Semiconductor heat treatment apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus and a control method thereof. The semiconductor heat treatment apparatus includes a process chamber, an intake pipeline, an air supply pipeline, and an exhaust pipeline. One end of the intake pipeline communicates with a gas source, and the other end of the intake pipeline communicates with the air supply pipeline located in the process chamber. The air supply pipeline is parallel to the central axis of the process chamber, and a plurality of air supply holes are provided in the air supply pipeline. Each air supply hole is used to transport process gas into the process chamber. The exhaust pipeline communicates with the process chamber, and a gas storage assembly is provided in the intake pipeline. The gas storage assembly is used to supply process gas to the process chamber through the intake pipeline and the air supply pipeline in sequence when the gas storage amount reaches a first predetermined value. The above technical solution can solve the problem that the concentration of process gas at a position relatively far from the intake pipeline in the process chamber is relatively low during the process step.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, and particularly to a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus and a control method thereof.

Background Art

[0002] In the semiconductor manufacturing process, a structure such as an insulating layer or a dielectric layer may be formed on the surface of a semiconductor such as a wafer using a process gas. Currently, a plurality of wafers are arranged side by side along a specific direction, for example, the height direction, and accommodated in a process chamber. The process gas supplied from a gas source is supplied into the process chamber through an intake pipeline, and the process gas is deposited on the surfaces of the plurality of wafers. However, due to the influence of process characteristics, in the process of introducing the process gas, the pressure of the process gas is relatively small, and an exhaust pipeline is provided in the process chamber. Therefore, after the process gas is introduced into the process chamber, the concentration of the process gas at a position relatively far from the intake pipeline in the process chamber is relatively low, and the process result of the wafer located in this region fails to meet the requirements.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] In order to solve the problem that in the conventional process, the concentration of the process gas at a position relatively far from the intake pipeline in the process chamber is relatively low, and the process result of the wafer located in this region fails to meet the requirements, the present invention discloses a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus and a control method thereof.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention includes a process chamber, an intake pipeline, an air supply pipeline, and an exhaust pipeline. One end of the intake pipeline communicates with a gas source, the other end of the intake pipeline communicates with the air supply pipeline located in the process chamber, the air supply pipeline is parallel to the central axis of the process chamber, a plurality of air supply holes are provided in the air supply pipeline, and each air supply hole is used to transport process gas into the process chamber. The exhaust pipeline communicates with the process chamber, a gas storage assembly is provided in the intake pipeline, and the gas storage assembly is used to supply process gas to the process chamber through the intake pipeline and the air supply pipeline in sequence when the gas storage amount reaches a first predetermined value. A semiconductor heat treatment apparatus is disclosed.

[0006] In a second aspect, the present invention discloses a control method for a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus, including the steps of filling gas into the gas storage assembly through the intake pipeline, and supplying process gas to the process chamber when the gas storage amount of the gas storage assembly reaches a first predetermined value.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] The technical solution used in the present invention can achieve the following beneficial effects.

[0008] The embodiments of the present application disclose a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus. One end of the intake pipeline communicates with a gas source, the other end communicates with the air supply pipeline located in the process chamber. The air supply pipeline is parallel to the central axis of the process chamber, and a plurality of air supply holes are provided in the air supply pipeline. Each air supply hole is used to transport process gas into the process chamber. The process chamber further communicates with an exhaust pipeline to ensure the smoothness of the gas passage, and the operating pressure in the process chamber can also be stabilized using the exhaust pipeline.

[0009] In the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus described above, a gas storage assembly is provided in the intake pipeline. When the gas storage amount of the process gas in the gas storage member reaches a first predetermined value, the gas storage member supplies the process gas to the process chamber through the intake pipeline and the air supply pipeline in sequence. Furthermore, due to the pressure action of the process gas in the gas storage member, it relatively quickly passes through the intake pipeline and diffuses into the air supply pipeline. Since the process gas in the gas storage member has a certain pressure, after the process gas is sent out from the gas storage member, it can relatively surely move to the air supply holes that are relatively far from the gas storage member in the air supply pipeline, ensuring that relatively uniform process gas is sent out from a plurality of air supply holes in the air supply pipeline, and ensuring that the process results of any wafer all meet the process requirements.

[0010] The drawings described in this specification are used to further understand the present invention, constitute a part of the present invention, and the exemplary embodiments and their descriptions of the present invention are used to explain the present invention and do not unduly limit the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] To make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions of the present invention with reference to specific embodiments of the present invention and the corresponding drawings. It is obvious that the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0013] The following will refer to the drawings to elaborate in detail on the technical solutions disclosed in each embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, an embodiment of the present invention discloses a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus, which can be used to interact a wafer 900 with a process gas and further deposit the process gas on the surface of the wafer 900. Specifically, the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus includes an intake pipeline, an exhaust pipeline 130, a gas supply pipeline 140, a process chamber 210, and a gas storage assembly. Here, a gas storage assembly is provided in the intake pipeline. For the convenience of the following description, the intake pipeline is divided into an intake segment 110 and a communication segment 120 here. The gas storage assembly has a gas storage stage and a gas discharge stage. To ensure that the gas storage assembly switches between the gas storage stage and the gas discharge stage, the gas storage assembly may include a gas storage member 310, a first valve 410, and a second valve 420.

[0015] Here, the process chamber 210 can provide a process environment and an accommodation space for processing the wafer 900, and can supply a process gas into the process chamber 210 to act on the wafer 900. During the processing of the wafer 900, a plurality of semiconductors such as the wafers 900 can be accommodated in the process chamber 210, and the plurality of wafers 900 can be regularly arranged. Specifically, the plurality of wafers 900 can be distributed along the height direction of the process chamber 210. Naturally, in order to ensure that the process gas can be deposited on the surface of any one of the wafers 900, it is necessary to leave a gap in advance between any two adjacent wafers 900 among the plurality of wafers 900. Further, a placement mechanism may be provided in the process chamber 210 to place the plurality of wafers 900 using the placement mechanism, and the placement mechanism may specifically be a boat.

[0016] The process gas may be provided using a gas source, and the gas source may specifically be a gas storage device. Considering the safety of the process gas used in semiconductor processing, the gas source may be a gas supply pipeline so as to prevent the security risk caused by the process gas being in a relatively high-pressure state for a long time.

[0017] In the process gas transportation process, one end of the intake segment 110 of the intake pipeline can be communicated with the gas source, and the other end of the intake segment 110 can be communicated with the gas storage member 310. Furthermore, the process gas can pass through the intake segment 110 and be transported into the gas storage member 310. Specifically, the intake segment 110 may be formed using a metal material such as stainless steel, which can also prevent the interaction between the process gas and the intake segment 110 from adversely affecting the process. Both the gas source and the gas storage member 310 can communicate with the intake segment 110 via communication devices such as connection joints and gaskets, and it is ensured that a relatively reliable sealed connection relationship is formed between the intake segment 110 and the gas source, and between the intake segment 110 and the gas storage member 310. Also, parameters such as the length and flow rate of the intake segment 110 can all be determined according to actual needs and are not limited here.

[0018] Also, the first valve 410 is provided in the intake segment 110 of the intake pipeline so as to control the communication and cutoff state between the intake segment 110 and the gas storage member 310. That is, the first valve 410 is provided in the portion of the intake pipeline located upstream of the gas storage member 310. When the first valve 410 is in the closed state, the intake segment 110 and the gas storage member 310 are cutoff, and the process gas output from the gas source cannot be transported from the intake segment 110 into the gas storage member 310. Correspondingly, when the first valve 410 is in the open state, the intake segment 110 and the gas storage member 310 communicate with each other, and the process gas output from the gas source can pass through the intake segment 110 and be transported into the gas storage member 310. Specifically, the first valve 410 may be an electromagnetic valve or a pneumatic valve, etc.

[0019] As described above, the process chamber 210 can provide a process environment for the wafer 900. Based on this, in order to ensure that the process gas can be transported into the process chamber 210 and the process gas can be transported relatively uniformly to the area where the plurality of wafers 900 are located, optionally, the air supply pipeline 140 is provided in the process chamber 210, and thus, the process gas is transported to different areas of the process chamber 210 using the air supply pipeline 140. Also, in order to ensure as much as possible that the air supply pipeline 140 can transport the process gas to any position in the process chamber 210, the air supply pipeline 140 may be arranged parallel to the central axis of the process chamber 210. Here, the central axis of the process chamber is the height direction of the process chamber 210 and is also the arrangement direction of the wafers 900 in the process chamber 210.

[0020] More specifically, a plurality of air supply holes 141 may be provided in the air supply pipeline 140. Each air supply hole 141 is used to transport the process gas into the process chamber 210. The plurality of air supply holes 141 are distributed along the arrangement direction of the plurality of wafers 900 accommodated in the process chamber 210. Thus, the air supply area formed by the plurality of air supply holes 141 can correspond to the area where semiconductors such as the plurality of wafers 900 are located. Furthermore, the air supply pipeline 140 can cover the area where the plurality of wafers 900 are located as much as possible, so that the process gas can act on any of the wafers 900.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 1, the gas storage member 310 communicates with one end of the air supply pipeline 140 via the communication segment 120 of the intake pipeline. Thus, it is ensured that the process gas in the gas storage member 310 can pass through the communication segment 120 and the air supply pipeline 140 and be transported into the process chamber 210. The communication segment 120 may also be formed using a material such as metal, and a sealed connection relationship is formed between the gas storage member 310, the air supply pipeline 140, and the communication segment 120.

[0022] Of course, in order for the process gas in the gas storage member 310 to be controlled and transported into the process chamber 210, as shown in FIG. 1, the second valve 420 is provided in the communication segment 120. That is, the second valve 420 is provided in a portion of the intake pipeline that is downstream of the gas storage member 310. Furthermore, the communication and cutoff relationship between the gas storage member 310 and the process chamber 210 is controlled by using the opening and closing of the second valve 420. Specifically, when the second valve 420 is in the open state, the process gas in the gas storage member 310 is transported into the process chamber 210 through the communication segment 120. When the second valve 420 is in the closed state, the process gas in the gas storage member 310 is not transported into the process chamber 210. Here, the second valve 420 may be an electromagnetic valve or a pneumatic valve.

[0023] In addition, in order to discharge the exhaust gas generated during the process out of the process chamber 210 during and after the process, in the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus disclosed in the embodiments of the present application, the process chamber 210 further communicates with one end of the exhaust pipeline 130, and the other end of the exhaust pipeline 130 is arranged to communicate with the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 600. Furthermore, during the process, when the pressure in the process chamber 210 exceeds a predetermined pressure range, the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 600 can suck the gas in the process chamber 210, thereby reducing the pressure in the process chamber 210 within the predetermined pressure range and improving the process effect. Of course, after the process is completed, the exhaust gas treatment apparatus 600 can suck and discharge the exhaust gas in the process chamber 210.

[0024] In order to reduce as much as possible the adverse effects of the exhaust gas in the exhaust pipeline 130 on the process steps performed in the process chamber 210, optionally, a second pressure regulating valve 450 may be provided in the exhaust pipeline 130, and the second pressure regulating valve 450 provides a communication and cutoff function between the exhaust gas treatment device 600 and the process chamber 210. Further, in order to more accurately know the specific pressure situation in the process chamber 210, a second pressure detection member 520 may be further provided in the exhaust pipeline 130. The second pressure detection member 520 is positioned between the process chamber 210 and the second pressure regulating valve 450 so as to determine whether the pressure in the process chamber 210 satisfies a predetermined pressure range. When the pressure in the process chamber 210 exceeds the predetermined pressure range, the second pressure regulating valve 450 is used to adjust the pressure in the process chamber 210, ensuring that the operating pressure in the process chamber 210 is always within the predetermined pressure range and improving the process effect.

[0025] Based on the above semiconductor heat treatment apparatus, in the process where it is necessary to perform a process, first, a plurality of wafers 900 are placed in the process chamber 210, and the process environment in the process chamber 210 is processed by the exhaust pipeline 130 and the exhaust gas treatment device 600, so that the process environment in the process chamber 210 may meet the process requirements. Next, the first valve 410 is opened and the second valve 420 is closed, and the process gas supplied from the gas source may pass through the intake segment 110 and be transported and stored in the gas storage member 310. As the process gas is continuously transported into the gas storage member 310, the pressure of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 increases. Based on parameters such as the number and size of the wafers 900 in the process chamber 210 and considering the specific type of the process, etc., the amount of process gas required when the plurality of wafers 900 perform the corresponding process can be obtained. Subsequently, when the gas storage amount of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 reaches a first predetermined value, the first valve 410 is closed and the second valve 420 is opened. As a result, the process gas stored in the gas storage member 310 is transported into the air supply pipeline 140 through the communication segment 120 relatively quickly under the action of its own pressure, and is sent into the process chamber 210 from a plurality of air supply holes 141 in the air supply pipeline 140. Naturally, since all the process gas sent from the gas storage member 310 through the communication segment 120 into the air supply pipeline 140 has a relatively large pressure, it is ensured that the air pressure of any air supply hole 141 in the air supply pipeline is about the same. Furthermore, in order to ensure that the amount of process gas sent from the air supply pipeline 140 to any position in the process chamber 210 is uniform, the remaining gas storage amount in the gas storage member 310 is controlled. When the air pressure in the gas storage member 310 is slightly greater than or equal to the air pressure in the process chamber 210, it may be controlled to stop the gas storage member 310 from supplying gas to the process chamber through the second valve 420.

[0026] Specifically, the amount of the process gas transported into the gas storage member 310 by the intake segment 110 within a predetermined time can be measured using a device such as a flow meter. Alternatively, when storing the amount of the process gas that meets the requirements in the gas storage member 310 based on parameters such as the type of the process gas and the volume of the gas storage member 310, parameters such as the pressure of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 can be obtained. Further, the pressure of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 can be detected using a pressure detection member, and the amount of the process gas stored in the gas storage member 310 can be indirectly obtained.

[0027] The embodiment of the present application discloses a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus. Here, one end of the intake pipeline communicates with a gas source, and the other end communicates with an air supply pipeline located in the process chamber. Specifically, the gas source communicates with the gas storage member 310 through the intake segment 110 of the intake pipeline. The gas storage member 310 communicates with the air supply pipeline 140 located in the process chamber 210 through the communication segment 120 of the intake pipeline. The air supply pipeline 140 is parallel to the central axis of the process chamber 210, and a plurality of air supply holes 141 are provided in the air supply pipeline. Each air supply hole 141 is used to transport the process gas to the process chamber 210. To ensure the smoothness of the gas passage, the process chamber 210 further communicates with an exhaust pipeline 130, and the operating pressure in the process chamber 210 can also be stabilized using the exhaust pipeline 130.

[0028] In the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus described above, when the gas storage amount of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 reaches a first predetermined value, the gas storage member 310 supplies the process gas to the process chamber 210 through the intake pipeline and the supply pipeline 140 in sequence. Furthermore, due to the pressure action of the process gas in the gas storage member 310, it diffuses relatively quickly through the communication segment 120 and into the supply pipeline 140. Since the process gas in the gas storage member 310 has a certain pressure, after the process gas is sent out from the gas storage member 310, it can move relatively surely to the supply holes 141 that are relatively far from the gas storage member 310 in the supply pipeline 140, ensuring that relatively uniform process gas is sent out from the plurality of supply holes 141 in the supply pipeline 140, and ensuring that the process results of any wafer 900 all meet the process requirements.

[0029] As described above, the amount of the process gas stored in the gas storage member 310 can be obtained by measuring the flow rate or pressure. As a specific embodiment, the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus further includes a first pressure detection member 510. The first pressure detection member 510 is provided in the intake pipeline and is located between the first valve 410 and the gas storage member 310, that is, it is provided in the intake segment 110 of the intake pipeline. The first pressure detection member 510 is used to detect the gas in the gas storage member 310. Specifically, the first pressure detection member 510 may be a pressure gauge, a pressure sensor, etc. When parameters such as the volume of the gas storage member 310 and the type of the process gas are known, based on the measured value of the first pressure detection member 510, the amount of the process gas stored in the gas storage member 310 can be indirectly obtained.

[0030] In another embodiment of the present application, the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus further includes a mass flow controller 530. The mass flow controller 530 is attached to the intake segment 110. By the action of the mass flow controller 530, the amount of the process gas transported into the gas storage member 310 through the intake segment 110 within a predetermined time can be obtained more accurately, improving the accuracy of the measured value of the amount of the process gas in the gas storage member 310.

[0031] In order to further improve the accuracy of the measured value of the process gas amount in the gas storage member 310, optionally, a first pressure detection member 510 and a mass flow controller 530 may be simultaneously installed in the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus, whereby the amount of the process gas stored in the gas storage member 310 is acquired in various dimensions, and the accuracy of the measured value is maximally improved.

[0032] In order to make it easier to further control the transport process of the process gas, optionally, the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus further includes a third valve 430, the third valve 430 is attached between the first valve 410 and the mass flow controller 530, and when it is not necessary to transport the process gas, the third valve 430 may be closed to improve the transport safety of the process gas.

[0033] Also, the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus may further include a first pressure regulating valve 440, the first pressure regulating valve 440 is attached to the intake segment 110, the first pressure regulating valve 440 is located between the mass flow controller 530 and the gas source, and when it is necessary to transport the process gas to the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus during the process step, the first pressure regulating valve 440 adjusts the transport pressure of the process gas in the intake segment 110 to improve the transport stability of the process gas.

[0034] In order to further improve the uniformity of the amount of the process gas transported to each of the plurality of wafers 900 in the process chamber 210, the structure and / or arrangement form of the air supply holes 141 in the air supply pipeline 140 can be designed, whereby the amount of the process gas transported to any one of the wafers 900 is also made to be substantially the same.

[0035] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of air supply holes 141 are distributed along the central axis of the process chamber 210, and the air supply cross-sectional area of the plurality of air supply holes 141 is gradually increased along the air supply direction of the air supply pipeline 140 (indicated by the arrow in FIG. 2), that is, the air supply cross-sectional area of any one of the air supply holes 141 is different, and the farther away from the communication segment 120, the larger the air supply cross-sectional area of the air supply hole 141. Here, the air supply cross-sectional area of the air supply hole 141 is the area of the cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction of the air supply hole 141 itself, which can represent the air supply capacity of the air supply hole 141. The larger the air supply cross-sectional area, the stronger the air supply capacity of the air supply hole 141. When such a technical solution is used, even if there is a difference in pressure in different air supply holes 141 of the process gas, since the area of the air supply hole 141 far from the gas storage member 310 is relatively large, the negative impact on the gas discharge amount of the air supply hole 141 due to the relatively small pressure at the air supply hole 141 far from the gas storage member 310 of the process gas can be compensated, thereby ensuring that the gas discharge amounts of each of the plurality of air supply holes 141 are substantially the same as much as possible. In addition, when the above technical solution is used, the pitch between any two adjacent air supply holes 141 can be made equal.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 3, in another embodiment of the present application, a plurality of air supply holes 141 are distributed along the central axis of the process chamber 210, and the pitch between any two adjacent air supply holes 141 among the plurality of air supply holes 141 is gradually decreased along the air supply direction of the air supply pipeline 140 (indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3). That is, in the process of arranging the air supply holes 141 in the air supply pipeline 140, the farther away from the communication segment 120, the denser the air supply holes 141 are. Furthermore, by improving the density of the air supply holes 141, the negative impact that the air pressure at the air supply holes 141 is relatively small due to the large distance between the air supply holes 141 in this area and the gas storage member 310 is compensated, thereby ensuring that the amount of the process gas transported to any one of the plurality of wafers 900 is substantially the same. In addition, in the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus disclosed in the embodiment of the present application, the radius of any one of the air supply holes 141 may be made the same so as to reduce the processing difficulty of the air supply holes 141.

[0037] In another embodiment of the present application, a plurality of air supply holes 141 are distributed along the central axis of the process chamber 210. Along the air supply direction of the air supply pipeline 140, the air supply cross-sectional area of the plurality of air supply holes 141 is gradually increased, and the pitch between any two adjacent air supply holes 141 among the plurality of air supply holes 141 is gradually decreased, so as to maximize the uniformity of the air supply amount of the plurality of air supply holes 141. Of course, in actual applications, the specific parameters of the air supply cross-sectional area of the air supply holes 141 and the pitch between the air supply holes 141 can be adaptively adjusted to ensure that the air supply amounts of the plurality of air supply holes 141 are substantially the same as much as possible.

[0038] As described above, the gas storage member 310 can store the process gas. Thereby, the process gas is pressurized in the gas storage member 310, the diffusion ability and diffusion speed of the process gas are improved, and further the uniformity of the process gas in different regions in the process chamber 210 is improved. Based on this, in order to improve the storage and release performance of the gas storage member 310 for the process gas, optionally, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the gas storage member 310 includes a first buffer segment 311, a straight segment 312, and a second buffer segment 313 that are connected in series in sequence along its air intake direction (that is, the direction from left to right as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5). The three together constitute the gas storage member 310. In the process of assembling the gas storage member 310, one end of the air intake segment 110 is used to communicate with the gas source, the other end of the air intake segment 110 communicates with one end of the first buffer segment 311 away from the straight segment 312, one end of the second buffer segment 313 away from the straight segment 312 communicates with one end of the straight segment 312, and the other end of the communication segment 120 communicates with the air supply pipeline 140.

[0039] Specifically, in order to improve the gas storage performance of the gas storage member 310, the first buffer segment 311, the second buffer segment 313, and the straight segment 312 may all be formed using a material with relatively high structural strength, such as metal. Also, the first buffer segment 311, the second buffer segment 313, and the straight segment 312 may be fixedly connected using welding or the like. Optionally, in order to improve the connection reliability among the three, the first buffer segment 311, the straight segment 312, and the second buffer segment 313 may be integrally formed.

[0040] Further, along the intake direction of the gas storage member 310, the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the intake direction of the first buffer segment 311 (i.e., the direction from left to right shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) gradually increases, and the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the intake direction of the second buffer segment 313 (i.e., the direction from left to right shown in FIGS. 4 and 5) gradually decreases. In this way, the structures of both the first buffer segment 311 and the second buffer segment 313 become relatively gentle, and after the gas enters the gas storage member 310 from the first buffer segment 311, it can gradually diffuse, reducing the difficulty of gas transportation. In the process of the gas being sent from the second buffer segment 313 through the communication segment 120 to the air supply pipeline 140, it is gradually compressed and rectified in the second buffer segment 313, improving the diffusion speed and diffusion effect of the process gas.

[0041] Also, when both the first buffer segment 311 and the second buffer segment 313 have relatively gentle structures, it is also possible to prevent, as much as possible, the process gas from being obstructed when flowing through the gas storage member 310, and improve the flow capacity of the process gas. Correspondingly, in order to further prevent the process gas from being obstructed when flowing from the first buffer segment 311 to the second buffer segment 313, the projection along the intake direction of the straight segment 312 may be the same as the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the intake direction of the straight segment 312, that is, the entire straight segment 312 is a linear structure, and it is possible to prevent the process gas from being obstructed by the straight segment 312 when flowing through the gas storage member 310, ensuring the smoothness of the flow of the process gas.

[0042] More specifically, the straight segment 312 may be a cylindrical structure. Correspondingly, the end faces of both the first buffer segment 311 and the second buffer segment 313 connected to the straight segment 312 are also circular structures. Thereby, the fluidity of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 is further improved, preventing the process gas from depositing at the corners of the gas storage member 310, and improving the utilization rate of the process gas.

[0043] As described above, in the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus disclosed in the embodiments of the present application, both between the first buffer segment 311 and the intake segment 110 and between the second buffer segment 313 and the communication segment 120 are connected using connection joints and gaskets, enabling good sealing performance between the members. In another embodiment of the present application, both between the gas storage member 310 and the intake segment 110 and / or between the gas storage member 310 and the communication segment 120 may be hermetically connected via a vacuum connection radial seal joint 320 (i.e., a VCR joint, Vacuum Coupling Radius Seal). The vacuum connection radial seal joint 320 can ensure relatively high sealing performance between the gas storage member 310 and the intake segment 110 and between the gas storage member 310 and the communication segment 120, further preventing leakage of process gas and improving the safety of the process. Naturally, between any two connected members such as between the communication segment 120 and the gas supply pipeline 140 and between the process chamber 210 and the exhaust pipeline 130, they may all be connected to each other via the vacuum connection radial seal joint 320, ensuring relatively high connection reliability and sealing performance between any two arbitrarily connected members in the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus.

[0044] Also, the joint connection member 330 can be used to assist in connecting the gas storage member 310 and the vacuum connection radial seal joint 320. Specifically, after inserting the vacuum connection radial seal joint 320 into the joint connection member 330, the end of the gas storage member 310 can be welded to the joint connection member 330, thereby integrally connecting the vacuum connection radial seal joint 320 and the gas storage member 310.

[0045] In this way, the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus may include a placement mechanism so that a plurality of wafers 900 can all be placed on the placement mechanism. In order to further improve the uniformity of the deposition amount of the process gas in any one of the wafers 900, optionally, the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus disclosed in the embodiments of the present application may further include a rotation mechanism 220, and specifically, the rotation mechanism 220 may be a rotation motor or the like. The rotation mechanism 220 is attached to the process chamber 210, and the placement mechanism is provided in the process chamber 210 and attached to the rotation mechanism 220. Thereby, the rotation mechanism 220 can drive the placement mechanism to rotate. Specifically, the rotation direction is a direction surrounding the arrangement direction of the plurality of wafers 900.

[0046] For example, the plurality of wafers 900 may be arranged along the height direction of the process chamber 210, whereby the rotation mechanism 220 can drive the placement mechanism to rotate in a direction surrounding the height direction of the process chamber 210, that is, rotate the placement mechanism in the horizontal plane. By the action of the rotation mechanism 220, the wafer 900 is rotated with respect to the air supply hole 141 of the air supply pipeline 140, thereby ensuring that the deposition amount of the process gas at any position of the wafer 900 is relatively uniform and improving the process effect of the wafer 900.

[0047] In order to ensure that the process gas can be transported from the gas source into the gas storage member 310, it is necessary to apply a certain pressure to the process gas during the transportation process of the process gas. That is, the process gas in the air supply pipeline 140 also has a certain pressure. In addition, since gas is likely to liquefy under pressure and some types of process gas have a certain viscosity after liquefaction, it is disadvantageous to the progress of the process gas transportation operation. Correspondingly, the pressure of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 is relatively high. Based on this, the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus disclosed in the embodiments of the present application further includes a first heating mechanism and a second heating mechanism. The first heating mechanism is provided in the heating pipeline and heats the intake segment 110 to a first predetermined temperature. The second heating mechanism is provided in the gas storage member 310 and heats the gas storage member 310 to a second predetermined temperature. By the actions of the first heating mechanism and the second heating mechanism, the liquefaction difficulty of the process gas in the intake segment 110 and the gas storage member 310 becomes relatively high, and further, the occurrence of the liquefaction phenomenon during the transportation of the process gas is maximally prevented, and the transportation efficiency of the process gas is improved.

[0048] Moreover, since the pressure of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 is greater than the pressure of the process gas in the intake segment 110, based on this, the second predetermined temperature may be set higher than the first predetermined temperature so as to ensure that the process gas in the gas storage member 310 hardly liquefies. Specifically, both the first heating mechanism and the second heating mechanism may be heating devices such as heating wires, and the first heating mechanism may cover the outside of the intake segment 110 so as to provide a heating effect to the intake segment 110. Correspondingly, the second heating mechanism may cover the outside of the gas storage member 310 so as to provide a heating effect to the gas storage member 310, and the difficulty of such an arrangement form is also relatively small. The specific values of the first predetermined temperature and the second predetermined temperature may be determined according to the actual type of the process gas. Taking the process gas being SiH2Cl2 as an example, the first predetermined temperature may be 40°C, and the second predetermined temperature may be 120 - 150°C.

[0049] Based on the above semiconductor heat treatment apparatus, embodiments of the present application further disclose a control method for a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus, and use this control method to control any of the above semiconductor heat treatment apparatuses. As shown in FIG. 6, the control method includes a step S1 of filling a gas storage assembly with gas through an intake pipeline.

[0050] That is, after the process starts, by communicating the portion located between the gas source of the intake pipeline and the gas storage member 310 (i.e., the intake segment 110), the process gas output from the gas source is temporarily stored in the gas storage member 310 of the gas storage assembly, and the process gas can generate pressure within the gas storage member 310.

[0051] The control method for the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus disclosed in the embodiments of the present application further includes a step S2 of supplying process gas to the process chamber 210 when the gas storage amount in the gas storage assembly reaches a first predetermined value after the step S1.

[0052] Specifically, based on parameters such as the number and size of the wafers 900 in the process chamber 210, and considering the specific type of the process, etc., the amount of process gas required for performing the process corresponding to the plurality of wafers 900 can be obtained. Subsequently, when the gas storage amount of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 reaches the first predetermined value, the first valve 410 is closed and the second valve 420 is opened. As a result, the process gas stored in the gas storage member 310 is transported into the air supply pipeline 140 through the communication segment 120 relatively quickly under the action of its own pressure, and is sent into the process chamber 210 from the plurality of air supply holes 141 in the air supply pipeline 140, completing the transportation operation of the process gas, ensuring that the gas discharge amounts corresponding to the plurality of wafers 900 in the air supply pipeline 140 are basically the same, and improving the uniformity of the process results.

[0053] Also, during the use of the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus disclosed in the embodiments of the present application, the specific value of the first predetermined value of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 can be tested. Specifically, a specific value can be set for the first predetermined value of the process gas in the gas storage member 310. Then, the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus is controlled to perform the corresponding air supply operation using the control method disclosed in the above embodiments of the present application. After that, when the plurality of wafers 900 being tested complete a deposition process or the like, the thickness and uniformity of the deposition layer on all the wafers 900 are detected, so that the correspondence between the aforementioned first predetermined value and the process result can be obtained. Then, by changing the specific value of the first predetermined value, the deposition process on the wafer 900 is correspondingly completed, and a plurality of sets of corresponding data are obtained. Based on the plurality of sets of corresponding data, the correspondence between the first predetermined value of the storage amount of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 and specific parameters such as the size and quantity of the wafer 900 can be obtained. During the subsequent use of the semiconductor heat treatment apparatus, based on the correspondence, the number of wafers 900 to be processed, and parameters such as the size, the specific magnitude of the first predetermined value is correspondingly determined to ensure that the process effect of the wafer 900 is relatively high.

[0054] In some alternative embodiments, the control method further includes heating the intake segment 110 to a first predetermined temperature and heating the gas storage assembly to a second predetermined temperature, where the second predetermined temperature is higher than the first predetermined temperature.

[0055] In order to ensure that the process gas can be transported from the gas source into the gas storage member 310, it is necessary to apply a certain pressure to the process gas during the transportation process of the process gas. That is, the process gas in the air supply pipeline 140 also has a certain pressure. In addition, since gas is likely to liquefy under pressure and some types of process gas have a certain viscosity after liquefaction, this is disadvantageous to the progress of the transportation operation of the process gas. Correspondingly, the pressure of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 is relatively high. Based on this, the embodiment of the present application heats the intake segment 110 to a first predetermined temperature and heats the gas storage member 310 to a second predetermined temperature, so that the liquefaction difficulty of the process gas in the intake segment 110 and the gas storage member 310 becomes relatively large, and further maximally prevents the occurrence of liquefaction phenomenon during the transportation of the process gas, and improves the transportation efficiency of the process gas.

[0056] In addition, since the pressure of the process gas in the gas storage member 310 is greater than the pressure of the process gas in the intake segment 110, based on this, the second predetermined temperature may be set higher than the first predetermined temperature so as to ensure that the process gas in the gas storage member 310 hardly liquefies. The specific values of the first predetermined temperature and the second predetermined temperature may be determined according to the actual type of the process gas. Taking the process gas being SiH2Cl2 as an example, the first predetermined temperature may be 40 °C, and the second predetermined temperature may be 120 - 150 °C.

[0057] In the above embodiments of the present invention, the differences between the embodiments are mainly described. However, as long as the different preferable features between the embodiments do not conflict, they may all be combined to form a more excellent embodiment. Considering the simplicity of the text, the description is omitted here.

[0058] The above are only embodiments of the present invention and do not limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and changes to the present invention. All modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0059] 110 Intake segment 120 Communication segment 130 Exhaust pipeline 140 Air supply pipeline 141 Air supply hole 210 Process chamber 220 Rotating mechanism 310 Gas storage member 311 First buffer segment 312 Straight segment 313 Second buffer segment 320 Vacuum connection radial seal joint 330 Joint connection member 410 First valve 420 Second valve 430 Third valve 440 First pressure regulating valve 450 Second pressure regulating valve 510 First pressure detection member 520 Second pressure detection member 530 Mass flow controller 600 Exhaust gas treatment device 900 Wafer

Claims

1. A semiconductor heat treatment apparatus including a process chamber, an intake pipeline, a gas supply pipeline, and an exhaust pipeline, wherein one end of the intake pipeline communicates with a gas source, the other end of the intake pipeline communicates with the gas supply pipeline located in the process chamber, the gas supply pipeline is parallel to the central axis of the process chamber, a plurality of gas supply holes are provided in the gas supply pipeline, each gas supply hole is used to transport process gas into the process chamber, and the exhaust pipeline communicates with the process chamber, wherein a gas storage assembly is provided in the intake pipeline, and the gas storage assembly is used to supply process gas to the process chamber through the intake pipeline and the gas supply pipeline in sequence when the gas storage amount reaches a first predetermined value. A semiconductor heat treatment apparatus characterized by this.

2. The semiconductor heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of gas supply holes are distributed along the central axis, and the gas supply cross-sectional area of the plurality of gas supply holes gradually increases along the gas supply direction of the gas supply pipeline.

3. The semiconductor heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of gas supply holes are distributed along the central axis, and the pitch between any two adjacent gas supply holes among the plurality of gas supply holes gradually decreases along the gas supply direction of the gas supply pipeline.

4. The gas storage assembly includes a gas storage member, a first valve, and a second valve. The first valve is provided at a portion of the intake pipeline upstream of the gas storage member, and the second valve is provided at a portion of the intake pipeline downstream of the gas storage member. The intake pipeline includes an intake segment and a communication segment. The gas storage member includes a first buffer segment, a straight segment, and a second buffer segment connected in series in sequence along its intake direction. One end of the intake segment is used to communicate with the gas source, the other end of the intake segment communicates with one end of the straight segment of the first buffer segment away from the straight segment, one end of the second buffer segment away from the straight segment communicates with one end of the communication segment, and the other end of the communication segment communicates with the gas supply pipeline. Along the intake direction of the gas storage member, the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the intake direction of the first buffer segment gradually increases, and the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the intake direction of the second buffer segment gradually decreases. The projection of the straight segment along the intake direction is the same as the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the intake direction of the straight segment, The semiconductor heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

5. Between the first buffer segment and the intake segment, and between the second buffer segment and the communication segment, both are sealed and connected by a vacuum connection radial seal joint, The semiconductor heat treatment apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that.

6. Further comprising a first heating mechanism and a second heating mechanism, the intake pipeline includes an intake segment located upstream of the gas storage assembly and a communication segment located downstream of the gas storage assembly, the first heating mechanism is provided on the intake segment and is used to heat the intake segment, the second heating mechanism is provided on the gas storage assembly and is used to heat the gas storage assembly, The semiconductor heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

7. Further comprising a first pressure detection member for detecting the air pressure in the gas storage assembly, The semiconductor heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

8. Further comprising a mass flow controller attached to the intake pipeline, The semiconductor heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

9. Further comprising a placement mechanism and a rotation mechanism, the rotation mechanism is attached to the process chamber, the placement mechanism is provided in the process chamber and attached to the rotation mechanism, the rotation mechanism is used to drive the placement mechanism to rotate around the central axis, the placement mechanism is used to place a plurality of wafers, The semiconductor heat treatment apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that.

10. A step of filling the gas storage assembly with gas through an intake pipeline; A step of supplying a process gas to the process chamber when the gas storage amount of the gas storage assembly reaches a first predetermined value, A control method for a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus, characterized by including.

11. The semiconductor heat treatment apparatus further includes a first heating mechanism and a second heating mechanism. The intake pipeline includes an intake segment located upstream of the gas storage assembly and a communication segment located downstream of the gas storage assembly. The first heating mechanism is provided in the intake segment and is used to heat the intake segment. The second heating mechanism is provided in the gas storage assembly and is used to heat the gas storage assembly. The control method is as follows. It further includes the step of heating the intake segment to a first predetermined temperature. And the step of heating the gas storage assembly to a second predetermined temperature. The second predetermined temperature is higher than the first predetermined temperature. A control method for a semiconductor heat treatment apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that.

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