Metal rod inside radio frequency electrode assembly, and radio frequency electrode assembly

Abstract

A metal rod inside a radio frequency electrode assembly, and a radio frequency electrode assembly. The metal rod is wrapped inside an electrode supporting member, one end of the metal rod being connected to a radio frequency electrode plate in a heating disk, and the other end of the metal rod being connected to a radio frequency component at a rear end. The metal rod is cut into two sections having a gap therebetween at the position wrapped by the supporting member, and the two sections of the metal rod are connected by means of metal elastic pieces, thereby achieving the effects of cooling and heat insulation.

Description

A metal rod inside a radio frequency electrode assembly and a radio frequency electrode assembly Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a radio frequency electrode assembly, and in particular to a metal rod structure inside the radio frequency electrode assembly and a radio frequency electrode assembly comprising the metal rod. Background Art

[0002] Radio frequency electrodes are widely used in semiconductor thin film deposition equipment. During the thin film deposition process, the frequency and power of the RF electrodes precisely control ion energy and density, thereby adjusting the film's quality and performance. Specifically, the RF electrodes provide high-frequency electrical energy to activate atoms or molecules in the deposition gas, causing them to deposit onto the substrate surface to form a thin film. The RF electrodes provide a stable high-frequency electric field, imparting sufficient energy to the atoms or molecules in the deposition gas, enabling them to be fully activated and promoting uniform deposition and excellent crystallization of the thin film.

[0003] RF electrodes are also widely used in semiconductor surface cleaning processes. During semiconductor manufacturing, various impurities and harmful substances often adhere to the semiconductor surface, requiring cleaning to improve device performance. RF electrodes provide high-frequency electrical energy to excite ions in the cleaning solution, thereby cleaning the semiconductor surface. Therefore, RF electrodes play a vital role in semiconductor thin film deposition equipment and are crucial for controlling film quality and performance.

[0004] The radio frequency (RF) electrode assembly in semiconductor thin film deposition equipment generates a radio frequency (RF) electric field to help control the thin film deposition process. The metal rods within the RF electrode assembly play a key role in this process. These rods are typically made of highly conductive materials such as copper or aluminum. These materials offer excellent electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance, effectively transmitting RF signals and maintaining equipment stability.

[0005] More specifically, the metal rod itself acts as a conductive medium, effectively transmitting RF signals to help generate and maintain the RF electric field. It is typically fixed to the appropriate location of the electrode assembly to provide stable support and ensure the electrode assembly is in the correct position. In some cases, the metal rod can also serve as a cooling channel, helping to transfer and disperse the heat generated during equipment operation to maintain stable operation. Furthermore, the metal rod can act as a shield to reduce the impact of external electromagnetic interference on the equipment, while also reducing potential radiation damage to operators.

[0006] The design and manufacture of metal rods in semiconductor thin-film deposition equipment require consideration of factors such as size, shape, material, and location within the equipment. These factors directly impact the performance and stability of the equipment. Therefore, properly designed metal rods are crucial for optimizing the performance of semiconductor thin-film deposition equipment.

[0007] However, in the prior art, a metal rod wrapped by an external insulating support member is usually directly connected to the back-end component, while its front end is directly connected to the electrode plate on the heating plate in the semiconductor process chamber. During the process, the temperature of the heating plate rises to extremely high levels, and the metal rod also needs to transmit high-power radio frequency signals to the heating plate. For example, in a common thin film deposition process, it is necessary to transmit more than 3000W of radio frequency electricity to the electrode plate on the heating plate at a temperature of 650° or even higher. The metal rod often burns, causing damage to the equipment, affecting the control of process parameters, and requiring frequent replacement of the metal rod, which brings inconvenience to equipment maintenance.

[0008] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the field urgently needs a metal rod inside an RF electrode assembly and an RF electrode assembly, which are used to optimize the device structure of the metal rod, add a heat-insulating component to reduce heat conduction in the metal rod, and at the same time release the stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, thereby increasing the service life of the metal rod and reducing the frequency of RF electrode device failures.

[0009] Summary of the Invention

[0010] The following is a brief summary of one or more aspects to provide a basic understanding of these aspects. This summary is not an exhaustive overview of all conceivable aspects and is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of all aspects nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that will be provided later.

[0011] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the present invention provides a metal rod inside the RF electrode assembly, which is wrapped inside the electrode support. One end of the metal rod is connected to the RF electrode plate in the heating disk, and the other end is connected to the RF component at the rear end. The metal rod is cut into two sections with a gap in the middle at the position where the support is wrapped, and the two sections of the metal rod are connected by metal springs.

[0012] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, the metal spring comprises a plurality of metal springs connected in parallel.

[0013] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, at least one of the plurality of parallel metal springs is provided with a bending portion.

[0014] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, the plurality of parallel metal shrapnel include two metal shrapnel of the same shape and placed in parallel.

[0015] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the RF electrode assembly provided by the present invention, the two metal springs of the same shape and placed in parallel are both provided with a bending portion, and the bending portion is placed in the gap between the two metal rods and does not contact the metal rods on both sides thereof.

[0016] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the RF electrode assembly provided by the present invention, at the connection between the two sections of the metal rod and the metal spring, the metal rod is in the shape of a flat strip, and the end of the metal spring is in the shape of a straight strip, so that the metal rod is clamped between the ends of the two metal springs and then fixedly connected by bolts.

[0017] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the RF electrode assembly provided by the present invention, a steel block is further provided on the opposite side of the bolt and nut at the connection between the two sections of the metal rod and the metal spring, and the shape and size of the steel block match the shape and size of the flat strip of the metal rod to tighten the connection between the metal spring and the metal rod.

[0018] In one embodiment, preferably, the contact area between the metal rod and the metal spring in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention is 6.37 mm 2 ~37.8mm 2 within the range.

[0019] In one embodiment, preferably, in the metal rod inside the RF electrode assembly provided by the present invention, the metal spring has elasticity, and when the RF electrode is assembled, a gap space is left around the bent portion of the metal spring for deformation to release stress.

[0020] Another aspect of the present invention provides a radio frequency electrode assembly, comprising a metal rod as described in any one of the above items, wherein the middle portion of the metal rod is cut into two sections where it is covered by a support member, and the two sections of the metal rod are connected by metal springs, which can effectively reduce temperature and insulate, preventing the metal rod from being damaged due to excessive temperature at the electrode plate, thereby increasing the service life of the radio frequency electrode assembly and reducing production costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the detailed description of the embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the following drawings. In the drawings, the components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components with similar related properties or characteristics may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0022] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an assembly structure of a metal rod in a radio frequency electrode assembly according to an example in the prior art;

[0023] FIG2 is a photograph of a burnt metal rod according to an example of the prior art;

[0024] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of metal rods in a radio frequency electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0025] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a partially enlarged portion of the metal rod at point A in FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] For the sake of clarity, a brief description of the reference numerals is given below: 101 Metal rod 102 RF electrode rear end component 103 Support 201 Burned metal rod 301 Support 401 First metal rod 402 Second metal rod 403 First metal spring 404 Second metal spring 405 Steel block 406 Bolt DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The following specific embodiments illustrate the embodiments of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the contents disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention will be introduced in conjunction with the preferred embodiment, this does not mean that the features of this invention are limited to this embodiment. On the contrary, the purpose of introducing the invention in conjunction with the embodiment is to cover other options or modifications that may be extended based on the claims of the present invention. In order to provide a deep understanding of the present invention, the following description will include many specific details. The present invention can also be implemented without using these details. In addition, in order to avoid confusion or blurring the focus of the present invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0028] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they may refer to fixed, detachable, or integral connections; mechanical or electrical connections; direct or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0029] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood to refer to the orientations depicted in that section and the accompanying drawings. These relative terms are used solely for convenience of description and do not necessarily imply that the devices described herein must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0030] It will be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc. may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or portions, these components, regions, layers, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are merely used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or portions. Thus, a first component, region, layer, and / or portion discussed below may be referred to as a second component, region, layer, and / or portion without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0031] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an assembly structure of metal rods in a radio frequency electrode assembly according to an example in the prior art.

[0032] As shown in FIG1 , in the prior art, a metal rod 101 wrapped by an external insulating support member 103 is usually directly connected to a rear end component 102 of an RF electrode, while its front end is directly connected to an electrode plate on a heating disk in a semiconductor process chamber.

[0033] During the process, the heating plate reaches extremely high temperatures, and the metal rods must transmit high-power RF signals to the plate. For example, in a typical thin film deposition process, over 3000W of RF power must be transmitted to the electrode plates on the heating plate at temperatures of 650°C or higher. This often results in the metal rods burning out. See Figure 2.

[0034] FIG. 2 is a photograph of a burned metal rod according to an example of the prior art.

[0035] As shown in FIG2 , the metal rod is burned or damaged, causing damage to the equipment and affecting the control of process parameters. Therefore, the burned metal rod 201 needs to be frequently replaced, which brings inconvenience to equipment maintenance.

[0036] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the present invention provides a metal rod inside an RF electrode assembly and an RF electrode assembly, which are used to optimize the device structure of the metal rod, add a heat-insulating component to reduce heat conduction in the metal rod, and at the same time release the stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction due to temperature changes, thereby increasing the service life of the metal rod and reducing the frequency of RF electrode device failures.

[0037] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of metal rods in a radio frequency electrode assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Referring to Figure 3 , the metal rod within the RF electrode assembly of the present invention is encased within the electrode support 301. One end of the metal rod is connected to the RF electrode plate within the heating plate, and the other end is connected to the RF component at the rear end. The detailed structure of the metal rod at point A in Figure 3 can be seen in Figure 4 .

[0039] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a partially enlarged portion of the metal rod at point A in FIG. 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Please refer to Figure 4. The metal rod provided by the present invention is cut into two sections with a gap in the middle at the position where the support is wrapped, namely the first metal rod 401 and the second metal rod 402 in Figure 4. The two sections of the metal rod are connected by a metal spring.

[0041] For example, the metal shrapnel can be made of copper, which has good electrical and thermal conductivity.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, in the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, the metal spring comprises a plurality of metal springs connected in parallel.

[0043] It is understandable that multiple metal springs connected in parallel can increase the number of channels through which current flows in the metal rod, thereby reducing the current flowing through a single spring. Taking two metal springs connected in parallel as an example, the current I flowing through each spring is 1 / 2 of the original structure. According to the heat formula Q = I 2 R, the heat generated by the current on a single shrapnel is 1 / 4 of the original heat, and the thin shrapnel structure is more convenient for heat dissipation. Therefore, the use of multiple parallel metal monoliths to connect the metal rods at both ends can achieve better heat insulation and heat dissipation effects, reduce the heat conduction of the metal rods themselves, and reduce the probability of burning.

[0044] Furthermore, more preferably, in one embodiment, the metal rod inside the radio frequency electrode assembly provided by the present invention, at least one of the plurality of parallel metal springs is provided with a bending portion.

[0045] It can be understood that the bent portion on the metal spring can extend the heat conduction length of the spring as much as possible within a limited space, thereby achieving a better heat dissipation effect.

[0046] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , the plurality of parallel-connected metal domes include two metal domes of the same shape and placed in parallel, namely, a first metal dome 403 and a second metal dome 404 in FIG. 4 .

[0047] As shown in FIG4 , in this embodiment, a first metal spring 403 and a second metal spring 404 are provided with a bent portion in the middle of the two metal springs. The bent portion is placed in the gap between the first metal rod 401 and the second metal rod 402 and does not contact the metal rods on both sides thereof.

[0048] It is easy to understand that placing the bent portion in the gap between the metal bars on both sides can save assembly space, thereby making the smallest possible changes to the existing electrode device structure to facilitate production and manufacturing.

[0049] Preferably, the metal springs are elastic, and when assembling the RF electrode, a gap space is left around the bent portion of the metal spring. On the one hand, heat can be dissipated more quickly, and on the other hand, the gap space can be used to allow the metal spring to deform and release stress when thermal expansion and contraction occur due to temperature changes.

[0050] It should be noted that the shape, number, and positional arrangement of the bent portions of the corresponding metal springs in this embodiment are merely exemplary, intended to clearly illustrate the preferred embodiment of the metal rod device structure in the RF electrode assembly provided by the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In fact, a larger number of springs or other structural forms that can extend the heat conduction length can also be used. Device structures that achieve similar thermal insulation and heat dissipation effects can be applied to the metal rod of the electrode assembly provided by the present invention and should also be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment, referring to FIG4 , the metal rod inside the RF electrode assembly provided by the present invention is in the shape of a flat bar at the connection between the two sections of the metal rod and the metal spring, and the end of the metal spring is in the shape of a straight bar, so that the metal rod is clamped between the ends of the two metal springs and then fixedly connected by bolts 406.

[0052] Furthermore, more preferably, as shown in Figure 4, at the connection between the two sections of metal rod and the metal spring, a steel block 405 is provided on the opposite side of the bolt and nut. The shape and size of the steel block 405 match the shape and size of the flat strip of the metal rod to tighten the connection between the metal spring and the metal rod.

[0053] The setting of the connection can increase the contact area between the metal spring and the metal rod. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, the contact area between the metal rod and the metal spring can be 6.37mm 2 ~37.8mm 2 within the range.

[0054] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that increasing the contact area at the connection point can reduce the contact resistance, thereby reducing contact heat generation and further enhancing the cooling and heat insulation effect of the electrode metal rod provided by the present invention.

[0055] It should be noted that the connection method between the metal rod and the metal spring is merely illustrative, intended to provide a preferred and easily implemented embodiment, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In fact, other assembly methods that can connect and fix the metal rod and the metal spring, or other connection structures that can achieve similar effects in reducing contact heating, can be applied to the metal rod of the RF electrode assembly provided by the present invention and should also be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0056] Another aspect of the present invention provides a radio frequency electrode assembly, comprising a metal rod as described in any one of the above items, wherein the middle portion of the metal rod is cut into two sections where it is covered by a support member, and the two sections of the metal rod are connected by metal springs, which can effectively reduce temperature and insulate, preventing the metal rod from being damaged due to excessive temperature at the electrode plate, thereby increasing the service life of the radio frequency electrode assembly and reducing production costs.

[0057] The previous description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A metal rod inside a radio frequency electrode assembly, wrapped inside an electrode support, one end of the metal rod is connected to the radio frequency electrode plate in the heating disk, and the other end is connected to the radio frequency component at the rear end, the metal rod is cut into two sections with a gap in the middle at the position where the support is wrapped, and the two sections of the metal rod are connected by a metal spring.

2. The metal rod according to claim 1, characterized in that The metal spring pieces include a plurality of metal spring pieces connected in parallel.

3. The metal rod according to claim 2, characterized in that At least one of the plurality of parallel metal spring sheets is provided with a bending portion.

4. The metal rod according to claim 2, characterized in that The plurality of metal springs connected in parallel include two metal springs which are of the same shape and are placed in parallel.

5. The metal rod according to claim 4, characterized in that The two metal spring sheets with the same shape and placed in parallel are both provided with a bending portion, and the bending portion is placed in the gap between the two sections of metal rods and does not contact the metal rods on both sides thereof.

6. The metal rod according to claim 5, characterized in that At the connection between the two metal rods and the metal spring sheet, the metal rod is in the shape of a flat strip, and the end of the metal spring sheet is in the shape of a straight strip, so that the metal rod is clamped between the ends of the two metal spring sheets and then fixedly connected by bolts.

7. The metal rod according to claim 6, characterized in that At the connection between the two sections of metal rod and the metal spring sheet, a steel block is provided on the opposite side of the bolt and nut. The shape and size of the steel block match the shape and size of the flat strip of the metal rod to tighten the connection between the metal spring sheet and the metal rod.

8. The metal rod according to claim 6, characterized in that The contact area between the metal rod and the metal spring is 6.37 mm 2 ~37.8mm 2 within the range.

9. The metal rod according to any one of claims 3 or 5, characterized in that: The metal spring sheet has elasticity, and a gap space is left around the bent portion of the metal spring sheet when the radio frequency electrode is assembled.

10. A radio frequency electrode assembly, comprising the metal rod according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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