Plasma etching device and plasma etching method

By incorporating an intake regulating device and an auxiliary regulating gas intake channel into the plasma etching apparatus, the problem of poor etching uniformity is solved, achieving stronger etching uniformity regulation and a wider regulation range, making it suitable for industrial applications.

WO2026091746A1PCT designated stage Publication Date: 2026-05-07SHANGHAI BANGXIN SEMI TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
View PDF 4 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
SHANGHAI BANGXIN SEMI TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
Filing Date
2025-08-06
Publication Date
2026-05-07

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing plasma etching equipment suffers from poor etching uniformity, and improvements are needed to enhance etching uniformity.

Method used

An air intake regulating device is set between the first and second air intake grids in the plasma etching apparatus. The distribution of plasma is adjusted by the air intake assembly and the air intake channel of the auxiliary regulating gas, so as to adjust the etching uniformity.

Benefits of technology

By adjusting the distribution of plasma, the etching uniformity is significantly improved, the adjustment range is wider, the adaptability is stronger, and it is suitable for industrial applications.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN2025113057_07052026_PF_FP_ABST
    Figure CN2025113057_07052026_PF_FP_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of plasma etching. Disclosed are a plasma etching device and a plasma etching method. The plasma etching device comprises a chamber, a first gas distribution grid, a second gas distribution grid, and at least one gas intake regulating device. An opening allowing plasma of a main etching gas to enter is provided at the top of the chamber. The first gas distribution grid is connected to the inner top of the chamber and covers the opening. The second gas distribution grid is located below the first gas distribution grid and is connected to the inner sidewall of the chamber. The gas intake regulating device comprises a gas intake assembly. The gas intake assembly is disposed on the inner sidewall of the chamber between the first gas distribution grid and the second gas distribution grid, and is provided with at least one gas intake passage for an auxiliary regulating gas that is configured to communicate the exterior with the chamber. The plasma etching device of the present application can adjust the etching uniformity.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Plasma etching apparatus and plasma etching method Cross-references

[0001] This application claims priority to Chinese application No. 202411506421.1, filed on October 28, 2024. The contents of the above application are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to the field of plasma etching technology, specifically to a plasma etching apparatus and a plasma etching method. Background Technology

[0003] In typical plasma etching processes, different process gases (such as C) x F y In a radio frequency (RF) environment, a combination of NF3, O2, Ar, etc., is used to form plasma. Under the influence of the electric field of the upper and lower electrodes of the etching cavity, the plasma physically bombards and chemically reacts with the surface of the object to be etched (such as a wafer), thereby completing the pattern design and key process of the surface of the object to be etched.

[0004] When using existing plasma etching equipment to etch the surface of an object, there is still a problem of poor etching uniformity. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the plasma etching equipment to enhance etching uniformity. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem solved by this application is to provide a plasma etching apparatus and a plasma etching method that can adjust the etching uniformity.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides a plasma etching apparatus, comprising: a cavity, a first gas equalization grid, a second gas equalization grid, and at least one gas inlet regulating device. The top of the cavity is provided with an opening that allows plasma of the main etching gas to enter. The first gas equalization grid is connected to the inner top of the cavity and covers the opening. The second gas equalization grid is located below the first gas equalization grid and is connected to the inner sidewall of the cavity. The gas inlet regulating device includes a gas inlet assembly, which is disposed on the inner sidewall of the cavity between the first gas equalization grid and the second gas equalization grid, and is provided with at least one gas inlet channel for communicating with the outside and the cavity with auxiliary regulating gas.

[0008] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the air intake channel includes an air intake section and an air outlet section, the air intake section being in communication with the outside; the air outlet section being in communication with the air intake section and the cavity, and the axis of the air outlet section being collinear with or intersecting the axis of the air intake section.

[0009] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the angle between the axis of the air outlet section and the horizontal line is 0° to 90°.

[0010] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the air intake assembly is provided with at least two air intake channels whose axes are at different angles to the horizontal line.

[0011] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the intake regulating device further includes: a first regulating component connected to the intake component and used to adjust the position of the intake component to switch the intake channel.

[0012] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the first adjustment component includes: a connecting portion and a driving portion, the connecting portion extending through the top of the cavity and one end of the connecting portion being connected to the air intake component; the driving portion being located outside the cavity and connected to the other end of the connecting portion, and when the driving portion is in operation, it drives the connecting portion to move, thereby adjusting the position of the first adjustment component.

[0013] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the sidewall of the cavity is further provided with a gas supply channel, which is connected to one of the air inlet channels for supplying the auxiliary regulating gas.

[0014] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the intake regulating device further includes: a second regulating component, the second regulating component being used to regulate the intake flow rate of the auxiliary regulating gas.

[0015] In some embodiments of the first aspect, both the first and second air-regulating grids are provided with air-regulating holes, and the density of the air-regulating holes in the first air-regulating grid gradually increases from the geometric center of the first air-regulating grid towards the edge, while the air-regulating holes in the second air-regulating grid are uniformly distributed.

[0016] In some embodiments of the first aspect, the plasma etching apparatus further includes:

[0017] A plasma source coil dielectric window is provided at the opening and connected to the cavity, and the top of the plasma source coil dielectric window is provided with an inlet for the main etching gas that communicates with the opening.

[0018] And / or, a plasma excitation coil is disposed outside the dielectric window of the plasma source coil;

[0019] And / or, a hot stage for supporting the object to be etched is disposed within the cavity and located below the second uniform gas grid.

[0020] In a second aspect, this application provides a plasma etching method using the plasma etching apparatus described in any of the preceding claims. The method includes the following steps: introducing a plasma of a main etching gas into a cavity, wherein the plasma undergoes a first dissociation upon passing through a first uniform gas grid; introducing an auxiliary regulating gas into the cavity through an inlet channel, wherein the auxiliary regulating gas is used to perform a second dissociation of the plasma to regulate the distribution of the plasma, and the plasma after the second dissociation and the auxiliary regulating gas etch the object to be etched after passing through a second uniform gas grid.

[0021] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the method further includes: switching different air intake channels by adjusting the position of the air intake assembly and / or adjusting the air intake flow rate of the auxiliary regulating gas before introducing the auxiliary regulating gas into the cavity, so as to regulate the distribution of the plasma.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the plasma etching apparatus and plasma etching method of this application have the following advantages:

[0023] The plasma etching apparatus of this application has an air intake component of an air intake regulating device provided on the inner wall of the cavity between the first gas uniform grid and the second gas uniform grid. The air intake component is provided with at least one air intake channel for connecting the outside and the cavity with auxiliary regulating gas. The auxiliary regulating gas is introduced through the cavity sidewall, which can not only play an auxiliary etching role, but also regulate the distribution of plasma, thereby achieving the regulation of etching uniformity.

[0024] Furthermore, by including an intake section and an outlet section in the intake channel, and by providing at least two intake channels with different angles between the axis of the outlet section and the horizontal line, the intake angle of the auxiliary regulating gas can be adjusted by switching between different intake channels, thereby adjusting the distribution of the plasma and thus achieving the adjustment of etching uniformity.

[0025] Furthermore, the plasma etching apparatus of this application can also adjust the plasma distribution by adjusting the auxiliary regulating gas inlet flow rate, thereby achieving adjustment of etching uniformity.

[0026] In summary, compared with existing plasma etching apparatuses, the plasma etching apparatus of this application has stronger adjustability for etching uniformity, a wider adjustment range, stronger adaptability, and a more convenient adjustment process, making it very suitable for industrial applications. Attached Figure Description

[0027] The following accompanying drawings describe in detail the exemplary embodiments disclosed in this application. The same reference numerals denote similar structures in several views of the drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments are non-limiting and exemplary, and the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Other embodiments may similarly fulfill the inventive intent of this application. It should be understood that the drawings are not drawn to scale. Wherein:

[0028] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a plasma etching apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the intake regulating device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0030] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of another plasma etching apparatus according to an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0032] 100. Cavity; 110. Opening; 200. First gas uniformity grid; 300. Second gas uniformity grid; 400. Inlet regulating device; 410. Inlet assembly; 411. Inlet channel; 411a. Inlet section; 411b. Outlet section; 4111. First inlet channel; 4112. Second inlet channel; 420. Connecting part; 500. Gas supply channel; 600. Plasma source coil dielectric window; 610. Inlet hole; 700. Plasma excitation coil; 800. Hot stage; 900. Object to be etched; 1. Main etching gas; 2. Auxiliary regulating gas; 3. Plasma cloud. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The following description provides specific application scenarios and requirements for this application, intended to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the content of this application. Various partial modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the embodiments shown, but rather to the widest scope consistent with the claims.

[0034] Etching uniformity is related to the plasma reaction rate, which in turn is related to the plasma distribution. The more uniformly the plasma is distributed above the surface of the object to be etched, the more consistent the etching rate will be across different areas of the surface. This helps reduce morphological differences on the surface caused by uneven etching rates, thus improving etching uniformity. Currently, some methods adjust the plasma distribution by changing the parameters of the gas distribution grid; however, this method is not ideal for improving etching uniformity. Furthermore, it requires replacing the gas distribution grid to adjust the etching uniformity, which is inconvenient in practical use.

[0035] In view of this, this application sets the intake channel of the auxiliary regulating gas at a specific position between two uniform gas grids, so that the auxiliary regulating gas can not only play a role in assisting etching, but also adjust the distribution of plasma, thereby adjusting the etching uniformity of the plasma etching device.

[0036] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the plasma etching apparatus of this embodiment includes: a cavity 100, a first gas distribution grid 200, a second gas distribution grid 300, and at least one gas inlet regulating device 400. The cavity 100 serves as the site for plasma distribution and etching, and its top is provided with an opening 110, which allows the plasma of the main etching gas 1 to enter. The size of the opening 110 is not required and is designed according to actual conditions. The main etching gas 1 can be a commonly used reactive gas in plasma etching processes, such as oxygen.

[0037] The first gas equalization grid 200 connects to the inner top of the cavity 100 and covers the opening 110. The gas equalization holes in the first gas equalization grid 200 allow plasma to pass through and can perform initial dissociation of the incoming plasma, thereby regulating the plasma distribution within the cavity 100. This application does not limit the distribution or aperture of the gas equalization holes; therefore, a conventional grid structure can be used for the first gas equalization grid 200. In some embodiments, the gas equalization holes of the first gas equalization grid 200 are uniformly distributed, and the aperture is 1mm to 6mm. In some preferred embodiments, installation space for the air intake regulating device 400 is reserved between both ends of the first gas equalization grid 200 and the side walls of the cavity 100.

[0038] The air intake regulating device 400 is used to perform a second dissociation of the plasma. The air intake regulating device 400 includes an air intake assembly 410, which is disposed on the inner wall of the cavity 100 between the first uniform gas grid 200 and the second uniform gas grid 300. The air intake assembly 410 has at least one air intake channel 411 for connecting the external environment and the cavity 100 to the auxiliary regulating gas 2. The auxiliary regulating gas 2 enters the cavity 100 through the air intake channel 411, which can perform a second dissociation of the plasma passing through the first uniform gas grid 200, thereby further regulating the plasma distribution. The auxiliary regulating gas 2 can be an inert gas, such as helium. Therefore, by allowing the auxiliary regulating gas 2 to enter through the space between the two uniform gas grids, this application can not only utilize the auxiliary etching function of the auxiliary regulating gas 2 but also adjust the plasma distribution. The specific structure of the air intake channel 411 is not required; it only needs to be able to introduce the auxiliary regulating gas 2 into the cavity 100.

[0039] The second gas equalization grid 300 is located below the first gas equalization grid 200 and is connected to the inner wall of the cavity 100. The second gas equalization grid 300 also has several gas equalization holes to allow plasma and auxiliary regulating gas 2 to pass through. After passing through the second gas equalization grid 300, the distribution of plasma and auxiliary regulating gas 2 is further regulated. This application does not limit the distribution and aperture of the gas equalization holes in the second gas equalization grid 300; a conventional grid structure can be used. In some embodiments, the gas equalization holes in the second gas equalization grid 300 are uniformly distributed, and the aperture is 1mm to 6mm.

[0040] In some preferred embodiments, the distance between the first air distribution grid 200 and the second air distribution grid 300 is 2mm to 10mm, the distance from the geometric center of the air outlet of the air inlet channel 411 to the plane containing the bottom surface of the first air distribution grid 200 is 20mm to 60mm, and the distance from the geometric center of the air outlet of the air inlet channel 411 to the top surface of the second air distribution grid 300 is 20mm to 60mm.

[0041] In some preferred embodiments, the density of the air-measuring holes in the first air-measuring grid 200 gradually increases from the geometric center of the first air-measuring grid 200 towards the edge, and the air-measuring holes in the second air-measuring grid 300 are uniformly distributed, thereby enabling the etching rate at the edge of the object to be etched to be higher than the etching rate at the center.

[0042] When the structures of the first gas equalization grid 200 and the second gas equalization grid 300 are fixed, changing the inlet flow rate of the auxiliary regulating gas 2 will change the pressure and gas ratio within the cavity, thereby altering the plasma distribution and thus regulating the etching rate. When the inlet angle of the auxiliary regulating gas 2 changes, its distribution within the cavity will also change, altering the plasma distribution and thus regulating the etching rate. Therefore, this application can adjust the relative etching rate between the edge and center of the object to be etched by adjusting the inlet angle and / or flow rate of the auxiliary regulating gas 2, so that the etching rate of each region on the surface of the object tends to be uniform. Thus, the first gas equalization grid 200, the second gas equalization grid 300, and the inlet regulating device 400 cooperate to regulate the etching rate.

[0043] Specifically, to reduce the etching rate of the edge of the object to be etched, the gas flow rate of the auxiliary regulating gas 2 can be increased, and / or the inlet angle of the auxiliary regulating gas 2 can be adjusted to bring it closer to the second uniform gas grid 300; conversely, to increase the etching rate of the edge of the object to be etched, the gas flow rate of the auxiliary regulating gas 2 can be decreased, and / or the inlet direction of the auxiliary regulating gas 2 can be adjusted to move it further away from the second uniform gas grid 300.

[0044] Referring to Figure 2, the air intake channel 411 includes an air intake section 411a and an air outlet section 411b. The air intake section 411a communicates with the outside, and the air outlet section 411b communicates with the air intake section 411a and the cavity 100. The axis of the air outlet section 411b is collinear with or intersects the axis of the air intake section 411a. That is, the axes of the air outlet section 411b and the air intake section 411a can be on the same straight line. In some embodiments, their axes are collinear and parallel to the horizontal line, as shown in Figure 2(a). In this case, it is not necessary to distinguish between the air intake section 411a and the air outlet section 411b. Alternatively, the axes of the air outlet section 411b and the air intake section 411a are not on the same straight line. That is, the air outlet section 411b bends away from the axis of the air intake section 411a relative to the air intake section 411a, as shown in Figures 2(b) and (c). Specifically, the exhaust section 411b shown in Figure 2(b) bends relative to the intake section 411a in a direction away from the axis of the intake section 411a and closer to the first air distribution grid 200, that is, it bends upward. The exhaust section 411b shown in Figure 2(c) bends relative to the intake section 411a in a direction away from the axis of the intake section 411a and away from the first air distribution grid 200, that is, it bends downward.

[0045] The angle α between the axis of the outlet section 411b and the horizontal line is between 0° and 90°. By adjusting the size of the angle α, the inlet angle of the auxiliary regulating gas 2 can be adjusted, thereby further adjusting the plasma distribution and thus adjusting the etching rate. It is easy to understand that, in order to realize the function of the auxiliary regulating gas connecting the outside and the cavity 100, when the axis of the inlet end 411a is collinear with the horizontal line, and the outlet section 411b bends upward relative to the inlet end 411a, the angle α between the axis of the outlet section 411b and the horizontal line should be less than 90°.

[0046] In this application, when the structure of the first uniform air grid 200 and the second uniform air grid 300 and the air intake flow rate are constant, if the air outlet section 411b bends upward, the etching rate of the edge can be relatively reduced by decreasing the included angle α, and the etching rate of the edge can be relatively increased by increasing the included angle α; if the air outlet section 411b bends downward, the etching rate of the edge can be relatively increased by decreasing the included angle α, and the etching rate of the edge can be relatively reduced by increasing the included angle α.

[0047] For example, compared to a structure where the axes of the exhaust section 411b and the intake section 411a are collinear and parallel to the horizontal line (as shown in Figure 2(a)), when the exhaust section 411b bends downwards and the included angle α is 45° (as shown in Figure 2(c)), the etching rate at the edge of the object to be etched will be lower. This is because, with the auxiliary regulating gas entering from the side of the cavity, as the included angle α increases, more auxiliary regulating gas concentrates at the edge, resulting in fewer high-energy groups in the plasma at the edge, thus reducing the etching rate at the edge.

[0048] Referring to Figure 3, in some preferred embodiments, the air intake assembly 410 has at least two air intake channels with different angles α between the axis of the air outlet section 411b and the horizontal line. Therefore, by switching the air intake channel connected to the outside, the air intake angle of the auxiliary regulating gas 2 can be adjusted, thereby regulating the plasma distribution and thus achieving the adjustment of the etching rate. As an example, the air intake assembly 410 has a first air intake channel 4111 and a second air intake channel 4112, and the angles between the air outlet section of the first air intake channel 4111 and the horizontal line are different from those of the second air intake channel 4112.

[0049] Referring to Figures 1 and 3, the intake adjustment device further includes a first adjustment component, which is connected to the intake component 410 and used to adjust the position of the intake component 410 to switch the intake channel 411. In some preferred embodiments, the first adjustment component includes a connecting portion 420 and a driving portion (not shown). The connecting portion 420 passes through the top of the cavity 100, and one end of the connecting portion 420 is connected to the intake component 410, while the other end of the connecting portion 420 extends out of the cavity 100. The driving portion is located outside the cavity 100 and is connected to the other end of the connecting portion 420. When the driving portion is working, it moves the connecting portion 420, thereby adjusting the position of the first adjustment component. The driving portion can be any type of driving structure, such as a hydraulic control mechanism, a pneumatic control mechanism, or a mechanical control mechanism.

[0050] In some embodiments, the side wall of the cavity 100 is further provided with an air supply channel 500, which is connected to one of the air inlet channels 411 and is used to supply the auxiliary regulating gas 2.

[0051] In some preferred embodiments, the intake regulating device further includes a second regulating component (not shown), which is used to regulate the intake flow rate of the auxiliary regulating gas. The specific structure and installation position of the second regulating component are not particularly limited, as long as it can regulate the intake flow rate. For example, the second regulating component can be a common intake valve.

[0052] In some embodiments, the plasma etching apparatus further includes a plasma source coil dielectric window 600, which is disposed at the opening 110 and connected to the cavity 100, and the top of the plasma source coil dielectric window 600 is provided with an inlet 610 for the main etching gas 1 that communicates with the opening 110.

[0053] In some embodiments, the plasma etching apparatus further includes a plasma excitation coil 700, which is disposed outside the dielectric window 600 of the plasma source coil. When the main etching gas 1 enters the inlet 610, it is excited by the plasma excitation coil 700 to form plasma, at which time a large amount of plasma gathers into a plasma cloud 3.

[0054] In some embodiments, the plasma etching apparatus further includes a hot stage 800 for supporting the object 900 to be etched. The hot stage 800 is disposed within the cavity 100 and located below the second gas distribution grid 300.

[0055] In some embodiments, the bottom of the cavity 100 is further provided with an outlet for plasma and auxiliary regulating gas.

[0056] In some embodiments, the plasma etching apparatus further includes a third adjustment component, which is used to adjust the inlet flow rate of the main etching gas, thereby adjusting the plasma distribution.

[0057] This application also provides a plasma etching method, which uses the above-described plasma etching apparatus and includes the following steps:

[0058] S1: The plasma of the main etching gas is introduced into the cavity, wherein the plasma undergoes its first dissociation when passing through the first uniform gas grid;

[0059] S2: An auxiliary regulating gas is introduced into the cavity through the air inlet channel. The auxiliary regulating gas is used to perform a second dissociation of the plasma to regulate the distribution of the plasma. After the plasma and the auxiliary regulating gas pass through the second uniform gas grid, the object to be etched is etched.

[0060] It should be noted that the order of the steps of introducing the plasma of the main etching gas into the cavity and the steps of introducing the auxiliary conditioning gas into the cavity is not required.

[0061] In some embodiments, plasma of the main etching gas is first introduced into the cavity, followed by the introduction of an auxiliary regulating gas into the cavity via an inlet channel. In other embodiments, the auxiliary regulating gas is first introduced into the cavity via an inlet channel, followed by the introduction of plasma of the main etching gas into the cavity. In still other embodiments, these two steps are performed simultaneously. In practical applications, the above steps can be controlled using a second regulating component and a third regulating component.

[0062] In some embodiments, the method further includes: switching different air intake channels by adjusting the position of the air intake assembly and / or adjusting the air intake flow rate of the auxiliary regulating gas before introducing the auxiliary regulating gas into the cavity, so as to regulate the distribution of the plasma.

[0063] In some embodiments, the method further includes adjusting the intake flow rate of the main etching gas before introducing the auxiliary regulating gas into the cavity.

[0064] Compared with existing plasma etching methods, the plasma etching method of this application can not only assist in etching when an auxiliary conditioning gas is introduced, but also regulate the plasma distribution. Furthermore, by adjusting the inlet angle and flow rate of the auxiliary conditioning gas, the plasma distribution can also be regulated. Therefore, the adjustability of etching uniformity is greatly improved.

[0065] The basic concepts have been described above. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, the detailed disclosure above is merely illustrative and does not constitute a limitation of this specification. Although not explicitly stated herein, those skilled in the art may make various modifications, improvements, and corrections to this application. Such modifications, improvements, and corrections are suggested in this specification, and therefore remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0066] It should be noted that, in the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; a rotating connection or a sliding connection; a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; or the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application in light of the specific circumstances.

[0067] Furthermore, when the terms "first," "second," "third," etc., are used in this application specification to describe various features, these terms are only used to distinguish these features and should not be construed as indicating or implying the correlation or relative importance between features or implicitly indicating the number of features indicated.

[0068] In addition, this application specification describes exemplary embodiments by referring to idealized exemplary cross-sectional views and / or plan views and / or perspective views. Therefore, differences from the illustrated shapes are foreseeable due to factors such as manufacturing techniques and / or tolerances. Therefore, exemplary embodiments should not be construed as limited to the shapes of the regions shown herein, but should include deviations in shape caused, for example, by manufacturing processes. Thus, the regions shown in the figures are substantially schematic, and their shapes are not intended to illustrate the actual shapes of the regions of the device, nor to limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0069] Furthermore, this application uses specific terms to describe embodiments of this specification. For example, "an embodiment," "one embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic related to at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that "an embodiment," "one embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" mentioned twice or more in different locations in this application do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, certain features, structures, or characteristics in one or more embodiments of this application can be appropriately combined.

[0070] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the description of the present application and thus aid in the understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention, the foregoing description of the embodiments of the present application sometimes combines multiple features into a single embodiment, drawing, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not imply that the subject matter of the application requires more features than those mentioned in the claims. In fact, the embodiments contain fewer features than all the features of the single embodiments disclosed above.

[0071] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this application are merely illustrative of the principles of the embodiments of this application. Other modifications may also fall within the scope of this application. Therefore, alternative configurations of the embodiments of this application are considered as examples and not limitations, and are regarded as consistent with the teachings of this application. Accordingly, the embodiments of this application are not limited to the embodiments explicitly described and illustrated in this application.

Claims

1. A plasma etching apparatus, characterized in that, include: A cavity, the top of which is provided with an opening to allow plasma of the main etching gas to enter; The first air distribution grid connects to the inner top of the cavity and covers the opening; The second air-regulating grid is located below the first air-regulating grid and is connected to the inner wall of the cavity; At least one air intake regulating device, the air intake regulating device including an air intake assembly, the air intake assembly being disposed on the inner sidewall of a cavity between the first air distribution grid and the second air distribution grid, and having at least one air intake channel for communicating with the outside and the cavity for auxiliary regulating gas, and the air intake channel including: An air intake section, which is connected to the outside; An exhaust section is connected to the intake section and the cavity, and the axis of the exhaust section is collinear with or intersects the axis of the intake section. The air intake assembly is provided with at least two air intake channels whose axes are at different angles to the horizontal line.

2. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The angle between the axis of the air outlet section and the horizontal line is 0° to 90°.

3. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intake adjustment device further includes: a first adjustment component, which is connected to the intake component and is used to adjust the position of the intake component to switch the intake channel.

4. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first adjustment component includes: A connecting portion extends through the top of the cavity, and one end of the connecting portion is connected to the air intake assembly; The driving part is located outside the cavity and connected to the other end of the connecting part. When the driving part is working, it drives the connecting part to move, thereby adjusting the position of the first adjusting component.

5. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity is also provided with an air supply channel in its side wall, which is connected to one of the air inlet channels and is used to supply the auxiliary regulating gas.

6. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The intake regulating device further includes a second regulating component, which is used to regulate the intake flow rate of the auxiliary regulating gas.

7. The plasma etching apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first and second air-regulating grids have air-regulating holes, and the density of the air-regulating holes in the first air-regulating grid gradually increases from the geometric center of the first air-regulating grid towards the edge, while the air-regulating holes in the second air-regulating grid are uniformly distributed.

8. The plasma etching apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The plasma etching apparatus further includes: A plasma source coil dielectric window is provided at the opening and connected to the cavity, and the top of the plasma source coil dielectric window is provided with an inlet for the main etching gas that communicates with the opening. And / or, a plasma excitation coil is disposed outside the dielectric window of the plasma source coil; And / or, a hot stage for supporting the object to be etched is disposed within the cavity and located below the second uniform air grid.

9. A plasma etching method, characterized in that, The method uses the plasma etching apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, and the method includes the following steps: The plasma of the main etching gas is introduced into the cavity, wherein the plasma undergoes its first dissociation when passing through the first uniform gas grid; An auxiliary regulating gas is introduced into the cavity through the air inlet channel. The auxiliary regulating gas is used to perform a second dissociation of the plasma to regulate the distribution of the plasma. The plasma after the second dissociation and the auxiliary regulating gas pass through a second uniform gas grid to etch the object to be etched.

10. The plasma etching method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The method further includes: switching different air intake channels by adjusting the position of the air intake assembly before introducing auxiliary regulating gas into the cavity, and / or adjusting the air intake flow rate of the auxiliary regulating gas to adjust the distribution of the plasma.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Post plasma gas injection in a separation grid

    CN112352302A

  • Plasma etching equipment

    CN116525397A

  • Plasma etching device and plasma etching method

    CN119028797A

  • Device for gas intake from edge and plasma etching system

    WO2024159744A1