A magnetron sputtering system

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of magnetron sputtering system, belong to semiconductor production equipment technical field, including target gun head, first annular magnet, second annular magnet, target material, the utility model is installed first annular magnet and second annular magnet in the center and outer periphery side of target gun head, only form one magnetic field, cooling water path is simultaneously provided between first annular magnet and second annular magnet, cooling water path can simultaneously cool first annular magnet, second annular magnet and target material, so the magnetron sputtering system of the embodiment, both can solve the problem of ideal problem of film coating effect caused by forming two magnetic fields in traditional structure, also can solve the problem of magnet demagnetization due to high temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment technology, specifically relating to a magnetron sputtering system. Background Technology

[0002] Vacuum deposition, also known as physical vapor deposition, is a technique that uses physical methods under vacuum conditions to vaporize a material source (solid or liquid) into gaseous atoms or molecules, or partially ionize them, and then deposit a thin film with specific functions onto a substrate surface through a low-pressure gas (or plasma) process. The main methods of physical vapor deposition include pulsed laser deposition, vacuum evaporation, sputtering deposition, arc plasma deposition, ion plating, and molecular beam epitaxy. Currently, physical vapor deposition technology can deposit not only metal and alloy films, but also compound, ceramic, semiconductor, and polymer films.

[0003] In vacuum coating equipment, magnetron sputtering is a common and important process. The working principle of magnetron sputtering is that electrons, under the influence of an electric field E, collide with argon atoms as they fly towards the substrate, ionizing them to produce Ar ions and new electrons. The new electrons fly towards the substrate, while the Ar ions, accelerated by the electric field, fly towards the cathode target and bombard the target surface with high energy, causing the target material to be sputtered. In the sputtered particles, neutral target atoms or molecules are deposited on the substrate to form a thin film, while the generated secondary electrons are affected by the electric and magnetic fields, ionizing in this region to release a large amount of Ar atoms that bombard the target material, thus achieving a high deposition rate.

[0004] In the relevant existing technologies, the main components of a magnetron sputtering system include:

[0005] Vacuum chamber assembly, used to provide a vacuum environment for PVD processes and monitor vacuum levels and reaction conditions;

[0006] Substrate stage assembly, used for substrate storage, heating, and movement;

[0007] Target gun assembly, used for target material storage and ionization evaporation;

[0008] Vacuum pumping assembly, used to create a vacuum environment for vacuum chamber components;

[0009] The sample inlet assembly is used to store substrates and to transfer and exchange substrates with the vacuum chamber assembly without breaking the vacuum.

[0010] The target gun assembly forms two magnetic field loops, resulting in an unsatisfactory coating effect and limited cooling, making it prone to demagnetization at high temperatures. Utility Model Content

[0011] This invention aims to at least solve one of the aforementioned technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention provides a magnetron sputtering system that can solve the problems of poor coating effect caused by multiple magnetic field loops, as well as the problem of insufficient cooling effect.

[0012] The magnetron sputtering system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a target gun assembly, the target gun assembly comprising:

[0013] The target gun head has a first mounting recess at its center and a second mounting recess on its outer periphery. A cooling water passage is provided between the first mounting recess and the second mounting recess.

[0014] A first annular magnet is disposed in the first mounting recess;

[0015] A second annular magnet is disposed in the second mounting recess, and the second annular magnet and the first annular magnet form a magnetic field circuit;

[0016] The target material is detachably connected to the target gun head.

[0017] The magnetron sputtering system according to the embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0018] In this embodiment of the magnetron sputtering system, a first annular magnet and a second annular magnet are respectively installed at the center and outer periphery of the target nozzle, forming only one magnetic field. At the same time, a cooling water channel is provided between the first annular magnet and the second annular magnet. The cooling water channel can simultaneously cool the first annular magnet, the second annular magnet, and the target material. Therefore, the magnetron sputtering system of this embodiment can solve the problem of unsatisfactory coating effect caused by the formation of two magnetic fields in the traditional structure, and can also solve the problem of magnet demagnetization due to high temperature.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the cooling water circuit is provided with a plurality of annular water channels between the first mounting recess and the second mounting recess.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the magnetic field strength of the second annular magnet is higher than that of the first annular magnet.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the target gun assembly further includes a cathode cover, which covers the target gun head and is provided with a relief opening for exposing the target material. The cathode cover has a protrusion and / or a recess on the side wall formed by the relief opening.

[0022] According to some embodiments of this utility model, an aluminum spray coating is provided on the sidewall formed by the clearance opening.

[0023] According to some embodiments of this utility model, the target gun head is an integral structure.

[0024] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the magnetron sputtering system further includes a substrate stage assembly, the substrate stage assembly comprising:

[0025] The first heating furnace plate has a spiral protrusion on its surface;

[0026] The second heating furnace plate has a spiral groove on its surface. The second heating furnace plate is attached to the surface of the first heating furnace plate, so that the spiral groove fits into the spiral protrusion.

[0027] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the depth of the spiral channel is greater than the height of the spiral protrusion, and the substrate stage assembly further includes a heating wire disposed within the spiral channel.

[0028] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the first heating furnace plate and / or the second heating furnace plate are ceramic structures.

[0029] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the target gun assembly and the substrate stage assembly are distributed vertically, wherein the target gun assembly is located below and the substrate stage assembly is located above.

[0030] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and some of these additional aspects and advantages will become apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a distribution structure for the target gun assembly and the substrate stage assembly.

[0033] Figure 2 This is an enlarged structural diagram of a target gun assembly.

[0034] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the target gun assembly;

[0035] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an overall structure of a target gun assembly;

[0036] Figure 5 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the substrate stage assembly;

[0037] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of an overall structure of a substrate stage assembly;

[0038] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a magnetron sputtering system. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0040] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the directional descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the directional or positional relationship based on the directional or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0041] In the description of this utility model, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0042] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setting," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0043] In the description of this utility model, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of this utility model. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0044] Vacuum deposition, also known as physical vapor deposition, is a technique that uses physical methods under vacuum conditions to vaporize a material source (solid or liquid) into gaseous atoms or molecules, or partially ionize them, and then deposit a thin film with specific functions onto a substrate surface through a low-pressure gas (or plasma) process. The main methods of physical vapor deposition include pulsed laser deposition, vacuum evaporation, sputtering deposition, arc plasma deposition, ion plating, and molecular beam epitaxy. Currently, physical vapor deposition technology can deposit not only metal and alloy films, but also compound, ceramic, semiconductor, and polymer films.

[0045] In vacuum coating equipment, magnetron sputtering is a common and important process. The working principle of magnetron sputtering is that electrons, under the influence of an electric field E, collide with argon atoms as they fly towards the substrate, ionizing them to produce Ar ions and new electrons. The new electrons fly towards the substrate, while the Ar ions, accelerated by the electric field, fly towards the cathode target and bombard the target surface with high energy, causing the target material to be sputtered. In the sputtered particles, neutral target atoms or molecules are deposited on the substrate to form a thin film, while the generated secondary electrons are affected by the electric and magnetic fields, ionizing in this region to release a large amount of Ar atoms that bombard the target material, thus achieving a high deposition rate.

[0046] Combination Figure 7 In the relevant existing technologies, the main components of a magnetron sputtering system include:

[0047] Vacuum chamber assembly, used to provide a vacuum environment for PVD processes and monitor vacuum levels and reaction conditions;

[0048] Substrate stage assembly, used for substrate storage, heating, and movement;

[0049] Target gun assembly, used for target material storage and ionization evaporation;

[0050] Vacuum pumping assembly, used to create a vacuum environment for vacuum chamber components;

[0051] The sample inlet assembly is used to store substrates and to transfer and exchange substrates with the vacuum chamber assembly without breaking the vacuum.

[0052] The target gun assembly forms two magnetic field loops, resulting in an unsatisfactory coating effect and limited cooling, making it prone to demagnetization at high temperatures.

[0053] In response to this problem, this invention provides a magnetron sputtering system that can solve the problems of poor coating effect caused by multiple magnetic field loops, as well as insufficient cooling effect.

[0054] Reference Figures 1 to 7This invention provides a magnetron sputtering system comprising a target gun assembly 100 for mounting a target material 101. The target gun assembly 100 includes a target gun head 102, a first annular magnet 103, a second annular magnet 104, and the target material 101. Specifically, the target gun head 102 is the main structure of the target gun assembly 100 near the target material 101, used to support the target material 101. A first mounting recess is provided at the center of the target gun head 102, and a second mounting recess is provided on the outer periphery of the target gun head 102. A cooling water passage 105 is provided between the first and second mounting recesses of the target gun head 102, and this cooling water passage 105 is connected to an external water supply system. The first annular magnet 103 is disposed in the first mounting recess. The second annular magnet 104 is disposed in the second mounting recess, and the second annular magnet 104 and the first annular magnet 103 form a magnetic field loop. The target material 101 is detachably connected to the target gun head 102.

[0055] Combination Figures 1 to 4 As shown, along the axial direction of the target gun assembly 100, the target material 101, the first annular magnet 103, and the second annular magnet 104 are located on the same side of the target gun head 102, and the first annular magnet 103 and the second annular magnet 104 are embedded in the end face of the target gun head 102, so that the target material 101 is attached to the target gun head 102.

[0056] In this embodiment of the magnetron sputtering system, a first annular magnet 103 and a second annular magnet 104 are respectively installed at the center and the outer periphery of the target head 102 to form only one magnetic field. At the same time, a cooling water channel 105 is provided between the first annular magnet 103 and the second annular magnet 104, which can simultaneously cool the first annular magnet 103, the second annular magnet 104 and the target material 101.

[0057] Therefore, the magnetron sputtering system of this embodiment can solve the problem of unsatisfactory coating effect caused by the formation of two magnetic fields in the traditional structure, and can also solve the problem of magnet demagnetization due to high temperature.

[0058] Reference Figure 2 In some embodiments of this utility model, the cooling water channel 105 is provided with multiple annular water channels between the first mounting recess and the second mounting recess. Furthermore, the multiple annular water channels are coaxially distributed. By adopting the structural configuration of this embodiment, the heat dissipation effect can be improved through multiple annular water channels. This not only reduces the distance between the target material 101 and the first annular magnet 103 and the second annular magnet 104, but also enables uniform heat dissipation from the center outwards, thereby improving the heat dissipation effect.

[0059] Combination Figure 2As shown, in some embodiments, a third mounting recess is provided on the end face of the target head 102 between the first mounting recess and the second mounting recess. A first annular portion and a second annular portion are coaxially distributed through the first mounting recess, the second mounting recess, and the third mounting recess. An annular water channel is provided inside both the first annular portion and the second annular portion. Since the first annular portion is close to the first annular magnet 103 and the second annular portion is close to the second annular magnet 104, effective heat dissipation can be achieved for the first annular magnet 103 and the second annular magnet 104. Simultaneously, the two annular water channels are spaced apart, effectively dissipating heat from the target material 101.

[0060] Furthermore, in the traditional structure, the target gun head 102 uses three recesses to coaxially set three annular magnets to form two magnetic field loops. The structure of this embodiment facilitates modification and upgrading based on the original structure, thereby improving the applicability of the solution and reducing equipment costs.

[0061] In some embodiments of this invention, the magnetic field strength of the second annular magnet 104 is higher than that of the first annular magnet 103, thereby obtaining a magnetic field environment conducive to promoting film deposition. The specific magnetic field strengths of both are not specifically limited here and can be flexibly set as needed.

[0062] Reference Figures 2 to 4 In some embodiments of this utility model, the target gun assembly 100 further includes a cathode cover 106. The cathode cover 106 covers the target gun head 102 and is provided with a relief opening for exposing the target material 101. The cathode cover 106 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 1061 on the sidewall formed by the relief opening.

[0063] Combination Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the cathode cover 106 is fitted onto the target gun head 102, covering the periphery and edge areas of the target material 101. Multiple protrusions 1061 are evenly arranged circumferentially in the clearance opening of the cathode cover 106, and the protrusions 1061 have a conical structure along their protrusion direction. By using the structure of this embodiment, the protrusions 1061 within the clearance opening increase the adhesion area and effect, ensuring that sputtered metal impurities are effectively adhered to the cathode cover 106 and do not fall onto the target material 101, causing contamination.

[0064] It is understood that the aforementioned protrusion 1061 can be replaced by a concave portion, or combined with the protrusion 1061.

[0065] In some embodiments of this utility model, an aluminum spray coating is provided on the surface of the protrusion 1061 to further improve the adhesion effect.

[0066] In some embodiments of this utility model, the target gun head 102 is a one-piece structure. It is understood that, since the target gun head 102 has an internal cooling water channel 105, making it a one-piece structure helps improve sealing and reduces assembly difficulty. In practical applications, welding or other methods can be used to connect it into a one-piece structure.

[0067] It should be noted that the target gun assembly 100 also includes other basic structures, which will not be described in detail here.

[0068] In existing technologies, heating furnace plates are generally made of ceramic, and heating structures are required inside. When used for processing large substrates, such as 8-inch substrates, increasing the thickness of the ceramic structure makes molding more difficult and leads to production costs exceeding the appropriate range. On the other hand, a thinner thickness makes the substrate more prone to deformation and cracking.

[0069] Therefore, in some embodiments of this utility model, the magnetron sputtering system further includes a substrate stage assembly 200, which is used to mount the substrate. (See also...) Figure 5 Specifically, the substrate stage assembly 200 includes a first heating plate 201 and a second heating plate 202. The surface of the first heating plate 201 is provided with a spiral protrusion 2011, and the surface of the second heating plate 202 is provided with a spiral channel 2021. The second heating plate 202 fits against the surface of the first heating plate 201, such that the spiral channel 2021 fits into the spiral protrusion 2011.

[0070] This embodiment reduces the thickness of a single heating plate by dividing the traditional heating furnace plate into a first heating furnace plate 201 and a second heating furnace plate 202, facilitating molding and preventing production costs from exceeding the budget. Simultaneously, the spiral interlocking structure of the first heating furnace plate 201 and the second heating furnace plate 202 effectively increases their thickness, thereby improving bending strength and preventing deformation and cracking.

[0071] In some embodiments of this utility model, the depth of the spiral channel 2021 is greater than the height of the spiral protrusion 2011, so that the spiral channel 2021 still has a certain space even when the two are fitted together. The second heating furnace plate 202 has a narrowing structure on the side of the spiral channel 2021 away from the first heating furnace plate 201, which reduces the width of the spiral channel 2021. The substrate stage assembly 200 also includes a heating wire disposed in the spiral channel 2021. This embodiment uses the spiral channel 2021 to install the heating wire, simplifying the structural design.

[0072] In some embodiments of this utility model, both the first heating furnace plate 201 and the second heating furnace plate 202 are ceramic structures.

[0073] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 7 In some embodiments of this utility model, the target gun assembly 100 and the substrate stage assembly 200 are distributed vertically, with the target gun assembly 100 located below and the substrate stage assembly 200 located above. Since the second heating furnace plate 202 is partially embedded in the first heating furnace plate 201, sagging deformation can be effectively avoided.

[0074] In some embodiments of this invention, the magnetron sputtering system comprises a target gun assembly 100 and a substrate stage assembly 200 arranged vertically. The substrate stage assembly 200 includes a first heating plate 201 and a second heating plate 202 from top to bottom. A spiral protrusion 2011 is provided on the lower end face of the first heating plate 201, and a spiral channel 2021 is provided on the upper end face of the second heating plate 202. The width of the spiral channel 2021 matches the width of the spiral protrusion 2011, and the depth of the spiral channel 2021 is greater than that of the spiral protrusion 2011. The first heating plate 201 and the second heating plate 202 are fitted together, and the spiral protrusion 2011 is embedded within the spiral channel 2021. A heating wire is provided at the bottom of the spiral channel 2021 in the substrate stage assembly 200, and the heating wire extends along a spiral direction. A spiral channel 2021 extends vertically through the second heating furnace plate 202, with a constriction structure at its lower opening to confine the heating wire within the spiral channel 2021. The substrate can be clamped and fixed at the lower end of the second heating furnace plate 202. The target gun assembly 100 includes a target gun head 102, a first annular magnet 103, a second annular magnet 104, a cathode cover 106, and a target material 101. The upper surface of the target gun head 102 has a first mounting recess and a second mounting recess arranged sequentially from the center outwards. The first annular magnet 103 and the second annular magnet 104 are correspondingly installed in the first and second mounting recesses, respectively, forming a magnetic field loop. The target material 101 is placed on the upper end of the target gun head 102. The cathode cover 106 covers the target gun head 102, with a recess in the middle of the cathode cover 106 to expose the target material 101. The sidewall of the clearance opening is provided with a plurality of protrusions 1061 in the circumferential direction, and the surface of the protrusions 1061 is provided with an aluminum spray coating.

[0075] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other unless otherwise specified.

Claims

1. A magnetron sputtering system, characterized in that, Includes a target gun assembly, the target gun assembly comprising: The target gun head has a first mounting recess at its center and a second mounting recess on its outer periphery. A cooling water passage is provided between the first mounting recess and the second mounting recess. A first annular magnet is disposed in the first mounting recess; A second annular magnet is disposed in the second mounting recess, and the second annular magnet and the first annular magnet form a magnetic field circuit; The target material is detachably connected to the target gun head.

2. The magnetron sputtering system of claim 1, wherein, The cooling water circuit has several annular water channels between the first mounting recess and the second mounting recess.

3. The magnetron sputtering system of claim 1, wherein, The magnetic field strength of the second ring magnet is higher than that of the first ring magnet.

4. The magnetron sputtering system of claim 1, wherein, The target gun assembly also includes a cathode cover that covers the target gun head and has a relief opening for exposing the target material. The cathode cover has a protrusion and / or a recess on the sidewall formed by the relief opening.

5. The magnetron sputtering system of claim 4, wherein, An aluminum spray coating is applied to the sidewall formed by the clearance opening.

6. The magnetron sputtering system of claim 1, wherein, The target gun head is a one-piece structure.

7. The magnetron sputtering system of claim 1, wherein, The magnetron sputtering system further includes a substrate stage assembly, which comprises: The first heating furnace plate has a spiral protrusion on its surface; The second heating furnace plate has a spiral groove on its surface. The second heating furnace plate is attached to the surface of the first heating furnace plate, so that the spiral groove fits into the spiral protrusion.

8. The magnetron sputtering system of claim 7, wherein, The depth of the spiral channel is greater than the height of the spiral protrusion, and the substrate stage assembly also includes a heating wire disposed within the spiral channel.

9. The magnetron sputtering system of claim 7, wherein, The first heating plate and / or the second heating plate are of ceramic structure.

10. The magnetron sputtering system of claim 7, wherein, The target gun assembly and the substrate stage assembly are arranged vertically, with the target gun assembly located below and the substrate stage assembly located above.

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