Height difference measuring device and height difference measuring system

Abstract

The utility model relates to a kind of height difference measuring device and height difference measuring system.Height difference measuring device, for measuring the height difference between base and insulating platform located on base on vapor deposition equipment, height difference measuring device includes: body, the body includes support, support is used to support on vapor deposition equipment, to make body be located above insulating platform, the body is equipped with more than one radial through slot;Distance measuring mechanism, be configured in through slot, with body sliding connection, can move along the slotting direction of through slot.Adopt the height difference measuring device provided in the present application can non-destructively test the height difference between base and insulating platform, facilitate monitoring whether height difference is in allowable range, to further improve product yield.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to a height difference measuring device and a height difference measuring system. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing, PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) is a thin film deposition technology. In a typical PVD device, an insulating stage is set on the base. The substrate to be deposited is placed on the insulating stage, and the PVD device can convert the material from a solid source into a gaseous state and then deposit it onto the substrate surface to form a thin film.

[0003] After the PVD process, the insulating stage supporting the substrate needs to be cleaned. However, as the number of cleaning cycles increases, the insulating stage gradually becomes thinner, and the height difference between the insulating stage and the base changes. This will affect the overall electrical and physical isolation performance of the reaction chamber. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the height difference between the insulating stage and the base. Utility Model Content

[0004] Based on this, this application provides a height difference measuring device capable of monitoring the height difference between the insulating platform and the base.

[0005] In a first aspect, this application provides a height difference measuring device for measuring the height difference between a base on a vapor deposition equipment and an insulating stage located on the base, the height difference measuring device comprising:

[0006] The body includes a support member for supporting the vapor deposition equipment so that the body is positioned above the insulating stage, and the body has one or more radially penetrating slots.

[0007] A distance measuring mechanism is disposed in the through groove and slidably connected to the body. It can move along the slotting direction of the through groove. The movement path of the distance measuring mechanism includes at least a first position and a second position. In the first position, the distance measuring mechanism can measure the distance between itself and the insulating platform. In the second position, the distance measuring mechanism can measure the distance between itself and the base.

[0008] In one embodiment, there are three or more through slots, and the through slots are distributed at equal intervals; the number of distance measuring mechanisms is equal to the number of through slots, and each of them is arranged in one of the through slots.

[0009] In one embodiment, four through slots are provided, and the four through slots are distributed at equal intervals perpendicular to each other.

[0010] In one embodiment, the distance measuring mechanism includes a slider and a measuring component disposed on the slider, the slider being configured within the through slot and movable along the through slot, and the measuring component being used to measure distance.

[0011] In one embodiment, the measuring component includes a retractable probe and a displacement sensor, wherein the protruding end of the retractable probe is movable in a direction toward or away from the base, and the displacement sensor is used to acquire the displacement distance of the protruding end of the retractable probe.

[0012] In one embodiment, the displacement sensor includes a zeroing module, the value of the displacement sensor is zeroed when the zeroing module is triggered, and the measuring component includes a zeroing button that contacts the zeroing module, the zeroing button being able to trigger the zeroing module when pressed.

[0013] In one embodiment, the measuring component includes a distance sensor capable of emitting a vertically downward beam for detecting the distance between an obstacle and the distance sensor, wherein the obstacle is a base or an insulating platform.

[0014] In one embodiment, the distance sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, a laser sensor, or an infrared sensor.

[0015] In one embodiment, the body includes an annular portion and a connecting portion, the connecting portion being located within the annular portion, and the through groove being formed in the connecting portion.

[0016] Secondly, this application also provides a height difference measurement system, comprising:

[0017] The height difference measuring device described in any one of the claims; and

[0018] A data processor, which is communicatively connected to the distance measuring mechanism, is used to acquire the height measurement data of the distance measuring mechanism.

[0019] The aforementioned height difference measuring device and system include a main body and a distance measuring mechanism. The main body acts as a support platform, supporting the distance measuring mechanism, which measures a first distance between the base and the distance measuring mechanism, or a second distance between the insulating platform and the distance measuring mechanism. Thus, the height difference between the base and the insulating platform can be obtained based on the difference between the first and second distances. Using the height difference measuring device provided in this application allows for non-destructive testing of the height difference between the base and the insulating platform, facilitating monitoring whether the height difference is within the allowable range, thereby improving product yield. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the base and the insulating platform;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the height difference measuring device in one embodiment;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a side view of the first and second positions in one embodiment;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a top view of the first and second positions in one embodiment.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0025] 10. Insulating platform; 20. Base; 30. Height difference measuring device; 31. Body; 311. Support; 312. Annular part; 313. Connecting part; 32. Distance measuring mechanism; 321. Telescopic probe; 322. Zeroing button; S1. First position; S2. Second position. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of this utility model. However, this utility model can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this utility model. Therefore, this utility model is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0027] See Figure 1 , Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the base 20 and the insulating platform 10 is provided. Generally, the base 20 has an open top, and the insulating platform 10 is located inside the base 20, limited by protruding portions along the edge of the base 20. The height of the insulating platform 10 is greater than the height of the base 20, meaning the insulating platform 10 protrudes from the base 20. However, during repeated cleaning processes, the thickness of the insulating platform 10 decreases, especially for quartz insulating platforms, leading to a reduction in the height difference between the edges of the insulating platform 10 and the base 20. This affects the process environment within the chamber, resulting in a decrease in product yield.

[0028] See Figure 2 , Figure 2A schematic diagram of a height difference measuring device 30 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. This height difference measuring device 30, provided in this embodiment, is used to measure the height difference between a base 20 and an insulating stage 10 located on the base 20 of a vapor deposition equipment. It includes a body 31 and a distance measuring mechanism 32. The body 31 acts as a supporting platform, supporting the distance measuring mechanism 32. The distance measuring mechanism 32 is used to measure a first distance between the base 20 and the distance measuring mechanism 32, or to measure a second distance between the insulating stage 10 and the distance measuring mechanism 32. Thus, the height difference between the base 20 and the insulating stage 10 can be obtained based on the difference between the first and second distances.

[0029] Specifically, the body 31 includes a support 311 for supporting itself on a vapor deposition apparatus so that the body 31 is positioned above the insulating stage 10.

[0030] For example, the support 311 may be a rod-shaped structure disposed at the bottom edge of the body 31. The support 311 can be stably placed around the base 20 on the vapor deposition equipment, ensuring that the body 31 is supported and erected above the base 20 and the insulating stage 10. In this way, the body 31 is stably raised to a certain position, forming an operable space so that the distance measuring mechanism 32 can accurately measure the distance.

[0031] Optionally, the support member 311 may also be located at the edge of the body 31.

[0032] The main body 31 has one or more radially extending through slots. The distance measuring mechanism 32 is disposed within the through slot and slidably connected to the main body 31, and is movable along the slotting direction. For example, the slotting direction is the radial direction of the main body 31, meaning the distance measuring mechanism 32 can move along the radial direction of the main body 31. It is understood that the distance measuring mechanism 32 can move in directions very close to or far from the center of the main body 31.

[0033] See Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 A side view of a first position S1 and a second position S2 in one embodiment is shown; Figure 4 A top view of a first position S1 and a second position S2 in one embodiment is shown. The movement path of the distance measuring mechanism 32 includes at least the first position S1 and the second position S2. In the first position S1, the distance measuring mechanism 32 is able to measure the distance between itself and the insulating platform 10, and in the second position S2, the distance measuring mechanism 32 is able to measure the distance between itself and the base 20.

[0034] For example, the distance measuring mechanism 32 can move to at least a first position S1 and a second position S2 when it moves along the moving path of the through slot. When the distance measuring mechanism 32 moves to the first position S1, it is located directly above the insulating platform 10 and can measure the distance between itself and the insulating platform 10. When the distance measuring mechanism 32 moves to the second position S2, it is located directly above the base 20 and can measure the position between itself and the base 20.

[0035] The aforementioned height difference measuring device 30 includes a body 31 and a distance measuring mechanism 32. The body 31 acts as a support platform, supporting the distance measuring mechanism 32. The distance measuring mechanism 32 measures a first distance between the base 20 and the distance measuring mechanism 32, or a second distance between the insulating platform 10 and the distance measuring mechanism 32. Thus, the height difference between the base 20 and the insulating platform 10 can be obtained based on the difference between the first and second distances. Using the height difference measuring device 30 provided in this application, the height difference between the base 20 and the insulating platform 10 can be tested non-destructively, facilitating monitoring whether the height difference is within the allowable range, thereby improving product yield.

[0036] In some embodiments, three or more through slots are provided, and the through slots are evenly spaced. The number of distance measuring mechanisms 32 is equal to the number of through slots, and each mechanism is disposed within a through slot. Optionally, three, four, five, etc., through slots may be provided. For example, when three through slots are provided, the center line connecting the three through slots forms a triangle; when four through slots are provided, the center line connecting the four through slots forms a quadrilateral; and when five through slots are provided, the center line connecting the five through slots forms a pentagon. Correspondingly, the number of distance measuring mechanisms 32 is three, four, five, etc.

[0037] These through-slots are distributed at different positions on the body 31. When measuring height differences, they enable precise measurements at different positions on the base 20 and the insulating stage 10, thereby improving the reliability of the test results. Furthermore, measuring at different positions allows for timely detection of any tilting of the insulating stage 10, preventing inconsistent wafer deposition thickness during the PVD process. The number of distance measuring mechanisms 32 corresponds to the number of through-slots, each configured within one of them, ensuring independent and precise measurement feedback at each slot opening, thus enabling simultaneous and accurate measurements at multiple points.

[0038] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, four through slots are provided, and the four through slots are distributed perpendicularly and equally spaced in pairs. Four distance measuring mechanisms 32 are also provided, and the four distance measuring mechanisms 32 are respectively set in the four through slots. In this way, the four positions of the base 20 and the insulating platform 10 can be tested to obtain different height differences.

[0039] In some embodiments, the distance measuring mechanism 32 includes a slider and a measuring component disposed on the slider. The slider is configured within a through groove and is movable along the through groove. The measuring component is used to measure distance. The slider is precisely configured within the through groove and is able to move freely along the axial direction of the through groove, allowing the slider to slide freely within the confines of the through groove, thereby achieving dynamic adjustment of the measurement position. The measuring component disposed on the slider is used to actually measure the distance.

[0040] The measuring components can include various types such as laser sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and capacitive sensors. The measuring components record the distance changes between the measuring components and the insulating stage 10 or base 20 in real time as the slider moves, and provide accurate distance information through the feedback data of the sensors.

[0041] In some feasible implementations, to improve measurement accuracy, the slider can also be equipped with a positioning device to ensure that the slider does not deviate or vibrate excessively during its movement within the through slot, and to determine the slider's current position in real time. Through the coordinated operation of the slider and the measuring components, the distance measuring mechanism 32 can accurately monitor distance changes and provide continuous, real-time feedback data.

[0042] In other feasible implementations, the distance measuring mechanism 32 may also include a drive element for automatic control. The drive end of the drive element is connected to the slider, and through the control system, the slider is driven to move freely along its axial direction within the through groove, thereby achieving accurate distance measurement.

[0043] Specifically, the driving component provides power to move the slider, thereby driving the measuring component mounted on the slider to be precisely positioned along the slotting direction of the through groove. In this way, as the slider moves, the measuring component can continuously measure according to the changes in the slider's position, acquiring distance data in real time.

[0044] For example, the driving component can use a cylinder as a power source, and the extension and retraction motion of the cylinder can drive the slider to reciprocate along the through groove.

[0045] In some embodiments, the measuring component includes a retractable probe 321 and a displacement sensor. The protruding end of the retractable probe 321 is movable in a direction toward or away from the base 20, and the displacement sensor is used to obtain the displacement distance of the protruding end of the retractable probe 321.

[0046] In some embodiments, the measuring component includes a retractable probe 321 and a displacement sensor, wherein the retractable probe 321 has a structure with one end protruding, which is capable of precise linear movement in a direction toward or away from the base 20. The displacement sensor is connected to the retractable probe 321 and is responsible for monitoring and recording the displacement of the probe's protruding end in real time.

[0047] Optionally, the extended end of the retractable probe 321 can be displaced by a mechanical drive system or an electric drive device. Optionally, the displacement sensor can be a photoelectric sensor, a laser displacement sensor, a magnetic induction sensor, or a capacitive sensor to ensure accurate detection of the probe position. Using the displacement sensor, the displacement distance of the probe's extended end relative to the base 20 can be accurately obtained, and the height difference can be calculated based on the distance the probe's extended end extends.

[0048] For example, when the distance measuring mechanism 32 is in the first position S1, the protruding end of the retractable probe 321 is blocked by the insulating platform 10, so the protruding end of the retractable probe 321 extends by a first length. When the distance measuring mechanism 32 is in the second position S2, the protruding end of the retractable probe 321 is blocked by the base 20, so the protruding end of the retractable probe 321 extends by a second length. The difference between the second length and the first length is the height difference between the insulating platform 10 and the base 20.

[0049] In some embodiments, the displacement sensor includes a zeroing module designed to ensure that the displacement sensor obtains an accurate initial reference value before each use. When the zeroing module is triggered, the displacement sensor value is zeroed. The measuring component includes a zeroing button 322, which contacts the zeroing module. When the zeroing button 322 is pressed, the zeroing module is triggered.

[0050] The zeroing module automatically resets the displacement sensor's output value to zero when triggered, eliminating any potential deviations or errors and ensuring the accuracy of the measurement results. This zeroing function ensures that each measurement starts from zero, preventing accumulated errors, even when the measurement environment changes.

[0051] The measuring component also includes a zeroing button 322, which is connected to and in close contact with the zeroing module. The zeroing button 322 is typically located in an easily accessible position, allowing the user to manually trigger the zeroing operation before starting measurement. For example, the zeroing button 322 can be located on the outer casing of the distance measuring mechanism 32. When the user presses the zeroing button 322, the button's action directly triggers the zeroing module, causing the displacement sensor's measurement value to automatically return to zero.

[0052] In other embodiments, a distance sensor can be used directly when measuring distance. In this case, the measuring component includes a distance sensor that can emit a vertically downward beam to detect the distance between an obstacle and the distance sensor. The obstacle is either a base 20 or an insulating platform 10.

[0053] To achieve more efficient distance measurement, the system can directly use a distance sensor. When using a distance sensor, the measurement component includes the sensor, which emits a vertically downward beam to accurately detect the distance between the obstacle and the sensor. This beam is typically a laser beam, an infrared beam, or an ultrasonic signal, enabling rapid and accurate calculation of the object's distance.

[0054] Specifically, the vertically downward beam emitted by the distance sensor travels through the air along a specific path until it encounters an obstacle, such as the base 20 or the insulating platform 10. Once the beam encounters the obstacle, it is reflected or echoed. The sensor calculates the time difference between the beam's emission, reflection, and return to the sensor by receiving the echo signal. Based on the relationship between the speed of light or sound and the time difference, the distance sensor can quickly and accurately calculate the precise distance between the obstacle and the sensor. The advantage of this method is that the distance sensor can complete the measurement without contacting the object being measured.

[0055] In addition, the use of a distance sensor during measurement enables continuous tracking measurement, obtaining the continuous distance change between the distance sensor and the insulating stage 10, and thus obtaining the surface flatness of the insulating stage 10.

[0056] For example, the distance sensor may be an ultrasonic sensor, a laser sensor, or an infrared sensor, etc.

[0057] See also Figure 2 In some embodiments, the body 31 includes an annular portion 312 and a connecting portion 313, with the connecting portion 313 located within the annular portion 312 and a through groove formed in the connecting portion 313. Considering that the wafer is circular, the structure of the annular portion 312 in this embodiment corresponds to the shape of the wafer. The connecting portion 313 is disposed within the annular portion 312, connecting the inner side of the annular portion 312. Thus, the interior of the annular portion 312 has a gap, facilitating observation of the position of the distance measuring mechanism 32.

[0058] In addition, this application also provides a height difference measurement system, including: a height difference measurement device 30 of any of the above embodiments; and a data processor, which is communicatively connected to a distance measurement mechanism 32 and is used to acquire height measurement data of the distance measurement mechanism 32.

[0059] For example, after the data processor obtains that the distance measuring mechanism 32 can measure the distance between itself and the insulating platform 10, and that the distance measuring mechanism 32 can measure the distance between itself and the base 20, the difference between the two can be used to obtain the height difference between the base 20 and the insulating platform 10.

[0060] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "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 are not intended to 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.

[0061] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0062] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., 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, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0063] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0064] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0065] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0066] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of this utility model, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A height difference measuring device, characterized in that, A height difference measuring device for measuring the height difference between a base on a vapor deposition apparatus and an insulating stage located on the base, the height difference measuring device comprising: The body includes a support member for supporting the vapor deposition equipment so that the body is positioned above the insulating stage, and the body has one or more radially penetrating slots. A distance measuring mechanism is disposed in the through groove and slidably connected to the body. It can move along the slotting direction of the through groove. The movement path of the distance measuring mechanism includes at least a first position and a second position. In the first position, the distance measuring mechanism can measure the distance between itself and the insulating platform. In the second position, the distance measuring mechanism can measure the distance between itself and the base.

2. The height difference measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The through slots are provided in three or more, and the through slots are distributed at equal intervals; the number of distance measuring mechanisms is equal to the number of through slots, and each of them is arranged in one of the through slots.

3. The height difference measuring device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The four through slots are arranged in pairs, perpendicularly and equally spaced.

4. The height difference measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The distance measuring mechanism includes a slider and a measuring component disposed on the slider. The slider is configured within the through groove and is movable along the through groove. The measuring component is used to measure distance.

5. The height difference measuring device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The measuring component includes a retractable probe and a displacement sensor. The extended end of the retractable probe can move in a direction that is closer to or farther from the base. The displacement sensor is used to obtain the displacement distance of the extended end of the retractable probe.

6. The height difference measuring device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The displacement sensor includes a zeroing module. When the zeroing module is triggered, the value of the displacement sensor returns to zero. The measurement component includes a zeroing button that contacts the zeroing module. When the zeroing button is pressed, the zeroing module can be triggered.

7. The height difference measuring device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The measuring component includes a distance sensor capable of emitting a vertically downward beam for detecting the distance between an obstacle and the distance sensor, wherein the obstacle is a base or an insulating platform.

8. The height difference measuring device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The distance sensor is an ultrasonic sensor, a laser sensor, or an infrared sensor.

9. The height difference measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The body includes an annular portion and a connecting portion, the connecting portion being located inside the annular portion, and the through groove being formed in the connecting portion.

10. A height difference measurement system, characterized in that, include: The height difference measuring device according to any one of claims 1-9; as well as A data processor, which is communicatively connected to the distance measuring mechanism, is used to acquire the height measurement data of the distance measuring mechanism.

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