Module construction method by bonding dissimilar material components for semiconductor etching processes.

Abstract

To provide a modularization method using adhesive bonding of heterogeneous material components for semiconductor etching processes.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a modularization method using adhesive bonding of heterogeneous material components for semiconductor etching processes. The modularization method using adhesive bonding of heterogeneous material components includes: a stage for selecting components made of heterogeneous materials for advancing the semiconductor etching process; a stage for determining the characteristics of an adhesive for bonding the contact surfaces of selected heterogeneous material components; a stage for determining component shapes based on bonding surfaces; and a stage for bonding heterogeneous material components with finalized shapes.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This research was funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy) and supported by the World Class Plus Project (P0021943, Development of Next-Generation 300mm High Vertical-Horizontal Ratio Process Oxide Film Dry Etching Equipment).

[0002] The present invention relates to a modularization method for semiconductor etching processes by bonding dissimilar material components, and more specifically, to a modularization method by bonding dissimilar material components made of different materials that form semiconductor etching equipment, to form an assemblyable module by bonding them together with an adhesive. [Background technology]

[0003] To meet the semiconductor market trend of miniaturization of patterns and high aspect ratios, semiconductor etching equipment is supplied with high-power specifications, and various adjustment methods have been developed to accommodate this trend. As a result, the materials and shapes of components around the applied electrodes are becoming more diverse, and the total number of components is rapidly increasing, so that higher power supplies can be applied stably while incorporating a wider range of functions. Due to the characteristics of semiconductor equipment, there are many metal components to which power is applied or which serve as grounding, and in relation to these components, the types and number of non-metallic components that serve as insulation between components also increase. Metallic and non-metallic components can be joined to each other during the assembly process by fastening means such as bolts or rivets. For example, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2010-0095284 discloses an upper electrode of semiconductor etching equipment having such a structure. Also, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002-0127853 discloses an apparatus for plasma processing of semiconductor substrates, such as an electrode assembly. In the case of upper electrode structures disclosed in the public art, the electrode and the insulator are fastened together by bolts or similar fastening means, which has the disadvantage of potentially causing process problems such as plasma corrosion or particle generation at the fastening site. Therefore, there is a need to develop a method for joining parts made of different materials that can overcome these disadvantages.

[0004] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art and has the following objectives. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Republic of Korea Patent Publication Number 10-2010-0095284 (TCK Co., Ltd., published August 30, 2010) Upper electrode of semiconductor manufacturing equipment [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent Publication No. 2002-0127853 A1 (Jerome S. Hubacek, et al., published September 12, 2002) ELECTRODE FOR PLASMA PROCESSES AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURE AND USE THEREOF [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a modularization method for semiconductor etching processes by bonding dissimilar material components, which enables the prevention of localized plasma generation or particle generation by bonding dissimilar material components made of different materials together with an adhesive for forming a process chamber for semiconductor etching processes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to a suitable embodiment of the present invention, a modularization method by bonding dissimilar material components includes the steps of: selecting dissimilar material components for the advancement of a semiconductor etching process; determining the properties of an adhesive for bonding the contact surfaces of the selected dissimilar material components; determining the shape of the components based on the bonding surfaces; and bonding the shaped dissimilar material components.

[0008] According to other suitable embodiments of the present invention, the properties of the adhesive include resistance to plasma, prevention of deposition of etching process intermediate products, prevention of particle generation, properties that prevent deterioration by plasma, or properties that prevent corrosion by plasma.

[0009] According to yet another suitable embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive surface includes at least one folded surface.

[0010] According to yet another suitable embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive may be silicone-based or ceramic-based.

[0011] According to yet another suitable embodiment of the present invention, the thermal expansion coefficient of the adhesive is smaller than that of at least one of the dissimilar material components.

[0012] According to yet another suitable embodiment of the present invention, the dissimilar material parts are metallic and non-metallic material parts.

[0013] According to yet another suitable embodiment of the present invention, the dissimilar material component becomes an internal electrode and a first insulator or an external electrode and a second insulator forming an upper electrode module of the etching process chamber.

[0014] According to yet another suitable embodiment of the present invention, the internal electrode and the first insulator form a first module, and the external electrode and the second insulator form a second module, which are coupled to the first module. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] The modularization method for semiconductor etching processes by bonding dissimilar material components according to the present invention joins components made of different materials with an adhesive, thereby eliminating the need for fastening components such as bolts or nuts. This modularization of components improves the convenience of equipment assembly and maintenance. Furthermore, the method according to the present invention eliminates various causes of defects caused by locally generated fine plasma and particles by removing the space between components with adhesive. Due to the characteristics of semiconductor equipment, there are many metal components to which power is applied or which perform a grounding role, and the types and number of non-metallic components that perform insulating roles between components also vary depending on the relationship of these components. The accumulation of assembly tolerances due to the increase in such components causes minute differences between different chambers. In addition, problems such as differences in process results within the same chamber due to the experience of maintenance personnel may occur. Furthermore, process by-products generated during the process accumulate in the empty spaces between many components, causing particles, and local plasma is generated in the minute gaps between components by high-power power supplies, causing equipment shutdowns, reducing productivity, and frequently resulting in increased costs and time required for maintenance. Such problems can arise due to the limitations that metal and non-metal parts must be composed of different materials and designed independently. Specifically, the independent design of the joined parts inevitably results in various forms of tolerances, such as design tolerances, manufacturing tolerances, or assembly tolerances, which can induce various defects during the etching process. The method according to the present invention solves these disadvantages. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This drawing shows an embodiment of the modularization method by bonding dissimilar material components for a semiconductor etching process according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This drawing shows an embodiment of a structure in which two different parts are modularized by bonding using the method according to the present invention. [Figure 3]A drawing showing an embodiment of an etching process chamber to which the method according to the present invention is applied. [Figure 4] A drawing showing another embodiment of the modularization method according to the present invention.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments presented in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are for a clear understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. In the following description, components having the same drawing reference numerals in different drawings have similar functions, so repeated explanations will not be given if unnecessary for understanding the invention, and known components will be briefly described or omitted, but should not be understood as being excluded from the embodiments of the present invention.

[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a modularization method by bonding dissimilar material parts for a semiconductor etching process according to the present invention.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, the modularization method for bonding dissimilar part materials for a semiconductor etching process includes a step (P11) of selecting dissimilar material parts for the progress of the semiconductor etching process; a step (P12) of determining the characteristics of an adhesive for bonding the contact surfaces of the selected dissimilar material parts; a step (P13) of determining the part shape based on the bonding surface; and a step (P14) of bonding the dissimilar material parts with the determined shape. Desirably, at least a part of the dissimilar parts is exposed to plasma, but is not limited thereto.

[0020] Dissimilar material components consist of two components made of different types of materials that perform different functions. For example, two dissimilar components could be a first component made of a metallic material that performs an electrode function and a second component made of a non-metallic material such as ceramic that performs an insulator function. At least a portion of such first and second components is exposed to plasma during the etching process, and exposure to plasma can cause process defects during the etching process. For example, plasma may be generated at the joint site, or particles may be generated. The first and second components can be joined together to form at least one contact surface. The at least one contact surface can take on a variety of shapes; for example, the contact surface may be a circular contact surface with an "L" shaped cross-section, but is not limited to this. Once first and second components of dissimilar materials that are joined together while having at least one contact surface are selected (P11), the adhesive properties are determined (P12). The adhesive properties are determined by the intended installation and use of the dissimilar components, or by the operating environment in which the dissimilar components are used. Specifically, adhesive properties include resistance to plasma generation or particle generation, ensuring that spaces where plasma generation is possible are filled with the adhesive, preventing plasma generation at the bonding site. Plasma resistance means that the adhesive is resistant to plasma and not altered or corroded by it. Adhesive properties also include properties that prevent phenomena that cause process errors, such as the deposition of intermediate products. Furthermore, adhesive properties may include thermal expansion properties, elastic properties, insulating properties, tensile properties, or stretch properties. For example, the adhesive may have a smaller coefficient of thermal expansion than at least one of the components. Or, the adhesive may have greater stretchability or elasticity than at least one of the components. The adhesive may be silicon-based or ceramic-based, containing 0.1-10 wt% SiO2 or silica components, and various organic or inorganic components with adhesive properties. The adhesive may have a tensile strength of 10-150 kgf / cm². 2 Electrical resistance, elongation ratio of 40-200%, dielectric breakdown strength of 5-40KV / mm, dielectric coefficient of 2.4-8.0, 1.0 × 10 14 ~1.0×10 13 Ω·cm2 The electrical resistance of 2 is 100 - 400 psi (kg·cm -6 ), the adhesion strength is 0.5×10 -4 to 1.0×10 2 cm / cm / °C, the compression strength is 50 - 300 kg / cm 2 or the shear strength can be 24 - 80 kg / cm, but is not limited thereto. The adhesion characteristics are determined such that they have properties such as plasma generation resistance, particle generation resistance, or vapor deposition prevention properties of process intermediate products while maintaining a strong adhesion force by the etching process. Once the adhesion characteristics are determined (P12), the shapes of the first part and the second part are determined while the thickness of the adhesion surface is selected based on this (P13). For example, the thickness of the adhesion surface can be 10 - 2,000 μm, but is not limited thereto. If the dimensions or shapes of the first part and the second part are determined by the thickness of the adhesion surface (P13), the first part and the second part can be joined to each other by an adhesive (P14). In this way, parts made of different materials with at least one surface in contact with each other by an adhesive can be joined to make a modularized part (P15). If two parts made of different materials are joined to each other and made into a module in this way, they are joined to other parts in a modular form. For example, they are arranged in a chamber for an etching process. For example, the module can be part of the upper electrode module of an etching process chamber. A part of the adhesive applied to the adhesion surfaces of the two parts is exposed to plasma during the process, and the module made by the two parts can be part of an electrode for plasma generation. As described above, the adhesive has plasma generation resistance and particle generation resistance, thereby preventing plasma generation on the adhesion surface during the plasma generation process and preventing particle generation on the adhesion surface exposed to plasma. Hereinafter, embodiments of the adhesion structure of such products made of different materials will be described.

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a structure in which two different parts are modularized by an adhesion method according to the method of the present invention.

[0022] Referring to Figure 2, the first component 21 may be made of a metal material, and the second component may be made of an insulating material such as ceramic. The first component 21 may be a disc-shaped object with thickness, and the second component 22 may be a disc-shaped object with thickness and a hole formed in its center. The hole formed in the second component 22 may form a horizontally oriented "L"-shaped frame. The second component 22 may be joined in such a way that its internal frame is in contact with the surrounding portion of the first component 21. In this joining structure of the first component 21 and the second component 22, the lower surfaces and parts of the contact surfaces of the first and second components 21 and 22 are exposed to the plasma 24.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2(B), if parts 21 and 22, which are made of different materials in this way, are designed independently and joined together by fastening means 25a and 25b such as bolts or nuts, various forms of tolerances may occur. This can lead to problems such as the generation of local plasma or particles (P). Specifically, the first part 21 and the second part 22 include a horizontal contact surface and a vertical contact surface, and gaps (G) may occur in the horizontal or vertical contact surface. Such gaps (G) can generate local plasma or particles (P). To eliminate such gaps (G), as shown in Figure 2(A), the contact surfaces of the first and second parts 21 and 22 are bonded together with an adhesive to form a bonding surface 23, which may consist of a vertical bonding surface with a vertical band extending in a circular manner and a horizontal bonding surface with a horizontal band extending in a circular manner. The formation of such a bonding surface 23 prevents the generation of local plasma and particles (P). Furthermore, the entire system can be manufactured by bonding components 21 and 22, which must be joined together in this manner, with adhesive to create modules, thereby improving the convenience of assembly and equipment maintenance. In semiconductor etching equipment, the flow of electricity and heat is one of the main development parameters that affect the overall performance of the equipment. Therefore, the adhesive forming the bonding surface 23 must have properties suitable for process conditions such as plasma exposure characteristics, various electromagnetic conditions arising from the etching process, or temperature changes. For example, the adhesive must have an appropriate coefficient of thermal expansion, expansion and contraction properties, or thermal conductivity properties, and may contain various forms of additives to satisfy these properties. For example, between an upper electrode heater and a cooling means, an adhesive with high thermal conductivity or heat transfer properties must be used. In contrast, since it is inefficient and potentially dangerous to release heat to the outside except in the space where the heater must raise the temperature, an insulating bonding surface 23 may be formed. Also, since the internal electrode and the external electrode must be electrically insulated, it is advantageous for the bonding surface 23 to have high insulating properties. Depending on the function of the first component 21 or the second component 22, or the conditions of the etching process, the properties of the adhesive can be appropriately selected.For example, if the first component 21 is an electrode made of a metal material and the second component 22 is an insulator made of a non-metallic material, the adhesive surface 23 may have an insulation coefficient appropriately selected for the properties of the materials. Furthermore, the adhesive surface 23 may have the same or a smaller heat transfer coefficient as the second component 22. The adhesive properties can be determined in various ways, and this does not limit the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 illustrates an embodiment of an etching process chamber to which the method according to the present invention is applied.

[0025] Referring to Figure 3, the process chamber may consist of a surrounding wall 31; a lower electrode module 34; and an upper electrode module positioned above the lower electrode module 34 and acting together with the lower electrode module 34 for plasma generation. The upper electrode module includes a disc-shaped internal electrode 35 with thickness; a first insulator 36 made of ceramic material bonded to the surrounding surface of the internal electrode 35; a second insulator 37 made of a material such as quartz, positioned outside the first insulator; and an external electrode 38, positioned outside the internal electrode 35 and bonded to the second insulator 37. An internal heater (IH), an external heater (OH), and cooling means 32 are provided to regulate the temperature of the internal electrode 35 and the external electrode 38, and the internal electrode 35 is fixed in place by a gas distribution plate 33. The gas distribution plate 33 may function as a fixing block for fixing the lower internal electrode 35. In addition, the first and second insulators 36 and 37 and the external electrode 38 are fixed in place by support blocks 39. The upper portions of the first and second insulating components 36 and 37 can be coupled to the support block 39 by fastening units (B1 and B2). The internal electrode 35 and external electrode 38 can be silicon electrodes, but the electrode material is not limited thereto. In an etching process chamber having such a structure, a circular contact surface with a vertical cross-section of "L" shape is formed between the internal electrode 35 and the first insulating component 36 made of ceramic material, and the contact surface can be bonded with an adhesive to form a first bonding surface (AS1). A second bonding surface (AS2) can be formed between the external electrode 38 and the second insulating component 37, or between the external electrode 38 and the first insulating component 36. A third bonding surface (AS3) can be formed between the first insulating component 36 and the second insulating component 37. In this way, in the upper electrode module of the oxide film etching process chamber, the internal electrode 35 and the contact surface formed by the first insulating component 36 made of ceramic material surrounding the internal electrode 35 can be bonded by forming the first bonding surface (AS1). This makes it possible to join and fix parts that would otherwise be impossible to tap due to the properties of the silicone material by applying an adhesive based on the shape of the ceramic material.The formation of the first bonding surface (AS1) eliminates any gaps that may occur between the ceramic portion and the silicon electrode, thereby preventing localized plasma generation and particle generation. Furthermore, modularization of the components improves convenience during the component replacement process. The adhesive forming the first bonding surface (AS1) is advantageous if it has high thermal conductivity, and preferably has greater thermal conductivity than the first insulating component 36 while having thermal conductivity equivalent to that of the internal electrode 35. A stepped shape can be formed on the internal electrode 35 to appropriately adjust the bonding area, thereby allowing the internal electrode 35 to be stably fixed to the first insulating component 36. A second insulating component 37 made of quartz material is provided to prevent exposure of fastening units (B2), such as bolts, that fix the first insulating component 36 made of ceramic material surrounding the internal electrode 35 to the support block 39. An external electrode 38 made of silicon material is provided below the second insulating component 37, along a circular shape, and in contact with the bent portion of the second insulating component 37. An adhesive can be applied to such contact surfaces to form a second bonding surface (AS2), making it easy to fix two parts 37 and 38 that would be difficult to fix by tapping, which is a highly difficult process. The adhesive forming the second bonding surface (AS2) may have the same or similar properties as the adhesive forming the first bonding surface (AS1). A third bonding surface (AS3) may be selectively formed, or other fixing means may be applied, and this does not limit the present invention.

[0026] Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment of the modularization method according to the present invention.

[0027] Referring to Figure 4, a modularization method for manufacturing an etching process chamber includes the steps of: forming a first bond module by bonding an internal electrode and a first insulator, which at least a portion of the internal electrode is in contact with the internal electrode to form a contact surface, using an adhesive (P41); forming a second bond module by bonding an external electrode, which is arranged around the internal electrode, and a second insulator, which at least a portion of the external electrode is in contact with the external electrode to form a contact surface, using an adhesive (P42); joining or connecting the first and second bond modules (P43); and fixing the first and second bond modules to a fixed block (P44). The internal electrode and the external electrode may form an upper electrode module or showerhead of the etching process chamber. The internal electrode is disc-shaped, and the first insulator is in contact with the internal electrode in a manner that surrounds the outer peripheral portion of the internal electrode, and the internal electrode and the first insulator may be made of different materials. The contact surface between the internal electrode and the first insulator may be "L" shaped or stepped, and an adhesive may be applied to the contact surface to form a first contact module (P41). The external electrode is arranged to surround the outside of the internal electrode, and the second insulator may be positioned above the external electrode, forming an "L" shape or a stepped contact surface with the external electrode. An adhesive is applied to such contact surface to form an adhesive surface, thereby bonding the external electrode and the second insulator to form a second bond module (P42). The first and second bond modules are bonded to each other by the structure of the etching chamber or bonded by other suitable means and are selectively held in contact without separate bonding means (P43). Thereafter, the first and second bond modules are fixed to a fixed block arranged in the etching process chamber by fastening units such as bolts or other suitable means (P44), and this does not limit the present invention. As described above, at least a portion of the internal electrode, external electrode, first insulator or second insulator is exposed to the plasma generated from the etching process. The adhesive may also have resistance to plasma generation or particle generation and may have suitable heat transfer properties. The adhesive may have adhesive properties suitable for the etching process conditions, and this does not limit the present invention.

[0028] Although the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the presented embodiments, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations of the invention by referring to the presented embodiments, without deviating from the technical spirit of the invention. The present invention is not limited by such modifications and alterations, but is limited only by the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 21: Part 1 22: Part 2 23: Adhesive surface 24: Plasma 25a, 25b: Fastening means 31: Surrounding wall 32: Cooling means 33: Gas distribution board 34: Lower electrode module 35: Internal electrode 36: First insulating component 37: Second insulating component 38: External electrode

Claims

1. The stage in which components made of different materials are selected for the semiconductor etching process, The stage in which the properties of the adhesive for bonding the contact surfaces of selected dissimilar material parts are determined, The stage in which the shape of the part is determined based on the bonding surface, The stage in which dissimilar material parts whose shapes have been determined are bonded together, Includes, The properties of the adhesive to be determined include the thermal expansion coefficient of the adhesive to maintain a strong bond between dissimilar material parts through the etching process. The bonding surface includes at least one folded surface, and the part shape is determined by the thickness of the bonding surface. A modularization method using adhesive bonding of parts made of different materials.

2. The modularization method for bonding dissimilar material parts according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive is silicone-based or ceramic-based.

3. The modularization method for bonding dissimilar material parts according to claim 1, characterized in that the thermal expansion coefficient of the adhesive is smaller than the thermal expansion coefficient of at least one of the dissimilar material parts.

4. The modularization method by bonding dissimilar material parts according to claim 1, characterized in that the dissimilar material parts are made of metal and non-metal.

5. The modularization method by bonding dissimilar material parts according to claim 1, characterized in that the dissimilar material parts become internal electrodes and a first insulator or external electrodes and a second insulator forming the upper electrode module of the etching process chamber.

6. The modularization method for dissimilar material components by bonding, as described in claim 5, characterized in that the internal electrode and the first insulator form a first module, and the external electrode and the second insulator form a second module, which are bonded to the first module.

Images