Semiconductor process apparatus

Abstract

Provided in the present disclosure is a semiconductor process apparatus, wherein a process chamber and a loading chamber are in communication with each other, and a process door can seal off and isolate the process chamber from the loading chamber, a bearing device being provided on the process door; within gas delivery piping, a first gas intake pipe, a second gas intake pipe, and a third gas intake pipe can all be in communication with an atmosphere gas source, a first gas exhaust pipe and a second gas exhaust pipe can both be in communication with a negative pressure mechanism, the first gas intake pipe and the first gas exhaust pipe are both in communication with the process chamber, the second gas intake pipe and the second gas exhaust pipe are both in communication with the loading chamber, and a second end of the third gas intake pipe can be connected to or disconnected from the first gas exhaust pipe. During opening of the process door of the semiconductor process apparatus, the amount of impurities carried into the process chamber by gas is relatively small, and the degree to which impurities adhering to a chamber wall of the process chamber are blown off is relatively low.

Description

Semiconductor process equipment Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of semiconductor processing technology, specifically relating to a semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Vertical furnaces are commonly used equipment in semiconductor processing. They typically include a process chamber and a loading chamber. The process chamber provides processing space for the semiconductors, while the loading chamber serves as the loading and unloading space for the semiconductors. In other words, during semiconductor processing, a robotic arm can first move the semiconductors into the loading chamber. When processing is required, the semiconductors are moved back into the process chamber, and a process door is used to seal the process chamber, thus isolating it from the outside world. Correspondingly, after the process is completed, the process door is opened, the semiconductors are moved back into the loading chamber, and then removed by the robotic arm.

[0003] Typically, to ensure a relatively good process effect, the pressure in the process chamber is generally lower than atmospheric pressure during the process. However, for the loading chamber, to ensure a relatively good sealing effect of the process door and to prevent gas from outside the equipment from entering the equipment, the pressure inside the loading chamber is usually higher than atmospheric pressure, which causes the process door to be squeezed, thereby improving the sealing effect of the process chamber.

[0004] However, when the process door is opened after the process is completed, the gas in the loading chamber will flow into the process chamber, which will cause impurities in the loading chamber to be easily carried into the process chamber by the gas. At the same time, under the action of airflow, impurities attached to the inner wall of the process chamber will also be blown off. All of these will have an adverse effect on the cleanliness of the process chamber, thus having a negative impact on the subsequent process effect. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a semiconductor process apparatus to solve the problem that, after the current semiconductor process apparatus completes the process, impurities may be carried into the process chamber by gas during the opening of the process gate, and impurities attached to the chamber wall may be blown off, thus affecting the cleanliness of the process chamber and consequently having an adverse effect on the subsequent process results.

[0006] This application discloses a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes a process cavity, a loading cavity, a process gate, a carrier device, and a gas delivery pipeline. The process cavity and the loading cavity are interconnected, and the process gate can seal and isolate the process cavity and the loading cavity. The carrier device is disposed on the process gate and is used to carry the workpiece to be processed.

[0007] The gas delivery pipeline includes a first intake pipe, a second intake pipe, a third intake pipe, a first exhaust pipe, and a second exhaust pipe. The first end of each of the first intake pipe, the second intake pipe, and the third intake pipe can be connected to an ambient gas source. The first end of each of the first exhaust pipe and the second exhaust pipe can be connected to a negative pressure mechanism. The second end of each of the first intake pipe and the first exhaust pipe is connected to the process chamber. The second end of each of the second intake pipe and the second exhaust pipe is connected to the loading chamber. The second end of the third intake pipe can be switched on and off with the first exhaust pipe.

[0008] This application discloses a semiconductor process apparatus in which the process cavity and the loading cavity are interconnected and isolated from each other by a process gate, and the carrier device disposed on the process gate can be located in the process cavity to perform the process on the workpiece carried by the carrier device. Meanwhile, the first, second, and third air inlets in the gas delivery pipeline are all connected to the ambient gas source. The first and second air inlets are connected to the process chamber and the loading chamber, respectively, so that the ambient gas can be delivered to the process chamber and the loading chamber. Correspondingly, the first and second exhaust pipes are both connected to the negative pressure mechanism, and the first and second exhaust pipes are also connected to the process chamber and the loading chamber, respectively, thereby generating a suction effect on the process chamber and the loading chamber to remove by-products and excess ambient gas from the process chamber, so that the process chamber is in a negative pressure environment. As for the loading chamber, the ambient gas can be removed from the loading chamber, and the gas pressure in the loading chamber is greater than atmospheric pressure. This ensures that the pressure in the loading chamber can act on the process gate, ensuring that the sealing relationship between the process gate and the process chamber is relatively stable, and preventing external air from entering the loading chamber, which would cause the oxygen in the air to have an adverse effect on the workpiece to be processed.

[0009] Furthermore, the third intake pipe and the first exhaust pipe can be connected intermittently. During the processing of the workpiece, the first and second ends of the third intake pipe are disconnected, ensuring that the negative pressure mechanism can provide sufficient suction to the process chamber through the first exhaust pipe. After the workpiece is processed, the first and second ends of the third intake pipe are connected, allowing ambient gas to be transported through the third intake pipe to the first exhaust pipe and drawn in by the negative pressure mechanism, thus reducing the suction force exerted on the process chamber by the negative pressure mechanism through the first exhaust pipe. Based on this, as the first intake pipe continuously supplies ambient gas to the process chamber, the pressure inside the process chamber continuously increases, reducing the pressure difference between the process chamber and the loading chamber. In this situation, when the process door is opened, the relatively small pressure difference between the process chamber and the loading chamber reduces the flow rate and velocity of gas into the process chamber, decreasing the amount of impurities carried by the gas and the amount of impurities blown off the chamber wall, thereby reducing the adverse impact on the cleanliness of the process chamber and ensuring relatively good process results in subsequent processes. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a state of semiconductor process equipment disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0012] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of another state of the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0013] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another state of the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0014] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the exhaust component in the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0015] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the exhaust component shown in Figure 4;

[0016] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the exhaust component in the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application in another direction;

[0017] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the exhaust component shown in Figure 6 along the AA direction.

[0018] Reference numerals: 110-Process chamber, 120-Loading chamber, 210-Process door, 220-Furnace door, 310-Bearing device, 320-Exhaust component, 321-Exhaust channel, 322-Purge channel, 323-Connecting channel, 411-First air inlet pipe, 412-Second air inlet pipe, 413-Third air inlet pipe, 414-Fourth air inlet pipe, 415-Fifth air inlet pipe, 421-First exhaust pipe, 422-Second exhaust pipe, 431-Maintenance gas pipe, 510-First pressure detection component, 520-Second pressure detection component, 610-Negative pressure mechanism, 620-Pressure relief component, 630-Differential pressure detection component, 640-Gas storage component, 650-Needle valve, 660-Waste gas treatment system, 710-Valve, 720-Mass flow meter. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0020] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of 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 the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1-7, this application discloses a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes a process cavity 110, a loading cavity 120, a process gate 210, a carrier device 310, and a gas delivery pipeline. The process cavity 110 and the loading cavity 120 are interconnected. The process gate 210 has the ability to move relative to the process cavity 110. The carrier device 310 is used to carry the workpiece to be processed and is disposed on the process gate 210. Thus, under the movement of the process gate 210, the carrier device 310 can switch between being located within the process cavity 110 and being located within the loading cavity 120. Of course, during the process of processing the workpiece within the process cavity 110, the process gate 210 can block the process cavity 110, thereby isolating the process cavity 110 and the loading cavity 120 from each other. That is, the process gate 210 can block and isolate the process cavity 110 and the loading cavity 120. In addition, in some embodiments, the semiconductor process equipment may also include a furnace door 220, and after the entire carrier 310 is located in the loading cavity 120, the loading cavity 120 and the process cavity 110 are re-isolated by the furnace door 220 before the loading and unloading of the workpiece to be processed is carried out.

[0022] The gas delivery pipeline is used to transport gas, including pipelines for inputting gas into the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120, and pipelines for discharging gas from the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120. Specifically, the gas delivery pipeline includes gas input pipelines such as a first inlet pipe 411, a second inlet pipe 412, and a third inlet pipe 413, and gas output pipelines such as a first exhaust pipe 421 and a second exhaust pipe 422.

[0023] The first end of each of the first intake pipe 411, the second intake pipe 412, and the third intake pipe 413 can be connected to an ambient gas source, allowing ambient gas to be input through these pipes. Simultaneously, the second end of the first intake pipe 411 is connected to the process chamber 110, and the second end of the second intake pipe 412 is connected to the loading chamber 120, enabling the ambient gas to be delivered to the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120 respectively via the first and second intake pipes 411 and 412. The ambient gas source provides a gas that does not participate in the process, specifically including inert gases, and also gases such as nitrogen that are relatively difficult to react with residual processes. In this embodiment, to balance process costs, nitrogen may be used as the ambient gas.

[0024] Furthermore, the first end of each of the first exhaust pipe 421 and the second exhaust pipe 422 can be connected to the negative pressure mechanism 610, and the second end of the first exhaust pipe 421 is connected to the process chamber 110, and the second end of the second exhaust pipe 422 is connected to the loading chamber 120. This allows the negative pressure mechanism 610 to provide a suction effect on the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120 through the corresponding gas pipelines. On the one hand, this allows the byproducts generated during the process to be extracted outside the process chamber 110. On the other hand, it also ensures that excess process gas and continuously input ambient gas in the process chamber 110 can be extracted outside the process chamber 110, thereby ensuring that the gas pressure in the process chamber 110 during the process is always lower than atmospheric pressure. Correspondingly, this ensures that the pressure in the loading chamber 120 is greater than atmospheric pressure and maintains this state, so that the loading chamber 120 generates positive pressure against the outside, thereby preventing external air or impurities from entering the loading chamber 120 and causing gases such as oxygen that can react with the workpiece to be processed to enter the loading chamber 120.

[0025] As for the third intake pipe 413, its second end is connected to the first exhaust pipe 421. During the process of the workpiece being processed, the first end and the second end of the third intake pipe 413 are disconnected from each other. After the workpiece is processed, the first end and the second end of the third intake pipe 413 are connected.

[0026] As described above, the first end of the third intake pipe 413 is connected to the ambient gas source. Thus, with the first and second ends of the third intake pipe 413 interconnected, the third intake pipe 413 can also deliver ambient gas. This ambient gas is then transported through the third intake pipe 413 to the first exhaust pipe 421. Since the first exhaust pipe 421 connects the process chamber 110 and the negative pressure mechanism 610, after the process is completed, with ambient gas being delivered through the third exhaust pipe and the operating parameters of the negative pressure mechanism 610 remaining unchanged, the suction of the negative pressure mechanism 610 on the process chamber 110 can be reduced. Under these circumstances, as the first air inlet pipe 411 continuously supplies atmospheric gas to the process chamber 110, the pressure inside the process chamber 110 can continuously increase. After a period of time, opening the process door 210 can reduce the pressure difference between the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120, thereby reducing the flow rate and velocity of the gas, thus reducing the amount of impurities carried by the gas and the amount of impurities blown off the chamber wall of the process chamber 110. This reduces the adverse impact on the cleanliness of the process chamber 110 and ensures that the process effect in subsequent processes remains relatively good.

[0027] In addition, to control the operation of the first intake pipe 411, the second intake pipe 412, and the third intake pipe 413, valves 710 can be installed on each of them to control their on / off states. Furthermore, to determine the gas delivery parameters of each of the three intake pipes, mass flow meters 720 can be installed to control parameters such as flow rate.

[0028] This application discloses a semiconductor process apparatus in which a process chamber 110 and a loading chamber 120 are interconnected but isolated from each other by a process gate 210. A support device 310 mounted on the process gate 210 is positioned within the process chamber 110, allowing the workpiece carried by the support device 310 to be processed within the process chamber 110. Simultaneously, the first inlet pipe 411, the second inlet pipe 412, and the third inlet pipe 413 in the gas delivery pipeline are all connected to an ambient gas source. The first inlet pipe 411 and the second inlet pipe 412 are respectively connected to the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120, allowing ambient gas to be delivered to both chambers. Correspondingly, the first exhaust pipe 421 and the second exhaust pipe 422 are both connected to a negative pressure mechanism 610, and are also respectively connected to the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120, thereby distributing the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120... The suction effect is avoided to remove byproducts and excess atmospheric gas from the process chamber 110, keeping the process chamber 110 under negative pressure. For the loading chamber 120, the atmospheric gas can be removed, and the gas pressure in the loading chamber 120 can be greater than atmospheric pressure. This ensures that the pressure in the loading chamber 120 can act on the process door 210, ensuring a relatively stable sealing relationship between the process door 210 and the process chamber 110. It also prevents external air from entering the loading chamber 120, which could cause oxygen in the air to adversely affect the workpiece after processing.

[0029] Furthermore, the third intake pipe 413 is connected to the first exhaust pipe 421, and the third intake pipe 413 is switchable. For example, the opening and closing of the third intake pipe 413 can be controlled by a valve 710 installed on the third intake pipe 413. Thus, during the process of the workpiece being processed, the first and second ends of the third intake pipe 413 are disconnected, thereby ensuring that the negative pressure mechanism 610 can provide the process chamber 110 with a suction effect that meets the process requirements through the first exhaust pipe 421. After the workpiece is processed, the first and second ends of the third intake pipe 413 are connected, so that the ambient gas can be transported to the first exhaust pipe 421 through the third intake pipe 413 and sucked by the negative pressure mechanism 610, thereby reducing the suction force of the negative pressure mechanism 610 on the process chamber 110 through the first exhaust pipe 421. Based on this, as the first air inlet pipe 411 continuously supplies atmospheric gas to the process chamber 110, the pressure inside the process chamber 110 continuously increases, thereby reducing the pressure difference between the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120. After a period of time, the pressure difference between the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120 becomes relatively small. At this time, opening the process door 210 can reduce the flow rate and velocity of gas into the process chamber 110, reduce the amount of impurities carried by the gas, and reduce the amount of impurities blown off from the chamber wall of the process chamber 110, thereby reducing the adverse impact on the cleanliness of the process chamber 110 and ensuring that the process effect in subsequent processes remains relatively good.

[0030] In the above embodiments of this application, by controlling the flow rates of the first intake pipe 411 and the third intake pipe 413, and the suction force of the negative pressure mechanism 610 on the process chamber 110 through the first exhaust pipe 421, and based on parameters such as the working time of the third intake pipe 413, the approximate pressure within the process chamber 110 can be determined. Therefore, the opening timing of the process door 210 can be determined by controlling the working time of the third intake pipe 413. To more intuitively determine the real-time pressure within the process chamber 110, in a specific embodiment of this application, the semiconductor process equipment further includes a first pressure detection element 510. The first pressure detection element 510 is connected to the process chamber 110 to detect the pressure within the process chamber 110. Then, when the pressure in the process chamber 110 increases to meet the requirements, the process door 210 is controlled to open, thereby further improving the control accuracy of the process door 210 and reducing the degree of contamination to the process chamber 110.

[0031] As described above, the pressure inside the process chamber 110 can be controlled by controlling the working time of the third air inlet pipe 413. Alternatively, the pressure inside the process chamber 110 can be detected using the first pressure detection element 510 mentioned in the above embodiments to prevent excessive pressure inside the process chamber 110. To prevent the pressure inside the process chamber 110 from exceeding the preset standard due to unexpected situations or other factors, which could adversely affect the processing effect of the workpiece and the safety of the process chamber 110, in another embodiment of this application, the semiconductor process equipment may further include a pressure relief component 620. The pressure relief component 620 is connected to the first exhaust pipe 421 and is connected between the second end of the first exhaust pipe 421 and the second end of the third air inlet pipe 413. Thus, when the pressure inside the process chamber 110 exceeds the preset pressure, the process chamber 110 can reduce its own pressure using the pressure relief component 620. The pressure relief assembly 620 may specifically include a one-way valve, which is connected to the first exhaust pipe 421 via a pipeline, with the connection point located between the second end of the first exhaust pipe 421 and the second end of the third intake pipe 413. Of course, to prevent the gas discharged from the process chamber 110 via the pressure relief assembly 620 from adversely affecting the production environment, the pressure relief assembly 620 may also be connected to the waste gas treatment system 660, so that the gas discharged from the process chamber 110 via the pressure relief assembly 620 can be discharged into the waste gas treatment system 660 for harmless treatment.

[0032] In the above embodiments of this application, after the process is completed, the pressure difference between the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120 can be reduced to meet the process requirements when the process gate 210 is opened by controlling the time when the first and second ends of the third air inlet pipe 413 are connected to each other and the flow rate of the third air inlet pipe 413. To more intuitively understand the pressure difference between the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120, in a specific embodiment of this application, the semiconductor process equipment may further include a differential pressure detection element 630, which is connected to both the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120. The differential pressure detection element 630 detects the pressure difference between the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120, thus making the pressure difference between the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120 more concrete. Therefore, when the actual value of the pressure difference meets the opening criteria of the process gate 210, the process gate 210 is then controlled to open, thereby minimizing the contamination level of the process chamber 110 while meeting other process requirements. This can further reduce the difficulty of process control.

[0033] In the above embodiments of this application, after the process is completed, atmospheric gas is supplied to the first exhaust pipe 421 via the third intake pipe 413. This reduces the suction force of the negative pressure mechanism 610 on the process chamber 110, making the pressure difference between the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120 relatively small. Therefore, when the process door 210 is opened, the amount of gas flowing from the loading chamber 120 into the process chamber 110 can be reduced. Although the pressure difference between the loading chamber 120 and the process chamber 110 is relatively small in the above technical solution, it is still unavoidable that gas from the loading chamber 120 flows into the process chamber 110, resulting in a pressure drop within the loading chamber 120. This causes gas flow between the loading chamber 120 and the space outside the loading chamber 120, allowing outside air to enter the loading chamber 120. Since oxygen in the air reacts with the workpiece, this adversely affects the processing effect of the workpiece.

[0034] Based on the above, in a specific embodiment of this application, the semiconductor process equipment may further include a gas storage device 640. The gas inlet of the gas storage device 640 is connected to an ambient gas source via a fourth gas inlet pipe 414, and the gas outlet of the gas storage device 640 is responsively connected to the loading chamber 120 via a gas replenishment pipe 431. Specifically, the gas storage device 640 may be a gas cylinder or other device capable of storing gas. Of course, other devices may also be used, and this document does not limit them. Of course, to ensure that the exhaust process of the gas storage device 640 is controllable, a valve 710 may be provided on the gas replenishment pipe. During the process, the valve 710 is in a closed state. After the process is completed and the process door 210 is opened, the valve 710 is opened to replenish the ambient gas in the gas storage device 640 into the loading chamber 120. Similarly, a valve 710 may also be provided on the fourth air inlet pipe 414 to control the on / off state between the gas storage device 640 and the ambient air source, and a mass flow meter 720 may also be provided on the fourth air inlet pipe 414 to control the flow rate of the fourth air inlet pipe 414.

[0035] Meanwhile, during the processing of the workpiece, the gas storage unit 640 can be configured to store a preset volume of atmospheric gas. As the carrying device 310 moves from the process chamber 110 to the loading chamber 120, the gas storage unit 640 is connected to the loading chamber 120 through the gas replenishment pipe 431 to replenish the atmospheric gas to the loading chamber 120. Thus, by utilizing the atmospheric gas replenished to the loading chamber 120, even if some gas in the loading chamber 120 flows into the process chamber 110 during the opening of the process door 210, the pressure in the loading chamber 120 can be kept as constant as possible. This prevents air from outside the loading chamber 120 from flowing into the loading chamber 120 and adversely affecting the processing effect of the workpiece. Furthermore, in the initial stage of opening the process door 210, the gas in the loading chamber 120 flows into the process chamber 110 relatively quickly. During this process, since the gas pressure in the gas storage device 640 is also relatively high, the gas in the gas storage device 640 can also be replenished into the loading chamber 120 relatively quickly. However, after the process door 210 has been open for a period of time, the pressure difference between the loading chamber 120 and the process chamber 110 becomes relatively small, and the rate at which the gas in the loading chamber 120 flows into the process chamber 110 becomes relatively low. During this process, the amount of gas stored in the gas storage device 640 becomes relatively small, which reduces the efficiency of the gas storage device 640 in replenishing the gas to the loading chamber 120. This allows the gas replenishment efficiency of the gas storage device 640 to adapt to the pressure drop in the loading chamber 120 as a whole, thereby ensuring that the pressure in the loading chamber 120 remains relatively constant.

[0036] To further improve the stability of the pressure inside the loading cavity 120, in this embodiment of the application, the semiconductor process equipment also includes a second pressure detection element 520, which is connected to the gas storage unit 640. Specifically, the second pressure detection element 520 can be installed on the gas supply line to detect the pressure of the gas storage unit 640, thereby accurately controlling the amount of ambient gas input into the gas storage unit 640.

[0037] As described above, the valve 710 can be used to control the on / off state between the gas storage device 640 and the loading chamber 120. In order to improve the control accuracy of the atmospheric gas in the gas storage device 640, in a specific embodiment of this application, the semiconductor process equipment may also include a needle valve 650, and the gas outlet of the gas storage device 640 is connected to the loading chamber 120 through the needle valve 650. The needle valve 650 can control the release rate of the atmospheric gas, thereby further improving the stability of the pressure in the loading chamber 120.

[0038] As described above, the process chamber 110 can be connected to the negative pressure mechanism 610 through the first exhaust pipe 421. Under the action of the negative pressure mechanism 610, by-products and excess atmospheric gases in the process chamber 110 are extracted outside the process chamber 110. When the process gate 210 moves relative to the process chamber 110 to reconnect the process chamber 110 and the loading chamber 120, the gas in the loading chamber 120 will flow into the process chamber 110. During this process, due to the influence of air pressure disturbance factors, the gas in the first exhaust pipe 421 will also backflow. The backflowing gas will carry impurities such as particles in the first exhaust pipe 421 into the process chamber 110, thereby adversely affecting the process environment inside the process chamber 110.

[0039] To address the above situation, in this embodiment of the application, the semiconductor process equipment further includes an exhaust component 320 and a fifth intake pipe 415, with the first end of the fifth intake pipe 415 connected to an ambient gas source. Simultaneously, the exhaust component 320 is installed in the process chamber 110 and has an exhaust channel 321 and a purge channel 322. The process chamber 110 is connected to the second end of the first exhaust pipe 421 via the exhaust channel 321, meaning the process chamber 110 is indirectly connected to the first exhaust pipe 421 via the exhaust channel 321, allowing the negative pressure mechanism 610 to extract gases from the process chamber 110 via the exhaust channel 321. The first end of the purge channel 322 is connected to the second end of the fifth intake pipe 415, and the second end of the purge channel 322 is connected to the exhaust channel 321, allowing ambient gas to be transported from the fifth intake pipe 415 to the purge channel 322 and ultimately to the exhaust channel 321, where it is extracted by the negative pressure mechanism 610 via the first exhaust pipe 421. Similarly, the fifth air intake pipe 415 may also be equipped with a valve 710 or other device for controlling the on / off state. Specifically, the valve 710 may be a pneumatic valve to reduce the difficulty of control. At the same time, the fifth air intake pipe 415 may also be equipped with a mass flow meter 720 to control the flow rate of the fifth air intake pipe 415.

[0040] In this embodiment, by designing the orientation and connection position of the purge channel 322, the purge channel 322 can form a blocking airflow in the exhaust channel 321. This blocking airflow then obstructs the reverse-flowing gas within the exhaust channel 321, preventing the gas in the first exhaust pipe 421 from flowing backwards and carrying particles or other impurities into the process chamber 110 during the opening of the process door 210. Specifically, to enable the purge channel 322 to form the aforementioned blocking airflow, the angle between the airflow direction of the purge channel 322 and the airflow direction of the exhaust channel 321 at the connection point can be an acute angle. This also increases the flow velocity of the blocking airflow formed by the purge channel 322, thereby enhancing the blocking effect on the reverse-flowing gas.

[0041] Specifically, the number of purge channels 322 can be one, and the purge channel 322 is generally inclined relative to the exhaust channel 321 to ensure that at the connection between the purge channel 322 and the exhaust channel 321, the angle formed between the airflow direction of the purge channel 322 and the airflow direction of the exhaust channel 321 is an acute angle. In other embodiments of this application, the number of purge channels 322 can also be multiple, and the multiple purge channels 322 can be distributed around the exhaust channel 321, thereby forming multiple obstructed airflows in the exhaust channel 321. Specifically, the number of purge channels 322 can be 10 or 12, etc., and the angle between any two adjacent purge channels 322 can be equal, that is, the multiple purge channels 322 are uniformly arranged along the direction surrounding the exhaust channel 321. In addition, parameters such as the diameter or cross-sectional flow rate of each purge channel 322 can be flexibly selected according to actual needs, and this document does not limit them.

[0042] To further enhance the overall blocking effect of the gas formed by each purge channel 322, the axial direction of each purge channel 322 can be inclined relative to the axial direction of the exhaust channel 321, so that the flow velocity of each purge airflow is relatively large. Simultaneously, to minimize interference between multiple purge airflows, in this embodiment, the straight line containing the axial direction of any purge channel 322 and the straight line containing the axial direction of the exhaust channel 321 can be coplanar, so that the multiple purge channels 322 are arranged around the axial direction of the exhaust channel 321, providing blocking effects from multiple angles, further enhancing the blocking effect on the reverse flow of gas in the first exhaust pipe 421. Furthermore, based on this embodiment, the included angle between the axial direction of each purge channel 322 and the axial direction of the exhaust channel 321 can be equal. In this case, more intuitively, the straight lines containing the axial directions of each of the multiple purge channels 322 can all be located on the same conical surface.

[0043] In another embodiment of this application, the purge channel 322 can also be a closed annular structure, and the purge channel 322 is arranged around the exhaust channel 321. In this case, the extension direction of either of the two parts of the structure intercepted by a plane passing through the axial direction of the exhaust channel 321 is inclined relative to the axial direction of the exhaust channel 321, thereby ensuring that the flow direction of the gas blown out at any position through the purge channel 322 can form a corresponding acute angle with the axial direction of the exhaust channel 321. Under the action of the entire purge channel 322, the purge airflow can completely surround the axial direction of the exhaust channel 321, so as to provide a good blocking effect for the reverse airflow in the first exhaust pipe 421. More intuitively, in this embodiment of the application, the purge channel 322 is generally a frustum-shaped side structure.

[0044] Based on the above embodiments, in order to ensure that the atmospheric gas sent into the purge channel 322 through the fifth air inlet pipe 415 can flow relatively quickly in the purge channel 322, in a specific embodiment of this application, the flow rate of each purge channel 322 can be less than the flow rate of the fifth air inlet pipe 415.

[0045] Furthermore, the sum of the flow rates of the purge channels 322 can be less than or equal to the flow rate of the fifth intake pipe 415. To further improve the intake efficiency of purge channels 322 (or positions within purge channels 322 with different distances from the fifth intake pipe 415) to be substantially equivalent, in this embodiment, the exhaust component 320 can also be provided with a connecting channel 323. The connecting channel 323 is a closed ring structure and surrounds the exhaust channel 321, allowing the second end of the fifth intake pipe 415 connected to the connecting channel 323 to first deliver ambient gas into the connecting channel 323, thereby utilizing the connecting channel 323 to simultaneously deliver ambient gas to multiple purge channels 322 (or different positions within the purge channels 322). Of course, the cross-sectional flow rate of the connecting channel 323 also needs to be greater than the sum of the flow rates of the purge channels 322 to ensure that the flow velocity of the ambient gas in the purge channels 322 meets the requirements.

[0046] Specifically, during the processing of the exhaust component 320, exhaust channels 321, purging channels 322, and connecting channels 323 can be formed on the exhaust component 320 by means of casting or welding. Of course, in other embodiments of this application, other processing methods can also be used to form the exhaust component 320 with the above structure, which is not limited herein.

[0047] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0048] 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 semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, It includes a process chamber, a loading chamber, a process door, a carrying device, and a gas delivery pipeline. The process chamber and the loading chamber are interconnected, and the process door can seal and isolate the process chamber and the loading chamber. The carrying device is disposed on the process door and is used to carry the workpiece to be processed. The gas delivery pipeline includes a first inlet pipe, a second inlet pipe, a third inlet pipe, a first exhaust pipe, and a second exhaust pipe. The first end of each of the first inlet pipe, the second inlet pipe, and the third inlet pipe can be connected to an ambient gas source. The first end of each of the first exhaust pipe and the second exhaust pipe can be connected to a negative pressure mechanism. The second end of each of the first inlet pipe and the first exhaust pipe is connected to the process chamber. The second end of each of the second inlet pipe and the second exhaust pipe is connected to the loading chamber. The second end of the third inlet pipe is connected to the first exhaust pipe, and the third inlet pipe is switchable.

2. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semiconductor process equipment further includes a first pressure detection element, which is in communication with the process chamber and is used to detect the pressure of the process chamber.

3. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semiconductor process equipment further includes a pressure relief component, which is connected to the first exhaust pipe and is located between the second end of the first exhaust pipe and the second end of the third intake pipe.

4. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semiconductor process equipment also includes a differential pressure detection device, which is connected to both the process chamber and the loading chamber, and is used to detect the pressure difference between the process chamber and the loading chamber.

5. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semiconductor process equipment also includes a gas storage device. The gas inlet of the gas storage device is connected to the ambient gas source through a fourth gas inlet pipe, and the gas outlet of the gas storage device is connected to the loading cavity in a switchable manner through a gas replenishment pipe.

6. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that, The semiconductor process equipment further includes a second pressure detection element, which is connected to the gas storage unit and is used to detect the pressure of the gas storage unit. The semiconductor process equipment also includes a needle valve, and the outlet of the gas storage device is connected to the loading chamber through the needle valve.

7. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semiconductor process equipment further includes an exhaust component and a fifth air inlet pipe. The first end of the fifth air inlet pipe is connected to the ambient air source. The exhaust component is installed in the process chamber and has an exhaust channel and a purge channel. The process chamber is connected to the second end of the first exhaust pipe through the exhaust channel. The first end of the purge channel is connected to the second end of the fifth air inlet pipe. The second end of the purge channel is connected to the exhaust channel. At the connection between the purge channel and the exhaust channel, the angle between the airflow direction of the purge channel and the airflow direction of the exhaust channel is an acute angle.

8. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The number of purge channels is multiple, and the multiple purge channels are distributed around the exhaust channel. The axial direction of each purge channel is inclined relative to the axial direction of the exhaust channel, and the straight line containing the axial direction of any purge channel and the straight line containing the axial direction of the exhaust channel are coplanar.

9. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The purging channel is a closed ring structure, and the purging channel is arranged around the exhaust channel.

10. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, The exhaust component also has a closed-loop connecting channel, which surrounds the exhaust channel. The second end of the fifth intake pipe is connected to the connecting channel, and the first end of the purge channel is connected to the connecting channel.

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