Spray structure for semiconductor process device, and semiconductor process device

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of semiconductors, and discloses a spray structure and a semiconductor process device. The spray structure comprises a spray head and a liquid discharging cleaning assembly. The liquid discharging cleaning assembly comprises a cleaning part. The cleaning part comprises an accommodating cavity, a protecting cavity, a drying cavity and a cleaning cavity; two ends of the accommodating cavity are respectively provided with a first port and a second port; the protecting cavity, the drying cavity and the cleaning cavity are all arranged on the periphery of the accommodating cavity, and are arranged in a direction from the first port to the second port; respective internal spaces of the protecting cavity, the drying cavity and the cleaning cavity are communicated with the internal space of the accommodating cavity respectively by means of a first channel, a second channel and a third channel; the protecting cavity is provided with a first through hole for receiving protective gas; the drying cavity is provided with a second through hole for receiving drying gas; and the cleaning cavity is provided with a third through hole for receiving a cleaning liquid. The semiconductor process device comprises the spray structure. The present application at least can solve the problem of spray head blockage.

Description

Spray structure for semiconductor process equipment and semiconductor process equipment Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of semiconductor technology, and specifically relates to a spray structure for semiconductor process equipment and semiconductor process equipment. Background Art

[0002] In the chip production process, the cleaning process occupies a large proportion. As chip production becomes more advanced and precise, the cleaning process requirements will also increase. Therefore, the proportion of single-wafer cleaning equipment in the process flow is increasing. The cleaning equipment provides the process liquid required for the process to the wafer through a spray structure, which is sprayed onto the surface of the wafer for etching. Some of the process liquids used are inorganic acids and alkalis, which react with the wafer or react with the air to form inorganic salts. The inorganic salts are crystalline and will adhere to the spray structure over time. The crystals accumulated on the spray head are the most serious. Long-term accumulation can cause the spray head to be blocked or fall off to the wafer surface during the process, affecting the process effect. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the embodiments of the present application is to provide a spray structure for semiconductor process equipment and semiconductor process equipment, which can at least solve problems such as shower head clogging.

[0004] In order to solve the above technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0005] An embodiment of the present application provides a spray structure for semiconductor process equipment, the spray structure comprising a spray head and a liquid discharge cleaning assembly corresponding to the spray head, the liquid discharge cleaning assembly comprising: a cleaning component;

[0006] The cleaning component includes a accommodating chamber, a protective chamber, a drying chamber, and a cleaning chamber. A first port and a second port are respectively provided at both ends of the accommodating chamber. The first port is used for entering and exiting the spray head, and the second port is used for draining liquid. The protective chamber, the drying chamber, and the cleaning chamber are all provided on the periphery of the accommodating chamber and are arranged in a direction from the first port to the second port.

[0007] The internal spaces of the protection chamber, the drying chamber, and the cleaning chamber are connected to the internal space of the accommodating chamber through a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel, respectively;

[0008] The protection chamber is provided with a first through hole for receiving protection gas, the drying chamber is provided with a second through hole for receiving drying gas, and the cleaning chamber is provided with a third through hole for receiving cleaning liquid.

[0009] The present application also provides a semiconductor process equipment, comprising: a process chamber, a carrying device and the above-mentioned spray structure;

[0010] The carrying device is arranged in the process chamber and is used to carry the wafer;

[0011] The spray structure further includes a spray arm, which is disposed in the process chamber. The spray head is connected to the spray arm and is used to spray process liquid onto the wafers carried by the carrying device.

[0012] The cleaning component is arranged in the process chamber;

[0013] In a non-process state, the shower head is arranged opposite to the accommodating cavity.

[0014] In an embodiment of the present application, in a working state, process liquid can be sprayed through the spray head to facilitate process processing of the wafer; in a non-working state, liquid can be drained or the spray head can be cleaned through a liquid drainage and cleaning component, specifically including: the first port of the accommodating cavity can receive the residual liquid dripping from the spray head and discharge it through the second port; when the spray head needs to be cleaned, the spray head can also be located in the accommodating cavity; when the spray head and the cleaning cavity are arranged correspondingly, the cleaning liquid in the cleaning cavity can be sprayed to the spray head through the third channel, thereby cleaning the spray head to clean out the crystals accumulated in the spray head, effectively alleviating the blockage of the spray head. The problem of crystals falling off in the shower head and affecting the process effect can be solved, and the problem of crystals falling off in the shower head and affecting the process effect can be alleviated; after cleaning, the shower head can also be set corresponding to the drying chamber, and the drying gas in the drying chamber can be blown to the shower head through the second channel, so that the shower head after cleaning can be dried to prevent the residual cleaning liquid on the shower head and affect the process effect; in addition, during the cleaning or drying process, the protective gas in the protective chamber can be blown to the containing chamber through the first channel, and an air curtain is formed in the containing chamber, so as to block the droplets splashed during the cleaning or drying process to prevent the droplets from flying around and splashing into the process chamber and affecting the subsequent process effect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of a chuck, a recovery pot, a spray arm, a spray head, and a drain box in the related art;

[0016] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of a structure including a spray arm, a spray head, and a liquid drain box in the related art;

[0017] FIG3 is a schematic diagram of a drain cleaning assembly disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] FIG4 is a schematic diagram of a cleaning component disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] FIG5 is a partial schematic diagram of the protection cavity disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0020] FIG6 is a partial schematic diagram of a drying chamber disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0021] FIG7 is a partial schematic diagram of a cleaning chamber disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0022] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of a spray structure disclosed in an embodiment of the present application, wherein the spray head is located outside the accommodating cavity;

[0023] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a spray structure disclosed in an embodiment of the present application, wherein the spray head is located within the accommodating cavity and is arranged corresponding to the cleaning cavity;

[0024] FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a spray structure disclosed in an embodiment of the present application, wherein the spray head is located within the accommodating cavity and is arranged corresponding to the drying cavity;

[0025] FIG11 is a schematic diagram of a liquid drain cleaning assembly, an air supply line, and a liquid supply line disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] FIG12 is a top view of the spray structure disclosed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0027] FIG13 is a schematic diagram of a semiconductor process equipment disclosed in an embodiment of the present application.

[0028] Explanation of Reference Numerals: 01 - Chuck; 02 - Recovery Pot; 02 - Spray Arm; 04 - Spray Head; 05 - Drain Box; 10 - Drain Cleaning Assembly; 11 - Cleaning Component; 111 - Accommodating Chamber; 1111 - First Port; 1112 - Second Port; 112 - Protective Chamber; 1121 - First Through-Hole; 113 - Drying Chamber; 1131 - Second Through-Hole; 114 - Cleaning Chamber; 1141 - Third Through-Hole; 1151 - First Passageway; 1152 - Second Passageway; 1153 - Third Passageway; 116 - Drain Pipe; 12 - Lifting Mechanism; 121 - Driving Component; 122 - Bracket; 1221 - Avoidance Hole; 123 - Sleeve; 131 - First Air Supply Pipeline; 132 - Second Air Supply Pipeline; 133 - Liquid Supply Pipeline; 141-Spray arm; 142-Spray head; 20-Process chamber; 30-Carrying device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0030] The terms "first," "second," and the like in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects, and are not used to describe a specific order or precedence. It should be understood that the terms used in this manner are interchangeable where appropriate, so that the embodiments of this application can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein, and that the objects distinguished by "first," "second," and the like are generally of the same type, and do not limit the number of objects; for example, the first object can be one or more. In addition, the term "and / or" in the specification and claims refers to at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the objects connected are in an "or" relationship.

[0031] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below through specific embodiments and their application scenarios in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0032] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a process chamber in the related art is provided with a chuck 01, a recovery pot 02, a spray arm 03, a spray head 04, and a drain box 05. The drain box 05 is a circular cup-shaped structure. The internal space of the drain box 05 has openings at both the upper and lower ends of the drain box 05. The upper opening faces the spray head 04, and the lower opening is connected to the factory drainage. The chuck 01 and the recovery pot 02 are located in the middle of the process chamber. The chuck 01 is used to clamp the wafer. The recovery pot 02 is concentric with the chuck 01 and is used to recover the liquid used in the process. The spray arm 03 can be selectively located above the recovery pot 02 or the chuck 01 in the process chamber. The spray arm 03 sprays the liquid onto the wafer through the spray head 04. The drain box 05 receives the liquid dripping from the spray head 04. Exemplarily, a plurality of spray arms 03 , a plurality of spray heads 04 and a plurality of drain boxes 05 are provided in the process chamber. The plurality of spray heads 04 are connected to the plurality of spray arms 03 in a one-to-one correspondence. The plurality of drain boxes 05 are respectively used to receive the liquid medicine dripping from the plurality of spray heads 04 .

[0033] Before the process is carried out, each spray head 04 is in its original position, that is, directly above the corresponding drain box 05; during the process, the chuck 01 carries the wafer to rotate, and each spray arm 03 rotates counterclockwise from the original position shown in Figure 1 in the top view direction of Figure 1, and moves the corresponding spray head 04 to above the center position of the chuck 01 for spraying. At the same time, each spray arm 03 will also rotate clockwise toward the original position at a certain speed. As the spray arm 03 rotates clockwise, the chemical liquid is sprayed onto the surface of the wafer on the chuck 01 through the spray head 04. Under the action of centrifugal force, the chemical liquid will diffuse on the surface of the wafer, thereby realizing the process treatment of the wafer. During the entire process, each spray arm 03 drives the spray head 04 to repeat the above action; after the process is completed, each spray head 04 returns to its original position again and is located directly above the corresponding drain box 05, so that the chemical liquid remaining in the spray head 04 can drip into the drain box 05.

[0034] However, after long-term use, the liquid in the shower head 04 is prone to react and generate crystals, causing blockage of the shower head 04 and affecting the normal use of the shower head 04. In addition, during the process, the crystals are also prone to fall off from the shower head 04 and fall onto the wafer surface, thereby affecting the product yield.

[0035] Based on the above, embodiments of the present application disclose a spray structure for semiconductor process equipment, including a spray head 142 and a drain cleaning assembly 10 corresponding to the spray head 142. The drain cleaning assembly 10 is used to clean the spray head 142, which sprays process liquid in the semiconductor process equipment, to prevent clogging of the spray head 142 or crystal dropout. Referring to Figures 3 to 13 , the disclosed drain cleaning assembly 10 includes a cleaning component 11.

[0036] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the cleaning component 11 includes a housing chamber 111, a protective chamber 112, a drying chamber 113, and a cleaning chamber 114. The housing chamber 111 is used to accommodate the shower head 142 and provide a clean environment for cleaning the shower head 142. It also serves to collect process liquid dripping from the shower head 142. During processing, the shower head 142 is located above the carrier 30 within the process chamber 20 to spray process liquid onto the wafers on the carrier 30 for wafer processing. After a long processing period, crystals formed from the process liquid can easily accumulate within the shower head 142, causing clogging and affecting the normal process. To address this issue, the shower head 142 can be placed within the housing chamber 111 and cleaned within the housing chamber 111 to remove crystals from the shower head 142 and prevent clogging.

[0037] In some embodiments, a first port 1111 and a second port 1112 are provided at both ends of the housing chamber 111, as shown in FIG4 . The first port 1111 is used for entry and exit of the spray head 142 and can also be used to receive process liquid dripping from the spray head 142, while the second port 1112 is used for liquid drainage. If the spray head 142 needs to be cleaned, the spray head 142 can be introduced into the housing chamber 111 through the first port 1111 and cleaned. Wastewater generated during the cleaning process can be discharged through the second port 1112 to prevent the wastewater from accumulating in the housing chamber 111 and affecting the cleaning process of the spray head 142.

[0038] Under actual working conditions, the first port 1111 can be located at the top of the accommodating cavity 111, and the second port 1112 can be located at the bottom of the accommodating cavity 111. In this case, the spray head 142 can enter the accommodating cavity 111 from top to bottom, and the cleaning waste liquid can be discharged along the second port 1112 under the action of gravity.

[0039] In the embodiment of the present application, the protection chamber 112, the drying chamber 113, and the cleaning chamber 114 are all disposed on the periphery of the accommodating chamber 111 and arranged along the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112. In this way, different processing steps can be performed on the shower head 142 located in the accommodating chamber 111 to achieve a cleaning process for the shower head 142. The protection chamber 112, the drying chamber 113, and the cleaning chamber 114 can be disposed sequentially along the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112. Of course, the protection chamber 112, the cleaning chamber 114, and the drying chamber 113 can also be disposed sequentially along the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112. As long as the protection chamber 112 can be located close to the first port 1111, the specific arrangement is not limited.

[0040] For example, the accommodating chamber 111 can be a cylindrical structure with two ends of the cylindrical structure connected to form a first port 1111 and a second port 1112. The protective chamber 112, the drying chamber 113, and the cleaning chamber 114 can all be annular structures, respectively sleeved on the outside of the accommodating chamber 111 and arranged in a direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112, so as to facilitate different processing steps on the spray head 142 in different areas. Of course, the cross-section of the accommodating chamber 111 is not limited to a circle. Accordingly, the cross-sections of the protective chamber 112, the drying chamber 113, and the cleaning chamber 114 are not limited to a ring shape and can also be other shapes, which can be set according to actual working conditions.

[0041] In some embodiments, the accommodating chamber 111, the protecting chamber 112, the drying chamber 113, and the cleaning chamber 114 can be independent structures, which are assembled later to form the entire cleaning component 11. This approach can reduce manufacturing difficulty.

[0042] In other embodiments, the cleaning component 11 may be an integrated structure. In this case, the cleaning component 11 may be divided into a receiving chamber 111, a protective chamber 112, a drying chamber 113, and a cleaning chamber 114. Furthermore, the protective chamber 112 and the receiving chamber 111 may share a common sidewall, the drying chamber 113 and the receiving chamber 111 may share a common sidewall, the cleaning chamber 114 and the receiving chamber 111 may share a common sidewall, the protective chamber 112 and the drying chamber 113 may share a common sidewall, and the drying chamber 113 and the cleaning chamber 114 may share a common sidewall. This approach can save manufacturing materials for the cleaning component 11 and reduce costs.

[0043] In order to achieve cleaning of the spray head 142, the internal space of the protection chamber 112 is connected with the internal space of the accommodating chamber 111 through a first channel 1151, the internal space of the drying chamber 113 is connected with the internal space of the accommodating chamber 111 through a second channel 1152, and the internal space of the cleaning chamber 114 is connected with the internal space of the accommodating chamber 111 through a third channel 1153; in addition, the protection chamber 112 is provided with a first through hole 1121 for receiving a protective gas (such as PN2, etc.), the drying chamber 113 is provided with a second through hole 1131 for receiving a drying gas (such as PN2, etc.), and the cleaning chamber 114 is provided with a third through hole 1141 for receiving a cleaning liquid (such as UltraPure Water, UPW).

[0044] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG11 , the drain cleaning assembly 10 may further include a first air supply line 131, a second air supply line 132, and a liquid supply line 133. The first air supply line 131 is in communication with the first through-hole 1121 to facilitate the introduction of protective gas into the protective chamber 112 through the first through-hole 1121; the second air supply line 132 is in communication with the second through-hole 1131 to facilitate the introduction of drying gas into the drying chamber 113 through the second through-hole 1131; and the liquid supply line 133 is in communication with the third through-hole 1141 to facilitate the introduction of cleaning liquid into the cleaning chamber 114 through the third through-hole 1141.

[0045] Based on the above arrangement, the cleaning liquid can enter the cleaning chamber 114 through the third through hole 1141, and then enter the accommodating chamber 111 through the third channel 1153, and be sprayed toward the spray head 142 located in the accommodating chamber 111, thereby cleaning the spray head 142 to remove the crystals accumulated in the spray head 142, effectively alleviating the problem of clogging of the spray head 142; after the cleaning is completed, the drying gas can enter the drying chamber 113 through the second through hole 1131, and then enter the accommodating chamber 111 through the second channel 1152, and be sprayed toward the spray head 142 located in the accommodating chamber 111, thereby drying the spray head 142 to remove the cleaning liquid attached to the spray head 142, ensure that the spray head 142 is dry, and prevent the spray head 142 from bringing the cleaning liquid into the process chamber 20 and affecting the process effect.

[0046] Moreover, during cleaning, the protective gas can enter the protective cavity 112 through the first through hole 1121, and then enter the accommodating cavity 111 through the first channel 1151, and can form an air curtain in the area near the first port 1111 in the accommodating cavity 111. The air curtain can block the cleaning liquid splashed during the cleaning process, thereby preventing the cleaning liquid from splashing into the process chamber 20 through the first port 1111 and affecting the process effect.

[0047] During drying, the protective gas can also enter the protective cavity 112 through the first through hole 1121, and then enter the accommodating cavity 111 through the first channel 1151, and can form an air curtain in the area near the first port 1111 in the accommodating cavity 111. The air curtain can block the cleaning liquid blown up during the drying process, thereby preventing the cleaning liquid from splashing into the process chamber 20 through the first port 1111 and affecting the process effect.

[0048] It should be noted here that the protection chamber 112, the drying chamber 113 and the cleaning chamber 114 can be arranged in sequence along the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112. After the spray head 142 enters the accommodating chamber 111, in order to switch between cleaning and drying the spray head 142, the spray head 142 can be moved relative to the cleaning component 11 in the accommodating chamber 111 to change the position of the spray head 142 relative to the second channel 1152 and the third channel 1153, thereby switching between comprehensive cleaning and comprehensive drying of the spray head 142.

[0049] In some embodiments, the spray head 142 may move back and forth in the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112, or the cleaning component 11 may move back and forth in the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112. Of course, both the spray head 142 and the cleaning component 11 may move back and forth in the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112. All of the above methods can change the position of the spray head 142 in the accommodating cavity 111, so that the spray head 142 can be opposite to the third channel 1153 or the second channel 1152, thereby realizing switching between comprehensive cleaning and comprehensive drying of the spray head 142.

[0050] In the embodiment of the present application, in the working state, process liquid can be sprayed through the spray head 142 to facilitate process treatment of the wafer; in the non-working state, the process liquid dripping from the spray head 142 can be received and discharged by the liquid discharge cleaning component 10, and the spray head 142 can also be cleaned, specifically including: the first port 1111 of the accommodating cavity 111 can receive the residual liquid dripping from the spray head 142 in the non-working state and discharge it through the second port 1112; when the spray head 142 needs to be cleaned, in the case where the spray head 142 and the cleaning cavity 114 are correspondingly arranged, the cleaning liquid in the cleaning cavity 114 can be sprayed to the spray head 142 through the third channel 1153, thereby cleaning the spray head 142 to clean the crystals accumulated in the spray head 142, effectively relieving The problem of clogging of the spray head 142 can be solved, and the problem of crystals falling off in the spray head 142 affecting the process effect can also be alleviated; after cleaning is completed, the spray head 142 can also be set corresponding to the drying chamber 113, and the drying gas in the drying chamber 113 can be blown to the spray head 142 through the second channel 1152, so that the cleaned spray head 142 can be dried to prevent the residual cleaning liquid on the spray head 142 from affecting the process effect; in addition, during the cleaning or drying process, the protective gas in the protective chamber 112 can be blown to the containing chamber 111 through the first channel 1151, and an air curtain is formed in the containing chamber 111, so that the droplets splashed during the cleaning or drying process can be blocked to prevent the droplets from flying around and splashing into the process chamber 20 and affecting the subsequent process effects. Therefore, the spray structure in the embodiment of the present application can not only realize the process treatment of the wafer, but also receive and discharge the process liquid dripping from the spray head 142 in the non-process state to prevent the process liquid from dripping randomly and causing pollution. It can also realize the cleaning of the spray head 142 in the non-process state to ensure that the spray head 142 will not be blocked or cause process pollution.

[0051] To prevent cleaning liquid from splashing out of the first port 1111 and entering the process chamber 20 during the cleaning process, the third channel 1153 can be extended obliquely toward the second port 1112 along the direction from the cleaning chamber 114 to the receiving chamber 111, as shown in FIG7 . Based on this, the cleaning liquid ejected through the third channel 1153 can be tilted at a certain angle toward the second port 1112, thereby imparting a certain velocity to the cleaning liquid as it travels toward the second port 1112. This mitigates splashing of the cleaning liquid toward the first port 1111, thereby effectively resolving the issue of cleaning liquid splashing into the process chamber 20 and affecting the cleanliness of the process chamber 20.

[0052] In some embodiments, the inclination angle of the third channel 1153 extending obliquely toward the second port 1112 ranges from 30° to 80°, for example, including 30°, 40°, 50°, 55°, 60°, 65°, 70°, 80°, etc. Of course, it can also be other degrees, which are not specifically limited here. This design method can reduce the amount of cleaning liquid splashing into the area of ​​the shower head 142 facing the first port 1111, and alleviate the splashing of the cleaning liquid into the process chamber 20. Furthermore, the above-mentioned inclination angle range can be 50° to 70°, which can not only alleviate the splashing of the cleaning liquid into the process chamber 20, but also prevent the angle from being too large, thereby reducing the contact area between the cleaning liquid and the shower head 142 and ultimately affecting the cleaning effect.

[0053] In some embodiments, the cleaning chamber 114 is arranged around the outer periphery of the accommodating chamber 111. In order to improve the comprehensiveness of the cleaning of the spray head 142, the internal space of the cleaning chamber 114 can be connected to the internal space of the accommodating chamber 111 through multiple third channels 1153, and the multiple third channels 1153 are arranged along the circumference of the accommodating chamber 111. In this way, the cleaning liquid can be sprayed from a circle around the spray head 142 through the multiple third channels 1153 to increase the cleaning area of ​​the spray head 142, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency and cleaning effect.

[0054] Taking into account that the spray head 142 has a certain length, the internal space of the cleaning chamber 114 can be connected to the internal space of the accommodating chamber 111 through multiple layers of third channels 1153, and the multiple layers of third channels 1153 are arranged along the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112, and each layer includes several third channels 1153. Thus, multiple layers of cleaning liquid can be sprayed toward the spray head 142 from around the spray head 142, thereby further increasing the cleaning area of ​​the spray head 142 and further improving the cleaning efficiency and cleaning effect.

[0055] To prevent cleaning liquid from splashing out of the first port 1111 and entering the process chamber 20 during the drying process, the second channel 1152 can be extended obliquely toward the second port 1112 along the direction from the drying chamber 113 to the receiving chamber 111, as shown in Figure 6. Based on this, the drying gas ejected through the second channel 1152 can be tilted at a certain angle toward the second port 1112, so that the blown cleaning liquid has a certain speed in the direction toward the second port 1112. In other words, the cleaning liquid splashed during the drying process is affected by the pressure of the drying gas and flows with the drying gas toward the second port 1112, thereby reducing the splashing of the blown cleaning liquid toward the first port 1111, which helps to solve the problem of the blown cleaning liquid splashing into the process chamber 20 and affecting the cleanliness of the process chamber 20.

[0056] In some embodiments, the second channel 1152 extends obliquely toward the second port 1112 at an angle ranging from 30° to 80°, for example, including 30°, 40°, 50°, 55°, 60°, 65°, 70°, 80°, etc. Of course, it can also be other degrees, which are not specifically limited here. This design can reduce the amount of cleaning liquid splashing into the area of ​​the shower head 142 facing the first port 1111, and alleviate the cleaning liquid from splashing into the process chamber 20. Furthermore, the above-mentioned inclination angle can be in the range of 50° to 70°, which can not only alleviate the splashing of droplets into the process chamber 20, but also prevent the contact area between the drying gas and the shower head 142 from being reduced due to an excessively large angle, thereby affecting the drying effect.

[0057] In some embodiments, the drying chamber 113 is arranged around the outer periphery of the accommodating chamber 111. In order to improve the comprehensiveness of drying the spray head 142, the internal space of the drying chamber 113 can be connected to the internal space of the accommodating chamber 111 through multiple second channels 1152, and the multiple second channels 1152 are arranged along the circumference of the accommodating chamber 111. In this way, dry gas can be blown out from a circle around the spray head 142 through the multiple second channels 1152 to increase the drying area of ​​the spray head 142, thereby improving the drying efficiency and drying effect.

[0058] Taking into account that the shower head 142 has a certain length, the internal space of the drying chamber 113 can be connected to the internal space of the accommodating chamber 111 through multiple layers of second channels 1152, and the multiple layers of second channels 1152 are arranged in the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112, and each layer includes a plurality of second channels 1152. Thus, multiple layers of drying gas can be blown out from around the shower head 142 to the shower head 142, thereby further increasing the drying area of ​​the shower head 142 and further improving the drying efficiency and drying effect.

[0059] To further alleviate the problem of cleaning liquid splashing out of the first port 1111 and entering the process chamber 20 during the cleaning or drying process, the first channel 1151 can be extended obliquely toward the first port 1111 along the direction from the protective chamber 112 to the receiving chamber 111, as shown in Figure 5. Based on this, the protective gas blown out through the first channel 1151 can be tilted at a certain angle toward the first port 1111 to form an oblique air curtain within the receiving chamber 111. The air curtain can block the splashing cleaning liquid and isolate the cleaning liquid from the internal environment of the process chamber 20, further alleviating the problem of splashing droplets entering the process chamber 20 during the cleaning or drying process and affecting the cleanliness of the process chamber 20. It should be noted here that since the protective gas has a certain pressure, when the cleaning liquid splashes during the cleaning or drying process, it will be rebounded to the second port 1112 by the pressure of the protective gas, ensuring that no cleaning liquid splashes into the interior of the process chamber 20 during the cleaning or drying process.

[0060] In some embodiments, the first channel 1151 extends obliquely toward the first port 1111 at an angle ranging from 10° to 50°, for example, including 10°, 20°, 25°, 30°, 35°, 40°, 50°, etc. Of course, it can also be other degrees, which are not specifically limited here. This design method can block the splashing of the cleaning liquid by the tilted air curtain, thereby reducing the amount of cleaning liquid splashing to the area of ​​the shower head 142 facing the first port 1111, and alleviating the splashing of the cleaning liquid into the process chamber 20. Furthermore, the above-mentioned tilt angle range can be 20° to 40°, which can not only alleviate the splashing of the cleaning liquid into the process chamber 20, but also prevent the angle from being too large to reduce the area of ​​the air curtain and affect the protection effect.

[0061] In some embodiments, the protective cavity 112 is arranged around the outer periphery of the accommodating cavity 111. In order to improve the comprehensiveness of the air curtain in blocking the splashing cleaning liquid, the internal space of the protective cavity 112 and the internal space of the accommodating cavity 111 can be connected through multiple first channels 1151, and the multiple first channels 1151 are arranged along the circumference of the accommodating cavity 111. In this way, the protective gas can be blown out from a circle around the spray head 142 through the multiple first channels 1151 to increase the area of ​​the air curtain and prevent the cleaning liquid from splashing out from the first port 1111.

[0062] To further improve the blocking effect, the internal space of the protection cavity 112 and the internal space of the accommodating cavity 111 can be connected through multiple layers of first channels 1151, and the multiple layers of first channels 1151 are arranged in the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112, and each layer includes several first channels 1151. Thus, multiple layers of protective gas can be blown out from around the spray head 142, so that the formed air curtain has a thicker size, thereby improving the blocking effect on the cleaning liquid, making it difficult for the cleaning liquid to pass through the air curtain and splash out of the first port 1111.

[0063] In the embodiment of the present application, the cleaning chamber 114, the drying chamber 113 and the protection chamber 112 each have a cavity, and gas (such as protective gas or drying gas) or liquid (such as cleaning liquid) can enter the cavity through an external pipeline and release the high pressure in the external pipeline; after entering the cavity, they are ejected through their respective corresponding channels (such as the first channel 1151, the second channel 1152 or the third channel 1153). Since the channels can be arranged along the circumference of the accommodating cavity 111, that is, forming an annular distribution, the pressure ejected from each channel of the annular distribution can be made the same, for example, the first channel 1151 of the annular distribution The pressure of the protective gas sprayed out of each first channel 1151 is the same, the pressure of the drying gas sprayed out of each second channel 1152 in the annularly distributed second channel 1152 is the same, and the pressure of the cleaning liquid sprayed out of each third channel 1153 in the annularly distributed third channel 1153 is the same. This can alleviate the problem that the uneven spraying pressure of various channels causes a part of the sprinkler head 142 to have a better cleaning effect and another part to have a poor cleaning effect. In addition, it can also alleviate the problem that the cleaning liquid with higher pressure meets the cleaning liquid with lower pressure during the cleaning process due to uneven pressure and easily causes splashing.

[0064] To achieve switching of the relative position of the spray head 142 within the receiving chamber 111, the drain cleaning assembly 10 may further include a lifting mechanism 12, as shown in Figures 3, 8, 9, and 10. The lifting mechanism 12 is connected to the cleaning component 11 and is configured to drive the cleaning component 11 up and down, wherein the lifting direction is parallel to the direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112. Based on this, the lifting mechanism 12 can drive the cleaning component 11 up and down, allowing the spray head 142 to enter the receiving chamber 111 and move the third channel 1153 to a position corresponding to the spray head 142 to clean the spray head 142. The second channel 1152 can also be moved to a position corresponding to the spray head 142 to dry the spray head 142. In addition, the lifting mechanism 12 can also move the cleaning component 11 up and down to position the spray head 142 outside the receiving chamber 111 to collect process liquid dripping from the spray head 142. Therefore, by raising and lowering the cleaning component 11 , the cleaning component 11 can adapt to the draining and cleaning operations when the shower head 142 is in the working state and the non-working state.

[0065] In addition, since the lifting mechanism 12 is a non-clean structure, the lifting mechanism 12 can be placed below the process chamber 20 during layout.

[0066] Referring to Figure 3, in some embodiments, the lifting mechanism 12 may include a driving component 121, a bracket 122, and a sleeve 123. Specifically, the bracket 122 is connected to the driving end of the driving component 121, and the sleeve 123 is connected to the bracket 122. At least a portion of the cleaning component 11 is disposed within the sleeve 123. Thus, under the driving action of the driving component 121, the bracket 122 can drive the cleaning component 11 to be raised and lowered via the sleeve 123, thereby freely adjusting the relative position of the cleaning component 11 and the spray head 142 in the lifting direction, thereby meeting the relative position requirements under different processing steps. For example, the cleaning component 11 and the sleeve 123 can be coaxially arranged.

[0067] Exemplarily, the driving component 121 can be a linear driving module, a combination of a motor and a screw, or a lifting motor driven alone, or a combination of a motor and a lifting push rod, etc. Of course, it can also be a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, etc. As long as it can achieve linear motion, the specific form is not limited.

[0068] Considering that the liquid in the accommodating cavity 111 (such as the process liquid or cleaning liquid carried by the spray head 142) needs to be discharged, in an embodiment of the present application, the cleaning component 11 may also include a drain pipe 116, one end of which is connected to the second port 1112. In this way, the liquid in the accommodating cavity 111 can enter the drain pipe 116 through the second port 1112 and finally be discharged through the drain pipe 116 to avoid the accumulation of liquid in the accommodating cavity 111 and affect the cleaning of the spray head 142.

[0069] Further considering that at least part of the cleaning component 11 is arranged in the sleeve 123, in order to avoid installation interference between components, the bracket 122 can be provided with an avoidance hole 1221, and the other end of the drain pipe 116 passes through the avoidance hole 1221 for connection with the factory end. In this way, through the design of the avoidance hole 1221, it can be ensured that the drain pipe 116 can pass through the sleeve 123 without being blocked, thereby not affecting normal drainage.

[0070] In some embodiments, the drain cleaning assembly 10 may further include a first stopper (not shown) and a second stopper (not shown). The first stopper and the second stopper are spaced apart in a direction from the first port 1111 to the second port 1112, and the driving end of the driving component 121 is located between the first stopper and the second stopper.

[0071] Based on the above configuration, when the driving end contacts the first limiter, the third channel 1153 is configured to correspond to the spray head 142 , so that cleaning liquid is sprayed to the spray head 142 through the third channel 1153 to clean the spray head 142 .

[0072] When the driving end contacts the second stopper, the second channel 1152 is configured to correspond to the shower head 142 , so that dry gas is blown toward the shower head 142 through the second channel 1152 to dry the shower head 142 .

[0073] In the embodiment of the present application, by setting the first limit member and the second limit member, the moving position accuracy of the liquid drainage cleaning component 10 relative to the spray head 142 in the lifting direction can be guaranteed to prevent the third channel 1153 or the second channel 1152 from deviating too far from the spray head 142 and affecting the cleaning or drying effect.

[0074] Exemplarily, the first limit member and the second limit member can both be electronic limit members, such as position sensors, pressure sensors, proximity switches, etc., or mechanical limit members, such as limit blocks, etc., which can be selected according to actual working conditions.

[0075] Based on the above-mentioned spray structure, an embodiment of the present application further discloses a semiconductor process equipment. Referring to FIG. 3 to FIG. 13 , the disclosed semiconductor process equipment includes a process chamber 20 , a carrier device 30 and the above-mentioned spray structure.

[0076] Among them, the carrying device 30 is arranged in the process chamber 20 for carrying wafers; the spray structure can also include a spray arm 141, the spray arm 141 is arranged in the process chamber 20, and the spray head 142 is connected to the spray arm 141, for spraying process liquid onto the wafer carried by the carrying device 30 to perform process treatment on the wafer, such as etching process.

[0077] 12 and 13 , the drain cleaning assembly 10 includes a cleaning component 11 and a lifting mechanism 12. The lifting mechanism 12 is disposed outside the process chamber 20, and at least a portion of the lifting mechanism 12 extends into the process chamber 20 and is connected to the cleaning component 11. The cleaning component 11 is disposed within the process chamber 20. It should be noted that since the lifting mechanism 12 is a non-clean component, the embodiment of the present application disposes the lifting mechanism 12 outside the process chamber 20. This effectively prevents the lifting mechanism 12 from bringing dust, impurities, etc. into the process chamber 20, thereby contaminating the internal environment of the process chamber 20 and adversely affecting the process.

[0078] In the process state, the spray arm 141 rotates until the spray head 142 reaches the center of the wafer and performs the spraying operation. At the same time, the spray arm 141 also drives the spray head 142 to rotate. After the spraying operation is completed, the spray arm 141 rotates in the opposite direction to the initial position. In the non-process state, the spray arm 141 is in the initial position. At this time, the spray head 142 is arranged opposite to the receiving chamber 111 and remains concentric with the receiving chamber 111, so that the process liquid in the spray head 142 can flow into the receiving chamber 111 and be discharged through the second port 1112.

[0079] When the shower head 142 needs to be cleaned, the shower head 142 is placed into the accommodating cavity 111 and cleaned by the drainage cleaning assembly 10 to ensure the cleanliness of the shower head 142 and prevent the shower head 142 from being blocked and affecting the process effect.

[0080] It should be noted here that the specific structures and working principles of the process chamber 20 and the carrying device 30 can be referred to related technologies and will not be elaborated here.

[0081] The cleaning process in the embodiment of the present application is as follows:

[0082] In the non-working state, the spray head 142 is located directly above the accommodating cavity 111 , and the spray head 142 can be cleaned. At this time, the cleaning component 11 is driven by the lifting mechanism 12 to perform a lifting motion.

[0083] First, the lifting mechanism 12 drives the cleaning component 11 to rise, so that the spray head 142 enters the accommodating cavity 111, and the cleaning cavity 114 is set corresponding to the spray head 142; the protection program and the drying program are started, and PN2 is introduced into the protection cavity 112 and the drying cavity 113 respectively, and the flow rate of PN2 introduced into the protection cavity 112 is set to be about 1L, and the flow rate of PN2 introduced into the drying cavity 113 is set to be relatively small, about 0.5L; the cleaning program is started, UPW is introduced into the cleaning cavity 114, and the cleaning work begins to ensure that the spray head 142 is cleaned, and the upper area of ​​the spray head 142 is still in a dry state. In addition, the cleaning time can be determined according to the usage time of the spray structure.

[0084] After the cleaning process is completed, the UPW is stopped first, and the protection process and the drying process are continued; the lifting mechanism 12 drives the cleaning component 11 to descend a certain distance, so that the drying chamber 113 and the spray head 142 are set correspondingly, and the flow rate of PN2 entering the drying chamber 113 is switched to about 2L. The drying time can be set according to the actual working conditions.

[0085] After the drying process is completed, the introduction of PN2 into the drying chamber 113 is stopped first, and then after a delay of a period of time (eg, 2s-3s), the introduction of PN2 into the protection chamber 112 is stopped. At this point, the entire cleaning process is completed.

[0086] In summary, the embodiment of the present application can not only realize process treatment, but also clean the shower head 142 to prevent the shower head 142 from being blocked or crystals accumulated in the shower head 142 from falling onto the wafer surface and affecting the process effect.

[0087] The embodiments of the present application are described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation methods. The above-mentioned specific implementation methods are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the guidance of this application, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms without departing from the purpose of this application and the scope of protection of the claims, all of which are within the protection of this application.

Claims

1. A spray structure for semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that: The spray structure includes a spray head and a liquid drainage cleaning component corresponding to the spray head, and the liquid drainage cleaning component includes: a cleaning component; The cleaning component includes a accommodating chamber, a protective chamber, a drying chamber, and a cleaning chamber. A first port and a second port are respectively provided at both ends of the accommodating chamber. The first port is used for entering and exiting the spray head, and the second port is used for draining liquid. The protective chamber, the drying chamber, and the cleaning chamber are all provided on the periphery of the accommodating chamber and are arranged in a direction from the first port to the second port. The internal spaces of the protection chamber, the drying chamber, and the cleaning chamber are connected to the internal space of the accommodating chamber through a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel, respectively; The protection chamber is provided with a first through hole for receiving protection gas, the drying chamber is provided with a second through hole for receiving drying gas, and the cleaning chamber is provided with a third through hole for receiving cleaning liquid.

2. The spray structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along the direction from the protection cavity to the accommodating cavity, the first channel extends obliquely toward the first port.

3. The spray structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The protection cavity is arranged around the outer periphery of the accommodating cavity; The internal space of the protective cavity is connected to the internal space of the accommodating cavity through multiple first channels, and the multiple first channels are arranged along the circumference of the accommodating cavity, and / or the internal space of the protective cavity is connected to the internal space of the accommodating cavity through multiple layers of first channels, and the multiple layers of first channels are arranged along the direction from the first port to the second port.

4. The spray structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along the direction from the drying chamber to the accommodating chamber, the second channel extends obliquely toward the second port.

5. The spray structure according to claim 1 or 4, characterized in that: The drying chamber is arranged around the outer periphery of the accommodating chamber; The interior space of the drying chamber is connected to the interior space of the accommodating chamber via a plurality of second channels, and the plurality of second channels are arranged along the circumference of the accommodating chamber; and / or the interior space of the drying chamber is connected to the interior space of the accommodating chamber via a plurality of layers of second channels, and the plurality of layers of second channels are arranged along the direction from the first port to the second port.

6. The spray structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along the direction from the cleaning chamber to the accommodating chamber, the third channel extends obliquely toward the second port.

7. The spray structure according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that: The cleaning cavity is arranged around the outer periphery of the accommodating cavity; The internal space of the cleaning chamber is connected to the internal space of the accommodating chamber through a plurality of the third channels, and the plurality of the third channels are arranged along the circumference of the accommodating chamber, and / or the internal space of the cleaning chamber is connected to the internal space of the accommodating chamber through multiple layers of the third channels, and the multiple layers of the third channels are arranged along the direction from the first port to the second port.

8. The spray structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The drainage cleaning assembly further includes a lifting mechanism, which is connected to the cleaning component and is used to drive the cleaning component to move up and down, wherein the lifting direction is parallel to the direction from the first port to the second port.

9. The spray structure according to claim 8, characterized in that: The lifting mechanism includes a driving component, a bracket and a sleeve; The bracket is connected to the driving end of the driving component, the sleeve is connected to the bracket, and at least a portion of the cleaning component is disposed in the sleeve.

10. The spray structure according to claim 9, characterized in that: The drainage cleaning assembly further includes a first limiting member and a second limiting member; The first limiting member and the second limiting member are spaced apart from each other along a direction from the first port to the second port; The driving end is located between the first limiting member and the second limiting member; When the driving end is in contact with the first limiting member, the third channel is configured to correspond to the sprinkler head; When the driving end is in contact with the second limiting member, the second channel is configured to correspond to the sprinkler head.

11. The spray structure according to claim 9, characterized in that: The cleaning component further includes a drain pipe, one end of which is connected to the second port; The bracket is provided with an avoidance hole, and the other end of the drainage pipe passes through the avoidance hole for connection with the factory service end.

12. A semiconductor process equipment, characterized in that: include: A process chamber, a carrying device, and a spray structure according to any one of claims 1 to 11; The carrying device is arranged in the process chamber and is used to carry the wafer; The spray structure further includes a spray arm, which is disposed in the process chamber. The spray head is connected to the spray arm and is used to spray process liquid onto the wafers carried by the carrying device. The cleaning component is arranged in the process chamber; In a non-process state, the shower head is arranged opposite to the accommodating cavity.

13. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 12, wherein: The drainage cleaning assembly further includes a lifting mechanism, which is the lifting mechanism included in the drainage cleaning assembly in the spray structure according to claim 8 or 9; The lifting mechanism is disposed outside the process chamber, and at least a portion of the lifting mechanism extends into the process chamber and is connected to the cleaning component.

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