A pedestal assembly and thin film deposition apparatus

Abstract

The utility model discloses a base assembly and thin film deposition equipment, base assembly includes liftable base plate loading platform, thimble and axial telescopic pipe, base plate loading platform is used for placing and heating base plate, and is provided with the through hole through its upper surface and lower surface, thimble inserts the through hole and sets up to lift the base plate or place the base plate on the base plate loading platform, the bottom of axial telescopic pipe is connected in the bottom wall of reaction cavity, the top of axial telescopic pipe is connected in the lower surface of base plate loading platform and covers the bottom of through hole, wherein the bottom and the top of axial telescopic pipe are closed. The utility model discloses a technical scheme avoids the film deposition of process gas in the inner wall of through hole, avoids the problem that the thimble is stuck due to the film deposition in through hole too thick from the root.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to a base assembly and thin film deposition equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Thin film deposition equipment is used to form thin film layers of specific composition, thickness, and structure on the surface of a substrate using physical or chemical methods. Existing thin film deposition equipment includes a substrate stage and ejector pins. The substrate stage is used to place and heat the substrate and has through holes. Ejector pins are inserted into the through holes and can move up and down relative to the substrate stage within the through holes, so that the substrate placed on the tip of the ejector pin falls onto the substrate stage or the substrate placed on the substrate stage is lifted up.

[0003] When a thin film deposition device deposits the required thin film layer on a substrate, the reactive gas flows into the bottom of the reaction chamber and then diffuses from below the substrate stage into the through hole, where it deposits a thin film on the inner wall of the through hole. When the film deposited on the inner wall of the through hole reaches a certain thickness, it can cause the ejector pin to get stuck. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a base assembly and a thin film deposition apparatus to solve the problem of ejector pins getting stuck after thin film deposition in the through holes on the substrate mounting stage in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model is implemented through the following technical solution:

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a base assembly disposed within the reaction chamber of a thin film deposition apparatus. The base assembly includes: a liftable substrate stage for placing and heating a substrate, the substrate stage having a through hole penetrating its upper and lower surfaces; a ejector pin inserted into the through hole to lift the substrate or place the substrate on the substrate stage; and an axially retractable tube, the bottom end of which is connected to the bottom wall of the reaction chamber, the top end of which is connected to the lower surface of the substrate stage and covers the bottom end of the through hole, wherein the bottom and top ends of the axially retractable tube are sealed.

[0007] Compared with the prior art, this utility model has at least one of the following beneficial effects:

[0008] The base assembly provided by this utility model is provided with an axially telescopic tube. The bottom end of the axially telescopic tube is connected to the bottom wall of the reaction chamber, and the top end is connected to the lower surface of the substrate mounting stage and covers the bottom end of the through hole. The bottom end and the top end of the axially telescopic tube are sealed. This can prevent the reactive gas from diffusing into the through hole from below the substrate mounting stage without affecting the relative movement of the ejector pin and the substrate mounting stage. This prevents the reactive gas from forming a thin film in the through hole and avoids the ejector pin from getting stuck due to excessive film deposition in the through hole.

[0009] In some embodiments, the axially expandable tube includes a bellows.

[0010] In some embodiments, the diameter of the axially expandable tube is greater than or equal to the diameter of the through hole.

[0011] In some embodiments, the shortest axial length of the axially expandable tube in the compressed state is less than or equal to the minimum distance between the substrate mounting stage and the bottom wall of the reaction chamber.

[0012] In some embodiments, the longest axial length of the axially expandable tube in its extended state is greater than or equal to the maximum distance between the substrate mounting stage and the bottom wall of the reaction chamber.

[0013] In some embodiments, the top end of the bellows is connected to the lower surface of the substrate mounting stage via a flange.

[0014] In some embodiments, the bottom end of the bellows is connected to the bottom wall of the reaction chamber via a flange.

[0015] In some embodiments, the substrate mounting platform is provided with at least three through holes distributed circumferentially, each through hole is provided with a pin, and the bottom end of each through hole is covered with an axially expandable tube.

[0016] In some embodiments, the material of the axially expandable tube includes any one of nickel-based alloys, nickel-chromium alloys, or nickel-chromium-molybdenum stainless steel.

[0017] Secondly, the present invention provides a thin film deposition apparatus, including a reaction chamber and the base assembly provided in the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the base assembly is disposed within the reaction chamber.

[0018] The thin film deposition equipment provided by this utility model includes the base assembly provided by this utility model, which can avoid thin film deposition in the through hole without affecting the relative movement of the ejector pin and the substrate stage, thereby preventing the ejector pin from getting stuck in the through hole. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the reaction chamber in a prior art thin film deposition apparatus;

[0020] Figures 2-3 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the reaction chamber of a thin film deposition apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0022] Reaction chambers 100, 100'

[0023] Sidewall 01, 01'

[0024] Top cover 02, 02'

[0025] Bottom wall 03, 03'

[0026] Gas spray head 04, 04'

[0027] Substrate mounting stages 10, 10'

[0028] Through holes 11, 11'

[0029] Base plate 20, 20'

[0030] 30' thimble

[0031] 40 axially expandable tube Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, provides a further detailed explanation of the base assembly and thin-film deposition apparatus proposed in this utility model. The advantages and features of this utility model will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, intended only to facilitate and clearly illustrate the embodiments of this utility model. Please refer to the drawings to make the objectives, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable. It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are only for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of this utility model. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effects and objectives achieved by this utility model, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this utility model.

[0033] As described in the background section, please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the reaction chamber of an existing thin film deposition apparatus. The reaction chamber 100' includes a cavity formed by a side wall 01', a top cover 02', and a bottom wall 03', providing a reaction space for thin film deposition. A gas spray head 04' is disposed below the top cover 02', used to inject reaction gas into the reaction space. A base assembly is disposed inside the reaction chamber 100', including a substrate mounting stage 10' and ejector pins 30'. A through hole 11' is provided on the substrate mounting stage 10', and the ejector pins 30' are disposed within the through hole 11', with the position of the ejector pins 30' fixed. It should be noted that... Figure 1 Only a portion of the structure of the ejector pin 30' is shown in this embodiment. The specific fixing method is not limited in this embodiment. For example, the lower end of the ejector pin 30' can be directly or indirectly fixed to the bottom wall 03' of the reaction chamber 100'. The substrate mounting stage 10' can move up and down. Normally, there is a gap between the inner wall of the through hole 11' and the ejector pin 30'. When the substrate mounting stage 10' rises, the substrate 20' carried by the top of the ejector pin 30' falls onto the substrate mounting stage 10'. When the substrate mounting stage 10' falls, the substrate 20' carried on the substrate mounting stage 10' is lifted up by the ejector pin 30'. During the thin film deposition process, reactive gas enters the through-hole 11' from the bottom and deposits a thin film on the inner wall of the through-hole 11'. As the thickness of the deposited film on the inner wall of the through-hole 11' increases, the gap between the inner wall of the through-hole 11' and the ejector pin 30' gradually decreases until it disappears. The ejector pin 30' is prone to getting stuck in the through-hole 11', making it difficult for the substrate stage 10' to move up and down. In some other embodiments, the ejector pin 30' can also be raised and lowered to lift and lower the substrate 20'. The specific method is not limited in this utility model.

[0034] Existing technology uses a blowing mechanism to purge gas from the bottom of the reaction chamber 100' to alleviate the jamming of the ejector pin 30'. However, when the substrate stage 10' is in the process position, the air outlet of the blowing mechanism is far from the bottom of the substrate stage 10' and the through hole 11', resulting in low blowing efficiency. Long-term operation of the equipment will still lead to excessive film deposition in the through hole 11', which will cause the ejector pin 30' to jam. Jamming of the ejector pin 30' will cause the substrate 20' to slip off the substrate stage 10' or even break. In more serious cases, the ejector pin 30' will break and damage the substrate stage 10' and the gas spray head 04' above it.

[0035] To prevent thin film deposition on the inner wall of through-holes during thin film deposition, this embodiment provides a base assembly for use in a thin film deposition apparatus. Specifically, the thin film deposition apparatus in this embodiment includes a chemical vapor deposition apparatus, an atomic layer deposition apparatus, and other deposition apparatuses that require the introduction of reactive gases. Please refer to... Figure 2 , Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the base assembly provided in this embodiment. The base assembly is disposed within a reaction chamber 100. The reaction chamber 100 includes a cavity formed by a side wall 01, a top cover 02, and a bottom wall 03. A gas spray head 04 is disposed below the top cover 02, and the gas spray head 04 is used to inject reaction gas into the cavity. The base assembly includes a liftable substrate mounting platform 10, a ejector pin 30, and an axially telescopic tube 40.

[0036] The substrate stage 10 is made of a high-temperature resistant material and is used to place and heat the substrate 20. Specifically, the upper surface of the substrate stage 10 supports the substrate 20, and a heating device (not shown) is embedded in the substrate stage 10 to bring the substrate 20 to the temperature conditions required for the thin film deposition process. The substrate stage 10 is provided with through holes 11 penetrating its upper and lower surfaces to accommodate ejector pins 30. The substrate stage 10 is capable of vertical movement. Please refer to [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 and Figure 3 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The diagrams show the internal structure of the reaction chamber 100 when the substrate stage 10 is in different process positions. Specifically, Figure 2 The substrate mounting stage 10 moves downward to its lowest position so that the ejector pins 30 lift the substrate 20 carried by the substrate mounting stage 10. Figure 3 The substrate stage 10 moves upward so that the substrate 20 falls onto the upper surface of the substrate stage 10.

[0037] The bottom end of the axially expandable tube 40 is connected to the bottom wall 03 of the reaction chamber 100, and the top end is connected to the lower surface of the substrate mounting stage 10 and covers the bottom end of the through hole 11, so as to prevent process gas from entering the through hole 11 from the bottom end of the through hole 11. The bottom end and the top end of the axially expandable tube 40 are sealed to prevent process gas from entering the through hole 11 from the axially expandable tube 40.

[0038] In this embodiment, the bottom end of the axially expandable tube 40 is connected to the bottom wall 03 of the reaction chamber 100, and the top end is connected to the lower surface of the substrate mounting stage 10. During the lifting and lowering process of the substrate mounting stage 10, the bottom end of the axially expandable tube 40 remains fixed in position, while the top end moves up and down with the lifting and lowering of the substrate mounting stage 10. Throughout the entire thin film process, regardless of whether the substrate mounting stage 10 is in the lowest position where the substrate 20 is to be transferred, or in the process position where the substrate 20 is heated, the process gas is isolated outside the axially expandable tube 40 and cannot enter the through hole 11. This avoids the formation of thin film deposition on the inner wall of the through hole 11 by the process gas, and fundamentally avoids the problem of the ejector pin 30 getting stuck due to excessively thick thin film deposition in the through hole 11.

[0039] Specifically, the axially expandable tube 40 includes a bellows. The bellows' expandable nature allows it to maintain a seal during axial movement, preventing process gases from entering the through hole 11. The bellows can be made of a metallic material such as stainless steel, capable of withstanding the high temperatures and plasma corrosion environment within the reaction chamber 100. In other embodiments, the axially expandable tube 40 also includes other structures capable of axial expansion and contraction and resistant to high temperatures and corrosion. For example, the axially expandable tube 40 can be formed by nesting multiple metal sleeves sequentially, with the orifice diameters of the multiple metal sleeves increasing or decreasing progressively. Adjacent metal sleeves can slide relative to each other to achieve axial expansion and contraction of the overall structure.

[0040] In some embodiments, the diameter of the axially expandable tube 40 is greater than or equal to the diameter of the through hole 11, so as to ensure that the top end of the axially expandable tube 40 can cover the bottom end of the through hole 11 and prevent process gas from entering the through hole 11.

[0041] In some embodiments, the shortest axial length of the axially telescopic tube 40 in the compressed state is less than or equal to the minimum distance between the substrate mounting stage 10 and the bottom wall 03 of the reaction chamber, so as to support the substrate mounting stage 10 to move to the lowest position; the longest length of the axially telescopic tube 40 in the extended state is greater than or equal to the maximum distance between the substrate mounting stage 10 and the bottom wall 03 of the reaction chamber 100, so as to support the substrate mounting stage 10 to move to the highest position, thereby isolating the reaction gas from entering the through hole 11 while not affecting the up and down movement of the substrate mounting stage 10, ensuring the smooth progress of the process.

[0042] In some embodiments, the top end of the bellows is connected to the lower surface of the substrate mounting stage 10 via a flange. Using a flange to connect the top end of the bellows and the lower surface of the substrate mounting stage 10 provides a good sealing effect, preventing process gases from entering through the lower end of the through hole 11. Furthermore, the flange connection facilitates disassembly and maintenance. In other embodiments, other methods can be used to connect the top end of the bellows and the lower surface of the substrate mounting stage 10, such as welding; specific limitations are not specified here.

[0043] In some embodiments, the bottom end of the bellows is connected to the bottom of the reaction chamber 100 via a flange. The flange connection between the bottom end of the bellows and the bottom wall 03 of the reaction chamber 100 provides a good sealing effect, preventing process gas from entering from the bottom end of the bellows. Furthermore, the flange connection facilitates disassembly and maintenance. In other embodiments, other methods can be used to connect the bottom end of the bellows and the bottom wall 03 of the reaction chamber, such as welding; no specific limitations are specified here.

[0044] In some embodiments, the substrate mounting stage 10 has at least three circumferentially distributed through holes 11, each through hole 11 contains a ejector pin 30, and the bottom end of each through hole 11 is covered by an axially expandable tube 40. Specifically, the number of through holes 11 can be set to three, and they are evenly distributed circumferentially on the substrate mounting stage 10. In other embodiments, the number of through holes 11 can also be set to four. Correspondingly, the number of ejector pins 30 is kept consistent with the number of through holes 11. Setting the number of through holes 11 to at least three ensures the stability of the ejector pins 30 supporting the substrate 20, and the structure is simple and easy to process.

[0045] In some embodiments, the material of the axially expandable tube 40 includes any one of nickel-based alloys or nickel-chromium-molybdenum stainless steel, which can withstand the high-temperature environment and plasma corrosion environment inside the reaction chamber 100, extending the service life of the bellows. Specifically, the nickel-based alloy can be any one of Haynes 242, Inconel 625, or Hastelloy C-276, and the nickel-chromium-molybdenum stainless steel can be AM350 material; this embodiment does not impose specific limitations.

[0046] In summary, the base assembly provided in this embodiment includes a liftable substrate mounting stage 10, a push pin 30, and an axially telescopic tube 40. The substrate mounting stage 10 is used to mount and heat the substrate 20, and is provided with a through hole 11 penetrating its upper and lower surfaces. The push pin 30 is inserted into the through hole 11 to lift the substrate 20 or place the substrate 20 on the substrate mounting stage 10. The bottom end of the axially telescopic tube 40 is connected to the bottom wall 03 of the reaction chamber 100, and the top end of the axially telescopic tube 40 is connected to the lower surface of the substrate mounting stage 10 and covers the bottom end of the through hole 11, wherein the bottom end and the top end of the axially telescopic tube 40 are sealed. During the process, the process gas is isolated outside the axially telescopic tube 40 and cannot enter the through hole 11, avoiding the formation of a thin film deposition on the inner wall of the through hole 11 by the process gas, thus fundamentally avoiding the problem of the push pin 30 getting stuck due to excessive film deposition in the through hole 11.

[0047] Based on the same inventive concept, this embodiment also provides a thin film deposition apparatus. Specifically, the thin film deposition apparatus includes a physical vapor deposition apparatus, a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition apparatus, an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition apparatus, a plasma chemical vapor deposition apparatus, an atomic layer deposition apparatus, and other thin film deposition apparatuses that require the introduction of reaction gases. The thin film deposition apparatus includes a reaction chamber 100, and a base assembly provided in this embodiment is disposed in the reaction chamber 100. The base assembly includes a liftable substrate mounting stage 10, a ejector pin 30, and an axially telescopic tube 40. The bottom and top ends of the axially telescopic tube 40 are sealed. During the process, the process gas is isolated outside the axially telescopic tube 40, which avoids the process gas from depositing a thin film on the inner wall of the through hole 11, and fundamentally avoids the problem of the ejector pin 30 getting stuck due to excessively thick film deposition in the through hole 11.

[0048] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0049] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center," "height," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0050] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0051] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0052] Although the present invention has been described in detail through the above preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the above description should not be considered as a limitation of the present invention. Various modifications and substitutions to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reading the above content. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A base assembly disposed within the reaction chamber of a thin film deposition apparatus, characterized in that, The base assembly includes: A liftable substrate mounting stage is provided for mounting and heating a substrate, and the substrate mounting stage is provided with through holes that penetrate its upper and lower surfaces. A ejector pin is inserted into the through hole to lift the substrate or place the substrate on the substrate mounting stage. An axially expandable tube is provided, the bottom end of which is connected to the bottom wall of the reaction chamber, and the top end of which is connected to the lower surface of the substrate mounting stage and covers the bottom end of the through hole, wherein the bottom end and the top end of the axially expandable tube are sealed.

2. The base assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The axially expandable tube includes a corrugated tube.

3. The base assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the axially expandable tube is greater than or equal to the diameter of the through hole.

4. The base assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The shortest axial length of the axially expandable tube in the compressed state is less than or equal to the minimum distance between the substrate mounting stage and the bottom wall of the reaction chamber.

5. The base assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The longest axial length of the axially expandable tube in its extended state is greater than or equal to the maximum distance between the substrate mounting stage and the bottom wall of the reaction chamber.

6. The base assembly as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, The top end of the bellows is connected to the lower surface of the substrate mounting stage via a flange.

7. The base assembly as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom end of the bellows is connected to the bottom wall of the reaction chamber via a flange.

8. The base assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The substrate mounting platform is provided with at least three through holes distributed circumferentially, each through hole is provided with a pin, and the bottom end of each through hole is covered with an axially expandable tube.

9. The base assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the axially expandable tube includes either a nickel-based alloy or nickel-chromium-molybdenum stainless steel.

10. A thin film deposition apparatus, characterized in that, include: reaction chamber; The base assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the base assembly is disposed within the reaction chamber.

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