Reaction chamber and wafer etching equipment

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the semiconductor technology field and provides a reaction chamber and a wafer etching apparatus. The reaction chamber includes a cavity (1), a wafer transfer opening (10), a first inner liner (11), a first support (6), and a first lifting mechanism (93). A wafer stage (4) is provided inside the cavity (1). The wafer transfer opening (10) is in communication with the interior of the cavity (1). The first inner liner (11) is slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity (1) and slidably fitted to the outer wall of the wafer stage (4), and the first inner liner (11) is provided coaxially with the wafer stage (4). The first inner liner (11) controls the open / close state of the wafer transfer opening (10). The first support (6) is provided between the cavity (1) and the wafer stage (4) and is located outside the first inner liner (11). The first lifting mechanism (93) is provided on the first support part (6), and the lifting part (95) of the first lifting mechanism (93) is connected to the first inner liner (11).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and more particularly to reaction chambers and wafer etching apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] In the wafer etching process, the reaction chamber of the wafer etching equipment is mainly used to accommodate the wafer and perform the etching process on the wafer within the reaction chamber, and whether the structural design of the reaction chamber is reasonable can directly affect the wafer etching effect. Summary of the Invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a reaction chamber applicable to a wafer etching apparatus, the reaction chamber including: a cavity having a wafer stage disposed therein; a wafer transport port communicating with the interior of the cavity and arranged to transport a wafer to the wafer stage; a first inner liner slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity and slidably fitted onto the outer wall of the wafer stage, the first inner liner being arranged coaxially with the wafer stage and arranged to control the open / closed state of the wafer transport port; a first support portion disposed between the cavity and the wafer stage and located outside the first inner liner; and a first lifting mechanism disposed on the first support portion, the first lifting mechanism having an elevation portion connected to the first inner liner and configured to drive the sliding of the first inner liner.

[0004] According to a second aspect of the embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a wafer etching apparatus including the reaction chamber provided in the first aspect of the embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0005] It should be understood that the contents described in the Summary of the Invention section are not intended to limit the key points or important features of the embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Other features of the present disclosure will be readily understood from the following description.

[0006] These and other features, advantages, and aspects of the embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like or similar reference numerals indicate like or similar elements. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the internal three-dimensional structure of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a wafer stage of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a wafer stage of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008]

[0023] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings. While various details of the embodiments of the present disclosure are included for ease of understanding, they should be understood to be merely illustrative. Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that various changes and modifications can be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Similarly, for clarity and conciseness, descriptions of well-known functions and structures will be omitted in the following description.

[0009] As shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a reaction chamber 100 applicable to a wafer etching apparatus, and the reaction chamber 100 includes a cavity 1, a wafer transfer port 10, a first inner liner 11, a first support 6 and a first lifting mechanism 93.

[0010] A wafer stage 4 is provided inside the cavity 1. The wafer stage 4 is used to place a wafer thereon.

[0011] The wafer transfer port 10 communicates with the interior of the cavity 1 and is disposed so as to transfer the wafer to the wafer stage 4 .

[0012] The first inner liner 11 is slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1 and slidably fitted to the outer wall of the wafer stage 4. The first inner liner 11 is configured to control the open / close state of the wafer transfer port 10. By-products (e.g., particulate matter) generated during the wafer etching process can adhere to the first inner liner 11, preventing the by-products from directly contacting the cavity 1 and improving the service life of the cavity 1. The first inner liner 11 is disposed coaxially with the wafer stage 4. When the first inner liner 11 slides against the inner wall of the cavity 1 to a position where it blocks and closes the wafer transfer port 10, the wafer stage 4, the first inner liner 11, and the interior of the cavity 1 can all form a circularly symmetrical region.

[0013] The first support 6 is provided between the cavity 1 and the wafer stage 4 and is located outside the first inner liner 11 .

[0014] The first lifting mechanism 93 is provided on the first support part 6. The lifting part 95 of the first lifting mechanism 93 is connected to the first inner liner 11 and is arranged to drive the first inner liner 11 to slide.

[0015] According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the circularly symmetric uniformity of process results across a wafer can be improved.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the horizontal direction in the embodiment of the present disclosure is defined as the direction from left to right of the reaction chamber 100 in Fig. 1. The vertical direction is the direction from top to bottom of the reaction chamber 100 in Fig. 1.

[0017] The shape and material of the cavity 1 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited here.

[0018] The shape, aperture size, and installation position of the wafer transfer opening 10 can be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited herein, as long as it can load a wafer onto the wafer stage 4. Before the etching process is performed, a wafer is first transferred by a robot arm and loaded into the cavity 1 through the wafer transfer opening 10 above the cavity 1 and placed on the wafer stage 4, after which the robot arm exits the cavity 1 to perform the etching process. After the etching process is completed, the robot arm re-enters the cavity 1 through the wafer transfer opening 10 above the cavity 1 and removes the wafer.

[0019] The installation position of the wafer stage 4 may correspond to the position of the wafer transfer opening 10 so that a wafer carried in through the wafer transfer opening 10 can be quickly, accurately, and conveniently placed on the wafer stage 4. For example, the end surface of the wafer stage 4 on which the wafer is placed may be approximately horizontal with the wafer transfer opening 10. Alternatively, for example, the end surface of the wafer stage 4 on which the wafer is placed may be located below the wafer transfer opening 10. The shape, dimensions, and material of the wafer stage 4 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited herein.

[0020] The first inner liner 11 may have an annular structure, with the outer ring having a first sidewall slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1, the inner ring having a second sidewall slidably connected to the outer wall of the wafer stage 4, and an annular connecting plate connected between the first and second sidewalls. Here, the shape of the first sidewall matches the shape of the inner wall of the cavity 1, and the shape of the second sidewall matches the shape of the outer wall of the wafer stage 4. The heights of the first and second sidewalls can be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited herein. The heights of the first and second sidewalls may be the same or different and can be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited herein. The material of the first inner liner 11 can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited herein.

[0021] The sliding mechanism that drives the first inner liner 11 to slide against the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the outer wall of the wafer stage 4 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited herein. For example, the sliding mechanism may be a rack and pinion, a ball screw, a crank rod, an air rod, a hydraulic rod, or the like. The first inner liner 11 may be slidably connected directly to the inner wall of the cavity 1, or may be slidably connected indirectly to the inner wall of the cavity 1 via a connecting member. The first inner liner 11 may be slidably connected directly to the outer wall of the wafer stage 4, or may be slidably connected indirectly to the outer wall of the wafer stage 4 via a connecting member.

[0022] The first inner liner 11 and the wafer stage 4 being installed coaxially can be understood as the central axis of the first inner liner 11 and the central axis of the wafer stage 4 being on the same vertical line (shown by the dotted line in Figures 1 and 6).

[0023] It can be understood that the opening and closing state of the wafer transport port 10 can be changed by adjusting the position of the first inner liner 11 relative to the wafer transport port 10, so that the wafer transport port 10 can be opened to communicate with the internal space of the cavity 1, or closed to block the wafer transport port 10 from the internal space of the cavity 1.

[0024] The first support 6 is disposed to connect the wafer stage 4 to the cavity 1 and serves to support the wafer stage 4. The shape and dimensions of the first support 6 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited herein.

[0025] The exterior of the first inner liner 11 can be understood as the lower region of the first inner liner 11 shown in Figures 1, 5, and 6. The interior of the first inner liner 11 can be understood as the inner region of the first inner liner 11 and its upper region shown in Figures 1, 5, and 6. The first support 6 is housed outside the first inner liner 11, and the wafer is housed inside the first inner liner 11.

[0026] The provision of the first lifting mechanism 93 on the first support 6 can be understood as the first lifting mechanism 93 being housed inside the first support 6. When the lifting portion 95 is in an activated state, it extends from the first support 6 and lifts and slides the first inner liner 11 inside the cavity 1. When the lifting portion 95 is in an inactivated state, the lifting portion 95 is retracted into the first support 6. When an etching process is performed, only the lifting portion 95 of the first lifting mechanism 93 is exposed to the process environment of the cavity 1, and the rest of the first lifting mechanism 93 is hidden by the first support 6.

[0027] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, by providing a first inner liner 11 in the cavity 1, byproducts generated during the process reaction are attached to the first inner liner 11, preventing particle contamination due to the attachment of byproducts to the cavity 1 and improving the service life of the cavity 1. The first inner liner 11 can block and close the wafer transfer port 10 and is installed coaxially with the wafer stage 4, so that the wafer stage 4, the first inner liner 11, and the interior of the cavity 1 all form a circularly symmetric region. During the etching process, the wafer can be placed in a circularly symmetric process environment, and the process gas introduced into the cavity 1 can form a uniform, circularly symmetric airflow field around the wafer. The electrical characteristics of the first inner liner 11 can also be circularly symmetric, further ensuring the circularly symmetric uniformity of the wafer process results to the maximum extent. Furthermore, since the first lifting mechanism 93 is provided on the first support part 6 and is not exposed to the inside of the cavity 1 away from the plasma region formed around it when etching the wafer, the entire structure of the first lifting mechanism 93 can be prevented from contaminating the wafer when etching the wafer, and the entire structure of the first lifting mechanism 93 can be prevented from being corroded during the etching process.

[0028] In one example, when the reaction chamber 100 is operating, the internal process pressure of the cavity 1 may be maintained within a range of 1 to 100 mTorr (milliTorr), the internal temperature of the cavity 1 may be maintained within a range of 0 to 100°C, and the gas flow rate may be maintained within a range of 50 to 2000 sccm (standard cubic centimeter per minute, volumetric flow unit).

[0029] In one embodiment, cavity 1 may include a top plate 2 and a bottom plate 3 that are installed opposite each other in the vertical direction. Top plate 2 is provided with an air supply port 201. Bottom plate 3 is provided with an air extraction port 301. Wafer stage 4 is located between air supply port 201 and air extraction port 301. Process gas that enters cavity 1 through air supply port 201 undergoes a process reaction with the wafer on wafer stage 4. A first extraction region 52 is formed between first inner liner 11 and top plate 2. A second extraction region 51 is formed between first inner liner 11 and bottom plate 3.

[0030] The first inner liner 11 is provided with a vent hole 111, which connects the first bleed area 52 with the second bleed area 51. The pressures in the first bleed area 52 and the second bleed area 51 are made equal.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the gas inlet 201 may be connected to an air inlet pipe, and the process gas transported by the air inlet pipe is transported into the cavity 1 through the gas inlet 201. The shape and number of the gas inlet 201 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited herein. The position of the gas inlet 201 on the top plate 2 can be selected and adjusted as needed. For example, the gas inlet 201 may be provided at a position on the top plate 2 facing the wafer, or the gas inlet 201 may be provided at any position on the top plate 2.

[0032] The bleed port 301 is arranged to bleed the process gas inside the cavity 1. The shape and diameter of the bleed port 301 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited here.

[0033] The spatial volumes of the first and second bleed areas 52 and 51 change as the operating position of the first inner liner 11 changes. For example, when the first inner liner 11 slides toward the top plate 2, the distance of the first inner liner 11 from the top plate 2 decreases and the distance of the first inner liner 11 from the bottom plate 3 increases, so the spatial volume of the first bleed area 52 decreases and the spatial volume of the second bleed area 51 increases. When the first inner liner 11 moves toward the bottom plate 3, the distance of the first inner liner 11 from the top plate 2 increases and the distance of the first inner liner 11 from the bottom plate 3 decreases, so the spatial volume of the first bleed area 52 increases and the spatial volume of the second bleed area 51 decreases.

[0034] The number, shape, and size of the ventilation holes 111 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited herein. The installation positions of the ventilation holes 111 can be selected and adjusted as needed, for example, the ventilation holes 111 are evenly distributed in the area of ​​the first inner liner 11 installed between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the outer wall of the wafer stage 4.

[0035] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the vent holes 111 provided in the first inner liner 11 can match the internal pressure of the cavity 1, create a uniform airflow field in the first bleed area 52, and improve the uniformity of the process results.

[0036] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 further includes an RF (Radio Frequency) source 101 and an intermediate window 102, the RF source 101 being disposed opposite the intermediate window 102 of the top plate 2, and the RF energy generated by the RF source 101 being transmitted to the interior of the cavity 1 through the intermediate window 102, exciting the introduced process gas to generate plasma.

[0037] In one embodiment, the first inner liner 11 is slidable between a first and a second operating position.

[0038] The first operating position can be understood as the first inner liner 11 sliding toward the bottom plate 3 to a certain low position to connect the wafer transfer opening 10 and the first bleed area 52. The specific position can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited here. When the first inner liner 11 slides to the first operating position, a wafer can be loaded into the cavity 1 through the wafer transfer opening 10 and placed on the wafer stage 4.

[0039] The second operating position can be understood as a high position reached by the first inner liner 11 sliding toward the top plate 2 so as to block communication between the wafer transfer port 10 and the first bleed area 52. The specific high position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited here.

[0040] 1, 5, and 6, the reaction chamber 100 may further include a second inner liner 12 connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1 and disposed adjacent to the top plate 2. The second inner liner 12 has an opening communicating with the air supply port 201. The second inner liner 12 is disposed coaxially with the first inner liner 11. The second inner liner 12 and the first inner liner 11 have the same inner diameter.

[0041] Here, when the first inner liner 11 slides to the first operating position, the wafer transfer opening 10 communicates with the first bleed area 52. When the first inner liner 11 slides to the second operating position, the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 are joined together to form the sealed first bleed area 52, and communication between the wafer transfer opening 10 and the sealed first bleed area 52 is blocked, and at this time, the wafer stage 4, the first inner liner 11, the second inner liner 12, and the interior of the cavity 1 can all form circularly symmetric areas.

[0042] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 are arranged coaxially, which can be understood as the central axis of the first inner liner 11 and the central axis of the second inner liner 12 being on the same vertical line (shown by the dashed line in Figures 1 and 6).

[0043] The first operating position can be understood as a low position reached by the first inner liner 11 sliding toward the bottom plate 3 so as to connect the wafer transfer opening 10 and the first bleed area 52, as shown in FIG. 1 . The specific low position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited herein. When the first inner liner 11 slides to the first operating position, the wafer is loaded into the cavity 1 through the wafer transfer opening 10 and placed on the wafer stage 4.

[0044] 5 and 6, the second operating position can be understood as a high position reached by the first inner liner 11 sliding toward the top plate 2 so as to block communication between the wafer transfer port 10 and the first bleed area 52. The specific high position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited here.

[0045] The shape of the second inner liner 12 is adapted to the shape of the inner wall of the cavity 1. The second inner liner 12 may have an annular structure with different heights, and the first side wall of the first inner liner 11 may be an annular side wall with different heights, as long as the inner walls of the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 and the cavity 1 form a sealed and circularly symmetric first bleed region 52 after they are joined together when the first inner liner 11 slides to the second operating position.

[0046] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second inner liner 12 can adhere by-products generated during the process reaction, further preventing the by-products from adhering to the cavity 1 and causing particle contamination, thereby improving the service life of the cavity 1. Furthermore, the second inner liner 12 is installed coaxially with the first inner liner 11 and has the same inner diameter, so that the wafer stage 4, the first inner liner 11, the second inner liner 12, and the interior of the cavity 1 can all form a circularly symmetrical region. During the etching process, the wafer can be placed in a circularly symmetrical process environment, and the process gas introduced into the cavity 1 can form a uniform, circularly symmetrical airflow field around the wafer. The electrical characteristics of the first inner liner 11 can also be circularly symmetrical, further ensuring the circularly symmetrical uniformity of the wafer process results to the maximum extent.

[0047] In one example, during the etching process of a wafer, by-products such as particles may be generated and adhere to the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12. To prevent the by-products from falling off the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 and causing particle contamination on the wafer, it is necessary to periodically clean or replace the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12. Therefore, by detachably installing the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 in the cavity 1, attachment / detachment, cleaning, and replacement become easy.

[0048] In one example, the inner wall of the first side wall of the first inner liner 11 has a vertically extending annular structure, and the inner wall of the second inner liner 12 has a vertically extending annular structure, thereby ensuring that a circularly symmetrical spatial structure is formed inside the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 after they are joined together.

[0049] In one embodiment, the lifting section 95 is made of an aluminum alloy material, and the surface of the lifting section 95 is coated with yttrium oxide.

[0050] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the aluminum alloy material can extend the service life of the lifting unit 95, and the yttrium oxide coating can prevent the lifting unit 95 from contaminating the wafer and improve the corrosion resistance of the lifting unit 95.

[0051] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may include a plurality of first supports 6, which are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and each of the plurality of first supports 6 is provided with a first lifting mechanism 93.

[0052] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of the plurality of first support portions 6 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and may be, for example, two or four first support portions 6.

[0053] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of first support parts 6 are evenly arranged, so that the second bleed region 51 is evenly divided into a plurality of sub-regions, and when the process gas is bled, the process gas can pass evenly through the sub-regions of the second bleed region 51. Furthermore, the plurality of first support parts 6 can improve the stability of the wafer stage 4.

[0054] In one example, a plurality of first supports 6 are provided on a first horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4, evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and a plurality of first supports 6 are provided on a second horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4, evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4. The first and second horizontal planes are spaced apart vertically. Vertical projections of the first supports 6 on the first horizontal plane and the first supports 6 on the second horizontal plane overlap each other, or vertical projections of the first supports 6 on the first horizontal plane and the first supports 6 on the second horizontal plane are staggered. The process gas passes through a sub-region of the second extraction region 51 between two adjacent first supports 6 on the same horizontal plane.

[0055] 1, 5, and 6, in one embodiment, the first lifting mechanism 93 may further include a first pipe 94. The first pipe 94 is provided on the first support 6. One end of the lifting part 95 is slidably inserted into the first pipe 94, thereby reducing direct contact of the lifting part 95 with the first support 6, and the other end of the lifting part 95 is connected to the first inner liner 11.

[0056] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the sliding mechanism by which the lifting unit 95 slides relative to the first tubular body 94 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited herein. For example, the sliding mechanism may be a rack and pinion, a ball screw, a crank rod, an air rod, a hydraulic rod, or the like. The outer wall of the lifting unit 95 may be directly slidably connected to the inner wall of the first tubular body 94, or may be indirectly slidably connected to the inner wall of the first tubular body 94 via a connecting member.

[0057] The first pipe 94 being provided on the first support part 6 means that the first pipe 94 is always positioned on the first support part 6 and does not move in conjunction with the ascending and descending movement of the elevating part 95.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, by providing a first pipe body 94 on the first support part 6, it is possible to reduce the impact on the wafer etching process environment caused by direct contact between the lifting part 95 and the first support part 6, and also to improve the service life of the lifting part 95.

[0059] In one example, as shown in Figures 1, 5 and 6, the first lifting mechanism 93 may further include a drive unit 96, where the lifting portion 95 is connected to the drive unit 96, the drive unit 96 is provided outside the cavity 1, and the drive unit 96 is configured to control the lifting movement of the lifting portion 95.

[0060] According to the example of the present disclosure, the drive unit 96 is provided outside the cavity 1 and does not occupy additional space inside the reaction chamber 100. In addition, providing the drive unit 96 outside the cavity 1 facilitates maintenance of the first lifting mechanism 93.

[0061] In one example, the drive unit 96 employs a clean cylinder mechanism or a hydraulic cylinder mechanism.

[0062] In one embodiment, the first tube 94 is a vacuum bellows tube, and the first tube 94 is made of a corrosion-resistant stainless steel material.

[0063] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum bellows tube made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel is used to extend the service life of the first pipe 94. Furthermore, since the first pipe 94 is mounted on the first support 6 and is separated from the plasma region formed around the first pipe 94 during wafer etching, contamination of the wafer can be avoided.

[0064] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may further include a second support 61 provided between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the wafer stage 4 .

[0065] The bleed section 7 includes a valve plate 71, a valve element 72, and a valve body 75. The valve body 75 is provided outside the cavity 1 and connected to the bleed port 301. The valve plate 71 is provided inside the cavity 1 and connected to a first end of the valve element 72. A second end of the valve element 72 is inserted into the bleed port 301 and the valve body 75 so as to be movable up and down. When the valve element 72 is in the third operating position, a first annular gap 73 is formed between the valve plate 71 and the bottom plate 3. Second annular gaps 74 are formed between the valve element 72 and the bleed port 301 and between the valve element 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75.

[0066] Here, the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the first bleed area 52 and the second bleed area 51 are arranged coaxially.

[0067] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the shape and size of the second support portion 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited herein. The second support portion 61 may be the same support portion as the first support portion 6, or may be a different support portion. Specifically, the shape and size can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited herein. The installation position of the second support portion 61 relative to the first support portion 6 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited herein. For example, the second support portion 61 may be installed evenly on the same horizontal plane as the first support portion 6, or the second support portion 61 may be installed at a vertical projection position of the first support portion 6 on a different horizontal plane.

[0068] The second end of the valve element 72 is inserted into the bleed port 301 so as to be able to move up and down, and the transmission structure for driving the valve element 72 to move up and down within the bleed port 301 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited herein. For example, a lifting mechanism, a rack and pinion, a ball screw, a crank rod, or the like may be used as the transmission structure, and the valve element 72 is driven to move up and down relative to the bleed port 301 and the valve plate 71.

[0069] The formation of the second annular gap 74 between the valve disc 72 and the bleed port 301 and between the valve disc 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75 can be understood as the annular gap between the valve disc 72 and the bleed port 301 and the annular gap between the valve disc 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75 together constituting the second annular gap 74. Here, when the valve disc 72 moves upward, the portion of the valve disc 72 located within the valve body 75 increases accordingly, and the second end of the valve disc 72 rises as the valve disc 72 rises, thereby shortening the length of the formed second annular gap 74. When the length of the second annular gap 74 is short, the flow resistance through the second annular gap 74 is small, the flow rate of gas passing through the second annular gap 74 increases, and the process pressure inside the cavity 1 can be reduced. When the valve element 72 moves downward, a portion of the valve element 72 located within the valve body 75 decreases, and the second end of the valve element 72 moves downward as the valve element 72 moves downward, thereby increasing the length of the formed second annular gap 74. If the length of the second annular gap 74 is long, the flow resistance through the second annular gap 74 increases, the flow rate of the gas passing through the second annular gap 74 decreases, and the process pressure inside the cavity 1 can be increased.

[0070] The formation of the first annular gap 73 between the valve plate 71 and the bottom plate 3 can be understood as meaning that, when the valve disc 72 is raised to a certain position within the cavity 1, the annular region formed between the bottom plate 3 and one end face of the valve plate 71 facing the bottom plate 3 is the first annular gap 73. As the valve plate 71 ascends, it gradually moves away from the bottom plate 3. At this time, the volume of the first annular gap 73 gradually increases, thereby increasing the flow rate of the process gas that can pass through the first annular gap 73. As the valve plate 71 descends, it gradually approaches the bottom plate 3. At this time, the volume of the first annular gap 73 gradually decreases, thereby decreasing the flow rate of the process gas that can pass through the first annular gap 73. The volume of the first annular gap 73 can be adjusted by the up and down movement of the valve plate 71, and the extraction efficiency of the extraction port 301 can be further controlled.

[0071] The size and shape of the valve plate 71 can be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited herein. For example, the valve plate 71 may be provided so as to cover the bleed port 301. In this case, the annular region between the bottom plate 3 and one end face of the valve plate 71 facing the bottom plate 3 is the first annular gap 73. Alternatively, when the valve plate 71 is adapted to the shape of the bleed port 301, the annular region between the bottom plate 3 and one end face of the valve plate 71 facing the bottom plate 3 is the first annular gap 73.

[0072] The first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the first bleed region 52, and the second bleed region 51 being arranged coaxially means that the centers of the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the first bleed region 52, and the second bleed region 51 are all on the same vertical line (shown by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 1 ). The first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the first bleed region 52, and the second bleed region 51 are all designed symmetrically, so that a uniform airflow field is formed when the process gas is bled, and the process gas flows uniformly through the first bleed region 52, the second bleed region 51, the first annular gap 73, and the second annular gap 74 simultaneously from different directions over 360 degrees, thereby preventing uneven airflow.

[0073] The second end of the valve element 72 is inserted into the bleed port 301 and the valve body 75 so as to be able to move up and down, and the transmission mechanism for driving the valve element 72 to move up and down within the valve body 75 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited herein. For example, a lifting mechanism, a rack and pinion, a ball screw, a crank rod, or the like can be used as the transmission mechanism to move the valve element 72 up and down relative to the bleed port 301 by its own operation.

[0074] The second annular gap 74 is formed between the valve disc 72 and the bleed port 301 and between the valve disc 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75. This means that the annular gap between the valve disc 72 and the bleed port 301 and the annular gap between the valve disc 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75 together constitute the second annular gap 74. When the valve disc 72 moves upward, the portion of the valve disc 72 located within the valve body 75 increases accordingly, and the second end of the valve disc 72 rises as the valve disc 72 rises, thereby shortening the length of the second annular gap 74. When the length of the second annular gap 74 is short, the flow resistance in the second annular gap 74 is small, the flow rate of gas passing through the second annular gap 74 increases, and the process pressure inside the cavity 1 can be reduced. As the valve element 72 moves downward, the portion of the valve element 72 located within the valve body 75 decreases, and the second end of the valve element 72 moves downward as the valve element 72 moves downward, thereby increasing the length of the formed second annular gap 74. If the length of the second annular gap 74 is long, the flow resistance in the second annular gap 74 increases, the flow rate of the gas passing through the second annular gap 74 decreases, and the process pressure inside the cavity 1 can be increased.

[0075] The shape and size of the valve body 75 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited here, as long as the valve element 72 can move up and down within the valve body 75.

[0076] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the installation of the second support part 61 further improves the stability of the wafer stage 4. Furthermore, the valve element 72 is inserted into the bleed port 301 and the valve plate 71 so as to be movable up and down. The first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the first bleed region 52, and the second bleed region 51 are arranged coaxially to form a symmetrically designed structure. Therefore, when process gas is sucked in, a uniform airflow field is formed in the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the first bleed region 52, and the second bleed region 51. The process gas flows uniformly through the first bleed region 52, the second bleed region 51, the first annular gap 73, and the second annular gap 74 simultaneously from different directions over 360 degrees. The uniform airflow field allows gas in the space surrounding the wafer stage 4 to be sucked into the bleed port 301, ensuring uniformity in the wafer etching process results. By adjusting the valve body 72 so that it can be raised and lowered, the length of the second annular gap 74 can be adjusted, and further the air pressure inside the cavity 1 can be controlled, thereby adjusting the gas flow resistance and gas flow rate when extracting the process gas.

[0077] In one example, the valve body 75 is a hollow cylindrical body, the valve element 72 is a cylindrical body, the valve element 72 is inserted into the bleed port 301 and the valve body 75 so as to be movable up and down, and the second annular gap 74 is formed between the valve element 72 and the bleed port 301 and between the valve element 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75.

[0078] In one example, the valve element 72 has a reverse taper, the valve body 75 fits to the side wall of the valve element 72, the valve element 72 is inserted into the bleed port 301 and the valve body 75 so as to be able to move up and down, and the second annular gap 74 is formed between the valve element 72 and the bleed port 301 and between the valve element 72 and the inner wall of the valve body 75.

[0079] In one example, as shown in FIG. 3, four support parts are evenly arranged on the same horizontal plane between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the outer wall of the wafer stage 4, and two of the support parts arranged opposite each other are first support parts 6, and the other two support parts arranged opposite each other are second support parts 61.

[0080] In one example, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, eight supports are evenly arranged on the same horizontal plane between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the outer wall of the wafer stage 4, of which four are first supports 6 and the other four are second supports 61, and the first supports 6 and second supports 61 are arranged in a staggered pattern, i.e., one second support 61 is arranged between two first supports 6.

[0081] In one example, as shown in the structural schematic diagram of the first support part 6 arranged opposite to each other in FIG. 1, when the reaction chamber 100 is rotated by a certain angle around the central axis (dotted line) in FIG. 1, a structural schematic diagram of the second support part 61 arranged opposite to each other (shown in FIG. 2) is obtained.

[0082] In one embodiment, when the valve body 72 is in the fourth operating position, the valve plate 71 contacts the bottom plate 3 and closes the bleed port 301 .

[0083] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, during wafer processing reaction, the valve body 72 can be controlled to move to the fourth operating position to form a sealed reaction space in the cavity 1, which can meet the needs of the wafer processing reaction and ensure that the process gas inside the cavity 1 does not leak through the bleed port 301.

[0084] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may further include a first heater 112 disposed on the inner wall of the cavity 1 and corresponding to the position of the first inner liner 11. The first heater 112 is electrically connected to a first controller, which is configured to control the first heater 112 to heat the first inner liner 11 to a set temperature. During the wafer etching process, the first heater 112 heats the first inner liner 11, thereby increasing its temperature and contributing to plasma glow start. After completing the wafer etching process for one wafer, the temperature of the first inner liner 11 decreases in the absence of plasma. However, by controlling the first heater 112, the first inner liner 11 can be heated during the time period in which there is no plasma. This allows the first inner liner 11 to maintain a temperature favorable for the wafer etching process during the second wafer etching process, thereby providing each wafer with a stable process environment and improving wafer-to-wafer uniformity of the process results.

[0085] The temperature sensor is connected to the first inner liner 11 and the first heater 112, and is configured to detect the temperature of the first inner liner 11 and feed back the temperature detection result of the first inner liner 11 to the first heater 112. If it is detected that the temperature of the first inner liner 11 does not satisfy the wafer etching process, the heating temperature of the first heater 112 is increased, and the temperature of the first inner liner 11 is further adjusted.

[0086] It should be noted that, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first heater 112 being installed on the inner wall of the cavity 1 can be understood as the first heater 112 being fitted into the inner wall of the cavity 1, or as a groove being installed on the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the first heater 112 being installed in the groove. The inner diameter of the first heater 112 should be as equal as possible to the inner diameter of the cavity 1, so that a uniform airflow field can be formed inside the cavity 1 during the wafer etching process.

[0087] It can be understood that the fact that the first heater 112 corresponds to the position of the first inner liner 11 ensures that the heating area of ​​the first heater 112 covers at least the movable range of the first inner liner 11 and that the first heater 112 can heat each area of ​​the first inner liner 11.

[0088] The heating method of the first heater 112 is not specifically limited herein as long as it can transfer heat to the first inner liner 11. For example, the first heater 112 may heat the first inner liner 11 by a radiation heating method or a contact-type heat conduction method.

[0089] The temperature sensor may be any detection device capable of realizing temperature measurement in the relevant technology, and can be selected and adjusted as needed. There are no specific limitations here, and it is sufficient to meet the detection of the temperature of the first inner liner 11.

[0090] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, by providing the first inner liner 11 in the cavity 1, by-products generated during the wafer etching process can be attached to the first inner liner 11, preventing the by-products from adhering to the cavity 1 and causing particle contamination, thereby improving the service life of the cavity 1. By heating the first inner liner 11 with the first heater 112, the temperature of the first inner liner 11 during the wafer etching process can be increased, and the temperature of the first inner liner 11 can be accurately adjusted using the first heater 112 based on the temperature detection results of the installed temperature sensor, further improving the controllability of the temperature of the first inner liner 11, contributing to the glow start of plasma in the cavity 1, and reducing excessive deposition of by-products on the first inner liner 11 during the reaction process.

[0091] In one example, the temperature sensor may be selected to be an infrared temperature measurement sensor.

[0092] In one example, if the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the first inner liner 11 does not meet the requirement of being in the temperature range between 100°C and 150°C, the heating temperature of the first heater 112 is adjusted.

[0093] In one example, the temperature sensor is connected to the first inner liner 11 and the first controller, and is configured to detect the temperature of the first inner liner 11 and feed back the temperature detection result to the first controller. If it is detected that the temperature of the first inner liner 11 does not meet the temperature required for the wafer etching process, the first controller adjusts the heating temperature of the first heater 112, and further adjusts the temperature of the first inner liner 11.

[0094] In one example, the number of temperature sensors in the reaction chamber 100 is two, and the first temperature sensor is connected to the first inner liner 11 and the first heater 112, and is configured to detect the temperature of the first inner liner 11 and feed back the temperature detection result to the first heater 112. The second temperature sensor is connected to the cavity 1 and the first heater 112, and is configured to detect the temperature of the cavity 1 and feed back the temperature detection result to the first heater 112.

[0095] In one example, when the reaction chamber 100 is operating, the temperature inside the cavity 1 is maintained within a range of 60°C to 100°C, and the temperature of the first inner liner 11 is maintained within a range of 100°C to 150°C, thereby avoiding the deposition of by-products due to the high temperature of the first inner liner 11.

[0096] In one embodiment, there are multiple first heaters 112, and the multiple first heaters 112 are arranged along the vertical direction, and all of the multiple first heaters 112 are electrically connected to a first controller. The first controller is configured to control the multiple first heaters 112 so that the multiple first heaters 112 heat different regions of the first inner liner 11 at their respective temperatures. The multiple first heaters 112 are arranged along the vertical direction and can heat different regions of the first inner liner 11. The temperatures of the multiple first heaters 112 controlled by the first controller may be different from each other.

[0097] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the multiple first heaters 112 may be provided at positions facing any of the first inner liners 11 of the cavity 1, as long as each of the multiple first heaters 112 can heat a different region of the first inner liner 11. For example, the multiple first heaters 112 are provided in a ring shape on the outside of the first inner liner 11 along the vertical direction so that a combination of the multiple first heaters 112 can cover the entire outer wall region of the first inner liner 11. Alternatively, for example, the multiple first heaters 112 may be arranged in a staggered pattern along the vertical direction, and the multiple first heaters 112 may be distributed over multiple outer wall regions of the first inner liner 11, so that the entire outer wall region of the first inner liner 11 can be heated by thermal conduction of the multiple first heaters 112.

[0098] The temperature control of each first heater by the first controller can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited here. For example, in a wafer etching process, if the temperature of the first inner liner 11 needs to be in the range of 100°C to 150°C, the first controller can control some of the first heaters 112 to heat the upper region of the first inner liner 11 to a temperature in the range of 100°C to 120°C, and control other some of the first heaters 112 to heat the lower region of the first inner liner 11 to a temperature in the range of 120°C to 150°C.

[0099] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first controller can adjust the heating temperature of different regions of the first inner liner 11 by controlling the temperatures of the multiple first heaters 112, thereby improving the temperature controllability of the first inner liner 11 in the wafer etching process. Then, the first controller controls one or more first heaters 112 according to the deposition conditions of by-products in different regions of the inner wall of the first inner liner 11 so as to appropriately and accurately heat the regions with heavy deposition of by-products, thereby improving the deposition conditions of by-products on the inner wall of the first inner liner 11.

[0100] In one embodiment, the first heater 112 may be a radiant heater. The radiant heating end of the radiant heater is provided toward the first inner liner 11.

[0101] According to the embodiments of the present disclosure, the type of the radiant heater can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited herein. For example, a radiant heater with an appropriate wavelength can be selected depending on the material of the first inner liner 11. The specific structure of the radiant heater can be any radiant heater structure in the related art and is not specifically limited herein. For example, the radiant heater may be a heater with an embedded heating wire.

[0102] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, by adopting a radiant heater, the first inner liner 11 can be quickly heated by heat conduction, and the efficiency of heating the first inner liner 11 can be improved.

[0103] In one example, the radiant heater may be an infrared lamp tube heater.

[0104] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 is further provided with a vacuum adapter flange, and the power wiring is connected to the first heater 112 via the vacuum adapter flange, thereby realizing power supply to the first heater 112.

[0105] In one example, an insulating layer is further provided between the first heater 112 and the inner wall of the cavity 1 to prevent the temperature of the first heater 112 from affecting the cavity 1 and improve the service life of the cavity 1.

[0106] In one example, the heating temperature at the position of the ventilation hole 111 by the first heater 112 is higher than the heating temperature at the remaining positions of the first inner liner 11 by the first heater 112, thereby preventing by-products generated during the wafer etching process from accumulating at the position of the ventilation hole 111 and blocking the ventilation hole 111.

[0107] In one embodiment, the heating zone of the first heater 112 includes at least the zone where the first inner liner 11 slides between the first and second operating positions.

[0108] It should be noted that, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the heating region can be understood such that the first heater 112 can transfer heat to and heat the first inner liner 11 regardless of the position of the first inner liner 11 facing the reaction chamber 100. During the wafer etching process, the first inner liner 11 slides to the second operating position, and the first heater 112 heats the first inner liner 11, thereby contributing to the glow start of plasma. After the wafer etching process is completed, the first inner liner 11 slides to the first operating position, and the first heater 112 continues to heat the first inner liner 11. Therefore, during the next wafer etching process, the first inner liner 11 is still at a temperature favorable for the wafer etching process, thereby improving the wafer-to-wafer uniformity of the process results.

[0109] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the heating area of ​​the first heater 112 covers the sliding area of ​​the first inner liner 11, so that the first inner liner 11 can be continuously and sufficiently heated, and a stable process environment can be formed inside the cavity 1.

[0110] In one example, the second inner liner 12 is connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1 via a flange. The flange is connected to a heating device, and the heating device is configured to heat the flange so as to conduct heat absorbed by the flange to the second inner liner 12 and the first inner liner 11. Then, by combining this with auxiliary heating of the first inner liner 11 by the first heater 112, it is possible to contribute more to glow starting of plasma in the cavity 1 and reduce excessive deposition of by-products on the first inner liner 11 during the reaction process.

[0111] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a second heater 121. The second heater 121 is provided on the inner wall of the cavity 1 and corresponds to the position of the second inner liner 12, and the second heater 121 is electrically connected to a second controller, which is configured to control the second heater 121 to heat the second inner liner 12 at a set temperature.

[0112] During the wafer etching process, the second heater 121 heats the second inner liner 12, thereby increasing the temperature of the second inner liner 12 and contributing to the glow start of the plasma. After completing the wafer etching process for one wafer, the temperature of the second inner liner 12 drops in the absence of plasma. Therefore, the second controller controls the second heater 121 to heat the second inner liner 12 during the time period when there is no plasma, so that during the second wafer etching process, the second inner liner 12 remains at a temperature favorable for the wafer etching process, each wafer is placed in a stable process environment, and the wafer-to-wafer uniformity of the process results can be improved.

[0113] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second heater 121 being installed on the inner wall of the cavity 1 can be understood as the second heater 121 being fitted into the inner wall of the cavity 1, or as a groove being installed in the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the second heater 121 being installed in the groove. The inner diameter of the second heater 121 should be as equal as possible to the inner diameter of the cavity 1. In this way, a uniform airflow field can be formed inside the cavity 1 during the wafer etching process.

[0114] The second heater 121 corresponds to the position of the second inner liner 12 so that the heating area of ​​the second heater 121 should at least cover the second inner liner 12. In this way, it can be understood that the second heater 121 can ensure that each area of ​​the second inner liner 12 can be heated.

[0115] The heating method of the second heater 121 is not particularly limited here, as long as it can transport heat to the second inner liner 12. For example, the second heater 121 may heat the second inner liner 12 by a radiation heating method or a contact-type heat conduction method.

[0116] The second heater 121 may be the same type of heater as the first heater 112, or may be a different type of heater, and specifically, it can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited here. For example, the second heater 121 uses a contact-type heat conduction heater, and the first heater 112 uses a radiation heater.

[0117] The second controller and the first controller may be the same controller, which simultaneously controls the second heater 121 and the first heater 112. The second controller and the first controller may be two controllers which respectively control the second heater 121 and the first heater 112, and specifically, they can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not particularly limited here.

[0118] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second heater 121 heats the second inner liner 12, which contributes to the glow start of plasma. This creates a stable process environment inside the cavity 1, improving the uniformity of the process results. Furthermore, the installation of the first controller improves the controllability of the temperature of the second inner liner 12 during the wafer etching process.

[0119] In one embodiment, the bleed section 7 further includes a pump body 76 connected to the bleed port 301 via a valve body 75 .

[0120] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the pump body 76 can adopt any pump structure in the related art as long as it satisfies the requirement for suctioning gas inside the cavity 1 .

[0121] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, it is possible to accelerate the extraction of process gas inside the cavity 1. Then, before the process reaction, the air inside the cavity 1 is extracted by the pump body 76, and the inside of the cavity 1 is made into a vacuum state to meet the needs of the wafer process reaction.

[0122] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a flow rate sensor configured to detect the gas flow rate passing through the gas extraction section 7. If it is detected that the gas flow rate passing through the gas extraction section 7 does not satisfy the range of 50 to 2000 sccm (standard cubic centimeter per minute, a volumetric flow unit), the lift height of the third operating position of the valve element 72 is adjusted.

[0123] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a pressure sensor configured to detect the process pressure inside the cavity 1. If it is detected that the internal process pressure of the cavity 1 does not satisfy 1 to 100 mTorr (milliTorr), the lift height of the third operating position of the valve body 72 is adjusted.

[0124] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, in one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a seal ring 8 provided at the bleed port 301, and the valve plate 71 contacts the seal ring 8 when the valve body 72 is in the fourth operating position.

[0125] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the material and number of the seal rings 8 are not specifically limited as long as they satisfy the sealing effect. For example, one seal ring 8 may be provided in the bleed port 301, or a double seal ring 8 having a fitting structure may be provided in the bleed port 301.

[0126] The provision of the seal ring 8 in the bleed port 301 can be understood as the seal ring 8 being connected to the outer edge of the bleed port 301. It may also be understood as the seal ring 8 being fitted onto the outside of the bleed port 301 and connected to the bottom plate 3.

[0127] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the sealing effect of the valve plate 71 with respect to the bleed port 301 can be increased by providing the seal ring 8 .

[0128] In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, there are a plurality of second support portions 61, and the plurality of second support portions 61 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4.

[0129] In addition, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of second support portions 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and may be, for example, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 second support portions 61.

[0130] The dimensions of each second support portion 61 may be the same.

[0131] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, since the plurality of second support portions 61 are evenly arranged, the second bleed region 51 between the wafer stage 4 and the cavity 1 is evenly divided into a plurality of sub-regions, and when the process gas is sucked, the process gas can pass evenly through the sub-regions of the second bleed region 51 between the second support portions 61. Furthermore, the plurality of second support portions 61 can improve the stability of the wafer stage 4.

[0132] In one example, a plurality of second support portions 61 are provided on the first horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4, evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and a plurality of second support portions 61 are provided on the second horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4, evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4. Here, the first and second horizontal planes are provided at intervals along the vertical direction. Vertical projections of the second support portions 61 provided on the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane overlap each other, or vertical projections of the second support portions 61 provided on the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane are staggered. The process gas passes through a sub-region of the second extraction region 51 between two adjacent second support portions 61 on the same horizontal plane.

[0133] In one example, a plurality of first supports 6 are provided on a first horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4, evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and a plurality of first supports 6 are provided on a second horizontal plane of the wafer stage 4, evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4. Here, the first and second horizontal planes are spaced apart in the vertical direction. Vertical projections of the first supports 6 on the first horizontal plane and the first supports 6 on the second horizontal plane overlap each other, or vertical projections of the first supports 6 on the first horizontal plane and the first supports 6 on the second horizontal plane are staggered. The process gas passes through a sub-region of the second extraction region 511 between two adjacent first supports 6 on the same horizontal plane. The second supports 61 may be the same as or different from the first supports 6. The specific configuration can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited herein. The installation position of the second support part 61 relative to the first support part 6 can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited herein, for example, the second support part 61 may be installed evenly on the same horizontal plane together with the first support part 6, or the second support part 61 may be installed at a vertical projection position on a different horizontal plane from the first support part 6. The shape and dimensions of the first support part 6 can be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited herein.

[0134] In one embodiment, the width of the cross section of the second support portion 61 along the horizontal direction is in the range of one-tenth to one-half the radius of the wafer stage 4.

[0135] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the width of the horizontal cross section of the second support portion 61 can be understood as meaning that the second support portion 61 has a surface that obstructs the flow of air in the second bleed area 51, the distance between the wafer stage 4 and the inner wall of the cavity 1 is the length of the surface, and the width of the horizontal cross section of the second support portion 61 is the width of the surface. Here, the width of the second support portion 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited herein. For example, increasing the number of second support portions 61 can reduce the width of the second support portions 61, which can further reduce the effect of the second support portions 61 on the uniform flow of air in the second bleed area 51.

[0136] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, by providing a plurality of second support portions 61 with small widths and uniform distribution, the area where the second support portions 61 obstruct the flow of the process gas when the process gas flows through the second gas extraction region 51 is reduced, and the process gas can be uniformly circulated through the second gas extraction region 51.

[0137] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 has a plurality of second supports 61 evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the horizontal cross section of the second supports 61 gradually decreases as the number of second supports 61 increases. For example, the reaction chamber 100 has two second supports 61 evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the horizontal cross section of the second supports 61 is half the radius of the wafer stage 4. The reaction chamber 100 has four second supports 61 evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the horizontal cross section of the second supports 61 is one-fourth the radius of the wafer stage 4. The reaction chamber 100 has five second supports 61 evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the horizontal cross section of the second supports 61 is one-fifth the radius of the wafer stage 4. In the reaction chamber 100, eight second support parts 61 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the horizontal cross section of each second support part 61 is one-eighth of the radius of the wafer stage 4.

[0138] In one embodiment, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 5, the second support 61 has a tubular structure, a first port of the second support 61 communicates with the cavity 1, and a second port of the second support 61 communicates with the wafer stage 4.

[0139] The power connection lines of the wafer stage 4 and / or the pipelines (air supply and / or liquid supply) of the reaction chamber 100 are led out of the cavity 1 via the second port, the internal pipeline of the second support part 61, and the first port in this order.

[0140] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the power connection lines of the wafer stage 4 may include power supply lines (e.g., high-voltage DC power supply lines, heating power supply lines), signal lines (e.g., thermocouple connection lines), etc., and are not specifically limited here.

[0141] The pipelines may include gas pipelines (for example, He (helium) gas pipelines, CDA (Compressed Dry Air) pipelines), coolant pipelines, and the like.

[0142] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular structure of the second support portion 61 may be a power connection line of the wafer stage 4 and / or a conduit of the reaction chamber 100, thereby preventing exposure to the second extraction area 51.

[0143] In one example, the power connection lines of the wafer stage 4 and / or the ducts of the reaction chamber 100 may be housed in different second supports 61, or may be divided into groups and housed in different second supports 61. For example, the power lines, signal lines, air ducts, and coolant ducts may be housed in different second supports 61, which avoids housing all the circuits in one second support 61, which would affect the uniformity of the airflow, and is advantageous for maintenance and safety of the device.

[0144] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the power connection lines of the wafer stage 4 and / or the ducts of the reaction chamber 100 are provided on different second support parts 61, respectively, so that the width of the second support parts 61 can be minimized when designing them. Furthermore, the influence of the second support parts 61 on the uniform flow of air in the second bleed area 51 can be reduced.

[0145] 1 and 5, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a second lifting mechanism 9 including a second tubular body 91 and a rod body 92. The second tubular body 91 is connected to the bottom plate 3, one end of the rod body 92 is slidably inserted into the second tubular body 91, and the other end of the rod body 92 extends into the cavity 1 and is connected to the valve plate 71, and the rod body 92 is arranged to move the valve plate 71 and the valve body 72 up and down.

[0146] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the rod body 92 is arranged to move the valve plate 71 and the valve body 72 up and down, which can be understood as the rod body 92 driving the valve body 72 to move between the third operating position and the fourth operating position, i.e., the rod body 92 controls the opening and closing of the air extraction section 7.

[0147] The manner in which the rod body 92 and the second tubular body 91 can slide can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited here.

[0148] The material, dimensions and installation position of the second tubular body 91 can be selected and adjusted as needed. For example, a sealed bellows pipe may be used as the second tubular body 91.

[0149] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second lifting mechanism 9 can drive the valve plate 71 and the valve element 72 to move up and down smoothly and stably.

[0150] In one example, the second tube 91 is provided outside the cavity 1, one end of the rod body 92 passes through the second tube 91 and is connected to the valve plate 71 inside the cavity 1, and the other end of the rod body 92 passes through the second tube 91 and is connected to a motor provided outside the cavity 1, and the motor is configured to drive the rod body 92 to slide along the vertical direction relative to the second tube 91.

[0151] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the second tubular body 91 is provided outside the cavity 1, thereby preventing corrosion of the second tubular body 91 due to the process gas inside the cavity 1 and improving the service life of the second tubular body 91.

[0152] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 includes a plurality of second lifting mechanisms 9 evenly spaced along the circumferential direction of the valve plate 71 .

[0153] It should be noted that, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of second lifting mechanisms 9 can be understood as at least two second lifting mechanisms 9.

[0154] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, by evenly arranging the plurality of second lifting mechanisms 9, the valve plate 71 and the valve body 72 can be raised and lowered more stably, and the problem of the first annular gap 73 and the second annular gap 74 forming an asymmetric structure due to the valve body 72 and the valve plate 71 being shifted in the axial direction due to uneven force does not occur, and uniform air bleeding from the air bleeding port 301 can be ensured.

[0155] An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a wafer etching apparatus including the reaction chamber 100 of any of the above embodiments.

[0156] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first inner liner 11 is coaxially installed with the wafer stage 4, so that during the process reaction, the first inner liner 11 is positioned in the second operating position to block the wafer transfer port 10, and the wafer is accommodated in a sealed and uniform airflow field inside the cavity 1, thereby improving the uniformity of the process results.

[0157] In one example, the first inner liner 11 is controlled to be positioned at a first operating position, a wafer is transported to the wafer stage 4 via the wafer transport port 10, the first inner liner 11 is controlled to slide to a second operating position, the valve body 72 is controlled to slide to a third operating position, the extraction section 7 extracts the air in the cavity 1 to a vacuum state, the valve body 72 is controlled to slide to a fourth operating position to form an airtight space, the first heater 112 is controlled to preheat the first inner liner 11 to glow start the plasma, and the process gas is transported into the cavity 1 from the air inlet 201 to start the process reaction. During or after the process reaction, the valve element 72 is controlled to slide from the fourth operating position to the third operating position, and the bleed unit 7 bleeds the gas from the cavity 1, thereby forming a uniform airflow field in the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the first bleed region 52, and the second bleed region 51. The process gas flows uniformly through the first bleed region 52, the second bleed region 51, the first annular gap 73, and the second annular gap 74 from different directions over 360 degrees. This uniform airflow field allows gas in the space surrounding the wafer stage 4 to be drawn into the bleed port 301, ensuring uniformity in the wafer etching process results. After the process reaction, the first inner liner 11 is controlled to slide to the first operating position, the wafer after the process reaction is removed, and the first heater 112 is controlled to continuously heat the first inner liner 11, preventing excessive temperature fluctuations from occurring inside the cavity 1, providing a stable process environment, and improving the uniformity of the process results between wafers.

[0158] In the description herein, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings, and are provided solely for the convenience and simplification of the description of the present disclosure, and do not indicate or imply that a specified device or element must have a particular orientation or be configured and operated in a particular orientation, and should not be understood as a limitation on the present disclosure.

[0159] Additionally, the terms "first" and "second" are for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying the relative importance or the number of technical features described. Thus, a feature described as "first" or "second" can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the feature. In the description of this disclosure, "plurality" means two or more, unless specifically limited otherwise.

[0160] In this disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, the terms "attached," "coupled," "connected," "fixed," etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and may mean, for example, a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection, or may be mechanically connected, electrically connected, or communicatively connected, or may be directly connected, indirectly connected via an intermediate medium, or may be in communication between two elements or an interactive relationship between two elements. Those skilled in the art will be able to understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this disclosure according to specific circumstances.

[0161] In this disclosure, unless otherwise clearly specified or limited, a first feature being "above" or "below" a second feature may include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features via another feature between them, without direct contact. Furthermore, a first feature being "above," "above," or "above" a second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or the first feature being higher in the horizontal direction than the second feature. A first feature being "below," "below," or "below" a second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or the first feature being lower in the horizontal direction than the second feature.

[0162] The above disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples to realize different configurations of the present disclosure. To simplify the disclosure of the present disclosure, specific example components and configurations have been described above. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Furthermore, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and / or alphabets in different examples; such repetition is for the purposes of brevity and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between each of the described embodiments and / or configurations.

[0163] The above specific embodiments do not limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure. It is obvious that those skilled in the art can make various modifications, combinations, subcombinations and substitutions according to design needs and other factors. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present disclosure should be included within the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A reaction chamber applied to a wafer etching apparatus, a cavity (1) in which a wafer stage (4) is provided; a wafer transfer port (10) that communicates with the interior of the cavity (1) and is arranged to transfer a wafer to the wafer stage (4); a first inner liner (11) that is slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity (1) and slidably fitted onto the outer wall of the wafer stage (4), the first inner liner (11) being provided coaxially with the wafer stage (4) and arranged to control the open / closed state of the wafer transfer opening (10); a first support portion (6) provided between the cavity (1) and the wafer stage (4) and positioned outside the first inner liner (11); a first lifting mechanism (93) provided on the first support part (6), wherein a lifting part (95) is connected to the first inner liner (11) and configured to drive sliding of the first inner liner (11).

2. The cavity (1) includes a top plate (2) and a bottom plate (3) that are arranged opposite each other along the vertical direction, An air intake port (201) is provided on the top plate (2), and an air extraction port (301) is provided on the bottom plate (3), The wafer stage (4) is located between the air supply port (201) and the air extraction port (301), A first bleed area (52) is formed between the first inner liner (11) and the top plate (2), and a second bleed area (51) is formed between the first inner liner (11) and the bottom plate (3), 2. The reaction chamber of claim 1, wherein the first inner liner (11) is provided with a vent hole (111), the vent hole (111) connecting the first bleed area (52) and the second bleed area (51).

3. The apparatus further includes a second inner liner (12) connected to the inner wall of the cavity (1) and disposed adjacent to the top plate (2), and coaxial with the first inner liner (11); When the first inner liner (11) slides to a first operating position, the wafer transfer port (10) communicates with the first bleed area (52); 3. The reaction chamber of claim 2, wherein when the first inner liner (11) slides to the second operating position, the first inner liner (11) joins with the second inner liner (12) to form a sealed first extraction region (52), and communication between the wafer transfer opening (10) and the sealed first extraction region (52) is blocked.

4. The lifting unit (95) is made of an aluminum alloy material.

2. The reaction chamber according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the lifting section (95) is coated with yttrium oxide.

5. A plurality of the first support portions (6), The plurality of first support portions (6) are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4), 5. The reaction chamber according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of first support portions is provided with the first lifting mechanism.

6. The first lifting mechanism (93) further includes a first tube (94); The first pipe (94) is provided on the first support portion (6), The reaction chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that one end of the lifting section (95) is slidably inserted into the first pipe (94), and the other end of the lifting section (95) is connected to the first inner liner (11).

7. The first tube (94) is a vacuum bellows tube, 7. The reaction chamber of claim 6, wherein the first pipe (94) is made of a corrosion-resistant stainless steel material.

8. a second support portion (61) provided between the inner wall of the cavity (1) and the wafer stage (4); the bleed section (7) further includes a valve plate (71), a valve element (72), and a valve body (75), wherein the valve body (75) is provided outside the cavity (1) and connected to the bleed port (301), the valve plate (71) is provided inside the cavity (1) and connected to a first end of the valve element (72), a second end of the valve element (72) is inserted into the bleed port (301) and the valve body (75) so as to be movable up and down, and when the valve element (72) is in a third operating position, a first annular gap (73) is formed between the valve plate (71) and the bottom plate (3), and second annular gaps (74) are formed between the valve element (72) and the bleed port (301) and between the valve element (72) and an inner wall of the valve body (75), 3. The reaction chamber of claim 2, wherein the first annular gap (73), the second annular gap (74), the first bleed zone (52) and the second bleed zone (51) are arranged coaxially.

9. 9. The reaction chamber according to claim 8, wherein when the valve body (72) is in the fourth operating position, the valve plate (71) contacts the bottom plate (3) to close the bleed port (301).

10. a first heater (112) provided on the inner wall of the cavity (1) and corresponding to the position of the first inner liner (11), the first heater (112) being electrically connected to a first controller configured to control the first heater (112) to heat the first inner liner (11) at a set temperature; a temperature sensor connected to the first inner liner (11) and the first heater (112), configured to detect the temperature of the first inner liner (11) and feed back the detected temperature of the first inner liner (11) to the first heater (112).

11. The first heater (112) is plural, The plurality of first heaters (112) are arranged along a vertical direction, The plurality of first heaters (112) are all electrically connected to the first controller; 11. The reaction chamber of claim 10, wherein the first controller is configured to control a plurality of the first heaters (112) to heat different regions of the first inner liner (11) at respective temperatures.

12. A wafer etching apparatus comprising the reaction chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

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