Etching device

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an etching device, and relates to the technical field of etching. The etching device comprises a chamber, a carrier and an etching assembly. The chamber is a vacuum chamber, the carrier is arranged in the chamber, the bottom of the carrier is used for fixing a substrate to be etched, and the etching assembly is used for etching the substrate. The chamber is a vacuum chamber, which can provide a vacuum environment for substrate etching, ensure the cleanliness of the etching process, and effectively reduce the interference between the gas and the powder generated in the etching process. The bottom of the carrier can fix the substrate to realize the inversion of the substrate, so that the dust generated when the etching assembly etches the substrate can fall downward without remaining on the substrate, thereby ensuring the yield of substrate etching. The etching assembly can effectively etch the substrate inverted on the bottom of the carrier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of etching technology, and more particularly to an etching apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Etching technology is a semiconductor process that selectively etches or strips the surface of a semiconductor substrate or a thin film covering the surface according to mask patterns or design requirements. It can be divided into wet etching and dry etching. Dry etching uses an electric field to guide and accelerate plasma, giving it a certain amount of energy. When the plasma bombards the surface of the object being etched, it ejects atoms of the material being etched, thereby achieving the purpose of etching through physical energy transfer.

[0003] Chinese utility model patent with announcement number CN 207398070 U discloses a dry etching apparatus, including a sealed chamber and a support platform fixed in the sealed chamber by multiple cantilever arms. The wafers placed on the support platform are etched under the action of plasma in the sealed chamber.

[0004] However, the dust generated by the dry etching apparatus during the etching of the wafers on the stage can remain on the wafers, affecting the product yield. Utility Model Content

[0005] One of the technical problems that this disclosure aims to solve is that dust generated during the etching of wafers on the stage by existing dry etching equipment remains on the wafers, affecting the product yield.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this disclosure provides an etching apparatus, comprising: a chamber, which is a vacuum chamber; a stage disposed within the chamber, the bottom of which is used to fix a substrate to be etched; and an etching assembly for etching the substrate.

[0007] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus further includes an adsorption component for adsorbing the substrate onto the bottom of the stage.

[0008] In some embodiments, the etching assembly includes: an air inlet pipe disposed at the bottom of the chamber and used to introduce etching gas into the chamber; and a radio frequency power supply used to decompose and ionize the etching gas in the chamber into plasma.

[0009] In some embodiments, the etching assembly further includes a diverter disposed at the bottom of the chamber and used to divert the etching gas flowing into the chamber through the inlet pipe.

[0010] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus further includes a rotating mechanism fixedly disposed in the chamber and used to drive the stage to rotate.

[0011] In some embodiments, the rotating mechanism includes: a motor; an outer rotor assembly, the outer rotor assembly being drivenly connected to the output end of the motor; an inner rotor assembly, the inner rotor assembly being coaxially disposed within the outer rotor assembly and connected to the platform; and an isolation sleeve, the isolation sleeve being disposed between the outer rotor assembly and the inner rotor assembly.

[0012] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus further includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the tilt angle of the stage.

[0013] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus further includes a cooling component for reducing the temperature of the stage.

[0014] In some embodiments, the cooling assembly includes a vent pipe that allows cooling gas to be introduced into the stage to cool the stage.

[0015] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus further includes a pick-and-place mechanism for removing or placing the substrate into the chamber.

[0016] Through the above technical solution, the etching apparatus provided in this disclosure has a vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber can provide a vacuum environment for substrate etching, ensuring the cleanliness of the etching process and effectively reducing the interference between the gas and the powder generated during the etching process. The bottom of the stage can fix the substrate to realize the flip-chipping of the substrate, so that the dust generated when the etching component etches the substrate can fall downwards and not remain on the substrate, thereby ensuring the substrate etching pass rate. The etching component can effectively etch the substrate flipped on the bottom of the stage. Attached Figure Description

[0017] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure 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 disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the etching apparatus disclosed in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0020] 1. Chamber; 2. Stage; 3. Substrate; 4. Inlet pipe; 5. RF power supply; 6. Shunt component; 7. Rotating mechanism; 71. Motor; 72. Outer rotor assembly; 73. Inner rotor assembly; 74. Isolation sleeve; 75. Reducer; 8. Vent pipe; 9. First opening; 10. Cover plate; 11. Second opening; 12. Valve. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The embodiments of this disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The detailed description of the embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the principles of this disclosure by way of example, but should not be used to limit the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but includes all technical solutions falling within the scope of the claims.

[0022] These embodiments are provided to make the disclosure thorough and complete, and to fully express the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement of components and steps, material composition, numerical expressions, and values ​​set forth in these embodiments should be interpreted as exemplary only and not as limiting.

[0023] It should be noted that, in the description of this disclosure, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more; the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationship, are only for the convenience of describing this disclosure 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this disclosure. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0024] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and similar terms used in this disclosure do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different parts. "Vertical" is not strictly vertical, but within the permissible margin of error. "Parallel" is not strictly parallel, but within the permissible margin of error. Terms such as "including" or "contains" mean that the element preceding the word encompasses the element listed after the word, and do not exclude the possibility of encompassing other elements as well.

[0025] It should also be noted that, in the description of this disclosure, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" 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. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this disclosure depending on the specific circumstances. When a particular device is described as being located between a first device and a second device, an intermediary device may or may not be present between the particular device and the first or second device.

[0026] All terms used in this disclosure have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains, unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms defined in general dictionaries should be interpreted as having meanings consistent with their meanings in the context of the relevant art, and not as idealized or highly formalized, unless expressly defined herein.

[0027] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, they should be considered part of the specification.

[0028] See Figure 1 This disclosure provides an etching apparatus, including a chamber 1, a stage 2, and an etching assembly. The chamber 1 is a vacuum chamber, and the stage 2 is disposed within the chamber 1. The bottom of the stage 2 is used to fix a substrate 3 to be etched, and the etching assembly is used to etch the substrate 3. The vacuum environment within the chamber 1 can effectively reduce interference between the gas and the powder generated during the etching process, improving the etching accuracy and uniformity. The stage 2, located inside the chamber 1, can effectively support and fix the substrate 3 to be etched. By placing the substrate 3 at the bottom of the stage 2, the powder generated after the etching assembly etches the substrate 3 will not remain on the substrate 3, avoiding the risk of dust residue on the substrate 3 and improving the etching accuracy of the substrate 3. During the etching process, the chamber 1 is vacuumed, and then the substrate 3 is fixed at the bottom of the stage 2. The etching assembly generates the plasma required for etching. The plasma contacts the side of the substrate 3 away from the stage 2, thereby removing the material from the surface of the substrate 3, achieving precise etching of the substrate 3, and improving the yield and consistency of the substrate 3 etching.

[0029] In some embodiments, the stage 2 is mounted on top of the chamber 1.

[0030] In some embodiments, the stage 2 and the substrate 3 are coaxially arranged, and the diameter of the stage 2 is larger than the diameter of the substrate 3.

[0031] In some embodiments, the stage 2 is a cylinder with a diameter of 370mm to 420mm and a height of 5mm to 100mm.

[0032] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus further includes an adsorption component for adsorbing the substrate 3 onto the bottom of the stage 2. The adsorption component can firmly adsorb the substrate 3 onto the bottom of the stage 2, ensuring that the substrate 3 does not shift during etching, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the etching of the substrate 3.

[0033] In some embodiments, the adsorption component is an electrostatic adsorption disk.

[0034] In some embodiments, the etching assembly includes an air inlet pipe 4 and an RF power supply 5. The air inlet pipe 4 is disposed at the bottom of the chamber 1 and is used to introduce etching gas into the chamber 1. The RF power supply 5 is used to decompose and ionize the etching gas in the chamber 1 into plasma. Installing the air inlet pipe 4 at the bottom of the chamber 1 allows the etching gas in the air inlet pipe 4 to enter the chamber 1, thereby effectively etching the substrate 3 at the bottom of the stage 2 mounted on the top of the chamber 1. The RF power supply 5 can provide high-frequency electrical energy. Under the action of the high-frequency electric field, the etching gas in the chamber 1 is excited and ionized to form plasma. The plasma has sufficient energy to react with the surface of the substrate 3, thereby achieving the etching of the substrate 3.

[0035] In some embodiments, the air intake pipe 4 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the chamber 1, thereby improving the sealing performance of the chamber 1.

[0036] In some embodiments, the connection between the air intake pipe 4 and the bottom of the chamber 1 is sealed by a seal.

[0037] In some embodiments, the etching assembly further includes a flow divider 6 disposed at the bottom of the chamber 1 and used to divert the etching gas flowing into the chamber 1 through the air inlet pipe 4. The flow divider 6 can uniformly distribute the etching gas in the air inlet pipe 4 into the chamber 1, thereby improving the accuracy and consistency of etching the substrate 3.

[0038] In some embodiments, the diverter 6 is a diverter plate fixedly installed at the bottom of the chamber 1. The bottom of the diverter plate is connected to the outlet of the air inlet pipe 4. The diverter plate is provided with a plurality of evenly distributed air holes. The etching gas enters the air inlet pipe 4 and flows into the diverter plate from the outlet of the air inlet pipe 4. The etching gas is diverted in the diverter plate and flows out from the air holes, thereby evenly distributing the etching gas into the chamber 1 and improving the accuracy and consistency of the etching of the substrate 3.

[0039] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus further includes a rotation mechanism 7, which is fixedly disposed in the chamber 1 and used to drive the stage 2 to rotate. The rotation mechanism 7 can drive the stage 2 to rotate, thereby causing the substrate 3 located at the bottom of the stage 2 to rotate. By rotating the substrate 3, the plasma of the etching gas is more evenly distributed on the surface of the substrate 3, avoiding the difference in etching rate caused by uneven plasma distribution, and improving the uniformity and consistency of etching of the substrate 3. Moreover, the arrangement of the rotation mechanism 7 makes the etching apparatus more flexible and can adapt to substrates 3 of different sizes and shapes.

[0040] In some embodiments, the rotating mechanism 7 includes a motor 71, an outer rotor assembly 72, an inner rotor assembly 73, and an isolation sleeve 74. The outer rotor assembly 72 is drivenly connected to the output end of the motor 71, and the inner rotor assembly 73 is coaxially disposed within the outer rotor assembly 72 and connected to the stage 2. The isolation sleeve 74 is disposed between the outer rotor assembly 72 and the inner rotor assembly 73. The motor 71 serves as the power source for the rotating mechanism 7, providing the required torque for the rotation of the stage 2. The outer rotor assembly 72 is drivenly connected to the output end of the motor 71, can withstand the force and vibration during rotation, and transmits the rotational power to the inner rotor assembly 73. The inner rotor assembly 73 can drive the stage 2 to rotate. The isolation sleeve 74 reduces friction and wear between the inner rotor assembly 73 and the outer rotor assembly 72, thereby extending the service life of the rotating mechanism 7. The rotation of the rotating mechanism 7 can drive the stage 2 and the substrate 3 located at the bottom of the stage 2 to rotate, thereby allowing the plasma of the etching gas to be evenly distributed on the surface of the substrate 3, achieving uniform etching of the substrate 3.

[0041] In some embodiments, the rotating mechanism 7 further includes a speed reducer 75, which is connected to the output of the motor 71 and the outer rotor assembly 72. The speed reducer 75 is capable of converting the torque of the high-speed rotating motor 71 into the low-speed torque required by the platform 2 to transmit power.

[0042] In some embodiments, the output end of the inner rotor assembly 73 is rotatably connected to the chamber 1, and a sealing element is provided at the connection between the output end of the inner rotor assembly 73 and the chamber 1 to ensure the airtightness of the chamber 1.

[0043] In some embodiments, the rotational speed of the stage 2 is 1 r / min to 100 r / min.

[0044] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus further includes a cooling component for reducing the temperature of the stage 2. The cooling component can reduce the temperature of the stage 2 to prevent the stage 2 from overheating due to the heat generated during the etching process of the substrate 3, which would affect the etching effect and the quality of the substrate 3.

[0045] In some embodiments, the cooling assembly includes a vent pipe 8, which can introduce cooling gas into the stage 2 to cool the stage 2. The vent pipe 8 passes through the chamber 1 and communicates with the inside of the stage 2, and can input cooling gas into the stage 2 to achieve cooling of the stage 2.

[0046] In some embodiments, the cooling assembly further includes an exhaust pipe connected to the stage 2 to maintain the pressure within the stage 2. Cooling gas enters the stage 2 through the vent pipe 8 and exits the stage 2 through the exhaust pipe, thereby ensuring that the stage 2 maintains a constant temperature during the etching process and avoiding uneven etching or deformation of the substrate 3 due to temperature fluctuations.

[0047] In some embodiments, both the vent pipe 8 and the exhaust pipe are equipped with one-way valves.

[0048] In some embodiments, the connection between the vent pipe 8 and the exhaust pipe and the chamber 1 is provided with a sealing element to ensure the airtightness of the chamber 1.

[0049] In some embodiments, the cooling gas is an inert gas such as helium.

[0050] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus further includes a pick-and-place mechanism for removing or placing the substrate 3 into the chamber 1. The pick-and-place mechanism can place the substrate 3 to be etched into the bottom of the stage 2 inside the chamber 1, and can remove the etched substrate 3 from the bottom of the stage 2, thereby improving the level of automation.

[0051] In some embodiments, the side wall of the chamber 1 is provided with a first opening 9 so that the picking and placing mechanism can take out or put into the chamber 1 through the first opening 9.

[0052] In some embodiments, the side wall of the chamber 1 is further provided with a cover plate 10 for opening or closing the first opening 9. The cover plate 10 can ensure the airtightness of the chamber 1.

[0053] In some embodiments, the bottom of the first opening 9 is lower than the height of the stage 2 in the vertical direction, so that the robot can take the substrate 3 out or put it into the stage 2 without interfering with the stage 2.

[0054] In some embodiments, the picking and placing mechanism is a robotic arm.

[0055] In some embodiments, the sidewall of the chamber 1 is further provided with a second opening 11 and a valve 12, the valve 12 being able to open or close the second opening 11. The second opening 11 is able to discharge the etched exhaust gas and the powder from the etched substrate 3 inside the chamber 1, thereby controlling the pressure of the chamber 1.

[0056] In some embodiments, valve 12 is an air extraction butterfly valve.

[0057] In some embodiments, the second opening 11 is disposed above the side wall of the chamber 1.

[0058] In some embodiments, the etching apparatus further includes a control component capable of controlling the opening and closing of the cover plate 10 and the valve 12.

[0059] The embodiments of this disclosure have now been described in detail. To avoid obscuring the concept of this disclosure, some details known in the art have not been described. Those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein based on the above description.

[0060] While specific embodiments of this disclosure have been described in detail by way of examples, those skilled in the art should understand that the examples are for illustrative purposes only and not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can be made to the above embodiments or equivalent substitutions can be made to some technical features without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. In particular, as long as there is no structural conflict, the technical features mentioned in the various embodiments can be combined in any manner.

Claims

1. An etching apparatus, characterized in that, include: Chamber (1), wherein chamber (1) is a vacuum chamber; A stage (2) is disposed in the chamber (1), and the bottom of the stage (2) is used to fix the substrate (3) to be etched. An etching assembly for etching the substrate (3); An adsorption assembly is used to adsorb the substrate (3) onto the bottom of the stage (2); An air inlet pipe (4) is provided at the bottom of the chamber (1) and is used to introduce etching gas into the chamber (1); Radio frequency power supply (5), the radio frequency power supply (5) is used to decompose and ionize the etching gas in the chamber (1) into plasma; The flow divider (6) is disposed at the bottom of the chamber (1) and can evenly distribute the etching gas in the air inlet pipe (4) into the chamber (1). and An adjustment mechanism is provided for adjusting the tilt angle of the platform (2).

2. The etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The etching apparatus further includes a rotating mechanism (7), which is fixedly disposed in the chamber (1) and is used to drive the stage (2) to rotate.

3. The etching apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotating mechanism (7) includes: Motor (71); An outer rotor assembly (72) is connected to the output end of the motor (71) via a drive connection. An inner rotor assembly (73) is coaxially disposed within the outer rotor assembly (72), and the inner rotor assembly (73) is connected to the stage (2); and An isolation sleeve (74) is disposed between the outer rotor assembly (72) and the inner rotor assembly (73).

4. The etching apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The etching apparatus also includes a cooling component for reducing the temperature of the stage (2).

5. The etching apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cooling assembly includes a vent pipe (8) that can introduce cooling gas into the stage (2) to cool the stage (2).

6. The etching apparatus according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The etching apparatus further includes a pick-and-place mechanism for removing or placing the substrate (3) into the chamber (1).

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