A shielding disk receiving cavity and coating device

Abstract

This application discloses a shielding disk receiving cavity (4), which includes an auxiliary chamber body and a shielding disk detection device. The internal space of the auxiliary chamber body is used to receive and detect the shielding disk (2). A detection hole is formed on the bottom wall of the auxiliary chamber body, and a light-transmitting plate is formed on the detection hole. The shielding disk detection device includes a first sensor (6) and a second sensor (7). The first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7) are disposed in the visible range outside the light-transmitting plate. The first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7) are adjacent to each other, and the interval between them is consistent with the protrusion size of the shielding disk. The first sensor and the second sensor are used to send detection signals to the internal space of the auxiliary chamber body through the light-transmitting plate. This application also discloses a coating device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductors and related semiconductor equipment, and more specifically, to a shielding disk receiving cavity and a coating apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] During the pre-sputtering process, a shielding disk is mainly used to prevent the target material from being deposited directly on the heating disk or electrostatic chuck.

[0003] For shielding plate position detection mechanisms, multiple photoelectric sensors are usually used to detect the position of the shielding plate and support base. Multiple photoelectric sensors occupy a lot of space, increasing the complexity and footprint of the system. Furthermore, the current installation position and structural design of multiple photoelectric sensors are unreasonable, often resulting in false detections and causing downtime.

[0004] Therefore, the development of a compact and rationally designed shielding disk cavity and coating device to improve system integration and achieve more accurate detection results is a pressing technical problem in this field. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application aims to address, to a certain extent, one of the technical problems in related technologies. To this end, as a first aspect of this application, it provides a shielding disk receiving cavity, which includes an auxiliary chamber body and a shielding disk detection device. The internal space of the auxiliary chamber body is used to accommodate and detect the shielding disk.

[0006] A detection hole is formed on the bottom wall of the auxiliary chamber body, and a light-transmitting plate is formed on the detection hole. The shielding plate detection device includes a first sensor and a second sensor. The first sensor and the second sensor are located in the visible range outside the light-transmitting plate. The first sensor and the second sensor are adjacent to each other, and the interval between them is consistent with the protrusion size set by the shielding plate. The first sensor and the second sensor are used to send detection signals to the internal space of the auxiliary chamber body through the light-transmitting plate.

[0007] Furthermore, the shielding disc detection device also includes a first amplifier and a second amplifier, which are electrically connected to a first sensor and a second sensor, respectively. The first amplifier and the second amplifier are disposed on the top of the auxiliary chamber body, and the first amplifier and the second amplifier include corresponding indicator lights for displaying the detection results of the first sensor and the second sensor.

[0008] Furthermore, both the first amplifier and the second amplifier are disposed on the top outer side of the auxiliary chamber body, with the position of the first amplifier corresponding to the position of the first sensor and the position of the second amplifier corresponding to the position of the second sensor.

[0009] Furthermore, the shielding disk receiving cavity also includes a side light shield and a bottom light shield disposed on the outside of the auxiliary chamber body. The bottom light shield and the side light shield are connected to enclose the bottom and side surfaces of the first sensor and the second sensor, thereby blocking external light from entering the first sensor and the second sensor.

[0010] Furthermore, the side light-shielding plate and the bottom light-shielding plate are combined to form a light-shielding box, which is placed over the light-transmitting plate to form a light-shielding space. The first sensor and the second sensor are disposed within the light-shielding space.

[0011] Furthermore, the shielding disk receiving cavity includes a filter, which is fixedly connected to the light-transmitting plate. The filter is used to filter light so that the detection light from the first sensor and the second sensor can pass through.

[0012] Furthermore, the shielding plate receiving cavity includes a fixed flange and a sealing ring both disposed on the outside of the light-transmitting plate. The sealing ring is disposed between the fixed flange and the light-transmitting plate window, and the filter is disposed between the light-transmitting plate and the sealing ring, so that the fixed flange fixes and presses the filter tightly on the outside of the light-transmitting plate through the sealing ring.

[0013] Furthermore, the first sensor and the second sensor include reflective laser sensors and / or through-beam laser sensors.

[0014] As a second aspect of the present invention, a coating apparatus is disclosed, the coating apparatus comprising a coating cavity, a shielding disk receiving cavity, and a support base, the shielding disk receiving cavity being the aforementioned shielding disk receiving cavity, the coating cavity being in communication with the auxiliary chamber body, the support base being used to support and transmit the shielding disk moving within the coating cavity and the auxiliary chamber body, the shielding disk having a protrusion dimension set as the distance between the edge of the shielding disk and the edge of the support base.

[0015] Furthermore, the coating apparatus also includes a transmission mechanism, which includes a support arm, a drive motor, and a magnetic coupling. The two ends of the support arm are respectively fixedly connected to the support base and the drive motor, and the drive motor drives the support arm to move through the magnetic coupling.

[0016] The shielding disk receiving cavity of the present invention is suitable for conventional coating equipment, especially for the detection of shielding disks in PVD chambers. By setting the positions of the first and second sensors, the position of the shielding disk can be accurately detected. This device uses only two sensors to detect the position of the shielding disk, reducing the volume of the chamber and minimizing the structure, thus improving the integration of the system. Compared with the traditional four or more sensors, it has great advantages, reducing the complexity of the detection system. The light-transmitting plate is set at the bottom of the chamber, so that the sensor can detect the inside of the chamber through the window formed by the light-transmitting plate at the bottom, which can reduce the interference of other light on the sensor and increase the detection sensitivity and accuracy of the system.

[0017] These features and advantages of this application will be disclosed in detail in the following specific embodiments and accompanying drawings. The best embodiments or means of this application will be shown in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but are not intended to limit the technical solutions of this application. In addition, each of these features, elements and components appearing in the following text and drawings is multiple and is labeled with different symbols or numbers for convenience, but all represent parts with the same or similar structure or function. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, further illustrates this application:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of one embodiment of the coating apparatus provided in this application;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a perspective schematic diagram of one embodiment of the coating apparatus provided in this application.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0022] 1: Support base; 2: Shielding plate; 3: Viewing window; 4: Shielding plate receiving cavity; 5: Coating cavity; 6: First sensor; 7: Second sensor; 8: Sealing ring; 9: Filter; 10: Light shield; 11: First amplifier; 12: Second amplifier; 13: Drive motor; 14: Magnetic coupling; 15: Support arm; 16: Coating base; 17: Ejector pin. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The embodiments of this application 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 are intended to explain this application and should not be construed as limiting it.

[0024] The terms "an embodiment," "example," or "example" used in this specification refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment itself that may be included in at least one embodiment disclosed in this application. The phrase "in an embodiment" appearing in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. The "spaces" referred to in this application do not necessarily mean spaces of the same size.

[0025] In semiconductor manufacturing equipment, magnetron sputtering technology involves introducing a certain amount of reactive gas (usually an inert gas, such as argon) into a vacuum chamber under vacuum conditions. Then, through the combined action of voltage and magnetic field, the reactive gas is ionized. These gas ions bombard the target surface, causing the target material to be ejected in atomic or molecular form and deposited on the wafer to form a dense thin film. Generally, pre-sputtering of the target is required before the actual sputtering process to remove oxides and other impurities from the target surface. During pre-sputtering, a shielding disk is rotated and placed on a lifting mechanism to prevent the target material from depositing directly on the heating plate or electrostatic chuck. After each pre-sputtering process, the shielding disk and support base need to be rotated back to the shielding chamber position. Their position does not affect the deposition process within the chamber; therefore, it is necessary to detect whether the shielding disk and support base have returned to the shielding chamber. In existing technologies, multiple photoelectric sensors are typically used to detect the position of the shielding disk and support base to determine whether a pre-sputtering process is required. However, using multiple photoelectric sensors will occupy a large space, increasing the complexity and footprint of the system. Furthermore, the more photoelectric sensors there are, the more likely they are to be interfered with by external light, which can lead to misjudgments of detection results and equipment downtime. Therefore, a more compact and simpler detection method using a shielding plate and support base is needed to improve the system's integration and detection accuracy.

[0026] As a first aspect of this application, this application provides a shielding disk receiving cavity 4, which includes an auxiliary chamber body and a shielding disk detection device. The internal space of the auxiliary chamber body is used to accommodate the detection shielding disk 2. A detection hole is formed on the bottom wall of the auxiliary chamber body, and a light-transmitting plate is formed on the detection hole. The shielding disk detection device includes a first sensor 6 and a second sensor 7. The first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7 are disposed in the visible range outside the light-transmitting plate. The first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7 are adjacent to each other, and the interval between them is consistent with the protrusion size of the shielding disk 2. The first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7 are used to send detection signals to the internal space of the auxiliary chamber body through the light-transmitting plate.

[0027] The inspection hole of this application is used to install the viewing window 3, forming a light-transmitting plate on the inspection hole. The state and light inside the vacuum chamber can be monitored from the outside through the light-transmitting plate. The viewing window 3 also has a sealing function and can be detachably sealed to the chamber through the sealing ring 8 and the flange. The position of the inspection hole is set on the bottom wall of the auxiliary chamber body, so that the outside of the viewing window 3 formed by the light-transmitting plate is not easily covered by dust and obstructed observation. At the same time, the bottom viewing window 3 can prevent more external light from entering the chamber and interfering with the sensor, thereby increasing the detection accuracy.

[0028] As an optional implementation, the detection probes of both the first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7 are attached to the light-transmitting plate at a set angle, so that the detection paths of the two detection signals are aligned at any position within the internal space of the auxiliary chamber body, avoiding interference between the two sensors. Preferably, the detection path is vertically set to be the shortest, improving the signal-to-noise ratio of the detection signal and minimizing obstruction of the detection signal and path emitted from the bottom wall by other structures within the chamber, thus increasing detection sensitivity and accuracy. On the other hand, the sensor is used to detect the position of the shielding disk. After pre-sputtering, metal is deposited on the upper surface of the shielding disk. If the sensor detects and monitors from the top, the detection signal may act on the metal surface, causing interference from the metal and affecting the detection results. Therefore, preferably, the sensor probe is emitted from the bottom wall.

[0029] This application does not specifically limit the type of sensor. The first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7 include reflective laser sensors and / or through-beam laser sensors. As an optional implementation, the shielding disk detection device includes a laser sensor and an amplifier. The laser sensor is used to emit a laser detection signal, and the amplifier is used to process the signal fed back to the laser sensor and then display it. Specifically, the shielding disk detection device also includes a first amplifier 11 and a second amplifier 12. The first amplifier 11 and the second amplifier 12 are electrically connected to the first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7, respectively. The first amplifier 11 and the second amplifier 12 are disposed on the top of the auxiliary chamber body. The first amplifier 11 and the second amplifier 12 include corresponding indicator lights for displaying the detection results of the first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7. The first amplifier 11 and the second amplifier 12 are both disposed on the outer top of the auxiliary chamber body. The position of the first amplifier 11 corresponds to the position of the first sensor 6, and the position of the second amplifier 12 corresponds to the position of the second sensor 7. The positions of the amplifiers and sensors correspond, which facilitates the determination of the actual position.

[0030] In some embodiments, there are two laser sensors and two amplifiers used for the sensors. The first laser sensor is used for detecting the shielding disk, and the second laser sensor is used for detecting the support base 1. Each amplifier corresponds to its respective laser sensor and has an indicator light. The on / off state of the indicator light indicates whether the corresponding laser sensor has detected anything. The status of the laser sensor corresponds to the indicator light on the amplifier. After the motor reaches the predetermined position, the following situations occur.

[0031] In the first scenario, the indicator light of the first amplifier 11 is on, and the indicator light of the second amplifier 12 is on, indicating that the first sensor 6 has detected the shielding disk 2 and the second sensor 7 has detected the support base 1. This means that both the shielding disk 2 and the support base 1 are located in the shielding disk receiving cavity 4, indicating that the shielding disk 2 has not been transferred to the coating cavity 5 used for coating. Therefore, the pre-sputtering process cannot be performed.

[0032] In the second scenario, the indicator light on the first amplifier 11 is off, while the indicator light on the second amplifier 12 is on. This indicates that the first sensor 6 has not detected the shielding disk 2, and the second sensor 7 has detected the support base 1. This confirms that the shielding disk 2 is located in the coating cavity 5, while the support base 1 is located in the shielding disk receiving cavity 4. This means that the shielding disk 2 has been transferred to the coating cavity 5 by the support base 1, and the support base 1 has returned to the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 after the transfer. In this case, the pre-sputtering process can proceed.

[0033] In the third scenario, if the indicator lights of the first amplifier 11 and the second amplifier 12 are off, it means that the first sensor 6 has not detected the shielding disk and the second sensor 7 has not detected the support base 1. This indicates that both the shielding disk 2 and the support base 1 are located in the coating cavity 5, meaning that the shielding disk 2 has been transferred to the coating cavity 5 by the support base 1. However, the support base 1 has not returned to the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 after the transfer, so the pre-sputtering process cannot be performed.

[0034] To further reduce light interference with the sensor, the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 of this application is also equipped with a light-shielding plate 10. In one specific embodiment, the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 also includes a side light-shielding plate and a bottom light-shielding plate disposed outside the auxiliary chamber body. The bottom light-shielding plate is connected to the side light-shielding plate to enclose the bottom and sides of the first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7, thereby blocking external light from entering the first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7. Preferably, the light-shielding plate 10 is made of black acrylic sheet, which can minimize the impact of sunlight or incandescent light on the detection accuracy of the laser sensor.

[0035] Preferably, the side and bottom light-shielding plates enclose a light-shielding box, which is then placed over the light-transmitting plate to form a light-shielding space. The first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7 are disposed within this light-shielding space. The structure of the light-shielding box effectively blocks and shields light entering from all directions, further improving the detection accuracy of the sensors.

[0036] To further reduce interference from other light sources, the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 of this application includes a filter 9, which is fixedly connected to a light-transmitting plate. The filter 9 is used to filter light, allowing the detection light from the first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7 to pass through. In some embodiments, the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 includes a fixing flange and a sealing ring 8, both disposed on the outer side of the light-transmitting plate. The sealing ring 8 is disposed between the fixing flange and the light-transmitting plate window, and the filter 9 is disposed between the light-transmitting plate and the sealing ring 8, so that the fixing flange fixes and presses the filter 9 tightly against the outer side of the light-transmitting plate through the sealing ring 8. The shielding disk receiving cavity provided by this invention uses a high-precision laser sensor in conjunction with the filter 9, and is further protected by a light-shielding box, reducing the impact of incandescent lamps and fluorescent lamps in cleanrooms.

[0037] As a second aspect of the present invention, a coating apparatus is disclosed, the coating apparatus including a coating cavity 5, a shielding disk receiving cavity 4 and a support base 1, the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 being the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 described above, the coating cavity 5 being in communication with an auxiliary chamber body, the support base 1 being used to support and transmit the shielding disk moving in the coating cavity 5 and the auxiliary chamber body, the shielding disk being set with a protrusion dimension equal to the distance between the edge of the shielding disk and the edge of the support base 1.

[0038] The coating apparatus also includes a transmission mechanism, which comprises a support arm 15, a drive motor 13, and a magnetic coupling 14. The two ends of the support arm 15 are fixedly connected to a support base 1 and the drive motor 13, respectively. The drive motor 13 drives the support arm 15 to move via the magnetic coupling 14. In some embodiments, the drive motor 13 includes a stepper motor with an absolute encoder and a harmonic reducer. The stepper motor, connected to the magnetic coupling 14, provides power for the rotation of the support base 1. The stepper motor, equipped with an absolute encoder, controls the upper and lower limit positions and the origin position of the support disk, facilitating rotation. The harmonic reducer enables precise position control of the stepper motor. The magnetic coupling 14 is disposed on the bottom wall of the chamber. The magnetic coupling 14 and the bottom wall of the chamber are sealed by a sealing structure to ensure vacuum. Through the cooperation of the magnetic coupling 14 and the stepper motor, reliable driving of the shielding disk can be achieved, ensuring the vacuum level of the vacuum chamber and reducing particle generation. A stepper motor with an absolute encoder can precisely control the movement of the shielding plate and support 1, thereby reducing the need for upper and lower limit position and origin position detection sensors, reducing the use of sensors, and improving the system integration.

[0039] In some embodiments, the coating apparatus includes a shielding disk, a support base 1, a shielding disk receiving cavity 4, and a coating cavity 5. The coating cavity 5 includes a coating base 16 and a ejector pin 17. The ejector pin 17 is disposed in the coating base 16 and can rise or fall relative to the coating base. The shielding disk is disposed above the support base 1. The support base 1 rotates between the coating cavity 5 and the shielding disk receiving cavity 4. A stepper motor and a harmonic reducer precisely control the rotation angle of the support base 1, so that the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 can be moved by the support base 1 to the coating base 16. Two viewing windows 3 are opened at the bottom of the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 to provide a channel for a sensor to emit laser light. The sensor includes a first... Sensor 6 and sensor 7 are both mounted on the bottom wall of the shielding disk cavity 4. Filter 9 is sealed in the middle of the viewing window 3 by a sealing ring 8 to ensure the high vacuum requirement of the shielding disk cavity 4. The laser emitted by the first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7 is filtered by the wavelength of the filter 9 and detects the shielding disk and support 1 inside the shielding disk cavity 4. The signal is then fed back to the amplifier at the top of the shielding disk cavity 4. The amplifier then turns the indicator light on or off depending on whether the object being measured is detected. The shielding box completely covers the first sensor 6 and the second sensor 7 from the outside of the shielding disk cavity 4 to avoid interference from the incandescent and fluorescent lights outside. The stepper motor and harmonic reducer rotate, and the support arm 15, which is connected to the magnetic coupling 14, moves the support base 1, which supports the shielding disk, to the coating base 16 of the coating chamber 5. At this time, the ejector pin 17 moves up and down to remove the shielding disk from the support base 1 and lift it to the pre-sputtering process position. The support base 1 returns to the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 during the rotation of the motor and is detected by the first sensor 6. Then the sputtering process begins, and the oxides and other impurities on the surface of the target material are bombarded and removed. After a certain period of time, the oxides and other impurities on the surface of the target material are completely removed, which means that the pre-sputtering process is completed. The stepper motor and harmonic reducer rotate and move the support base 1 to the center position of the coating chamber 5 through the magnetic coupling 14. The ejector pin 17 descends and puts the shielding disk back on the support base 1. The stepper motor and harmonic reducer rotate and drive the support base 1 and the shielding disk back to the shielding disk receiving cavity 4 through the magnetic coupling 14 to complete the entire pre-sputtering process.

[0040] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art should understand that this application includes, but is not limited to, the contents described in the accompanying drawings and the specific embodiments above. Any modifications that do not depart from the functional and structural principles of this application will be included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A shielding disk receiving cavity, the shielding disk receiving cavity (4) comprising an auxiliary chamber body and a shielding disk detection device, wherein the internal space of the auxiliary chamber body is used to receive and detect the shielding disk (2), characterized in that, A detection hole is formed on the bottom wall of the auxiliary chamber body, and a light-transmitting plate is formed on the detection hole. The shielding plate detection device includes a first sensor (6) and a second sensor (7). The first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7) are located in the visible range outside the light-transmitting plate. The first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7) are adjacent to each other, and the interval between them is consistent with the protrusion size set by the shielding plate. The first sensor and the second sensor are used to send detection signals to the internal space of the auxiliary chamber body through the light-transmitting plate.

2. The shielding disc receiving cavity according to claim 1, characterized in that, The detection probes of the first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7) are both attached to the light-transmitting plate at a set angle, so that the detection paths of the two detection signals are aligned at any position in the internal space of the auxiliary chamber body.

3. The shielding disc receiving cavity according to claim 2, characterized in that, The shielding disc detection device further includes a first amplifier (12) and a second amplifier (11). The first amplifier (12) and the second amplifier (11) are electrically connected to the first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7), respectively. The first amplifier (12) and the second amplifier (11) are disposed on the top of the auxiliary chamber body. The first amplifier (12) and the second amplifier (11) include corresponding indicator lights for displaying the detection results of the first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7).

4. The shielding disc receiving cavity according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first amplifier (12) and the second amplifier (11) are both located on the top outer side of the auxiliary chamber body. The position of the first amplifier (12) corresponds to the first sensor (6), and the position of the second amplifier (11) corresponds to the second sensor (7).

5. The shielding disc receiving cavity according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The shielding disk receiving cavity (4) also includes a side light shield and a bottom light shield disposed on the outside of the auxiliary chamber body. The bottom light shield and the side light shield are connected to enclose the bottom and side surfaces of the first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7) to block external light from entering the first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7).

6. The shielding disc receiving cavity according to claim 5, characterized in that, The side light-shielding plate and the bottom light-shielding plate enclose each other to form a light-shielding box. The light-shielding box is placed on the light-transmitting plate to form a light-shielding space. The first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7) are arranged in the light-shielding space.

7. The shielding disc receiving cavity according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The shielding disk cavity includes a filter (9), which is fixedly connected to the light-transmitting plate. The filter (9) is used to filter light so that the detection light of the first sensor (6) and the second sensor (7) can pass through.

8. The shielding disc receiving cavity according to claim 7, characterized in that, The shielding plate receiving cavity includes a fixed flange and a sealing ring, both disposed on the outside of the light-transmitting plate. The sealing ring is disposed between the fixed flange and the light-transmitting plate window, and the filter is disposed between the light-transmitting plate and the sealing ring, so that the fixed flange fixes and presses the filter tightly on the outside of the light-transmitting plate through the sealing ring.

9. A coating apparatus, characterized in that, The coating apparatus includes a coating chamber (5), a shielding disk receiving chamber (4), and a support base (1). The shielding disk receiving chamber is the shielding disk receiving chamber as described in any one of claims 1 to 8. The coating chamber is connected to the auxiliary chamber body. The support base is used to support and transmit the shielding disk in the coating chamber (5) and the auxiliary chamber body. The shielding disk is set with a protrusion dimension equal to the distance between the edge of the shielding disk and the edge of the support base.

10. The coating apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, The coating device further includes a transmission mechanism, which includes a support arm, a drive motor (13) and a magnetic coupling (14). The two ends of the support arm are fixedly connected to the support base (1) and the drive motor (13) respectively. The drive motor (13) drives the support arm to move through the magnetic coupling (14).

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