cavity.

[0013] In one specific embodiment, a gas reaction device and a material carrying device are arranged sequentially at intervals along the axial direction in the reaction zone;

[0014] The gas outlet of the gas reaction device is positioned toward the bearing plane of the material bearing device, and the bearing plane intersects perpendicularly with the central axis of the gas outlet.

[0015] The gas reaction device is used to activate the uniform gas flow plasma from the orifice diffuser, so that the plasma-activated reaction gas forms a laminar gas flow and uniformly covers the bearing plane.

[0016] In one specific embodiment, the air outlet group includes two air outlets, which are configured to be symmetrically distributed with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the bearing plane;

[0017] In the axial projection direction, the radial distance between the central axis of the air outlet and the edge contour line of the material carrying device is 5 to 15 mm.

[0018] The total cross-sectional area of ​​the air outlets is 1.2 to 1.5 times that of the air inlet, and the exhaust direction of the air outlets forms an angle of 10° to 30° with the tangent direction of the circumferential edge of the bearing plane.

[0019] The reacted gas flows along the tangential direction of the circumferential edge of the bearing plane and forms a vortex exhaust effect when it is discharged through the gas outlet. The rotation direction of the vortex exhaust effect is opposite to the rotation direction of the large-hole expansion plate.

[0020] In one specific embodiment, the air intake device further includes:

[0021] The drive assembly includes an active synchronous pulley fitted on the connecting pipe, which drives the large-hole air diffuser to rotate axially.

[0022] In one specific embodiment, the driving component includes:

[0023] The drive motor has a drive synchronous pulley coaxially fixed to its output shaft end;

[0024] The driven synchronous pulley is coaxially sleeved on the outer wall of the connecting pipe and rotates synchronously with the large-hole expansion plate.

[0025] A synchronous transmission belt engages with the driving synchronous pulley and the driven synchronous pulley.

[0026] In one specific embodiment, the air intake device further includes:

[0027] A rotary joint, one end of which is connected to an external air passage, and the other end of which is rotatably connected to the air inlet of the connecting pipe.

[0028] In one specific embodiment, a magnetic fluid sealing device is provided at the contact end between the cylinder body and the connecting pipe. The magnetic fluid sealing device is used to seal the air inlet, and the connecting pipe passes through the magnetic fluid sealing device to connect to the large-hole expansion plate.

[0029] In one specific embodiment, the material carrying device includes:

[0030] An electrode tray, wherein the top of the electrode tray has a material-bearing plane, and the bottom of the electrode tray penetrates the cylinder body to fix the electrode tray.

[0031] An insulating sleeve is connected between the electrode tray and the cylinder body to airtighten the cylinder body.

[0032] The aforementioned plasma etching machine air intake regulating device achieves active airflow homogenization through the synergistic effect of a rotating large-aperture diffuser and a fixed small-aperture diffuser. The rotation of the large-aperture diffuser causes the gas to diffuse uniformly in the circumferential direction, while the small-aperture diffuser further refines the airflow, ensuring that the gas enters the reaction zone in a laminar flow state. This design not only simplifies the air intake structure but also optimizes the uniformity of gas distribution through dynamic adjustment, effectively overcoming the inherent defects of traditional solutions. Attached Figure Description

[0033] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0034] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of an air intake regulating device for a plasma etching machine;

[0035] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of part A;

[0036] Figure 3 A first-person view of the large-hole diffuser.

[0037] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Sectional view AA;

[0038] Figure 5 A second-view diagram of the large-hole diffuser.

[0039] Figure 6 for Figure 5 BB is a cross-sectional view.

[0040] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0041] 1. Cylinder body; 11. Air inlet; 12. Air outlet group; 121. Air outlet; 13. Airtight cavity; 14. Reaction zone; 15. Air compressor; 16. Gas reaction device; 17. Material carrying device; 171. Electrode tray; 172. Insulating sleeve; 18. Magnetohydrodynamic sealing device; 2. Air inlet device; 21. Connecting pipeline; 22. Large-hole diffuser; 221. Airflow channel; 222. Air outlet; 23. Small-hole diffuser; 231. Air filter plane; 232. Air filter hole; 24. Drive assembly; 241. Active synchronous pulley; 242. Drive motor; 243. Driven synchronous pulley; 244. Synchronous transmission belt; 25. Rotary joint; 100. An air inlet regulating device for a plasma etching machine. Detailed Implementation

[0042] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of this application are shown in the drawings. However, this application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.

[0043] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0044] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 1 - Figure 6 One embodiment of this application provides an air intake regulating device for a gas pressure etching machine, comprising:

[0046] The cylinder body 1 has an air inlet 11 and an air outlet 222 group 12 respectively provided at both ends. The air inlet 11 and the air outlet 222 group 12 are both related to the airtight cavity 13 inside the cylinder body 1.

[0047] Air intake device 2, which is connected to the air intake port 11 via a hole for adjustment, the air intake device 2 includes:

[0048] The large-hole diffuser plate 22 has its top corresponding to the air outlet end of the connecting pipe, and its bottom is rotatably disposed in the airtight cavity 13. The large-hole diffuser plate 22 has several channels along its inner edge. On the circumferential sidewall hole of each inlet channel, multiple air outlet holes 222 are formed along their dipole equiaxis. The distribution plane of the air outlet holes 222 is parallel to the bottom surface of the large-hole diffuser plate 22.

[0049] Small-hole aerator 23 is coaxially disposed below the bottom surface of the large-hole aerator 22. The upper surface of the small-hole aerator 23 is aligned with the filter plane 231 of the corresponding air outlet 222. Multiple filter holes 232 are evenly distributed on the filter plane 231.

[0050] The gas exits through the stop channel via the vent 222 and flows evenly through the filter 232 to the reaction zone 14 of the cylinder 1.

[0051] Furthermore, in a specific embodiment, the large-hole diffuser 22 has six to eight independent air passages evenly distributed inside, with four large holes installed at equal intervals along each air passage. The air passages terminate and are sealed by a sealing head, forming a closed gas channel. The small-hole diffuser 23 has fifteen concentric layers of air holes centered on the rotation axis. Each layer of air passages is connected to the drive motor 242 via a synchronous belt drive system along the annular homogeneous large-hole diffuser 22. During uniform rotation, the position of the large holes in the air passages changes spirally with the rotation of the diffuser, forming a dynamic annular distribution when ejected from the large holes. The multi-layered air hole structure of the small-hole diffuser 23 further refines the airflow through cyclic gradient diffusion. In the symmetrical structure of the two diffusers, the rotational motion of the large-hole diffuser 22 and the fixed multi-layered diffusion of the small-hole diffuser 23 create a spatial synergistic effect. The sealing design at the end of the air passages ensures that the gas exits only through the gap large holes, avoiding ejection. The core advantage of this structure lies in the fact that the rotating dynamic distribution mechanism completely eliminates the distribution blind zone of the fixed pores, and the slow distribution of the fifteen-layer small-pore diffusion layer matches the gas sinking path, so that the gas uniformity in the treatment area meets the process requirements.

[0052] In a specific embodiment, the air outlet group 222 12 represents an air compressor device 15, which is used to sample and draw gas from the airtight cavity 13, thereby forming a low vacuum environment in the airtight cavity 13.

[0053] Furthermore, the effective interaction between the vent 222 group 12 and the air compressor 15 constructs a vacuum pressure balance system. The vents 121 of the two steps are arranged along the longitudinal center of the transmission flow diagram, and their total cutoff is 1.2-1.5 times that of the inlet 11, ensuring dynamic matching between exhaust efficiency and intake volume. The vents 121 maintain a 5-15mm gap from the edge of the warehouse packing device, forming a stable adsorption flow field around the substrate through the Bernoulli effect. At the same time, the negative pressure suction of the air compressor 15 maintains a low vacuum in the airtight cavity 13. The core of this design relies on the connection and control of the extreme exhaust path and vacuum pressure to ensure that the gas flow direction is orthogonal, reducing ion collision damage. The edge design avoids end disturbance to the substrate and enhances exhaust efficiency through the eddy current effect, while significantly improving etching performance.

[0054] In this embodiment, a gas reaction device 16 and a warehouse load device are arranged sequentially and at intervals along the reaction zone 14.

[0055] The outlet end of the gas reaction device 16 is designated to be the load plane of the warehouse loading device, and the load plane intersects perpendicularly with the central axis of the outlet end.

[0056] The gas reaction device 16 is used to maintain the integrity of the nitrogen reaction device from the orifice gas diffuser 23 in an intermittent arrangement.

[0057] The formation of directional activation and deposition, the uniform output of the fifteen-layer pore structure of the small-hole gas expansion plate 23 of the two devices, and the formation of laminar flow after radio frequency intervention, the flow rate and the laminar boundary layer are precisely matched. The consistency of this structure is reflected in: the gradient provides stable gas input, the vertical strategy design optimizes the particle motion prescription, and the consistency parameter controls the activator energy decay gradient, which together achieve a high degree of consistency in etching rate, and is particularly suitable for precision machining of high aspect ratio structures.

[0058] In a specific embodiment, the air outlet group 222 12 includes two air outlets 121, which are configured to be distributed with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the load plane;

[0059] In the orthogonal projection direction, the symmetry between the center of the air outlet 121 and the edge symmetry line of the water tank bearing device is 5-15mm.

[0060] The total cross-sectional area of ​​the air outlets 121 is 1.2 to 1.5 times the cross-sectional area of ​​the air inlet 11, and the exhaust direction of the air outlets 121 forms an angle of 10° to 30° with the tangent of the circumferential edge of the bearing plane.

[0061] The gas after the reaction flows along the tangential direction of the circumferential edge of the bearing plane and forms a vortex exhaust effect when it is exhausted through the gas outlet 121. The rotation direction of the vortex exhaust effect is opposite to the rotation direction of the large-hole expansion plate 22.

[0062] Furthermore, the simplified rotation and tangential angle design of the two exhaust ports 121 forms a vortex exhaust dynamics model. The center point of the exhaust port 121 forms an angle of 10°-30° with the tangent of the circumferential edge of the bearing plane. This angle range is determined through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation to generate optimal vortex intensity. The parameter setting of the total cross-sectional area being 111.2-1.5 times that of the intake port 11 ensures that the exhaust velocity to intake velocity ratio is maintained at the golden ratio of 1.05-1.15, preventing backflow. The vortex effect rotation direction and the design of the large-hole diffuser 22 adapt to the influence of rotating airflow on substrate acquisition through the principle of angular momentum conservation. Experimental data shows that this design is equivalent to a 60% reduction in shear force on the substrate surface. Key technical parameters include: vortex Reynolds control number in the range of 800-1200, and a vortex core diameter to substrate diameter ratio of 0.15-0.25. At this ratio, the exhaust gas resistance efficiency is improved by 40% without interfering with the flow field in the etching area. In practical applications, this structure reduces the etching rate variation from the 300mm tension edge to the center from ±8% to ±1.5%.

[0063] In a specific embodiment, the air intake device 2 further includes:

[0064] Drive component 24, the control upper sleeve is equipped with an active synchronous pulley 241,

[0065] Furthermore, the synchronous belt drive system of the drive assembly 24 drives the active synchronous pulley via a precision motor, and the driven synchronous pulley is synchronously connected to the large-hole venting disc 22. The transmission tooth profile design ensures the synchronization accuracy. The key to this design lies in the compatibility design of the continuously variable transmission system and the rotary sealing structure, which, while ensuring the accuracy of power transmission, completely eliminates the risk of gas leakage and meets the reliability requirements for long-term continuous operation.

[0066] In a specific embodiment, the driving component 24 includes:

[0067] The drive motor 242 has a drive synchronous pulley 241 coaxially fixed to its output shaft end;

[0068] The driven synchronous belt 243 pulley is coaxially sleeved on the outer wall of the connection control and rotates synchronously with the large hole expansion plate 22;

[0069] A synchronous transmission belt, as shown in the figure, connects the driving synchronous pulley 241 and the driven synchronous belt 243.

[0070] Furthermore, the drive motor 242 integrates a high-precision encoder, achieving precise adjustment through a closed-loop control algorithm. The synchronous belt uses wear-resistant composite materials, and optimized tooth profile parameters reduce transmission vibration. The tooth ratio design of the active and driven synchronous pulleys is balanced with the required specifications, and DLC processing reduces the coefficient of friction. The core advantage of this system lies in the balanced design of dynamic response technology and transmission efficiency, ensuring the consistency and stability of the large-hole diffuser 22 meets process requirements while adapting to the low particulate emission standards of cleanroom environments.

[0071] In a specific embodiment, the air intake device 2 further includes:

[0072] Rotary joint 25, another external air passage of which can be connected to the air inlet of the valve.

[0073] Furthermore, the dual-channel sealing structure of the rotary joint 25 employs a hard alloy sealing ring and a hydraulic balancing system. The stator end is connected to the gas source via a metal sealing flange, while the rotor end is hard-sealed with the conical surface of the gas pipeline to ensure high-pressure airtightness. This design optimizes the contact pressure distribution of the sealing surface through mechanical balancing, maintaining a nanometer-level leakage rate under rotational conditions while withstanding gas pressure, ensuring the long-term reliability of the process gas pipeline.

[0074] In a specific embodiment, a magnetic fluid sealing device 18 is specified on the contact end between the cylinder 1 and the specified connecting pipe. The magnetic fluid sealing device 18 is used to seal the air inlet 11. The magnetic fluid sealing device 18 in the step is connected to the large-hole expansion plate 22.

[0075] The magnetohydrodynamic sealing device 18 generates a strong magnetic field through a Halbach permanent magnet, and the nano-magnetic fluid forms a liquid sealing layer in the sealing gap. This technology achieves breakthroughs by completely eliminating friction and wear through non-contact sealing, and the self-healing properties of the magnetohydrodynamic fluid under magnetic field control, resulting in sealing consumption far exceeding that of traditional mechanical seals, perfectly adapting to the dynamic sealing requirements of rotating inlet structures.

[0076] In a specific embodiment, the warehouse storage device includes:

[0077] Electron tray 171, the top of the electrode tray 171 is formed with the tray tray, and the end passes through the cylinder 1 to fix the electrode tray 171;

[0078] An insulating sleeve 172 is connected between the electrode tray 171 and the cylinder 1 to airtightly seal the cylinder 1.

[0079] Furthermore, the aluminum-ceramic tray of the tray-bearing device achieves efficient insulation and thermal management through microgroove cooling channels. The three-layer composite structure of the 172-piece set integrates ceramic insulators, load dielectric reinforcement, and elastic sealing functions. The ultra-precision machining of the tray surface ensures uniform distribution, and the multi-layer design suppresses radio frequency interference. The core value of this structure lies in maintaining a stable electrothermal environment in high-power radio frequency fields, achieving substrate temperature uniformity to meet atomic-level etching process requirements, while simultaneously realizing equipment miniaturization and high reliability.

[0080] The aforementioned gradient etching machine regulating device achieves active airflow homogenization through the synergistic effect of a rotating large-aperture gas disk 22 and a fixed small-aperture gas disk 23. The rotation of the large-aperture gas disk 22 causes the gas to diffuse uniformly in the circumferential direction, while the small-aperture gas disk 23 further refines the gas flow, ensuring that the gas enters the reaction zone 14 in a laminar flow state. This design not only simplifies the air intake structure but also optimizes the uniformity of gas distribution through dynamic adjustment, effectively overcoming the inherent defects of traditional solutions.

Claims

1. A plasma etching machine air intake regulating device, characterized in that, include: The cylinder block has an air inlet and an air outlet assembly at its two axial ends, and both the air inlet and the air outlet assembly are connected to the airtight cavity inside the cylinder block. An air intake device, which is connected to the air intake port via a connecting pipe, the air intake device comprising: The large-hole diffuser plate has its top connected to the air outlet end of the connecting pipe and its bottom rotatably disposed in the airtight cavity. Several airflow channels are axially connected inside the large-hole diffuser plate. On the circumferential sidewall of each airflow channel, multiple air outlets are equidistantly arranged radially. The distribution plane of the air outlets is parallel to the bottom surface of the large-hole diffuser plate. A small-hole aerator is coaxially disposed below the bottom surface of the large-hole aerator. The upper surface of the small-hole aerator forms a filter plane corresponding to the air outlet. Multiple filter holes are evenly distributed on the filter plane. The gas flows out of the outlet through the airflow channel and flows evenly to the reaction zone of the cylinder through the filter holes.

2. The plasma etching machine air intake regulating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air outlet group is connected to an air compressor device, which is used to draw gas from the airtight cavity to create a low vacuum environment in the airtight cavity.

3. The plasma etching machine air intake regulating device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The reaction zone is provided with gas reaction devices and material carrying devices arranged sequentially at intervals along the axial direction. The gas outlet of the gas reaction device is positioned toward the bearing plane of the material bearing device, and the bearing plane intersects perpendicularly with the central axis of the gas outlet. The gas reaction device is used to activate the uniform gas flow plasma from the orifice diffuser, so that the plasma-activated reaction gas forms a laminar gas flow and uniformly covers the bearing plane.

4. The plasma etching machine air intake regulating device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The air outlet group includes two air outlets, which are configured to be symmetrically distributed with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the bearing plane; In the axial projection direction, the radial distance between the central axis of the air outlet and the edge contour line of the material carrying device is 5~15 mm; The total cross-sectional area of ​​the air outlets is 1.2 to 1.5 times that of the air inlet, and the exhaust direction of the air outlets forms an angle of 10° to 30° with the tangent direction of the circumferential edge of the bearing plane. The reacted gas flows along the tangential direction of the circumferential edge of the bearing plane and forms a vortex exhaust effect when it is discharged through the gas outlet. The rotation direction of the vortex exhaust effect is opposite to the rotation direction of the large-hole expansion plate.

5. The plasma etching machine air intake regulating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air intake device also includes: The drive assembly includes an active synchronous pulley fitted on the connecting pipe, which drives the large-hole air diffuser to rotate axially.

6. The plasma etching machine air intake regulating device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The driving component includes: The drive motor has a drive synchronous pulley coaxially fixed to its output shaft end; The driven synchronous pulley is coaxially sleeved on the outer wall of the connecting pipe and rotates synchronously with the large-hole expansion plate. A synchronous transmission belt engages with the driving synchronous pulley and the driven synchronous pulley.

7. The plasma etching machine air intake regulating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air intake device also includes: A rotary joint, one end of which is connected to an external air passage, and the other end of which is rotatably connected to the air inlet of the connecting pipe.

8. The plasma etching machine air intake regulating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, A magnetic fluid sealing device is provided at the contact end between the cylinder body and the connecting pipe. The magnetic fluid sealing device is used to seal the air inlet. The connecting pipe passes through the magnetic fluid sealing device to connect to the large-hole expansion plate.

9. The plasma etching machine air intake regulating device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The material carrying device includes: An electrode tray, wherein the top end of the electrode tray has the bearing plane, and the bottom end penetrates the cylinder to fix the electrode tray; An insulating sleeve is connected between the electrode tray and the cylinder body to airtighten the cylinder body.

Images