Shower plate, shower method and treatment device

Abstract

The shower plate (100), processing apparatus (10), and shower method include a shower plate (100) including a plate body (110) having a gas distribution system (120) formed therein. The gas distribution system (120) includes a main gas inlet passage (121), a transition passage (122), and a shower passage (123). Process gas first enters the plate body (110) through the main gas inlet passage (121), then passes through the transition passage (122) into the shower passage (123), and finally is introduced into the processing cavity (100) from the gas discharge surface (111) through the shower holes (1231). The transition passage (122) acts as a buffer, preventing the air pressure in the shower passage (123) from being directly affected by air pressure fluctuations in the main gas inlet passage (121). This allows the air pressure in the shower passage (123) to maintain good consistency. Therefore, after passing through the transition passage (122), the gas flow rate ejected from each region of the gas ejection surface (111) is more balanced, thereby improving the uniformity of the process gas distribution within the processing cavity (100).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on December 15, 2022, bearing application number 202211612666.3 and entitled "Shower plate, shower method and treatment device," the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of vacuum film deposition, and in particular to a shower plate, a shower method and a processing device. [Background technology]

[0003] In industrial production, a shower plate is typically used to shower specific process gases into a processing cavity to promote the appropriate reaction and achieve specific production goals. For example, atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a thin-film deposition technology based on surface chemical vapor deposition (CVD). It deposits materials onto a substrate surface in the form of a single atomic film, and the thickness and uniformity of the deposited thin film can be precisely controlled within the atomic layer thickness range. Due to its advantages, atomic layer deposition technology has been widely applied in fields such as semiconductors and photovoltaics. When performing a film deposition operation in an atomic layer deposition system, a process gas must first be introduced into the reaction cavity using a shower plate, which initiates the film deposition reaction.

[0004] However, due to structural limitations, the gas flow rates in different regions of the existing shower plate are significantly different, which leads to poor distribution uniformity of the process gas entering the processing cavity.For atomic layer deposition (ALD) deposition processes, the non-uniform distribution of the process gas leads to poor film thickness uniformity. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a shower plate, a shower method, and a processing apparatus that can improve the uniformity of the distribution of process gas within a processing cavity. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A shower plate comprising a plate body having a gas discharge surface, wherein a gas distribution system is formed within the plate body, the gas distribution system including a main gas inlet passage, a transition passage, and a shower passage, the shower passage having a plurality of shower holes formed therein extending to the gas discharge surface along its extension direction, and the shower passage communicating with the main gas inlet passage via the transition passage.

[0007] In one embodiment, a plurality of the transition passages and a plurality of the shower passages are provided, the plurality of transition passages and the plurality of the shower passages correspond one-to-one, each of the shower passages communicates with a corresponding transition passage via a plurality of connecting passages, the plurality of connecting passages are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the shower passage, and the main gas inflow passage communicates sequentially with the plurality of transition passages.

[0008] In one embodiment, each of the shower passages has an elongated shape and extends along a first direction, and a plurality of the shower passages are spaced apart along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

[0009] In one embodiment, each of the transition passages has an elongated shape and extends along the first direction, and each of the transition passages and corresponding shower passages are spaced apart along a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions.

[0010] In one embodiment, the main gas inlet passage has an elongated shape and extends along the second direction.

[0011] In one embodiment, the main gas inlet passage communicates sequentially with intermediate portions of the plurality of transition passages.

[0012] In one embodiment, the point of communication between the main gas inlet passage and each of the transition passages is offset toward one end of the transition passage with respect to the midpoint of the transition passage.

[0013] In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the transition passage on the side opposite to the side facing the central point of the communication point is smaller than the inner diameter of the communication point on the side facing the central point.

[0014] In one embodiment, the communication point between the main gas inlet passage and each of the transition passages is located at the midpoint of the transition passage.

[0015] In one embodiment, the number of the connecting passages is the same on both sides of the communication point along the first direction.

[0016] In one embodiment, a gas inlet port is provided at each end of the main gas inlet passage in the extending direction.

[0017] In one embodiment, the main gas inlet passage includes an inlet passage, a branch passage extending along the first direction, and two outlet passages extending along the second direction, the inlet passage communicating with an intermediate portion of the branch passage, the two outlet passages communicating with both ends of the branch passage, one of the two outlet passages communicating with one end of a plurality of the transition passages in sequence, and the other outlet passage communicating with the other end of the plurality of the transition passages in sequence.

[0018] In one embodiment, the point of communication between the introduction passage and the branch passage is offset toward one end of the branch passage with respect to a midpoint of the branch passage.

[0019] In one embodiment, the inner diameter of the branch passage on the side opposite to the side facing the central point of the communication point is smaller than the inner diameter of the communication point on the side facing the central point.

[0020] In one embodiment, the communication point between the introduction passage and the branch passage is located at the midpoint of the branch passage.

[0021] In one embodiment, two of the inlet passages and two of the branch passages are provided, and the two branch passages are arranged at both ends of the plate body along the second direction, and one end of each of the two outlet passages is connected to both ends of one of the two branch passages, and the other ends of each of the two outlet passages are connected to both ends of the other branch passage.

[0022] In one embodiment, at least two of the gas distribution systems are provided in the plate body, and the shower passages of the at least two of the gas distribution systems are alternately provided along the second direction.

[0023] A shower plate comprising a plate body having a gas discharge surface, wherein a gas distribution system is formed within the plate body, the gas distribution system including a main gas inlet passage, a transition passage, and a shower passage, the shower passage communicating with a plurality of shower holes, the shower holes being spaced apart along an extension direction of the shower passage, and each of the shower holes being extendable to the gas discharge surface, the shower passage communicating with the main gas inlet passage via the transition passage.

[0024] In one embodiment, a plurality of the transition passages and a plurality of the shower passages are provided, the plurality of transition passages and the plurality of shower passages correspond one-to-one, each of the shower passages communicates with a corresponding one of the transition passages via a plurality of connecting passages, the plurality of connecting passages are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the shower passage, and the main gas inflow passage communicates sequentially with the plurality of transition passages.

[0025] In one embodiment, each of the shower passages has an elongated shape and extends along a first direction, and a plurality of the shower passages are spaced apart along a second direction, with the first direction and the second direction forming an angle.

[0026] In one embodiment, each of the transition passages has an elongated shape and extends along the first direction, and each of the transition passages and the corresponding shower passages are spaced apart along a third direction, the third direction being angled relative to both the first direction and the second direction.

[0027] In one embodiment, the main gas inlet passage has an elongated shape and extends along the second direction.

[0028] In one embodiment, the point of communication between the main gas inlet passage and each of the transition passages is offset toward one end of the transition passage with respect to the midpoint of the transition passage.

[0029] In one embodiment, the transition passage includes a first passage portion and a second passage portion located on either side of the communication point, the first passage portion having a shorter length than the second passage portion, and the first passage portion having a smaller inner diameter than the second passage portion.

[0030] In one embodiment, the communication point between the main gas inlet passage and each of the transition passages is located at the midpoint of the transition passage.

[0031] In one embodiment, the number of connecting passages is the same on both sides of the communicating point of the transition passage in the first direction.

[0032] In one embodiment, a gas inlet port is provided at each end of the main gas inlet passage in the extending direction.

[0033] In one embodiment, the main gas inlet passage includes an inlet passage, a branch passage extending along the first direction, and two outlet passages extending along the second direction, the inlet passage communicates with the branch passage, the two outlet passages communicate with both ends of the branch passage, one of the two outlet passages sequentially communicates with one end of a plurality of the transition passages, and the other outlet passage sequentially communicates with the other ends of the plurality of the transition passages.

[0034] In one embodiment, the communication point between the introduction passage and the branch passage is offset toward one end of the branch passage with respect to a midpoint of the branch passage.

[0035] In one embodiment, the branch passage includes a third passage portion and a fourth passage portion located on either side of the communication location, the length of the third passage portion being shorter than the length of the fourth passage portion, and the inner diameter of the third passage portion being smaller than the inner diameter of the fourth passage portion.

[0036] In one embodiment, the communication point between the introduction passage and the branch passage is located at the midpoint of the branch passage.

[0037] In one embodiment, two of the outlet passages and two of the branch passages are provided, and the two branch passages are arranged at both ends of the plate body along the second direction, with one end of each of the two outlet passages communicating with both ends of one of the two branch passages, and the other end of each of the two outlet passages communicating with both ends of the other of the two branch passages.

[0038] In one embodiment, at least two of the gas distribution systems are provided in the plate body, and the shower passages of the at least two of the gas distribution systems are alternately provided along the second direction.

[0039] A processing apparatus includes the shower plate and processing cavity according to any one of the above preferred embodiments, wherein the shower plate is attached to the processing cavity and the gas ejection surface faces the inside of the processing cavity.

[0040] In the above-described shower plate and processing apparatus, the process gas first enters the plate body through the main gas inlet passage, then passes through the transition passage into the shower passage, and finally is introduced into the processing cavity from the gas discharge surface through the shower holes. The transition passage acts as a buffer, preventing the air pressure in the shower passage from being directly affected by air pressure fluctuations in the main gas inlet passage, thereby maintaining good consistency in the air pressure in the shower passage. Therefore, after passing through the transition passage, the gas flow rates ejected from each region of the gas discharge surface are more balanced, thereby improving the uniformity of the process gas distribution in the processing cavity.

[0041] 1. A shower method comprising: introducing a process gas into the transition passageway via the main gas inlet passageway; After the process gas has been transferred through the transfer passage, the process gas is introduced into a shower passage communicating with the transfer passage; The process gas entering the shower passage is transported along the shower passage and showered into the processing cavity by a plurality of shower holes arranged along the extension direction of the shower passage.

[0042] In the above shower method, the process gas is first introduced into the transition passage through the main gas inlet passage, and then passes through the transition passage before entering the shower passage. The transition passage acts as a buffer, preventing the air pressure in the shower passage from being directly affected by the air pressure fluctuations in the main gas inlet passage, so that the air pressure in the shower passage can be kept consistent. Therefore, after passing through the transition passage, the gas flow rate ejected from the shower holes is more balanced, thereby improving the uniformity of the process gas distribution in the processing cavity.

[0043] In order to more clearly explain the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings necessary for describing the embodiments or the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without making any efforts that amount to inventive step. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0044] [Figure 1] 1 is a partial structural schematic diagram of a processing device in one embodiment of the present application; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a shower plate in the processing apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a schematic diagram of a gas distribution system in the shower plate shown in FIG. 2. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a shower plate according to another embodiment of the present application. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a gas distribution system of the shower plate shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic flow chart of a shower method in one embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0045] In order to more clearly understand the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present application, the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present application will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, many specific details will be described in order to fully understand the present application. However, the present application can be embodied in many other forms different from the embodiments described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application. Therefore, the present application is not limited to the specific examples disclosed below.

[0046] In describing this application, it should be understood that the orientations or positional relationships indicated by the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," "circumferential," etc. are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are intended only to facilitate and simplify the description of this application, and do not mean or suggest that the devices or elements referred to have a particular orientation or must be configured and operated in a particular orientation, and cannot be understood as limiting this application.

[0047] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" are for descriptive purposes only and cannot be understood to imply or suggest relative importance or the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature qualified by "first" or "second" can explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly and specifically limited, "plurality" means at least two, e.g., two, three, etc.

[0048] In this application, unless otherwise clearly defined or limited, the terms "attached," "coupled," "connected," "fixed," etc. should be interpreted broadly, and may refer to, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection, and unless otherwise clearly defined, may refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a direct connection, an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, internal communication between two elements, or an interactive relationship between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application according to specific circumstances.

[0049] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may mean that the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact with each other, or that the first feature and the second feature are in indirect contact with each other via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "upper," and "top" of a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is higher in horizontal height than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," and "bottom" of a second feature may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is lower in horizontal height than the second feature.

[0050] For purposes of illustration, when an element is referred to as "fixed" or "mounted" on another element, it may be directly connected to the other element, or intervening elements may be present. When an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected to the other element, or intervening elements may also be present. Terms such as "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "left," "right," and similar terms used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only embodiment.

[0051] 1, the present application provides a processing apparatus 10 and a shower plate 100. The processing apparatus 10 includes the shower plate 100 and a processing cavity 200.

[0052] A vacuum can be formed within the processing cavity 200, and the shower plate 100 has a gas delivery surface 111. The shower plate 100 is attached to the processing cavity 200, with the gas delivery surface 111 facing the inside of the processing cavity 200. After being introduced into the shower plate 100, the process gas can be showered into the processing cavity 200 through shower holes 1231 in the gas delivery surface 111, thereby causing a reaction within the processing cavity 200. For example, an alumina oxide film is deposited on the surface of a silicon wafer.

[0053] Specifically, in this embodiment, the processing apparatus 10 is an atomic layer deposition apparatus, and therefore, a film formation reaction can occur after the process gas enters the processing cavity 200. Obviously, the processing apparatus 10 may be applied to other fields.

[0054] 2 and 3, a shower plate 100 in one embodiment of the present application includes a plate body 110 and a gas distribution system 120.

[0055] The plate body 110 is generally made of a metal material, and its outer contour matches the contour of the processing cavity 200. The gas discharge surface 111 is formed on one side of the plate body 110. The gas distribution system 120 can introduce and distribute process gas, and finally shower the process gas into the processing cavity 200 through shower holes 1231. Since at least two types of process gas are required for film formation, at least two (generally two) gas distribution systems 120 are provided, and the at least two gas distribution systems 120 are independent of each other and have the same structure.

[0056] Each gas distribution system 120 includes a main gas inlet passage 121 , a transition passage 122 and a shower passage 123 .

[0057] The plate body 110 may be an integrally molded structure, and the flow path structure of the gas distribution system 120 can be processed in the plate body 110 by drilling holes. Furthermore, the plate body 110 may be formed by joining two parts, and the flow path structure of the gas distribution system 120 can also be obtained by processing grooves in each of the two parts that make up the plate body 110 and then combining them.

[0058] The main gas inlet passage 121 has a gas inlet that can communicate with a gas source, thereby realizing the introduction of process gas. The shower passages 123 are uniformly arranged within the plate body 110. The shower passages 123 have multiple shower holes 1231 formed along their extension direction, extending to the gas discharge surface 111. That is, the shower passages 123 are connected to the multiple shower holes 1231, and the shower holes 1231 are spaced apart along the extension direction of the shower passage 123, and each shower hole 123 can extend to the gas discharge surface 111. The shower passages 123 are connected to the main gas inlet passage 121 via transition passages 122. Therefore, the process gas introduced into the plate body 110 from the main gas inlet passage 121 can pass through the transition passages 122 before entering the shower passage 123 and finally being showered into the processing cavity 200 by the shower holes 1231. The transition passage 122 acts as a buffer, preventing the air pressure in the shower passage 123 from being directly affected by fluctuations in the air pressure in the main gas inlet passage 121, thereby maintaining a consistent air pressure in the shower passage 123. This ensures that the flow rate of the process gas ejected from each region of the gas ejection surface 111 is consistent and the gas flow rate is more balanced, thereby improving the uniformity of the process gas distribution in the processing cavity 200 and further improving the uniformity of the film thickness.

[0059] Specifically, in this embodiment, a plurality of transition passages 122 and a plurality of shower passages 123 are provided, and the plurality of transition passages 122 correspond one-to-one to the plurality of shower passages 123. Each shower passage 123 communicates with a corresponding transition passage 122 via a plurality of connecting passages 124. The connecting passages 124 are arranged at intervals along the extension direction of the shower passage 123, and the main gas inflow passage 121 communicates with the plurality of transition passages 122 in sequence.

[0060] For example, ten transition passages 122 and ten shower passages 123 are provided. The multiple connecting passages 124 between the shower passages 123 and the transition passages 122 may be provided at equal or unequal intervals, and the number of connecting passages 124 may be three, four, five, or any other number depending on actual needs. The multiple shower passages 123 can shower the process gas more uniformly, and allowing the process gas to pass through each of the multiple transition passages 122 can ensure that each shower passage 123 receives the same flow rate of process gas. The multiple connecting passages 124 can allow the process gas in the transition passages 122 to enter the shower passage 123 from multiple different positions simultaneously, thereby making the distribution of the process gas in the shower passage 123 more uniform.

[0061] The shower passages 123 can be elongated, arc-shaped, or wavy. Considering the complexity of the molding process, the shower passages 123 in this embodiment are elongated and extend along a first direction. The first direction refers to the left-right direction in FIG. 2, i.e., the width direction of the plate body 110. The multiple shower passages 123 are spaced apart along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second direction refers to the up-down direction in FIG. 2, i.e., the length direction of the plate body 110. The second direction does not have to be perpendicular to the first direction; i.e., the second direction may be at an angle other than 90 degrees relative to the first direction, and this is also possible. The distance between two adjacent shower passages 123 is approximately the same. By arranging the multiple shower passages 123 at intervals along the second direction, the multiple shower passages 123 can be uniformly arranged within the plate body 110.

[0062] In this embodiment, each transition passage 122 has an elongated shape and extends along the first direction, and each transition passage 122 and the corresponding shower passage 123 are spaced apart along a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions. The third direction refers to a direction perpendicular to the drawing plane shown in FIG. 2 , i.e., the thickness direction of the plate body 110. The third direction does not have to be perpendicular to the first and second directions, i.e., the third direction may have an angle other than 90 degrees with respect to the first and second directions, and this is also feasible.

[0063] This configuration allows for rational use of the space along the first direction (e.g., thickness direction) of the plate body 110, and allows at least two gas distribution systems 120 to be easily arranged within the plate body 110. In addition, because the transition passages 122 are parallel to the shower passages 123, the distance between the transition passages 122 and the corresponding shower passages 123 does not change in the extension direction of the transition passages 122 and the shower passages 123. Therefore, when process gas is passed through, the process gas in the transition passages 122 can enter the corresponding shower passages 123 in a more balanced manner.

[0064] 2, in this embodiment, the shower passages 123 of at least two gas distribution systems 120 are alternately arranged along the second direction. Specifically, a shower passage 123 of another gas distribution system 120 is arranged between two shower passages 123 belonging to the same gas distribution system 120. In this manner, at least two different types of process gases can be uniformly distributed and react sufficiently in the processing cavity 200, which helps to further improve the uniformity of the distribution of the process gases in the processing cavity 200.

[0065] 3, in this embodiment, the main gas inlet passage 121 has an elongated shape and extends along the second direction, which shortens the flow path of the process gas from the main gas inlet passage 121 to each transition passage 122, allowing the process gas to quickly reach the transition passages 122 and helping to reduce the flow velocity difference when the process gas enters each transition passage 122 due to a too long flow path.

[0066] In this embodiment, the main gas inlet passage 121 sequentially communicates with the intermediate portions of the plurality of transition passages 122. After the process gas enters the transition passages 122 from the main gas inlet passage 121, it branches from the intermediate portions toward both ends of the transition passages 122, thereby making the process gas distribution in the transition passages 122 more uniform, further improving the process gas uniformity in the shower passages 123, and ultimately improving the process gas distribution uniformity in the processing cavity 200.

[0067] Specifically, the communication point between the main gas inlet passage 121 and the transition passage 122 is located approximately between two connecting pipes 124. In this embodiment, the number of connecting passages 124 is the same on both sides of the communication point between the main gas inlet passage 121 and the transition passage 122 in the first direction. For example, if a transition passage 122 communicates with a corresponding shower passage 123 via four connecting passages 124, two connecting passages 124 are provided on each side of the communication point between the main gas inlet passage 121 and the transition passage 122. In this manner, the process gas in the transition passage 122 can be made to flow into the corresponding shower passage 123 in a more balanced manner.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a gas inlet is provided at each end of the main gas inlet passage 121 in the extension direction. Therefore, when introducing process gas into the gas distribution system 120, two gas streams can be simultaneously introduced from both ends of the main gas inlet passage 121, and the two gas streams can simultaneously flow into the multiple transition passages 122. This further reduces the difference in gas flow velocity at the junction between the main gas inlet passage 121 and the multiple transition passages 122, and improves the consistency of the air pressure in the multiple transition passages 122, thereby contributing to further improving the uniformity of the process gas distribution within the processing cavity 200.

[0069] In order for at least two gas distribution systems 120 to achieve distribution within the plate body 110, the main gas inlet passage 121 is usually offset to one side (i.e., not installed in the center) along the width direction of the plate body 110. Specifically, in this embodiment, the communication point between the main gas inlet passage 121 and each transition passage 122 is offset to one end side of the transition passage 122 with respect to the midpoint of the transition passage 122.

[0070] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the transition passage 122 on the side opposite to the center of the communication location is smaller than the inner diameter on the side facing the center of the communication location. For convenience of description, the portions of the transition passage 122 located on both sides of the communication location can be referred to as a first passage portion and a second passage portion, respectively, and the length of the first passage portion is shorter than the length of the second passage portion. Thus, the first passage portion is located on the side of the transition passage 122 facing away from the center of the communication location, and the second passage portion is located on the side of the transition passage 122 facing the center of the communication location.

[0071] That is, the inner diameters of the transition passage 122 are different at different positions along its extension. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, if the connection point between the main gas inlet passage 121 and the transition passage 122 of one of the gas distribution systems 120 is offset to the left relative to the midpoint of the transition passage 122, the inner diameter of the left side (i.e., the first passage section) of the transition passage 122 is smaller than the inner diameter of the right side (i.e., the second passage section). The side with the larger inner diameter has a larger flow rate. This allows for a more uniform distribution of the process gas within the transition passage 122.

[0072] Obviously, in other embodiments, by optimizing the layout, the communication points between the main gas inlet passage 121 and each transition passage 122 can be located at the midpoints of the transition passages 122 .

[0073] 4 and 5, in another embodiment, the main gas inlet passage 121 includes an inlet passage 1211, a branch passage 1212, and an outlet passage 1213.

[0074] The inlet passage 1211 has a gas inlet port for introducing process gas. The branch passage 1212 extends along a first direction, and the inlet passage 1211 is connected to a middle portion of the branch passage 1212. Two outlet passages 1213 are provided, and both of the outlet passages 1213 extend along a second direction and are connected to both ends of the branch passage 1212, respectively. One of the outlet passages 1213 sequentially communicates with one end of the plurality of transition passages 122, and the other outlet passage 1213 sequentially communicates with the other end of the plurality of transition passages 122.

[0075] Specifically, the two outlet passages 1213 are disposed on the left and right sides of the plate body 110 (see the orientation and positional relationship in FIG. 4 ), with the outlet passage 1213 located on the left side communicating with the left ends of the multiple transition passages 122, and the outlet passage 1213 located on the right side communicating with the right ends of the multiple transition passages 122. After being introduced through the inlet passage 1211, the process gas is branched and split into two by the branch passage 1212 to obtain two gas streams, and the two branched gas streams pass through the two outlet passages 1213 and enter the transition passage 122 from both ends thereof. This arrangement further improves the uniformity of the process gas.

[0076] In this embodiment, two inlet passages 1211 and two branch passages 1212 are provided, and the two branch passages 1212 are arranged at both ends of the plate body 110 in the second direction. One end of each of the two outlet passages 1213 communicates with both ends of one of the branch passages 1212, and the other end of each of the two outlet passages 1213 communicates with both ends of the other branch passage 1212. In this manner, two process gas streams can be simultaneously introduced into the gas distribution system 120 through the two inlet passages 1211. This further reduces the difference in gas flow velocity at the junction between the main gas inlet passage 121 and the multiple transition passages 122, and improves the consistency of the air pressure in the multiple transition passages 122, thereby further improving the uniformity of the process gas distribution in the processing cavity 200.

[0077] Similarly, in order to realize the arrangement of at least two gas distribution systems 120 within the plate body 110, the inlet passage 1211 is usually offset to one side (i.e., not installed in the center) along the width direction of the plate body 110. Specifically, in this embodiment, the communication point between the inlet passage 1211 and the branch passage 1212 is offset to one end side of the branch passage 1212 with respect to the midpoint of the branch passage 1212.

[0078] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the branch passage 1212 on the side facing away from the center of the communication location is smaller than the inner diameter on the side facing toward the center of the communication location. For convenience of description, the portions of the branch passage 1212 located on both sides of the communication location can be referred to as the third passage portion and the fourth passage portion, respectively, and the length of the third passage portion is shorter than the length of the fourth passage portion. Thus, the third passage portion is located on the side of the branch passage 1212 facing away from the center of the communication location, and the fourth passage portion is located on the side of the branch passage 1212 facing toward the center of the communication location.

[0079] In other words, the inner diameters of the branch passages 1212 are different at different positions along their extension. In the example shown in FIG. 4, if the communication point between the inlet passage 1211 and the branch passage 1212 in one gas distribution system 120 is offset to the left with respect to the midpoint of the branch passage 1212, the inner diameter of the left side of the branch passage 1212 (i.e., the third passage section) is smaller than the inner diameter of the right side (i.e., the fourth passage section). A larger flow rate can be obtained on the side with the larger inner diameter. In this way, a more uniform distribution of the process gas within the branch passage 1212 can be achieved, allowing the two outlet passages 1213 to obtain the same flow rate of process gas.

[0080] As is apparent, in other embodiments, the communication point between the introduction passage 1211 and the branch passage 1212 can be positioned at the midpoint of the branch passage 1212 by optimizing the layout.

[0081] In the shower plate 100 and processing apparatus 10, the process gas first enters the inside of the plate body 110 through the main gas inlet passage 121, then passes through the transition passage 122 and enters the shower passage 123, and finally is introduced into the processing cavity 200 from the gas discharge surface 111 through the shower holes 1231. The transition passage 122 acts as a buffer, preventing the air pressure in the shower passage 123 from being directly affected by the air pressure fluctuations in the main gas inlet passage 121, thereby maintaining good consistency of the air pressure in the shower passage 123. Therefore, after passing through the transition passage 122, the gas flow rates ejected from each region of the gas discharge surface 111 are more balanced, thereby improving the uniformity of the process gas distribution in the processing cavity 200.

[0082] Furthermore, the present application provides a shower method, which may be realized by the shower plate 100 or by other shower devices.

[0083] Referring to FIG. 6, a shower method in one embodiment of the present application includes steps S201 to S203. Step S201: The process gas is introduced into the transition passage through the main gas inlet passage. In step S202, the process gas is transferred through the transfer passage and then introduced into the shower passage communicating with the transfer passage. In step S203, the process gas entering the shower passage is transported along the shower passage and showered into the processing cavity by a plurality of shower holes arranged along the extension direction of the shower passage.

[0084] The main gas inlet passage has a gas inlet port that can communicate with a gas source, thereby introducing process gas. The shower passage has a plurality of shower holes formed along its extension direction, and the shower passage communicates with the main gas inlet passage through a transition passage. Therefore, process gas introduced into the plate body from the main gas inlet passage can be transferred through the transition passage before being introduced into the shower passage and finally showered into the processing cavity through the shower holes. The transition passage acts as a buffer, preventing the air pressure in the shower passage from being directly affected by air pressure fluctuations in the main gas inlet passage, thereby maintaining good consistency of air pressure in the shower passage. Therefore, the flow rate of the process gas ejected from the shower holes is consistent, making the gas flow rate more balanced, thereby improving the uniformity of the process gas distribution in the processing cavity.

[0085] The technical features of the embodiments described above can be combined in any manner, and 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, it should be considered to be within the scope described in this specification.

[0086] The above-described examples merely illustrate some embodiments of the present application, and although the descriptions are specific and detailed, they cannot be understood as limiting the patent scope of the application. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art may make some modifications and improvements that fall within the scope of protection of the present application without departing from the concept of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the patent of the present application shall be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A shower plate comprising: a plate body having a gas discharge surface, wherein a gas distribution system is formed within the plate body, wherein the gas distribution system includes a main gas inlet passage, a transition passage, and a shower passage, wherein a plurality of shower holes are formed in the shower passage extending along an extension direction thereof and extending to the gas discharge surface, and the shower passage communicates with the main gas inlet passage via the transition passage.

2. 2. The shower plate according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the transition passages and a plurality of the shower passages are provided, the plurality of transition passages and the plurality of the shower passages correspond one-to-one, each of the shower passages communicates with the corresponding transition passage via a plurality of connection passages, the plurality of connection passages are arranged at intervals along an extension direction of the shower passage, and the main gas inflow passage communicates with the plurality of transition passages in sequence.

3. 3. The shower plate according to claim 2, wherein each of the shower passages has an elongated shape and extends along a first direction, and a plurality of the shower passages are spaced apart along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

4. 4. The shower plate of claim 3, wherein each of the transition passages has an elongated shape and extends along the first direction, and each of the transition passages and the corresponding shower passages are spaced apart along a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

5. 4. The shower plate according to claim 3, wherein the main gas inlet passage has an elongated shape and extends along the second direction.

6. 6. The shower plate according to claim 5, wherein the main gas inlet passage sequentially communicates with intermediate portions of the plurality of transition passages.

7. 7. The shower plate according to claim 6, wherein a communication point between the main gas inlet passage and each of the transition passages is offset toward one end of the transition passage with respect to a midpoint of the transition passage.

8. 8. The shower plate according to claim 7, wherein the inner diameter of the transition passage on the side facing away from the center point of the communication location is smaller than the inner diameter of the transition passage on the side facing the center point of the communication location.

9. 7. The shower plate according to claim 6, wherein the communication points between the main gas inlet passage and each of the transition passages are located at midpoints of the transition passages.

10. 10. The shower plate according to claim 7, wherein the number of said connection passages is the same on both sides of said communication point along said first direction.

11. 6. The shower plate according to claim 5, wherein a gas inlet port is provided at each end of the main gas inlet passage in the extending direction.

12. 4. The shower plate of claim 3, wherein the main gas inlet passage includes an inlet passage, a branch passage extending along the first direction, and two outlet passages extending along the second direction, the inlet passage communicating with an intermediate portion of the branch passage, the two outlet passages communicating with both ends of the branch passage, one of the two outlet passages communicating with one end of each of the plurality of transition passages in sequence, and the other outlet passage communicating with the other end of each of the plurality of transition passages in sequence.

13. 13. The shower plate according to claim 12, wherein a communication point between the introduction passage and the branch passage is offset toward one end of the branch passage with respect to a midpoint of the branch passage.

14. 14. The shower plate of claim 13, wherein an inner diameter of the branch passage on a side facing away from the center of the communication location is smaller than an inner diameter of the branch passage on a side facing the center of the communication location.

15. 13. The shower plate according to claim 12, wherein the communication point between the introduction passage and the branch passage is located at a midpoint of the branch passage.

16. 13. The shower plate of claim 12, wherein two of the inlet passages and two of the branch passages are provided, the two branch passages are arranged at both ends of the plate body in the second direction, one ends of the two outlet passages communicate with both ends of one of the two branch passages, and the other ends of the two outlet passages communicate with both ends of the other branch passage.

17. 4. The shower plate according to claim 3, wherein at least two of the gas distribution systems are provided in the plate body, and the shower passages of the at least two of the gas distribution systems are alternately provided along the second direction.

18. 1. A shower plate comprising: a plate body having a gas discharge surface, wherein a gas distribution system is formed in the plate body, wherein the gas distribution system includes a main gas inlet passage, a transition passage, and a shower passage, wherein a plurality of shower holes communicate with the shower passage, the shower holes being spaced apart along an extension direction of the shower passage, and each of the shower holes being extendable to the gas discharge surface, and the shower passage communicating with the main gas inlet passage via the transition passage.

19. 19. The shower plate of claim 18, wherein a plurality of the transition passages and a plurality of the shower passages are provided, the plurality of transition passages and the plurality of the shower passages correspond one-to-one, each of the shower passages communicates with the corresponding transition passage via a plurality of connection passages, the plurality of connection passages are arranged at intervals along an extension direction of the shower passage, and the main gas inflow passage communicates with the plurality of transition passages in sequence.

20. 20. The shower plate of claim 19, wherein each of the shower passages has an elongated shape and extends along a first direction, and a plurality of the shower passages are spaced apart along a second direction, and the first direction and the second direction form an angle.

21. 21. The shower plate of claim 20, wherein each of the transition passages has an elongated shape and extends along the first direction, and each of the transition passages and the corresponding shower passages is spaced apart along a third direction, the third direction being angled with respect to both the first direction and the second direction.

22. 21. The shower plate according to claim 20, wherein the main gas inlet passage has an elongated shape and extends along the second direction.

23. 23. The shower plate according to claim 22, wherein a communication point between the main gas inlet passage and each of the transition passages is offset toward one end of the transition passage with respect to a midpoint of the transition passage.

24. 24. The shower plate of claim 23, wherein the transition passage includes a first passage portion and a second passage portion located on both sides of the communication location, the first passage portion having a length shorter than that of the second passage portion, and an inner diameter of the first passage portion being smaller than that of the second passage portion.

25. 23. The shower plate of claim 22, wherein a communication point between the main gas inlet passage and each of the transition passages is located at a midpoint of the transition passage.

26. 26. The shower plate according to claim 23, wherein the number of connecting passages is the same on both sides of the communication point of the transition passage along the first direction.

27. 23. The shower plate according to claim 22, wherein a gas inlet port is provided at each end of the main gas inlet passage in the extending direction.

28. 21. The shower plate of claim 20, wherein the main gas inlet passage includes an inlet passage, a branch passage extending in the first direction, and two outlet passages extending in the second direction, the inlet passage communicates with the branch passage, the outlet passages communicate with both ends of the branch passage, one of the two outlet passages sequentially communicates with one end of the plurality of transition passages, and the other outlet passage sequentially communicates with the other ends of the plurality of transition passages.

29. 29. The shower plate according to claim 28, wherein a communication point between the introduction passage and the branch passage is offset toward one end of the branch passage with respect to a midpoint of the branch passage.

30. 30. The shower plate of claim 29, wherein the branch passage includes a third passage portion and a fourth passage portion located on both sides of the communication point, the third passage portion having a length shorter than a length of the fourth passage portion, and the third passage portion having an inner diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the fourth passage portion.

31. 29. The shower plate according to claim 28, wherein the communication point between the introduction passage and the branch passage is located at a midpoint of the branch passage.

32. 29. The shower plate of claim 28, wherein two of the outlet passages and two of the branch passages are provided, the two branch passages are arranged at both ends of the plate body in the second direction, one ends of the two outlet passages communicate with both ends of one of the two branch passages, and the other ends of the two outlet passages communicate with both ends of the other of the two branch passages.

33. 21. The shower plate of claim 20, wherein at least two of the gas distribution systems are provided in the plate body, and the shower passages of the at least two of the gas distribution systems are alternately provided along the second direction.

34. 34. A processing apparatus comprising: the shower plate according to any one of claims 1 to 33; and a processing cavity, wherein the shower plate is attached to the processing cavity, and the gas ejection surface faces the inside of the processing cavity.

35. introducing a process gas into the transition passageway via the main gas inlet passageway; After the process gas has been transferred through the transfer passage, the process gas is introduced into a shower passage communicating with the transfer passage; transporting the process gas that has entered the shower passage along the shower passage and showering it into the processing cavity through a plurality of shower holes arranged along an extension direction of the shower passage.

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