Calibration method for process chambers, semiconductor processing equipment, and mounting platforms.

Abstract

This disclosure provides a process chamber, a semiconductor processing apparatus, and a calibration method for a mounting platform. The process chamber includes a chamber body and at least one process position located within the chamber body. Each of the process positions includes a mounting platform movably connected to the chamber body and a shower assembly located directly above the mounting platform, the process chamber further includes at least one first distance measuring module located on the shower assembly for measuring a first distance between itself and a wafer on the mounting platform, and a first drive source connected to the mounting platform for driving the mounting platform up and down according to the first distance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, specifically, but not limited to, a calibration method for a process chamber, a semiconductor processing apparatus, and a mounting platform.

Background Art

[0002] A plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) apparatus can be used in the deposition process of a dielectric thin film. For example, a dielectric film mainly composed of Si, O, and N can be grown on the surface of a wafer, and it can also be used for the deposition of a doped thin film containing B or P. The uniformity of the film thickness is an important indicator for the semiconductor processing apparatus. For example, it is necessary to ensure the uniformity of the film thickness of wafers fabricated at different times. Also, for example, in a chamber provided with a twin deposition process position (Twins) structure, it is even more important, and it is necessary to ensure the uniformity of the film thickness of wafers at different process positions within a single process. Here, the process position refers to a position where a deposition process or an etching process can be performed on a wafer. At each process position, a process can be executed on one wafer, and at multiple process positions, processes can be executed on multiple wafers simultaneously to improve production efficiency.

[0003] The gap (Gap value) between the wafer and the showerhead of the upper electrode is one of the important factors for ensuring the uniformity of the film thickness between different wafers. As one of the conventional Gap calibration methods, there is a method of measuring using a wafer gap measurement device (AGS) and calibrating the Gap value. Three modules are installed on the AGS plane. When the AGS is installed in the chamber, the Gap values at the corresponding positions of the three modules are measured. If the difference between the three Gap values and the set value is less than 0.1 mm, the calibration is considered qualified (OK), otherwise, calibration and debugging are required.

[0004] The above Gap calibration method can only ensure that the Gap value is accurate when the machine is assembled. However, as the equipment is used, deposits may form on the surface of the mounting plate or showerhead, or material may peel off, which can change the Gap value, and it cannot be guaranteed that the actual Gap value will always meet the process standard. Changes in the Gap value affect the consistency of film thickness between wafers in different batches or different process locations. [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] In response to the above technical challenges, this disclosure provides a calibration method for process chambers, semiconductor processing equipment, and mounting platforms, which can improve the problem in related technologies where the spacing between wafers and showerheads cannot always be guaranteed to meet design target values ​​during the process, resulting in relatively poor consistency in film thickness between wafers in different batches or different process locations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, in a first aspect, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a process chamber comprising a chamber body and at least one process position provided within the chamber body, wherein each process position comprises a mounting platform movably connected to the chamber body and a shower assembly provided directly above the mounting platform, the process chamber further comprising at least one first distance measuring module provided on the shower assembly for measuring a first distance between itself and a wafer on the mounting platform, and a first drive source connected to the mounting platform for driving the mounting platform up and down according to the first distance.

[0007] In some embodiments, the shower assembly includes a transparent section, which has a plurality of gas homogenization holes internally that communicate with the interior of the chamber body, and the transparent section is provided to avoid the gas homogenization holes, and the first distance measuring module includes a gas homogenization plate provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the transparent section.

[0008] In some embodiments, the shower assembly further includes a seal cover that covers the gas homogenization plate and forms a gas homogenization cavity between itself and the gas homogenization plate, the seal cover having intake holes for introducing gas into the gas homogenization cavity, and all of the gas homogenization holes communicating with the gas homogenization cavity.

[0009] In some embodiments, the shower assembly further includes an isolation pipe provided within the gas homogenization cavity, the isolation pipe having an inlet end and an outlet end corresponding one-to-one with at least one of the first distance measuring modules, the outlet end being positioned to cover the corresponding first distance measuring module within the isolation pipe, the seal cover further having a connection hole, the inlet end being provided in the connection hole, and the isolation pipe being used to house the cable of the first distance measuring module.

[0010] In some embodiments, the gas homogenization plate includes at least two gas homogenization regions, the at least two gas homogenization regions including a first gas homogenization region not provided with the first distance measuring module and a second gas homogenization region provided with the first distance measuring module, wherein the size of the gas outlet end of the gas homogenization holes in the first gas homogenization region is smaller than the size of the gas outlet end of the gas homogenization holes in the second gas homogenization region.

[0011] In some embodiments, the gas homogenization holes in the first gas homogenization region are linear holes, and the gas outlet ends of the gas homogenization holes in the second gas homogenization region are conical in shape and expand outward.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first gas homogenization region includes an inner ring gas homogenization region and an outer ring gas homogenization region, the second gas homogenization region is an intermediate ring gas homogenization region, the intermediate ring gas homogenization region is provided surrounding the inner ring gas homogenization region, and the outer ring gas homogenization region is provided surrounding the intermediate ring gas homogenization region.

[0013] In some embodiments, the aforementioned mounting platform includes a mounting plate and a support base, the support base being movably connected to the bottom plate of the chamber body through the bottom plate, the aforementioned mounting plate being provided on the upper surface of the support base, and the first drive source being located outside the chamber body and driving the support base to raise and lower the aforementioned mounting plate.

[0014] In some embodiments, the process chamber further includes a fixed plate located outside the chamber body, the fixed plate having a vertically extending slide groove, and the aforementioned mounting platform further includes a mounting plate connected to a portion of the support base located outside the chamber body, and a slider that engages with the slide groove, the slider being connected to the mounting plate, and the first drive source being connected to the slider and / or the mounting plate so that the slider moves up and down along the slide groove.

[0015] In some embodiments, the aforementioned mounting platform further includes a connecting bracket, a first leveling mechanism connected to one end of the mounting plate and the connecting bracket, respectively, for adjusting the levelness of the support base in a first direction via the mounting plate, and a second leveling mechanism connected to the slider and the other end of the connecting bracket, respectively, for adjusting the levelness of the support base in a second direction via the connecting bracket, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first leveling mechanism includes at least two second distance measuring modules arranged along the first direction on the upper surface of the mounting plate, each second distance measuring module for measuring a second distance between itself and the bottom plate; and a second drive source provided on the connecting bracket and connected to the mounting plate for driving the mounting plate to swing around a horizontal axis of the mounting plate parallel to the second direction in accordance with the second distance, and / or, the second leveling mechanism includes at least two third distance measuring modules arranged along the second direction on the upper surface of the mounting plate, each third distance measuring module for measuring a third distance between itself and the bottom plate; and a third drive source provided on the slider and connected to the other end of the connecting bracket for driving the mounting plate to swing around a horizontal axis of the mounting plate parallel to the first direction via the connecting bracket in accordance with the third distance.

[0017] In a second aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a semiconductor processing apparatus including the process chamber described in each of the above embodiments.

[0018] In a third aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for calibrating a mounting platform based on the process chamber described in each of the above embodiments, the method comprising a gap calibration process, the gap calibration process comprising: controlling the first distance measuring module to measure a first distance between itself and a wafer on the mounting platform; calculating a gap value between the shower assembly and the wafer in accordance with the first distance, and calculating a first absolute value of the difference between the gap value and a preset gap target value; and, if the first absolute value is greater than a preset lower limit of gap error and less than or equal to a preset upper limit of gap error, controlling the first drive source to drive the mounting platform up or down, and returning to controlling the first distance measuring module to measure the first distance between itself and a wafer on the mounting platform until the first absolute value is less than or equal to the preset lower limit of gap error.

[0019] In some embodiments, after the step of calculating a gap value between the shower assembly and the wafer according to the first distance, and calculating a first absolute value of the difference between the gap value and a preset gap target value, the further step of determining that the process chamber is abnormal if the first absolute value is greater than a preset upper limit of gap error.

[0020] In some embodiments, a horizontality calibration process is further included before the gap calibration process, the horizontality calibration process comprising: controlling a second distance measuring module to measure a second distance between itself and the base plate; calculating a second absolute value of the difference between the second distances measured by the second distance measuring module; and, if the second absolute value is greater than a preset horizontal error value, controlling a second drive source to drive the mounting plate to swing around a horizontal axis of the mounting plate parallel to the second direction, and returning to controlling the second distance measuring module to measure a second distance between itself and the base plate until the second absolute value is less than or equal to the preset horizontal error value.

[0021] In some embodiments, before the step of controlling the second distance measuring module to measure the second distance between itself and the base plate, or, if the second absolute value is greater than a preset horizontal error value, after the step of controlling the second drive source to drive the mounting plate to swing around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate parallel to the second direction, and then returning to controlling the second distance measuring module to measure the second distance between itself and the base plate until the second absolute value is less than or equal to the preset horizontal error value, the third distance measuring module is controlled to measure itself and The third distance between the mounting plate and the base plate is measured; the third absolute value of the difference between the third distances measured by the third distance measuring module is calculated; and if the third absolute value is greater than the preset horizontal error value, the third drive source is controlled to drive the mounting plate to swing around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate parallel to the first direction, and the third distance measuring module is controlled to measure the third distance between itself and the base plate until the third absolute value is less than or equal to the preset horizontal error value, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] As described above, in the process chamber of the present disclosure, at least one first distance measurement module is provided in the shower assembly. The first distance measurement module measures the first distance between itself and the wafer on the placement platform, and can obtain the Gap value based on the first distance. The first driving source can calibrate the Gap value when the Gap value exceeds the error range of the preset gap target value by driving the placement platform to move up and down. In the whole process, the Gap value can be calibrated in a timely manner according to the first distance measured in real time by the first distance measurement module, thereby ensuring the consistency of the film thickness between wafers at different batches or different process positions. This embodiment can not only calibrate the Gap in real time during the process, but is also suitable for the debugging of the machine before the process. Since there is no need to repeatedly open the cavity for measurement, the debugging becomes easier. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the measurement of the Gap calibration process is based on a fixed shower assembly, and the accuracy is relatively high, and can reach a level of 0.1 mm or more.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] The drawings here are incorporated into the specification and constitute a part of the specification, showing embodiments that conform to the present disclosure, and are used to explain the principles of the present disclosure together with the specification. To more clearly explain the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present disclosure, the drawings that need to be used in the description of the embodiments are briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative labor. [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram of the relationship between the interval and the moving distance of the placement plate. [Figure 2] It is a schematic structural diagram of a process chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] It is a schematic structural diagram of a shower assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] It is a schematic structural diagram of a gas homogenization plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5]It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a first through hole according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] It is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a second through hole according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] It is a schematic sectional view of the structure along line A-A in FIG. 2. [Figure 8] It is a schematic structural view of a control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 9] It is a schematic flowchart of a gap calibration method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] It is a schematic flowchart of another gap calibration method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] It is a schematic flowchart of a leveling calibration method in a first direction according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] It is a schematic flowchart of a leveling calibration method in a second direction according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] It is a schematic flowchart of a leveling calibration method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. For the realization of the object, functional features and advantages of the present disclosure, examples will be referred to and further explained with reference to the drawings. Although the above drawings show clear examples of the present disclosure, they will be further described in detail later. These drawings and textual descriptions do not limit the concept of the present disclosure in any way, but are intended to explain the concept of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art by referring to specific examples.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] Here, exemplary embodiments will be described in detail. The examples are shown in the drawings, and when the drawings are described below, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals in different drawings indicate the same or similar components. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present disclosure. On the contrary, these are merely examples of devices and methods consistent with some aspects of the present disclosure, which are described in detail in the appended claims.

[0025] In this specification, the terms “includes,” “contains,” or any other variation thereof are intended to include non-exclusive inclusion, thereby including not only those elements but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements specific to such steps, methods, articles, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element limited by the phrase “one…includes” does not preclude the presence of other identical elements in the steps, methods, articles, or apparatus that include that element. Furthermore, components, features, and elements similarly named in different embodiments of this disclosure may or may have the same meaning, and their specific meaning must be determined by the description in that specific embodiment or by the context of that specific embodiment.

[0026] Furthermore, as should be understood, the terms “includes” and “contains” indicate the presence of such features, steps, operations, elements, modules, items, types, and / or groups, and do not preclude the presence, appearance, or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, modules, items, types, and / or groups. The terms “or,” “and / or,” and “include at least one of the following” as used in this disclosure may be interpreted as inclusive, or mean any one or any combination thereof. For example, “includes at least one of the following: A, B, C” means “any of the following: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, A, B and C,” and further, for example, “A, B or C” or “A, B and / or C” means “any of the following: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, A, B, and C.” Exceptions to this definition arise only if a combination of elements, functions, steps, or operations is inherently excluded in some manner.

[0027] It should be understood that while the terms "first," "second," "third," etc. may be used in this specification to describe different types of information, this information is not limited to these terms. These terms are simply used to distinguish information of the same kind. For example, first information may also be called second information, as long as it does not exceed the scope of this specification, and similarly, second information may also be called first information. Depending on the context, unless the context indicates otherwise, the singular forms "one," "one," and "the" used herein are intended to include the plural form.

[0028] It should be understood that the orientations or positional relationships indicated by terms such as "peak," "bottom," "up," "down," "vertical," and "horizontal" are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the drawings and are used solely to facilitate and simplify the explanation of this disclosure. They do not indicate or suggest that such devices necessarily have a specific orientation or are configured and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as limiting this disclosure.

[0029] For the sake of clarity, in each of the following embodiments, we will describe an orthogonal space formed perpendicular to the horizontal plane as an example, and it should be understood that this premise does not limit the present disclosure.

[0030] When semiconductor process equipment performs deposition or etching processes, the gap between the wafer and the showerhead is a crucial factor in ensuring consistency in film thickness between different wafers. Referring to Figure 1, Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the relationship between the gap and the travel distance of the mounting plate. Let L be the distance between the initial position of the mounting plate 20a relative to the chamber body 10a and the showerhead 30a. During the process, a wafer (not shown) is placed on the mounting plate 20a and rises with the mounting plate 20a by a distance D. At this time, the gap between the upper surface of the mounting plate 20a and the lower surface of the showerhead 30a is defined as the gap value. When the wafer thickness (T) is taken into account, Gap = LDT. The gap value is manually calibrated before the start of the process, but as the equipment is used, deposits may form on the surface of the mounting plate or showerhead, or material may peel off, which can change the gap value, and it is not possible to ensure that the actual gap value always meets the process standard. Changes in the gap value affect the consistency of film thickness between wafers in different batches or different process locations. Based on this, the present disclosure provides methods for calibrating process chambers, semiconductor processing equipment, and mounting platforms. The following embodiments are all based on deposition process equipment and should not be understood as limiting the present disclosure.

[0031] Referring to Figure 2, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a process chamber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the process chamber includes a chamber body 10 and at least one process position provided within the chamber body 10, the process position may be, for example, a deposition process position, and the process chamber of this embodiment may have only one deposition process position, or two, three, or more deposition process positions. In Figure 2, an example is given in which two deposition process positions are provided within the process chamber. Since the two deposition process positions may be exactly the same, only one deposition process position is shown. Each deposition process position may include a mounting platform 20, a shower assembly 30, at least one first distance measuring module 41, and a first drive source 51.

[0032] The mounting platform 20 is movably connected to the chamber body 10, and its height can be adjusted, for example, by raising and lowering it relative to the chamber body 10. Alternatively, the horizontality of the mounting platform 20 can be adjusted, for example, by swinging it relative to the chamber body 10. The mounting platform 20 is used to mount wafers, and the mounting platform 20 is equipped with, for example, a heater for heating the mounting platform 20. Ejector pins 25 may be provided within the mounting platform 20. At least three ejector pins 25 may be provided. At least three ejector pins 25 are spaced apart along the circumferential direction of the mounting platform 20. By controlling the elevation of the ejector pins 25, the tips of at least three ejector pins 25 can synchronously rise to a position higher than the mounting surface of the mounting platform 20 or descend to a position lower than the mounting surface of the mounting platform 20, thereby enabling wafer pick-and-place operations in cooperation with a robotic arm.

[0033] The shower assembly 30 is positioned above the mounting platform 20, for example, directly above the mounting platform 20. During the process, gas is supplied to the shower assembly 30 from an external gas source, and the shower assembly 30 uniformly sprays the gas into the chamber body 10. This gas forms a plasma through the action of high-frequency power and high temperature applied to the shower assembly 30, causing a chemical reaction. The generated product is deposited on the surface of the wafer to form a thin film.

[0034] At least one first distance measuring module 41 may be provided, and it is provided in the shower assembly 30. The first distance measuring module 41 is used to measure a first distance between itself (i.e., a detection end) and a wafer on the mounting platform 20, and the first distance measuring module 41 may be a laser distance measuring sensor. For example, the first distance measuring module 41 is embedded in the shower assembly 30, and the detection end of the first distance measuring module 41 is flush with the bottom surface of the shower assembly 30. In this case, the first distance is the distance between the bottom surface of the shower assembly 30 and the wafer on the mounting platform 20, and the first distance is equal to the gap value.

[0035] In some other embodiments, the detection end of the first distance measuring module 41 may be provided on the upper surface of the shower assembly 30, in which case the Gap value is equal to the first distance minus the thickness of the shower assembly 30. In this embodiment, the installation position and method of the first distance measuring module 41 on the shower assembly 30 are not limited. One, two, or three or more first distance measuring modules 41 may be provided. If more than three are provided, it is desirable that at least three of the first distance measuring modules 41 are not installed on the same straight line. By distributing multiple first distance measuring modules 41 at different locations on the shower assembly 30, the Gap value can be more accurately reflected by calculating the average value of the first distance detected by three first distance measuring modules 41.

[0036] The first drive source 51 is connected to the mounting platform 20 and is used to drive the mounting platform 20 up and down according to a first distance. For example, the average value of the first distance may be calculated according to the first distance measured by each first distance measuring module 41, and the gap value may be determined by that average value. If the gap value is greater than a preset gap target value, the first drive source 51 can be controlled to drive the mounting platform 20 up, and if the gap value is smaller than a preset gap target value, the first drive source 51 can be controlled to drive the mounting platform 20 down, so that the gap value falls within the error range of the preset gap target value. In specific applications, the first distance measuring module 41 and the first drive source 51 can be controlled using a control system, for example, closed-loop control. For example, the control system may be a PLC control system, and since such a control system is a common technology in this field, it will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0037] In conventional technology, the calibration method for the gap value is an offline calibration under atmospheric conditions, requiring manual measurement and recording of different gap values, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Furthermore, the gap value changes with increasing use, and if calibration is not performed in a timely manner, it can have a significant impact on process uniformity. In this embodiment, at least one first distance measuring module 41 is provided in the shower assembly 30, so that the first distance measuring module 41 can measure a first distance between itself and the wafer on the mounting platform 20. A gap value is obtained based on this first distance. The first drive source 51 drives the mounting platform 20 up or down and can calibrate the gap value if the gap value exceeds the error range of a preset gap target value. Throughout the process, the first distance measured in real time by the first distance measuring module 41 allows for timely calibration of the gap value, ensuring consistency of film thickness between wafers in different batches or different deposition process locations. This embodiment is suitable not only for performing gap calibration during the process but also for debugging the machine before the process, as debugging is easier because it does not require repeatedly opening the cavity for measurement. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the measurement of the gap calibration process is based on a fixed shower assembly 30, and the accuracy is relatively high, reaching levels of 0.1 mm or more.

[0038] Furthermore, the first distance measurement module 41 is located below the mounting platform 20, and through holes are created in the mounting platform 20 to measure distances to the shower assembly 30 above the process chamber or to wafers on the mounting platform 20. However, since the mounting platform 20 usually needs to be heated during the deposition process, providing through holes in the mounting platform 20 would affect the temperature uniformity of the mounting platform 20 and, furthermore, affect the deposition process itself.

[0039] In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides means for attaching a first distance measuring module 41 to a shower assembly 30. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a shower assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gas homogenization plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the shower assembly 30 includes a gas homogenization plate 31.

[0040] The gas homogenization plate 31 is provided with a plurality of gas homogenization holes 311 that communicate with the inside of the chamber body 10. The gas homogenization plate 31 includes a transparent portion 312, which is provided to avoid the gas homogenization holes 311, and the first distance measuring module 41 is provided in a one-to-one correspondence with the transparent portion. For example, the first distance measuring module 41 may be provided on the upper surface of the gas homogenization plate 31 and positioned in the corresponding transparent portion 312, or at least a portion of it may be embedded in the transparent portion 312 from the upper surface of the gas homogenization plate 31. As an example, the gas homogenization plate 31 may be made of a metallic material, and through holes corresponding to the gas homogenization holes 311 and the transparent portion 312 are machined into the gas homogenization plate 31, and then the through holes are sealed with quartz material to form a quartz window, i.e., the transparent portion 312. The first distance measuring module 41 is provided above the transparent portion 312 or at least partially embedded in the transparent portion 312. If the first distance measuring module 41 is a laser sensor, the emitted laser signal may pass through the transparent part 312, and the reflected laser signal may also pass through the transparent part 312 and be received by the first distance measuring module 41, thereby enabling distance measurement.

[0041] The shower assembly 30 further includes a seal cover 32 that covers the gas homogenization plate 31 and forms a gas homogenization cavity between itself and the gas homogenization plate 31. The seal cover 32 is provided with an intake hole 321 for introducing gas into the gas homogenization cavity. Figure 3 shows only the location of the intake hole 321, but since the intake hole 321 is not located in the cross-section of the seal cover 32 shown in Figure 3, the specific structure of the intake hole 321 is not shown in the cross-section. The multiple gas homogenization holes 311 all communicate with the gas homogenization cavity and can transport the gas in the gas homogenization cavity into the interior of the chamber body 10.

[0042] In this embodiment, the first distance measuring module 41 may measure the first distance through the transparent part 312 using the light sensing principle.

[0043] In one embodiment, continuing with reference to Figures 2 and 3, the shower assembly 30 may further include isolation piping 33 provided within the gas homogenization cavity, the isolation piping 33 having an inlet end 331 and an outlet end 332 corresponding one-to-one with the first distance measuring module 41, the outlet end 332 being positioned to cover the corresponding first distance measuring module 41 within the isolation piping 33, for example, the inlet end 331 extending to the upper surface of the gas homogenization plate 31 or the upper surface of the transparent section 312, so that the isolation piping 33 can cover the first distance measuring module 41 inside. The seal cover 32 is further provided with a connection hole 322, the inlet end 331 is provided in the connection hole 322. For example, if there are three first distance measuring modules 41, the isolation piping 33 includes three branch pipes, the outlet end 332 of each branch pipe covering the first distance measuring module 41. When in use, as shown in Figure 2, the connecting shaft 34 may be passed through the top plate 11 of the chamber body 10, and the connecting shaft 34 is connected to the upper surface of the seal cover 32. The connecting shaft 34 may have a through hole 341 that communicates with the intake hole 321 for supplying air, and may also have a through hole 342 that communicates with the connection hole 322 for pulling out the cable of the first distance measuring module 41. Specifically, the cable of the first distance measuring module 41 housed in the isolation piping 33 may be pulled out to the outside of the shower assembly 30 via the inlet end 331, the connection hole 322, and the through hole 342 in that order, thereby allowing connection to an external control system. In addition, although only the positions of the inlet end 331 and the connection hole 322 are shown in Figure 3, the specific structure of the inlet end 331 and the connection hole 322 is not shown in the cross-section because they do not exist on the cross-section of the seal cover 32 shown in Figure 3.

[0044] Those skilled in the art should understand that the isolation piping 33 may or may not be provided. For example, the first distance measurement module 41 can transmit distance measurement data externally via a wireless communication module, thereby eliminating the need to provide separate isolation piping 33 for housing the wiring.

[0045] In this embodiment, the first distance measuring module 41 and its corresponding cable may be individually isolated by isolation piping 33 and completely isolated from the entire gas channel, and the first distance measuring module 41 is installed in a non-RF (non-plasma) environment to avoid corrosion that would affect its service life.

[0046] Since the first distance measuring module 41 occupies a portion of the gas homogenization plate 31 and affects the gas flow rate in a localized area, this disclosure provides embodiments of the gas homogenization plate. Referring to Figures 4 to 6, Figure 5 is a schematic longitudinal section of a first through-hole according to an embodiment of this disclosure, and Figure 6 is a schematic longitudinal section of a second through-hole according to an embodiment of this disclosure. The gas homogenization plate 31 includes at least two gas homogenization regions, the at least two gas homogenization regions including a first gas homogenization region where the first distance measuring module 41 is not provided and a second gas homogenization region where the first distance measuring module 41 is provided, wherein the size of the gas outlet end of the gas homogenization hole in the first gas homogenization region (hereinafter referred to as the first through-hole 311A) is smaller than the size of the gas outlet end of the gas homogenization hole in the second gas homogenization region (hereinafter referred to as the second through-hole 311B).

[0047] By providing the first distance measuring module 41 in the second gas homogenization region, the number of second through holes 311B decreases, and as a result, the gas flow rate in the second gas homogenization region decreases accordingly. In this embodiment, by setting the size of the gas outlet end of the second through hole 311B to be larger than the size of the gas outlet end of the first through hole 311A, the gas flow rate in the second gas homogenization region can be increased to compensate, thereby improving the uniformity of the gas flow rate of the gas homogenization plate 31. As an example, the first through-hole 311A ​​in the first gas homogenization region is a straight hole, and the second through-hole 311B in the second gas homogenization region includes a straight hole section and a variable-diameter hole section arranged sequentially from the gas inlet end to the gas outlet end, wherein the diameter of the straight hole section is basically equal to the diameter of the first through-hole 311A, and the variable-diameter hole section is, for example, an outwardly expanding cone, and as a result the size of the gas outlet end of the second through-hole 311B is larger than the size of the gas outlet end of the first through-hole 311A. Of course, in actual applications, the second through-hole 311B in the second gas homogenization region may be a cone as a whole, or a through-hole of any other shape, as long as the gas outlet end of the second through-hole 311B is an outwardly expanding cone shape so as to increase the gas flow rate in the second gas homogenization region.

[0048] In one embodiment, the first gas homogenization region includes an inner ring gas homogenization region and an outer ring gas homogenization region, and the second gas homogenization region is an intermediate ring gas homogenization region, the intermediate ring gas homogenization region is provided surrounding the inner ring gas homogenization region, and the outer ring gas homogenization region is provided surrounding the intermediate ring gas homogenization region.

[0049] For example, with the dotted circle in Figure 4 as the boundary, the multiple gas homogenization holes 311 include a first through-hole 311A ​​evenly distributed in the inner ring gas homogenization region, a second through-hole 311B evenly distributed in the intermediate ring gas homogenization region, and a third through-hole 311C evenly distributed in the outer ring gas homogenization region. Of these, the first through-hole 311A ​​and the third through-hole 311C are linear holes as shown in Figure 5, and the second through-hole 311B is a conical shape that extends outward and is located at one end of the bottom surface of the gas homogenization plate 31 as shown in Figure 6, and the first distance measuring module 41 is provided in the intermediate ring gas homogenization region. Figure 4 shows three gas homogenization regions, namely the inner ring gas homogenization region, the intermediate ring gas homogenization region, and the outer ring gas homogenization region. Those skilled in the art should understand that it is possible to implement this with more or fewer gas homogenization regions.

[0050] The provision of the first distance measuring module 41 reduces the number of second through-holes 311B, and as a result, the gas flow rate in the intermediate ring gas homogenization region decreases accordingly. In this embodiment, by designing the outlet end of the second through-hole 311B in the intermediate ring gas homogenization region to be a conical shape that expands outward, the gas flow rate in the intermediate ring gas homogenization region can be increased to compensate, thereby improving the uniformity of the gas flow rate in the gas homogenization plate 31.

[0051] In one embodiment, the present disclosure provides an embodiment in which a mounting platform 20 is driven up and down by a first drive source. Continuing with reference to Figure 2, the mounting platform 20 may include a mounting plate 21 and a support base 22, the support base 22 being movably connected to the bottom plate 12 of the chamber body 10 by passing through the bottom plate 12. For example, the support base 22 may be connected to the bottom plate 12 via a bellows, which can ensure sealing within the chamber body 10 by sealing the through-hole in the bottom plate 12 through which the support base 22 passes. The mounting plate 21 is provided on the upper surface of the support base 22. The first drive source 51 is located outside the chamber body 10 and is used to drive the support base 22 to raise and lower the mounting plate 21.

[0052] In one embodiment, the mounting platform 20 further includes a mounting plate 24 connected to a portion of a support base 22 located outside the chamber body 10. A first drive source 51 is used to drive the mounting plate to raise and lower the mounting plate 21.

[0053] As an example, the process chamber may further include a fixed plate 60 provided outside the chamber body 10, for example, the fixed plate 60 may be provided on the bottom surface of the bottom plate 12 of the chamber body 10. The fixed plate 60 is provided with a vertically extending slide groove (not shown), and the mounting platform 20 further includes a slider 23 that engages with this slide groove, the slider 23 being connected to a mounting plate 24, including, but not limited to, cases where the slider 23 is directly connected to the mounting plate 24, or where the slider 23 is indirectly connected to the mounting plate 24 via some connecting component. The first drive source 51 is used to drive the mounting platform 20 up and down relative to the slide groove, for example, the driving force of the first drive source 51 may act on the slider 23, on the mounting plate 24, or on both the slider 23 and the mounting plate 24, and is not limited to, in this embodiment.

[0054] In one embodiment, the present disclosure further provides a solution for adjusting the horizontality of a mounting platform 20. So-called horizontality refers to the degree of deviation of the mounting surface of the mounting platform 20 from the horizontal plane. Referring to Figures 2 and 7, the mounting platform 20 may further include a connecting bracket 70, a first horizontality adjustment mechanism 110, and a second horizontality adjustment mechanism 120, the first horizontality adjustment mechanism 110 being connected to one end of the mounting plate 24 and the connecting bracket 70, respectively, and used to adjust the horizontality of the support base 22 in a first direction (Y direction) via the mounting plate 24, the horizontality referring to the degree of deviation of the upper surface of the support base 22 in the Y direction from the horizontal plane. The second horizontal adjustment mechanism 120 is connected to the slider 23 and the other end of the connecting bracket 70, respectively, and is used to adjust the horizontality of the support base 22 in a second direction (X direction) via the connecting bracket 70, where the horizontality refers to the degree of deviation of the upper surface of the support base 22 in the X direction relative to the horizontal plane, and the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction. The first drive source 51 may also be connected to the slider 23, that is, the force of the first drive source 51 is applied to the slider 23 to drive the slider 23 up and down relative to the slide groove of the fixed plate 60, and the slider 23 moves the mounting plate 24 up and down. The first drive source 51 may also be connected to the mounting plate 24, that is, the force of the first drive source 51 is applied to the mounting plate 24 to drive the slider 23 up and down relative to the slide groove of the fixed plate 60 via the mounting plate 24.

[0055] In this embodiment, the first horizontal adjustment mechanism 110 and the second horizontal adjustment mechanism 120 are connected via a connecting bracket 70. The first horizontal adjustment mechanism 110 is connected to the mounting plate 24 and can directly adjust the horizontality of the mounting platform 20 in the Y direction. The second horizontal adjustment mechanism 120 indirectly drives the mounting platform 20 via the connecting bracket 70 and adjusts the horizontality of the mounting platform 20 in the X direction. Furthermore, the mounting plate 24, the first horizontal adjustment mechanism 110, the connecting bracket 70, and the second horizontal adjustment mechanism 120 are all directly or indirectly connected to the slider 23 and can be raised and lowered as a whole by the action of the first drive source 51. This embodiment cleverly integrates a horizontal calibration structure and a gap calibration structure, and both the structure and control are relatively simple.

[0056] As an example, the first horizontal adjustment mechanism 110 includes a second drive source 52 and at least two second distance measuring modules 43 arranged along a first direction (i.e., the Y direction) on the upper surface of the mounting plate 24, each second distance measuring module 43 used to measure a second distance between itself and the base plate 12. The following description will use an example in which two second distance measuring modules 43 are installed and are symmetrical with respect to the X axis.

[0057] The second drive source 52 is provided on the connecting bracket 70 and connected to the mounting plate 24. For example, the second drive source 52 may be connected to the mounting plate 24 via the X rotation axis 521, and the second drive source 52 can drive the mounting plate 24 to swing around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate 24 (i.e., the axial center line of the X rotation axis 521) parallel to the second direction (i.e., the X direction) according to the second distances Y1, Y2 measured by the two second distance measuring modules 43, thereby rotating the support base 22 to adjust the horizontality of the support base 22 in the first direction (Y direction). For example, if the second distance Y1 measured by the second distance measuring module 43 on the left side of Figure 7 is greater than the second distance Y2 measured by the second distance measuring module 43 on the right side, and the difference between the two distances exceeds a preset horizontal error value, it means that the position of the support base 22 corresponding to the second distance measuring module 43 on the left side is too low. In this case, the second drive source 52 can be controlled to drive the mounting plate 24 to swing around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate 24, which is parallel to the X direction. During the swinging process, the second distance Y1 decreases and the second distance Y2 increases, thereby maintaining the mounting platform 20 horizontal in the Y direction.

[0058] As an example, the second horizontal adjustment mechanism 120 may include a third drive source 53 and at least two third distance measuring modules 42 arranged on the upper surface of the mounting plate 24 along a second direction (i.e., the X direction), each third distance measuring module 42 used to measure a third distance between itself and the base plate 12. The following explanation will describe an example in which two third distance measuring modules 42 are installed and are symmetrical with respect to the Y axis.

[0059] The third drive source 53 is provided on the slider 23 and connected to the other end of the connecting bracket 70. For example, the third drive source 53 may be connected to the connecting bracket 70 via the Y rotation axis 531, and the third drive source 53 drives the mounting plate 24 via the connecting bracket 70 to swing around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate 24 parallel to the first direction (Y direction) (i.e., the axial center line of the Y rotation axis 531) according to the third distances X1 and X2 measured by the two third distance measuring modules 42, thereby rotating the support base 22 relative to the bottom plate 12 (with the connection between the two as the pivot point) to adjust the horizontality of the support base 22 in the second direction (X direction). The principle of adjusting the horizontality in the X direction of the third drive source 53 is the same as the principle of adjusting the horizontality in the Y direction of the second drive source 52 described above and will not be explained in detail in this embodiment.

[0060] As some examples, in this embodiment, the first drive source 51, the second drive source 52, and the third drive source 53 may be servo motors. For example, the first drive source 51 is a Z-axis servo motor, the second drive source 52 is a servo motor that rotates around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate 24 parallel to the X direction (i.e., the axial center line of the X rotation axis 521), and will be hereinafter referred to as the X-axis servo motor, and the third drive source 53 is a servo motor that rotates around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate 24 parallel to the Y direction (i.e., the axial center line of the Y rotation axis 531), and will be hereinafter referred to as the Y-axis servo motor. For example, the control process for the second drive source 52 to drive the mounting plate 24 so that it swings around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate 24 parallel to the X direction (i.e., the axial center line of the X rotation axis 521) may be as follows. When the X-axis servo motor rotates forward, the feed rate increases, and the mounting plate 24 is driven to move in the -Y direction (i.e., the second distance Y1 decreases and the second distance Y2 increases). When the servo motor rotates in reverse, the feed rate decreases, and the mounting plate 24 is driven to move in the +Y direction (i.e., the second distance Y1 increases and the second distance Y2 decreases). Of course, forward rotation of the servo motor can also correspond to a decrease in the feed rate, and reverse rotation to an increase in the feed rate. The second distance measuring module 43 and the third distance measuring module 42 may be CCD distance measuring sensors.

[0061] In this embodiment, the second distance measuring module 43 and the third distance measuring module 42 are provided on the upper surface of the mounting plate 24 and measure the second and third distances correspondingly between themselves and the bottom plate 12. The second drive source 52 and the third drive source 53 are connected via a connecting bracket 70. The second drive source 52 is connected to the mounting plate 24 and can directly adjust the horizontality of the mounting platform 20 in the Y direction according to the second distance. The third drive source 53 indirectly drives the mounting platform 20 via the connecting bracket 70 and can adjust the horizontality of the mounting platform 20 in the X direction according to the third distance. Furthermore, the mounting plate 24, the second drive source 52, the connecting bracket 70, and the third drive source 53 are all directly or indirectly connected to the slider 23 and can be raised and lowered as a whole by the action of the first drive source 51. In this embodiment, the first horizontal adjustment mechanism 110 and the second horizontal adjustment mechanism 120 are cleverly designed and the gap calibration structure is integrated, making the connection and control of the overall structure relatively simple.

[0062] Referring to Figure 8, which is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, it is applicable to the process chamber of the above embodiment. Taking the case in which the process chamber includes two deposition process positions ST1 and ST2 as an example, the control system can control the two deposition process positions ST1 and ST2 individually, before and after each other, without affecting each other. In this embodiment, the control of deposition process position ST1 will be explained as an example.

[0063] The control system 100 includes a gap control module 101 and a levelness control module 102. When the host machine 200 sends an operation command to the levelness control module 102 of the control system 100, the levelness control module 102 controls the second distance measuring module 43 and the third distance measuring module 42 to measure the second distance and the third distance, respectively, and calculates the levelness in the Y and X directions. If it is determined that levelness adjustment is necessary, for example, if it is determined that levelness adjustment in the Y direction is necessary, the levelness control module 102 controls and operates the second drive source 52 to adjust the levelness of the mounting platform in the Y direction until the current levelness calculated in real time meets the standard. When the host machine 200 sends an operation command to the gap control module 101 of the control system, the gap control module 101 controls the first distance measuring module 41 to measure the first distance and calculate the current gap value. If it is determined that the gap size needs to be adjusted, the gap control module 101 controls and operates the first drive source 51 to adjust the raising and lowering of the mounting platform 20 until the current gap value, calculated in real time, meets the standard.

[0064] Embodiments of this disclosure further provide semiconductor processing apparatuses including process chambers described in each of the embodiments described above. For example, the semiconductor processing apparatus may be a plasma-excited chemical vapor deposition apparatus or a plasma etching apparatus. The corresponding operating principles and processes of the semiconductor processing apparatuses of these embodiments will not be described in detail here, as they can be found in the descriptions of the process chambers in the embodiments described above.

[0065] Based on the process chambers described in each of the embodiments above, embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a method for calibrating a mounting platform. Referring to Figure 9, Figure 9 is a schematic flowchart of a gap calibration method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the gap calibration process may include the following steps S110 to S130.

[0066] S110: The first distance measuring module 41 is controlled to measure a first distance between itself and the wafer on the mounting platform 20.

[0067] S120: The gap value between the shower assembly and the wafer is calculated according to the first distance, and the first absolute value of the difference between the gap value and the preset gap target value is calculated.

[0068] S130: If the first absolute value is greater than the preset lower limit of the gap error and less than or equal to the preset upper limit of the gap error, the first drive source 51 is controlled to drive the mounting platform 20 up or down, and the process returns to S110 until the first absolute value is less than or equal to the preset lower limit of the gap error.

[0069] The gap value between the shower assembly and the wafer is given by G = L - T', where L is the first distance measured by the first distance measuring module 41, and T' is the thickness of the gas homogenization plate 31, which is a fixed value. Therefore, measuring the first distance L is equivalent to indirectly obtaining the G value. For the sake of explanation, it should be understood that the measurement of the G value by the first distance measuring module 41 will be explained directly below.

[0070] After measuring the G value, the G value can be compared with a preset gap target value G0. Specifically, the first absolute value ΔG = |G - G0| is calculated, and the first absolute value ΔG is the preset lower limit of the gap error (G min If the value is less than or equal to (G), it means that the G value is within the standard range. The first absolute value ΔG is greater than the preset lower limit of the gap error, and the preset upper limit of the gap error (G max If the value is less than or equal to ΔG≦G, it means that the G value is outside the standard range, and ΔG≦G min The first drive source 51 can be controlled to drive the mounting platform 20 up or down until that point is reached.

[0071] Furthermore, the following step S140 may be included after S120.

[0072] S140: If the first absolute value ΔG is greater than the preset upper limit of the gap error, the process chamber is determined to be abnormal, and abnormal event processing is performed on the process chamber.

[0073] For the pre-process calibration process, the distance L between the initial position of the mounting platform 20 and the shower head 30, and the wafer thickness T are constant, so the control accuracy of the distance D by which the mounting platform 20 rises is also relatively high. After preliminary setup and calibration, ΔG > G max This indicates that the Gap value at this time is significantly different from G0, allowing for a preliminary determination that there is an abnormality in the process chamber, such as the presence of particles or foreign matter on the mounting platform. At this point, the process chamber can be opened for inspection or cleaned. The same process can be performed if the Gap value suddenly deviates significantly from G0 during a similar process.

[0074] Referring to Figure 10, which is a schematic flowchart of another gap calibration method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the semiconductor processing apparatus includes two deposition process positions ST1 and ST2, each deposition process position is provided with three first distance measuring modules 41, the preset gap target value is G0, the preset gap error lower limit is Gmin = 0.1 mm, and the preset gap error upper limit is Gmax = 0.5 mm. The gap calibration method includes the following steps S111 to S217.

[0075] S111: Control three first distance measuring modules 41 at two deposition process locations ST1 and ST2 to measure the corresponding G values, the three G values ​​at deposition process location ST1 being G11, G12, and G13, and the three G values ​​at deposition process location ST2 being G21, G22, and G23, respectively. Calculate the average value G1 and the first absolute value ΔG1=|G1-G0| for G11, G12, and G13 at deposition process location ST1, and calculate the average value G2 and the first absolute value ΔG2=|G2-G0| for G21, G22, and G23 at deposition process location ST2.

[0076] S112: If |G1 - G0| > 0.1, enter the gap calibration process for the deposition process position ST1; otherwise, execute S212.

[0077] S113: If G1 - G0 > 0 and 0.1 < G1 - G0 ≤ 0.5, control the Z-axis servo motor of the deposition process position ST1 to rotate forward; if G1 - G0 > 0 and G1 - G0 > 0.5, execute S115; if G1 - G0 < 0 and -0.5 ≤ G1 - G0 < -0.1, execute S116; if G1 - G0 < 0 and G1 - G0 < -0.5, execute S117.

[0078] S114: End the gap calibration process for the deposition process position ST1 and return to S112.

[0079] S115: Open the chamber for inspection and end the entire calibration process.

[0080] S116: Control the Z-axis servo motor of the deposition process position ST1 to rotate in reverse and return to S114.

[0081] S117: Execute the chamber cleaning process and return to S113.

[0082] S212: If |G2 - G0| > 0.1, enter the gap calibration process for the deposition process position ST2; otherwise, end the entire calibration process.

[0083] S213: If G2 - G0 > 0 and 0.1 < G2 - G0 ≤ 0.5, control the Z-axis servo motor of the deposition process position ST2 to rotate forward; if G2 - G0 > 0 and G2 - G0 > 0.5, execute S215; if G2 - G0 < 0 and -0.5 ≤ G2 - G0 < -0.1, execute S216; if G2 - G0 < 0 and G2 - G0 < -0.5, execute S217.

[0084] S214: End the gap calibration process for the deposition process position ST2 and return to S212.

[0085] S215: Open the chamber and inspect it to complete the entire calibration process.

[0086] S216: Control the Z-axis servo motor of the deposition process position ST2 to reverse direction, and return to S214.

[0087] S217: Perform the chamber cleaning process and return to S213.

[0088] In one embodiment, the horizontality of the mounting platform 20 may be calibrated before the start of the process and before performing gap calibration. Referring to Figure 11, Figure 11 is a schematic flowchart of a horizontality calibration method in a first direction (i.e., the Y direction) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the horizontality calibration process comprising the following steps S310 to S330.

[0089] S310: The second distance measuring module 43 is controlled to measure the second distance between itself and the base plate 12.

[0090] S320: Calculate the second absolute value of the difference between the second distances measured by the second distance measuring module 43.

[0091] S330: If the second absolute value is greater than a preset horizontal error value, the second drive source 52 is controlled to drive the mounting plate 24 so that it swings around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate 24 parallel to the second direction (i.e., the X direction), and the process returns to S310 until the second absolute value becomes less than or equal to the preset horizontal error value.

[0092] For example, if two second distance measuring modules 43 are provided symmetrically on both sides of the X-axis, let the second distances measured by the two second distance measuring modules 43 be Y1 and Y2, respectively. Next, the second absolute value ΔY = |Y2 - Y1|, which is the difference between the two second distances Y1 and Y2, is calculated. If the second absolute value ΔY is greater than a preset horizontal error value δ, it means that the mounting platform 20 is tilted in the Y direction and calibration is required. The second drive source 52 can be controlled until the recalculated ΔY ≤ δ to drive the mounting plate 24 to swing around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate 24 which is parallel to the X direction.

[0093] Similarly, the mounting platform 20 may be calibrated for horizontality in a second direction (i.e., the X direction), which may be performed before S310 or after S330. Referring to Figure 12, Figure 12 is a schematic flowchart of a method for horizontality calibration in a second direction according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, which may include the following steps S510 to S530.

[0094] S510: Control the third distance measuring module 42 to measure the third distance between itself and the base plate 12. S520: Calculate the third absolute value of the difference between the third distances measured by the third distance measurement module 42. S530: If the third absolute value is greater than a preset horizontal error value, the third drive source 53 is controlled to drive the mounting plate 24 so that it swings around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate 24 which is parallel to the Y direction, and the process returns to S510 until the third absolute value is less than or equal to the preset horizontal error value.

[0095] For example, if two third distance measuring modules 42 are provided symmetrically on either side of the Y-axis, let the third distances measured by the two third distance measuring modules 42 be X1 and X2, respectively. Then, the second absolute value ΔX = |X2 - X1|, which is the difference between the two second distances X1 and X2, is calculated. If the second absolute value ΔX is greater than a preset horizontal error value δ, it means that the mounting platform 20 is tilted in the X direction and calibration is required. The third drive source 53 can be controlled to drive the mounting plate 24 to swing around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate 24, which is parallel to the Y direction, until ΔX ≤ δ is recalculated.

[0096] Referring to Figure 13, which is a schematic flowchart of a horizontality calibration method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the semiconductor processing apparatus includes one deposition process position, two second distance measuring modules 43 and two third distance measuring modules 42 are all CCD distance measuring sensors, the horizontal error value δ is preset to 0.1 mm, and the horizontality calibration method includes the following steps S311 to S415.

[0097] S311: Control four CCD distance measuring sensors to measure two second distances Y1 and Y2, and two third distances X1 and X2, respectively, and calculate the second absolute value ΔY = |Y2 - Y1| and the third absolute value ΔX = |X2 - X1|.

[0098] S312: If ΔY > 0.1, proceed to the horizontality calibration process in the Y direction; otherwise, execute S412.

[0099] S313: If Y1 > Y2, control the Y-axis servo motor to rotate in the forward direction; otherwise, execute S314.

[0100] S314: Control the Y-axis servo motor to reverse direction.

[0101] S315: The horizontal adjustment process in the Y-axis direction is completed, and the process returns to S312.

[0102] S412: If ΔX > 0.1, enter the horizontality calibration process in the X direction; otherwise, terminate the entire horizontality calibration process.

[0103] S413: If X1 > X2, control the X-axis servo motor to rotate in the forward direction; otherwise, execute S414.

[0104] S414: Control the X-axis servo motor to reverse direction.

[0105] S415: The horizontal adjustment process in the X direction is completed, and the process returns to S412.

[0106] Furthermore, the gap calibration process and horizontal calibration process of each of the embodiments described above in this disclosure can not only automatically perform horizontal debugging and gap debugging before the process, but can also specifically improve application scenarios such as the wafer picking process and wafer placing process of the machine, as follows:

[0107] Application Scenario 1: When debugging the gap of the mounting platform 20, it is no longer necessary to manually adjust the horizontality using the horizontality adjustment tool AGS. Gap debugging can be performed simply by executing the gap calibration process, measuring the first distance with the first distance measuring module 41, and controlling the raising and lowering of the mounting platform 20 with the first drive source 51. By applying this automated process, errors caused by manual debugging are reduced, the need to repeatedly open the chamber is eliminated, and debugging work is simplified.

[0108] Application Scenario 2: When the process is performed in a process chamber, a gap calibration process and a horizontality calibration process can be performed to achieve real-time wafer horizontality calibration and real-time gap value calibration, ensuring the process deposition rate and uniformity of the thin film within and between wafers. For example, when the process starts, the mounting platform 20 is in its lowest position. At this time, the horizontality calibration process is performed to ensure that the mounting platform 20 is horizontal, then the gap value is set, the mounting platform 20 is controlled to rise to the set value, the horizontality calibration process is performed again, and finally the gap calibration process is performed, ensuring that the wafer horizontality meets the requirements and the actual gap value is within the error range of the set value in each process.

[0109] Application Scenario 3: In existing wafer picking processes, first the mounting platform 20 is lowered to its lowest point, at least three ejector pins 25 automatically lift the wafer, then the valve of the process chamber is opened, and a robot arm enters the chamber from a low position to perform the wafer picking operation. If the mounting platform 20 itself is not horizontal, or if the heights of at least three ejector pins 25 are not aligned, the wafer may be misaligned, preventing the robot arm from picking the wafer or causing the robot fingers to collide with the wafer. By utilizing the two calibration processes of the embodiments of this disclosure, when picking a wafer, first a horizontality adjustment process can be performed, and then the mounting platform 20 can be controlled to be lowered to its lowest point, at which point D=0 and G=L. Subsequently, a first distance measured by the first distance measuring module 41 is used to determine whether the wafer is horizontal or not. If |G-G0| ≤ 0.1 mm, the wafer is considered horizontal and the robot arm picks the wafer normally. If 0.1 mm < |G-G0| ≤ 0.5 mm, the horizontality adjustment process is performed to make |G-G0| ≤ 0.1 mm, and the robot arm performs the wafer picking operation again. If |G-G0| > 0.5 mm, the wafer picking operation is canceled, the chamber is opened, and the status of the heater and at least three ejector pins 25 is checked.

[0110] Application Scenario 4: In existing wafer placing processes, the mounting platform 20 is lowered to its lowest point, at least three ejector pins 25 are raised, the gate valve is opened, and a robotic arm enters the chamber from a high position while carrying the wafer to perform the wafer placing operation. In Application Scenario 3, if the height of at least three ejector pins 25 is not aligned during the wafer picking process, and the horizontality of the mounting platform 20 does not meet the requirements, after wafer placing is complete, the mounting platform 20 may rise directly, causing the wafer to fall onto the non-horizontal surface of the mounting platform 20, resulting in misalignment. To address this problem, the horizontality adjustment process in the embodiments of this disclosure is optimized as follows: When placing a wafer on the machine, the mounting platform 20 is lowered to its lowest point, the horizontality adjustment process is performed, and then the gate valve is opened, and a robotic arm enters the chamber from a high position while carrying the wafer to perform the wafer placing operation. This ensures that the wafer falls onto a horizontal heater surface and prevents wafer slippage.

[0111] While the calibration methods for the process chamber, semiconductor processing apparatus, and mounting platform relating to this disclosure have been described in detail above, this specification uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and embodiments of this disclosure. Note that each example in this disclosure has its own emphasis, and for parts not described or explained in detail in one example, relevant descriptions in other examples may be referenced.

[0112] Each technical feature of the technical solution provided in this disclosure can be combined in any way, and for the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of each technical feature in the above embodiments will be described. However, as long as there is no inconsistency in these combinations of technical features, they should be considered to fall within the scope described in this disclosure.

[0113] The foregoing are merely preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and do not limit the scope of the patents of the present disclosure. Any equivalent structure or equivalent flow transformation, or any direct or indirect use of the specifications and drawings of the present disclosure, is also included within the scope of the patent protection of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A process chamber comprising a chamber body and at least one process position provided within the chamber body, wherein each process position includes a mounting platform movably connected to the chamber body and a shower assembly provided above the mounting platform, and the process chamber is The shower assembly is provided with at least one first distance measuring module for measuring a first distance between itself and a wafer on the aforementioned placement platform, A process chamber further comprising: a first drive source connected to the mounting platform for driving the mounting platform up and down according to a first distance.

2. The aforementioned shower assembly is The process chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of gas homogenization holes communicating with the inside of the chamber body are provided inside, and the process chamber includes a transparent portion, the transparent portion is provided so as to avoid the gas homogenization holes, and the first distance measuring module includes a gas homogenization plate provided so as to correspond one-to-one with the transparent portion.

3. The aforementioned shower assembly is The process chamber according to claim 2, further comprising a seal cover that covers the gas homogenization plate and forms a gas homogenization cavity between itself and the gas homogenization plate, wherein the seal cover is provided with intake holes for introducing gas into the gas homogenization cavity, and all of the plurality of gas homogenization holes communicate with the gas homogenization cavity.

4. The process chamber according to claim 3, wherein the shower assembly further includes an isolation pipe provided within the gas homogenization cavity, the isolation pipe having an inlet end and an outlet end corresponding one-to-one with at least one of the first distance measuring modules, the outlet end being positioned such that the corresponding first distance measuring module is covered within the isolation pipe, the seal cover further having a connection hole, the inlet end being provided in the connection hole, and the isolation pipe being used to house the cable of the first distance measuring module.

5. The gas homogenization plate includes at least two gas homogenization regions, the at least two gas homogenization regions including a first gas homogenization region where the first distance measuring module is not provided, and a second gas homogenization region where the first distance measuring module is provided. The process chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that the size of the gas outlet end of the gas homogenization hole in the first gas homogenization region is smaller than the size of the gas outlet end of the gas homogenization hole in the second gas homogenization region.

6. The gas homogenization holes within the first gas homogenization region are linear holes. The process chamber according to claim 5, characterized in that the gas outlet end of the gas homogenization hole in the second gas homogenization region is an outwardly expanding conical shape.

7. The first gas homogenization region includes an inner ring gas homogenization region and an outer ring gas homogenization region, and the second gas homogenization region is an intermediate ring gas homogenization region. The process chamber according to claim 5, characterized in that the intermediate ring gas homogenization region is provided surrounding the inner ring gas homogenization region, and the outer ring gas homogenization region is provided surrounding the intermediate ring gas homogenization region.

8. The mounting platform includes a mounting plate and a support base, the support base being movably connected to the bottom plate of the chamber body by penetrating the bottom plate of the chamber body, and the mounting plate being provided on the upper surface of the support base. The process chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first drive source is located outside the chamber body and drives the support base to raise and lower the aforementioned mounting plate.

9. The chamber body further includes a fixing plate provided on the outside of the chamber body, the fixing plate being provided with a sliding groove extending in the vertical direction. The mounting platform further includes a mounting plate connected to the portion of the support base located outside the chamber body, and a slider that engages with the slide groove, the slider being connected to the mounting plate, The process chamber according to claim 8, wherein the first drive source is connected to the slider and / or the mounting plate such that the slider moves up and down along the slide groove.

10. The aforementioned mounting platform includes a connecting bracket and A first horizontal adjustment mechanism is connected to one end of the mounting plate and the connecting bracket, respectively, for adjusting the horizontality of the support base in a first direction via the mounting plate, The system further includes a second horizontal adjustment mechanism connected to the slider and the other end of the connecting bracket, respectively, for adjusting the horizontality of the support base in a second direction via the connecting bracket, The process chamber according to claim 9, characterized in that the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

11. The first horizontal adjustment mechanism is, At least two second distance measuring modules arranged along the first direction on the upper surface of the mounting plate, the second distance measuring modules for measuring the second distance between themselves and the bottom plate, A second drive source provided on the connecting bracket and connected to the mounting plate, for driving the mounting plate to swing around a horizontal axis of the mounting plate parallel to the second direction according to the second distance, and / or The second horizontal adjustment mechanism is, At least two third distance measuring modules arranged along the second direction on the upper surface of the mounting plate, the third distance measuring module for measuring the third distance between itself and the bottom plate, The process chamber according to claim 10, further comprising: a third drive source provided on the slider and connected to the other end of the connecting bracket, for driving the mounting plate to swing around a horizontal axis of the mounting plate parallel to the first direction via the connecting bracket according to the third distance.

12. A semiconductor processing apparatus characterized by comprising a process chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A method for calibrating a mounting platform based on a process chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a gap calibration process, wherein the gap calibration process is: The steps include controlling the first distance measuring module to measure a first distance between itself and a wafer on the aforementioned platform, The steps include: calculating the gap value between the shower assembly and the wafer according to the first distance, and calculating the first absolute value of the difference between the gap value and a preset gap target value; A method for calibrating a mounting platform, comprising the steps of: if the first absolute value is greater than a preset lower limit of gap error and less than or equal to a preset upper limit of gap error, controlling the first drive source to drive the mounting platform up or down, and then controlling the first distance measuring module to measure a first distance between itself and a wafer on the mounting platform until the first absolute value is less than or equal to the preset lower limit of gap error.

14. After the step of calculating the gap value between the shower assembly and the wafer according to the first distance, and calculating the first absolute value of the difference between the gap value and a preset gap target value, The method for calibrating a mounting platform according to claim 13, further comprising the step of determining that the process chamber is abnormal if the first absolute value is greater than a preset upper limit of gap error.

15. Prior to the gap calibration process, the process further includes a horizontality calibration process, the horizontality calibration process is: The steps include controlling the second distance measuring module to measure the second distance between itself and the base plate, The steps include calculating the second absolute value of the difference between the second distances measured by the second distance measuring module, A method for calibrating a mounting platform according to claim 13, comprising the steps of: if the second absolute value is greater than a preset horizontal error value, controlling a second drive source to drive the mounting plate to swing around a horizontal axis of the mounting plate parallel to the second direction, and then controlling the second distance measuring module to return to measuring the second distance between itself and the bottom plate until the second absolute value is less than or equal to the preset horizontal error value.

16. Before the step of controlling the second distance measuring module to measure the second distance between itself and the base plate, or, if the second absolute value is greater than a preset horizontal error value, after the step of controlling the second drive source to drive the mounting plate to swing around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate parallel to the second direction, and returning to controlling the second distance measuring module to measure the second distance between itself and the base plate until the second absolute value is less than or equal to the preset horizontal error value, The steps include controlling the third distance measuring module to measure the third distance between itself and the base plate, The steps include: calculating the third absolute value of the difference between the third distances measured by the third distance measuring module; The method further includes the steps of: if the third absolute value is greater than the preset horizontal error value, controlling the third drive source to drive the mounting plate to swing around the horizontal axis of the mounting plate parallel to the first direction, and controlling the third distance measuring module to measure the third distance between itself and the bottom plate until the third absolute value is less than or equal to the preset horizontal error value; The calibration method for a mounting platform according to claim 15, characterized in that the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

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