RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas distribution mechanism and PECVD plate type equipment

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, in particular to an RPS cleaning efficient gas-distributing mechanism and a PECVD plate-type equipment. The gas-distributing mechanism comprises a special gas pipeline system, one end of which is connected with the RPS equipment and the other end of which is connected with the chamber of the PECVD plate-type equipment, and the special gas pipeline system is provided with a water cooling system; a multistage gas-distributing device is arranged above a spraying plate in the chamber, the multistage gas-distributing device comprises a first gas-distributing plate and a second gas-distributing plate, the second gas-distributing plate is arranged below the first gas-distributing plate at intervals, the diameter of the second gas-distributing plate is larger than that of the first gas-distributing plate, the circumferential side of the second gas-distributing plate exceeds that of the first gas-distributing plate, and the circumferential side of the first gas-distributing plate is provided with inclined downward through holes. The gas-distributing mechanism can effectively reduce the turbulence and dead angle of the RPS process gas during conveying and entering the chamber, the uniformity of the distribution of the RPS process gas is obviously improved, the cleaning blind area is effectively eliminated, and the yellow powder residual amount in the chamber is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to an efficient gas homogenization mechanism for RPS (Remote Plasma Source) cleaning and a PECVD plate-type equipment, belonging to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor manufacturing and related thin film deposition processes, the performance of the process chamber in PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) plate-type equipment directly affects the quality of the final product and production efficiency. Among these processes, the RPS cleaning process, as a crucial step in ensuring chamber cleanliness and maintaining stable equipment operation, plays a decisive role in the quality of subsequent coatings. However, in actual production applications, "yellow powder" residue often appears in the process chamber after RPS cleaning. This "yellow powder" mainly consists of unreacted silane byproducts and polymers, which severely affects the quality of subsequent coatings and equipment stability, leading to a decrease in product yield. To solve the "yellow powder" residue problem, existing technologies improve gas distribution by installing a single gas homogenizing plate within the PECVD plate-type equipment chamber. While this method can optimize the RPS cleaning process and the PECVD plate-type equipment to some extent, it still suffers from limited gas homogenization, uneven gas distribution, and low cleaning efficiency. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a new technical solution to overcome these shortcomings. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an efficient gas equalization mechanism for RPS cleaning and a PECVD plate-type equipment to solve the defects of existing gas equalization mechanisms, such as uneven gas distribution, insufficient temperature control, limited gas equalization effect, low cleaning efficiency, and frequent maintenance.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution: a high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism for RPS cleaning, comprising: The special gas pipeline system is connected at one end to the RPS equipment and at the other end to the center of the top of the PECVD plate equipment. It is used to transport RPS process gas. The special gas pipeline system is equipped with a water cooling system to cool the RPS process gas during transportation. A multi-stage gas equalization device is installed above the spray plate in the chamber to disperse and equalize the airflow of RPS process gas. The multi-stage gas equalization device includes a first gas equalization plate and a second gas equalization plate. The second gas equalization plate is spaced below the first gas equalization plate and has a larger diameter than the first gas equalization plate. The periphery of the second gas equalization plate extends beyond the periphery of the first gas equalization plate. The periphery of the first gas equalization plate has downward inclined through holes.

[0005] Furthermore, the first air distribution plate is provided with a recessed portion with an opening at the top, the sidewall of the recessed portion is inclined, and the recessed portion gradually narrows along the direction pointing towards the second air distribution plate, and the through hole is provided at the sidewall of the recessed portion.

[0006] Furthermore, the through hole includes a plurality of waist-shaped holes evenly arranged circumferentially along the recess.

[0007] Furthermore, in the circumferential direction of the recess, the size of each of the waist-shaped holes is 5-10 times the distance between two adjacent waist-shaped holes.

[0008] Furthermore, the inclination angle of the sidewall of the recess is any value between 0° and 40°.

[0009] Furthermore, the first gas distribution plate is connected to the chamber so that the airflow from the special gas pipeline system flows into the chamber only through the through hole.

[0010] Furthermore, the second air distribution plate has multiple vertically arranged holes.

[0011] Furthermore, the special gas pipeline system includes straight pipes and gradually expanding 90° pipes, both of which have the water cooling system on their walls; the gradually expanding 90° pipes are connected to both ends of the straight pipes.

[0012] This application also provides a PECVD plate-type device, including a chamber and the aforementioned RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism. A special gas inlet is provided at the center of the top of the chamber, and a special gas outlet is provided at the center of the bottom. A spray plate is provided inside the chamber, which divides the chamber into two parts, namely an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The spray plate is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes for connecting the upper chamber and the lower chamber.

[0013] Furthermore, the diameter of the air inlet end of the vent is larger than the diameter of the air outlet end.

[0014] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: The high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism for RPS cleaning, through its gradually expanding 90° pipeline design in the special gas pipeline system, effectively reduces turbulence and dead zones in the RPS process gas during transport and entry into the chamber. Combined with the multi-stage dispersion and mixing effect of the multi-stage gas equalization device, the uniformity of RPS process gas distribution is significantly improved by more than 60%. This allows the RPS process gas to evenly cover the entire chamber space, effectively eliminating cleaning blind spots and reducing the amount of residual yellow powder in the chamber by more than 80%. Effective control of yellow powder accumulation extends the equipment maintenance cycle by 2-3 times, significantly reducing the number of times the equipment needs to be shut down for cleaning, reducing downtime and maintenance costs, and improving equipment utilization and production efficiency.

[0015] The water-cooling system on the specialty gas pipeline system can cool the specialty gas while ensuring the temperature stability of the RPS process gas during transportation, preventing premature reaction of the RPS process gas due to high temperature, effectively reducing the formation of deposits on the inner walls of the gas pipeline and in the corners of the chamber, and significantly reducing the accumulation of yellow powder. The water-cooling system can also effectively prevent pipeline overheating, eliminate safety hazards, and improve the safety of the working environment.

[0016] Multi-stage dispersion and mixing are achieved through a multi-stage gas equalization device. By setting through-holes with specific angles on the first gas equalization plate, the high-speed airflow is effectively dispersed while maintaining a specific flow direction, thus more effectively reducing the gas concentration in the central region and optimizing the uniformity of gas distribution. Simultaneously, the uniform gas distribution can shorten the cleaning time by approximately 30% and increase the gas utilization rate of the RPS process by approximately 40%, significantly reducing the process cycle and operating costs. Uniform airflow distribution also helps reduce film defects, improve batch-to-batch consistency, and lower production costs. The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of this utility model. To better understand the technical means of this utility model and to enable its implementation according to the description, the following detailed description, using preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings, further illustrates the present utility model. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a special gas pipeline system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a front view of the first air distribution plate shown in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the first gas equalization plate according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the second gas equalization plate according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the PECVD plate-type equipment chamber according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; Figure label: 1. Special gas pipeline system; 11. Straight pipeline; 12. Gradually expanding 90° pipeline; 2. Multi-stage gas equalization device; 21. First gas equalization plate; 22. Second gas equalization plate; 23. Through hole; 24. Recess; 25. Hole; 3. Chamber; 31. Special gas inlet; 32. Special gas outlet; 33. Upper chamber; 34. Lower chamber; 4. Spray plate; 5. Vent hole; 6. RPS equipment. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solution of this utility model will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this utility model. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0019] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," 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. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0020] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" 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 mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of 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.

[0021] Furthermore, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of this utility model described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0022] Please see Figure 1This application discloses a preferred embodiment of an efficient gas equalization mechanism for RPS cleaning, applied to a PECVD plate-type equipment, comprising a special gas pipeline system 1 and a multi-stage gas equalization device 2. One end of the special gas pipeline system 1 is connected to the RPS equipment 6, and the other end is connected to the chamber 3 of the PECVD plate-type equipment, and is located at the top center of the chamber 3 for transmitting RPS process gas. The special gas pipeline system 1 also has its own water cooling system to cool the RPS process gas during transportation. The multi-stage gas equalization device 2 is disposed within the chamber 3, above the spray plate 4 within the chamber 3. The multi-stage gas equalization device 2 includes a first gas equalization plate 21 and a second gas equalization plate 22, with the second gas equalization plate 22 spaced below the first gas equalization plate 21. The first gas equalization plate 21 has downwardly inclined through holes 23 on its periphery for preliminary dispersion of the RPS process gas transmitted to the chamber 3, reducing the gas concentration in the central area of ​​the chamber 3. The diameter of the second air equalization plate 22 is larger than that of the first air equalization plate 21, and the periphery of the second air equalization plate 22 extends beyond the periphery of the first air equalization plate 21, in order to further equalize the airflow and compensate for the gas flow at the edge.

[0023] In this embodiment, the special gas pipeline system 1 includes a straight pipe 11 with a water-cooling system on its wall and two gradually expanding 90° pipes 12. The inner diameter of both the straight pipe 11 and the two gradually expanding 90° pipes 12 is 22mm, and the outer diameter is 36mm. The pipes have built-in water-cooling systems, and the gradually expanding 90° pipes 12 are connected to both ends of the straight pipe 11. Compared to traditional right-angle bend air intake methods, the gradually expanding 90° pipes 12 effectively prevent turbulence and dead zones in the pipe and chamber, ensuring that the RPS process gas evenly covers the entire chamber space and significantly reducing the existence of obvious cleaning blind spots. In other embodiments, the special gas pipeline system 1 may include multiple sections of straight pipes 11 and gradually expanding 90° pipes 12 with water-cooling systems on their walls. The inner walls of the pipes are polished to ensure Ra ≤ 0.4μm to reduce airflow resistance. Furthermore, the outlets of the water cooling systems on these pipelines are all connected to temperature sensors, and the inlets are all connected to flow control devices. The opening and closing of the flow control devices set at the inlets are adjusted by the temperature of the cooling water detected by the temperature sensors, thereby maintaining the internal temperature of the pipeline within the optimal temperature range and controlling temperature fluctuations within ±2℃. This effectively avoids premature reaction of process gases during transportation due to the high temperature conditions (usually above 300℃) generated when the RPS equipment 6 is working, significantly reduces the formation of gas deposits on the inner walls of the pipelines and in the corners of the chambers, and greatly reduces the accumulation of yellow powder.

[0024] In this embodiment, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3As shown, the first gas equalization plate 21 has a recessed portion 24. The top of the recessed portion 24 is open, and its sidewalls are inclined, gradually narrowing along the direction pointing towards the second gas equalization plate 22 at an inclination angle of 20°. Through holes 23 are provided on the sidewalls of the recessed portion 24. These through holes 23 are designed as large-diameter waist-shaped holes and are evenly distributed along the circumference of the recessed portion 24. By setting the through holes 23 on the inclined sidewalls, the high-speed airflow can be effectively dispersed while having a specific flow direction when passing through the through holes 23, thereby more effectively reducing the gas concentration in the central region and optimizing the uniformity of gas distribution. The second gas equalization plate 22 adopts a hole-free design and is designed as a baffle structure with a large area to further regulate the gas flow state. In other embodiments, the inclination angle of the sidewalls of the recessed portion 24 provided on the first gas equalization plate 21 is preferably controlled within the range of 0°-40°, for example, the inclination angle is 0°, 20°, 30° or 40°. When the inclination angle of the sidewall of the recess 24 is 0°, that is, when the sidewall of the recess 24 is vertical, the through hole 23 is inclined downward at the sidewall of the recess 24 to ensure that the gas can flow in a specific direction to meet different process requirements. In the circumferential direction of the recess 24, the size of each waist-shaped hole is preferably 5-10 times the distance between two adjacent waist-shaped holes. This design helps to maintain a good gas dispersion effect while ensuring the gas throughput. In addition, it is preferable to connect the first gas equalization plate 21 to the chamber 3. Through this connection, the flow direction of the airflow can be precisely controlled, so that the airflow from the special gas pipeline system 1 is strictly limited to flowing into the chamber 3 only through the preset through hole 23 on the first gas equalization plate 21, ensuring the stability and reliability of the entire gas delivery and distribution system. Figure 4 As shown, the second gas distribution plate 22 can also be equipped with multiple vertically arranged holes 25 according to actual usage requirements, so as to further flexibly adjust the flow and distribution characteristics of the gas.

[0025] This embodiment also provides a PECVD plate-type device, such as... Figure 5As shown, the PECVD plate-type equipment includes a chamber 3 and the aforementioned RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism. A special gas inlet 31 is located at the center of the top of the chamber 3, and this inlet 31 is connected to the aforementioned special gas pipeline system 1. A special gas outlet 32 ​​is located at the center of the bottom of the chamber 3 for discharging the gas inside the chamber 3. A spray plate 4 is also installed inside the chamber 3, dividing the chamber 3 into two parts: an upper chamber 33 and a lower chamber 34. The spray plate 4 has several vent holes 5 connecting the upper chamber 33 and the lower chamber 34. In this embodiment, the vent holes 5 are vertically arranged on the spray plate 4 in a honeycomb pattern; this honeycomb arrangement allows for relatively uniform gas dispersion as it passes through the spray plate 4, providing a good gas distribution basis for the subsequent cleaning process. In other embodiments, the structure of the vent holes 5 can be optimized by setting the inlet diameter of the vent hole 5 to be larger than its outlet diameter. By employing this gradient aperture design, the gas velocity changes accordingly as it flows through the vent 5 due to the variation in aperture. This dynamic change in velocity significantly prolongs the gas residence time in the upper chamber 33 and the area near the spray plate 4, while simultaneously enhancing the impact force of the gas in the lower chamber 34. During this process, the gas achieves more thorough and comprehensive contact with the object being cleaned, ultimately effectively improving the overall cleaning efficiency.

[0026] The installation and workflow of the above-mentioned RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism are as follows: First, install the multi-stage gas equalization device 2 above the spray plate 4 inside the chamber 3, and ensure that the relative positions of the first gas equalization plate 21 and the second gas equalization plate 22 are accurate and the through hole 23 is unobstructed; then, connect one end of the special gas pipeline system 1 to the RPS equipment 6 and the other end to the special gas inlet at the center of the top of the PECVD plate equipment chamber 3; finally, connect the outlet and inlet of the water cooling system and install the temperature sensor and flow control device.

[0027] During the RPS cleaning process, the process gases generated by the RPS equipment 6, such as acidic cleaning gases, are transported to the chamber 3 of the PECVD plate equipment through the special gas pipeline system 1. During the transport process, the water cooling system is turned on to cool the process gases, and the temperature of the cooling water in the water cooling system is monitored in real time by a temperature sensor. Based on the temperature feedback, the water cooling flow rate is adjusted by the flow control device to ensure that the gas temperature is stable. After the process gases enter the chamber 3 of the PECVD plate equipment, they are first dispersed and mixed through the recess 24 and through holes 23 of the first gas equalization plate 21, and then further homogenized through the second gas equalization plate 22, achieving full mixing in the upper chamber 33. Afterwards, they are evenly distributed to the entire lower chamber 34 through the vent holes 5 on the spray plate 4 for cleaning reaction, and the reaction products are discharged through the special gas outlet.

[0028] The working process of PECVD plate equipment: Assemble chamber 3, equipped with the RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism, into a complete PECVD plate-type equipment. Before performing the thin film deposition process, clean the process chamber according to the working process of the high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism described above to ensure that there is no "yellow powder" residue in chamber 3. Then, perform the thin film deposition process. The process gas enters from the special gas inlet at the top of chamber 3, passes through the vent holes 5 on the spray plate 4, and is evenly distributed to the lower chamber 34 for thin film deposition. After deposition is completed, the waste gas is discharged from the special gas outlet at the bottom of chamber 3.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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 high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism for RPS cleaning, characterized in that, include: The special gas pipeline system (1) is connected at one end to the RPS equipment (6) and at the other end to the top center of the chamber (3) of the PECVD plate equipment. It is used to transmit RPS process gas. The special gas pipeline system (1) is equipped with a water cooling system to cool down the RPS process gas during the transportation process. A multi-stage gas equalization device (2) is set above the spray plate (4) in the chamber (3) for dispersing and equalizing the airflow of RPS process gas. The multi-stage gas equalization device (2) includes a first gas equalization plate (21) and a second gas equalization plate (22). The second gas equalization plate (22) is spaced below the first gas equalization plate (21) and has a diameter larger than the first gas equalization plate (21). The periphery of the second gas equalization plate (22) extends beyond the periphery of the first gas equalization plate (21). The periphery of the first gas equalization plate (21) is provided with inclined downward through holes (23).

2. The RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first air equalization plate (21) is provided with a recess (24) with an opening at the top. The side wall of the recess (24) is inclined and the recess (24) gradually shrinks along the direction pointing to the second air equalization plate (22). The through hole (23) is provided at the side wall of the recess (24).

3. The RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The through hole (23) includes a plurality of waist-shaped holes evenly arranged circumferentially along the recess (24).

4. The RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism as described in claim 3, characterized in that, In the circumferential direction of the recess (24), the size of each of the waist-shaped holes is 5-10 times the distance between two adjacent waist-shaped holes.

5. The RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The inclination angle of the sidewall of the recess (24) is any value between 0° and 40°.

6. The RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The first gas equalization plate (21) is connected to the chamber (3) so that the airflow from the special gas pipeline system (1) flows into the chamber (3) only through the through hole (23).

7. The RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second air distribution plate (22) has multiple vertically arranged holes (25).

8. The RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The special gas pipeline system (1) includes a straight pipe (11) with the water cooling system on its wall and a gradually expanding 90° pipe (12); the gradually expanding 90° pipe (12) is connected to both ends of the straight pipe (11).

9. A PECVD plate-type device, characterized in that, The device includes a chamber (3) and the RPS cleaning high-efficiency gas equalization mechanism as described in any one of claims 1-8. A special gas inlet (31) is provided at the center of the top of the chamber (3), and a special gas outlet (32) is provided at the center of the bottom. A spray plate (4) is provided inside the chamber (3). The spray plate (4) divides the chamber (3) into two parts, namely an upper chamber (33) and a lower chamber (34). A plurality of ventilation holes (5) are provided on the spray plate (4) for connecting the upper chamber (33) and the lower chamber (34).

10. The PECVD plate-type equipment as described in claim 9, characterized in that, The diameter of the air inlet end of the vent (5) is larger than the diameter of its air outlet end.

Images