Dry etching apparatus and humidity monitoring system

Abstract

This invention provides a dry etching apparatus and humidity monitoring system, comprising: a process chamber for providing a cavity for etching products; a plasma device for supplying plasma to the process chamber; an radio frequency (RF) device for supplying an RF source to the process chamber; a chiller for supplying coolant to the process equipment; a vacuum pump for providing a negative pressure space to the process chamber, enabling the product to be etched under the action of plasma and RF; a cooling water supply device for supplying cooling water to the process chamber, plasma device, RF device, chiller, and vacuum pump through an inlet pipe, and receiving wastewater from the process chamber, plasma device, RF device, chiller, and vacuum pump after cooling through an outlet pipe; and a humidity sensor located at the connection between the inlet and outlet pipes for detecting air humidity to determine if there is cooling water leakage. This invention promptly detects leakage, improving the accuracy of leakage detection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a dry etching equipment and a humidity monitoring system. Background Technology

[0002] Dry etching equipment is one of the core pieces of equipment in semiconductor manufacturing. Its core components mainly include vacuum chambers, electrodes, molecular pumps, dry pumps, RF power supplies, matching devices, coolers, robots, etc. All of these core components require cooling water or coolant for cooling or temperature control. If water or coolant leaks, it will inevitably cause secondary damage to precision components.

[0003] In the existing technology, dry etching equipment typically has a leak detection strip or leak detection switch installed in the main cooling water pipeline or joint. Once a leak occurs, the leak detection strip or switch will be activated, the machine will automatically alarm and stop operating.

[0004] However, existing dry etching equipment leakage detection systems can generally only detect large leaks. Micro-leaks are difficult to detect with current methods. Furthermore, leakage detection strips or switches are prone to malfunction and false alarms after a period of use, especially leakage detection strips in relatively enclosed spaces, which are more susceptible to moisture and require regular replacement. Leakage detection strips or switches generally require corresponding liquid collection trays, increasing floor space and cost. In addition, undetected micro-leaks can increase the humidity level near the leak point, making high-precision electrical components susceptible to moisture damage. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a dry etching equipment and a humidity monitoring system. When leakage occurs in the dry etching equipment, the leakage can be detected in a timely manner, the accuracy of leakage detection can be improved, and the floor space can be reduced.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides a dry etching apparatus, comprising:

[0007] Process cavity, used to provide a cavity for etching products;

[0008] A plasma device is used to provide plasma to the process chamber;

[0009] Radio frequency device for providing radio frequency source to the process cavity;

[0010] A refrigeration unit for supplying coolant to the process equipment;

[0011] A vacuum pump is used to provide a negative pressure space to the process chamber so that the product can be etched under the action of plasma and radio frequency.

[0012] The cooling water supply device supplies cooling water to the process chamber, plasma device, radio frequency device, refrigerator and vacuum pump through the water inlet pipe. The cooling water supply device receives the wastewater after cooling treatment by the process chamber, plasma device, radio frequency device, refrigerator and vacuum pump through the water outlet pipe.

[0013] A humidity sensor is installed at the connection between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe to detect air humidity in order to determine whether there is a cooling water leak.

[0014] Optionally, in the dry etching apparatus, the humidity sensor is encased in a sealed box and fixed at the connection between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe in an open space.

[0015] Optionally, in the dry etching apparatus, the humidity sensor is placed at the connection between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe in a sealed space.

[0016] Optionally, in the dry etching equipment, the water inlet pipe is connected to the process chamber, plasma device, radio frequency device, refrigerator and vacuum pump via threaded joints or quick-connect joints.

[0017] Optionally, in the dry etching equipment, the water outlet pipe is connected to the process chamber, plasma device, radio frequency device, refrigerator and vacuum pump via threaded joints or quick-connect joints.

[0018] This utility model also provides a humidity monitoring system for monitoring the humidity of a dry etching equipment, comprising: a monitoring device for monitoring the humidity detected by the humidity sensor.

[0019] Optionally, in the humidity monitoring system, the humidity sensor is connected to the monitoring device via wired or wireless communication.

[0020] Optionally, the humidity monitoring system also includes an alarm device that triggers an alarm when the humidity exceeds the set range.

[0021] The dry etching equipment and humidity monitoring system provided by this utility model includes: a process chamber for providing a cavity for etching products; a plasma device for providing plasma to the process chamber; an radio frequency (RF) device for providing an RF source to the process chamber; a chiller for providing coolant to the process equipment; a vacuum pump for providing a negative pressure space to the process chamber so that the product can be etched under the action of plasma and RF; a cooling water supply device for supplying cooling water to the process chamber, plasma device, RF device, chiller, and vacuum pump through an inlet pipe, and receiving wastewater from the process chamber, plasma device, RF device, chiller, and vacuum pump after cooling through an outlet pipe; and a humidity sensor installed at the connection between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe for detecting air humidity to determine if there is a cooling water leak. When a leak occurs in the dry etching equipment, this utility model can detect the leak in a timely manner, improve the accuracy of leak detection, and reduce the floor space required. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the dry etching equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] In the diagram: 110 - Process chamber, 120 - Plasma device, 121 - Plasma supply device, 122 - Plasma matching device, 130 - Radio frequency device, 131 - Radio frequency supply device, 132 - Radio frequency matching device, 140 - Refrigeration unit, 150 - Vacuum pump, 151 - Molecular pump, 152 - Dry pump, 161 - Water inlet pipe, 162 - Water outlet pipe, 170 - Humidity sensor, 180 - Electrostatic chuck. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The specific embodiments of this utility model will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The advantages and features of this utility model will become clearer from the following description. It should be noted that the drawings are all in a very simplified form and use non-precise proportions, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the illustration of the embodiments of this utility model.

[0025] In the following text, the terms “first,” “second,” etc., are used to distinguish between similar elements and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or chronological sequence. It should be understood that these terms, as used herein, may be replaced where appropriate. Similarly, if the methods described herein comprise a series of steps, and the order of these steps presented herein is not necessarily the only possible order in which they can be performed, and some described steps may be omitted and / or other steps not described herein may be added to the method.

[0026] Please refer to Figure 1 This utility model provides a dry etching apparatus, comprising:

[0027] Process cavity 110 is used to provide a cavity for etching products;

[0028] Plasma device 120 is used to provide plasma to process chamber 110;

[0029] RF device 130 is used to provide an RF source to the process cavity;

[0030] Refrigeration unit 140 is used to supply coolant to process equipment;

[0031] Vacuum pump 150 is used to provide a negative pressure space to the process chamber so that the product can be etched under the action of plasma and radio frequency.

[0032] The cooling water supply device supplies cooling water to the process chamber 110, plasma device 120, radio frequency device 130, refrigerator 140 and vacuum pump 150 through the water inlet pipe 161. The cooling water supply device receives the wastewater after cooling treatment from the process chamber 110, plasma device 120, radio frequency device 130, refrigerator 140 and vacuum pump 150 through the water outlet pipe 162.

[0033] A humidity sensor 170 is installed at the connection between the inlet pipe 161 and the outlet pipe 162 to detect air humidity in order to determine whether there is a cooling water leak.

[0034] Furthermore, this invention also provides a humidity monitoring system for monitoring the humidity of dry etching equipment, including: a monitoring device for monitoring the humidity detected by a humidity sensor. The humidity sensor of this invention measures the relative humidity of the environment in which it is located. The working principle of the humidity sensor is based on materials sensitive to humidity changes; these materials change their conductivity when absorbing or releasing moisture. This change is read by a processor and converted into an analog or digital signal, ultimately displaying the corresponding humidity value. In this embodiment, the humidity value is used by a factory intelligent manufacturing system to generate a table that engineers can monitor online, allowing them to view the humidity in real time or view historical humidity data at any time.

[0035] Furthermore, the humidity monitoring system may also include an alarm device to trigger an alarm when the humidity exceeds the set range. Specifically, the principle and steps of the monitoring implementation in this embodiment are as follows: First, in an open space, the humidity sensor 170 is fixedly installed at the connection points of the inlet and outlet water pipes, such as the joints between the chiller 140 and the outlet water pipe 162, and between the dry pump and the inlet water pipe 161. In this case, the humidity sensor 170 is covered with a special sealed box to prevent the open space from being affected by the humid environment and thus falsely triggering the humidity sensor. In a relatively enclosed space, the humidity sensor can be placed near the connection points of the outlet water pipe 162 and the dry pump and the inlet water pipe 161, such as the area below the electrostatic chuck. The temperature sensor can be installed using either a special sealed box or a simple installation method, depending on the environment and space at the pipe joint. Next, the humidity sensor 170 is connected to the factory's electrical system, and the signal output is connected to the monitoring system. The humidity sensor 170 can be connected to the monitoring system via wired or wireless means. Wired connections can use cables, while wireless connections can use WiFi. The monitoring system monitors the humidity signal from the humidity sensor 170 in real time. The MES system then sets a normal ambient humidity value. When there is a leak of cooling water or other liquids, the ambient humidity changes. When water vapor is adsorbed onto the moisture-sensing membrane of the humidity sensor, the resistivity and resistance of the element change, which is then converted into an electrical signal. This principle is used to measure the real-time humidity value at the cooling water connection. The monitoring system then processes the data and automatically generates a monitoring table. Finally, engineers use the monitoring table to determine if there is a leak in the equipment. A humidity warning threshold can also be set; if the threshold is exceeded, the monitoring system automatically alarms and notifies engineers to shut down the system for maintenance.

[0036] In this invention, an electrostatic chuck 180 for adsorbing products is provided inside the process cavity 110. Since this invention etches wafers, the electrostatic chuck 180 is used to adsorb the wafers. The electrostatic chuck 180 is located at the bottom of the cavity.

[0037] In this invention, the plasma device 120 includes a plasma supply device 121 and a plasma matching device 122. The plasma supply device 121 is used to generate plasma, and the plasma matching device 122 is used to match the plasma to the state required for etching.

[0038] In this invention, the radio frequency (RF) device 130 includes an RF supply device 131 and an RF matching device 132. The RF supply device 131 is used to generate RF, and the RF matching device 132 is used to match the RF to the state required for etching.

[0039] In this invention, the vacuum pump 150 includes a molecular pump 151 and / or a dry pump 152. The vacuum pump 150 in this invention can be composed of the molecular pump 151 and the dry pump 152 connected together. In other embodiments of this invention, either the molecular pump 151 or the dry pump 152 can form the vacuum pump 150 independently.

[0040] In this invention, a cooling water supply device provides cooling water to the process chamber 110, plasma unit 120, radio frequency unit 130, refrigerator 140, and vacuum pump 150 via an inlet pipe 161. The cooling water can be cooled tap water. The cooling water supply device receives wastewater from the process chamber 110, plasma unit 120, radio frequency unit 130, refrigerator 140, and vacuum pump 150 after cooling treatment via an outlet pipe 162. The inlet pipe 161 is connected to the process chamber 110, plasma unit 120, radio frequency unit 130, refrigerator 140, and vacuum pump 150 via threaded joints or quick-connect fittings. The outlet pipe 162 is also connected to the process chamber 110, plasma unit 120, radio frequency unit 130, refrigerator 140, and vacuum pump 150 via threaded joints or quick-connect fittings.

[0041] In summary, the dry etching equipment and humidity monitoring system provided in this embodiment include: a process chamber for providing a cavity for etching products; a plasma device for providing plasma to the process chamber; an radio frequency (RF) device for providing an RF source to the process chamber; a chiller for providing coolant to the process equipment; a vacuum pump for providing a negative pressure space to the process chamber so that the product can be etched under the action of plasma and RF; a cooling water supply device for supplying cooling water to the process chamber, plasma device, RF device, chiller, and vacuum pump through an inlet pipe, and receiving wastewater from the process chamber, plasma device, RF device, chiller, and vacuum pump after cooling through an outlet pipe; and a humidity sensor located at the connection between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe for detecting air humidity to determine if there is cooling water leakage. When leakage occurs in the dry etching equipment, this invention can detect the leakage in a timely manner, improve the accuracy of leakage detection, and reduce the floor space required.

[0042] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this utility model and do not constitute any limitation on this utility model. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art to the technical solutions and contents disclosed in this utility model without departing from the scope of the technical solutions of this utility model shall still fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A dry etching apparatus, characterized in that, include: Process cavity, used to provide a cavity for etching products; A plasma device is used to provide plasma to the process chamber; Radio frequency device for providing radio frequency source to the process cavity; A refrigeration unit is used to supply coolant to the process chamber; A vacuum pump is used to provide a negative pressure space to the process chamber so that the product can be etched under the action of plasma and radio frequency. The cooling water supply device supplies cooling water to the process chamber, plasma device, radio frequency device, refrigerator and vacuum pump through the water inlet pipe. The cooling water supply device receives the wastewater after cooling treatment by the process chamber, plasma device, radio frequency device, refrigerator and vacuum pump through the water outlet pipe. A humidity sensor is installed at the connection between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe to detect air humidity in order to determine whether there is a cooling water leak.

2. The dry etching apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In an open space, the humidity sensor is encased in a sealed box and fixed at the connection points of the inlet and outlet water pipes.

3. The dry etching apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In a confined space, the humidity sensor is placed at the connection between the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe.

4. The dry etching apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water inlet pipe is connected to the process chamber, plasma device, radio frequency device, refrigerator and vacuum pump via threaded joints or quick-connect joints.

5. The dry etching apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The water outlet pipe is connected to the process chamber, plasma device, radio frequency device, refrigerator and vacuum pump via threaded joints or quick-connect joints.

6. A humidity monitoring system for monitoring the humidity of a dry etching apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, include: A monitoring device for monitoring the humidity detected by the humidity sensor.

7. The humidity monitoring system as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The humidity sensor is connected to the monitoring device via wired or wireless communication.

8. The humidity monitoring system as described in claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes an alarm device that will sound an alarm when the humidity exceeds the set range.

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