Wall member and plasma processing apparatus
The wall member design with a pipe member and strategically designed holes for cooling gas distribution addresses temperature differences in plasma processing apparatuses, ensuring uniform cooling and improved apparatus performance.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2025502338
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-02-21
- Filing Date
- 2024-02-16
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-14
- Estimated Expiration
- 2044-02-16
AI Technical Summary
Existing plasma processing apparatuses experience significant temperature differences along the circumferential direction of wall members due to uneven cooling by circulating cooling gas, leading to inefficiencies and potential material degradation.
A wall member design incorporating a pipe member with lower thermal conductivity than the main body, featuring a second cavity for cooling gas flow and strategically positioned holes to evenly distribute cooling gas, reducing temperature differences by adjusting hole size and spacing to maintain uniform temperature across the wall member.
The solution effectively suppresses temperature variations along the circumferential direction of the wall member, enhancing cooling efficiency and reducing material stress, thereby improving the apparatus's performance and longevity.
Smart Images

Figure 0007770611000001 
Figure 0007770611000002 
Figure 0007770611000003
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a wall member and a plasma processing apparatus. [Background technology]
[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for thermally isolating the main vessel and the protective plate by placing a protective plate with a heat transfer medium flow path inside the side wall of the main vessel that forms the processing chamber, and filling the space between the inner surface of the side wall and the protective plate with an insulating material. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-124362 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] The present disclosure provides a technique for suppressing the temperature difference in the circumferential direction of a wall member. [Means for solving the problem]
[0005] A wall member according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a wall member body and a pipe member. The wall member body is disposed in a circumferential direction of a processing vessel and is configured to form a first cavity therein along the circumferential direction. The pipe member is disposed within the first cavity and is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the wall member body. The pipe member is configured to form a second cavity therein for flowing a cooling gas, and to form at least one hole configured to communicate the first cavity with the second cavity. [Effects of the Invention]
[0006] According to the present disclosure, the temperature difference in the circumferential direction of the wall member can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing an example of a cross section of a shutter mechanism in the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the shutter mechanism in the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a pipe member according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the valve body in the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the flow of dry air within the cavity of the valve body in the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the flow of dry air within the cavity of the valve body in the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a side wall of a chamber in the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the disclosed wall member and plasma processing apparatus will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the disclosed technology is not limited to the following embodiments.
[0009] For example, a conventional technique could be used to form a flow path (cavity) along the circumferential direction inside the wall member of the chamber, and circulate a cooling gas such as dry air through the flow path to cool the wall member. However, when cooling is performed by circulating a cooling gas through the flow path, the wall member is cooled more strongly by the cooling gas near the inlet of the flow path where the cooling gas flows in, and the temperature of the cooling gas in the flow path increases and the cooling weakens as the wall member moves away from the inlet, resulting in a large temperature difference in the circumferential direction. Therefore, it is hoped that a method can be developed to suppress the temperature difference in the circumferential direction of the wall member.
[0010] [Configuration of plasma processing device] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a plasma processing apparatus according to an embodiment. In FIG. 1, the plasma processing apparatus 1 is configured as a capacitively coupled parallel plate plasma etching apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus 1 includes a chamber 10. The chamber 10 is made of, for example, aluminum whose surface has been anodized (anodized) and is cylindrical. The chamber 10 is safety grounded, although this is not a limitation. The plasma processing apparatus 1 is not limited to a capacitively coupled parallel plate plasma etching apparatus, and may be any type of plasma processing apparatus, such as an inductively coupled plasma (ICP), microwave plasma, or magnetron plasma.
[0011] A susceptor 13 is disposed within the chamber 10. A cylindrical susceptor support 12 is disposed at the bottom of the chamber 10 via an insulating plate 11 made of ceramic or the like. The susceptor 13 is disposed on the susceptor support 12. The susceptor 13 is made of a conductive material such as aluminum and functions as a lower electrode. A substrate to be etched, such as a semiconductor wafer W, is placed on the susceptor 13.
[0012] An electrostatic chuck (ESC) 14 is disposed on the upper surface of the susceptor 13 to hold the wafer W by electrostatic attraction. The electrostatic chuck 14 comprises an electrode plate 15 made of a conductive film and a pair of insulating layers sandwiching the electrode plate 15, the insulating layers being made of a dielectric material such as Y2O3, Al2O3, or AlN. The electrode plate 15 is electrically connected to a DC power supply 16 via a connection terminal. The electrostatic chuck 14 attracts and holds the wafer W by Coulomb force or Johnsen-Rahbek force resulting from a DC voltage applied by the DC power supply 16.
[0013] Furthermore, a plurality of pusher pins (e.g., three) are arranged as lift pins that can be freely protruded and retracted from the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 14 at a portion of the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 14 where the wafer W is attracted and held. These pusher pins are connected to a motor (not shown) via a ball screw (not shown). The pusher pins freely protrude from the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 14 due to the rotational motion of the motor, which is converted into linear motion by the ball screw. As a result, the pusher pins penetrate the electrostatic chuck 14 and the susceptor 13 and move up and down in the internal space. When the electrostatic chuck 14 attracts and holds the wafer W during etching processing of the wafer W, the pusher pins are housed in the electrostatic chuck 14. When the etched wafer W is to be removed from the plasma processing space 10s, the pusher pins protrude from the electrostatic chuck 14 and lift the wafer W upward while separating it from the electrostatic chuck 14.
[0014] An edge ring 17 made of, for example, silicon is disposed on the upper peripheral surface of the susceptor 13 to improve etching uniformity. A cover ring 54 is disposed around the edge ring 17 to protect the side of the edge ring 17. The sides of the susceptor 13 and susceptor support pedestal 12 are covered with a cylindrical member 18 made of, for example, quartz.
[0015] A coolant chamber 19 extending, for example, in the circumferential direction is disposed inside the susceptor support pedestal 12. A coolant, for example, cooling water, at a predetermined temperature is circulated and supplied to the coolant chamber 19 from an external chiller unit (not shown) via pipes 20a and 20b. The coolant chamber 19 controls the processing temperature of the wafer W on the susceptor 13 depending on the temperature of the coolant.
[0016] A heat transfer gas, for example, helium gas, is supplied from a heat transfer gas supply mechanism (not shown) through a gas supply line 21 between the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck 14 and the back surface of the wafer W. The heat transfer gas efficiently and uniformly controls the heat transfer between the wafer W and the susceptor 13.
[0017] The plasma processing apparatus 1 also includes a gas inlet. The gas inlet is configured to introduce at least one process gas into the chamber 10. The gas inlet includes a showerhead 22. The showerhead 22 is disposed above the susceptor 13. In one embodiment, the showerhead 22 forms at least a portion of the ceiling of the chamber 10. The chamber 10 has a plasma processing space 10s defined by the showerhead 22, a sidewall 10a of the chamber 10, and the susceptor 13. The chamber 10 is grounded. The showerhead 22 and the susceptor 13 are electrically insulated from the housing of the chamber 10.
[0018] The plasma processing apparatus 1 also includes a gas supply unit 40. The gas supply unit 40 supplies various processing gases used in plasma processing. The shower head 22 is configured to introduce at least one processing gas from the gas supply unit 40 into the plasma processing space 10s. The shower head 22 has at least one gas supply port 22a, at least one gas diffusion chamber 22b, and multiple gas inlets 22c. The processing gas supplied to the gas supply port 22a passes through the gas diffusion chamber 22b and is introduced into the plasma processing space 10s from the multiple gas inlets 22c. In addition to the shower head 22, the gas inlet may also include one or more side gas injectors (SGIs) attached to one or more openings formed in the sidewall 10a.
[0019] The gas supply unit 40 may include at least one gas source 41 and at least one flow controller 42. In one embodiment, the gas supply unit 40 is configured to supply at least one process gas from a corresponding gas source 41 to the showerhead 22 via a corresponding flow controller 42. Each flow controller 42 may include, for example, a mass flow controller or a pressure-controlled flow controller. Additionally, the gas supply unit 40 may include one or more flow modulation devices to modulate or pulse the flow rate of the at least one process gas.
[0020] The showerhead 22 includes at least one upper electrode. The upper electrode of the showerhead 22 is electrically connected to an upper high-frequency power supply 31 via an upper matching box 27. The upper matching box 27 is used to match the load impedance to the internal (or output) impedance of the upper high-frequency power supply 31. When etching the wafer W, the upper high-frequency power supply 31 supplies high-frequency power for plasma generation to the upper electrode of the showerhead 22 via the upper matching box 27. In one embodiment, the high-frequency power for plasma generation has a frequency in the range of 10 MHz to 150 MHz. In one embodiment, the upper high-frequency power supply 31 may be configured to generate multiple high-frequency powers having different frequencies. The upper matching box 27 functions to make the output impedance of the upper high-frequency power supply 31 appear to match the load impedance when plasma is generated in the chamber 10. The showerhead 22 may also be provided with a coolant chamber or a cooling jacket (not shown) to control the temperature of the electrode using a coolant supplied from an external chiller unit (not shown).
[0021] An exhaust port 46 is provided at the bottom of the chamber 10. An automatic pressure control valve (hereinafter referred to as the "APC valve") 48, which is a variable butterfly valve, and a turbo molecular pump (hereinafter referred to as the "TMP") 49 are connected to the exhaust port 46. The APC valve 48 and the TMP 49 work together to reduce the pressure in the plasma processing space 10s in the chamber 10 to a desired vacuum level. In addition, an annular baffle plate 50 with multiple ventilation holes is disposed between the exhaust port 46 and the plasma processing space 10s so as to surround the susceptor 13. The baffle plate 50 prevents plasma from leaking from the plasma processing space 10s to the exhaust port 46.
[0022] An opening 51 for loading and unloading a wafer W is provided in the sidewall 10a of the chamber 10, and a gate valve 52 for opening and closing the opening 51 is disposed therein. A first deposit shield 71 and a second deposit shield 72 are detachably mounted along the inner wall of the chamber 10. The first deposit shield 71 is an upper member of the deposit shield and is mounted above the opening 51 of the chamber 10. The second deposit shield 72 is a lower member of the deposit shield and is mounted below the baffle plate 50. The lower portion of the first deposit shield 71 closes the opening 51 by contacting the upper portion of a valve body 81 of a shutter mechanism 80 (described later). The first deposit shield 71 and the second deposit shield 72 may be formed, for example, by coating an aluminum material with a ceramic such as Y2O3. The lower portion of the first deposit shield 71 is coated with a conductive material, such as stainless steel or a nickel alloy, to enable electrical conduction with the valve body 81 it contacts.
[0023] The wafer W is loaded and unloaded by opening and closing the gate valve 52. However, because the gate valve 52 is located outside the chamber 10 (on the transfer chamber side), a space is formed in which the opening 51 protrudes toward the transfer chamber. Therefore, plasma generated in the chamber 10 diffuses into the space protruding toward the transfer chamber, resulting in poor plasma uniformity and deterioration of the sealing material of the gate valve 52. Therefore, the valve element 81 separates the first deposit shield 71 from the second deposit shield 72, thereby separating the opening 51 of the chamber 10 from the plasma processing space 10s. Furthermore, an elevation mechanism 82 that drives the valve element 81 is located, for example, below the second deposit shield 72. The valve element 81 is driven vertically by the elevation mechanism 82 to open and close the space between the first deposit shield 71 and the second deposit shield 72, i.e., the opening 51. The valve element 81 and the elevation mechanism 82 may be collectively referred to as a shutter mechanism 80. The first deposit shield 71, the second deposit shield 72, and the valve body 81 are examples of inner wall members of the chamber 10.
[0024] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, a lower RF power supply 59 is electrically connected to the susceptor 13 serving as a lower electrode via a lower matching box 58. When etching the wafer W, the lower RF power supply 59 supplies bias RF power to the susceptor 13 via the lower matching box 58. The bias RF power may have the same frequency as or different from the plasma generating RF power. In one embodiment, the bias RF power has a frequency lower than the plasma generating RF power. In one embodiment, the bias RF power has a frequency within a range of 100 kHz to 60 MHz. The lower matching box 58 is used to match the load impedance to the internal (or output) impedance of the lower RF power supply 59. The lower matching box 58 functions to make the internal impedance of the lower RF power supply 59 appear to match the load impedance when plasma is generated in the plasma processing space 10s in the chamber 10. A second lower RF power supply may be connected to the lower electrode.
[0025] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, a low-pass filter (LPF) 61 is electrically connected to the upper electrode of the shower head 22. The LPF 61 is configured to pass the high-frequency power from the lower high-frequency power supply 59 to ground without passing the high-frequency power from the upper high-frequency power supply 31 to ground. The LPF 61 is preferably configured as an LR filter or an LC filter. However, even a single conductor can provide a sufficiently large reactance to the high-frequency power from the upper high-frequency power supply 31. The LPF 61 may be configured by simply connecting a single conductor to the upper electrode of the shower head 22 instead of an LR filter or an LC filter. Meanwhile, a high-pass filter (HPF) 62 is electrically connected to the susceptor 13 to pass the high-frequency power from the upper high-frequency power supply 31 to ground.
[0026] The plasma processing apparatus 1 may be configured to supply high-frequency power for plasma generation together with high-frequency power for bias to the susceptor 13 serving as the lower electrode during plasma processing. For example, the plasma processing apparatus 1 may be configured such that the upper high-frequency power supply 31 is electrically connected to the susceptor 13 via the upper matching box 27, and high-frequency power for plasma generation is supplied from the upper high-frequency power supply 31 to the susceptor 13 together with the high-frequency power for bias. The lower high-frequency power supply 59 may also be configured to generate multiple high-frequency powers having different frequencies. The generated one or more high-frequency powers are supplied to the susceptor 13. In various embodiments, at least one of the high-frequency power for bias and the high-frequency power for plasma generation may be pulsed.
[0027] Next, a brief description will be given of the operation of the plasma processing apparatus 1 when etching a wafer W. The plasma processing apparatus 1 opens the gate valve 52 and the valve body 81. This allows the wafer W to be loaded into the chamber 10 and placed on the electrostatic chuck 14. Once the wafer W is placed on the electrostatic chuck 14, the plasma processing apparatus 1 closes the gate valve 52 and the valve body 81. The plasma processing apparatus 1 applies a DC voltage from the DC power supply 16 to the electrode plate 15 of the electrostatic chuck 14 to electrostatically attract the wafer W to the susceptor 13. The plasma processing apparatus 1 introduces an etching process gas (e.g., a mixed gas of C4F8 gas and argon (Ar) gas) from the gas supply unit 40 into the plasma processing space 10s at a predetermined flow rate and flow ratio. The plasma processing apparatus 1 also sets the pressure in the plasma processing space 10s in the chamber 10 to a value suitable for etching, for example, within a range of several mTorr to 1 Torr, using the APC valve 48 and the TMP 49. For example, 1 Torr is 133 Pa.
[0028] Furthermore, the plasma processing apparatus 1 applies high frequency power for plasma generation from the upper high frequency power supply 31 to the shower head 22 at a predetermined power, and also applies high frequency power for bias from the lower high frequency power supply 59 to the lower electrode of the susceptor 13 at a predetermined power.
[0029] As a result, plasma is generated in the plasma processing space 10s in the plasma processing apparatus 1. The surface to be processed of the wafer W is physically or chemically etched by the radicals and ions generated at this time.
[0030] In the plasma processing apparatus 1, plasma is densified in a preferable dissociated state by applying a high frequency wave in a high frequency range (a frequency range in which ions cannot move) to the shower head 22. Moreover, high-density plasma can be formed even under lower pressure conditions.
[0031] [Details of the shutter mechanism 80] FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing an example of a cross section of a shutter mechanism 80 according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of the appearance of the shutter mechanism 80 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shutter mechanism 80 has a valve element 81 that occupies more than half the length of the inner circumference of the chamber 10, and two or more elevating mechanisms 82 that raise and lower the valve element 81. In this embodiment, the valve element 81 is an annular valve element that follows the inner circumference of the chamber 10, as shown in FIG. 3, for example. The valve element 81 has a conductive member 83 that contacts the first deposit shield 71 and a conductive member 84 that contacts the second deposit shield 72 when the opening 51 is closed.
[0032] The valve body 81 is formed, for example, from aluminum or the like, with a substantially L-shaped cross section. The surface of the valve body 81 is coated, for example, with Y2O3 or the like. A conductive member 83 is disposed at the upper end of the valve body 81. A conductive member 84 is disposed at a stepped portion of the valve body 81. The conductive members 83, 84 are also called conductance bands or spirals and are conductive elastic members. The conductive members 83, 84 may be made of, for example, stainless steel or a nickel alloy. The conductive members 83, 84 are formed, for example, by winding a strip-shaped member in a spiral shape. The conductive members 83, 84 may also be made of, for example, an obliquely wound coil spring with a U-shaped jacket. In other words, the conductive members 83, 84 are crushed when the valve body 81 abuts against the first deposit shield 71 and the second deposit shield 72.
[0033] The lifting mechanism 82 has a rod. The rod is fixed and connected to the lower part of the valve disc 81 with screws or the like. The lifting mechanism 82 raises and lowers the rod up and down using, for example, an air cylinder, a motor, or the like. When an air cylinder is used, the lifting mechanisms 82 are controlled so that the flow rate of dry air supplied to each lifting mechanism 82 is equal. In the example of FIG. 3, three lifting mechanisms 82 are arranged at equal intervals of 120 degrees. Each lifting mechanism 82 raises and lowers the valve disc 81 at the same timing and speed, thereby enabling the valve disc 81 to be raised and lowered without bending or tilting. Furthermore, for example, if the valve disc 81 has a semicircular shape that follows the inner circumference of the chamber 10, the valve disc 81 can be raised and lowered in the same manner by providing lifting mechanisms 82 at both ends.
[0034] In the shutter mechanism 80, the valve element 81 is pushed upward by the lifting mechanism 82 to close the opening 51, and is pulled downward by the lifting mechanism 82 to open the opening 51. When the valve element 81 closes the opening 51, conductive members 83 and 84 arranged on the upper and lower parts of the valve element 81 abut against the first deposit shield 71 and the second deposit shield 72, respectively. This electrically connects the valve element 81 to the first deposit shield 71 and the second deposit shield 72 via the conductive members 83 and 84. The first deposit shield 71 is in contact with the grounded chamber 10. Therefore, when the opening 51 is closed, the valve element 81 is grounded via the first deposit shield 71 and the second deposit shield 72.
[0035] Furthermore, in the shutter mechanism 80, the valve body 81 corresponds to a part of a conventional deposit shield, and therefore corresponds to a part of a conventional deposit shield divided into multiple parts. Conventional deposit shields are heavy and therefore difficult to work on during maintenance, but in this embodiment, the first deposit shield 71, the second deposit shield 72, and the valve body 81 are divided, making maintenance easier.
[0036] The shutter mechanism 80 is temperature-controllable. Here, the shutter mechanism 80 moves up and down. If the temperature of such a moving member is controlled by circulating a temperature-controlled liquid such as a refrigerant, the weight increases. Furthermore, a relatively large device such as a chiller unit that controls and circulates the liquid is required.
[0037] Therefore, in this embodiment, the shutter mechanism 80 is cooled by a cooling gas. For example, the shutter mechanism 80 has a cavity 90 formed inside the valve body 81 along the circumferential direction of the chamber 10. The cavity 90 has a rectangular cross section. The cavity 90 is formed in a ring shape, continuing around the entire circumference of the valve body 81 along the circumferential direction. The shutter mechanism 80 has at least one lifting mechanism 82 provided with a supply path and an exhaust path. The supply path is connected to a gas supply unit (not shown), such as a pump, capable of supplying cooling gas, and the cooling gas is supplied from the gas supply unit. The cooling gas is, for example, dry air. FIG. 2 shows a supply path 85 in the lifting mechanism 82.
[0038] The shutter mechanism 80 also has a heater 87 disposed inside the valve body 81. The heater 87 is provided on the upper surface of the cavity 90 with its lower side protruding into the cavity 90. Electric power is supplied to the heater 87 via wiring (not shown) provided in at least one of the lifting mechanisms 82.
[0039] The temperature of the shutter mechanism 80 can be controlled by cooling it by flowing dry air into the cavity 90 and by heating it by supplying power to the heater 87. The dry air may be at room temperature or may be cooled. The shutter mechanism 80 becomes hot due to heat input from the plasma and heating by the heater 87. Therefore, even at room temperature, the dry air is relatively cold compared to the shutter mechanism 80, and can cool the shutter mechanism 80.
[0040] Here, for example, shutter mechanism 80 may be configured to supply dry air from a supply path to cavity 90, circulate the air in cavity 90, and exhaust the air from an exhaust path to cool valve element 81. However, when cooling with such a configuration, valve element 81 is strongly cooled by the dry air near the entrance of cavity 90 where dry air flows in from supply path 85, and the temperature of the dry air increases and cooling weakens as the distance from the entrance increases, resulting in a large temperature difference in the circumferential direction.
[0041] Therefore, this embodiment is configured as follows: The valve body 81 has a pipe member 91 disposed within a cavity 90. In this embodiment, the pipe member 91 has an outer cross section formed in a rectangular shape. The pipe member 91 is disposed within the cavity 90 along the length of the cavity 90 of the valve body 81. The pipe member 91 is supported by support portions 92 at multiple locations within the cavity 90. For example, the pipe member 91 is supported by support portions 92 provided at regular intervals (for example, every 90°), and the portion of the pipe member 91 other than the support portions 92 is spaced apart from the inner surface of the cavity 90.
[0042] A cavity 93 for allowing a cooling gas to flow is formed inside the pipe member 91. The cavity 93 has a rectangular cross section. The cavity 93 is formed in an annular shape inside the pipe member 91. The pipe member 91 is formed with a supply port 94 that communicates with the cavity 93. The supply port 94 is connected to the supply path 85.
[0043] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a pipe member 91 in an embodiment. The pipe member 91 is formed in a ring shape by connecting it all the way around. The pipe member 91 is made of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the valve body 81. For example, the pipe member 91 is made of a resin such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or PEEK (polyether ether ketone). The pipe member 91 may also be made of stainless steel (SUS) or the like.
[0044] The pipe member 91 has a plurality of holes 95 formed therein, which communicate with the cavity 93. The holes 95 are formed on the upper surface of the pipe member 91, which is on the heater side. Dry air supplied to the cavity 93 is blown out from each hole 95.
[0045] Here, when the size and spacing of each hole 95 of the pipe member 91 are the same, the pressure inside the cavity 93 is higher closer to the supply port 94, so the hole 95 closer to the supply port 94 blows out a larger amount of dry air, and the hole closer to the supply port 94 is cooled more.
[0046] Therefore, in the tubular member 91 according to the embodiment, at least one of the size of each hole 95 and the spacing between the holes 95 is adjusted. For example, the diameter of the holes 95 in the tubular member 91 increases with increasing distance from the supply port 94 along the cavity 93. Alternatively, the holes 95 are formed at shorter intervals in the tubular member 91 with increasing distance from the supply port 94 along the cavity 93. By increasing the diameter of the holes 95 with increasing distance from the supply port 94 along the cavity 93, the amount of dry air blown out from each hole 95 can be made uniform. Furthermore, by forming the holes 95 at shorter intervals with increasing distance from the supply port 94 along the cavity 93, the amount of dry air blown out from each hole 95 in the tubular member 91 can be made uniform per unit length of the tubular member 91. This reduces the temperature difference in the circumferential direction of the valve body 81.
[0047] Furthermore, since the cavity 93 of the pipe member 91 is formed in an annular shape, a hole 95 is formed in the upper surface at a position that is annularly symmetrical to the supply port 94. This allows the pipe member 91 to blow out the dry air that has flowed from the supply port 94 through the cavity 93 from the hole 95 at the symmetrical position, thereby preventing the dry air from accumulating at a position that is annularly symmetrical to the supply port 94.
[0048] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a valve body 81 in an embodiment. The valve body 81 is configured by joining an upper member 100 on the upper side and a lower member 101 on the lower side. The upper member 100 and the lower member 101 are formed into an annular shape with the same diameter. The lower member 101 has a groove 103 formed around the entire circumference in the circumferential direction on an upper surface 102 that joins with the upper member 100. A pipe member 91 is disposed in the groove 103. The upper member 100 has a heater 87 attached to a lower surface 105 that joins with the lower member 101. For example, the upper member 100 has a groove 106 formed at a position corresponding to the groove 103. The groove 106 is formed around the entire circumference in the circumferential direction. The heater 87 is formed with a width slightly larger than the groove 106 and is attached to the upper member 100 by being press-fitted into the groove 106, becoming one with the upper member 100.
[0049] The valve body 81 is manufactured, for example, as follows: The pipe member 91 is placed in the groove 103 of the lower member 101. The heater 87 is attached to the groove 106 of the upper member 100. Then, the lower surface 105 of the upper member 100 is aligned with the upper surface 102 of the lower member 101 so that the heater 87 of the upper member 100 is located within the groove 103 of the lower member 101, and the lower member 101 and the upper member 100 are airtightly joined together. For example, the lower member 101 and the upper member 100 are airtightly joined by providing sealing members such as O-rings on the inner and outer peripheries of the upper surface 102 of the lower member 101 and joining them to the upper member 100. Alternatively, the lower member 101 and the upper member 100 are airtightly joined together by welding.
[0050] 6 and 7 are diagrams illustrating the flow of dry air within the cavity 90 of the valve body 81 in this embodiment. FIG. 6 shows a supply path 85 and an exhaust path 86 provided in the lifting mechanism 82. The supply path 85 is connected to a supply port 94 of the pipe member 91. The exhaust path 86 is in communication with the cavity 90. The exhaust path 86 is connected to an exhaust unit provided outside the chamber 10. The exhaust unit may be, for example, the APC valve 48 and the TMP 49, or may be a different exhaust device.
[0051] Dry air supplied from the supply path 85 is supplied to a supply port 94 of the tubular member 91. The dry air supplied to the supply port 94 flows through a cavity 93 of the tubular member 91 and is blown out from holes 95 into the cavity 90. Because the tubular member 91 has holes 95 formed at multiple positions in the circumferential direction, dry air is blown out into the cavity 90 from multiple positions in the circumferential direction. This allows the valve body 81 to be cooled at multiple positions in the circumferential direction, thereby suppressing temperature differences around the valve body 81. This allows the temperature uniformity around the valve body 81 to be improved.
[0052] The dry air blown out from the hole 95 flows inside the cavity 90 around the pipe member 91 and is exhausted to the outside of the chamber 10 through the exhaust path 86. In this way, the shutter mechanism 80 blows out the dry air supplied from the supply path 85 from a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction of the pipe member 91 and exhausts the blown out dry air from the exhaust path, thereby circulating the dry air and cooling the valve body 81.
[0053] In the embodiment, an example has been described in which the valve body 81 of the shutter mechanism 80 is cooled. However, this is not limited to this. The structure of the valve body 81 in the embodiment may be applied to the inner wall member of the chamber 10 to cool the inner wall member. For example, a cavity may be formed in the circumferential direction of a deposit shield such as the first deposit shield 71 or the second deposit shield 72, similar to the valve body 81, and a tubular member may be disposed in the cavity to cool the deposit shield.
[0054] Furthermore, the structure of the valve body 81 in the embodiment may be applied to an outer wall member of the chamber 10 to cool the outer wall member. For example, the structure of the valve body 81 in the embodiment may be applied to a side wall 10a of the chamber 10 as an outer wall member to cool the side wall 10a. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the side wall 10a of the chamber 10 in the embodiment. The side wall 10a has a cavity 110 formed therein. The cavity 110 has a rectangular cross section. The cavity 110 is formed in a ring shape that is connected around the entire circumference of the chamber 10. A heater 111 is disposed inside the side wall 10a. The heater 111 is disposed above the cavity 110. A pipe member 112 is disposed inside the cavity 110 of the side wall 10a. The pipe member 112 is disposed inside the cavity 110 along the cavity 110 of the side wall 10a. The pipe member 112 is supported by supports 114 at multiple locations within the cavity 110. The pipe member 112 has a similar configuration to the pipe member 91. The pipe member 112 has a cavity 113 formed therein for allowing a cooling gas to flow, and multiple holes formed in the pipe member 112 at multiple circumferential positions that communicate with the cavity 113. Dry air is supplied to the pipe member 112 from a supply path (not shown). The supplied dry air flows through the cavity 113 of the pipe member 112 and is blown out into the cavity 110 through the holes. The dry air blown out through the holes flows through the cavity 110 and is exhausted through an exhaust path (not shown) that communicates with the cavity 110. By supplying dry air from the supply path to the pipe member 112 and blowing the dry air into the cavity 110 from multiple circumferential positions of the pipe member 112, the side wall 10a can be cooled from multiple circumferential positions, thereby suppressing the temperature difference in the circumferential direction of the side wall 10a.
[0055] In the embodiment, the valve element 81 is cooled by flowing dry air into the cavity 90, and the valve element 81 is heated by supplying power to the heater 87, thereby controlling the temperature of the valve element 81. However, this is not limited to this. If the valve element 81 is sufficiently heated by heat input from the plasma, the heater 87 may not be provided.
[0056] In the embodiment, the case where the pipe member 91 is arranged in a ring shape around the entire circumference of the cavity 90 has been described. However, this is not limited to this. The pipe members 91 may be arranged discretely around the entire circumference of the cavity 90. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a plurality of arc-shaped pipe members 91 are individually arranged in a range divided in the circumferential direction in the cavity 90 of the valve body 81, and cooling gas is supplied to each pipe member 91 from a supply path provided in each of the plurality of lifting mechanisms 82. The exhaust path may be provided in any one of the lifting mechanisms 82, or may be provided in each of the plurality of lifting mechanisms 82.
[0057] In the embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the cavity 90 and the cavity 110 is rectangular. However, this is not limited to this. The cross-sectional shape of the cavity 90 and the cavity 110 may be any shape. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the cavity 90 and the cavity 110 may be circular, elliptical, or polygonal.
[0058] In the embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the pipe member 91 and the pipe member 112 is rectangular. However, this is not limited to this. The cross-sectional shape of the pipe member 91 and the pipe member 112 may be any shape. Note that the cross-sectional shape of the pipe member 91 and the pipe member 112 is preferably the same as that of the cavity 90 and the cavity 110, so that when the pipe member 91 and the pipe member 112 are placed in the cavity 90 and the cavity 110, gaps are provided around them to facilitate the flow of gas.
[0059] In the embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the cavity 93 and the cavity 113 is rectangular. However, this is not limited to this. The cross-sectional shape of the cavity 93 and the cavity 113 may be any shape. Note that, since the cavity 93 and the cavity 113 are formed in the pipe member 91 and the pipe member 112, it is preferable that the cross-sectional shape be the same as the outer shape of the pipe member 91 and the pipe member 112.
[0060] As described above, the wall member in the embodiment includes a wall member main body (e.g., valve body 81, side wall 10a) and a pipe member (e.g., pipe member 91, pipe member 112). The wall member main body is provided in the circumferential direction of the processing vessel (chamber 10) and is configured to form a first cavity (e.g., cavity 90, cavity 110) along the circumferential direction inside. The pipe member is disposed within the first cavity and is formed of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the wall member main body. A second cavity (e.g., cavity 93, cavity 113) for flowing a cooling gas is formed inside the pipe member, and at least one hole (e.g., hole 95) is formed to communicate the first cavity with the second cavity. This can suppress a temperature difference in the circumferential direction of the wall member.
[0061] The wall member main body is an inner wall member of the processing vessel (for example, the valve body 81, a deposit shield), which can suppress a temperature difference in the circumferential direction of the inner wall member of the processing vessel.
[0062] The wall member main body is an outer wall member (for example, the side wall 10a) of the processing vessel, which can suppress a temperature difference in the circumferential direction of the outer wall member of the processing vessel.
[0063] Furthermore, the wall member main body (e.g., valve body 81) is configured to be supported by a lifting mechanism (e.g., lifting mechanism 82) that is capable of lifting and lowering, and is configured so that cooling gas is supplied to the second cavity (e.g., cavity 93) from a supply path (e.g., supply path 85) provided in the lifting mechanism, and cooling gas in the first cavity (e.g., cavity 90) is exhausted to an exhaust path (e.g., exhaust path 86) provided in the lifting mechanism. This allows the wall member to be cooled while suppressing an increase in its weight, compared to when cooling is performed using a liquid such as a refrigerant.
[0064] The wall member body is made of aluminum, and the pipe member is made of resin. This allows the wall member body to have high heat conductivity. Furthermore, by making the pipe member out of resin, heat transfer to the cooling gas flowing in the second cavity can be suppressed.
[0065] The wall member body is formed in a ring shape along the circumferential direction, and the first cavity is formed therein in a ring shape along the circumferential direction. The pipe members are arranged in a ring shape around the entire circumference of the first cavity, or are arranged discretely around the entire circumference of the first cavity. This makes it possible to suppress temperature differences around the wall member.
[0066] Furthermore, the pipe members (e.g., pipe member 91, pipe member 112) are formed so that their cross sections are smaller than the cross sections of the first cavities (e.g., cavities 90, 110), and are supported at multiple points on their undersides by support portions (e.g., support portion 92, support portion 114), and are configured to be spaced apart from the underside of the first cavities at points other than the support portions. This makes it possible to suppress heat transfer to the pipe members.
[0067] The pipe member is configured so that the diameter of the hole increases as it moves away from a supply port (for example, supply port 94) through which the cooling gas is supplied along the second cavity, thereby further suppressing the temperature difference in the circumferential direction of the wall member.
[0068] The pipe member is configured so that the holes are formed at shorter intervals along the second cavity as they move away from a supply port (for example, supply port 94) through which the cooling gas is supplied, thereby further suppressing the temperature difference in the circumferential direction of the wall member.
[0069] The cooling gas is dry air, which can prevent condensation from occurring in the first cavity and the second cavity.
[0070] Furthermore, a heater (heater 87) is provided inside the wall member body along the circumferential direction. The pipe member is configured so that a hole is formed on the heater side. This allows the heater side of the valve body 81 to be strongly cooled.
[0071] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive, and the above-described embodiments may be omitted, substituted, or modified in various ways without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.
[0072] In the above embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus performs etching as a plasma process. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The plasma process may be any process such as a film formation process or an ashing process.
[0073] In addition, the following supplementary notes are disclosed regarding the above-described embodiment.
[0074] (Appendix 1) a wall member body provided in a circumferential direction of the processing vessel and configured to form a first cavity therein along the circumferential direction; a pipe member disposed within the first cavity, formed of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the wall member body, having a second cavity formed therein for flowing a cooling gas, and having at least one hole formed therein configured to communicate the first cavity with the second cavity; A wall member having:
[0075] (Appendix 2) The wall member body is an inner wall member of the processing vessel. 2. The wall member of claim 1.
[0076] (Appendix 3) The wall member body is an outer wall member of the processing vessel. 3. The wall member of claim 1 or 2.
[0077] (Appendix 4) The wall member body is configured to be supported by a lifting mechanism that is capable of lifting and lowering, and configured so that cooling gas is supplied to the second cavity from a supply path provided in the lifting mechanism, and cooling gas in the first cavity is exhausted to an exhaust path provided in the lifting mechanism. A wall member according to any one of appendices 1 to 3.
[0078] (Appendix 5) The wall member body is made of aluminum. A wall member according to any one of appendices 1 to 4.
[0079] (Appendix 6) The pipe member is made of resin. 6. A wall member according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
[0080] (Appendix 7) the wall member main body is formed in a ring shape along the circumferential direction, and the first cavity is formed in a ring shape along the circumferential direction inside the wall member main body, The tubular member is configured to be arranged in a ring shape around the entire circumference of the first cavity, or to be arranged discretely around the entire circumference of the first cavity. 7. A wall member according to any one of claims 1 to 6.
[0081] (Appendix 8) The pipe member is supported by support portions at a plurality of points on the lower surface thereof, and is configured to be disposed apart from the lower surface of the first cavity at points other than the support portions. A wall member according to any one of appendices 1 to 8.
[0082] (Appendix 9) The pipe member is configured such that the diameter of the hole increases as it moves away from the supply port through which the cooling gas is supplied along the second cavity. A wall member according to any one of appendices 1 to 8.
[0083] (Appendix 10) The pipe member is configured such that the holes are formed at shorter intervals as the pipe member moves away from the supply port through which the cooling gas is supplied along the second cavity. A wall member according to any one of appendices 1 to 9.
[0084] (Appendix 11) The cooling gas is dry air. A wall member according to any one of appendices 1 to 10.
[0085] (Appendix 12) The wall member main body has a heater provided therein along the circumferential direction, The pipe member is configured so that the hole is formed on the heater side. Attachment 12: A wall member according to any one of attachments 1 to 11.
[0086] (Appendix 13) A plasma processing apparatus having a wall member according to any one of claims 1 to 12. [Explanation of symbols]
[0087] 1. Plasma processing equipment 10 Chambers 10a side wall 10s Plasma treatment space 71 1st Depot Shield 72 Second Depot Shield 80 Shutter mechanism 81 Valve body 82 Lifting mechanism 83 Conductive materials 84 Conductive materials 85 Supply route 86 Exhaust duct 87 Heater 90 hollow 91 Pipe members 92 Support part 93 Cavity 94 Supply Inlet 100 Upper member 101 Lower member 102 Top surface 110 Cavity 111 Heater 112 Pipe members 113 Cavity 114 Support part W wafer
Claims
1. a wall member body provided in a circumferential direction of the processing vessel and configured to form a first cavity therein along the circumferential direction; a pipe member disposed within the first cavity, formed of a material having a lower thermal conductivity than the wall member body, having a second cavity formed therein for flowing a cooling gas, and having at least one hole formed therein that is configured to communicate the first cavity with the second cavity; A wall member having:
2. The wall member body is an inner wall member of the processing vessel. The wall member of claim 1 .
3. The wall member body is an outer wall member of the processing vessel. The wall member of claim 1 .
4. The wall member body is configured to be supported by a lifting mechanism that is capable of lifting and lowering, and configured so that cooling gas is supplied to the second cavity from a supply path provided in the lifting mechanism, and cooling gas in the first cavity is exhausted to an exhaust path provided in the lifting mechanism. The wall member of claim 1 .
5. The wall member body is made of aluminum. The wall member of claim 1 .
6. The pipe member is made of resin. The wall member of claim 1 .
7. The tubular member is made of stainless steel. The wall member of claim 1 .
8. the wall member body is formed in a ring shape along the circumferential direction, and the first cavity is formed in a ring shape along the circumferential direction inside the wall member body, The tubular member is configured to be arranged in a ring shape around the entire circumference of the first cavity, or to be arranged discretely around the entire circumference of the first cavity. The wall member of claim 1 .
9. The pipe member is supported by support portions at a plurality of points on the lower surface thereof, and is configured to be disposed apart from the lower surface of the first cavity at points other than the support portions. The wall member of claim 1 .
10. The pipe member is configured such that the diameter of the hole increases as it moves away from the supply port through which the cooling gas is supplied along the second cavity. The wall member of claim 1 .
11. The pipe member is configured such that the holes are formed at shorter intervals as the pipe member moves away from the supply port through which the cooling gas is supplied along the second cavity. The wall member of claim 1 .
12. The cooling gas is dry air. The wall member of claim 1 .
13. The wall member main body has a heater provided therein along the circumferential direction, The pipe member is configured so that the hole is formed on the heater side. The wall member of claim 1 .
14. A plasma processing apparatus having the wall member according to any one of claims 1 to 13.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Board processor
JP2006093411A
Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and temperature control method
JP2010258404A
Plasma processing apparatus
JP2011124362A
Plasma processing apparatus
JP2019197849A
Substrate processing apparatus
JP2021002642A