Reaction chamber and wafer etching device

The reaction chamber with a heated first liner and controlled temperature system addresses particle contamination and non-uniformity issues by preventing by-product deposition and maintaining a stable etching environment, enhancing plasma ignition and process uniformity.

KR103044542B1Active Publication Date: 2026-11-05BEIJING E TOWN SEMICON TECH CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
KR1020257016809
Authority / Receiving Office
KR · KR
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2022-12-25
Filing Date
2023-11-09
Publication Date
2026-11-05
Estimated Expiration
2043-11-09

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The structural design of reaction chambers in wafer etching devices affects the etching process, leading to issues such as particle contamination and non-uniformity in process results due to by-product deposition on the chamber walls.

Method used

A reaction chamber design featuring a first liner between the chamber body and wafer stage, heated by a first heater, which prevents by-product deposition on the chamber body and maintains a stable, uniform process environment by controlling the liner's temperature through multiple heaters and sensors.

Benefits of technology

The solution enhances plasma ignition, reduces by-product deposition, and ensures uniformity and stability in wafer etching processes, extending the chamber's service life and improving process results.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology and provides a reaction chamber (100) and a wafer etching apparatus. The reaction chamber (100) includes a chamber body (1), a wafer transfer port (10), a first liner (11), and a first heater (112). A wafer stage (4) is disposed inside the chamber body (1). The wafer transfer port (10) communicates with the interior of the chamber body (1). The first liner (11) is disposed between the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the outer wall of the wafer stage (4). The first heater (112) is installed on the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and is disposed corresponding to the position of the first liner (11), and the first heater (112) is configured to heat the first liner (11).
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Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a reaction chamber and a wafer etching apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] In the wafer etching process, the reaction chamber of the wafer etching device primarily accommodates the wafer and enables the wafer to perform the etching process within the chamber. Whether the structural design of the reaction chamber is reasonable directly affects the etching effect of the wafer.

[0003] According to a first aspect of an embodiment of the present invention, a reaction chamber applied to a wafer etching apparatus is provided, wherein the reaction chamber comprises: a chamber body in which a wafer stage is installed; a wafer delivery port configured to communicate with the interior of the chamber body and to deliver a wafer to the wafer stage; a first liner installed between the inner wall of the chamber body and the outer wall of the wafer stage; and a first liner installed on the inner wall of the chamber body, corresponding to the position of the first liner, and configured to heat the first liner.

[0004] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a wafer etching apparatus comprising a reaction chamber provided in the first aspect of an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0005] As is known, the description in the description of the invention is not intended to limit the core or important features of the embodiments of the invention, nor is it used to limit the scope of the invention. Other features of the invention will be easily understood through the description below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0006] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of each embodiment of the present invention will become more apparent through the detailed description below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, identical or similar reference numerals indicate identical or similar elements. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the internal three-dimensional structure of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of a wafer stage of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of a wafer stage of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a reaction chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0007] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the drawings, and various details of the embodiments of the present invention are included to aid understanding. These should be considered merely illustrative. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will recognize that various changes and modifications to the embodiments described herein may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Likewise, for the sake of clarity and brevity, descriptions of known functions and structures are omitted in the following description.

[0008] As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, an embodiment of the present invention provides a reaction chamber (100) applied to a wafer etching device, wherein the reaction chamber (100) comprises a chamber body (1), a wafer delivery port (10), a first liner (11), and a first heater (112).

[0009] A wafer stage (4) is installed inside the chamber body (1). The wafer stage (4) is configured to support a wafer.

[0010] The wafer delivery port (10) communicates with the interior of the chamber body (1) and is configured to deliver the wafer to the wafer stage (4).

[0011] The first liner (11) is installed between the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the outer wall of the wafer stage (4). By-products generated during the wafer etching process adhere to the first liner (11), which prevents the by-products from coming into direct contact with the chamber body (1), thereby improving the service life of the chamber body (1).

[0012] The first heater (112) is installed on the inner wall of the chamber body (1), corresponds to the position of the first liner (11), and is configured to heat the first liner (11). During the wafer etching process, the first heater (112) heats the first liner (11) to raise the temperature of the first liner (11), which is advantageous for plasma ignition. After one wafer etching process is completed, the temperature of the first liner (11) decreases in the absence of plasma, and the first heater (112) can be controlled to heat the first liner (11) during the time without plasma. During the second wafer etching process, the first liner (11) maintains a temperature advantageous for the wafer etching process, ensuring that each wafer is in a stable process environment and improving the uniformity between wafers of the process results.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present invention, heating the first liner through a first heater increases the temperature of the first liner during the wafer etching process, which is advantageous for plasma ignition within the reaction chamber, and at the same time reduces the excessive deposition of by-products on the first liner during the process. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: In an embodiment of the present invention, the horizontal direction is defined as the direction from the left to the right of the reaction chamber (100) of FIG. 1. The vertical direction is defined as the direction from the top to the bottom of the reaction chamber (100) of FIG. 1.

[0014] The shape and material of the chamber body (1) can be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited thereto.

[0015] The shape, diameter, and installation position of the wafer transfer port (10) can be selected and adjusted as needed, and are not specifically limited thereto; it is sufficient that the wafer can be placed on the wafer stage (4). Before performing the etching process, the wafer is transferred via a robot arm and then transferred into the chamber body (1) through the wafer transfer port (10) of the chamber body (1) to be placed on the wafer stage (4), after which the robot arm exits the chamber body (1) and performs the etching process. After the etching process is completed, the robot arm re-enters the chamber body (1) through the wafer transfer port (10) of the chamber body (1) to remove the wafer.

[0016] The installation position of the wafer stage (4) can correspond to the position of the wafer delivery port (10), so that a wafer delivered from the wafer delivery port (10) can be placed on the wafer stage (4) quickly, accurately, and conveniently. For example, the cross-section of the wafer stage (4) on which the wafer is placed can be set generally horizontally with respect to the wafer delivery port (10). Alternatively, the cross-section of the wafer stage (4) on which the wafer is placed can be located below the wafer delivery port (10). The shape, size, and material of the wafer stage (4) can be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited herein.

[0017] The first liner (11) may have a ring-shaped structure, and a first side wall is formed on the outer ring that is slidably connected to the inner wall of the chamber body (1), and a second side wall is formed on the inner ring that is slidably connected to the outer wall of the wafer stage (4), and a ring-shaped connecting plate is connected between the first side wall and the second side wall. Here, the shape of the first side wall is suitable for the shape of the inner wall of the chamber body (1), and the shape of the second side wall is suitable for the shape of the outer wall of the wafer stage (4). The heights of the first side wall and the second side wall may be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited thereto. The heights of the first side wall and the second side wall may be the same or different, and may be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited thereto. The material of the first liner (11) may be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto.

[0018] The first heater (112) is installed on the inner wall of the chamber body (1), which can be understood as the first heater (112) being embedded in the inner wall of the chamber body (1), or a groove being formed in the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the first heater (112) being installed in the groove. The inner diameter of the first heater (112) should be as close as possible to the inner diameter of the chamber body (1), so that a uniform airflow field can be formed inside the chamber body (1) during the wafer etching process.

[0019] The first heater (112) corresponds to the position of the first liner (11), which ensures that the heating area of ​​the first heater (112) covers at least the range of the active area of ​​the first liner (11), and that the first heater (112) can heat each area of ​​the first liner (11).

[0020] The heating method of the first heater (112) is not specifically limited here, and it is sufficient if it can transfer heat to the first liner (11). For example, the first heater (112) can heat the first liner (11) through a radiant heating method or heat the first liner (11) through a contact heat conduction method.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by installing a first liner (11) within a chamber body (1), by-products generated during the wafer etching process are attached to the first liner (11), thereby preventing by-products from attaching to the chamber body (1) and causing particle contamination, and improving the service life of the chamber body (1). By heating the first liner (11) through a first heater (112), the temperature of the first liner (11) is raised during the wafer etching process, which is advantageous for plasma ignition within the chamber body (1), and at the same time, the excessive deposition of by-products on the first liner (11) during the process is reduced.

[0022] In one example, when the reaction chamber (100) is in operation, the internal process pressure of the chamber body (1) can be maintained in the range of 1 to 100 mTorr (millitor), the internal temperature of the chamber body (1) can be maintained in the range of 0 to 100°C, and the gas flow rate can be maintained in the range of 50 to 2000 sccm (standard cubic centimeter per minute, volumetric flow rate unit).

[0023] In one embodiment, the first heater (112) is composed of multiple units, and the multiple first heaters (112) are arranged along a vertical direction, and all of the multiple first heaters (112) are electrically connected to a first controller. The first controller is configured to control the multiple first heaters (112) to heat different areas of the first liner (11) at their respective temperatures. The multiple first heaters (112) are arranged along a vertical direction to heat different areas of the first liner (11). The temperatures of the multiple first heaters (112) controlled by the first controller may be different from each other.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: A plurality of first heaters (112) may be installed at any relative position of the chamber body (1) with respect to the first liner (11), and it is sufficient that each of the plurality of first heaters (112) can heat different areas of the first liner (11). For example, the plurality of first heaters (112) may be arranged in a ring shape on the outside of the first liner (11) along the vertical direction, so that the plurality of first heaters (112) can be combined to cover the entire outer wall area of ​​the first liner (11). Alternatively, the plurality of first heaters (112) may be arranged staggered along the vertical direction, and each of the plurality of first heaters (112) may be distributed to a plurality of outer wall areas of the first liner (11), and the entire outer wall area of ​​the first liner (11) may be heated through the heat conduction of the plurality of first heaters (112).

[0025] The first controller can select and adjust the temperature of each first heater as needed, and is not specifically limited thereto. For example, if the temperature of the first liner (11) needs to be maintained between 100°C and 150°C during the wafer etching process, the first controller can be used to control some of the first heaters (112) to heat the upper region temperature of the first liner (11) to between 100°C and 120°C, and to control other parts of the first heaters (112) to heat the lower region temperature of the first liner (11) to between 120°C and 150°C.

[0026] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first controller controls the temperature of a plurality of first heaters (112) to regulate the heating temperature of different regions of the first liner (11), thereby improving the ability to control the temperature of the first liner (11) in the wafer etching process. In addition, depending on the byproduct deposition situation according to different regions of the inner wall of the first liner (11), one or more first heaters (112) are controlled to precisely heat the region with severe byproduct deposition, thereby improving the byproduct deposition situation on the inner wall of the first liner (11).

[0027] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber (100) may further include a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is connected to a first liner (11) and a first heater (112) and is configured to detect the temperature of the first liner (11) and feed back the temperature detection result of the first liner (11) to the first heater (112).

[0028] If it is detected that the temperature of the first liner (11) does not meet the requirements of the wafer etching process, the heating temperature of the first heater (112) is increased to control the temperature of the first liner (11).

[0029] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the temperature sensor may use any detection device capable of implementing temperature measurement in the relevant technology, and may be selected and adjusted as needed, without being specifically limited thereto. It is sufficient that the temperature of the first liner (11) can be detected.

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the temperature of the first liner (11) can be precisely controlled using the first heater (112) through the temperature detection result of the set temperature sensor, which further improves the temperature control capability of the first liner (11), is advantageous for plasma ignition within the chamber body (1), and reduces the excessive deposition of byproducts on the first liner (11) during the reaction process.

[0031] For example, an infrared temperature measuring sensor can be used as the temperature sensor.

[0032] In one example, if the temperature sensor detects that the temperature of the first liner (11) does not meet the requirement for a temperature range between 100°C and 150°C, the heating temperature of the first heater (112) is adjusted.

[0033] In one example, a temperature sensor is connected to a first liner (11) and a first controller and is configured to detect the temperature of the first liner (11) and feed back the temperature detection result of the first liner (11) to the first controller. If it is detected that the temperature of the first liner (11) does not meet the required temperature for the wafer etching process, the first controller adjusts the heating temperature of the first heater (112) to control the temperature of the first liner (11).

[0034] In one example, the number of temperature sensors in the reaction chamber (100) is two, and the first temperature sensor is connected to the first liner (11) and the first heater (112) and is configured to detect the temperature of the first liner (11) and feed back the temperature detection result to the first heater (112). The second temperature sensor is connected to the chamber body (1) and the first heater (112) and is configured to detect the temperature of the chamber body (1) and feed back the temperature detection result of the first liner (11) to the first heater (112).

[0035] In one example, when the reaction chamber (100) is in operation, the internal temperature of the chamber body (1) can be maintained between 60°C and 100°C, and the temperature of the first liner (11) can be maintained between 100°C and 150°C. The high temperature of the first liner (11) can prevent byproduct deposition.

[0036] In one embodiment, the first liner (11) is slidably connected to the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and slidably fitted to the outer wall of the wafer stage (4). The first liner (11) is configured to control the open / closed state of the wafer delivery port (10) by changing the working position through sliding. Additionally, by-products (e.g., particles) generated during the wafer etching process may be attached to the first liner (11), which prevents the by-products from coming into direct contact with the chamber body (1), thereby improving the service life of the chamber body (1). The first liner (11) is set coaxially with the wafer stage (4). When the first liner (11) slides against the inner wall of the chamber body (1) to block the wafer delivery port (10) and is in a closed position, the wafer stage (4), the first liner (11), and the interior of the chamber body (1) can together form a circumferentially symmetric region.

[0037] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the open / closed state of the wafer transfer port (10) means that by adjusting the relative position of the first liner (11) to the wafer transfer port (10), the wafer transfer port (10) may be in an open state communicating with the internal space of the chamber body (1), or the wafer transfer port (10) may be in a closed state blocked from the internal space of the chamber body (1).

[0038] A sliding mechanism that drives the first liner (11) to slide against the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the outer wall of the wafer stage (4) can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto. For example, the sliding mechanism may be a gear rack, a ball screw, a crank link, a pneumatic rod, a hydraulic rod, etc. The first liner (11) may be directly sliding connected to the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and may be indirectly sliding connected to the inner wall of the chamber body (1) through a connecting member. The first liner (11) may be directly sliding connected to the outer wall of the wafer stage (4) and may be indirectly sliding connected to the outer wall of the wafer stage (4) through a connecting member.

[0039] The fact that the first liner (11) is set coaxially with the wafer stage (4) means that the center axis of the first liner (11) lies on the same vertical line as the center axis of the wafer stage (4) (indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 1 and FIG. 6).

[0040] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first liner (11) can block and close the wafer delivery port (10) and is set coaxially with the wafer stage (4), so the wafer stage (4), the first liner (11), and the interior of the chamber body (1) can together form a circumferentially symmetric region. When performing an etching process, the wafer is placed in a circumferentially symmetric process environment so that the process gas introduced into the chamber body (1) can form a uniform circumferentially symmetric airflow field around the wafer, and at the same time, the electrical performance of the first liner (11) also achieves circumferential symmetry, thereby maximally ensuring the circumferentially symmetric uniformity of the wafer process result.

[0041] In one embodiment, the first heater (112) may be a radiant heater. The radiant heating end of the radiant heater is set to face the first liner (11).

[0042] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: The model of the radiant heater may be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto. For example, a radiant heater of an appropriate wavelength is selected according to the material of the first liner (11). The specific structure of the radiant heater may use any structure of a radiant heater found in the relevant art and is not specifically limited thereto. For example, the radiant heater may be a heater in which a heating wire is embedded inside.

[0043] According to an embodiment of the present invention, using a radiant heater allows the first liner (11) to be heated quickly through a heat conduction method, thereby improving the efficiency of heating the first liner (11).

[0044] For example, a radiant heater can be an infrared lamp heater.

[0045] In one example, the reaction chamber (100) further includes a vacuum adapter flange, and a power line is connected to a first heater (112) through the vacuum adapter flange to supply power to the first heater (112).

[0046] In one example, an insulating layer is additionally installed between the first heater (112) and the inner wall of the chamber body (1) to prevent the temperature of the first heater (112) from affecting the chamber body (1) and to improve the service life of the chamber body (1).

[0047] In one embodiment, the chamber body (1) may include an upper plate (2) and a lower plate (3) arranged relative to each other along a vertical direction. A gas inlet (201) is installed on the upper plate (2). An exhaust port (301) is installed on the lower plate (3). A wafer stage (4) is located between the gas inlet (201) and the exhaust port (301). Process gas introduced into the chamber body (1) through the gas inlet (201) performs a wafer etching process together with the wafer on the wafer stage (4). A first exhaust region (52) is formed between the first liner (11) and the upper plate (2). A second exhaust region (51) is formed between the first liner (11) and the lower plate (3).

[0048] A ventilation hole (111) is installed in the first liner (11), and the ventilation hole (111) connects the first exhaust area (52) and the second exhaust area (51). Through this, the pressure in the first exhaust area (52) and the second exhaust area (51) is maintained to be equal.

[0049] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the gas inlet (201) may be connected to a gas inlet pipeline, and the process gas delivered by the gas inlet pipeline is delivered into the interior of the chamber body (1) through the gas inlet (201). The shape and number of the gas inlets (201) may be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited thereto. The position of the gas inlets (201) on the top plate (2) may be selected and adjusted as needed, for example, the gas inlets (201) may be installed at a position facing the wafer on the top plate (2), or the gas inlets (201) may be installed at any position on the top plate (2).

[0050] The exhaust port (301) is configured to discharge process gas inside the chamber body (1). The shape and diameter of the exhaust port (301) may be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited thereto.

[0051] The spatial volume of the first exhaust area (52) and the second exhaust area (51) changes according to the change in the working position of the first liner (11). For example, when the first liner (11) slides toward the upper plate (2), the distance between the first liner (11) and the upper plate (2) decreases, and the distance between the first liner (11) and the lower plate (3) increases, so the spatial volume of the first exhaust area (52) decreases, and the spatial volume of the second exhaust area (51) increases. Conversely, when the first liner (11) moves toward the lower plate (3), the distance between the first liner (11) and the upper plate (2) increases, and the distance between the first liner (11) and the lower plate (3) decreases, so the spatial volume of the first exhaust area (52) increases, and the spatial volume of the second exhaust area (51) decreases.

[0052] The number, shape, and size of the ventilation holes (111) can be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited thereto. The installation location of the ventilation holes (111) can be selected and adjusted as needed, for example, the ventilation holes (111) can be uniformly distributed in the area of ​​the first liner (11) between the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the outer wall of the wafer stage (4).

[0053] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the ventilation hole (111) installed in the first liner (11) maintains a constant internal pressure of the chamber body (1) and forms a uniform airflow field in the first exhaust area (52), thereby improving the uniformity of the process result.

[0054] In one example, the first heater (112) sets the heating temperature for the ventilation hole (111) location higher than the heating temperature for the remaining locations of the first liner (11) to prevent by-products generated during the wafer etching process from being deposited at the ventilation hole (111) location and blocking the ventilation hole (111).

[0055] In one example, the reaction chamber (100) further includes an RF source (101) and a dielectric window (102). The RF source (101) is installed relative to the dielectric window (102) of the top plate (2), and the RF energy generated from the RF source (101) is transferred into the interior of the chamber body (1) through the dielectric window (102) to excite the introduced process gas and generate plasma.

[0056] In one embodiment, the first liner (11) may include a first working position and a second working position. When the first liner (11) slides to the first working position, the wafer transfer port (10) communicates with the first exhaust area (52). When the first liner (11) slides to the second working position, the wafer transfer port (10) is blocked from the first exhaust area (52).

[0057] The heating area of ​​the first heater (112) includes at least an area where the first liner (11) slides between the first working position and the second working position.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: The first working position can be understood as a position where the first liner (11) slides toward the lower plate (3) to reach a specific lower position, and the wafer delivery port (10) communicates with the first exhaust area (52). The specific position may be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto. When the first liner (11) slides toward the first working position, the wafer can be delivered into the chamber body (1) through the wafer delivery port (10) and placed on the wafer stage (4).

[0059] The second working position can be understood as a position where the first liner (11) slides toward the top plate (2) to reach a specific high position, thereby blocking communication between the wafer delivery port (10) and the first exhaust area (52). The specific location of the high position may be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto.

[0060] The heating area can be understood as the first heater (112) transferring heat to the first liner (11) when the first liner (11) is at any position relative to the reaction chamber (100), thereby heating the first liner (11). During the wafer etching process, when the first liner (11) slides to a second working position, the first heater (112) heats the first liner (11), which is advantageous for plasma ignition. When the wafer etching process is completed, the first liner (11) slides to a first working position, and the first heater (112) continues to heat the first liner (11) so that the first liner (11) maintains a temperature favorable for the wafer etching process during the next wafer etching process, thereby improving the uniformity between wafers of the process results.

[0061] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the heating area of ​​the first heater (112) covers the sliding area of ​​the first liner (11), so that the first liner (11) can be heated continuously and sufficiently, and a stable process environment is formed inside the chamber body (1).

[0062] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber (100) may further include a second liner (12). The second liner (12) is connected to the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and is installed in close proximity to the top plate (2). An opening is provided in the second liner (12), and the opening communicates with a gas inlet (201). The second liner (12), the first liner (11), and the wafer stage (4) are set coaxially, and the inner diameters of the second liner (12) and the first liner (11) are the same.

[0063] Here, when the first liner (11) slides to the first working position, the wafer transfer port (10) communicates with the first exhaust area (52). When the first liner (11) slides to the second working position, the first liner (11) joins with the second liner (12) to form a sealed first exhaust area (52), and the wafer transfer port (10) is blocked from the sealed first exhaust area (52). At this time, the wafer stage (4), the first liner (11), the second liner (12), and the interior of the chamber body (1) can together form a circumferentially symmetric region.

[0064] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the first liner (11) and the second liner (12) being set coaxially means that the center axis of the first liner (11) and the center axis of the second liner (12) overlap.

[0065] The shape of the second liner (12) is suitable for the shape of the inner wall of the chamber body (1). The second liner (12) may have a ring-shaped structure with boiling height, and the first side wall of the first liner (11) may have a ring-shaped side wall with boiling height. When the first liner (11) slides to the second working position, the first liner (11) and the second liner (12) are joined, and then their inner walls are sealed together with the chamber body (1) to form a first exhaust area (52) that is circumferentially symmetric.

[0066] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the second liner (12) allows by-products generated during the wafer etching process to adhere thereto, thereby further preventing by-products from adhering to the chamber body (1) and causing particle contamination, and improving the service life of the chamber body (1). At the same time, since the second liner (12) is coaxial with the first liner (11) and has the same inner diameter, the interior of the wafer stage (4), the first liner (11), the second liner (12), and the chamber body (1) can together form a circumferentially symmetric region. When performing the etching process, the wafer is placed in a circumferentially symmetric process environment so that the process gas introduced into the chamber body (1) can form a uniform circumferentially symmetric airflow field around the wafer, and at the same time, the electrical performance of the first liner (11) also achieves circumferential symmetry, thereby maximally ensuring the circumferentially symmetric uniformity of the wafer process result.

[0067] In one example, during the wafer etching process, by-products such as particles are generated and adhere to the first liner (11) and the second liner (12). To prevent by-products from falling off the first liner (11) and the second liner (12) and causing particle contamination on the wafer, it is necessary to regularly clean or replace the first liner (11) and the second liner (12). Accordingly, the first liner (11) and the second liner (12) are detachably installed on the chamber body (1), making disassembly, cleaning, and replacement easy.

[0068] In one example, the inner wall of the first side wall of the first liner (11) is a ring-shaped structure extending in the vertical direction, and the inner wall of the second liner (12) is a ring-shaped structure extending in the vertical direction. This ensures that after the first liner (11) and the second liner (12) are joined, a circularly symmetrical spatial structure is formed inside both.

[0069] In one example, the second liner (12) is connected to the inner wall of the chamber body (1) through a flange. The flange is connected to a heating device, which is configured to heat the flange and transfer the heat absorbed by the flange to the second liner (12) and the first liner (11). At the same time, the first heater (112) assists in heating the first liner (11), which is more advantageous for plasma ignition within the chamber body (1) and reduces the excessive deposition of byproducts on the first liner (11) during the reaction process.

[0070] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber (100) may further include a second heater (121). The second heater (121) is installed on the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and corresponds to the position of the second liner (12), and the second heater (121) is electrically connected to a second controller. The second controller is configured to control the second heater (121) to heat the second liner (12) to a set temperature.

[0071] During the wafer etching process, the second heater (121) heats the second liner (12) to raise the temperature of the second liner (12), which is advantageous for plasma ignition. After one wafer etching process is completed, the temperature of the second liner (12) is lowered in the absence of plasma, and the second heater (121) is controlled via the second controller to heat the second liner (12) during the time when there is no plasma. During the second wafer etching process, the second liner (12) is maintained at a temperature advantageous for the wafer etching process, ensuring that each wafer is in a stable process environment and improving the uniformity between wafers of the process results.

[0072] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the second heater (121) being installed on the inner wall of the chamber body (1) can be understood as the second heater (121) being embedded in the inner wall of the chamber body (1), or a groove being formed in the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the second heater (121) being installed in the groove. The inner diameter of the second heater (121) should be as close as possible to the inner diameter of the chamber body (1), so that a uniform airflow field can be formed inside the chamber body (1) during the wafer etching process.

[0073] The second heater (121) corresponds to the position of the second liner (12), which ensures that the heating area of ​​the second heater (121) covers at least the second liner (12) and that the second heater (121) can heat each area of ​​the second liner (12).

[0074] The heating method of the second heater (121) is not specifically limited here, and it is sufficient as long as it can transfer heat to the second liner (12). For example, the second heater (121) can heat the second liner (12) through a radiant heating method or heat the second liner (12) through a contact heat conduction method.

[0075] The second heater (121) may be a heater of the same type as the first heater (112) or a different type of heater. This can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto. For example, the second heater (121) may use a contact-type heat conduction heater, and the first heater (112) may use a radiant heater.

[0076] The second controller and the first controller may be the same controller and control the second heater (121) and the first heater (112) simultaneously. Alternatively, the second controller and the first controller may be two separate controllers that each control the second heater (121) and the first heater (112), respectively, and this may be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited thereto.

[0077] According to an embodiment of the present invention, heating the temperature of the second liner (12) through the second heater (121) is advantageous for plasma ignition. A stable process environment is formed inside the chamber body (1), thereby improving the uniformity of the process results. At the same time, the ability to control the temperature of the second liner (12) in the wafer etching process can be improved through the settings of the first controller.

[0078] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber (100) may further include a first support member (6) and a first lifting mechanism (93).

[0079] The first support member (6) is installed between the chamber body (1) and the wafer stage (4) and is located outside the first liner (11).

[0080] The first lifting mechanism (93) is installed on the first support member (6). The lifting member (95) of the first lifting mechanism (93) is connected to the first liner (11) and is configured to drive the first liner (11) to slide.

[0081] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the first support member (6) is configured to support the wafer stage (4) by connecting the wafer stage (4) to the chamber body (1). The shape and size of the first support member (6) may be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited thereto.

[0082] The outer part of the first liner (11) can be understood as the lower region of the first liner (11) as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6. The inner part of the first liner (11) can be understood as the inner region and the upper region of the first liner (11) as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6. The outer part of the first liner (11) accommodates the first support member (6), and the inner part of the first liner (11) accommodates the wafer.

[0083] It can be understood that the first lifting mechanism (93) is installed in the first support member (6), and that the first lifting mechanism (93) is accommodated inside the first support member (6). When the lifting member (95) is in an operating state, it protrudes from the first support member (6) and drives the first liner (11) to be lifted and slid inside the chamber body (1). When the lifting member (95) is in a non-operating state, the lifting member (95) retracts into the first support member (6). When performing an etching process, only the lifting member (95) of the first lifting mechanism (93) is exposed to the process environment of the chamber body (1), and the rest of the parts are all hidden in the first support member (6).

[0084] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first liner (11) can block and close the wafer delivery port (10) and is set coaxially with the wafer stage (4), so the wafer stage (4), the first liner (11), and the interior of the chamber body (1) can together form a circumferentially symmetric region. When performing an etching process, the wafer is placed in a circumferentially symmetric process environment so that the process gas introduced into the chamber body (1) can form a uniform circumferentially symmetric airflow field around the wafer, and at the same time, the electrical performance of the first liner (11) also achieves circumferential symmetry, thereby maximally ensuring the circumferentially symmetric uniformity of the wafer process result. In addition, the first lifting mechanism (93) is installed on the first support member (6) and is located far from the plasma region formed around it during wafer etching and is not exposed inside the chamber body (1), so the entire structure of the first lifting mechanism (93) is prevented from contaminating the wafer during wafer etching and prevents the entire structure of the first lifting mechanism (93) from corroding during the etching process.

[0085] In one embodiment, the lifting member (95) is made of aluminum alloy, and the surface of the lifting member (95) is covered with a yttrium oxide coating.

[0086] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the aluminum alloy material can extend the service life of the lifting member (95), and at the same time, the yttrium oxide coating prevents the lifting member (95) from contaminating the wafer and strengthens the corrosion resistance of the lifting member (95).

[0087] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber (100) may further include a plurality of first support members (6), the plurality of first support members (6) are uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4), and a first lifting mechanism (93) is installed in each first support member (6).

[0088] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the number of a plurality of first support members (6) can be selected and adjusted as needed, for example, there may be two or four first support members (6).

[0089] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since a plurality of first support members (6) are uniformly arranged, the second exhaust area (51) is uniformly divided into several sub-areas. When inhaling process gas, the process gas can pass uniformly through the sub-areas of the second exhaust area (51). At the same time, the plurality of first support members (6) can improve the stability of the wafer stage (4).

[0090] In one example, a plurality of first support members (6) are uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4) on the first horizontal plane of the wafer stage (4), and a plurality of first support members (6) are uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4) on the second horizontal plane of the wafer stage (4). Here, the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane are set apart in the vertical direction. The first support members (6) installed on the first horizontal plane and the first support members (6) installed on the second horizontal plane overlap each other in the vertical projection, or the first support members (6) installed on the first horizontal plane and the first support members (6) installed on the second horizontal plane are arranged staggered each other in the vertical projection. Process gas passes through a sub-region of the second exhaust area (51) between two adjacent first support members (6) on the same horizontal plane.

[0091] In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, the first lifting mechanism (93) further includes a first tubular body (94). The first tubular body (94) is installed on the first support member (6). One end of the lifting member (95) is slidably inserted into the first tubular body (94) to reduce direct contact between the lifting member (95) and the first support member (6), and the other end of the lifting member (95) is connected to the first liner (11).

[0092] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: The sliding mechanism by which the lifting member (95) performs a sliding motion with respect to the first tubular body (94) may be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto. For example, the sliding mechanism may be a gear rack, a ball screw, a crank link, a pneumatic rod, a hydraulic rod, etc. The outer wall of the lifting member (95) may be directly slidingly connected to the inner wall of the first tubular body (94), or may be indirectly slidingly connected to the inner wall of the first tubular body (94) through a connecting member.

[0093] It can be understood that the first tube (94) is installed on the first support member (6) so that the first tube (94) is always located on the first support member (6) and does not move according to the lifting movement of the lifting member (95).

[0094] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by installing a first tubular body (94) on a first support member (6), the direct contact between the lifting member (95) and the first support member (6) can be reduced, thereby reducing the impact on the wafer etching process environment, and at the same time, the service life of the lifting member (95) can be improved.

[0095] In one example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, the first lifting mechanism (93) further includes a driving unit (96). The lifting section (95) is connected to the driving unit (96), and the driving unit (96) is installed outside the chamber body (1). The driving unit (96) is configured to control the lifting movement of the lifting section (95).

[0096] In an example of the present invention, the driving unit (96) is installed outside the chamber body (1) so as not to occupy additional internal space of the reaction chamber (100), and at the same time, the driving unit (96) is installed outside the chamber body (1) so as to facilitate maintenance of the first lifting mechanism (93).

[0097] In one example, the drive unit (96) adopts a clean cylinder mechanism or a hydraulic cylinder mechanism.

[0098] In one embodiment, the first tube (94) is a vacuum bellows, and the first tube (94) is made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel.

[0099] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the service life of the first tube (94) can be extended by using a vacuum bellows made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel. At the same time, since the first tube (94) is installed on the first support (6) and is located far away from the plasma region formed around it during wafer etching, contamination of the wafer can be prevented.

[0100] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber (100) may further include a second support member (61), which is installed between the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the wafer stage (4).

[0101] The exhaust section (7) includes a valve plate (71), a valve core (72), and a valve body (75). The valve body (75) is installed outside the chamber body (1) and is connected to the exhaust port (301). The valve plate (71) is installed inside the chamber body (1) and is connected to the first end of the valve core (72). The second end of the valve core (72) is inserted vertically into the exhaust port (301) and the valve body (75). When the valve core (72) is in the third working position, a first ring-shaped gap (73) is formed between the valve plate (71) and the bottom plate (3). A second ring-shaped gap (74) is formed between the valve core (72) and the exhaust port (301) and between the valve core (72) and the inner wall of the valve body (75).

[0102] Here, the first ring-shaped gap (73), the second ring-shaped gap (74), the first exhaust area (52), and the second exhaust area (51) are set coaxially.

[0103] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: The shape and size of the second support member (61) may be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited thereto. The second support member (61) may be the same support member as the first support member (6) or may be a different support member. This may be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto. The relative installation position of the second support member (61) with respect to the first support member (6) may be selected and adjusted as needed, for example, the second support member (61) may be uniformly placed on the same horizontal plane as the first support member (6), or the second support member (61) may be installed at a vertical projection position on a different horizontal plane of the first support member (6).

[0104] The shape and size of the valve body (75) can be selected and adjusted as needed, and the valve core (72) can be raised and lowered within the valve body (75).

[0105] The second end of the valve core (72) is inserted into the exhaust port (301) so as to be vertically movable, and the electric structure that drives the valve core (72) to move vertically in the exhaust port (301) can be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto. For example, a lifting mechanism, a gear rack, a ball screw, a crank link, etc., can be used as the electric structure to drive the valve core (72) to move vertically relative to the exhaust port (301) and the valve plate (71) through self-operation.

[0106] The fact that a second ring-shaped gap (74) is formed between the valve core (72) and the exhaust port (301) and between the valve core (72) and the inner wall of the valve body (75) can be understood as the ring-shaped gap between the valve core (72) and the exhaust port (301) and the ring-shaped gap between the valve core (72) and the inner wall of the valve body (75) together constituting the second ring-shaped gap (74). Here, when the valve core (72) performs an upward movement, the portion of the valve core (72) located within the valve body (75) increases, and as the valve core (72) rises, the second end of the valve core (72) also rises, thereby shortening the length of the formed second ring-shaped gap (74). When the length of the second ring-shaped gap (74) is short, the flow resistance passing through the second ring-shaped gap (74) decreases, the flow rate of gas passing through the second ring-shaped gap (74) increases, and at the same time, the process pressure inside the chamber body (1) can be lowered. When the valve core (72) performs a downward movement, the portion of the valve core (72) located within the valve body (75) decreases, and as the valve core (72) descends, the second end of the valve core (72) also descends, so the length of the formed second ring-shaped gap (74) increases. When the length of the second ring-shaped gap (74) is long, the flow resistance passing through the second ring-shaped gap (74) increases, the flow rate of gas passing through the second ring-shaped gap (74) decreases, and at the same time, the process pressure inside the chamber body (1) can be increased.

[0107] It can be understood that the first ring-shaped gap (73) is formed between the valve plate (71) and the lower plate (3), and that when the valve core (72) rises into the interior of the chamber body (1) and reaches a specific position, the ring-shaped area formed between the lower plate (3) and one end portion of the valve plate (71) relative to the lower plate (3) is the first ring-shaped gap (73). As the valve plate (71) moves upward, the valve plate (71) gradually moves away from the lower plate (3), and at this time, the volume of the first ring-shaped gap (73) gradually increases, thereby increasing the flow rate of process gas that can pass through the first ring-shaped gap (73). As the valve plate (71) moves downward, the valve plate (71) gradually moves closer to the lower plate (3), and at this time, the volume of the first ring-shaped gap (73) gradually decreases, thereby decreasing the flow rate of process gas that can pass through the first ring-shaped gap (73). The exhaust efficiency of the exhaust port (301) can be controlled by adjusting the volume of the first ring-shaped gap (73) according to the lifting movement of the valve plate (71).

[0108] The size and shape of the valve plate (71) may be selected and adjusted as needed, but are not limited thereto. For example, if the valve plate (71) is set to cover the exhaust port (301), the ring-shaped area between one end portion of the valve plate (71) and the lower plate (3) is the first ring-shaped gap (73). Or, if the valve plate (71) is fitted to the shape of the exhaust port (301), the ring-shaped area between one end portion of the valve plate (71) and the exhaust port (301) is the first ring-shaped gap (73).

[0109] The fact that the first ring-shaped gap (73), the second ring-shaped gap (74), the first exhaust area (52), and the second exhaust area (51) are set coaxially means that the centers of the first ring-shaped gap (73), the second ring-shaped gap (74), the first exhaust area (52), and the second exhaust area (51) are on the same vertical line (indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 1). Since the first ring-shaped gap (73), the second ring-shaped gap (74), the first exhaust area (52), and the second exhaust area (51) are all designed symmetrically, a uniform airflow field is formed when the process gas is discharged, and the process gas passes through the first exhaust area (52), the second exhaust area (51), the first ring-shaped gap (73), and the second ring-shaped gap (74) sequentially and uniformly in the 360-degree direction simultaneously, thereby preventing uneven flow of air.

[0110] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the stability of the wafer stage (4) can be further improved by installing the second support member (61). Additionally, since the valve core (72) is inserted so as to be vertically movable into the exhaust port (301) and the valve plate (71), and the first ring-shaped gap (73), the second ring-shaped gap (74), the first exhaust area (52), and the second exhaust area (51) are set coaxially to form a symmetrical structure, a uniform airflow field is formed in the first ring-shaped gap (73), the second ring-shaped gap (74), the first exhaust area (52), and the second exhaust area (51) when the process gas is discharged. The process gas passes sequentially through the first exhaust area (52), the second exhaust area (51), the first ring-shaped gap (73), and the second ring-shaped gap (74) simultaneously and uniformly in a 360-degree direction, and the gas in the space surrounding the wafer stage (4) is sucked into the exhaust port (301) through a uniform airflow field, thereby ensuring uniformity of the wafer etching process results. By adjusting the valve core (72) to be vertical, the length of the second ring-shaped gap (74) can be adjusted, thereby controlling the air pressure inside the chamber body (1) and controlling the gas flow resistance and gas flow rate when sucking in the process gas.

[0111] In one example, an exhaust area (5) is formed between the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the wafer stage (4). The exhaust area (5) includes a first exhaust area (52) and a second exhaust area (51).

[0112] In one example, the reaction chamber (100) further includes a flow sensor configured to detect the gas flow rate passing through the exhaust section (7). If it is detected that the gas flow rate passing through the exhaust section (7) does not meet 50 to 2000 sccm (standard cubic centimeter per minute, volumetric flow rate unit), the height of the third working position of the valve core (72) is adjusted.

[0113] In one example, the reaction chamber (100) further includes a pressure sensor configured to detect the internal process pressure of the chamber body (1). If it is detected that the internal process pressure of the chamber body (1) does not meet 1 to 100 mTorr (millitor), the height of the third working position of the valve core (72) is adjusted.

[0114] In one example, the valve body (75) is a hollow cylinder and the valve core (72) is a cylinder, and the valve core (72) is inserted vertically into the exhaust port (301) and the valve body (75). A second ring-shaped gap (74) is formed between the valve core (72) and the exhaust port (301) and between the valve core (72) and the inner wall of the valve body (75).

[0115] In one example, the valve core (72) is an inverted cone, the valve body (75) fits the side wall of the valve core (72), and the valve core (72) is inserted vertically into the exhaust port (301) and the valve body (75). A second ring-shaped gap (74) is formed between the valve core (72) and the exhaust port (301) and between the inner wall of the valve core (72) and the valve body (75).

[0116] In one example, as shown in FIG. 3, four support members are uniformly arranged on the same horizontal plane between the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the outer wall of the wafer stage (4), two of which are relatively arranged support members are the first support members (6), and the other two relatively arranged support members are the second support members (61).

[0117] In one example, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, eight support members are uniformly arranged on the same horizontal plane between the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the outer wall of the wafer stage (4), of which four are first support members (6) and the remaining four are second support members (61). The first support members (6) and the second support members (61) are arranged alternately, that is, one second support member (61) is installed between two first support members (6).

[0118] In one example, based on the structural schematic of the first support member (6) shown in FIG. 1, if the reaction chamber (100) is rotated at a certain angle along the central axis (dotted line) of FIG. 1, a structural schematic of the second support member (61) shown in FIG. 2 can be obtained.

[0119] In one embodiment, when the valve core (72) is in the fourth working position, the valve plate (71) contacts the lower plate (3) to close the exhaust port (301).

[0120] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by controlling the valve core (72) to move to a fourth working position during a wafer process reaction, the chamber body (1) forms a sealed reaction space to satisfy the process reaction requirements of the wafer, and ensures that the process gas inside the chamber body (1) does not leak through the exhaust port (301).

[0121] In one embodiment, the exhaust section (7) may further include a pump body (76), and the pump body (76) is connected to the exhaust port (301) through the valve body (75).

[0122] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the pump body (76) may adopt any pump structure that satisfies the suction of gas inside the chamber body (1) in the relevant art.

[0123] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the discharge of process gas inside the chamber body (1) can be accelerated. Additionally, air inside the chamber body (1) can be discharged through the pump body (76) before the process reaction to create a vacuum inside the chamber body (1), thereby satisfying the requirements of the wafer process reaction.

[0124] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, in one embodiment, the reaction chamber (100) may further include a sealing ring (8) installed in the exhaust port (301), and when the valve core (72) is in the fourth working position, the valve plate (71) contacts the sealing ring (8).

[0125] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the material and number of sealing rings (8) are not specifically limited herein and must satisfy the sealing effect. For example, a single sealing ring (8) may be installed in the exhaust port (301), or a double-layer sealing ring (8) may be installed in the exhaust port (301).

[0126] It can be understood that the sealing ring (8) is installed in the exhaust port (301) so that the sealing ring (8) is connected to the outer edge of the exhaust port (301). Additionally, it can be understood that the sealing ring (8) is fitted to the outside of the exhaust port (301) and connected to the bottom plate (3).

[0127] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by installing a sealing ring (8), the valve plate (71) can enhance the effect of sealing the exhaust port (301).

[0128] In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the second support members (61) are composed of a plurality of members, and the plurality of second support members (61) are uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4).

[0129] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the number of second support members (61) can be selected and adjusted as needed, for example, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 second support members (61).

[0130] The size of each second support (61) can be maintained consistently.

[0131] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since a plurality of second support members (61) are uniformly arranged, the second exhaust area (51) between the wafer stage (4) and the chamber body (1) is uniformly divided into several sub-areas. When inhaling process gas, the process gas can pass uniformly through the sub-areas of the second exhaust area (51) between the second support members (61). At the same time, the plurality of second support members (61) can improve the stability of the wafer stage (4).

[0132] In one example, a plurality of second support members (61) are uniformly arranged along the periphery of the wafer stage (4) on the first horizontal plane of the wafer stage (4), and a plurality of second support members (61) are uniformly arranged along the periphery of the wafer stage (4) on the second horizontal plane of the wafer stage (4). Here, the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane are set apart in the vertical direction. The second support members (61) installed on the first horizontal plane and the second support members (61) installed on the second horizontal plane overlap each other in the vertical projection, or the second support members (61) installed on the first horizontal plane and the second support members (61) installed on the second horizontal plane are arranged to intersect each other in the vertical projection. Process gas passes through a sub-region of the second exhaust area (51) between two adjacent second support members (61) on the same horizontal plane.

[0133] In one example, a plurality of first support members (6) are uniformly arranged along the periphery of the wafer stage (4) on the first horizontal plane of the wafer stage (4), and a plurality of first support members (6) are uniformly arranged along the periphery of the wafer stage (4) on the second horizontal plane of the wafer stage (4). Here, the first horizontal plane and the second horizontal plane are set apart in the vertical direction. The first support members (6) installed on the first horizontal plane and the first support members (6) installed on the second horizontal plane overlap each other in the vertical projection, or the first support members (6) installed on the first horizontal plane and the first support members (6) installed on the second horizontal plane are arranged to intersect each other in the vertical projection. Process gas passes through a sub-region of the second exhaust area (51) between two adjacent first support members (6) on the same horizontal plane. The second support member (61) may be the same support member as the first support member (6) or may be a different support member. This may be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto. The relative installation position of the second support member (61) with respect to the first support member (6) may be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto. For example, the second support member (61) may be uniformly placed on the same horizontal plane as the first support member (6), or the second support member (61) may be installed at a vertical projection position on a different horizontal plane of the first support member (6). The shape and size of the first support member (6) may be selected and adjusted as needed and are not specifically limited thereto.

[0134] In one embodiment, the width of the horizontal cross-section of the second support member (61) is between 1 / 10 and 1 / 2 of the radius of the wafer stage (4).

[0135] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the width of the horizontal cross-section of the second support member (61) is understood to correspond to the width of the surface where the second support member (61) has a surface that obstructs airflow in the second exhaust area (51), the distance between the wafer stage (4) and the inner wall of the chamber body (1) corresponds to the length of this surface, and the width of the horizontal cross-section of the second support member (61) corresponds to the width of this surface. Here, the width of the second support member (61) may be selected and adjusted as needed and is not specifically limited thereto. For example, increasing the number of second support members (61) may reduce the width of the second support member (61), which may mitigate the effect of the second support member (61) on the uniform flow of airflow in the second exhaust area (51).

[0136] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by installing a plurality of second support members (61) that are small in width and uniformly arranged, the area where the second support members (61) block the flow of the process gas when the process gas passes through the second exhaust area (51) is reduced, so that the process gas can pass through the second exhaust area (51) uniformly.

[0137] In one example, the reaction chamber (100) uniformly arranges a plurality of second support members (61) along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4), and the width of the horizontal cross-section of the second support members (61) gradually decreases as the number of second support members (61) increases. For example, if the reaction chamber (100) uniformly arranges two second support members (61) along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4), the width of the horizontal cross-section of the second support members (61) is half the radius of the wafer stage (4). If the reaction chamber (100) uniformly arranges four second support members (61) along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4), the width of the horizontal cross-section of the second support members (61) is one-fourth the radius of the wafer stage (4). If the reaction chamber (100) uniformly arranges five second support members (61) along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4), the width of the horizontal cross-section of the second support members (61) is 1 / 5 of the radius of the wafer stage (4). If the reaction chamber (100) uniformly arranges eight second support members (61) along the circumferential direction of the wafer stage (4), the width of the horizontal cross-section of the second support members (61) is 1 / 8 of the radius of the wafer stage (4).

[0138] As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, in one embodiment, the second support member (61) is tubular in structure, and the first port of the second support member (61) is in communication with the chamber body (1), and the second port of the second support member (61) is in communication with the wafer stage (4).

[0139] The power connection line of the wafer stage (4) and / or the piping (air supply and / or liquid supply) of the reaction chamber (100) are sequentially drawn out to the outside of the chamber body (1) through the second port, the internal piping of the second support (61), and the first port.

[0140] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: the power connection line of the wafer stage (4) may include a power line (e.g., high-voltage DC power line, heating power line), a signal line (e.g., thermocouple connection line), etc., and is not specifically limited thereto.

[0141] Piping may include gas lines (e.g., He (helium) gas piping, CDA (Compressed Dry Air) piping), coolant piping, etc.

[0142] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the tubular structure of the second support member (61) can accommodate the power connection line of the wafer stage (4) and / or the piping of the reaction chamber (100) to prevent exposure to the second exhaust area (51).

[0143] In one example, the power connection lines of the wafer stage (4) and / or the piping of the reaction chamber (100) may each be accommodated in different second support members (61), or in different second support members (61) in groups. For example, power lines, signal lines, gas lines, and coolant piping may each be accommodated in different second support members (61) to prevent all lines from being accommodated in a single second support member (61) and affecting the uniform flow of airflow, while simultaneously improving maintenance and device safety.

[0144] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the power connection line of the wafer stage (4) and / or the piping of the reaction chamber (100) are each installed on different second support members (61), the width of the second support member (61) can be made as small as possible when designing. This can further mitigate the effect of the second support member (61) on the uniform flow of air in the second exhaust area (51).

[0145] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5, in one embodiment, the reaction chamber (100) may further include a second lifting mechanism (9), and the second lifting mechanism (9) includes a second tube (91) and a rod (92). The second tube (91) is connected to the bottom plate (3), and one end of the rod (92) is slidably inserted into the second tube (91), and the other end of the rod (92) extends into the interior of the chamber body (1) and is connected to the valve plate (71). The rod (92) is configured to drive the valve plate (71) and the valve core (72) to move up and down.

[0146] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: that the rod body (92) drives the valve plate (71) and the valve core (72) to move up and down, can be understood as the rod body (92) moving the valve core (72) between a third working position and a fourth working position, that is, the rod body (92) controlling the opening and closing of the exhaust section (7).

[0147] The sliding method of the load body (92) and the second tube body (91) can be selected and adjusted as needed, and is not specifically limited thereto.

[0148] The material, size, and installation location of the second tube (91) can be selected and adjusted as needed. For example, the second tube (91) may adopt a sealed bellows.

[0149] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the valve plate (71) and the valve core (72) can be moved up and down smoothly and stably through the second lifting mechanism (9).

[0150] In one example, the second tube (91) is installed outside the chamber body (1), and one end of the rod (92) penetrates the second tube (91) and is connected to the valve plate (71) inside the chamber body (1), and the other end of the rod (92) penetrates the second tube (91) and is connected to a motor installed outside the chamber body (1). The motor is configured to drive the rod (92) to slide vertically relative to the second tube (91).

[0151] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the second tube (91) is installed outside the chamber body (1), the process gas inside the chamber body (1) is prevented from corroding the second tube (91), thereby improving the service life of the second tube (91).

[0152] In one embodiment, the reaction chamber (100) may include a plurality of second lifting mechanisms (9), and the plurality of second lifting mechanisms (9) are uniformly arranged along the circumferential direction of the valve plate (71).

[0153] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the following is clarified: a plurality of second lifting mechanisms (9) means at least two second lifting mechanisms (9).

[0154] According to an embodiment of the present invention, by uniformly arranging a plurality of second lifting mechanisms (9), the valve plate (71) and the valve core (72) can move up and down more stably, and the problem of the valve core (72) and the valve plate (71) being offset in the axial direction due to uneven force, thereby forming an asymmetric structure of the first ring-shaped gap (73) and the second ring-shaped gap (74), can be prevented. This ensures uniform exhaust of the exhaust port (301).

[0155] An embodiment of the present invention also provides a wafer etching apparatus comprising a reaction chamber (100) provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0156] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a first heater (112) installed at a relative position to the first liner (11) heats it, thereby making the temperature of the first liner (11) suitable for plasma ignition favorable for the working reaction during the wafer etching process, thus improving the efficiency of the wafer etching process. In addition, by controlling the first heater (112) during the interval time of the wafer etching process to heat the first liner (11) in a plasma-free state, the first liner (11) maintains a temperature favorable for the wafer etching process during the second wafer etching process, thereby improving the stability of the process environment of the reaction chamber (100) and, accordingly, increasing the uniformity of the wafer etching process results.

[0157] In one example, when a second liner (12) is installed in the chamber body (1), the first liner (11) is controlled to slide to a first working position to transfer the wafer to be processed onto the wafer stage (4) through the delivery port (10). Subsequently, the first liner (11) is controlled to slide to a second working position. During the wafer etching process, the first heater (112) and the second heater (121) heat the first liner (11) and the second liner (12), respectively. Process gas is controlled to be supplied into the chamber body (1). The heated first liner (11) and the second liner (12) promote the ignition of plasma. Additionally, the second liner (12), the first liner (11), and the wafer stage (4) are arranged coaxially, and due to the design structure in which the inner diameters of the second liner (12) and the first liner (11) are the same, a sealed and uniform airflow field is formed in the first exhaust area (52), ensuring uniformity of the wafer etching process results. After the wafer etching process, the first liner (11) is controlled to slide to a first working position to remove the wafer after the etching process is completed. The first heater (112) and the second heater (121) continue to heat the first liner (11) and the second liner (12) to prevent excessive temperature fluctuations from occurring inside the chamber body (1), thereby providing a stable process environment and improving the uniformity between wafers of the process results.

[0158] In the description of this specification, terms such as “center,” “longitudinal,” “transverse,” “length,” “width,” “thickness,” “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “top,” “bottom,” “inner,” “outer,” “clockwise,” “counterclockwise,” “axial,” “radial,” and “circular” indicate directional or positional relationships based on the attached drawings and are intended only for the purpose of describing and simplifying the invention; they do not indicate or imply that the mentioned device or element must have a specific direction or be configured and operated in a specific direction, and should not be interpreted as a limitation of the invention.

[0159] Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," etc., are used solely for descriptive purposes and should not be interpreted as indicating or implying relative importance, or as implicitly indicating the number of technical features. Accordingly, features limited to "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more such features. In the description of the present invention, "plural" means two or more unless otherwise clearly and specifically limited.

[0160] In the present invention, terms such as “installation,” “connection,” and “fixing” should be understood in a broad sense, unless otherwise explicitly defined or limited. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection. It may be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication connection. It may be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, and may be a communication within two elements or an interactive relationship between two elements. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0161] In the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined or limited, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature includes cases where the first feature and the second feature are in direct contact or indirectly in contact through other features between them. Additionally, the first feature being "above," "upper," or "upper surface" of the second feature means that the first feature is directly above or obliquely above the second feature, or simply that the horizontal height of the first feature is higher than that of the second feature. The first feature being "below," "lower," or "lower surface" of the second feature means that the first feature is directly below or obliquely below the second feature, or simply that the horizontal height of the first feature is lower than that of the second feature.

[0162] The foregoing disclosure provides various embodiments or examples for implementing various structures of the present invention. For the sake of simplicity, the components and settings of specific examples have been described above. Of course, this is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention may repeat reference numbers and / or reference letters in various examples for the sake of simplification and clarity and does not indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or settings discussed.

[0163] The specific embodiments described above do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations, and substitutions are possible depending on design requirements and other factors. All modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention shall be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

Claim 1 In a reaction chamber (100) used in a wafer etching device, a chamber body (1) having a wafer stage (4) disposed therein; a wafer delivery port (10) communicating with the interior of the chamber body (1) and configured to deliver a wafer to the wafer stage (4); a first liner (11) disposed between the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and the outer wall of the wafer stage (4); and a first heater (112) disposed on the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and corresponding to the position of the first liner (11). The exhaust section (7) includes a valve plate (71), a valve core (72), and a valve body (75); the first heater (112) is configured to heat the first liner (11); the chamber body (1) includes an upper plate (2) and a lower plate (3) arranged facing each other in a vertical direction; a gas inlet (201) is installed on the upper plate (2), and an exhaust port (301) is installed on the lower plate (3); and the wafer stage (4) is located between the gas inlet (201) and the exhaust port (301).A ventilation hole (111) is installed in the first liner (11), a first exhaust area (52) is formed between the first liner (11) and the top plate (2), and a second exhaust area (51) is formed between the first liner (11) and the bottom plate (3), and the spatial volume of the first exhaust area (52) and the second exhaust area (51) changes according to the change in the working position of the first liner (11), the valve body (75) is installed outside the chamber body (1) and is connected to the exhaust port (301), the valve plate (71) is installed inside the chamber body (1) and is connected to the first end of the valve core (72), and the second end of the valve core (72) is inserted so as to be vertically movable into the exhaust port (301) and the valve body (75), and when the valve core (72) is in the working position, between the valve plate (71) and the bottom plate (3) A reaction chamber (100), wherein a first ring-shaped gap (73) is formed, a second ring-shaped gap (74) is formed between the valve core (72) and the exhaust port (301) and between the valve core (72) and the inner wall of the valve body (75), and the first ring-shaped gap (73), the second ring-shaped gap (74), the first exhaust area (52), and the second exhaust area (51) are set coaxially.; Claim 2 A reaction chamber (100) according to claim 1, wherein the first heater (112) is composed of a plurality of first heaters (112), the plurality of first heaters (112) are arranged along a vertical direction, the plurality of first heaters (112) are electrically connected to a first controller, and the first controller is configured to control the plurality of first heaters (112) to heat different regions of the first liner (11) to their respective temperatures. Claim 3 A reaction chamber (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor connected to the first liner (11) and the first heater (112), configured to detect the temperature of the first liner (11) and feed back the temperature detection result of the first liner (11) to the first heater (112). Claim 4 A reaction chamber (100) according to claim 1, wherein the first liner (11) is slidably connected to the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and slidably fitted to the outer wall of the wafer stage (4), and the first liner (11) is configured to control the open / closed state of the wafer delivery port (10) by changing the working position through sliding. Claim 5 In claim 1, the reaction chamber (100), wherein the first heater (112) is a radiant heater. Claim 6 A reaction chamber (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the ventilation hole (111) is configured to connect the first exhaust area (52) and the second exhaust area (51). Claim 7 In claim 6, the first liner (11) includes a first working position and a second working position, and when the first liner (11) slides to the first working position, the wafer transfer port (10) communicates with the first exhaust area (52), and when the first liner (11) slides to the second working position, the wafer transfer port (10) is blocked from the first exhaust area (52), and the heating area of ​​the first heater (112) includes at least the area where the first liner (11) slides between the first working position and the second working position, a reaction chamber (100). Claim 8 A reaction chamber (100) according to claim 6, further comprising a second liner (12) connected to the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and positioned in close proximity to the top plate (2), wherein the second liner (12), the first liner (11), and the wafer stage (4) are arranged coaxially, and the inner diameters of the second liner (12) and the first liner (11) are the same, and when the first liner (11) slides to a first working position, the wafer delivery port (10) communicates with the first exhaust area (52), and when the first liner (11) slides to a second working position, the first liner (11) joins with the second liner (12) to form a sealed first exhaust area (52), and the wafer delivery port (10) is blocked from the sealed first exhaust area (52). Claim 9 A reaction chamber (100) according to claim 8, further comprising a second heater (121) disposed on the inner wall of the chamber body (1) and corresponding to the position of the second liner (12), wherein the second heater (121) is electrically connected to a second controller, and the second controller is configured to control the second heater (121) to heat the second liner (12) to a set temperature. Claim 10 A wafer etching apparatus characterized by including a reaction chamber (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Citation Information

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