Plasma process system and its carrier device

Abstract

A plasma processing system and its carrier device are disclosed. The plasma processing system includes at least one process chamber, at least one electrode assembly, and the carrier device. The carrier device is capable of carrying a substrate and moving it into and out of the at least one buffer chamber and the at least one process chamber. The carrier device includes a carrier configured as a conductor and spaced apart from a first electrode plate, and a conductive unit mounted on the carrier and including a plurality of elastic conductive elements. The carrier has a first plate surface that is detachably electrically connected to a second electrode plate, and a second plate surface opposite to the first plate surface and facing the substrate. The area of ​​the first plate surface is not less than the area of ​​the second electrode plate. The elastic conductive elements are adapted to electrically connect the substrate and the carrier. This improves heat dissipation efficiency by using a carrier in point contact with the substrate.

Claims

1. A carrier device for a plasma process system having a first electrode plate and a second electrode plate movable relative to the first electrode plate in a vertical direction, the carrier device being adapted to carry a substrate moving in a front-back direction and entering and exiting the plasma process system, the carrier device comprising: a carrier configured as a conductor, including a first plate surface capable of contacting the second electrode plate and detachably electrically connected to the second electrode plate, and a second plate surface opposite to the first plate surface and adapted to face the substrate, the area of ​​the first plate surface being not less than the area of ​​the second electrode plate; and a conductive unit including a plurality of compressible elastic conductive elements mounted on the second plate surface, the elastic conductive elements being adapted to electrically connect the substrate and the carrier.

2. The carrier device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The first plate of the carrier is positioned above the second electrode plate along the vertical direction, and the second plate is adapted to be positioned below the substrate along the vertical direction.

3. The carrier device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The carrier also includes several channels extending from the first plate surface to the second plate surface and adapted for the passage of cooling gas, the second plate surface being adapted to form an air gap with the substrate for the cooling gas to flow through.

4. The bearing device as claimed in claim 3 further includes a buffer body mounted on the second plate surface and adapted to abut against the substrate to form the air gap between the substrate and the second plate surface.

5. The bearing device as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The buffer has an opening facing the periphery and a compressible notch.

6. The carrier device as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The second plate surface has a third groove near its edge, and the buffer is installed in the third groove of the second plate surface and protrudes from the second plate surface in the vertical direction.

7. The carrier device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The second plate has a number of first grooves with openings opposite to the first plate and defining a central area, and a number of second grooves with openings opposite to the first plate and defining a surrounding area around the central area, wherein the resilient conductive elements are mounted in the first grooves and the second grooves.

8. The carrying device as claimed in claim 7, wherein, The carrier also includes several channels extending from the first plate surface to the second plate surface and adapted for the passage of cooling gas, the channels being disposed in the surrounding area.

9. The carrier device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, Each of the elastic conductive elements protrudes from the second plate surface along the vertical direction.

10. The carrying device as claimed in claim 9, wherein, Each of the elastic conductive elements has an abutting portion that abuts against the second plate surface, and an abutting portion that is generally arc-shaped and connected to both ends of the abutting portion. The abutting portion protrudes from the second plate surface in the vertical direction and can be compressed.

11. The carrying device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The carrier also includes a limiting surface substantially perpendicular to the second plate surface, the limiting surface defining a first distance along a left-right direction and a second distance along a front-back direction, the first distance being not less than the length of the substrate along the left-right direction and the second distance being not less than the length of the substrate along the front-back direction.

12. The carrier device as claimed in claim 11, wherein, The limiting surface is suitable for surrounding the substrate and for being spaced apart from the substrate.

13. A plasma process system suitable for plasma treatment of a substrate, comprising: at least one process chamber defining a process chamber suitable for introducing a working gas and capable of being evacuated; at least one buffer chamber communicating with the process chamber and capable of being evacuated; at least one electrode device including a first electrode plate located in the process chamber, and a second electrode plate located in the process chamber and spaced apart from the first electrode plate in a vertical direction, the second electrode plate being movable relative to the first electrode plate in the vertical direction and capable of generating an electric field with the first electrode plate for dissociating ions and electrons in the working gas; and a carrier device as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, drivable to move in a forward and backward direction and enter and exit the at least one buffer chamber and the at least one process chamber, the first plate surface of the carrier being detachably electrically connected to the second electrode plate.

14. The plasma process system of claim 13 further includes at least one lifting device, the at least one lifting device including a platform connected to a corresponding second electrode plate, and a drive unit for moving the platform and the second electrode plate in the vertical direction, the second electrode plate being movable relative to the carrier between an upper limit position and a lower limit position, wherein at the upper limit position the second electrode plate is in contact with and electrically connected to the carrier, and at the lower limit position the second electrode plate is disengaged from the carrier.

15. The plasma process system as described in claim 14, wherein, The drive unit is configured as a pneumatic cylinder.

16. The plasma process system of claim 13 further includes a conveying device comprising two phase-spaced tracks passing through the at least one process cavity and the at least one buffer cavity, and a plurality of transmission members rotatably mounted on the tracks, the carrying device being located above the tracks in the vertical direction and capable of contacting the transmission members and being driven by the corresponding transmission members.

17. The plasma process system as described in claim 16, wherein, Each of these transmission components is configured as a roller.

18. The plasma process system of claim 13, comprising a plurality of process chambers, each process chamber having a process chamber connected to an adjacent process chamber or the at least one buffer chamber, wherein one process chamber is configured for etching or coating, and the remaining process chambers are configured for surface cleaning, etching, coating, or activation.

19. The plasma process system as described in claim 13 or 18, wherein, The process cavity is connected to the buffer cavity along the front-to-back direction.

20. The plasma process system as claimed in claim 13, wherein, The at least one electrode device further includes several conductive elements mounted on the second electrode plate and facing the first electrode plate, the conductive elements being in contact with and electrically connected to the carrier, and each of the elastic conductive elements having the same construction as each of the conductive elements.

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