Upper electrode structure and semiconductor processing device

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing, and provides an upper electrode structure and a semiconductor processing device. The upper electrode structure comprises a first housing, a second housing, and a capacitance adjustment apparatus. The second housing is provided in the first housing, a gap is provided between the first housing and the second housing, and the capacitance adjustment apparatus is provided in the gap and is used for adjusting the capacitance of a local region between the first housing and the second housing. The capacitance of the local region between the first housing and the second housing can be adjusted by using the capacitance adjustment apparatus. Because radio frequency energy in the second housing is transferred to the first housing by means of capacitive coupling, in a region which experiences a change in capacitance between the first housing and the second housing, the amount of the radio frequency energy transferred also changes accordingly. Therefore, the uniformity of the radio frequency energy in the second housing can be adjusted by controlling the transfer amount of the radio frequency energy, thereby improving process uniformity and ensuring the yield of a semiconductor manufacturing process.

Description

Upper electrode structure and semiconductor process equipment Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to an upper electrode structure and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Semiconductor processes such as deposition and etching are commonly used methods in semiconductor manufacturing. During deposition and etching processes, radio frequency (RF) energy is fed into the process space using an upper electrode to ionize the process gas within the space. The uniformity of the RF energy feed is a critical issue, significantly impacting the overall uniformity of the process.

[0003] However, current top electrode structures suffer from poor uniformity in feeding radio frequency energy, especially very high frequency (e.g., 40.68MHz, 60.36MHz) radio frequency energy, which affects the uniformity of plasma distribution in the process space, thereby affecting the uniformity of the process and leading to a decrease in the yield of semiconductor manufacturing. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application discloses an upper electrode structure and semiconductor process equipment to solve the problem that the upper electrode in related technologies cannot fully meet the requirement of uniform feeding of radio frequency energy.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0006] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application disclose an upper electrode structure, which includes a first housing, a second housing, and a capacitor adjustment device;

[0007] The second housing is disposed inside the first housing, and there is a gap between the first housing and the second housing. The capacitance adjustment device is disposed in the gap and is used to adjust the capacitance of a local area between the first housing and the second housing.

[0008] Secondly, embodiments of this application disclose a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes a radio frequency power supply, a reaction chamber, and the aforementioned upper electrode structure.

[0009] The radio frequency power supply is electrically connected to the upper electrode structure, and the reaction chamber is located below the upper electrode structure.

[0010] The technical solution adopted in this application can achieve the following technical effects:

[0011] The upper electrode structure disclosed in this application improves upon related technologies. The disclosed upper electrode structure includes a first housing, a second housing, and a capacitance adjustment device. The second housing is disposed within the first housing, and a gap exists between the first and second housings. The capacitance adjustment device is disposed within the gap and is used to adjust the capacitance of a local area between the first and second housings. When a uniformity problem occurs in the radio frequency energy within the second housing, the capacitance adjustment device can be used to adjust the capacitance of the local area between the first and second housings. Since the radio frequency energy within the second housing is transferred to the first housing via capacitive coupling, and a portion of the radio frequency energy is transferred to the outside through the first housing, the amount of radio frequency energy transferred also changes in the region where the capacitance of the first and second housings changes. Therefore, by controlling the amount of radio frequency energy transferred, the uniformity of the radio frequency energy within the second housing can be adjusted, thereby improving the uniformity of the process and ensuring the yield of the semiconductor manufacturing process. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0013] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the first insulating plate and the diffuser plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0014] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first insulating plate disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the first insulating plate, the wafer, and the diffusion plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0016] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the upper electrode structure disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mounting bracket, driving mechanism and second insulating plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0018] Figure 7 is a top view of the first bracket disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 8 is one of the top views of the sub-support disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0020] Figure 9 is a second top view of the sub-support disclosed in the embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 10 is a top view of the sub-support disclosed in the embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 11 is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the driving mechanism and the second insulating plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 12 is a second schematic diagram of the structure of the driving mechanism and the second insulating plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 13 is one of the schematic diagrams showing the relative positions of the second insulating plate, the conductive cylinder, and the wafer disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 14 is a second schematic diagram showing the relative positions of the second insulating plate, conductive cylinder, and wafer disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 110-First housing, 111-Shielding plate, 112-Shielding cylinder, 120-Second housing, 121-Diffuser plate, 122-Conductive cylinder, 130-Capacitor adjustment device, 131-First insulating plate, 132-Second insulating plate, 133-Mounting bracket, 1331-First bracket, 1332-Second bracket, 1332a-Sub-bracket, 1333-Allowing hole, 1334-Railway groove, 134-Drive mechanism, 1341-Drive component, 1342-Base, 1343-Wheel, 140-Conductive column, 150-Magnetron assembly, 160-Target material, 170-Inner liner, 180-Base, 190-Crystal. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with specific embodiments and corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0028] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and are not limited in number; for example, a first object can be one or more.

[0029] The technical solutions disclosed in the various embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Semiconductor processes such as coating and etching are crucial steps in wafer fabrication. During these processes, a top electrode is used to feed radio frequency (RF) energy into the process space, ionizing the process gas. However, the top electrode in these technologies is affected by the distribution of internal components, leading to poor uniformity in the RF energy feeding process. This affects the uniformity of plasma distribution within the process space, consequently impacting process uniformity and ultimately reducing wafer yield.

[0031] Based on the above, please refer to Figures 1 to 14. This application discloses an upper electrode structure, which may include a first housing 110 and a second housing 120. The size of the first housing 110 is larger than the size of the second housing 120. The second housing 120 is disposed within the first housing 110, and a gap exists between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120. The second housing 120 is used to connect to a radio frequency (RF) power supply. Taking a physical vapor deposition (PVD) device as an example, to improve the sputtering rate, a DC power supply can be connected simultaneously with the RF power supply, forming an RF-DC power supply. The first housing 110 protects the second housing 120 and also acts as a shield to prevent the magnetic and electric fields inside the second housing 120 from affecting the external environment. Those skilled in the art should understand that the upper electrode structure of this application is not limited to PVD devices, but can also be applied to any semiconductor process equipment that requires adjustment of the uniformity of RF energy feed, such as CCP (Capacitively Coupled Plasma) devices.

[0032] The radio frequency (RF) energy generated by the RF power supply can be fed into the second housing 120 through the conductive pillar 140, and distributed diffusely within the second housing 120 before being fed into the target material 160. A reaction chamber 200 is disposed below the upper electrode structure. The RF energy fed into the reaction chamber 200 through the second housing 120 can ionize the process gas in the reaction chamber 200 into plasma. Under the influence of magnetic and electric fields, the plasma will move with a large kinetic energy. Taking the PVD process as an example, as shown in Figure 1, the plasma bombards the target material 160 below the second housing 120, causing the atoms on the surface of the target material 160 to detach from the original lattice and deposit onto the surface of the wafer to form a thin film. The first housing 110 can be connected to a reference level, such as ground. There is a gap between the inner wall of the first housing 110 and the outer wall of the second housing 120. The second housing 120 can transfer RF energy to the first housing 110 through capacitive coupling, thereby changing the magnitude of the RF energy within the second housing 120. The RF energy transferred to the first housing 110 can be discharged through grounding.

[0033] In the above process, the uniformity of the distribution of radio frequency energy generated by the radio frequency power supply within the second housing 120 directly affects the uniformity of plasma distribution within the reaction chamber 200, and thus affects the uniformity of the process. As shown in Figures 1 and 5, due to the complex internal structure of the second housing 120, it typically contains many components, such as motors, magnetrons, inlet and outlet water pipes, and filter boxes. Furthermore, these components cannot be perfectly symmetrically installed, resulting in poor uniformity of radio frequency energy fed into the second housing 120, which in turn affects the uniformity of plasma distribution within the second housing 120.

[0034] Based on the above, in this embodiment of the application, as shown in FIG1, the upper electrode structure may further include a capacitance adjustment device 130. The capacitance adjustment device 130 is disposed in the gap between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120. The capacitance adjustment device 130 can adjust the capacitance of a local area between the inner wall of the first housing 110 and the outer wall of the second housing 120.

[0035] Specifically, the inner wall of the first housing 110 and the outer wall of the second housing 120 can be approximated as a parallel-plate capacitor. A portion of the radio frequency (RF) energy within the second housing 120 can be transferred to the first housing 110 and the outside via capacitive coupling, causing a change in the RF energy within the second housing 120. When uneven energy feed occurs in a certain region within the second housing 120 (for ease of description later, this region can be defined as the first region), the capacitance between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 corresponding to the first region can be adjusted accordingly. By controlling the amount of RF energy transferred in the first region, the RF energy in the first region and other regions within the second housing 120 can be kept uniformly distributed.

[0036] In the specific adjustment process, if the radio frequency energy of the first region is higher than that of other regions in the second housing 120, the capacitance between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 corresponding to the first region can be increased. The increased capacitance makes the first region more capable of transmitting radio frequency energy. Therefore, more radio frequency energy in the first region will be transmitted to the first housing 110 and the outside through capacitive coupling, thereby reducing the radio frequency energy in the first region. This makes the radio frequency energy of the first region and other regions in the second housing 120 uniformly distributed, thereby enabling the plasma in the reaction chamber 200 to be uniformly distributed.

[0037] It should be added that if the radio frequency energy of the first region is lower than that of other regions within the second housing 120, the capacitance between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 corresponding to the first region can also be reduced. The reduced capacitance weakens the ability of the first region to transfer radio frequency energy. Therefore, less radio frequency energy will be transferred from the first region to the first housing 110, thereby increasing the radio frequency energy of the first region and maintaining a uniform distribution with the radio frequency energy of other regions within the second housing 120, thus enabling the plasma within the reaction chamber 200 to maintain a uniform distribution.

[0038] By increasing or decreasing the capacitance between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 as described above, the uniformity of plasma distribution within the reaction chamber 200 can be adjusted. The capacitance adjustment device 130 can be disposed on the inner wall of the first housing 110, with the first housing 110 and the capacitance adjustment device 130 in contact; alternatively, the capacitance adjustment device 130 can be disposed on the outer wall of the second housing 120, with the second housing 120 in contact with the capacitance adjustment device 130; alternatively, a support structure can be provided between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 to mount the capacitance adjustment device 130, in which case the capacitance adjustment device 130 can be in a non-contact relationship with the first housing 110 and the second housing 120. The capacitance adjustment device 130 can adjust the capacitance of different regions between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 by switching its position, thereby adjusting the amount of radio frequency energy transferred in the corresponding region according to the distribution of radio frequency energy within the second housing 120, so that the radio frequency energy is uniformly distributed within the second housing 120.

[0039] It should be noted that the distribution of radio frequency energy within the second housing 120 can be directly obtained through monitoring equipment, or indirectly obtained through the actual coating or etching conditions exhibited by the wafer 190. For example, taking PVD process as an example, if there is uneven film thickness on the surface of the wafer 190, it indicates an uneven distribution of radio frequency energy within the second housing 120; similarly, if there is uneven etching on the surface of the wafer 190, it also indicates an uneven distribution of radio frequency energy within the second housing 120.

[0040] As described above, the upper electrode structure disclosed in this application improves upon related technologies. When a problem of uniformity of radio frequency energy occurs within the second housing 120, the capacitance of a local area between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 can be adjusted using the capacitance adjustment device 130. Since the radio frequency energy within the second housing 120 is transferred to the first housing 110 and the outside through capacitive coupling, the amount of radio frequency energy transferred will also change in the area where the capacitance of the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 changes. Thus, by controlling the amount of radio frequency energy transferred, the uniformity of radio frequency energy within the second housing 120 can be adjusted, thereby improving the uniformity of the coating process or etching process and ensuring the yield rate of the wafer 190 manufacturing process.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the first housing 110 may include a shielding plate 111 and a shielding cylinder 112. Both the shielding plate 111 and the shielding cylinder 112 are made of metal. The shielding plate 111 is located on top of the shielding cylinder 112 and is assembled with the shielding cylinder 112 to form the internal space of the first housing 110. The second housing 120 includes a diffuser plate 121 and a conductive cylinder 122. Both the diffuser plate 121 and the conductive cylinder 122 are made of metal. The diffuser plate 121 is located on top of the conductive cylinder 122. The diffuser plate 121 and the conductive cylinder 122 together form the internal space of the second housing 120. The diffuser plate 121 is electrically connected to a radio frequency power supply, and the radio frequency power supply can transmit radio frequency energy into the second housing 120 through the diffuser plate 121. It should be noted that the top and bottom of the conductive cylinder 122 are the two ends of the conductive cylinder 122 along its own axial direction.

[0042] The first housing 110 is fitted over the second housing 120. The diffuser plate 121 and the shielding plate 111 are opposite to each other and spaced apart, forming an approximately parallel plate capacitor device. The diffuser plate 121 can transfer radio frequency energy to the shielding plate 111 by capacitive coupling. The shielding cylinder 112 is fitted over the conductive cylinder 122, and the inner wall of the shielding cylinder 112 and the outer wall of the conductive cylinder 122 are fitted with a gap, which can also form an approximately parallel plate capacitor device. The conductive cylinder 122 can transfer radio frequency energy to the shielding cylinder 112 by capacitive coupling.

[0043] A capacitor adjustment device 130 can be installed between the diffuser plate 121 and the shielding plate 111, or between the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122, or both. It should be noted that the capacitor adjustment device 130 can be in contact with the diffuser plate 121 and the shielding plate 111, or it can be spaced apart from each other; similarly, the capacitor adjustment device 130 can be in contact with the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122, or it can be spaced apart from each other. When adjusting the uniformity of radio frequency energy within the second housing 120, adjustment can be made by installing the capacitor adjustment device 130 between the diffuser plate 121 and the shielding plate 111, or by installing the capacitor adjustment device 130 between the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122. Alternatively, the capacitor adjustment devices 130 in both locations can be adjusted simultaneously to further improve the uniformity of radio frequency energy.

[0044] In some embodiments of this application, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, the capacitance adjustment device 130 may include at least one first insulating plate 131. The first insulating plate 131 may be made of dielectric materials such as resin, quartz, or polytetrafluoroethylene. The first insulating plate 131 is disposed between the shielding plate 111 and the diffuser plate 121. The radio frequency power supply can be electrically connected to the diffuser plate 121 through the conductive post 140, so that radio frequency energy can be fed into the second housing 120 through the conductive post 140 and the diffuser plate 121. The first insulating plate 131 can switch positions around the circumference of the conductive post 140 in a way that is movably connected to the conductive post 140, thereby adjusting the capacitance of the local area where the first insulating plate 131 is located between the shielding plate 111 and the diffuser plate 121. Alternatively, the first insulating plate 131 may be disposed in different areas between the shielding plate 111 and the diffuser plate 121. The number of first insulating plates 131 may be one, two, or more, depending on the capacitance adjustment requirements between the shielding plate 111 and the diffuser plate 121. This application does not limit this. It should be added that, along the vertical direction of the diffuser plate 121, the projected area of ​​the first insulating plate 131 can be smaller than the projected area of ​​the diffuser plate 121, thereby enabling fine adjustment in a smaller area.

[0045] Since the diffuser plate 121 can transfer radio frequency energy to the shielding plate 111 via capacitive coupling, and the diffuser plate 121 and the shielding plate 111 are arranged at intervals to form an approximately parallel plate capacitor, the amount of radio frequency energy transferred will change when the capacitance of each local area between the shielding plate 111 and the diffuser plate 121 changes. In practical use, taking the coating process of the wafer 190 as an example, the wafer 190 is placed below the second housing 120. Along the vertical direction of the surface of the diffuser plate 121, the projected area of ​​the diffuser plate 121 can completely cover the wafer 190, and the diffuser plate 121 and the wafer 190 can also be arranged concentrically.

[0046] As shown in Figure 4, the shaded area represents the wafer 190, the dashed area represents the diffuser plate 121, and the fan-shaped area represents the first insulating plate 131. The wafer 190 has a thicker film layer at the 9 o'clock position (the thicker area), so the first insulating plate 131 can also be installed at the 9 o'clock position. During the process of radio frequency energy entering the diffuser plate 121 from the conductive pillar 140 and being transferred to the surroundings, a device similar to a parallel plate capacitor is formed between the shielding plate 111 and the diffuser plate 121. The radio frequency energy inside the second housing 120 can be transferred to the first housing 110 and the outside through capacitive coupling.

[0047] When a first insulating plate 131 is added between the shielding plate 111 and the diffuser plate 121, the dielectric material between the two parallel plates changes from air to an insulating material (resin, quartz, polytetrafluoroethylene, etc.). Generally, the dielectric constant ε of insulating materials is greater than that of air. According to the capacitance formula of a parallel plate capacitor, C = (εS) / (4πkd), the addition of the first insulating plate 131 increases the capacitance between the shielding plate 111 and the diffuser plate 121, resulting in stronger conduction of radio frequency energy. Therefore, more radio frequency energy will be transferred from this position to the first housing 110 and the outside, reducing the radio frequency energy in the 9 o'clock direction inside the second housing 120. After the radio frequency energy is reduced, the film layer in the thicker area on the wafer 190 will become thinner, thereby adjusting the uniformity of the film layer thickness.

[0048] In Figure 4, the first insulating plate 131 is fan-shaped. It should be noted that the shape of the first insulating plate 131 can also be square, triangular, rhomboid, circular, elliptical, trapezoidal, or other irregular shapes. The specific shape of the first insulating plate 131 can be selected according to the distribution of the film layers on the wafer 190. The thickness of the first insulating plate 131 can be selected based on the capacitance adjustment amount corresponding to the film layer thickness on the wafer 190. For example, if the thickness difference between the thicker and normal areas of the film layer is small, the required capacitance adjustment is also small, and the corresponding thickness of the first insulating plate 131 does not need to be too large. Conversely, if the thickness difference between the thicker and normal areas of the film layer is large, the required capacitance adjustment is also large, and the corresponding thickness of the first insulating plate 131 needs to be larger.

[0049] When installing the first insulating plate 131, it can be connected to the shielding plate 111. For example, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, bolt holes can be made on both the first insulating plate 131 and the shielding plate 111. Bolts are used to fix the first insulating plate 131 and the shielding plate 111. The shielding plate 111 has a large number of bolt holes, which need to cover the entire shielding plate 111 as much as possible. When the position of the first insulating plate 131 needs to be adjusted, it can be removed from the shielding plate 111, repositioned, and then re-fixed. Alternatively, the first insulating plate 131 and the shielding plate 111 can also be connected by clips for easy disassembly, further improving the efficiency of position switching of the first insulating plate 131.

[0050] The first insulating plate 131 can also be connected to the diffuser plate 121. Bolt holes can be made on both the first insulating plate 131 and the diffuser plate 121, and bolts can be used to fix the first insulating plate 131 and the diffuser plate 121. There are a large number of bolt holes on the diffuser plate 121, and they need to cover the entire diffuser plate 121 as much as possible. When it is necessary to adjust the position of the first insulating plate 131, the first insulating plate 131 can be removed from the diffuser plate 121, and then re-fixed after changing its position. In addition, the first insulating plate 131 and the diffuser plate 121 can also be connected by a snap-fit, which is convenient for disassembly and can further improve the efficiency of the first insulating plate 131 when changing its position.

[0051] In some embodiments of this application, the first insulating plate 131 can also be installed via a rotatable connection. Specifically, the process chamber 100 is provided with a conductive post 140, which passes through the shielding plate 111. One end of the conductive post 140 is used to connect to a radio frequency power supply, and the other end is electrically connected to a diffuser plate 121, thereby feeding radio frequency energy into the second housing 120 through the diffuser plate 121. Since the radio frequency energy diffuses around the conductive post 140, the first insulating plate 131 can be rotatably connected to the conductive post 140 based on the conductive post 140. Specifically, this rotatable connection can be achieved through a bearing or a flexible connector. During the rotation of the first insulating plate 131 relative to the conductive post 140, the capacitance of different areas around the conductive post 140 can be adjusted. Furthermore, the rotatable connection with the conductive post 140 makes it easier to adjust the position of the first insulating plate 131, improving its flexibility of use.

[0052] Regarding the aforementioned capacitance adjustment device 130, it can also be positioned between the conductive cylinder 122 and the shielding cylinder 112. Specifically, as shown in Figures 5 to 14, the capacitance adjustment device 130 can further include at least one second insulating plate 132. The second insulating plate 132 can be made of dielectric materials such as resin, quartz, or polytetrafluoroethylene. The second insulating plate 132 is movably disposed between the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122. The radio frequency power supply is electrically connected to the diffuser plate 121 through the conductive post 140. Radio frequency energy can be fed into the second housing 120 through the conductive post 140 and the diffuser plate 121 and diffused along the axial direction of the conductive cylinder 122. The second insulating plate 132 can switch positions along the circumference of the conductive cylinder 122 in a manner movably connected to the shielding cylinder 112, thereby adjusting the capacitance of the local area where the second insulating plate 132 is located between the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122. In addition, along the radial direction of the conductive cylinder 122, the projected area of ​​the second insulating plate 132 can be smaller than the projected area of ​​the conductive cylinder 122, thereby enabling fine adjustment in a smaller area. The second insulating plate 132 can be a flat plate or an arc-shaped plate.

[0053] Since the conductive cylinder 122 can transfer radio frequency energy to the shielding cylinder 112 via capacitive coupling, an approximate parallel-plate capacitor is formed between the outer wall of the conductive cylinder 122 and the inner wall of the shielding cylinder 112. When the capacitance of the local area where the second insulating plate 132 is located between the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122 changes, the amount of radio frequency energy loss will also change. In actual use, taking the processing of wafer 190 as an example, the wafer 190 is placed below the second housing 120. When there is a problem of local thickening of the film layer on the wafer 190, it indicates that the radio frequency energy above the thickened area is relatively large. The second insulating plate 132 can then be moved between the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122 and closer to the area with higher radio frequency energy. This allows the area with higher radio frequency energy to transfer more energy to the shielding cylinder 112 and the outside via capacitive coupling, thereby reducing the radio frequency energy in that area.

[0054] The second insulating plate 132 can be detachably connected to the inner wall of the shielding cylinder 112 or to the outer wall of the conductive cylinder 122. When the position of the second insulating plate 132 needs to be adjusted, it can be removed from the inner wall of the shielding cylinder 112 or the outer wall of the conductive cylinder 122, and then reassembled after switching positions. The number of second insulating plates 132 can be one, two, or more, depending on the capacitance adjustment requirements between the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0055] In some embodiments of this application, as shown in Figures 5 to 10, the capacitance adjustment device 130 may further include a mounting bracket 133 and a driving mechanism 134. The mounting bracket 133 is connected to the inner wall of the shielding cylinder 112 and extends circumferentially along the shielding cylinder 112. The connection method can be bonding, bolting, snap-fitting, etc. The driving mechanism 134 is connected to the second insulating plate 132. The driving mechanism 134 and the mounting bracket 133 are relatively movable, thereby driving the second insulating plate 132 to move circumferentially along the shielding cylinder 112 to adjust the capacitance of various local areas between the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122. The driving mechanism 134 and the mounting bracket 133 can be slidably connected or rolled. The ends of the driving mechanism 134 and the second insulating plate 132 can be assembled by bonding, bolting, snap-fitting, etc.

[0056] As shown in Figures 6 to 10, the aforementioned mounting bracket 133 may specifically include a first bracket 1331 and a second bracket 1332. The first bracket 1331 is connected to the inner wall of the shielding cylinder 112, such as by bonding, bolting, or snapping. The first bracket 1331 and the inner wall of the shielding cylinder 112 can serve as the mounting base for the second bracket 1332. The second bracket 1332 is fixed by the first bracket 1331 and the inner wall of the shielding cylinder 112. Since the driving mechanism 134 needs to drive the second insulating plate 132 to move circumferentially along the shielding cylinder 112, to avoid interference between the second bracket 1332, the driving mechanism 134, and the second insulating plate 132, a clearance hole 1333 can be provided on the second bracket 1332. The clearance hole 1333 extends circumferentially along the shielding cylinder 112. The driving mechanism 134 overlaps the second bracket 1332 and moves along the clearance hole 1333 to drive the second insulating plate 132 to move along the clearance hole 1333. When moving along the clearance hole 1333, the drive mechanism 134 or the second insulating plate 132 can partially extend into the clearance hole 1333.

[0057] As shown in Figures 5, 6, 11, and 12, the aforementioned drive mechanism 134 may specifically include a drive component 1341, a base 1342, and a traveling wheel 1343. The drive component 1341 may be a motor, cylinder, etc. The drive component 1341 is mounted on the base 1342. The traveling wheel 1343 is mounted on the side of the base 1342 and is rotatably connected to the base 1342. The traveling wheel 1343 rests on the second bracket 1332 and can move relative to the second bracket 1332 by rolling. The number of traveling wheels 1343 may be two or more. The two or more traveling wheels 1343 may be respectively mounted on two opposite sides of the base 1342 to support the base 1342 and rest on the second bracket 1332 respectively. The second insulating plate 132 is connected to the side of the base 1342 facing away from the driving member 1341. The driving member 1341 and the traveling wheel 1343 can be driven by a transmission mechanism such as gears and belts. The driving member 1341 can drive the traveling wheel 1343 to rotate, so that the base 1342 can move along the clearance hole 1333 via the traveling wheel 1343, thereby driving the second insulating plate 132 to move circumferentially along the shielding cylinder 112, so as to flexibly adjust the capacitance of each local area between the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122. It should be added that the driving member 1341 can be electrically driven. In order to facilitate the laying of power cables, wiring holes or wiring grooves can be provided on the first bracket 1331 to accommodate power cables.

[0058] As shown in Figure 6, in order to improve the stability of the second insulating plate 132 when it moves, a traveling wheel 1343 can be provided on both sides of the base 1342 along the radial direction of the shielding cylinder 112, and a track groove 1334 can be provided on both sides of the second bracket 1332 along the radial direction of the shielding cylinder 112. The traveling wheel 1343 extends into the track groove 1334 and is guided and cooperates with the track groove 1334, thereby improving the stability of the base 1342 when it runs, and thus improving the stability of the second insulating plate 132 when it moves.

[0059] In some embodiments of this application, in the examples shown in Figures 5 to 14, the capacitance adjustment device 130 includes two second insulating plates 132 and two driving mechanisms 134. It is understood that the capacitance adjustment device 130 may include n second insulating plates 132 and n driving mechanisms 134. The second support 1332 includes n+1 sub-supports 1332a. The outermost sub-support 1332a is connected to the inner wall of the shielding cylinder 112, and the remaining sub-supports 1332a are respectively connected to the first support 1331. The n+1 sub-supports 1332a are located on the same side of the first support 1331 and are spaced apart from each other to form n clearance holes 1333. The clearance holes 1333 are formed between adjacent sub-supports 1332a. It should be noted that n≥2, and the outermost sub-support 1332a is the sub-support 1332a closest to the shielding cylinder 112 among the n+1 sub-supports 1332a. The drive mechanism 134 is attached to two adjacent sub-supports 1332a. The drive mechanism 134 can move along the clearance hole 1333, thereby driving the second insulating plate 132 to move along the clearance hole 1333.

[0060] By employing the design of at least two second insulating plates 132 described above, the capacitance adjustment range between the conductive cylinder 122 and the shielding cylinder 112 can be expanded. Specifically, as shown in Figure 13, two second insulating plates 132 are provided on the mounting bracket 133, and two thicker regions appear on the wafer 190. The circular dotted line between the wafer 190 and the mounting bracket 133 represents the conductive cylinder 122. The driving mechanism 134 can be used to move the two second insulating plates 132 to designated positions, with the positions of the two second insulating plates 132 corresponding to the thicker regions of the film layer on the wafer 190. The two insulating plates can be moved to two different positions on the corresponding wafer 190, increasing the window for thickness uniformity adjustment.

[0061] As radio frequency (RF) energy enters the diffuser plate 121 from the conductive pillar 140 and is transferred to the target material 160 through the conductive cylinder 122, a parallel-plate capacitor-like device is formed between the conductive cylinder 122 and the shielding cylinder 112, allowing RF energy to be transferred via capacitive coupling. When a second insulating plate 132 is added between the conductive cylinder 122 and the shielding cylinder 112, the dielectric material between the two parallel plates changes from air to an insulating material (resin, quartz, polytetrafluoroethylene, etc.). Generally, the dielectric constant ε of insulating materials is greater than that of air. According to the capacitance formula for a parallel-plate capacitor, C = (εS) / (4πkd), the addition of the second insulating plate 132 increases the capacitance between the conductive cylinder 122 and the shielding cylinder 112, enhancing the RF energy conduction capability. Therefore, more RF energy will be transferred from this location to the shielding cylinder 112 and the outside, thus reducing the RF energy in the region where the second housing 120 is located (where the second insulating plate 132 is located). With the reduced RF energy, the film thickness on the wafer 190 corresponding to this region will become thinner, thereby adjusting the film thickness uniformity.

[0062] During use, the two second insulating plates 132 can be moved to the position shown in Figure 14, so that the two second insulating plates 132 overlap, which will further increase the capacitance. This will result in greater RF energy transfer efficiency and a more significant effect on thickness reduction. In some application scenarios, the first insulating plate 131 and the second insulating plate 132 can be used in combination to improve the capacitance adjustment range and adaptation range.

[0063] The size of the second insulating plate 132 has a significant impact on the capacitance. Along the circumference of the conductive cylinder 122, the length ratio of the second insulating plate 132 to the conductive cylinder 122 can be 1:8 to 1:4; along the axial direction of the conductive cylinder 122, the length ratio can be 1:3 to 1:1. Regarding the size of the second insulating plate 132, using a smaller size is beneficial for achieving finer capacitance adjustment, while using a larger size is beneficial for improving capacitance adjustment capability. The larger the size of the second insulating plate 132, the greater the capacitance change between the shielding cylinder 112 and the conductive cylinder 122, and the stronger the ability to adjust RF energy loss. In practical applications, the specific size of the second insulating plate 132 can be selected based on the distribution of the film layers on the wafer 190.

[0064] Please refer to Figures 1 to 14. This application also discloses a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes a radio frequency (RF) power supply, a reaction chamber 200, and the aforementioned upper electrode structure. The RF power supply is electrically connected to the upper electrode structure, and the reaction chamber 200 is located below the upper electrode structure. The RF power supply feeds RF energy into the reaction chamber 200 through the upper electrode structure to excite the process gas within the reaction chamber 200 to a plasma state.

[0065] As described above, the upper electrode structure disclosed in this application improves upon related technologies. When a problem of uniformity of radio frequency energy occurs within the second housing 120, the capacitance of a local area between the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 can be adjusted using the capacitance adjustment device 130. Since the radio frequency energy within the second housing 120 is transferred to the first housing 110 via capacitive coupling, the amount of radio frequency energy transferred will also change in the area where the capacitance of the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 changes. Thus, by controlling the amount of radio frequency energy transferred, the uniformity of radio frequency energy within the second housing 120 can be adjusted, thereby improving the uniformity of the coating or etching process and ensuring the yield rate of the wafer 190 manufacturing process.

[0066] Furthermore, the aforementioned semiconductor process equipment may include a physical vapor deposition (PVD) apparatus, which performs PVD processes. The PVD apparatus may include a magnetron assembly 150 and a target 160. At least a portion of the magnetron assembly 150 is disposed within the second housing 120, and the target 160 is disposed at the bottom of the second housing 120. A liner 170 is also disposed below the second housing 120, and a base 180 is disposed at the bottom of the liner 170. The base 180 has a support surface for supporting the wafer 190. Radio frequency power is fed into the diffuser plate 121 through conductive pillars 140, and then into the target 160 through conductive cylinders 122. The magnetron assembly 150 can rotate at a constant speed via a rotating shaft, allowing the magnetic field distributed on the surface of the target 160 to confine free electrons, thereby more easily maintaining a uniform plasma distribution within the reaction chamber 200.

[0067] The above embodiments of this application focus on describing the differences between the various embodiments. As long as the different technical features between the various embodiments are not contradictory, they can be combined to form more specific embodiments. For the sake of brevity, they will not be described in detail here.

[0068] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A top electrode structure, characterized by, The capacitor adjusting device comprises a first shell, a second shell and a capacitor adjusting device; The second shell is arranged in the first shell, and a gap is formed between the first shell and the second shell, and the capacitor adjusting device is arranged in the gap to adjust the capacitance of a local area between the first shell and the second shell.

2. The upper electrode structure of claim 1, wherein The first shell comprises a shielding plate and a shielding cylinder, and the shielding plate is arranged on the top of the shielding cylinder; the second shell comprises a diffusion plate and a conductive cylinder, and the diffusion plate is arranged on the top of the conductive cylinder; The diffusion plate is arranged opposite to the shielding plate, and the conductive cylinder is arranged in the shielding cylinder; At least one of the diffusion plate and the shielding plate and the shielding cylinder and the conductive cylinder is provided with the capacitor adjusting device.

3. The upper electrode structure of claim 2, wherein The capacitor adjusting device comprises at least one first insulating plate arranged between the shielding plate and the diffusion plate to adjust the capacitance of a local area where the first insulating plate is arranged between the shielding plate and the diffusion plate.

4. The upper electrode structure of claim 3, wherein The first insulating plate is connected to the shielding plate.

5. The upper electrode structure of claim 2, wherein The capacitor adjusting device comprises at least one second insulating plate movably arranged between the shielding cylinder and the conductive cylinder to adjust the capacitance of a local area where the second insulating plate is arranged between the shielding cylinder and the conductive cylinder.

6. The upper electrode structure of claim 5, wherein The capacitor adjusting device further comprises a mounting bracket and a driving mechanism, the mounting bracket is connected to the inner wall of the shielding cylinder and extends along the circumference of the shielding cylinder, the driving mechanism is connected to the second insulating plate, and the driving mechanism and the mounting bracket are relatively movable to drive the second insulating plate to move along the circumference of the shielding cylinder.

7. The upper electrode structure of claim 6, wherein The mounting bracket comprises a first bracket and a second bracket, the first bracket is connected to the inner wall of the shielding cylinder, and the second bracket is fixed to the inner wall of the shielding cylinder through the first bracket; The second bracket is provided with an avoiding hole extending along the circumference of the shielding cylinder, and the driving mechanism is lapped on the second bracket and moves along the avoiding hole to drive the second insulating plate to move along the avoiding hole.

8. The upper electrode structure of claim 7, wherein The driving mechanism comprises a driving member, a base and a walking wheel, the driving member is arranged on the base, the walking wheel is rotationally connected to the base, the second insulating plate is connected to the side of the base away from the driving member, and the driving member is used to drive the walking wheel to rotate so that the base moves along the avoiding hole through the walking wheel.

9. The upper electrode structure of claim 8, wherein The base is provided with the walking wheel on both sides in the radial direction of the shielding cylinder, the second bracket is provided with a track groove on both sides in the radial direction of the shielding cylinder, the walking wheel extends into the track groove and is guided by the track groove.

10. The upper electrode structure of claim 9, wherein The capacitor adjusting device comprises n second insulating plates and n driving mechanisms, the second bracket comprises n+1 sub-brackets, the outermost sub-bracket is connected to the shielding cylinder, the remaining sub-brackets are connected to the first bracket, n+1 sub-brackets are located on the same side of the first bracket and are spaced apart from each other to form n avoiding holes, and n≥2. The driving mechanism is overlapped on two adjacent sub-supports and moves along the avoiding hole to drive the second insulating plate to move along the avoiding hole.

11. The upper electrode structure of claim 5, wherein The length ratio of the second insulating plate to the conductive cylinder is 1:8-1:4 along the circumference of the conductive cylinder. The length ratio of the second insulating plate to the conductive cylinder is 1:3-1:1 along the axial direction of the conductive cylinder.

12. A semiconductor process apparatus characterized by comprising: The semiconductor processing equipment comprises a radio frequency power supply, a reaction chamber and the upper electrode structure of any one of claims 1-11. The radio frequency power supply is electrically connected with the upper electrode structure, and the reaction chamber is arranged below the upper electrode structure.

13. The semiconductor process apparatus according to claim 12, wherein The semiconductor processing equipment comprises a physical vapor deposition device, the physical vapor deposition device comprises a magnetron assembly and a target material, at least part of the magnetron assembly is arranged in the second housing, and the target material is arranged at the bottom of the second housing.

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