Gas intake assembly, gas intake device and semiconductor process chamber

Abstract

Provided in the present application are a gas intake assembly, a gas intake device and a semiconductor process chamber. The gas intake assembly comprises a gas intake portion, a gas distribution layer and an annular flow equalizing cavity, wherein the gas intake portion is provided with a gas intake channel, the gas distribution layer being in communication with the gas intake channel; the gas distribution layer comprises at least one distribution cavity surrounding the gas intake portion, the distribution cavity closest to the gas intake portion being a first distribution cavity; the annular flow equalizing cavity surrounds the gas intake portion and is located in the first distribution cavity, the side of the annular flow equalizing cavity facing the gas intake portion being provided with a plurality of flow equalizing holes, which are distributed around the gas intake portion; and the gas intake channel is in communication with the annular flow equalizing cavity, and the annular flow equalizing cavity is in communication with the first distribution cavity through the plurality of flow equalizing holes. In the gas intake assembly of the present application, the annular flow equalizing cavity surrounds the gas intake portion, and the plurality of flow equalizing holes are disposed on the side of the annular flow equalizing cavity that faces the gas intake portion; thus, the annular flow equalizing cavity enables a process gas to be uniformly distributed in the first distribution cavity, improving the initial uniformity of the process gas, and thereby improving the flow equalization effect of the gas intake assembly.

Description

Air intake assembly, air intake device and semiconductor process chamber Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing, and in particular, to an air intake assembly, an air intake device, and a semiconductor process chamber. Background Art

[0002] Metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) equipment is primarily used to grow compound semiconductor thin films. Most MOCVD equipment utilizes a graphite susceptor capable of simultaneously placing multiple wafers for epitaxial growth, depending on wafer size. The gas inlet system is particularly important for semiconductor process chambers used for MOCVD.

[0003] The gas inlet device is primarily used to introduce external process gases into the semiconductor process chamber. Furthermore, to ensure the quality of semiconductor products, the process gases must be evenly distributed within the semiconductor process chamber. Therefore, the gas inlet device typically includes an inlet assembly, which ejects the process gases uniformly in a circumferential direction, ensuring that the velocity and flow rate of the ejected process gases are as uniform as possible, ensuring uniform distribution of the process gases within the semiconductor process chamber.

[0004] However, in some air intake components, due to the need to take various factors into consideration, the internal air intake structure makes it impossible to fully and evenly distribute the process gas in the air intake component, thereby greatly reducing the flow distribution effect of the air intake component on the process gas, and the process gas cannot be evenly distributed in the semiconductor process chamber, and thus cannot meet the process requirements. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present application aims to at least solve the problem in the related art that the air intake assembly has a poor diversion effect on the process gas, and proposes an air intake assembly, an air intake device and a semiconductor process chamber.

[0006] In order to achieve the purpose of the present application, an air intake component is provided, comprising: an air intake part and a gas distribution layer arranged around the air intake part; wherein the air intake part comprises a columnar body and at least one air intake channel located in the columnar body, and the gas distribution layer is connected to one of the air intake channels; the gas distribution layer comprises at least one distribution cavity arranged around the columnar body, and the outer peripheral wall of each distribution cavity is provided with a plurality of diversion holes; wherein the distribution cavity closest to the air intake part is a first distribution cavity; the air intake component also comprises a connecting pipe and an annular flow equalizing cavity arranged around the columnar body and located in the first distribution cavity, the annular flow equalizing cavity is spaced apart from the columnar body, and the annular flow equalizing cavity is provided with a plurality of flow equalizing holes on the side facing the columnar body, and the plurality of flow equalizing holes are distributed around the columnar body; the air intake channel is connected to the annular flow equalizing cavity through the connecting pipe, and the annular flow equalizing cavity is connected to the first distribution cavity through the plurality of flow equalizing holes.

[0007] In some embodiments, the annular flow equalization cavity is formed by an annular tube arranged around the columnar body, the interior of the annular tube is the annular flow equalization cavity, the flow equalization holes are arranged at intervals on the tube wall of the annular tube, and the connecting tube is connected to the annular tube.

[0008] In some embodiments, all the distribution chambers are spaced apart in the radial direction, and two adjacent distribution chambers are connected through the diversion holes, so that the process gas diffuses in the circumferential direction after entering the next distribution chamber.

[0009] In some embodiments, the position where the connecting tube is connected to the annular tube is used as a reference position; on the tube wall of the annular tube, the farther the flow balancing hole is from the reference position, the larger the aperture of the flow balancing hole is; and / or, on the tube wall of the annular tube, the intervals between adjacent flow balancing holes gradually decrease from the reference position in the direction away from the reference position.

[0010] In some embodiments, a guide portion is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the columnar body, the gas outlet direction of the flow balancing hole is toward the guide portion, and the guide portion is used to guide the process gas ejected from the flow balancing hole to flow toward the outer peripheral wall of the first distribution chamber.

[0011] In some embodiments, the guide portion is an annular groove arranged along the outer peripheral wall of the columnar body, the annular flow equalizing cavity is located at the notch position of the annular groove, and the gas outlet direction of the flow equalizing hole is toward the bottom of the annular groove.

[0012] In some embodiments, the distance between the groove walls of the annular groove gradually increases from the groove bottom to the groove opening of the annular groove to guide the diffusion of the process gas.

[0013] In some embodiments, in an axial cross section of the annular groove, the interior of the annular groove is in a C-shaped structure.

[0014] In some embodiments, the annular tube is fixedly connected to the columnar body through the connecting tube.

[0015] In some embodiments, there are multiple air intake channels, and the multiple air intake channels include an air intake sub-channel and multiple auxiliary sub-channels. The air intake sub-channel and the multiple auxiliary sub-channels are circumferentially spaced within the columnar body, and a flow channel for communicating with the annular flow equalization cavity is provided on the inner wall of the air intake sub-channel.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present application, an air intake device is also disclosed, comprising a plurality of the above-mentioned air intake assemblies, wherein the plurality of the air intake assemblies are stacked in sequence from top to bottom.

[0017] In some embodiments, the columnar bodies of all the air intake assemblies are fixedly connected to each other, and a plurality of the air intake channels are provided in each of the columnar bodies. The plurality of the air intake channels in each columnar body are arranged and connected one-to-one with the plurality of the air intake channels in other columnar bodies, and the corresponding air intake channels in all the columnar bodies are connected in sequence from top to bottom; the plurality of the air intake channels include an air intake sub-channel and a plurality of auxiliary sub-channels, and the air intake sub-channels and the plurality of auxiliary sub-channels are circumferentially spaced in the columnar body, and a flow channel for connecting with the annular flow equalization cavity is provided on the inner wall of the air intake sub-channel, wherein the air intake sub-channel in each columnar body and the air intake sub-channels in other columnar bodies are staggered with each other in the direction surrounding the columnar body.

[0018] In some embodiments, the number of the air intake channels is the same as the number of the air intake components.

[0019] According to a third aspect of the present application, a semiconductor process chamber is also disclosed, comprising: a chamber body and the above-mentioned air intake device.

[0020] Compared with the related art, due to the provision of an annular flow-equalizing chamber, the process gas can be preliminarily flow-equalized through the annular flow-equalizing chamber, so that the process gas is ejected from multiple positions surrounding the columnar body. Since the flow-equalizing hole is located on the side of the annular flow-equalizing chamber facing the columnar body and is provided around the columnar body, the ejection direction of the process gas is toward the columnar body, rather than directly toward the outer peripheral wall of the first distribution chamber. This not only buffers the flow rate of the process gas, but also extends the stroke of the process gas, allowing the process gas to have more time and space to diffuse. In addition, after the process gas hits the columnar body, the diffusion effect can be further improved, so that the process gas can be fully diffused in the first distribution chamber. In other words, by providing an annular flow-equalizing chamber, the process gas can be more evenly distributed in the first distribution chamber, so that the process gas can be more fully diverted when passing through each distribution chamber, thereby improving the uniformity of the final process gas distribution and meeting the process requirements.

[0021] The air intake assembly of the present application is equipped with an annular flow equalizing cavity surrounding the air intake portion and multiple flow equalizing holes on the side of the annular flow equalizing cavity facing the air intake portion. The annular flow equalizing cavity can be used to evenly distribute the process gas in the first distribution cavity, thereby improving the initial uniformity of the process gas and thus improving the flow equalizing effect of the air intake assembly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or descriptions of the prior art in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present disclosure. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.

[0023] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of a semiconductor process chamber in the related art;

[0024] FIG2 is a schematic structural diagram of an air intake device in the related art;

[0025] FIG3 is a schematic structural diagram of an air intake assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG4 is a cross-sectional view of the air intake assembly taken along line AA in FIG3 ;

[0027] FIG5 is a schematic structural diagram of an annular tube of an air intake assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] FIG6 is a perspective view of an air intake assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] FIG7 is a schematic structural diagram of an air intake device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0030] FIG8 is an exploded view of an air intake device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0031] FIG9 is a schematic structural diagram of a semiconductor process chamber according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0032] List of reference numerals: 10. Air inlet portion; 11. Columnar body; 12. Air inlet channel; 121. Air inlet sub-channel; 122. Auxiliary sub-channel; 123. Flow channel; 13. Flow guide portion; 14. Connecting hole; 20. Gas distribution layer; 21. Distribution chamber; 211. First distribution chamber; 212. Second distribution chamber; 213. Third distribution chamber; 22. Diverter hole; 231. First diverter plate; 232. Second diverter plate; 233. Third diverter plate; 24. Support plate; 30. Connecting pipe; 40. Annular pipe; 41. Annular equalizing flow chamber; 42. Flow equalizing hole; 50. Base; 60. Connecting rod; 70. Chamber body. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present application, the air intake assembly, air intake device and semiconductor process chamber provided by the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] Metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) equipment is primarily used to grow compound semiconductor thin films. Most MOCVD equipment utilizes a graphite susceptor capable of simultaneously placing multiple wafers for epitaxial growth, depending on wafer size. The gas inlet system is particularly important for semiconductor process chambers used for MOCVD.

[0035] Commonly used gas inlet devices include horizontal spray inlet devices, which are primarily used to introduce external process gases into semiconductor process chambers. Furthermore, to ensure the quality of semiconductor products, the process gases must be evenly distributed within the semiconductor process chamber. Therefore, the gas inlet device typically includes an inlet assembly, which sprays the process gases horizontally and evenly in a circumferential direction, ensuring that the velocity and flow rate of the process gases sprayed around the circumference are as uniform as possible, ensuring uniform distribution of the process gases within the semiconductor process chamber.

[0036] Furthermore, it is often necessary to introduce multiple process gases into a semiconductor process chamber. Consequently, multiple pipelines are required to transport these process gases. Furthermore, the gas requirements in each pipeline can be tailored to individually control the intake pressure and flow rate. Consequently, each intake device requires multiple intake assemblies to individually divert each pipeline, ensuring that each process gas enters the semiconductor process chamber evenly. Furthermore, to prevent premature contact between different process gases before they reach the semiconductor process chamber, the process gases in each intake assembly must not cross-contaminate each other.

[0037] As shown in FIG1 , the related art discloses a semiconductor process chamber, comprising: a chamber body 1 and an air intake device 2 disposed within the chamber body 1. The air intake device 2 comprises a plurality of stacked air intake assemblies 3. As shown in FIG2 , each air intake assembly 3 comprises: a base plate 4, an air intake portion 5, a third annular flow equalizing plate 6, a second annular flow equalizing plate 7, and a first annular flow equalizing plate 8.

[0038] The air inlet portion 5 is fixedly connected to the substrate 4 . An air inlet port 9 is provided on the air inlet portion 5 . The process gas enters the interior of the air inlet assembly 3 through the air inlet port 9 .

[0039] The first annular flow equalizing plate 8 is arranged around the air inlet 5, the third annular flow equalizing plate 6 is connected to the outer periphery of the base plate 4, and the second annular flow equalizing plate 7 is arranged between the third annular flow equalizing plate 6 and the first annular flow equalizing plate 8. A first flow equalizing channel is formed between the first annular flow equalizing plate 8 and the air inlet 5, a second flow equalizing channel is formed between the first annular flow equalizing plate 8 and the second annular flow equalizing plate 7, and a third flow equalizing channel is formed between the second annular flow equalizing plate 7 and the third annular flow equalizing plate 6. Flow equalizing holes are evenly distributed on the first annular flow equalizing plate 8, the second annular flow equalizing plate 7 and the third annular flow equalizing plate 6. The first flow equalizing channel, the second flow equalizing channel and the third flow equalizing channel are connected in sequence through the flow equalizing holes, and the air inlet 9 is connected to the first flow equalizing channel.

[0040] During use, after the process gas enters the first equalizing flow channel from the air inlet 9, the process gas is diverted to the second equalizing flow channel and the third equalizing flow channel in turn through the equalizing flow holes, and finally ejected into the chamber body 1 from the equalizing flow holes on the third annular equalizing flow plate 6.

[0041] However, since the air inlet 9 of the process gas is located on one side of the air inlet 5 and the air outlet direction is directly toward the first annular flow equalizing plate 8, the speed of the ejected process gas corresponding to the air inlet 9 will be greater than that of other places. This results in that although a part of the process gas will first diffuse along the first flow equalizing channel to the side of the air inlet 5 away from the air inlet 9, and then enter the second flow equalizing channel from the side of the air inlet 5 away from the air inlet 9, there will still be a part of the process gas that will directly pass through the flow equalizing hole near the air inlet 9 and enter the second flow equalizing channel first, thereby making the process gas flow rate and flow velocity in the second flow equalizing channel uneven, and ultimately causing the process gas ejected from the air inlet component to be unevenly distributed in the circumferential direction. That is to say, in the related art, since the air inlet 9 is single and its position is relatively biased, the initial state of the process gas entering the air inlet component 3 is too concentrated, which seriously affects the flow equalization effect of the subsequent annular flow equalizing plate and the flow equalizing channel, and cannot be fully diverted. Therefore, the flow equalization effect of the air inlet component 3 on the process gas is greatly reduced, making it impossible for the process gas to be evenly distributed in the semiconductor process chamber, and cannot meet the process requirements.

[0042] In order to solve the above problems, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 , an embodiment of the present application discloses an air intake assembly, including: an air intake portion 10 , a gas distribution layer 20 , a connecting pipe 30 and an annular flow equalizing cavity 41 .

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3 , the air inlet portion 10 includes a columnar body 11 and at least one air inlet channel 12 located in the columnar body 11 , and the gas distribution layer 20 is connected to one of the air inlet channels 12 .

[0044] The gas distribution layer 20 is arranged around the air inlet part 10. The gas distribution layer 20 includes at least one distribution cavity 21 arranged around the columnar body 11. The outer wall of each distribution cavity 21 is provided with a plurality of diversion holes 22; among them, the distribution cavity 21 closest to the air inlet part 10 is the first distribution cavity 211.

[0045] The annular flow equalizing chamber 41 is located in the first distribution chamber 211, and the annular flow equalizing chamber 41 is arranged around the columnar body 11. The annular flow equalizing chamber 41 is spaced apart from the columnar body 11, and the annular flow equalizing chamber 41 is provided with a plurality of flow equalizing holes 42 on the side facing the columnar body 11, and the plurality of flow equalizing holes 42 are distributed around the columnar body 11.

[0046] The air inlet channel 12 is connected to the annular flow balancing chamber 41 through the connecting pipe 30 , and the annular flow balancing chamber 41 is connected to the first distribution chamber 211 through a plurality of flow balancing holes 42 .

[0047] In this embodiment, since the air inlet channel 12 is connected to the annular flow equalizing chamber 41 through the connecting pipe 30, a plurality of flow equalizing holes 42 distributed around the columnar body 11 and connected to the first distribution chamber 211 are further provided on the inner wall of the annular flow equalizing chamber 41, and each flow equalizing hole 42 is located on the side of the annular flow equalizing chamber 41 facing the columnar body 11. When the air inlet assembly is used, after the process gas in the air inlet channel 12 enters the annular flow equalizing chamber 41 through the connecting pipe 30, it will first diffuse circumferentially along the inner wall of the annular flow equalizing chamber 41, and then be ejected from the flow equalizing holes 42 toward the columnar body 11. The process gas ejected from the flow equalizing holes 42 will continue to flow toward the columnar body 11, diffuse to the surroundings after hitting the columnar body 11, and finally gradually expand to the outer peripheral wall of the first distribution chamber 211, and be diverted through the diversion hole 22.

[0048] Compared with the related art, since the annular flow balancing chamber 41 is provided, the process gas can be preliminarily flow balanced through the annular flow balancing chamber 41, so that the process gas is ejected from multiple positions around the columnar body 11. Since the flow balancing hole 42 is located on the side of the annular flow balancing chamber 41 facing the columnar body 11 and is provided around the columnar body 11, the ejection direction of the process gas is toward the columnar body 11, rather than directly toward the outer peripheral wall of the first distribution chamber 211. In other words, the flow balancing hole 42 is located on the side of the annular flow balancing chamber 41 facing away from the outer peripheral wall of the first distribution chamber 211. Therefore, after the process gas is ejected from the annular flow balancing chamber 41, it first flows in the direction away from the outer peripheral wall of the first distribution chamber 211, thereby not only buffering the flow rate of the process gas, but also The travel distance of the process gas is extended so that the process gas has more time and space to diffuse. In addition, the process gas can diffuse to the surroundings after hitting the columnar body 11, further improving the diffusion effect, so that the process gas can be fully and evenly diffused in the first distribution chamber 211. Therefore, by setting the annular flow equalization chamber 41, the process gas can be more evenly distributed in the first distribution chamber 211, and the process gas can enter the next distribution chamber 21 evenly in the circumferential direction, thereby more fully diverting and improving the uniformity of the final process gas distribution to meet the process requirements.

[0049] The air intake assembly of the present application sets an annular flow equalizing chamber 41 around the air intake portion 10 and sets a plurality of flow equalizing holes 42 on the side of the annular flow equalizing chamber 41 facing the air intake portion 10. The annular flow equalizing chamber 41 can be used to evenly distribute the process gas in the first distribution chamber 211, thereby improving the initial uniformity of the process gas distribution and thus improving the final flow equalizing effect of the air intake assembly.

[0050] It should be noted that all the distribution chambers 21 are spaced apart in the radial direction, and two adjacent distribution chambers 21 are connected by the diverter holes 22, so that the process gas diffuses circumferentially after entering the next distribution chamber 21. In other words, the air inlet 10 is located in the center of the distribution chamber 21, and the final outlet of the air inlet assembly is located on the outer wall. Therefore, the process gas flows radially from the inside to the outside and achieves uniform gas flow through circumferential diffusion after flowing radially to the next distribution chamber 21.

[0051] For example, taking the example of a gas distribution layer 20 including three distribution chambers 21, in the embodiment shown in FIG4 , the gas distribution layer 20 may include: a support plate 24, a first diverter plate 231, a second diverter plate 232, and a third diverter plate 233. The support plate 24 is circular, and the columnar body 11 is fixedly connected to the center of the support plate 24. The first diverter plate 231, the second diverter plate 232, and the third diverter plate 233 are all fixedly connected to the support plate 24. The first diverter plate 231, the second diverter plate 232, and the third diverter plate 233 are all annular diverter plates. In the horizontal direction, the first diverter plate 231, the second diverter plate 232, and the third diverter plate 233 are arranged from the inside out around the columnar body 11, and the third diverter plate 233 is arranged around the outer periphery of the support plate 24. In other words, the first diverter plate 231, the second diverter plate 232, and the third diverter plate 233 are spaced apart from the inside out in the radial direction.

[0052] Referring to Figures 4 and 6 , a first distribution chamber 211 is formed between the first manifold plate 231 and the columnar body 11, a second distribution chamber 212 is formed between the first manifold plate 231 and the second manifold plate 232, and a third distribution chamber 213 is formed between the second manifold plate 232 and the third manifold plate 233. Uniformly distributed manifold holes 22 are provided on each of the first manifold plate 231, the second manifold plate 232, and the third manifold plate 233. The manifold holes 22 on the corresponding annular manifold plates provide communication between the first and second distribution chambers 211, 212, and 213, and between the third distribution chamber 213 and the semiconductor processing chamber outside the gas distribution layer 20. In other words, horizontally, the first, second, and third distribution chambers 211, 212, and 213 are radially spaced from the inside out.

[0053] During use, the process gas diffuses from the first distribution chamber 211 to the second distribution chamber 212 and the third distribution chamber 213 in sequence. In other words, the process gas flows radially from the inside to the outside, and during the radial flow process, it diffuses circumferentially to achieve uniform gas flow, and ultimately diffuses into the semiconductor process chamber outside the gas distribution layer 20. Because the diverter holes 22 on each annular diverter plate are evenly distributed, the process gas becomes more dispersed circumferentially with each layer of annular diverter plate it passes through, until it enters the interior of the semiconductor process chamber after passing through the outermost third diverter plate 233. The degree of process gas diffusion reaches its maximum, thus achieving uniform distribution within the semiconductor process chamber.

[0054] As shown in Figure 5, the annular flow equalization chamber 41 is formed by an annular tube 40 surrounding the cylindrical body 11. The interior of the annular tube 40 is the annular flow equalization chamber 41, and flow equalization holes 42 are spaced apart on the tube wall of the annular tube 40. The first end of the connecting tube 30 is connected to the annular tube 40, and the second end is connected to the air inlet channel 12. The air inlet channel 12 and the annular flow equalization chamber 41 are connected by the connecting tube 30. After the process gas enters the annular flow equalization chamber 41 along the connecting tube 30, it is first split into two parts with opposite flow directions in the circumferential direction of the annular flow equalization chamber 41. The two parts of process gas flow along the annular flow equalization chamber 41 in the circumferential direction and enter the first distribution chamber 211 through the flow equalization holes 42. By providing the connecting tube 30 and the annular tube 40, the gas can be initially split when entering the annular tube 40, and then split twice through the flow equalization holes 42. The two splits can make the process gas more evenly distributed, thereby improving the uniformity of the process gas entering the first distribution chamber 211.

[0055] As shown in FIG5 , the position where the connecting tube 30 and the annular tube 40 are connected is taken as a reference position. On the tube wall of the annular tube 40 , the intervals between adjacent flow equalizing holes 42 gradually decrease from the reference position toward a direction away from the reference position.

[0056] Specifically, in the embodiment shown in FIG5 , point A is the connection point between the connecting tube 30 and the annular tube 40, i.e., the reference position. Point B in FIG5 is the position on the annular tube 40 farthest from point A, i.e., the position farthest from the reference position. In the direction surrounding the columnar body 11, the spacing between the flow equalizing holes 42 gradually decreases from point A to point B. In other words, the flow equalizing holes 42 are relatively sparsely arranged near the connecting tube 30 on the annular tube 40, while the flow equalizing holes 42 are relatively densely arranged at positions away from the connecting tube 30 on the annular tube 40. This is because the process gas flow rate is relatively high at point A. Therefore, the process gas ejected from the flow equalizing holes 42 near point A has a relatively high flow rate. As the process gas flows along the annular flow equalizing cavity 41, the process gas flow rate becomes slower and slower, and the pressure gradually decreases. Therefore, the process gas ejected from the flow equalizing holes 42 near point B has a slower flow rate. By widening the intervals between the flow balancing holes 42 near point A, thereby reducing the number of flow balancing holes 42 in this area, and narrowing the intervals between the flow balancing holes 42 near point B, thereby increasing the number of flow balancing holes 42 in this area, the difference in the total flow rate of the gas ejected per unit circumferential length caused by different flow velocities can be offset, so that the process gas in each area in the direction surrounding the columnar body 11 is as uniform as possible, thereby improving the uniformity of the process gas distribution in each area in the circumferential direction of the columnar body 11.

[0057] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the position of point B is the position farthest from the reference position, but this is not restrictive, and the position of point B only needs to be near the point farthest from the reference position.

[0058] It should also be noted that, although in this embodiment, the spacing between adjacent equalizing holes 42 on the wall of the annular tube 40 gradually decreases from the reference position toward the direction away from the reference position, this is not restrictive. In some other embodiments not shown in the figures, other methods can be used to make the total gas flow rate ejected per unit circumferential length equal. For example, according to the process gas flow formula: Q = S × V, where Q is the gas flow rate, S is the cross-sectional area of ​​the equalizing hole 42, and V is the gas flow rate, which is related to the gas pressure at the equalizing hole 42, that is, the greater the gas pressure, the faster the gas flow rate V; therefore, the spacing between the equalizing holes 42 can also be set to be the same, and the cross-sectional area of ​​each equalizing hole 42 can be changed by adjusting the aperture of each equalizing hole 42. Specifically, on the wall of the annular tube 40, the farther the flow balancing holes 42 are from the reference position, the larger the diameter of the flow balancing holes 42 is, so that the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow balancing holes 42 is larger. That is, in the direction surrounding the columnar body 11, the closer the flow balancing holes 42 are to the reference position, the smaller the diameter, i.e., the smaller the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow balancing holes 42 is, and the farther the flow balancing holes 42 are from the reference position, the larger the diameter, i.e., the larger the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow balancing holes 42 is. The essential principle is the same as that of the above-mentioned embodiment, which is to ensure that the total flow rate of gas ejected per unit circumferential length is equal, i.e., the diameter of the flow balancing holes 42 close to the reference position is smaller and the gas pressure is higher; while the diameter of the flow balancing holes 42 far from the reference position is larger and the gas pressure is lower. According to the process gas flow formula, the difference caused by the different pore flow rates can be offset, so that the process gas in each area in the direction surrounding the columnar body 11 is as uniform as possible, thereby improving the uniformity of the process gas distribution in each area in the circumferential direction of the columnar body 11.

[0059] In addition, it can also be understood that in order to ensure uniformity of gas distribution, all the flow-balancing holes 42 are distributed in a mirror-symmetrical manner, and the symmetry line is the line connecting point A and point B in FIG. 5 , and the line intersects the axis of the columnar body 11 .

[0060] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the connecting pipe 30 can be set to 2 mm to 40 mm, preferably 10 mm, and the diameter of the flow-balancing hole 42 ranges from 0.5 mm to 20 mm.

[0061] As shown in Figure 5, the outlet direction of the flow balancing hole 42 is toward the outer peripheral wall of the columnar body 11. By setting the outlet direction of the flow balancing hole 42 toward the outer peripheral wall of the columnar body 11, the process gas first flows toward the outer peripheral wall of the air inlet portion 10, and then returns to the first diverter plate 231 for diversion. This significantly increases the process gas's travel distance, provides more buffer time and space for the uniformity of the gas flow field, and thus makes the circumferential distribution of the process gas more uniform when entering the semiconductor process chamber.

[0062] As shown in Figure 4, a flow guide 13 is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the columnar body 11. The gas outlet direction of the flow balancing holes 42 is toward the flow guide 13. The flow guide 13 is used to guide the process gas ejected from the flow balancing holes 42 to the outer peripheral wall of the first distribution chamber 211, that is, the first diverter plate 231. By providing the flow guide 13, the process gas can be guided by the flow guide 13 to flow toward the first diverter plate 231, thereby improving the gas diversion efficiency.

[0063] It should be noted that, in the present embodiment, the guide portion 13 is an annular groove arranged along the outer peripheral wall of the columnar body 11, the annular tube 40 is located at the notch position of the annular groove, and the outlet direction of the equalizing hole 42 is toward the bottom of the annular groove. In the direction from the bottom of the annular groove to the notch, the spacing between the groove walls of the annular groove gradually expands to guide the diffusion of the process gas. As shown in Figure 4, on the axial cross-section of the annular groove, the interior of the annular groove has a C-shaped structure. By providing an annular groove, the process gas blown out of the equalizing hole 42 is guided and reflected by the annular groove, which can not only increase the airflow stroke and play a buffering and uniform gas effect, but also change the focusing of the process gas flow rate, which is more conducive to diffusion. In addition, the annular groove with a C-shaped structure can make the reflected gas approach the laminar flow effect, thereby improving the uniformity of the circumferential distribution of the process gas.

[0064] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the connecting tube 30 and the annular tube 40 are both rigid, and the annular tube 40 is fixedly connected to the air inlet portion 10 via the connecting tube 30. By using the connecting tube 30 to fixedly connect the air inlet portion 10 and the annular tube 40, there is no need to add other structures to support the annular tube 40, reducing manufacturing costs and improving assembly efficiency. At the same time, it can also avoid interference with the process gas inside the air inlet assembly and improve the flow balance effect.

[0065] As shown in FIG6 , multiple air inlet channels 12 are provided, each comprising an air inlet sub-channel 121 and multiple auxiliary sub-channels 122. Air inlet sub-channel 121 and multiple auxiliary sub-channels 122 are circumferentially spaced apart within columnar body 11. A flow passage 123 is provided on the inner wall of air inlet sub-channel 121 for communicating with annular tube 40. In this embodiment, the provision of multiple auxiliary sub-channels 122 allows for the formation of an air inlet structure in conjunction with multiple other air inlet components, thereby facilitating the balanced flow of process gases.

[0066] As shown in Figure 4, the columnar body 11 has a first end and a second end in the axial direction. The first end is connected to the support plate 24, and the second end is a free end. The air inlet channel 12 extends from the first end of the air inlet portion 10 to the second end, and an opening is provided on the support plate 24 so as to connect to the air inlet channels 12 of other air inlet portions 10. A connecting hole 14 is also provided at the center of the columnar body 11. The connecting hole 14 runs from the first end to the second end of the columnar body 11, and a plurality of air inlet channels 12 are distributed around the connecting hole 14. In this way, the structure of each air inlet assembly is exactly the same. When using multiple air inlet assemblies, the multiple air inlet assemblies can be connected and fixed through the connecting hole 14 so that the same air inlet assemblies can cooperate with each other. It is only necessary to adjust the angle of each air inlet assembly, which greatly improves the versatility and installation convenience of the air inlet assembly.

[0067] Specifically, according to the second aspect of the present application, as shown in FIG7 , an air intake device is also disclosed, comprising a plurality of the above-mentioned air intake assemblies, wherein the plurality of air intake assemblies are stacked in sequence from top to bottom.

[0068] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the gas inlet assembly comprises a base 50, on which a connecting rod 60 is mounted. Multiple gas distribution layers 20 are disposed on the base 50 and stacked axially along the columnar body 11. The connecting rod 60 is coaxial with the columnar body 11 and extends through the connection holes 14 of the multiple gas distribution layers 20. The connecting rod 60 securely connects the columnar bodies 11 of all gas inlet assemblies. The first end of the connecting rod 60 is fixedly connected to the base 50, while the second end is provided with external threads for connection to a semiconductor processing chamber, thereby securing the gas inlet assembly within the semiconductor processing chamber.

[0069] A plurality of air inlet channels 12 are provided in each columnar body 11 . The plurality of air inlet channels 12 in each columnar body 11 are arranged in one-to-one correspondence with and connected to the plurality of air inlet channels 12 in other columnar bodies 11 . The corresponding air inlet channels 12 in all columnar bodies 11 are connected in sequence from top to bottom.

[0070] The multiple air inlet channels 12 include an air inlet sub-channel 121 and multiple auxiliary sub-channels 122. The air inlet sub-channel 121 and the multiple auxiliary sub-channels 122 are circumferentially spaced apart in the columnar body 11. The inner wall of the air inlet sub-channel 121 is provided with a flow channel 123 for communicating with the annular equal flow cavity 41. As shown in FIG8 , the air inlet sub-channel 121 in each columnar body 11 and the air inlet sub-channels 121 in other columnar bodies 11 are staggered with each other in the direction surrounding the columnar body 11. In other words, the air inlet components of the air inlet device of the present application have the same structure. Therefore, during manufacturing, only the same mold is needed to achieve mass production, which can reduce the production of finished products and improve the versatility of the product. It can be understood that in this embodiment, the stacked air inlet components are sealed to prevent leakage or cross-talk of process gases.

[0071] As shown in FIG9 , the present application further discloses a semiconductor process chamber, comprising: a chamber body 70 and the above-mentioned air intake device.

[0072] 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. An air intake assembly, characterized in that: include: An air inlet and a gas distribution layer arranged around the air inlet; wherein, The air inlet portion comprises a columnar body and at least one air inlet channel located in the columnar body, and the gas distribution layer is connected to one of the air inlet channels; The gas distribution layer comprises at least one distribution cavity arranged around the columnar body, and the outer peripheral wall of each distribution cavity is provided with a plurality of flow diversion holes; wherein the distribution cavity closest to the gas inlet portion is the first distribution cavity; The air intake assembly further includes a connecting pipe and an annular flow balancing chamber arranged around the columnar body and located in the first distribution chamber, the annular flow balancing chamber is arranged at a distance from the columnar body, and a plurality of flow balancing holes are arranged on a side of the annular flow balancing chamber facing the columnar body, and the plurality of flow balancing holes are distributed around the columnar body; The air inlet passage is communicated with the annular flow equalizing chamber through the connecting pipe, and the annular flow equalizing chamber is communicated with the first distribution chamber through the plurality of flow equalizing holes.

2. The air intake assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: The annular flow equalizing cavity is formed by an annular tube arranged around the columnar body, the interior of the annular tube is the annular flow equalizing cavity, the flow equalizing holes are arranged at intervals on the tube wall of the annular tube, and the connecting tube is connected to the annular tube.

3. The air intake assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: All the distribution chambers are spaced apart in the radial direction, and two adjacent distribution chambers are connected through the diversion holes, so that the process gas diffuses in the circumferential direction after entering the next distribution chamber.

4. The air intake assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The position where the connecting tube is connected to the annular tube is taken as a reference position; On the tube wall of the annular tube, the farther the flow balancing hole is from the reference position, the larger the aperture of the flow balancing hole is; And / or, on the tube wall of the annular tube, the intervals between adjacent flow balancing holes gradually decrease from the reference position in a direction away from the reference position.

5. The air intake assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: A flow guide is provided on the outer peripheral wall of the columnar body, the gas outlet direction of the flow balancing hole is toward the flow guide, and the flow guide is used to guide the process gas ejected from the flow balancing hole to flow toward the outer peripheral wall of the first distribution chamber.

6. The air intake assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: The flow guide portion is an annular groove arranged along the outer peripheral wall of the columnar body, the annular flow equalizing cavity is located at the notch position of the annular groove, and the gas outlet direction of the flow equalizing hole is toward the bottom of the annular groove.

7. The air intake assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: In a direction from the groove bottom to the groove opening of the annular groove, the groove wall spacing of the annular groove gradually increases to guide the diffusion of the process gas.

8. The air intake assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that: In the axial cross section of the annular groove, the interior of the annular groove is in a C-shaped structure.

9. The air intake assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: The annular tube is fixedly connected to the columnar body through the connecting tube.

10. The air intake assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that There are multiple air intake channels, and the multiple air intake channels include an air intake sub-channel and multiple auxiliary sub-channels. The air intake sub-channel and the multiple auxiliary sub-channels are circumferentially spaced apart in the columnar body, and a flow channel for communicating with the annular flow equalizing cavity is provided on the inner wall of the air intake sub-channel.

11. An air intake device, characterized in that: The invention comprises a plurality of air intake assemblies according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the plurality of air intake assemblies are stacked in sequence from top to bottom.

12. The air intake device according to claim 11, characterized in that: The columnar bodies of all the air intake assemblies are fixedly connected to each other, and a plurality of the air intake channels are arranged in each columnar body, and the plurality of the air intake channels in each columnar body are arranged one-to-one with and communicate with the plurality of the air intake channels in other columnar bodies, and the corresponding air intake channels in all the columnar bodies are communicated in sequence from top to bottom; The multiple intake channels include an intake sub-channel and multiple auxiliary sub-channels, and the intake sub-channels and the multiple auxiliary sub-channels are circumferentially spaced apart in the columnar body. A flow channel for communicating with the annular flow equalizing cavity is provided on the inner wall of the intake sub-channel, wherein the intake sub-channel in each columnar body is staggered with the intake sub-channels in other columnar bodies in the direction surrounding the columnar body.

13. The air intake device according to claim 12, characterized in that: The number of the air intake passages is the same as the number of the air intake components.

14. A semiconductor process chamber, characterized in that: include: A chamber body and an air intake device as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13.

Images