Thin film processing apparatus
By installing a porous grid structure in the air intake pipe to suppress the discharge and uneven energy distribution in the air intake pipe, the problem of clean and uniform deposition in the thin film processing equipment is solved, thus achieving clean and uniform deposition.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- JIANGSU MICROVIA NANO EQUIP TECH CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-23
AI Technical Summary
In existing plasma thin film processing equipment, discharge phenomena are prone to occur in the gas inlet pipe, causing the mixed gas to react and deposit at the gas inlet pipe, resulting in pollution, and energy dissipation leads to uneven energy feeding into the reaction chamber.
A suppressor is installed in the intake duct. The suppressor includes multiple grilles spaced apart in a preset direction. Each grille has several grille holes to form a porous structure, so as to distribute the potential evenly and reduce the discharge phenomenon.
It effectively reduces contamination in the air intake pipe, improves energy uniformity within the reaction device, and avoids unevenness caused by energy dissipation.
Smart Images
Figure CN224395010U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and more specifically, to a suppressor and a thin film processing apparatus. Background Technology
[0002] Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is a technique that uses plasma to activate reactive gases, promoting chemical reactions on or near the surface of a substrate to form a solid film. The basic principle of PECVD is that under a high-frequency or DC electric field, the source gas is ionized to form plasma. Using low-temperature plasma as an energy source, a suitable amount of reactive gas is introduced, and plasma discharge activates the reactive gas, achieving chemical vapor deposition. In existing plasma thin-film processing equipment, a mixed gas is input into the reaction chamber through an inlet pipe. The reactants generated by the ionized mixed gas undergo surface reactions on the target device within the reaction chamber. However, discharge phenomena are prone to occur at the inlet pipe, leading to gas-mixed gas reaction deposition at the inlet pipe, and the deposited film contaminates the inlet pipe. Furthermore, the discharge causes some energy dissipation, resulting in uneven energy input into the reaction chamber. Utility Model Content
[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a suppressor and a thin film processing device. The suppressor can effectively suppress discharge phenomena, thereby reducing the contamination of the air intake pipe of the thin film processing device and improving the problem of uneven energy fed into the reaction chamber due to partial energy dissipation in the reaction device.
[0004] To achieve the above objectives, in a first aspect, this application provides a suppressing member for use in a thin film processing apparatus. The suppressing member includes a plurality of grid members spaced apart in a preset direction, each grid member having a plurality of grid holes formed thereon.
[0005] In an optional embodiment, the grid element is a conductive grid;
[0006] Alternatively, the grid element may include a conductive grid and a dielectric element wrapped around the surface of the conductive grid.
[0007] In an optional embodiment, the area of a single grid hole is 0.005~1mm. 2 .
[0008] In an optional embodiment, the thickness of the grating element is 1~10mm.
[0009] In an optional implementation, the grid holes on two adjacent grid members are staggered in a preset direction.
[0010] In an optional implementation, the grille holes are polygonal holes, circular holes, or elliptical holes.
[0011] In a second aspect, this application provides a thin film processing apparatus, including a reaction device, an air inlet pipe, and a first suppressor. The first suppressor is any one of the suppressors in the first aspect described above. The reaction device has a chamber, and a support platform for carrying a target device is provided in the chamber of the reaction device. The air inlet pipe is connected to the reaction device and communicates with the chamber of the reaction device. The first suppressor is disposed in the air inlet pipe.
[0012] In an optional embodiment, each grille element in the first suppressor is arranged in parallel at intervals and is perpendicular to the extension direction of the intake duct.
[0013] In an optional embodiment, the chamber of the reaction apparatus includes a reaction chamber having a sidewall surrounding the support platform, and a second suppressing member is disposed within the reaction chamber. The second suppressing member is any of the suppressing members in the first aspect described above, and the second suppressing member is disposed between the sidewall of the reaction chamber and the edge of the support surface.
[0014] In an optional embodiment, the reaction apparatus includes a support member surrounding a support platform, and a second suppressor member disposed on the support member.
[0015] In an optional embodiment, the air intake pipe includes a ceramic pipe and a metal pipe, one end of the ceramic pipe is connected to the chamber of the reaction device, and the other end is connected to the metal pipe, with a first suppressor disposed inside the ceramic pipe.
[0016] The beneficial effects of the thin film processing equipment provided in this application include:
[0017] This application provides a suppression component comprising a plurality of grid members spaced apart in a predetermined direction, each grid member having a plurality of grid holes. The thin-film processing equipment provided in this application includes a reaction device and an inlet pipe. The reaction device has a chamber, and a support platform for supporting a target device (such as a wafer) is disposed within the chamber. The inlet pipe is connected to the reaction device and communicates with the chamber. A first suppression component, namely the aforementioned suppression component, is disposed within the inlet pipe. The first suppression component has a porous structure, and its placement within the inlet pipe serves both to allow gas passage and to make the potential distribution within the inlet pipe more uniform, thereby weakening the electric field and reducing the likelihood of discharge. Therefore, the suppression component provided in this application can reduce contamination of the inlet pipe of the thin-film processing equipment and improve the problem of uneven energy feeding into the reaction chamber due to partial energy dissipation in the reaction device.
[0018] Other features and advantages of this application will be described in detail in the following detailed description section. Attached Figure Description
[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of this application and should not be regarded as a limitation of the scope. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0020] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the thin film processing equipment provided in the embodiments of this application;
[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first suppressing element in one embodiment of this application;
[0022] Figure 3 This is a partial schematic diagram of a grille element in one embodiment of this application;
[0023] Figure 4 and Figure 5 These are partial schematic diagrams of the grille element in two other embodiments of this application;
[0024] Figures 6 to 8 These are partial schematic diagrams of the grille element in three other embodiments of this application;
[0025] Figure 9 This is a potential distribution cloud diagram without the first suppression element.
[0026] Figure 10 The potential distribution cloud map after setting the first suppression device.
[0027] Icons: 100-Intake pipe; 110-Ceramic pipe; 120-Metal pipe; 130-First suppressor; 131-Grate component; 132-Grate hole; 133-Conductive grid; 134-Dielectric component; 200-Reaction device; 201-Gas equalization chamber; 202-Reaction chamber; 210-Support platform; 220-Outer shell; 221-Ceramic liner; 230-Evacuation ring; 240-Spray device; 241-Gas equalization component; 242-Flow guide hole; 250-Support component; 260-Second suppressor; 300-RF power supply; 400-Matching device. Detailed Implementation
[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.
[0029] In the description of this application, it should be noted that the terms "inner" and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the product is in use. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and for 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 application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.
[0030] In the description of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "setup" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0031] As described in the background section, discharge phenomena are prone to occur in the air inlet pipe of plasma thin-film processing equipment of related technologies. The reason for this discharge is the uneven potential distribution within the air inlet pipe, resulting in a large potential gradient and thus a strong electric field. To address this, embodiments of this application provide a suppression component and a thin-film processing device incorporating the suppression component. By installing the suppression component in the air inlet pipe, the potential distribution within the air inlet pipe tends to be more uniform, reducing the electric field and thereby minimizing discharge phenomena.
[0032] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the thin film processing apparatus provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the thin film processing equipment provided in this embodiment is specifically a plasma thin film processing equipment, which includes a reaction device 200 and an inlet pipe 100. The reaction device 200 has a chamber, and a support platform 210 for supporting a target device is disposed in the chamber of the reaction device 200. The inlet pipe 100 is connected to the reaction device 200 and communicates with the chamber of the reaction device 200; a first suppressor 130 is disposed in the inlet pipe 100. The target device is the device that needs to be surface coated, such as a wafer.
[0033] In this embodiment, the air intake pipe 100 includes a metal pipe 120 and a ceramic pipe 110. One end of the ceramic pipe 110 is connected to the chamber of the reaction device 200, and the other end is connected to the metal pipe 120. A first suppressor 130 is disposed inside the ceramic pipe 110. Optionally, the first suppressor 130 is grounded, for example, through a wire.
[0034] Optionally, the first suppressor 130 is filled inside the ceramic tube 110, that is, the outer periphery of the first suppressor 130 is in contact with the inner wall of the ceramic tube 110, and the axial dimension of the first suppressor 130 in the ceramic tube 110 is equivalent to the axial dimension of the ceramic tube 110 itself. This arrangement allows the first suppressor 130 to be uniformly distributed throughout the space inside the ceramic tube 110, and the potential distribution within the space of the ceramic tube 110 can become more uniform due to the presence of the first suppressor 130, reducing discharge phenomena caused by large potential gradients.
[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first suppressor 130 in one embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the first suppressor 130 includes a plurality of spaced-apart grilles 131, each grille 131 having a plurality of grille holes 132. Optionally, the grilles 131 can be connected to each other by a connecting part (not shown in the figure) to keep the relative position of the grilles 131 fixed; or, each grille 131 can be connected to the inner wall of the intake pipe 100 to ensure that the relative position with the intake pipe 100 and the relative position between the grilles 131 are fixed. Since the grilles 131 are spaced apart, the reactant gas can pass through, and each grille 131 is provided with grille holes 132, so the reactant gas can also diffuse between adjacent grilles 131. Therefore, the first suppressor 130 forms a porous structure, and the reactant gas can ensure better uniformity after passing through the first suppressor 130.
[0036] Furthermore, the grid holes 132 on the grid member 131 can be evenly distributed; in order to adapt to the shape of the inner cavity of the ceramic tube 110, the dimensions of each grid member 131 in the first suppressing member 130 can be different.
[0037] Optionally, each grille element 131 in the first suppressor 130 is perpendicular to the extending direction of the intake duct 100, and the grille elements 131 are arranged in parallel at intervals. In order to improve the uniformity of airflow and the uniformity of potential distribution, the grille elements 131 can be evenly spaced apart.
[0038] The aperture of the grid holes 132 should be smaller than the Debye shielding length to ensure that no plasma is present in the pores. The number of grid holes 132 in the first suppressor 130 can be selected according to the size of the inner cavity of the ceramic tube 110 and the process formulation to meet the film formation requirements. Debye shielding length satisfy:
[0039] ;in, For electron density, For electron temperature, The vacuum permittivity, eIt is a natural constant.
[0040] Optionally, the aperture of the grille hole 132 is 0.1~1mm. Optionally, the area of a single grille hole is 0.005~1mm². 2 The thickness of a single grid element 131 is 1~10mm. In this embodiment, the aperture of the grid hole 132 is smaller than the thickness of the grid element 131, which can effectively suppress plasma from passing through the grid hole 132, thereby suppressing abnormal discharge within the grid hole 132. Optionally, the ratio of the opening width of the grid hole 132 to the axial length of the grid hole 132 (i.e., the thickness of the grid element 131) is 0.1~0.8, and further, this ratio is 0.5~0.7.
[0041] Figure 3 This is a partial schematic diagram of the grille member 131 in one embodiment of this application. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the grille 131 in this embodiment includes intersecting strips to form a mesh structure, with each mesh forming a grille hole 132. In this embodiment, the grille 131 is a conductive grille, and its material can be metal, such as at least one of gold, silver, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, nickel, and nickel alloys. The material of the grille 131 can be selected as a corrosion-resistant and heat-resistant material.
[0042] Figure 4 and Figure 5 These are partial schematic diagrams of the grille 131 in two other embodiments of this application. Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the grid member 131 may include a conductive grid 133 and a dielectric member 134 wrapped around the surface of the conductive grid 133. The conductive grid 133 can be coupled with... Figure 2 , Figure 3 The grid members 131 in the embodiments have similar structures, including intersecting strips to form a mesh structure. The dielectric element 134 can cover the surface of the conductive grid 133 to protect it and improve its corrosion resistance. Furthermore, the dielectric element 134 can determine the size and distribution of the grid holes 132, for example, in... Figure 4 In this embodiment, each grid formed by the conductive grille 133 corresponds to a grille hole 132; while Figure 5 In the embodiment, each grid formed by the conductive grid 133 corresponds to four grid holes 132. When the conductive grid 133 is relatively sparse, the dielectric element 134 can also form a relatively dense distribution of grid holes 132.
[0043] Optionally, the conductive grid 133 is made of at least one of gold, silver, copper, aluminum, and stainless steel. Optionally, the dielectric element 134 is made of at least one of silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, and quartz.
[0044] The specific structure of the grille 131 and the shape of the grille holes 132 can be adjusted as needed. For example, the grille holes 132 can be set as polygonal holes, round holes, or elliptical holes arranged in a rectangular array. Figures 3 to 5 In the three embodiments shown, the grid holes 132 are all square holes arranged in a rectangular array. Figures 6 to 8 These are partial schematic diagrams of the grille 131 in three other embodiments of this application. Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the grid member 131 includes a conductive grid 133 and a dielectric member 134. Each grid formed by the conductive grid 133 corresponds to a grid hole 132. The grid holes 132 on the grid member 131 are circular holes distributed in a rectangular array. Figure 7 In the embodiment shown, the grid member 131 includes a conductive grid 133 and a dielectric member 134. Each grid formed by the conductive grid 133 corresponds to four grid holes 132. The grid holes 132 on the grid member 131 are circular holes distributed in a rectangular array. Figure 8 In the embodiment shown, the grille 131 is made of metal, and the grille holes 132 on the grille 131 are circular holes distributed in a rectangular array.
[0045] Figure 9 The potential distribution cloud diagram when the first suppression element 130 is not set; Figure 10 A potential distribution cloud map after setting the first suppression element 130. By comparison... Figure 9 and Figure 10 It can be seen that with the first suppressor 130 installed, the potential distribution within the intake pipe 100 (specifically the ceramic tube 110) is more uniform, and the overall potential is lower; while without the first suppressor 130, there is a significant potential distribution gradient within the intake pipe 100. Therefore, the first suppressor 130 significantly improves the potential uniformity within the intake pipe 100, and a smaller potential gradient (smaller electric field) makes it less likely for discharge to occur.
[0046] Please refer to it again. Figure 1In this embodiment, the reaction apparatus 200 includes a gas equalization chamber 201 and a reaction chamber 202. An inlet pipe 100 communicates with the gas equalization chamber 201. A gas equalization element 241 is disposed between the gas equalization chamber 201 and the reaction chamber 202. The gas equalization element 241 has a plurality of guide holes 242. The bearing surface of the support platform 210 is spaced apart from the gas equalization element 241. At least a portion of the reaction chamber 202 is formed between the bearing surface and the gas equalization element 241. It should be understood that the bearing surface of the support platform 210 is used to support the target device, and the bearing surface faces upwards during normal use of the thin film processing equipment. After the process gas enters the reaction apparatus 200 through the inlet pipe 100, it first enters the gas equalization chamber 201, and then enters the reaction chamber 202 through the guide holes 242 on the gas equalization element 241, where it reacts and deposits on the target device. Optionally, the guide holes 242 on the gas equalization element 241 are evenly distributed. Because the diameter of the end of the gas inlet pipe 100 (the end connected to the reaction device 200) is small and the airflow is relatively concentrated, the gas uniformity chamber 201 is provided so that the reaction gas entering the gas uniformity chamber 201 can diffuse. By providing the gas uniformity element 241, the process gas passing through the guide hole 242 of the gas uniformity element 241 can contact the surface of the target device more evenly, which is beneficial to the uniformity of thin film deposition.
[0047] Specifically, in this embodiment, the reaction apparatus 200 includes a spray device 240, a vacuum ring 230, and a housing 220. The housing 220 has an upward-facing opening, a support platform 210 is disposed within the housing 220, and the vacuum ring 230 is connected to the edge of the upward-facing opening of the housing 220 and extends along the opening of the housing 220 to form a ring. The spray device 240 is connected to the vacuum ring 230 and is located at the uppermost side of the entire reaction apparatus 200. The gas equalization chamber 201 is formed by the spray device 240, and the gas equalization element 241 is part of the spray device 240 and is located on the side of the spray device 240 near the support platform 210. The ceramic tube 110 of the air inlet pipe 100 is connected to the side of the spray device 240 away from the support platform 210. The vacuum ring 230 is used to achieve vacuuming within the reaction chamber 202.
[0048] The reaction chamber 202 is located below the gas equalizer 241. The process gas enters the reaction chamber 202 after passing through the gas equalizer 241. The radial dimension of the gas equalizer 241 is larger than that of the support stage 210, and the edge of the gas equalizer 241 extends radially beyond the edge of the support stage 210. Therefore, the projection of the gas equalizer 241 onto the support surface completely covers the support surface. In this embodiment, the reaction chamber 202 has a sidewall surrounding the support stage 210. A second suppressor 260 is disposed within the reaction chamber 202. The second suppressor 260 has a porous structure and is disposed between the sidewall of the reaction chamber 202 and the edge of the support surface. In this embodiment, the second suppressor 260 can reduce the impact of edge effects on plasma density uniformity, reduce particle generation, and prevent the thin film deposited on the sidewall from falling off into the film deposition area and affecting the thin film deposition on the target device.
[0049] In this embodiment, the sidewall of the reaction chamber 202 is formed by the inner side of the suction ring 230. Further, the reaction apparatus 200 also includes a support member 250, which surrounds the support platform 210. The support member 250 has a support surface facing the gas equalizer 241, and a second suppressor 260 is disposed on the support surface. Optionally, the support surface of the support member 250 is parallel to the support surface of the support platform 210, and may be slightly lower than or flush with the support surface. The portion of the gas equalizer 241 near its edge is vertically opposite to the support member 250. Optionally, the second suppressor 260 fills the space between the support member 250 and the gas equalizer 241; that is, the upper side of the second suppressor 260 is in contact with the gas equalizer 241, and the lower side is supported by the support member 250. Process gas passing through the edge of the gas equalizer 241 can enter the second suppressor 260 and then diffuse radially inward to the target device on the support stage 210, thus further alleviating the problem of low reaction gas concentration in the area near the edge of the support stage 210.
[0050] In this embodiment, the second suppressing member 260 can adopt a structure similar to that of the first suppressing member 130, that is, it includes a plurality of mutually spaced grid members, each grid member having a plurality of grid holes. The specific arrangement of the grid members and grid holes of the second suppressing member 260 can be referred to the grid members 131 and grid holes 132 of the first suppressing member 130, and will not be described again here.
[0051] Furthermore, a ceramic liner 221 is provided on the inner side of the housing 220. The stage 210 may be an electrostatic chuck, and furthermore, the stage 210 may be configured to rotate relative to the housing 220 to make the film deposition more uniform.
[0052] In this embodiment, the thin film processing equipment also includes an RF power supply 300 and a matching device 400, which are connected sequentially to the reaction device 200 via cables. The RF power supply 300 and the matching device 400 are responsible for providing energy and optimizing impedance matching, respectively, to ensure the effective generation and stable operation of plasma, thereby realizing plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) within the reaction chamber 202.
[0053] In summary, this application provides a suppressor and a thin film processing device. The suppressor includes a plurality of grid members 131 spaced apart in a preset direction, each grid member 131 having a plurality of grid holes 132 formed thereon. The thin film processing device includes a reaction device 200 and an air inlet pipe 100. The reaction device 200 has a chamber, and a support platform 210 for supporting a target device (such as a wafer) is provided in the chamber of the reaction device 200. The air inlet pipe 100 is connected to the reaction device 200 and communicates with the chamber of the reaction device 200. A first suppressor 130 is provided in the air inlet pipe 100, which is the suppressor provided in this application embodiment. By providing the first suppressor 130 in the air inlet pipe 100, the first suppressor 130 having a porous structure can both facilitate the passage of gas and make the potential distribution in the air inlet pipe 100 more uniform, thus weakening the electric field and making it less prone to discharge. Therefore, the thin film processing equipment provided in this application embodiment can reduce the contamination of the air inlet pipe 100 and improve the problem of uneven energy fed into the reaction chamber 202 due to partial energy dissipation in the reaction device 200.
[0054] It should be noted that, where there is no conflict, the features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.
[0055] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.
Claims
1. A thin film processing device, characterized in that, The device includes a reaction apparatus, an air intake pipe, and a first suppressor. The first suppressor includes a plurality of grid members spaced apart in a preset direction, each grid member having a plurality of grid holes. The reaction apparatus has a chamber, and a support platform for carrying a target device is provided in the chamber of the reaction apparatus. The air intake pipe is connected to the reaction apparatus and communicates with the chamber of the reaction apparatus. The first suppressor is disposed in the air intake pipe.
2. The thin film processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grid component is a conductive grid; Alternatively, the grid element may include a conductive grid and a dielectric element wrapped around the surface of the conductive grid.
3. The thin film processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The area of a single grille hole is 0.005~1mm. 2 .
4. The thin film processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the grating is 1~10mm.
5. The thin film processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grid holes on two adjacent grid members are staggered in the preset direction.
6. The thin film processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The grid holes can be polygonal, circular, or elliptical.
7. The thin film processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the grille members in the first suppressing member is arranged in parallel at intervals and is perpendicular to the extension direction of the air intake pipe.
8. The thin film processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The reaction device includes a reaction chamber with a side wall surrounding the support platform. A second suppressor is provided inside the reaction chamber. The second suppressor includes a plurality of grid members spaced apart in a preset direction. Each grid member has a plurality of grid holes. The second suppressor is disposed between the side wall of the reaction chamber and the edge of the support platform.
9. The thin film processing equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that, The reaction apparatus includes a support member surrounding the support platform, and the second suppressor member is disposed on the support member.