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 (100) includes a cavity (1), a first support (61), and an exhaust unit (7). The cavity (1) includes a top plate (2) and a bottom plate (3) that are arranged opposite each other in a vertical direction. The top plate (2) is provided with an air inlet (201), the bottom plate (3) is provided with an air bleed port (301), a mounting table (4) is provided between the air inlet (201) and the air bleed port (301), and an air bleed area (5) is formed between the inner wall of the cavity (1) and the wafer stage (4). The first support (61) is provided between the inner wall of the cavity (1) and the wafer stage (4). The bleed section (7) includes a valve plate (71) and a valve element (72), the valve plate (71) is disposed inside the cavity (1) and connected to a first end of the valve element (72), the second end of the valve element (72) is movably inserted into the bleed port (301), and when the valve element (72) is in the first operating position, a first annular gap (73) is formed between the valve plate (71) and the bottom plate (3), and a second annular gap (74) is formed between the valve element (72) and the bleed port (301). The first annular gap (73), the second annular gap (74), and the bleed region (5) are arranged coaxially.

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 including a top plate and a bottom plate arranged opposite each other in a vertical direction, the top plate having an air inlet and the bottom plate having an air bleed port, a wafer stage being arranged between the air inlet and the air bleed port, and a bleed area being formed between an inner wall of the cavity and the wafer stage; a first support member arranged between the inner wall of the cavity and the wafer stage; and a bleed section including a valve plate and a valve body, the valve plate being arranged inside the cavity and connected to a first end of the valve body, a second end of the valve body being inserted into the bleed port so as to be movable up and down, and when the valve body is in a first operating position, a first annular gap is formed between the valve plate and the bottom plate, and a second annular gap is formed between the valve body and the bleed port, and the first annular gap, the second annular gap, and the bleed area are arranged coaxially.

[0004] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a wafer etching apparatus including the reaction chamber provided in the first aspect 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 disclosed embodiments 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 1a] FIG. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 1b] FIG. 2 is another 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 FIGS. 1a to 5, 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 first support portion 61, and an extraction portion 7.

[0010] The cavity 1 includes a top plate 2 and a bottom plate 3 arranged opposite each other in the vertical direction. The top plate 2 is provided with an air supply port 201. The bottom plate 3 is provided with an air extraction port 301. A wafer stage 4 is provided between the air supply port 201 and the air extraction port 301. An air extraction region 5 is formed between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the wafer stage 4.

[0011] The first support portion 61 is provided between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the wafer stage 4 .

[0012] The bleed section 7 includes a valve plate 71 and a valve element 72. 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 so as to be movable up and down. A second annular gap 74 is formed between the valve element 72 and the bleed port 301. When the valve element 72 is in the first operating position (as shown in Figures 1a and 1b), a first annular gap 73 is formed between the valve plate 71 and the bottom plate 3.

[0013] Here, the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74 and the bleed region 5 are arranged coaxially.

[0014] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the gas in the space around the wafer stage can be sucked into the extraction port by a uniform airflow field, thereby ensuring uniformity of the etching process results for the wafer.

[0015] 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 Figures 1a and 1b, and the vertical direction is the direction from top to bottom of the reaction chamber 100 in Figures 1a and 1b.

[0016] The gas inlet 201 may be connected to an air supply pipe, and the process gas transported by the air supply 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 here. 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.

[0017] 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.

[0018] Between the gas inlet 201 and the gas extraction port 301, a wafer stage 4 is provided, on which a wafer is placed. The process gas that enters the cavity 1 from the gas inlet 201 undergoes a process reaction with the wafer placed on the wafer stage 4. The shape of the wafer stage 4 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited here.

[0019] The extraction area 5 can be understood to include the area between the horizontal surface of the top of the wafer stage 4 and the top plate 2, the area between the side wall of the wafer stage 4 and the inner wall of the cavity 1, and the area between the horizontal surface of the bottom of the wafer stage 4 and the bottom plate 3.

[0020] The first support part 61 is disposed to connect the wafer stage 4 to the cavity 1 and serves to support the wafer stage 4. The shape and size of the first support part 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited here.

[0021] 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 mechanism 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 mechanism, and the valve element 72 may be moved up and down relative to the bleed port 301 by its own operation.

[0022] The formation of the second annular gap 74 between the valve disc 72 and the bleed port 301 can be understood as meaning that the diameter of the valve disc 72 is smaller than the diameter of the bleed port 301, i.e., an annular gap through which gas flows is formed between the side wall of the valve disc 72 and the bleed port 301, and process gas inside the cavity 1 is discharged to the outside of the cavity 1 through the annular gap. The shape and size of the valve disc 72 can be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited herein. The required distance between the side wall of the valve disc 72 and the bleed port 301, i.e., the thickness of the annular gap of the second annular gap 74, can be determined by flow guidance calculations. The diameters of the valve disc 72 and / or the bleed port 301 can be designed based on the determined distance.

[0023] 1a and 1b, the first annular gap 73 is formed between the valve plate 71 and the bottom plate 3. When the valve disc 72 is raised to a certain position within the cavity 1, the first annular gap 73 is defined as an annular region formed between the bottom plate 3 and one end face of the valve plate 71 facing the bottom plate 3. As the valve plate 71 ascends, it gradually moves away from the bottom plate 3. 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 moves closer to the bottom plate 3. 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, thereby controlling the extraction efficiency of the extraction port 301.

[0024] 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.

[0025] The fact that the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, and the bleed region 5 are arranged coaxially means that the centers of the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the bleed region 5, and the bleed port 301 are all on the same vertical line (shown by the dashed-dotted lines in Figures 1a and 1b). The first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the bleed region 5, and the bleed port 301 are all symmetrically designed, so that a uniform gas flow field is formed when the process gas is bled, and the process gas flows uniformly through the bleed region 5, the first annular gap 73, and the second annular gap 74 simultaneously from different directions over 360 degrees, in that order, thereby preventing uneven gas flow.

[0026] In the reaction chamber 100 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, during operation, the process gas is transported into the cavity 1 through the gas inlet 201, and the process gas undergoes a process reaction with the wafer on the wafer stage 4. When the gas extraction port 301 extracts the gas from the cavity 1, the valve body 72 rises to the first operating position, and the process gas flows uniformly through the extraction region 5, the first annular gap 73, and the second annular gap 74 in this order, and is discharged from the cavity 1 through the gas extraction port 301. By adjusting the first operating position of the valve body 72, the flow rate of the process gas flowing through the first annular gap 73 can be controlled, and the air pressure inside the cavity 1 can also be controlled.

[0027] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the valve element 72 is inserted into the bleed port 301 so as to be able to move up and down, and the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the bleed region 5, and the bleed port 301 are arranged coaxially to form a symmetrical design structure. Therefore, when the process gas is bled, a uniform airflow field is formed in the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, and the bleed region 5, and the process gas flows uniformly from different directions over 360 degrees through the bleed region 5, the first annular gap 73, and the second annular gap 74 in sequence. This allows the gas in the space around the wafer stage 4 to be drawn into the bleed port 301 by the uniform airflow field, thereby ensuring uniformity in the wafer etching process results.

[0028] 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. When 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 first operating position of the valve element 72 is adjusted.

[0029] 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 first operating position of the valve body 72 is adjusted.

[0030] 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).

[0031] In one example, as shown in Figures 1a, 1b, and 5, the reaction chamber 100 further includes an RF source 101 and a medium window 102, and the RF source 101 is installed opposite the medium window 102 of the top plate 2. The RF energy generated by the RF source 101 is transmitted to the inside of the cavity 1 through the medium window 102, and excites the introduced process gas to generate plasma.

[0032] In one embodiment, the bleed section 7 may further include a valve body 75 disposed outside the cavity 1, connected to the bleed port 301, and having an inner wall with a diameter larger than that of the valve body 72. A second end of the valve body 72 is inserted into the bleed port 301 and the valve body 75 so as to be able to move up and down, and a second annular gap 74 is formed between the valve body 72 and the bleed port 301 and between the valve body 75 and the inner wall of the valve body 75.

[0033] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, 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, and the valve element 72 can be moved up and down relative to the bleed port 301 by its own operation.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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.

[0036] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] In one embodiment, the bleed section 7 may further include a pump body 76 connected to the bleed port 301 via a valve body 75 .

[0040] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the pump body 76 may have any pump structure in the prior art as long as it can extract gas from the inside of the cavity 1 .

[0041] 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.

[0042] In one embodiment, when the valve disc 72 is in the second operating position (as shown in FIG. 5), the valve plate 71 contacts the bottom plate 3 and closes the bleed port 301 .

[0043] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, during wafer processing reaction, the valve body 72 can be controlled to move to the second operating position, thereby forming the cavity 1 into a sealed reaction space, meeting the needs of the wafer processing reaction, and ensuring that the process gas inside the cavity 1 does not leak through the bleed port 301.

[0044] As shown in Figures 1a, 1b and 5, in one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may further include 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 second operating position.

[0045] 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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 .

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in one embodiment, a plurality of first support portions 61 are provided, and the plurality of first support portions 61 are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4.

[0049] Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of first support portions 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and for example, two, four, five, six, seven, or eight first support portions 61 may be provided.

[0050] The sizes of the first support portions 61 may be the same as each other.

[0051] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of first support parts 61 are evenly arranged, so that the extraction region 5 between the wafer stage 4 and the cavity 1 is evenly divided into a plurality of sub-regions, and when the process gas is extracted, the process gas can pass evenly through the sub-regions of the extraction region 5 between the first support parts 61. Furthermore, the plurality of first support parts 61 can improve the stability of the wafer stage 4.

[0052] In one example, a plurality of first supports 61 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 61 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 provided at intervals along the vertical direction. Vertical projections of the first supports 61 provided on the first horizontal plane and the first supports 61 provided on the second horizontal plane overlap each other, or vertical projections of the first supports 61 provided on the first horizontal plane and the first supports 61 provided on the second horizontal plane are staggered relative to each other. The process gas passes through a sub-region of the extraction region 5 between two adjacent first supports 61 on the same horizontal plane.

[0053] In one example, a plurality of first support portions 61 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 support portions 61 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 provided at intervals along the vertical direction. Vertical projections of the first support portions 61 provided on the first horizontal plane and the first support portions 61 provided on the second horizontal plane overlap each other, or vertical projections of the first support portions 61 provided on the first horizontal plane and the first support portions 61 provided on the second horizontal plane are staggered relative to each other. The process gas passes through a sub-region of the second extraction region 51 between two adjacent first support portions 61 on the same horizontal plane.

[0054] In one embodiment, the width of the cross section of the first support portion 61 along the horizontal direction is in the range of one-tenth to one-half of the radius of the wafer stage 4 .

[0055] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the width of the horizontal cross section of the first support portion 61 can be understood as the width of the surface, where the first support portion 61 has a surface that prevents the airflow from flowing through the bleed area 5, 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 first support portion 61 is the width of the surface. Here, the width of the first support portion 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited herein. For example, increasing the number of first support portions 61 reduces the width of the first support portions 61, which can further reduce the effect of the first support portions 61 on the uniform flow of the airflow in the bleed area 5.

[0056] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, a plurality of first support portions 61 having small widths and evenly distributed are provided, so that when the process gas flows through the gas extraction region 5, the area of ​​the first support portions 61 that blocks the flow of the process gas can be reduced, and the process gas can flow evenly through the gas extraction region 5.

[0057] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 has a plurality of first supports 61 evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the horizontal cross section of the first supports 61 gradually decreases as the number of first supports 61 increases. For example, the reaction chamber 100 has two first supports 61 evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the horizontal cross section of the first supports 61 is half the radius of the wafer stage 4. The reaction chamber 100 has four first supports 61 evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the horizontal cross section of the first supports 61 is one-fourth the radius of the wafer stage 4. The reaction chamber 100 has five first supports 61 evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and the width of the horizontal cross section of the first supports 61 is one-fifth the radius of the wafer stage 4. In the reaction chamber 100, eight first 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 first support part 61 is one-eighth of the radius of the wafer stage 4.

[0058] As shown in Figures 1a, 1b, 2 and 5, in one embodiment, the first support 61 is a tubular structure, a first port of the first support 61 is connected to the cavity 1, and a second port of the first support 61 is connected to the wafer stage 4.

[0059] 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 first support part 61, and the first port in this order.

[0060] 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.

[0061] The pipelines may include gas pipelines (for example, He (helium) gas pipelines, CDA (Compressed Dry Air) pipelines), coolant pipelines, and the like.

[0062] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tubular structure of the first 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 extraction area 5.

[0063] 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 first support parts 61, or may be divided into groups and housed in different first support parts 61. For example, housing the power lines, signal lines, gas ducts, and coolant ducts in different first support parts 61 avoids affecting the uniformity of the airflow due to housing all circuits in one first support part 61, and is advantageous for maintenance and safety of the device.

[0064] 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 first support parts 61, so that the width of the first support parts 61 can be minimized during design. Furthermore, the influence of the first support parts 61 on the uniform flow of air in the extraction area 5 can be reduced.

[0065] 1a, 1b, and 5, in one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may further include a first lifting mechanism 9 including a first tubular body 91 and a rod body 92. The first tubular body 91 is connected to the bottom plate 3, one end of the rod body 92 is slidably inserted into the first 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.

[0066] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the rod body 92 is configured 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 first operating position and the second operating position, i.e., the rod body 92 controls the opening and closing of the air extraction section 7.

[0067] The manner in which the rod body 92 and the first tubular body 91 can slide can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited here.

[0068] The material, size, and installation position of the first pipe 91 can be selected and adjusted as needed. For example, the first pipe 91 may be a seal bellows pipe.

[0069] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first lifting mechanism 9 can drive the valve plate 71 and the valve element 72 to move up and down smoothly and stably.

[0070] In one example, the first tube 91 is provided outside the cavity 1, one end of the rod body 92 is connected to the valve plate 71 inside the cavity 1 via the first tube 91, and the other end of the rod body 92 is connected to a motor provided outside the cavity 1 via the first tube 91, and the motor is configured to drive the rod body 92 to slide along the vertical direction relative to the first tube 91.

[0071] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the first pipe 91 is provided outside the cavity 1, thereby preventing corrosion of the first pipe 91 due to the process gas inside the cavity 1 and improving the service life of the first pipe 91.

[0072] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may include a plurality of first lifting mechanisms 9 evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the valve plate 71 .

[0073] It should be noted that, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of first lifting mechanisms 9 can be understood as at least two first lifting mechanisms 9.

[0074] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, by evenly arranging the plurality of first lifting mechanisms 9, the valve plate 71 and the valve body 72 can be raised and lowered more smoothly, and the problem of the valve body 72 and the valve plate 71 shifting in the axial direction due to uneven force and the first annular gap 73 and the second annular gap 74 becoming asymmetrical does not occur, and uniform air bleeding from the air bleeding port 301 can be ensured.

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, in one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may further include a wafer transfer port 10 and a first inner liner 11.

[0076] 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 .

[0077] The first inner liner 11 is slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1 and slidably fitted to the outside of the wafer stage 4. The first inner liner 11 is provided with a vent hole 111, and the first bleed area 52 close to the air supply port 201 communicates with the second bleed area 51 close to the bleed port 301 via the vent hole 111. When the first inner liner 11 is in the third operating position, the wafer transfer port 10 communicates with the first bleed area 52.

[0078] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the wafer transfer opening 10 is located on approximately the same horizontal plane as the wafer stage 4 to facilitate wafer transfer. It may also be selected and adjusted as needed, as long as it satisfies the requirements for wafer transfer.

[0079] The first inner liner 11 can be understood as being composed of three parts: a first part slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1, a second part slidably connected to the side wall of the wafer stage 4, and a third part located between the first and second parts. The third part is provided with an air vent 111. Here, the manner in which the first inner liner 11 is slidable between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the manner in which the first inner liner 11 is slidable between the wafer stage 4 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited herein.

[0080] The third operating position can be understood as a position where the first inner liner 11 descends to connect the wafer transfer opening 10 with the inside of the cavity 1. The specific position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited here.

[0081] The number, shape, and size of the vent holes 111 can be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited herein. The installation positions of the vent holes 111 can be selected and adjusted as needed, for example, the vent holes 111 are evenly arranged on the first inner liner 11 at positions facing the top plate 2. When the bleed section 7 is opened, the process gas enters the second bleed region 51 from the first bleed region 52 through the vent holes 111 and is discharged from the cavity 1 through the first annular gap 73 and the second annular gap 74.

[0082] In the operation of the first inner liner 11, when the first inner liner 11 is located at the third operating position during a wafer etching process, the wafer transfer port 10 communicates with the first extraction region 52, and the wafer is transferred by the robot arm to the cavity 1 through the wafer transfer port 10 and placed on the wafer stage 4. The robot arm exits the cavity 1, and the first inner liner 11 moves from the third operating position to the fourth operating position to close the wafer transfer port 10, and a process reaction occurs inside the cavity 1. After the process is completed, the first inner liner 11 moves again to the third operating position, and the robot arm re-enters the cavity 1 to remove the wafer. The cavity 1 and the first inner liner 11 each need to have an area through which the wafer transfer port can pass.

[0083] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the first inner liner 11 is slidably connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the wafer transfer port 10. Furthermore, impurities or deposits generated during the process reaction can adhere to the first inner liner 11, preventing corrosion of the cavity 1 and extending the service life of the cavity 1.

[0084] In one example, the reaction chamber 100 further includes a second inner liner 12, which is connected to the top plate 2 and the side plate of the cavity 1, and has an opening formed in the second inner liner 12, which is connected to the air supply port 201. A second wafer transfer port 121 is formed between the second inner liner 12 and the first inner liner 11, and when the first inner liner 11 is located in the third operating position, the wafer transfer port 10 is connected to the first extraction area 52 via the second wafer transfer port 121.

[0085] According to the example of the present disclosure, the provision of the second inner liner 12 can further reduce corrosion of the cavity 1 caused by the process gas and increase the service life of the cavity 1. Furthermore, the second inner liner 12 is installed opposite the first inner liner 11, which can make the airflow field in the reaction region of the wafer more uniform.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 5, in one embodiment, when the first inner liner 11 is in the fourth operating position, the first inner liner 11 closes the wafer transfer opening 10 .

[0087] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the fourth operating position can be understood as a position to which the first inner liner 11 rises to block communication between the wafer transfer port 10 and the inside of the cavity 1. The specific position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited here.

[0088] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, when the first inner liner 11 moves to the fourth working position, a sealed environment can be formed in the cavity 1 to meet the needs of the wafer process reaction.

[0089] 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 configured to heat the first inner liner 11. 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 when no plasma is present. 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 processing environment and improving wafer-to-wafer uniformity of the process results.

[0090] 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.

[0091] 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.

[0092] 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.

[0093] 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, and 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, which is advantageous for glow-starting the plasma in the cavity 1 and can also reduce excessive deposition of by-products on the first inner liner 11 during the reaction process.

[0094] 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 different regions of the first inner liner 11 are heated at the respective temperatures of the multiple first heaters 112. 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.

[0095] 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 shape 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.

[0096] 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.

[0097] 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.

[0098] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may further include a temperature sensor. 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 detected temperature of the first inner liner 11 to the first heater 112.

[0099] If it is detected that the temperature of the first inner liner 11 does not meet 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.

[0100] In addition, according to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the temperature sensor may be any detection device that can realize temperature measurement in the prior art, and can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited here, as long as it meets the detection of the temperature of the first inner liner 11.

[0101] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the temperature of the first inner liner 11 can be accurately adjusted by using the first heater 112 based on the temperature detection results of the installed temperature sensor, which further improves the controllability of the temperature of the first inner liner 11, is advantageous for glow starting of plasma in the cavity 1, and can also reduce excessive deposition of by-products on the first inner liner 11 during the reaction process.

[0102] In one example, the temperature sensor may be selected to be an infrared temperature measurement sensor.

[0103] In one example, if the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the first inner liner 11 does not meet the temperature range requirement of 100°C to 150°C, the heating temperature of the first heater 112 is adjusted.

[0104] 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 detected temperature of the first inner liner 11 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.

[0105] 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 of the first inner liner 11 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 of the cavity 1 to the first heater 112.

[0106] In one example, when the reaction chamber 100 is operating, the temperature inside the cavity 1 may be maintained between 60°C and 100°C, and the temperature of the first inner liner 11 may be maintained between 100°C and 150°C, so that the deposition of by-products due to the high temperature of the first inner liner 11 can be avoided.

[0107] 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.

[0108] 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 prior art, and is not specifically limited herein. For example, the radiant heater may be a heater with an embedded heating wire.

[0109] 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.

[0110] In one example, the radiant heater may be an infrared lamp tube heater.

[0111] 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.

[0112] 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.

[0113] In one embodiment, the first inner liner 11 is provided with an air vent 111, which connects the first bleed area 52 and the second bleed area 51. The pressure in the first bleed area 52 is made equal to the pressure in the second bleed area 51. The bleed area 5 includes the first bleed area 52 and the second bleed area 51. The spatial volumes of the first bleed area 52 and the second bleed area 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, thereby reducing the spatial volume of the first bleed area 52 and increasing the spatial volume of the second bleed area 51. 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 that the spatial volume of the first air bleeding area 52 increases and the spatial volume of the second air bleeding area 51 decreases.

[0114] 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 provided in the region of the first inner liner 11 between the inner wall of the cavity 1 and the outer wall of the wafer stage 4.

[0115] 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.

[0116] 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.

[0117] In one embodiment, the first inner liner 11 may include a third and a fourth operating position. When the first inner liner 11 slides to the third operating position, the wafer transfer port 10 communicates with the first bleed region 52. When the first inner liner 11 slides to the fourth operating position, the wafer transfer port 10 is isolated from the first bleed region 52.

[0118] The heating region of the first heater 112 includes at least the region where the first inner liner 11 slides between the third and fourth operating positions.

[0119] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the third operating position can be understood as a position reached by the first inner liner 11 sliding toward the bottom plate 3 so as to connect the wafer transfer port 10 and the first bleed area 52. The specific position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited herein.

[0120] The fourth operating position is understood to be a 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 position can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited here.

[0121] It can be understood that the heating region allows the first heater 112 to 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 fourth 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 third 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.

[0122] 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.

[0123] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may further include a second inner liner 12. The second inner liner 12 is connected to the inner wall of the cavity 1 and is provided adjacent to the top plate 2. The second inner liner 12 has an opening communicating with the air inlet 201. The second inner liner 12, the first inner liner 11, and the wafer stage 4 are installed coaxially, and the second inner liner 12 and the first inner liner 11 have the same inner diameter.

[0124] Here, when the first inner liner 11 slides to the third operating position, the wafer transfer opening 10 communicates with the first bleed area 52. When the first inner liner 11 slides to the fourth 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.

[0125] 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 overlapping.

[0126] The third 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 region 52. 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 third operating position, the wafer is loaded into the cavity 1 through the wafer transfer opening 10 and placed on the wafer stage 4.

[0127] The fourth 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.

[0128] 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 that is not flush with the cavity 1, and the first side wall of the first inner liner 11 may have an annular side wall that is not flush with the cavity 1, as long as the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 are joined together and the inner walls of both the first and second inner liners and the cavity 1 form a sealed, circularly symmetrical first bleed region 52 when the first inner liner 11 slides to the fourth operating position.

[0129] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second inner liner 12 can adhere by-products generated during the wafer etching process, 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, because the second inner liner 12 is installed coaxially with the first inner liner 11 and has the same inner diameter, 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. Since the wafer can be placed in a circularly symmetrical process environment during the etching process, the process gas introduced into the cavity 1 can form a uniform circularly symmetrical airflow field around the wafer, and the electrical characteristics of the first inner liner 11 can also satisfy circular symmetry, further ensuring the circularly symmetrical uniformity of the wafer process results to the maximum extent.

[0130] In one example, during the wafer etching process, by-products such as particles are 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, the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 need to be periodically cleaned or replaced. Therefore, by removably installing the first inner liner 11 and the second inner liner 12 in the cavity 1, removal, cleaning, and replacement become easy.

[0131] In one example, the inner wall of the first sidewall 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.

[0132] 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.

[0133] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may further include 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 to a set temperature.

[0134] 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 temperature of the second inner liner 12 remains at a temperature favorable for the wafer etching process, allowing each wafer to be placed in a stable process environment and improving the wafer-to-wafer uniformity of the process results.

[0135] It should be noted that, 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 on 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, so that a uniform airflow field can be formed inside the cavity 1 during the wafer etching process.

[0136] It can be understood that the fact that the second heater 121 corresponds to the position of the second inner liner 12 means that the heating area of ​​the second heater 121 must cover at least the second inner liner 12, ensuring that the second heater 121 can heat each area of ​​the second inner liner 12.

[0137] 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.

[0138] 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.

[0139] The second controller and the first controller may be the same controller that simultaneously controls the second heater 121 and the first heater 112. The second controller and the first controller may be two controllers that 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.

[0140] 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.

[0141] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may further include a second support 6 and a second lifting mechanism 93 .

[0142] The second support 6 is provided between the cavity 1 and the wafer stage 4 and is located outside the first inner liner 11 .

[0143] The second lifting mechanism 93 is provided on the second support part 6. The lifting part 95 of the second lifting mechanism 93 is connected to the first inner liner 11 and configured to drive the first inner liner 11 to slide.

[0144] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second support 6 is disposed to connect the wafer stage 4 and the cavity 1, and serves to support the wafer stage 4. The shape and size of the second support 6 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited here.

[0145] The exterior of the first inner liner 11 can be understood as the lower region of the first inner liner 11 shown in Figures 1a, 1b, 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 1a, 1b, 5, and 6. The second support 6 is housed outside the first inner liner 11, and a wafer is housed inside the first inner liner 11.

[0146] The provision of the second lifting mechanism 93 on the second support 6 can be understood as the second lifting mechanism 93 being housed inside the second support 6. When the lifting portion 95 is in an activated state, it extends from the second 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 second support 6. When an etching process is performed, only the lifting portion 95 of the second lifting mechanism 93 is exposed to the process environment of the cavity 1, and the remaining portion is hidden by the second support 6.

[0147] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, 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 together 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, thereby maximizing the circularly symmetric uniformity of the wafer process results. Furthermore, the first lifting mechanism 93 is mounted on the second support 6 and is separated from the plasma region formed around the wafer during etching, so that it is not exposed to the interior of the cavity 1. This prevents the entire structure of the first lifting mechanism 93 from contaminating the wafer during etching, and also prevents the entire structure of the first lifting mechanism 93 from being corroded during the etching process.

[0148] In one example, as shown in the structural schematic diagram of the second support parts 6 arranged opposite to each other in Figures 1a and 1b, when the reaction chamber 100 is rotated by a predetermined angle around the central axis (dotted line) in Figures 1a and 1b, a structural schematic diagram of the first support parts 61 arranged opposite to each other (shown in Figure 2) is obtained.

[0149] In one example, a plurality of first supports 61 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 61 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 in the vertical direction. Vertical projections of the first supports 61 on the first horizontal plane and the first supports 61 on the second horizontal plane overlap each other, or vertical projections of the first supports 61 on the first horizontal plane and the first supports 61 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 61 on the same horizontal plane. The second supports 61 may be the same as or different from the first supports 61. The specific arrangement can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited herein. The installation position of the second support part 6 relative to the first support part 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited herein, for example, the second support part 6 may be installed on the same horizontal plane as the first support part 61, or the second support part 6 may be installed at a vertical projection position on a different horizontal plane from the first support part 61. The shape and size of the first support part 61 can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited herein.

[0150] 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.

[0151] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the use of an aluminum alloy material can extend the service life of the lifting unit 95, and the use of an yttrium oxide coating can prevent the lifting unit 95 from contaminating the wafer and improve the corrosion resistance of the lifting unit 95.

[0152] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber 100 may further include a plurality of second supports 6, which are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage 4, and each of the plurality of second supports 6 is provided with a second lifting mechanism 93.

[0153] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the number of the second support portions 6 can be selected and adjusted as needed, and for example, two or four second support portions 6 may be provided.

[0154] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of second 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 second support parts 6 can improve the stability of the wafer stage 4.

[0155] In one example, a plurality of second supports 6 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 supports 6 are provided on the 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 in the vertical direction. Vertical projections of the second supports 6 on the first horizontal plane and the second supports 6 on the second horizontal plane overlap each other, or vertical projections of the second supports 6 on the first horizontal plane and the second 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 second supports 6 on the same horizontal plane.

[0156] 1a, 1b, 5, and 6, in one embodiment, the second lifting mechanism 93 may further include a second tubular body 94. The second tubular body 94 is provided on the second support part 6. One end of the lifting part 95 is slidably inserted into the second tubular body 94, thereby reducing direct contact of the lifting part 95 with the second support part 6, and the other end of the lifting part 95 is connected to the first inner liner 11.

[0157] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the sliding mechanism by which the lifting unit 95 slides relative to the second 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 second tubular body 94, or may be indirectly slidably connected to the inner wall of the second tubular body 94 via a connecting member.

[0158] The fact that the second pipe body 94 is provided on the first support part 6 means that the second pipe body 94 does not move in conjunction with the up and down movement of the lifting part 95, but is always positioned at the first support part 6.

[0159] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, by providing the second pipe body 94 on the second 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 second support part 6 and to improve the service life of the lifting part 95.

[0160] As shown in Figures 1a, 1b, 5 and 6, in one example, the second lifting mechanism 93 further includes a drive unit 96, the lifting part 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 part 95.

[0161] According to the example of the present disclosure, the drive unit 96 is provided outside the cavity 1, so that it does not occupy additional internal space of the reaction chamber 100, and the drive unit 96 is provided outside the cavity 1, so that maintenance of the second lifting mechanism 93 is facilitated.

[0162] In one example, the drive unit 96 employs a clean cylinder mechanism or a hydraulic cylinder mechanism.

[0163] In one embodiment, the second tube 94 is a vacuum bellows, and the second tube 94 is made of a corrosion-resistant stainless steel material.

[0164] According to the embodiment of the present disclosure, the vacuum bellows made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel is used to extend the service life of the second pipe 94. Furthermore, the second pipe 94 is mounted on the second support 6 and is separated from the plasma region that forms around the second pipe 94 when etching the wafer, thereby preventing contamination of the wafer.

[0165] An embodiment of the present disclosure further provides a wafer etching apparatus including a reaction chamber 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0166] When the wafer etching apparatus is operating, the valve body 72 is controlled to slide to the first operating position, and the process gas after completing the process reaction inside the cavity 1 enters the second area from the first area through the vent hole 111, flows sequentially through the first annular gap 73 and the second annular gap 74, and is discharged by the pump body 76, and the first inner liner 11 is controlled to slide to the third operating position, and the wafer after the process reaction is removed through the wafer transport port 10.

[0167] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the valve element 72 is inserted into the bleed port 301 so as to be able to move up and down, and the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, the bleed region 5, and the bleed port 301 are arranged coaxially, thereby forming a symmetrical design structure. Therefore, when the process gas is discharged, a uniform airflow field is formed in the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, and the bleed region 5. The process gas flows uniformly through the bleed region 5, the first annular gap 73, and the second annular gap 74 simultaneously from different directions over 360 degrees, in sequence. This allows the gas in the space around the wafer stage 4 to be drawn into the bleed port 301 by the uniform airflow field, thereby ensuring uniformity in the wafer etching process results.

[0168] In one example, when a first inner liner 11 is provided in the cavity 1, the first inner liner 11 is controlled to slide to the third 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 the fourth operating position, the valve body 72 is controlled to slide to the first operating position, the extraction section 7 extracts the air in the cavity 1 to a vacuum state, and the valve body 72 is controlled to slide to the second operating position, thereby forming an airtight space, 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 is completed, the valve element 72 is controlled to slide from the second operating position to the first operating position, and the bleed unit 7 bleeds the gas from the cavity 1, and when the process gas is bled, a uniform airflow field is formed in the first annular gap 73, the second annular gap 74, and the bleed region 5. The process gas flows uniformly from different directions through the bleed region 5, the first annular gap 73, and the second annular gap 74 simultaneously and in sequence over a 360-degree range. This allows the gas in the space surrounding the wafer stage 4 to be sucked into the bleed port 301 through the uniform airflow field, ensuring uniformity in the wafer etching process results.

[0169] 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.

[0170] 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.

[0171] 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.

[0172] 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.

[0173] 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.

[0174] 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 (100) applied to a wafer etching apparatus, comprising: a cavity (1) including a top plate (2) and a bottom plate (3) arranged opposite to each other in a vertical direction, wherein an air inlet (201) is provided in the top plate (2) and an air bleed port (301) is provided in the bottom plate (3), a wafer stage (4) is provided between the air inlet (201) and the air bleed port (301), and an air bleed region (5) is formed between an inner wall of the cavity (1) and the wafer stage (4); a first support portion (61) provided between an inner wall of the cavity (1) and the wafer stage (4); a bleed section (7) including a valve plate (71) and a valve body (72), wherein the valve plate (71) is provided inside the cavity (1) and connected to a first end of the valve body (72), a second end of the valve body (72) is inserted into the bleed port (301) so as to be movable up and down, and when the valve body (72) is in a first operating position, a first annular gap (73) is formed between the valve plate (71) and the bottom plate (3), and a second annular gap (74) is formed between the valve body (72) and the bleed port (301), A reaction chamber (100) characterized in that the first annular gap (73), the second annular gap (74) and the gas extraction zone (5) are arranged coaxially.

2. The bleed section (7) further includes a valve body (75), The valve body (75) is provided outside the cavity (1) and is connected to the bleed port (301); A second end of the valve element (72) is inserted into the air extraction port (301) and the valve body (75) so as to be movable up and down.

2. The reaction chamber (100) of claim 1, wherein the second annular gap (74) is formed between the valve disc (72) and the bleed port (301) and between the valve disc (72) and an inner wall of the valve body (75).

3. The air extraction section (7) further includes a pump body (76), 3. The reaction chamber (100) of claim 2, wherein the pump body (76) is connected to the bleed port (301) through the valve body (75).

4. The reaction chamber (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, when the valve body (72) is in the second operating position, the valve plate (71) contacts the bottom plate (3) to close the bleed port (301).

5. The device further includes a seal ring (8) provided at the air bleed port (301), 5. The reaction chamber (100) of claim 4, wherein the valve plate (71) contacts the sealing ring (8) when the valve body (72) is in the second operating position.

6. The first support portion (61) is plural, The reaction chamber (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first support portions (61) are arranged evenly along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4).

7. The reaction chamber (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that the width of the horizontal cross section of the first support portion (61) is between one-tenth and one-half of the radius of the wafer stage (4).

8. The first support portion (61) has a tubular structure, The reaction chamber (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a first port of the first support (61) is in communication with the cavity (1), and a second port of the first support (61) is in communication with the wafer stage (4).

9. 4. The reaction chamber (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a first lifting mechanism (9) including a first pipe (91) and a rod (92), wherein the first pipe (91) is connected to the bottom plate (3), one end of the rod (92) is slidably inserted into the first pipe (91), and the other end of the rod (92) extends into the cavity (1) and is connected to the valve plate (71), and the rod (92) is configured to raise and lower the valve plate (71) and the valve body (72).

10. a plurality of said first lifting mechanisms (9); The reaction chamber (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that the plurality of first lifting mechanisms (9) are evenly arranged along the circumferential direction of the valve plate (71).

11. A wafer etching apparatus comprising a reaction chamber (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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