Process module, semiconductor process device and thin film deposition method

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a process module, a semiconductor process device and a thin film deposition method. The process module comprises a reaction module, a base used for bearing a wafer being arranged in the reaction module; a heating module in communication with the reaction module, a thermal radiation apparatus being arranged at the top of the heating module and used for radiating heat towards the interior of the heating module; and a conveying apparatus, which is arranged in the reaction module and used for bearing the wafer, and can convey the wafer between the reaction module and the heating module. The process module, the semiconductor process device and the thin film deposition method provided in the present application can improve the wafer heating efficiency and the wafer heating uniformity.

Description

Process chamber, semiconductor process equipment and thin film deposition method Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and in particular, to a process chamber, semiconductor process equipment, and a thin film deposition method. Background Art

[0002] Magnetron sputtering, a type of physical vapor deposition (PVD) technology, is the most widely used thin-film manufacturing technique in the semiconductor industry. With the development of integrated circuits, copper, with its low resistivity, has gradually replaced other materials and been widely used in the back-end interconnection process of semiconductor manufacturing to reduce chip loss and RC delay and increase chip speed.

[0003] In the existing copper interconnection process, since copper is difficult to etch, a large number of Damascus double nested structures are used in the copper interconnection process. The copper Damascus structure first forms through-holes and interconnection line grooves in the intermetallic dielectric layer by etching, and then a barrier layer (such as TiN) and a copper seed layer are deposited by PVD, and then a large amount of copper is deposited by chemical electroplating. When depositing the copper seed layer, due to the increasingly smaller chip feature size and the high depth-to-width ratio of the trench, when depositing copper, not all metal atoms are deposited layer by layer in a direction perpendicular to the bottom of the trench. This results in the rapid growth rate of the copper film at the trench opening, resulting in the deposition of overhanging deposits on the top of the trench or even blocking the opening, forming a cavity at the bottom of the trench and affecting the electrical performance of the chip. In this regard, in order to ensure that the copper material can be smoothly filled in the through-hole structure, it is usually necessary to perform a reflow process of the copper film after completing the deposition process of the barrier layer (such as TiN) and the copper seed layer. Since particle size has a significant impact on the melting thermodynamic properties of metals, as the metal particle size decreases, its melting temperature also decreases, and the surface energy and surface tension of copper at the nanoscale increase. Based on this, during the copper reflow process, by heating the copper to 300°C or above, the melted copper film atoms can gradually migrate to the bottom of the trench under the copper surface tension and the capillary action of the trench to achieve better filling.

[0004] Existing PVD equipment typically adds a heat radiation source inside the chamber to heat the wafer during the reflow process. However, one current configuration of the heat radiation source is to place it at the periphery of the chamber, far from the wafer, resulting in low heating efficiency and poor heating uniformity. Another configuration involves placing it on the transport device used to transport the shielding disk. However, this method makes it difficult to concentrate the radiated heat on the wafer surface. Most of the heat is irradiated to areas outside the wafer, resulting in high heat loss, low heating efficiency, and poor heating uniformity.

[0005] Summary of the Invention

[0006] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art, and proposes a process chamber, semiconductor process equipment and thin film deposition method, which can improve the heating efficiency and heating uniformity of the wafer.

[0007] To achieve the purpose of this application, a process chamber is provided, comprising:

[0008] a reaction chamber, wherein a susceptor for carrying a wafer is provided in the reaction chamber;

[0009] A heating chamber is connected to the reaction chamber; a heat radiation device is provided on the top of the heating chamber for radiating heat toward the interior of the heating chamber;

[0010] The transmission device is arranged in the reaction chamber, and is used for carrying wafers and capable of transmitting the wafers between the reaction chamber and the heating chamber.

[0011] In some embodiments, a shielding disk is further stored in the heating chamber; the transport device is further configured to carry the shielding disk and transport the shielding disk between the reaction chamber and the heating chamber.

[0012] In some embodiments, the transport device is used to transport the shielding plate stored in the heating chamber to above the susceptor before the reaction chamber performs a semiconductor process on the wafer, and to transport the shielding plate to the heating chamber when the reaction chamber starts to perform a semiconductor process on the wafer; or

[0013] The transfer device is used to transfer the wafer in the reaction chamber to the bottom of the heat radiation device after the semiconductor process is completed, so that the heat radiation device can heat the wafer, and after the heating is completed, transfer the wafer to the base.

[0014] In some embodiments, a top wall of the heating chamber is provided with a reflective surface, and the reflective surface is used to reflect the heat radiated by the heat radiation device toward the surface of the wafer located in the heating chamber.

[0015] In some embodiments, a top wall of the heating chamber is provided with a cooling channel for transmitting a cooling fluid.

[0016] In some embodiments, a recess is formed on the top wall of the heating chamber, an inner surface of the recess constitutes the reflecting surface, and a shape of the inner surface of the recess is configured to enable the reflected light to converge toward the surface of the wafer located in the heating chamber and cover the entire wafer surface.

[0017] In some embodiments, the reflecting surface includes a plane and an annular surface surrounding the plane, wherein the plane is parallel to a horizontal plane, and the height of the annular surface decreases from the edge of the plane toward the edges of the top wall of the heating chamber.

[0018] In some embodiments, the heat radiation device includes an annular light tube, which is arranged around the inner side of the annular surface and located outside the edge of the plane.

[0019] In some embodiments, the heating chamber includes a chamber body having an opening at the top, and a reflective plate arranged on the top of the chamber body, wherein the reflective plate is sealed to the chamber body and is used to seal the opening; the reflective plate has the reflective surface, and the reflective surface is exposed to the heating chamber from the opening.

[0020] In some embodiments, a first annular protrusion is provided at the opening on the top of the chamber body, and a second annular protrusion is provided at the outer peripheral edge of the reflective plate, the second annular protrusion is superimposed on the first annular protrusion, and the first annular protrusion and the second annular protrusion are fixedly connected;

[0021] A sealing member is further provided between the first annular convex portion and the second annular convex portion for sealing the opening.

[0022] In some embodiments, the system further comprises: a first lifting device disposed in the heating chamber, the first lifting device being configured to carry the shielding disk in the heating chamber;

[0023] At least one of the first lifting device and the transmission device can drive the shielding plate placed thereon to rise and fall, so as to realize the transfer of the shielding plate between the first lifting device and the transmission device.

[0024] In some embodiments, when the transfer device is to transfer the wafer to the heating chamber, the first lifting device is used to drive the shielding plate placed thereon to descend to a position in the heating chamber that is lower than the wafer carried by the transfer device.

[0025] In some embodiments, the invention further comprises: a second lifting device disposed in the reaction chamber, the second lifting device being used to carry the wafer in the reaction chamber;

[0026] At least one of the second lifting device and the base can drive the wafer placed thereon to move up and down, so as to achieve transfer of the wafer between the second lifting device and the base.

[0027] In some embodiments, the transport device includes a transport arm and a second driving source, wherein the transport arm is used to carry the shielding disk or the wafer, and the second driving source is used to drive the transport arm to move between the reaction chamber and the heating chamber;

[0028] The transmission arm includes a vertically arranged rotating shaft, a connecting arm and a bearing portion perpendicular to the rotating shaft, wherein the lower end of the rotating shaft is connected to the second driving source, the upper end of the rotating shaft is connected to one end of the connecting arm, and the other end of the connecting arm is connected to the bearing portion;

[0029] The second lifting device includes a plurality of ejector pins arranged at intervals along the circumference of the susceptor, and when the supporting portion carries the shielding disk or wafer and moves it into the reaction chamber, at least a portion of the supporting portion can move from the intervals between adjacent ejector pins of the second lifting device into the space surrounded by the plurality of ejector pins, so that the shielding disk or wafer is located above the susceptor; or

[0030] The first lifting device includes a plurality of ejectors arranged at intervals along the circumference of the base. When the supporting portion carries the shielding plate or wafer and moves it into the heating chamber, at least a portion of the supporting portion can move from the intervals between adjacent ejectors of the first lifting device into the space surrounded by the plurality of ejectors, so that the shielding plate or wafer is located below the heat radiation device.

[0031] As another technical solution, the present application also provides a semiconductor process equipment, which includes the above-mentioned process chamber provided by the present application.

[0032] In some embodiments, the semiconductor processing equipment includes physical vapor deposition equipment.

[0033] As another technical solution, the present application also provides a thin film deposition method, comprising:

[0034] After the semiconductor process is completed on the wafer in the reaction chamber, the shielding plate in the heating chamber is lowered to a first carrying position in the heating chamber, and the heating chamber is communicated with the reaction chamber;

[0035] transferring the wafer to a second loading position in the heating chamber, the second loading position being higher than the first loading position;

[0036] Heat is radiated from the top of the heating chamber toward the wafer to perform thermal treatment on the wafer.

[0037] This application has the following beneficial effects:

[0038] In the technical solutions of the process chamber, semiconductor process equipment and thin film deposition method provided by the present application, before a heat treatment process such as a metal reflow process is performed, a transfer device can be used to carry a wafer and transfer the wafer from the reaction chamber to the heating chamber. When the heat treatment process is performed, a heat radiation device arranged at the top of the heating chamber is used to radiate heat toward the wafer inside the heating chamber, thereby heating the wafer and completing the heat treatment process. This solution is to heat the wafer in the heating chamber. Since the volume of the heating chamber can be set to be smaller than that of the reaction chamber, the heat distribution can be more concentrated and the heat loss can be reduced, thereby increasing the wafer heating rate. At the same time, by arranging the above-mentioned heat radiation device at the top of the heating chamber, the upper surface of the wafer can be directly heated, thereby further increasing the wafer heating rate. In addition, since the reaction chamber and the heating chamber are connected, semiconductor processes (such as deposition, etching, etc.) and heat treatment processes can be completed in one process chamber, thereby improving semiconductor manufacturing efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG1 is a cross-sectional view of a physical vapor deposition apparatus provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] FIG2 is a partial enlarged view of the heating chamber used in the embodiment of the present application;

[0041] FIG3 is a structural diagram of a transmission arm of a transmission device used in an embodiment of the present application;

[0042] FIG4 is a structural diagram of a transport arm of a transport device used in an embodiment of the present application when carrying a wafer;

[0043] FIG5 is a flow chart of a thin film deposition method provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present application, the process chamber, semiconductor process equipment and thin film deposition method provided by the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] In the related art, the process chamber includes a chamber body, a shielding disk library connected to the interior of the chamber body, a shielding disk and a transmission mechanism, wherein a base and a pin mechanism are provided in the chamber body; the base is used to carry the workpiece to be processed during the thin film deposition process; the pin mechanism transfers the wafer between the base by lifting and lowering, and the transmission mechanism is used to transfer the shielding disk in the shielding disk library to the base or above the wafer when using a new target material or preheating the chamber to avoid contamination of the base or wafer. In this related art, a heating element is provided on the transmission arm of the transmission mechanism. Taking the copper reflow process as an example, after the copper seed layer deposition process of the wafer is completed, the pin mechanism lifts the wafer to the reflow process position, and the transmission arm rotates to the bottom of the wafer to heat the back of the wafer to achieve copper reflow. After the reflow process is completed, the transmission arm is driven by the drive device to rotate to the shielding disk library.

[0046] However, the above-mentioned reflow process is implemented by using the heating element on the transfer arm to heat the back of the wafer. On the one hand, due to the position of the ejector mechanism used to support the wafer, the tray area of ​​the transfer arm is limited, and the area of ​​the heating element cannot cover the entire back of the wafer. In addition, this heating method makes it difficult to concentrate the radiated heat on the wafer surface, resulting in more heat loss and lower wafer heating efficiency.

[0047] In order to solve the above technical problems, please refer to Figures 1 and 2. The process chamber provided in the embodiment of the present application includes a reaction chamber 1, a heating chamber 2 and a transmission device 4, wherein a base 3 for carrying a wafer 9 is provided in the reaction chamber 1. The base 3 is, for example, an electrostatic chuck. In some embodiments, the base 3 is also electrically connected to an RF power supply to form an RF bias on the surface of the wafer 9. In the reaction chamber 1, a target material 7 is provided above the base 3. The target material 7 is electrically connected to an excitation power supply to excite the process gas (such as argon) in the reaction chamber 1 to form a plasma and bombard the target material 7. The target material escaping from the target material 7 moves toward the surface of the wafer 9 under the action of the above-mentioned RF bias and is deposited on the surface of the wafer 9 to form a thin film. In addition, in some embodiments, a magnetron 8 is provided above the target material 7. The reaction chamber 1 can be used for depositing thin films of copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), rhodium (Rh), titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), aluminum (Al), etc.

[0048] The heating chamber 2 is connected to the reaction chamber 1. On this basis, a heat radiation device 11 is provided on the top of the heating chamber 2 for radiating heat toward the inside of the heating chamber 2. The above-mentioned transmission device 4 is used to carry the wafer 9 and can transfer the wafer 9 between the reaction chamber 1 and the heating chamber 2. In this way, before performing a heat treatment process such as a metal reflow process, the transmission device 4 can be used to carry the wafer 9 and transfer the wafer 9 from the reaction chamber 1 to the heating chamber 2. When the heat treatment process is performed, the heat radiation device 11 provided on the top of the heating chamber 2 is used to radiate heat toward the wafer 9 inside the heating chamber 2, thereby heating the wafer 9 and completing the heat treatment process. This solution is to heat the wafer 9 in the heating chamber 2. Since the volume of the heating chamber 2 can be set to be smaller than that of the reaction chamber 1, this can make the heat distribution more concentrated and the heat loss smaller, thereby increasing the heating rate of the wafer 9. At the same time, by arranging the above-mentioned heat radiation device 11 on the top of the heating chamber 2, the upper surface of the wafer 9 can be directly heated, and the area of ​​the heat radiation device 11 can be set to be greater than or equal to the area of ​​the wafer 9, so that the entire surface of the wafer 9 can be uniformly heated. The heating chamber in the embodiment of the present application can be suitable for heat treatment processes such as reflow. Since the reaction chamber and the heating chamber are connected, various semiconductor processes (such as deposition, etching, etc.) and heat treatment processes can be completed in one process chamber, thereby improving the efficiency of semiconductor manufacturing.

[0049] In some embodiments, in order to simplify the equipment structure, reduce the space occupied by the equipment, and lower the equipment cost, a shielding plate 10 is also stored in the heating chamber 2, that is, the heating chamber 2 is used for both performing the heat treatment process and storing the shielding plate 10.

[0050] Typically, a process chamber is equipped with a shielding plate 10 and a shielding plate magazine for storing the shielding plate 10. When a new target material is used for a process, or when a process is resumed after chamber maintenance, in order to prevent metal that may be contaminated on the target material surface from being deposited on the wafer surface, it is usually necessary to preheat the chamber and bombard the contaminants on the target material surface before performing a normal semiconductor process. At this time, the shielding plate 10 is used to shield the top of the base 3. When performing a normal semiconductor process, the shielding plate 10 needs to be moved to a shielding plate magazine connected to the reaction chamber 1. In this case, in some embodiments, the shielding plate magazine serves as the above-mentioned heating chamber 2. That is, for a process chamber already equipped with a shielding plate magazine, the existing shielding plate magazine can be improved. By adding a heat radiation device 11, the shielding plate magazine can be used for both performing a heat treatment process and storing the shielding plate 10. This eliminates the need to occupy the internal space of the reaction chamber 1 and the need to significantly modify the structure of the reaction chamber 1, thereby reducing design difficulty and saving equipment costs. In addition, the volume of the shielding disk library is smaller than that of the reaction chamber 1 , which can make the heat distribution more concentrated and the heat loss smaller, thereby increasing the heating rate of the wafer 9 .

[0051] On the basis that the heating chamber 2 is used for both performing a heat treatment process and storing the shielding disk 10, the above-mentioned transmission device 4 is also used to carry the shielding disk 10 and is capable of transmitting the shielding disk 10 between the reaction chamber 1 and the heating chamber 2. In some embodiments, before the reaction chamber 1 performs a semiconductor process (such as a metal thin film deposition process) on the wafer, it is usually necessary to perform a pretreatment process such as preheating the chamber and bombarding off contaminants on the surface of the target material. In this case, the transmission device 4 is used to transmit the shielding disk 10 stored in the heating chamber 2 to the top of the susceptor 3 so that the shielding disk 10 can be used to shield the susceptor 3 during the pretreatment process to prevent the susceptor 3 from being contaminated. In addition, when the reaction chamber 1 is about to start performing a semiconductor process on the wafer, the shielding disk 10 is transmitted to the heating chamber 2 for storage to ensure the normal progress of the process. That is, before the semiconductor process is performed, the shielding disk 10 is first transmitted to the heating chamber 2 for storage. In addition, the transfer device 4 can also be used to transfer the wafer to the bottom of the heat radiation device 11 in the heating chamber 2 after the semiconductor process is completed on the wafer in the reaction chamber 1, so that the heat radiation device 11 can heat the wafer, thereby completing the heat treatment of the wafer, and after the heating is completed, the wafer is transferred to the base 3.

[0052] In some embodiments, to further improve heat utilization and heating efficiency, a reflective surface 221 is provided on the top wall of the heating chamber 2. The reflective surface 221 is used to reflect the heat radiated by the heat radiation device 11 toward the surface of the wafer 9 located in the heating chamber 2. Specifically, the reflective surface 221 is provided on the surface of the top wall of the heating chamber 2 facing the interior of the heating chamber 2. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the reflective surface 221 is a mirror surface, such as a curved surface with a finish less than or equal to Ra0.1.

[0053] In some embodiments, the top wall of the heating chamber 2 is provided with a cooling channel, which is used to transmit a cooling fluid, such as cooling water, to cool the top wall of the heating chamber 2 during the heat treatment process, thereby avoiding burns to personnel due to the excessively high temperature of the outer surface of the top wall of the heating chamber 2. For example, as shown in FIG2 , a recessed channel 14 and a cover plate 15 for sealing the recessed channel 14 are formed on the outer surface of the top wall of the heating chamber 2, and the recessed channel 14 and the cover plate 15 together form the above-mentioned cooling channel. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the outer surface of the cover plate 15 is flush with the outer surface of the top wall of the heating chamber 2, so that the outer surface of the cover plate 15 and the outer surface of the top wall of the heating chamber 2 can form a smooth and continuous surface. However, the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this. In actual applications, the recessed channel 14 can also be formed on the reflecting surface 221, and the distribution of the above-mentioned cooling channel on the reflecting surface 221 or the outer surface of the top wall of the heating chamber 2 can be set according to specific needs. For example, the above-mentioned cooling channel is evenly distributed on the reflecting surface 221 or the outer surface of the top wall of the heating chamber 2.

[0054] In some embodiments, on the basis of improving the heating efficiency, a recess 222 is formed on the top wall of the heating chamber 2. The recess 222 is specifically formed on the surface of the top wall of the heating chamber 2 facing the interior of the heating chamber 2. The inner surface of the recess 222 constitutes the above-mentioned reflection surface 221, and the shape of the inner surface of the recess 222 is set to enable the reflected light to converge toward the surface of the wafer 9 located in the heating chamber 2, and to cover the entire surface of the wafer 9, thereby improving the heating uniformity.

[0055] The inner surface shape of the recess 222 that achieves the above-mentioned function can have various shapes. For example, the reflective surface 221 includes a plane 221a and an annular surface 221b surrounding the plane 221a. The plane 221a is parallel to the horizontal plane, and the height of the annular surface 221b decreases from the edge of the plane 221a toward the edges of the top wall of the heating chamber 2. That is, the size of the opening enclosed by the annular surface 221b increases from top to bottom. In this way, the annular surface 221b can reflect the light incident on it and focus it toward the entire surface of the wafer 9. In some embodiments, the outer diameter of the annular surface 221b is greater than or equal to the diameter of the wafer 9.

[0056] The annular surface 221b may be an annular conical surface. In this case, the angle of inclination of the annular conical surface relative to the horizontal plane can be set to reflect the light incident thereon and converge toward the entire surface of the wafer 9, thereby enabling the light to cover the entire surface of the wafer 9. Alternatively, the annular surface 221b may be an annular arc surface. In this case, the angle of inclination of the annular arc surface relative to the horizontal plane and the curvature of the annular arc surface can be set to reflect the light incident thereon and converge toward the entire surface of the wafer 9, thereby enabling the light to cover the entire surface of the wafer 9. For example, the annular arc surface may be a portion of a spherical surface.

[0057] In some embodiments, based on the use of the aforementioned reflective surface 221, the heat radiation device 11 includes an annular light tube, which is disposed in a circular manner inside the annular surface 221b and outside the edge of the plane 221a. That is, the inner diameter of the annular light tube is larger than the edge diameter of the plane 221a and smaller than the outer diameter of the annular surface 221b. Since the annular light tube is disposed in a circular manner above the wafer 9, this not only increases the amount of heat irradiated to the surface of the wafer 9, improving heating efficiency, but also enhances heating uniformity. Furthermore, by surrounding the annular light tube inside the annular surface 221b and outside the edge of the plane 221a, the light emitted by the annular light tube is more likely to be irradiated onto the annular surface 221b. The annular surface 221b can then reflect the light incident thereon and focus it toward the entire surface of the wafer 9, ensuring that the light covers the entire surface of the wafer 9. Those skilled in the art can appropriately adjust the diameter of the annular light tube and the distance between the annular light tube and the wafer 9 based on actual conditions to ensure that the light covers the entire surface of the wafer 9, thereby improving temperature uniformity.

[0058] In some embodiments, the annular lamp tube can be fixed to the top wall of the heating chamber 2 by means of a fixing member, such as a clip. Moreover, a lead channel can be provided in the top wall of the heating chamber 2, and the lead channel is used to lead the wiring of the annular lamp tube from the reflective surface 221 to the outside of the heating chamber 2, and electrically connected to an external power source, thereby realizing power supply of the annular lamp tube. It should be noted that in this embodiment, there is one annular lamp tube, but the embodiments of the present application are not limited thereto. In actual applications, there can also be multiple annular lamp tubes, and the multiple annular lamp tubes are concentrically arranged and distributed on different circumferences. Of course, the heat radiation device 11 can also use heating lamps of other shapes, such as spiral lamp tubes, strip lamp tubes, light bulbs, etc.

[0059] In some embodiments, to facilitate installation of the heat radiation device 11, the heating chamber 2 includes a chamber body 21 having an opening at the top, and a reflective plate 22 disposed on the top of the chamber body 21. The reflective plate 22 is sealed to the chamber body 21 and is used to seal the opening. The reflective plate 22 has the reflective surface 221 described above, and the reflective surface 221 is exposed from the opening into the heating chamber 2. The heat radiation device 11 can be fixedly connected to the reflective plate 22. Furthermore, in some embodiments, in order to achieve a seal between the reflector plate 22 and the heating chamber 2 and ensure the sealing of the interior of the heating chamber 2 and the interior of the reaction chamber 1, a first annular protrusion 211 is provided at the opening at the top of the chamber body 21, and a second annular protrusion 223 is provided at the outer peripheral edge of the reflector plate 22. The second annular protrusion 223 is superimposed on the first annular protrusion 211, and the first annular protrusion 211 and the second annular protrusion 223 are fixedly connected, for example, by screws; a seal 12 is also provided between the first annular protrusion 211 and the second annular protrusion 223 for sealing the opening. In this way, the first annular protrusion 211 can provide support for the reflector plate 22 and can be installed with the seal 12. In addition, in some embodiments, a positioning structure can be provided between the first annular protrusion 211 and the second annular protrusion 223 to achieve positioning of the two, thereby facilitating the installation of the reflector plate 22. The positioning structure is, for example, at least one positioning pin 13.

[0060] In some embodiments, on the basis that the heating chamber 2 is used for both performing a heat treatment process and storing the shielding disk 10, the process chamber also includes a first lifting device 5 arranged in the heating chamber 2 (for example, a shielding disk warehouse), and the first lifting device 5 can be, for example, a pin mechanism, and the first lifting device 5 is used to carry the shielding disk 10 in the heating chamber 2; at least one of the first lifting device 5 and the transmission device 4 can drive the shielding disk 10 placed thereon to rise and fall, so as to realize the transfer of the shielding disk 10 between the first lifting device 5 and the transmission device 4. In addition, in some embodiments, when the transfer device 4 is about to transfer the wafer to the heating chamber 2, the first lifting device 5 is used to drive the shielding plate 10 placed thereon to descend to a position lower than the position of the wafer carried by the transfer device 4 in the heating chamber 2 (that is, lower than the position of the wafer when the transfer device 4 moves the wafer into the heating chamber 2 for a heat treatment process), so that when the wafer is moved into the heating chamber 2, it is located above the shielding plate 10 and below the heat radiation device 11, thereby preventing the shielding plate 10 from hindering the wafer from moving into the heating chamber 2. At this time, the heat radiation device 11 can be used to radiate heat to the wafer from the top of the heating chamber 2 to achieve heat treatment of the wafer.

[0061] In some embodiments, on the basis that the heating chamber 2 is used for both performing a heat treatment process and storing a shielding plate 10, the process chamber also includes a second lifting device 6 arranged in the reaction chamber 1. The second lifting device 6 can be, for example, a pin mechanism. The second lifting device 6 is used to carry the wafer 9 in the reaction chamber 1; at least one of the second lifting device 6 and the base 3 can drive the wafer 9 placed thereon to rise and fall, so as to realize the transfer of the wafer 9 between the second lifting device 6 and the base 3.

[0062] At least one of the first lifting device 5 and the second lifting device 6 may include at least three ejector pins spaced apart in the circumferential direction. For example, the first lifting device 5 shown in FIG. 2 includes at least three first ejector pins 51, with FIG. 2 schematically illustrating only two first ejector pins 51. The top ends of the at least three first ejector pins 51 together form a supporting surface for supporting the shielding plate 10 or the wafer 9. The center of the circumference of the at least three first ejector pins 51 is aligned with, for example, the center position of the wafer carried by the transfer device 4 in the heating chamber 2. The first lifting device 5 and / or the second lifting device 6 are capable of rising and falling. Taking the first lifting device 5 as an example, the first lifting device 5 further includes a lifting mechanism connected to the at least three first ejector pins 51, such as the lifting mechanism 52 of the first lifting device 5 shown in FIG. 2. Driven by the lifting mechanism 52, the at least three first ejector pins 51 can rise or fall synchronously. For the second lifting device 6 , at least three second ejectors 61 (only two are schematically shown in FIG. 2 ) can, for example, penetrate the base 3 and be lifted and lowered, and the at least three second ejectors 61 are spaced apart along the circumference of the base 3 .

[0063] Taking the case where the first lifting device 5 can be lifted and lowered, the second lifting device 6 can be lifted and lowered, and the base 3 can be lifted and lowered as an example, before performing the semiconductor process, the shielding plate 10 is located in the heating chamber 2 and is carried by the above-mentioned first lifting device 5 (that is, at least three first ejectors 51) and is located at the first carrying position (that is, the position of the shielding plate 10 in Figures 1 and 2); at this time, the base 3 is in the wafer transfer position (that is, the position of the base 3 in Figures 1 and 2), and in this wafer transfer position, the carrying surface of the above-mentioned second lifting device 6 (that is, composed of the top ends of at least three second ejectors 61) is higher than the base 3; the wafer 9 is transferred to the reaction chamber 1 by a robot or other wafer transfer device, and placed on the carrying surface of the above-mentioned second lifting device 6, and then the base 3 is raised to the process position (higher than the position of the carrying surface of the second lifting device 6 in Figures 1 and 2), and during the rising process of the base 3, the base 3 will lift the wafer 9 so that the wafer 9 is separated from the second lifting device 6 and rises with the base 3. When susceptor 3 is in the process position, semiconductor processing can be performed. After the semiconductor process is completed, susceptor 3 descends to the wafer transfer position. During the descent of susceptor 3, second lifting device 6 supports wafer 9, allowing wafer 9 to separate from susceptor 3 and descend to the wafer transfer position. In this wafer transfer position, the transfer device 4 can move its supporting surface below wafer 9 and above susceptor 3. At this time, second lifting device 6 is lowered until wafer 9 falls onto the supporting surface of transfer device 4, thereby transferring wafer 9 from second lifting device 6 to transfer device 4.

[0064] When a heat treatment process such as reflow is required, the transfer device 4 transfers the wafer 9 to the second carrying position in the heating chamber 2 (i.e., the position of the wafer 9 in FIG2 ). The second carrying position is higher than the first carrying position where the shielding plate 10 is located. At this time, the wafer 9 is located above the shielding plate 10 and below the heat radiation device 11. The heat radiation device 11 can be used to radiate heat to the wafer 9 to perform the heat treatment process. After the heat treatment process is completed, the wafer 9 is transferred to the reaction chamber 1 by the transfer device 4, and the second lifting device 6 is raised. During its ascent, the second lifting device 6 will lift the wafer 9 so that the wafer 9 is separated from the transfer device 4, that is, the wafer 9 is transferred from the transfer device 4 to the second lifting device 6. At this time, the wafer 9 that has completed the heat treatment process can proceed to the next semiconductor process.

[0065] When it is necessary to bombard a new target or preheat the chamber, the first lifting device 5 carrying the shielding disk 10 can be raised, and then the above-mentioned transfer device 4 can move its carrying surface to below the shielding disk 10 in the shielding disk library 2. The first lifting device 5 is then lowered until the shielding disk 10 falls onto the carrying surface of the transfer device 4, thus transferring the shielding disk 10 from the first lifting device 5 to the transfer device 4. The transfer device 4 then transfers the shielding disk 10 into the reaction chamber 1 and positions it above the susceptor 3 (at this time in the transfer position) to shield the susceptor 3 and prevent contamination.

[0066] It should be noted that, in actual application, the first lifting device 5 may not be provided, and other methods may be used to enable the transfer device 4 to rotate into the reaction chamber 1 without carrying the shielding disk 10. For example, the shielding disk 10 is taken out by opening the chamber.

[0067] In some embodiments, as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, the transmission device 4 includes a transmission arm and a second drive source 43, wherein the transmission arm is used to carry the shielding disk 10 or the wafer 9, and the second drive source 43 is used to drive the transmission arm to move between the reaction chamber 1 and the heating chamber 2. For example, the transmission arm includes a vertically arranged rotating shaft 42, and a connecting arm 41 and a supporting portion 44 perpendicular to the rotating shaft 42, and the supporting portion 44 has a supporting surface for carrying the wafer or the shielding disk. Wherein, the lower end of the rotating shaft 42 is connected to the second drive source 43, and the second drive source 43 is used to drive the rotating shaft 42 to rotate along its own axis. The second drive source 43 can be a motor, cylinder or hydraulic cylinder that can provide rotational power. In some embodiments, the second drive source 43 is arranged outside the reaction chamber 1. In this case, the lower end of the rotating shaft 42 extends from the bottom of the reaction chamber 1 to the outside of the chamber and is connected to the second drive source 43.

[0068] The upper end of the rotating shaft 42 is connected to one end of the connecting arm 41, and the other end of the connecting arm 41 is connected to the carrying portion 44. Driven by the second driving source 43, the rotating shaft 42 drives the connecting arm 41 and the carrying portion 44 to rotate synchronously around the rotating shaft 42, so that the carrying portion 44 rotates into the reaction chamber 1 or the heating chamber 2. It should be noted that if the transmission device 4 can also be lifted and lowered, a lifting driving source can be added on the basis of the above-mentioned transmission arm and the second driving source 43 to drive the transmission arm to lift and lower. In some embodiments, the lifting driving source can be connected to the second driving source 43 to drive the second driving source 43 and the transmission arm to lift and lower as a whole, or it can also be connected to the transmission arm to drive only the transmission arm to lift and lower. In this case, the second driving source 43 is connected to the lifting driving source to drive the lifting driving source and the transmission arm to rotate as a whole.

[0069] The support portion 44 is used to support the shielding plate 10 or wafer. In some embodiments, the profile of the support portion 44's orthographic projection on a horizontal plane is configured such that when the support portion 44 is moved into the heating chamber 2, it does not collide with the first lifting device 5; and when the support portion 44 is moved into the reaction chamber 1, it does not collide with the second lifting device 6.

[0070] When the second lifting device 6 includes a plurality of second ejector pins 61 spaced apart in the circumferential direction, as shown in FIG3 , when the support portion 44 carries the shielding tray 10 or the wafer and moves it into the reaction chamber 1, at least a portion of the support portion 44 can move from the spaces 611 between adjacent second ejector pins 61 of the second lifting device 6 into the space enclosed by the plurality of second ejector pins 61, so that the shielding tray 10 or the wafer is positioned above the susceptor 3. When the first lifting device 5 includes a plurality of first ejector pins 51 spaced apart in the circumferential direction, when the support portion 44 carries the shielding tray 10 or the wafer and moves it into the heating chamber 2, at least a portion of the support portion 44 can move from the spaces between adjacent first ejector pins 51 of the first lifting device 5 into the space enclosed by the plurality of first ejector pins 51, so that the shielding tray 10 or the wafer is positioned below the heat radiation device 11. Specifically, when the carrier 44 carries the wafer and moves it into the heating chamber 2, at least a portion of the carrier 44 can move from the gap between adjacent first ejector pins 51 into the space surrounded by the plurality of first ejector pins 51. At this point, the wafer 9 is positioned above the shielding plate 10 and below the heat radiation device 11. A profile of the carrier 44 capable of achieving the above-described function is shown in FIG3. Of course, the structure of the carrier 44 shown in FIG3 is merely illustrative; in actual applications, the transfer arm may employ any other profile shape, as long as it does not collide with the first and second lifting devices 5, 6.

[0071] As another technical solution, an embodiment of the present application further provides a semiconductor process equipment, which includes the above-mentioned process chamber provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0072] The semiconductor process equipment provided in the embodiment of the present application can improve the heating efficiency and heating uniformity of the wafer by adopting the above-mentioned process chamber provided in the embodiment of the present application.

[0073] In some embodiments, the semiconductor process equipment provided by the embodiments of the present application includes a physical vapor deposition (PVD) apparatus. Within the process chamber of the PVD apparatus, a reaction chamber 1 can be used to perform a thin film deposition process (e.g., a metal film) on a wafer; and a heating chamber 2 can be used to perform a heat treatment process on the thin film deposited on the wafer, such as a reflow process on the metal film.

[0074] As another technical solution, in combination with FIG1 , FIG2 and FIG5 , an embodiment of the present application further provides a thin film deposition method, comprising:

[0075] S1. After the semiconductor process is completed on the wafer 9 in the reaction chamber 1, the shielding plate 10 in the heating chamber 2 is lowered to the first carrying position in the heating chamber 2 (i.e., the position of the shielding plate 10 in Figures 1 and 2), and the heating chamber 2 is connected to the reaction chamber 1;

[0076] S2, transferring the wafer 9 to a second carrying position in the heating chamber 2 (i.e., the position where the wafer 9 is located in FIG2 ), the second carrying position being higher than the first carrying position;

[0077] S3 , radiating heat from the top of the heating chamber 2 to the wafer 9 to perform heat treatment on the wafer 9 .

[0078] The thin film deposition method provided in the embodiment of the present application has a heating chamber 2 which is used for both performing a heat treatment process and storing a shielding disk 10, thereby simplifying the equipment structure, reducing the space occupied by the equipment, and reducing the equipment cost. At the same time, before performing a heat treatment process such as a metal reflow process, the wafer can be transferred from the reaction chamber 1 to the heating chamber 2, and when performing the heat treatment process, heat is radiated from the top of the heating chamber 2 to the wafer 9, thereby heating the wafer and completing the heat treatment process. This solution is to heat the wafer in the heating chamber 2. Since the volume of the heating chamber 2 can be set to be smaller than that of the reaction chamber 1, this can make the heat distribution more concentrated and the heat loss smaller, thereby increasing the wafer heating rate; at the same time, by radiating heat from the top of the heating chamber 2 to the wafer 9, the upper surface of the wafer 9 can be directly heated, thereby further increasing the wafer heating rate.

[0079] Specifically, taking the process chamber shown in Figure 1, in which the first lifting device 5 can be lifted and lowered, the second lifting device 6 can be lifted and lowered, and the base 3 can be lifted and lowered as an example, before performing the semiconductor process, the shielding plate 10 is first located in the heating chamber 2 and carried by the transfer device 4. At this time, the base 3 is in the wafer transfer position. In this wafer transfer position, the carrying surface of the above-mentioned second lifting device 6 (that is, the carrying surface formed by the top ends of at least three second ejector pins 61) is higher than the base 3; then the wafer 9 is transferred to the reaction chamber 1 by a robot or other wafer transfer device, and placed on the carrying surface of the above-mentioned second lifting device 6, and then the base 3 is raised to the process position. During the rising process of the base 3, the base 3 will lift the wafer 9 to make the wafer 9 separate from the second lifting device 6 and rise with the base 3 until the base 3 reaches the process position. At this time, the reaction chamber 1 can perform the semiconductor process.

[0080] After the semiconductor process is completed, the susceptor 3 descends from the process position to the wafer transfer position. During the descent of the susceptor 3, the second lifting device 6 supports the wafer 9 to separate the wafer 9 from the susceptor 3, allowing the susceptor 3 to descend to the wafer transfer position alone. Then, execute the above-mentioned step S1, that is, lower the shielding plate 10 in the heating chamber 2 to the first carrying position in the heating chamber 2 (that is, the position of the shielding plate 10 in Figures 1 and 2). The specific process is, for example: raise the first lifting device 5. During its ascent, the first lifting device 5 will lift the shielding plate 10 so that the shielding plate 10 is separated from the transmission device 4, that is, the shielding plate 10 is transferred from the transmission device 4 to the first lifting device 5, and then the transmission device 4 can move its carrying surface to below the wafer 9 (which is carried by the second lifting device 6 at this time), and the first lifting device 5 is lowered until the shielding plate 10 is lowered to the first carrying position in the heating chamber 2, and the second lifting device 6 is lowered until the wafer 9 falls onto the carrying surface of the transmission device 4, that is, the wafer 9 is transferred from the second lifting device 6 to the transmission device 4. Then, the above-mentioned step S2 is started, that is, the transfer device 4 transfers the wafer 9 to the second carrying position in the heating chamber 2, which is higher than the first carrying position where the shielding plate 10 is located. At this time, the wafer 9 is located above the shielding plate 10 and below the heat radiation device 11. At this time, the heating chamber 2 can execute the above-mentioned step S3, that is, perform the heat treatment process.

[0081] After the heat treatment process is completed, the transfer device 4 transfers the wafer 9 to the reaction chamber 1 and raises the second lifting device 6. During its rising process, the second lifting device 6 will lift the wafer 9 to separate the wafer 9 from the transfer device 4, that is, the wafer 9 is transferred from the transfer device 4 to the second lifting device 6. At this time, the wafer 9 that has completed the heat treatment process can proceed to the next semiconductor process.

[0082] In summary, in the technical solutions of the process chamber, semiconductor process equipment and thin film deposition method provided by the embodiments of the present application, before performing a heat treatment process such as a metal reflow process, a transfer device can be used to carry a wafer, and the wafer can be transferred from the reaction chamber to the heating chamber. When performing the heat treatment process, a heat radiation device provided at the top of the heating chamber is used to radiate heat toward the wafer inside the heating chamber, thereby heating the wafer and completing the heat treatment process. This solution is to heat the wafer in a heating chamber. Since the volume of the heating chamber can be set to be smaller than that of the reaction chamber, this can make the heat distribution more concentrated and the heat loss smaller, thereby increasing the wafer heating rate; at the same time, by arranging the above-mentioned heat radiation device at the top of the heating chamber, the upper surface of the wafer can be directly heated, thereby further increasing the wafer heating rate.

[0083] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments for illustrating the principles of the present application, and the present application is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit and substance of the present application, and such modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A process chamber, characterized in that: include: A reaction chamber, in which a susceptor for carrying a wafer is arranged; A heating chamber is connected to the reaction chamber; a heat radiation device is provided on the top of the heating chamber for radiating heat toward the interior of the heating chamber; The transmission device is arranged in the reaction chamber, and is used for carrying the wafer, and can transmit the wafer between the reaction chamber and the heating chamber.

2. The process chamber according to claim 1, characterized in that: A shielding plate is also stored in the heating chamber; the transmission device is also used to carry the shielding plate, and can transmit the shielding plate between the reaction chamber and the heating chamber.

3. The process chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that: The transport device is used to transport the shielding plate stored in the heating chamber to above the susceptor before the reaction chamber performs a semiconductor process on the wafer, and to transport the shielding plate to the heating chamber when the reaction chamber starts to perform a semiconductor process on the wafer; or The transfer device is used to transfer the wafer to the bottom of the heat radiation device after the semiconductor process is completed on the wafer in the reaction chamber so that the heat radiation device can heat the wafer, and after the heating is completed, transfer the wafer to the base.

4. The process chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The top wall of the heating chamber is provided with a reflecting surface, and the reflecting surface is used to reflect the heat radiated by the heat radiation device to the surface of the wafer located in the heating chamber.

5. The process chamber according to claim 4, characterized in that: The top wall of the heating chamber is provided with a cooling channel, and the cooling channel is used to transmit cooling fluid.

6. The process chamber according to claim 4, characterized in that: A recess is formed on the top wall of the heating chamber, an inner surface of the recess constitutes the reflecting surface, and a shape of the inner surface of the recess is configured to enable reflected light to converge toward the surface of the wafer in the heating chamber and cover the entire wafer surface.

7. The process chamber according to claim 6, characterized in that: The reflecting surface includes a plane and an annular surface surrounding the plane, wherein the plane is parallel to a horizontal plane, and the height of the annular surface decreases gradually from the edge of the plane toward the edges of the top wall of the heating chamber.

8. The process chamber according to claim 7, characterized in that: The heat radiation device comprises an annular lamp tube, which is arranged around the inner side of the annular surface and located outside the edge of the plane.

9. The process chamber according to claim 4, characterized in that: The heating chamber includes a chamber body with an opening on the top, and a reflecting plate arranged on the top of the chamber body, wherein the reflecting plate is sealedly connected to the chamber body and is used to seal the opening; the reflecting plate has the reflecting surface, and the reflecting surface is exposed in the heating chamber from the opening.

10. The process chamber according to claim 9, characterized in that: A first annular convex portion is provided at the opening at the top of the chamber body, and a second annular convex portion is provided at the outer peripheral edge of the reflector plate, the second annular convex portion is superimposed on the first annular convex portion, and the first annular convex portion is fixedly connected to the second annular convex portion; A sealing member is further provided between the first annular protrusion and the second annular protrusion for sealing the opening.

11. The process chamber according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also includes: a first lifting device disposed in the heating chamber, the first lifting device being used to carry the shielding plate in the heating chamber; At least one of the first lifting device and the transmission device can drive the shielding plate placed thereon to rise and fall, so as to realize the transfer of the shielding plate between the first lifting device and the transmission device.

12. The process chamber according to claim 11, characterized in that: When the transport device is to transport the wafer to the heating chamber, the first lifting device is used to drive the shielding plate placed thereon to descend to a position in the heating chamber that is lower than the wafer carried by the transport device.

13. The process chamber according to claim 11, characterized in that: Also includes: a second lifting device disposed in the reaction chamber, the second lifting device being used to carry the wafer in the reaction chamber; At least one of the second lifting device and the base can drive the wafer placed thereon to rise and fall, so as to achieve the transfer of the wafer between the second lifting device and the base.

14. The process chamber according to claim 13, characterized in that: The transmission device comprises a transmission arm and a second driving source, wherein the transmission arm is used to carry the shielding plate or the wafer, and the second driving source is used to drive the transmission arm to move between the reaction chamber and the heating chamber; The transmission arm includes a vertically arranged rotating shaft, and a connecting arm and a bearing portion perpendicular to the rotating shaft, wherein the lower end of the rotating shaft is connected to the second driving source, the upper end of the rotating shaft is connected to one end of the connecting arm, and the other end of the connecting arm is connected to the bearing portion; The second lifting device includes a plurality of ejector pins spaced apart along the circumference of the base. When the support portion carries the shielding plate or the wafer and moves it into the reaction chamber, at least one of the support portions A portion can be moved from the intervals between adjacent ejector pins of the second lifting device into the space surrounded by a plurality of ejector pins, so that the shielding plate or wafer is located above the base; or The first lifting device includes a plurality of ejector pins arranged at intervals along the circumference of the base. When the supporting portion carries the shielding plate or the wafer and moves it into the heating chamber, at least a portion of the supporting portion can be moved from the intervals between adjacent ejector pins of the first lifting device into the space surrounded by the plurality of ejector pins, so that the shielding plate or the wafer is located below the heat radiation device.

15. A semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that: A process chamber comprising any one of claims 1-14.

16. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 15, characterized in that: The semiconductor process equipment includes physical vapor deposition equipment.

17. A thin film deposition method, characterized in that: include: After the wafer in the reaction chamber completes the semiconductor process, the shielding plate in the heating chamber is lowered to a first carrying position in the heating chamber, and the heating chamber is connected to the reaction chamber; transferring the wafer to a second carrying position in the heating chamber, the second carrying position being higher than the first carrying position; Heat is radiated from the top of the heating chamber toward the wafer to perform thermal treatment on the wafer.

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