Bearing boat and semiconductor process equipment

Abstract

Disclosed in the present application are a bearing boat and semiconductor process equipment, relating to the fields of photovoltaics and semiconductors. The bearing boat comprises a support assembly and a plurality of heating plates; the plurality of heating plates are stacked on the support assembly, and an accommodating space is provided between two adjacent heating plates; the plurality of heating plates include at least one radio frequency electrode plate and at least one grounding electrode plate, and the radio frequency electrode plates and the grounding electrode plates are arranged in an alternating manner. The present application at least can solve problems such as lengthy preheating times and non-uniform preheating.

Description

Carrier boat and semiconductor process equipment Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical fields of photovoltaics and semiconductors, and specifically relates to a carrier boat and semiconductor process equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer (HJT) solar cells are expected to become the next generation of battery technology due to their advantages such as fewer process steps and higher cell quality. The main process steps of HJT solar cells include cleaning and texturing, amorphous silicon thin film deposition, conductive film deposition, and screen printing. Among them, amorphous silicon thin film deposition is prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) equipment. Common PECVD equipment layouts include cluster and chain structures. The chain structure layout is shown in Figure 1. The graphite boat 01 carrying the wafer is conveyed to the preheating chamber by the loading device, and then enters the process chamber for the corresponding process. After the process is completed, it passes through the buffer chamber and the unloading device to complete the process flow.

[0003] In heterojunction (HJT) equipment production lines, PECVD equipment accounts for a major portion of the production line cost. To reduce equipment costs, manufacturers have recently been increasing the load-bearing capacity of the carrier plates to boost production capacity and achieve cost reduction. For example, as shown in Figure 2, a multi-layer graphite boat 01 stacked structure is used to increase the carrier plate area. In this structure, the graphite boat 01 acts as an electrode plate to support the carrier plate, generating plasma between adjacent electrode plates. This significantly expands the equipment's production capacity without increasing the floor space. Specifically, the multi-layer graphite boat 01 includes an upper electrode plate 011, a lower electrode plate 012, and inter-plate connecting rods 013. The upper electrode plate 011 and lower electrode plate 012 are spaced apart and supported and fixed by the inter-plate connecting rods 013.

[0004] To meet the required process temperature, as shown in Figure 3, the graphite boat 01 is preheated within the metal cavity 02 of the preheating module. The heater 03 of the preheating module is positioned around the graphite boat 01, with a certain distance between the heater 03 and the graphite boat 01. Preheating is achieved through thermal radiation, resulting in a relatively long preheating time. Furthermore, because different areas of the graphite boat 01 are at different distances from the heater, areas closer to the heater heat up faster, while areas farther away heat up slower, leading to uneven preheating. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a carrier boat and semiconductor process equipment that can at least solve problems such as long preheating time and uneven preheating.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0007] This application provides a support boat, including: a support assembly and multiple heating plates;

[0008] The plurality of heating plates are stacked on the support assembly, and there is a receiving space between two adjacent heating plates;

[0009] The plurality of heating plates include at least one radio frequency electrode plate and at least one ground electrode plate, wherein the radio frequency electrode plate and the ground electrode plate are alternately arranged.

[0010] This application also provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including: a process chamber and the aforementioned carrier boat;

[0011] The carrier boat is located within the process chamber.

[0012] The carrier boat in this embodiment includes multiple heating plates. Some of the heating plates can be radio frequency electrode plates, and others can be ground electrode plates. In this way, they can serve as both heating components and radio frequency components, so that the wafer can be heated directly through the heating plates without the need to set up additional heaters around the carrier boat. This can improve the heating efficiency of the wafer, shorten the heating time, and help to reduce the cycle time required for the process. Furthermore, the heating plates can be set opposite to the wafer, increasing the heating area of ​​the wafer, thereby improving heating uniformity and effectively alleviating the problem of uneven heating in different areas of the wafer. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a chain-type PECVD device in the related technology;

[0014] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a multi-layer graphite boat in the related technology;

[0015] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the multilayer graphite boat and preheating module in the related technology;

[0016] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the carrier boat disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the heating plate disclosed in the embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the longitudinal section of the heating plate disclosed in the embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a longitudinal section of another type of heating plate disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a heating plate with expansion holes and limiting holes disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the grounding electrode plate disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the radio frequency electrode plate disclosed in the embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram of the carrier plate, pick-and-place device and positioning component disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 12 is a schematic diagram of the pick-up and put-down component, carrier plate and heating plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the support components disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram of a carrier boat with insulating components disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 15 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the radio frequency feeder and grounding assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0028] Figure 16 is a circuit diagram of the radio frequency feed device and carrier boat disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0029] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the radio frequency power adjustment component, feed connection component, radio frequency feed chamber and heating plate disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0030] Figure 18 is a circuit schematic diagram of the radio frequency feed device disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 19 is a partial schematic diagram of the feed connection component disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram of the structure of the carrier boat, process chamber, radio frequency isolation device and sealing device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 21 is a schematic diagram of the radio frequency isolation device, sealing device and heating element disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view of the heating element, the first pressing block, and the first isolation assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0035] Figure 23 is a partial schematic diagram of the thermocouple, the third isolation component, and the process chamber disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0036] Figure 24 is a partial schematic diagram of the cable, thermocouple, process chamber and sealing device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0037] Figure 25 is a schematic diagram of the lifting assembly, bearing shaft, and process chamber disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0038] Figure 26 is a first schematic diagram of the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 27 is a second schematic diagram of the semiconductor process equipment disclosed in the embodiments of this application.

[0040] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 01-Graphite boat; 011-Upper electrode plate; 012-Lower electrode plate; 013-Inter-plate connecting rod; 02-Metal cavity; 03-Heater; 1-Bearing boat; 11-Support assembly; 111-Support rod; 112-Support sleeve; 113-Fastener; 114-Support foot; 12-Heating plate; 12a-RF electrode plate; 12b-Grounding electrode plate; 121-First plate; 122-Second plate; 123-Heating element; 1231-Heating wire core; 1232-Metal sleeve; 1233-Insulation layer; 124-Expansion hole; 125-Limiting hole; 126-Through hole; 131-Shielding plate; 132-Shielding strip; 14-Positioning assembly; 15-Thermocouple; 16-Adapter wire; 17-Cable; 18-Lifting assembly; 2-RF feed device; 21-RF feed inlet; 211-RF feed inlet rod; 212-RF feed inlet block; 22-Grounding assembly; 221-Grounding feed inlet rod; 222-First grounding feed inlet block; 223-Second grounding feed inlet block; 23-RF power adjustment assembly; 231-Connecting strip; 2311-Main connecting section; 2312-Branch connecting section; 2313-Connecting post; 232-Adjustable capacitor; 233-Adjustable inductor; 24-Feed inlet connection assembly; 241-Feed inlet connection component; 242-Isolation component; 243-Sealing component; 3-RF isolation device; 31-First isolation assembly; 311-Isolation ring; 3111-Metal ring; 31111-Connecting protrusion; 3112-Non-metal ring; 31121-Connecting groove; 312-First protective sleeve; 32-Second isolation assembly; 321-Second protective sleeve; 322-Third protective sleeve; 323-Fourth protective sleeve; 33-First pressure block; 34-Third isolation assembly; 341-Fifth protective sleeve; 342-Sixth protective sleeve; 3421-Kit unit; 343-Second pressure block; 344-Elastic element; 345-Limiting element; 35-Filter; 4-Sealing device; 41-Mounting component; 42-Third pressure block; 43-Top block; 44-Isolation sleeve; 45-Locking element; 46-First seal; 47-Second seal; 48-Third seal; 5-Process chamber; 6-Matcher; 7-Pick-and-place device; 71-Pick-and-place component; 711-Inclined guide surface. Detailed Implementation

[0041] 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 embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. 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.

[0042] 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.

[0043] The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples and application scenarios.

[0044] Referring to Figure 4, this application discloses a support boat 1, which can not only support the wafer but also provide uniform heating to the wafer and meet the radio frequency requirements during the process. The disclosed support boat 1 includes a support assembly 11 and multiple heating plates 12, as shown in Figures 4 and 13.

[0045] The support assembly 11 is a basic component that provides support and a mounting base for the heating plates 12, and allows adjacent heating plates 12 to be spaced apart. The heating plates 12 are core components that can support, heat, and provide radio frequency power to the wafer (e.g., silicon wafer). In some embodiments, multiple heating plates 12 are stacked on the support assembly 11, and there is a receiving space between adjacent heating plates 12. In this way, the support assembly 11 can ensure the stability of the support and mounting of the multiple heating plates 12, and the receiving space can accommodate the wafer to be processed.

[0046] In some embodiments, a carrier plate can be used to hold the wafer, allowing it to be moved into or out of the carrier boat 1. When the wafer is in the carrier boat 1, the carrier plate holding the wafer can be placed on the heating plate 12.

[0047] For example, the spacing between any two adjacent heating plates 12 can be equal; of course, in some other cases, the spacing between any two adjacent heating plates 12 may not be exactly the same, and can be set according to the actual working conditions. In addition, the heating plate 12 can be a rectangular plate, etc.; the number of heating plates 12 can be at least two, such as two, three, four, etc., and can be selected according to the actual working conditions.

[0048] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the plurality of heating plates 12 may include at least one radio frequency electrode plate 12a and at least one ground electrode plate 12b, and the radio frequency electrode plate 12a and the ground electrode plate 12b are alternately stacked, that is, alternately arranged along the stacking direction. In this way, it is ensured that in any two adjacent heating plates 12, one heating plate 12 is a radio frequency electrode plate 12a and the other heating plate 12 is a ground electrode plate 12b, so that the wafer can be processed in the accommodating space between the radio frequency electrode plate 12a and the ground electrode plate 12b.

[0049] In this embodiment, the heating plate 12 can provide a thermal environment for the wafer in the accommodating space and a radio frequency environment for the wafer's process reaction. That is, the heating plate 12 acts as both a heat source and a radio frequency component, so the wafer can be heated directly through the heating plate 12 without the need to set up additional heaters around the carrier boat 1. This can improve the heating efficiency of the wafer, shorten the heating time, and help to reduce the cycle time required for the process. In addition, the heating plate 12 can be set opposite to the wafer, increasing the heating area of ​​the wafer, thereby improving the heating uniformity and effectively alleviating the problem of uneven heating in different areas of the wafer.

[0050] In some embodiments, the heating plate 12 may include a metal plate and a heating element 123, as shown in FIG5. The heating element 123 is embedded within the metal plate and is insulated from the metal plate. This ensures that the heat generated by the heating element 123 is transferred through the metal plate while effectively preventing short circuits between the heating element 123 and the metal plate. Exemplarily, the metal plate may be an aluminum plate, copper plate, alloy plate, etc., and other materials are also possible; no specific limitation is made here.

[0051] In some embodiments, the metal plate may include a first plate 121 and a second plate 122 stacked together. The side of the first plate 121 facing the second plate 122 may have a groove, the heating element 123 is located in the groove, and the groove opening can be sealed by the second plate 122 to achieve the embedding of the heating element 123 within the metal plate.

[0052] In other embodiments, continuing to refer to FIG5, the side of the second plate 122 facing the first plate 121 may have a groove, the heating element 123 is located in the groove, and the groove opening can be sealed by the first plate 121 to achieve the heating element 123 being embedded in the metal plate.

[0053] In some embodiments, the first plate 121 and the second plate 122 each have a groove on the side facing each other, and the heating element 123 is located in the closed space formed by the mating of the grooves of the first plate 121 and the second plate 122, so that the heating element 123 is embedded in the metal plate.

[0054] In some embodiments, the first plate 121 and the second plate 122 can be fixedly connected, such as by welding, bonding, riveting, etc., or they can be detachably connected, such as by screwing, snap-fitting, plugging, etc.

[0055] Referring again to Figure 5, in some embodiments, the heating element 123 may include a heating wire core 1231, a metal sleeve 1232, and an insulating layer 1233. The insulating layer 1233 wraps around the outside of the heating wire core 1231, and the metal sleeve 1232 is fitted over the outside of the insulating layer 1233. The insulating layer 1233 serves to isolate the heating wire core 1231 from the metal sleeve 1232. Based on this configuration, an armored heating element 123 can be formed. When the heating wire core 1231 is energized, heat is generated and dissipated outward through the metal sleeve 1232, thereby heating the metal plate and transferring heat to the receiving space via the metal plate, thus heating the wafer.

[0056] For example, the material of the insulating layer 1233 can be magnesium oxide, but of course, it can also be other materials, which are not specifically limited here.

[0057] Considering that heat loss is likely to occur in the edge region of the carrier boat 1, in this embodiment, the distribution density of the heating element 123 near the edge region of the heating plate 12 can be greater than that in the central region of the heating plate 12. That is, the heating element 123 is relatively densely distributed in the edge region of the heating plate 12 and relatively sparsely distributed in the central region, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. Based on this distribution pattern, more heat can be generated in the edge region of the heating plate 12. Therefore, even though heat loss is likely to occur in the edge region of the heating plate 12, the temperature in the edge region of the heating plate 12 can be kept basically the same as or within the error range of the temperature in the central region. This can help improve the uniformity of the temperature distribution of the heating plate 12, and thus improve the uniformity of the wafer heating.

[0058] Referring to Figure 13, in some embodiments, the support assembly 11 may include a plurality of support rods 111, a plurality of support sleeves 112, and fasteners 113. Correspondingly, the heating plate 12 may have a plurality of guide holes, with each support rod 111 sequentially passing through the guide holes at corresponding positions on the plurality of heating plates 12. A plurality of support sleeves 112 are fitted around the outer side of each support rod 111, with each support sleeve 112 supporting between two adjacent heating plates 12. Furthermore, the fasteners 113 are fastened to both ends of each support rod 111, serving to limit the movement of the two outermost heating plates 12 among the plurality of heating plates 12. It should be noted that the two outermost heating plates 12 among the plurality of heating plates 12 refer to the top heating plate 12 and the bottom heating plate 12 in a stacked arrangement.

[0059] Based on the above configuration, the support sleeve 112 can be used to separate and support two adjacent heating plates 12, ensuring the installation stability of the two adjacent heating plates 12 and isolating them. Furthermore, fasteners 113 can be used to limit the movement at both ends of the support rod 111, ensuring that the heating plate 12 does not detach from the support rod 111. Multiple support sleeves 112 can also be used to ensure the installation stability of each layer of heating plates 12. In addition, using multiple support sleeves 112 to support multiple heating plates 12 at multiple points ensures the consistency of the gaps within the plates.

[0060] In addition, a gap can be reserved between the fastener 113 and the top heating plate 12, and / or between the fastener 113 and the bottom heating plate 12, to form a certain expansion allowance, so as to meet the expansion requirements of the carrier boat 1 in the extension direction of the support rod 111.

[0061] It should be noted that the temperature control of different layers of heating plates 12 may differ. By introducing support rods 111, and with the action of support rods 111, adjacent layers can expand in coordination when expansion is asynchronous, thereby homogenizing the thermal expansion of heating plates 12 in the plate surface direction. Specifically, different layers of heating plates 12 may experience different degrees of thermal expansion during the process due to differences in temperature control. By setting support rods 111, and with their cooperation with guide holes on the heating plates 12 (including the limiting hole 125 in the middle and the expansion hole 124 at the edge), when a layer of heating plate 12 expands due to temperature changes, the expansion hole 124 in the edge region provides a certain displacement space, causing the heating plate 12 to shift relative to the support rods 111, thereby releasing local stress; while the limiting hole 125 in the middle region plays a positioning role, constraining the overall movement trend of the heating plate 12 in the plane. Meanwhile, since all heating plates 12 are mounted on the same support rod 111 and are isolated and supported by each other through support sleeves 112, the asynchronous expansion between layers can be coordinated and distributed in the overall support system, thereby achieving uniform thermal expansion of the heating plates 12 in the plate direction on a macroscopic level, effectively avoiding process problems caused by local deformation or inconsistent gaps.

[0062] For example, the support rod 111 can be a ceramic rod, the support sleeve 112 can be a ceramic sleeve, and the fastener 113 can be a fastening nut.

[0063] Furthermore, the support assembly 11 may also include a support foot 114, which can be installed into the process chamber 5 where the carrier boat 1 is located and connected to one side of the carrier boat 1 to provide support for the carrier boat 1. In some embodiments, the support foot 114 may be made of an insulating material, such as ceramic material, so as to isolate the heat and radio frequency signal of the heating plate 12.

[0064] In some embodiments, the support foot 114 can be connected to the support rod 111 and also to the heating plate 12 at the bottom.

[0065] Referring to FIG8, in some embodiments, the heating plate 12 has a central region and an edge region surrounding the central region; in addition, the plurality of guide holes may include a plurality of limiting holes 125 and a plurality of expansion holes 124; wherein the plurality of expansion holes 124 are located in the edge region, while the plurality of limiting holes 125 are located in the central region, and the expansion holes 124 are elongated holes.

[0066] For example, when the heating plate 12 is a rectangular plate, expansion holes 124 can be provided at each edge of the heating plate 12. The expansion holes 124 located at the edge of the long side of the rectangle can extend along the direction of the short side of the rectangle, the expansion holes 124 located at the edge of the short side of the rectangle can extend along the direction of the long side of the rectangle, and the expansion holes 124 located at the corners of the rectangle can extend along the direction of the diagonal of the rectangle.

[0067] When the heating plate 12 is a circular plate, expansion holes 124 can be provided at the edge of the heating plate 12, and each expansion hole 124 can extend along the radius of the circular plate.

[0068] Based on the above configuration, under the combined action of the limiting hole 125, the expansion hole 124, and the support rod 111, when the heating plate 12 expands due to heat, the inner wall of the limiting hole 125 and the outer wall of the support rod 111 can limit the heating plate 12 along the plate surface direction, so as to ensure that the central area of ​​the heating plate 12 does not shift when it expands due to heat. At the same time, the relative movement of the expansion hole 124 and the support rod 111 along the plate surface direction can provide a margin for the expansion of the edge area of ​​the heating plate 12, so that the heating plate 12 can expand around the center while being in a state of free expansion.

[0069] In addition, through the overall synergistic effect of the heating plate 12 and the support assembly 11, it can be ensured that the gap between two adjacent heating plates 12 does not deviate due to abnormal expansion, while also ensuring the consistency of the expansion of multiple heating plates 12 along the plate surface direction.

[0070] To ensure that the radio frequency signal does not leak abnormally to the inner surface of the process chamber 5, the carrier boat 1 may also include a shielding plate 131, as shown in FIG14. The shielding plate 131 is located on the side of the outermost heating plate 12 away from the other heating plates 12, and is used to shield the radio frequency signal. In some embodiments, the shielding plate 131 may be disposed on the outer surface of the heating plate 12 at the top of the carrier boat 1, or on the outer surface of the heating plate 12 at the bottom of the carrier boat 1, or simultaneously on the outer surfaces of the top heating plate 12 and the bottom heating plate 12 of the carrier boat 1.

[0071] Based on the above configuration, the heating plate 12 can be separated from the inner surface of the process chamber 5 by the shielding plate 131, thereby shielding the radio frequency signal and preventing the radio frequency signal from leaking to the inner surface of the process chamber 5.

[0072] In some more specific embodiments, the layer structure of the carrier boat 1 can be a stacked shielding plate 131, multiple heating plates 12 and shielding plate 131 to form a layer stack structure, and the layer stack structure is supported and fixed by the support component 11.

[0073] The shielding plate 131 can be installed to the outer surface of the outermost heating plate 12 by screws.

[0074] Furthermore, the carrier boat 1 may also include a shielding strip 132, which surrounds the side of the heating plate 12 to shield radio frequency signals. Based on this arrangement, the problem of radio frequency signals leaking from the edge of the heating plate 12 to the inner surface of the process chamber 5 can be effectively mitigated by the surrounding of the shielding strip 132.

[0075] In some specific embodiments, the shielding strip 132 can be disposed in the edge region of the shielding plate 131 to form a concave cavity, and the heating plate 12 is embedded in the concave cavity, thereby isolating the surface and edge of the outermost heating plate 12 of the carrier boat 1 to prevent leakage of radio frequency signals to the inner surface of the process chamber 5. In some embodiments, the shielding strip 132 surrounding the outermost heating plate 12 can be fixedly connected to the shielding plate 131. Of course, the shielding strip 132 and the shielding plate 131 can also be an integral structure.

[0076] In some embodiments, the shielding strip 132 may include multiple shielding units, which are sequentially connected to form the entire shielding strip 132. In some embodiments, adjacent shielding units may be connected in a labyrinthine overlapping manner. It should be noted that the labyrinthine overlapping manner can be a connection method of protrusions and grooves, or a step-fitting connection method, etc.

[0077] In some embodiments, the two outer heating plates 12 of the plurality of heating plates 12 can both be grounded electrode plates 12b, that is, the heating plates 12 located at the top and bottom layers of the carrier boat 1 can both be grounded electrode plates 12b. This arrangement can effectively avoid the situation where the top and bottom layers of the carrier boat 1 are radio frequency electrode plates 12a and generate radio frequency loops with the inner surface of the process chamber 5, thereby alleviating the problem that radio frequency power cannot be properly released to the inter-plate of the heating plates 12.

[0078] In addition, by distributing the components according to the ground-RF-ground distribution method, the ground electrode plate 12b and the process chamber 5 can be separated to achieve controllable multi-layer RF circuits, forming a quasi-dual-ground RF configuration. This allows the ground electrode plate 12b and the process chamber 5 to have different potentials. Furthermore, the RF circuit can be adjusted to allow the RF signal to be transmitted along the plates of the carrier boat 1, thus satisfying the requirement for controllable power distribution under multi-layer RF circuits.

[0079] In some embodiments, within the carrier boat 1, the potential difference between the radio frequency electrode plate 12a and the ground electrode plate 12b is greater than the potential difference between the ground electrode plate 12b and the process chamber 5. In applications where deposition processes are performed on the chamber, the electric field energy can be effectively confined within the space between adjacent heating plates 12, which is beneficial for forming a stable and uniform plasma within this space, thereby optimizing the process effect. Simultaneously, it can suppress the diffusion of plasma to the inner wall of the process chamber 5, improving process uniformity and protecting the chamber components.

[0080] In other embodiments, within the carrier boat 1, the potential difference between the radio frequency electrode plate 12a and the ground electrode plate 12b is less than the potential difference between the ground electrode plate 12b and the process chamber 5. In applications such as cleaning the chamber, this allows for the generation of more plasma between the ground electrode plate 12b and the inner wall of the process chamber 5, effectively extending the plasma cleaning area to the entire interior of the chamber. This enables in-situ cleaning of structural components such as the inner wall of the process chamber 5 and the outer surface of the heating plate 12, solving the problem of difficult removal of deposited films outside the reaction area in conventional processes.

[0081] In addition, the radio frequency signal can be isolated by the shielding plate 131 so that the radio frequency circuit is independent of the process chamber 5, thereby increasing the controllability of multi-layer power distribution.

[0082] In some more specific embodiments, the carrier boat 1 may include three heating plates 12, with two substrate spacings, denoted as the first layer spacing and the second layer spacing, respectively. Assuming that due to processing errors, thermal expansion, or other factors, the first layer spacing is 15mm and the second layer spacing is 20mm, the impedance of the second layer is higher than that of the first layer due to the change in electrode plate spacing. When the RF power output (the RF power output mode can be voltage output mode or current output mode) is 1000W, here we use voltage output mode for illustration, that is, the voltage between the electrode plates is consistent. At this time, due to the impedance difference between the two layers, the actual power distribution is: 800W for the first layer and 200W for the second layer. At this time, the automatic adjustment circuit of the RF power distribution device (such as a matching device) 6 can automatically adjust the impedance to increase the impedance in the RF loop corresponding to the first layer, thereby achieving a uniform power distribution of 500W between the two layers to meet the power uniformity requirement. It should be noted that the specific structure of the matching device 6 and its RF power distribution principle can refer to known technologies and will not be elaborated in detail here.

[0083] However, in practice, the varying spacing can lead to lower plasma density at the same power level. Since the second layer has a relatively larger spacing, higher power is needed to compensate and maintain process consistency. Therefore, in practice, the impedance of the first layer needs to be further increased to achieve a power distribution of 400W for the first layer and 600W for the second layer. This is achieved by increasing the adjustment coefficient of the matching device 6 through software or hardware. This adjustment coefficient can be obtained through power conversion, i.e., 600 / 400 = 1.5, thus achieving the aforementioned adjustment target. It should be noted that the adjustment coefficient can also be optimized based on other RF parameters (such as plasma density) or by incorporating process film thickness data to form a complete coefficient calculation method. For example, increasing the adjustment coefficient of the matching device 6 through hardware involves changing the connection method of local capacitors, inductors, or circuits, thereby expanding the adjustment range of the matching device 6. Increasing the adjustment coefficient of the matching device 6 through software involves dynamically adjusting based on various detection data such as real-time network current, voltage, and plasma density, thereby increasing the adjustment range of the matching device 6.

[0084] Referring to FIG11, in some embodiments, the carrier boat 1 may further include a positioning component 14 located at the edge region of the heating plate 12 for positioning the carrier plate carried by the heating plate 12 to ensure the positional accuracy of the wafer on the carrier plate.

[0085] In some embodiments, the positioning component 14 may include positioning blocks located on both sides of the receiving space, which can be used to position the two side edges of the wafer.

[0086] The carrier plate is used to hold the wafer (e.g., silicon wafer) and is placed on the heating plate 12.

[0087] In this embodiment of the application, the semiconductor process equipment may include a process chamber 5, the aforementioned carrier boat 1, and an RF feed device 2. The carrier boat 1 is disposed within the process chamber 5, the input terminal of the RF feed device 2 is used to receive the RF signal corresponding to the RF power, and the output terminal of the RF feed device 2 is used to output the RF signal to the carrier boat 1.

[0088] As shown in Figure 15, the RF feed device 2 includes an RF power distribution unit (not shown in the figure), multiple RF feed units 21, and a grounding component 22. The RF power distribution unit is used to distribute RF power to the multiple RF feed units 21. Each RF feed unit 21 may have an RF input terminal and an RF output terminal. The RF input terminal is used to receive RF signals, and the RF output terminal is used to connect to at least one RF electrode plate 12a. The grounding component 22 is used to connect to a grounding electrode plate 12b.

[0089] Based on this configuration, RF power can be input to the RF input terminals of multiple RF feeders 21 through the RF power distribution unit, and the RF power distributed by the RF power distribution unit can be fed into the RF electrode plates 12a of different layers of the carrier boat 1, and the grounding electrode plates 12b of different layers of the carrier boat 1 can be grounded through the grounding component 22.

[0090] Compared to related technologies that use a single feed structure to feed RF power between multiple electrode plates, this application embodiment uses an RF power distribution device to distribute RF power. Multiple RF feeders 21 can feed the distributed RF power to RF electrode plates 12a of different layers separately. This allows the RF power fed to different layers of RF electrode plates 12a to be controlled by the RF power distribution device through multiple different RF feeders 21, thereby achieving inter-layer RF regulation. In some embodiments, the RF power distribution device can adjust the RF power input to different layers of RF electrode plates 12a according to different operating conditions.

[0091] It should be noted that the RF output terminal of each RF feeder 21 can be connected to a group of RF electrode plates 12a. A group may include one or more RF electrode plates 12a. Thus, when a group includes one RF electrode plate 12a, RF power can be fed into the RF electrode plate 12a through the RF feeder 21. When a group includes multiple RF electrode plates 12a, such as two, and adjacent RF electrode plates 12a are separated by a ground electrode plate 12b, in this case, the RF output terminal of each RF feeder 21 can be connected to multiple RF electrode plates 12a respectively, so as to feed RF power into multiple RF electrode plates 12a simultaneously.

[0092] In some embodiments, each RF electrode plate 12a may be connected to at least one RF feeder 21, through which RF power can be fed to each RF electrode plate 12a.

[0093] In some more specific embodiments, each RF electrode plate 12a can be connected to two RF feeders 21, and the two RF feeders 21 are symmetrically arranged in the length direction of the RF electrode plate 12a. That is, the two RF feeders 21 form a dual-point symmetrical arrangement on each RF electrode plate 12a, thereby realizing dual-point feeding, so as to improve the uniformity of RF power distribution on each RF electrode plate 12a.

[0094] In some embodiments, a through hole 126 may be provided in the central region of the RF electrode plate 12a, and the RF feed member 21 is connected to the hole wall of the through hole 126. In this way, a first channel can be formed by the through holes 126 of multiple RF electrode plates 12a, and the RF feed member 21 is located in the first channel to avoid assembly interference between the RF feed member 21 and the RF electrode plate 12a. In addition, RF power can be fed into each RF electrode plate 12a.

[0095] Similarly, a through hole 126 can be provided in the middle region of the grounding electrode plate 12b, and the grounding component 22 is connected to the hole wall of the through hole 126. In this way, a second channel can be formed by the through holes 126 of multiple grounding electrode plates 12b, and the grounding component 22 is located in the second channel to avoid assembly interference between the grounding component 22 and the grounding electrode plate 12b. In addition, the grounding setting of each grounding electrode plate 12b can also be realized.

[0096] In some embodiments, the RF feeder 21 can be fastened to the RF electrode plate 12a with screws to introduce RF power to the surface of the RF electrode plate 12a, and to provide the RF power required for the wafer to react by controlling the potential state of different RF electrode plates 12a. Similarly, the grounding component 22 can also be fastened to the grounding electrode plate 12b with screws to ensure the reliability of grounding.

[0097] In some embodiments, the radio frequency power distribution component may be a matching device 6 with power distribution function or a circuit with power distribution function. In addition, it may be any other component with power distribution function, without specific limitations.

[0098] Referring again to FIG15, in some embodiments, each RF feed 21 may include an RF feed rod 211 and an RF feed block 212. The RF feed rod 211 includes an RF input terminal; exemplarily, one end of the RF feed rod 211 is the RF input terminal. Additionally, the RF feed block 212 may include an RF output terminal.

[0099] The RF feed block 212 is connected to the RF feed rod 211, and the RF feed block 212 is used to connect to at least one RF electrode plate 12a.

[0100] Based on the above configuration, radio frequency signals can be received through the radio frequency feed rod 211 and transmitted to the radio frequency feed block 212. Finally, the radio frequency signals are transmitted to at least one radio frequency electrode plate 12a through the radio frequency feed block 212, so as to form a radio frequency environment between the radio frequency electrode plate 12a and the ground electrode plate 12b.

[0101] In some embodiments, the RF feed block 212 may include an RF output terminal, which is connected to the RF electrode plate 12a one-to-one, so as to feed RF power to the corresponding RF electrode plate 12a through the RF feed block 212; of course, the RF feed block 212 may also include multiple RF output terminals, so as to feed RF power to multiple RF electrode plates 12a through multiple RF output terminals respectively.

[0102] In some more specific embodiments, radio frequency feeders 21 can be connected to the opposite ends of the through holes 126 of the radio frequency electrode plate 12a, so as to feed radio frequency power into the radio frequency electrode plate 12a from both sides, which is beneficial to improve the uniformity of radio frequency power feed into the radio frequency electrode plate 12a.

[0103] Correspondingly, the two opposite ends of the through hole 126 of the grounding electrode plate 12b can be connected to the grounding component 22 respectively, so as to improve the uniformity of grounding through the grounding component 22.

[0104] In some embodiments, the interlayer spacing of the plurality of heating plates 12 in the carrier boat 1 is not entirely the same. Specifically, the interlayer spacing between the radio frequency electrode plate 12a and the ground electrode plate 12b is not entirely the same. The plurality of interlayer spacings may include a first interlayer spacing and a second interlayer spacing, wherein the first interlayer spacing is greater than the second interlayer spacing.

[0105] It should be noted that, considering the consistency difference in the interlayer spacing of different heating plates 12 due to assembly or process usage, that is, when the interlayer spacing of different heating plates 12 is different, it will lead to differences in the radio frequency environment such as plasma density between different layers. In other words, under the same radio frequency power, the plasma density in different interlayer spacings is different, which will lead to differences in the process effect between different layers.

[0106] Based on the above, in this embodiment, the RF power distribution device can at least be used to distribute RF power to the corresponding RF electrode plate 12a according to the first layer spacing and the second layer spacing. That is, under the action of the RF power distribution device (e.g., matching unit 6), compensation adjustment is performed through a layered adjustment network. Specifically, according to the difference in layer spacing, the RF power distribution device adaptively adjusts the feed RF power of the corresponding RF electrode plate 12a, making the RF power between different layers basically consistent, so as to achieve consistent process effects between different layers. Of course, the RF power distribution device can also distribute RF power to the corresponding RF electrode plate 12a according to other RF parameters, such as plasma density.

[0107] Specifically, the RF power supplied to the RF feeder 21 connected to the RF electrode plate 12a corresponding to the first layer spacing is less than the RF power supplied to the RF feeder 21 connected to the RF electrode plate 12a corresponding to the second layer spacing. Based on this, the plasma density at the first and second layer spacings can be adjusted accordingly, thereby eliminating consistency differences between different layers and achieving consistent process effects between different layers.

[0108] For example, when the interlayer spacing is large, the plasma density is low. In this case, the radio frequency power of the radio frequency electrode plate 12a corresponding to the interlayer spacing can be appropriately increased to improve the plasma density. Conversely, when the interlayer spacing is small, the plasma density is high. In this case, the radio frequency power of the radio frequency electrode plate 12a corresponding to the interlayer spacing can be appropriately decreased to reduce the plasma density.

[0109] Furthermore, since the top and bottom heating plates 12 of the carrier boat 1 are close to the inner wall of the process chamber 5 (i.e., there is a chamber gap capacitance), when the RF power increases, the top and bottom heating plates 12 will undergo an ignition discharge reaction with the inner wall of the process chamber 5. This results in some RF power being consumed in the non-reaction area (e.g., when the interlayer power is set to 5KW, the interlayer gap power is 4.5KW). Therefore, the consistency of RF power between different layers can be ensured by individually controlling the amount of RF power fed onto the RF electrode plates 12a between different layers. Specifically, the RF power on the corresponding RF electrode plates 12a of the top and bottom layers can be increased separately, that is, the RF power at the two locations can be allocated to 5.5KW, and the power lost can be kept consistent with the power of other layers.

[0110] Referring to Figures 17, 26, and 27, in some embodiments, the RF feed device 2 may further include multiple RF power adjustment components 23, which are respectively disposed between the RF power distribution component and the corresponding RF feed component 21. Based on this arrangement, the adjusted RF power can be transmitted to the corresponding RF feed component 21 through the multiple RF power adjustment components 23.

[0111] It should be noted that when a group connected to the RF feeder 21 includes one RF electrode plate 12a, the RF power in the RF electrode plate 12a can be adjusted by the RF power adjustment component 23; when a group connected to the RF feeder 21 includes multiple RF electrode plates 12a, the RF power in the multiple RF electrode plates 12a in the group can be adjusted simultaneously by the RF power adjustment component 23.

[0112] In some more specific embodiments, the input terminals of multiple RF power adjustment components 23 are respectively connected to the matching unit 6, and the output terminals of the multiple RF power adjustment components 23 are respectively connected to the corresponding RF feeders 21. Based on this configuration, the RF power distributed by the matching unit 6 can be transmitted to the corresponding RF feeders 21 through the multiple RF power adjustment components 23, and the distributed RF power can be fed into the corresponding RF electrode plates 12a through the RF feeders 21.

[0113] In this embodiment of the application, as shown in FIG17, each RF power adjustment component 23 may include a connecting strip 231, an adjustable capacitor 232, and an adjustable inductor 233. The input end of the connecting strip 231 can be connected to the RF power distributor to receive the RF power distributed by the RF power distributor, and the output end of the connecting strip 231 is correspondingly connected to the RF feeder 21. The adjustable capacitor 232 and the adjustable inductor 233 are respectively connected in the connecting strip 231. Based on this, the RF power distributed by the RF power distributor can be transmitted to the corresponding RF feeder 21 through the connecting strip 231, and by introducing the adjustable capacitor 232 and the adjustable inductor 233 into the connecting strip 231, the RF field transmitted from the RF feeder 21 to the RF electrode plate 12a can be adjusted.

[0114] In some embodiments, the connecting strip 231 may include a main connecting segment 2311 and a plurality of branch connecting segments 2312. The main connecting segment 2311 is used to connect to the RF power distribution component via the connecting post 2313, and each branch connecting segment 2312 is connected to the RF feeder 21. In this way, RF power can be fed into the main connecting segment 2311 via the connecting post 2313 and distributed by the main connecting segment 2311 to the plurality of branch connecting segments 2312. The RF signal is transmitted to the corresponding RF feeder 21 through the plurality of branch connecting segments 2312, and finally fed into the corresponding RF electrode plate 12a through the RF feeder 21.

[0115] Furthermore, each RF power conditioning component 23 may include multiple adjustable capacitors 232 and multiple adjustable inductors 233. The multiple adjustable capacitors 232 are respectively connected to multiple branch connection sections 2312, and the multiple adjustable inductors 233 are respectively connected between the multiple branch connection sections 2312 and the main connection section 2311.

[0116] Based on the above configuration, the adjustable capacitor 232 and the adjustable inductor 233 can be introduced into each branch connection segment 2312 respectively, and the radio frequency field transmitted to the corresponding radio frequency electrode plate 12a by each radio frequency feeder 21 can be adjusted. This allows for the adjustment of the radio frequency power fed into different areas on at least one radio frequency electrode plate 12a in each group, which is beneficial to improving the consistency of radio frequency power within the radio frequency electrode plate 12a.

[0117] In some more specific embodiments, each RF electrode plate 12a can be connected to two symmetrically arranged RF feeders 21. The connecting strip 231 can include two branch connecting segments 2312, which are respectively connected to the two RF feeders 21. Each branch connecting segment 2312 is provided with an adjustable capacitor 232 and an adjustable inductor 233. Based on this arrangement, the magnitude of the RF power transmitted to the two RF feeders 21 can be adjusted by adjusting the size of the adjustable capacitor 232 and the adjustable inductor 233 in each branch connecting segment 2312. This allows for adjustment of the RF power at two points on the RF electrode plate 12a, which is beneficial for improving the consistency of RF power within the RF electrode plate 12a.

[0118] It should be noted here that due to the gas field (i.e., the gas flow rate and pressure are locally uneven, and the high flow rate and low pressure will lead to the local plasma density being low) or temperature field (i.e., the process chamber 5 has an opening, and when the door is opened to pick up and put in the wafer, there are temperature differences, and the low temperature area has a slower reaction speed), there will be differences in the process effect within the electrode plate. Local low pressure, high flow rate, low temperature, etc. will all lead to a slowdown in the process speed. Therefore, radio frequency compensation can be performed by adjusting the dual points, that is, increasing the local radio frequency power within the radio frequency electrode plate 12a, thereby compensating for the inconsistency of the process environment caused by other abnormal operating conditions, and thus adjusting the process consistency within the board.

[0119] Referring to Figure 11, the electrode inductance in the RF circuit is the impedance of the RF electrode plate 12a itself; the RF feed 21, the feed connection assembly 24 described below, and the RF power adjustment assembly 23 together constitute the inductance of the connection bar 231 in the RF circuit.

[0120] Referring to Figures 26 and 27, in some embodiments, the RF feed device 2 may further include a plurality of feed connection components 24, each feed connection component 24 being connected between the RF power adjustment component 23 and the RF feed element 21. Thus, the RF power output by the RF power adjustment component 23 can be transmitted to the RF feed element 21 through the feed connection component 24, and finally transmitted to the corresponding RF electrode plate 12a through the RF feed element 21.

[0121] In some embodiments, the feed connection assembly 24 and the RF feed rod 211 of the RF power adjustment assembly 23 can be connected by a plug-in method to facilitate disassembly and assembly.

[0122] Referring to FIG15, in some embodiments, the grounding assembly 22 may include a grounding feed rod 221, a first grounding feed block 222, and a plurality of second grounding feed blocks 223. The grounding feed rod 221 is used for grounding. The first grounding feed block 222 may extend along the stacking direction of the carrier boat 1 and is connected to the grounding feed rod 221. The plurality of second grounding feed blocks 223 may be spaced apart along the stacking direction, and are respectively connected to the first grounding feed block 222. The plurality of second grounding feed blocks 223 are respectively used to connect to a plurality of grounding electrode plates 12b.

[0123] Based on the above configuration, each grounding electrode plate 12b can be connected to the first grounding feed block 222 through the corresponding second grounding feed block 223 and grounded through the grounding feed rod 221, thereby realizing the grounding configuration of each grounding electrode plate 12b.

[0124] Referring to Figure 18, the RF feed rod 211 and the RF feed block 212 together form the connecting strip inductance in the RF circuit; the electrode inductance in the RF circuit is the impedance of the RF electrode plate 12a itself. The first ground feed block 222, the second ground feed block 223, and the ground feed rod 221 together form the connecting strip inductance in the grounding circuit; the electrode inductance in the grounding circuit is the impedance of the ground electrode plate 12b itself, and the cavity gap capacitance is the gap capacitance formed between the ground electrode plate 12b and the inner wall of the process chamber 5.

[0125] Referring to Figure 19, in some embodiments, the feed connection assembly 24 may include a feed connection component 241, an isolation component 242, and a sealing component 243. The feed connection component 241 is disposed on the cavity wall of the process chamber 5. Its input end is used to connect to the RF power distribution component, and its output end extends into the process chamber 5 and connects to the corresponding RF feed component 21. The sealing component 243 is disposed on the outside of the cavity wall and sleeved around the outer periphery of the feed connection component 241 to seal the gap between the feed connection component 241 and the cavity wall. The isolation component 242 is disposed outside the process chamber 5 and sleeved around the outer periphery of the feed connection component 241, and abuts against the sealing component 243.

[0126] In some embodiments, the feed connection component 241 may include an electrode adapter that can be fixedly connected to the radio frequency power adjustment component 23 by screws. Specifically, the electrode adapter can be fixedly connected to the connecting strip 231.

[0127] The feed connection component 241 may further include a feed electrode rod, an electrode feed head, and a flexible plug ring. One end of the feed electrode rod is connected to the electrode adapter, and the other end of the feed electrode rod is connected to the electrode feed head. The flexible plug ring is elastically connected to the electrode feed head and the radio frequency feed component 21. By using the flexible plug ring, the preload between the electrode feed head and the radio frequency feed component 21 can be increased to increase the tightness of the connection and improve conductivity.

[0128] In some embodiments, the feed electrode rod can be made of a material with low thermal expansion, good structural rigidity, and good electrical conductivity to ensure the mechanical and electrical properties of the structure at high temperatures. For example, the feed electrode rod can be made of 304 stainless steel.

[0129] Considering that the electrode feed head is located at the edge of the reaction area within the process chamber 5, in order to mitigate corrosion of the electrode feed head, the electrode feed head can be made of a corrosion-resistant material. For example, the electrode feed head can be made of 6061 aluminum alloy.

[0130] Based on the above configuration, external radio frequency power can be introduced into the radio frequency electrode plate 12a through the radio frequency power adjustment component 23, electrode adapter, feed electrode rod, electrode feed head, flexible plug ring and radio frequency feed component 21 in sequence.

[0131] In addition, the isolation and sealing between the above-mentioned feed-in components can be achieved by the isolation component 242 and the sealing component 243 to ensure the signal isolation and sealing effect.

[0132] Considering that during the operation of the semiconductor process equipment, the heating plate 12 (which may be the RF electrode plate 12a or the ground electrode plate 12b) will generate RF signals. However, the RF signals will be transmitted along the metal sleeve 1232, posing a risk of RF power leakage to the process chamber 5. Based on this situation, the semiconductor process equipment in this embodiment may further include an RF isolation device 3, which blocks the RF signals to prevent RF power from leaking from the metal sleeve 1232 to the sidewall of the process chamber 5.

[0133] As shown in Figure 21, the radio frequency isolation device 3 may include a first isolation component 31, which blocks the leakage of radio frequency signals from the metal sleeve 1232. The first isolation component 31 may include an isolation ring 311, which is adapted to the shape of the metal sleeve 1232 and connected to it. This isolation ring blocks the transmission of radio frequency signals from the heating plate 12 through the metal sleeve 1232, effectively providing radio frequency isolation and preventing radio frequency power leakage.

[0134] For example, the isolation ring 311 can be a ceramic ring, or other materials, which are not specifically limited here; in addition, the isolation ring 311 can be fixedly connected to the metal sleeve 1232, such as by welding or bonding, to ensure the sealing of the connection.

[0135] In this embodiment, after the isolation ring 311 is connected to the metal sleeve 1232, the heating wire core 1231 can be led to the isolation ring 311, and the inside is filled with an insulating layer 1233. That is, the transmission path of the radio frequency signal to the metal sleeve 1232 is disconnected by the isolation ring 311, thereby avoiding leakage of radio frequency power. It should be noted that since the heating element 123 is integrally drawn and formed, the isolation ring 311 can be manufactured separately from the heating element 123, and then connected to the metal sleeve 1232 by subsequent connection (e.g., welding).

[0136] In this embodiment, the isolation ring 311 is connected to the metal sleeve 1232 of the heating element 123, so that the isolation ring 311 can block the radio frequency signal transmitted from the heating plate 12 to the metal sleeve 1232, thereby effectively reducing the risk of radio frequency power leakage from the metal sleeve 1232 on the heating plate 12 and ensuring the normal release of radio frequency power.

[0137] In some embodiments, the isolation ring 311 may be disposed at one end of the heating element 123 and connected to the end face of the metal sleeve 1232. In this way, the radio frequency signal can be effectively blocked from the end face of the metal sleeve 1232, and radio frequency power leakage can be prevented.

[0138] In other embodiments, the isolation ring 311 may be disposed between one end of the heating element 123 and the edge of the heating plate 12, and divide the metal sleeve 1232 into two parts in the axial direction. In this way, the radio frequency power can be effectively blocked from being transmitted from one part of the metal sleeve 1232 to the other part, thereby effectively preventing the radio frequency signal from being transmitted and thus preventing the radio frequency signal from leaking.

[0139] In this embodiment of the application, the connection between the isolation ring 311 and the metal sleeve 1232 can achieve both the flexibility of metal (the flexibility can resist the bending of the cable due to thermal expansion) and the effect of non-metallic blocking of radio frequency signals.

[0140] Referring again to FIG21, in some embodiments, the isolation ring 311 may include a metal ring 3111 and a non-metal ring 3112. The metal ring 3111 is connected to the metal sleeve 1232, and the metal ring 3111 is connected to at least one axial end of the non-metal ring 3112. In some embodiments, one end of the non-metal ring 3112 may be connected to the metal ring 3111, and this metal ring 3111 may be connected to the metal sleeve 1232; alternatively, both axial ends of the non-metal ring 3112 may be connected to the metal ring 3111, and the metal ring 3111 at one axial end may be connected to the metal sleeve 1232.

[0141] Based on the above setup, the non-metallic ring 3112 can be used to block radio frequency signals and prevent radio frequency power leakage.

[0142] Furthermore, one of the non-metallic ring 3112 and the metal ring 3111 may have a connecting groove 31121 at its shaft end, and the other may have a connecting protrusion 31111 at its shaft end, with the connecting protrusion 31111 engaging with the connecting groove 31121. This arrangement ensures the reliability of the connection between the metal ring 3111 and the non-metallic ring 3112.

[0143] In addition, welding can be performed at the connection between the connecting protrusion 31111 and the connecting groove 31121 to further improve the connection reliability.

[0144] In some more specific embodiments, the two shaft ends of the non-metallic ring 3112 are respectively provided with connecting protrusions 31111, and the two metal rings 3111 are respectively provided with connecting grooves 31121, so that the two metal rings 3111 can be respectively assembled to the two shaft ends of the non-metallic ring 3112.

[0145] Considering that the carrier boat 1 is located in the process chamber 5, and the heating element 123 extends from the heating plate 12 and extends into the process chamber 5, plasma in the process chamber 5 may invade the heating element 123 during the process. Based on this, the first isolation assembly 31 may further include a first protective sleeve 312, which connects the isolation ring 311 and the carrier boat 1, and is fitted over the outside of the metal sleeve 1232 to block plasma. In some embodiments, when the isolation ring 311 is located at the end of the metal sleeve 1232, the first protective sleeve 312 may be fitted over the outside of the metal sleeve 1232, and one end of the first protective sleeve 312 is connected to the isolation ring 311; when the isolation ring 311 is located in the middle of the metal sleeve 1232, the first protective sleeve 312 may be fitted over the outside of the metal sleeve 1232, and simultaneously, the first protective sleeve 312 is also fitted over the outside of the isolation ring 311.

[0146] Based on the above settings, the first protective sleeve 312 can effectively protect the heating element 123 from plasma intrusion and reduce the safety risk of low-vacuum arcing at the positive and negative charged terminals.

[0147] In some embodiments, the first protective sleeve 312 may be made of ceramic material. Of course, other materials that can isolate plasma may also be used, without specific limitations here.

[0148] Considering that the adapter wire 16 connected to the heating wire core 1231 of the heating element 123 is located in the process chamber 5, the plasma in the process chamber 5 may also invade the adapter wire 16. Based on this situation, the isolation device may further include a second isolation component 32, which protects the adapter wire 16.

[0149] Specifically, the second isolation component 32 is disposed on the outside of the adapter wire 16 to prevent plasma from intruding into the adapter wire 16. In addition, one end of the second isolation component 32 is connected to the first isolation component 31 to protect the connection between the adapter wire 16 and the heating wire core 1231.

[0150] Referring again to Figure 21, the second isolation component 32 may further include a first pressing block 33, which is connected to the other end of the second isolation component 32 and is connected to the heating plate 12 by a locking member 45. Thus, under the locking action of the locking member 45, the first pressing block 33 can press the second isolation component 32, and the second isolation component 32 can press the first isolation component 31, thereby ensuring that the first isolation component 31 and the second isolation component 32 are reliably installed on the heating plate 12.

[0151] The second isolation component 32 includes a second protective sleeve 321, a fourth protective sleeve 323, and a third protective sleeve 322 arranged sequentially. The second protective sleeve 321 is fitted over the outside of the connection point between the adapter wire 16 and the heating wire core 1231 to protect this connection point and prevent plasma intrusion. The third protective sleeve 322 is fitted over the outside of the connection point between the adapter wire 16 and the cable 17 to protect this connection point and prevent plasma intrusion. The fourth protective sleeve 323 is fitted over the outside of the area between the two ends of the adapter wire 16 to protect this area and prevent plasma intrusion.

[0152] In some embodiments, the second protective sleeve 321, the fourth protective sleeve 323, and the third protective sleeve 322 can be fixedly connected in sequence, such as by welding, bonding, or detachable connection; of course, the second protective sleeve 321, the fourth protective sleeve 323, and the third protective sleeve 322 can also be an integral structure.

[0153] In some embodiments, the lead-out end of the heating wire core 1231 of each heating plate 12 extends along the surface direction of the heating plate 12, such that the total length of the heating wire core 1231, the adapter wire 16, and the cable 17 corresponding to the plurality of heating plates 12 is equal. Based on this arrangement, the extension direction of the heating wire core 1231, the adapter wire 16, and the cable 17 corresponding to each heating plate 12 can be parallel to the heating plate 12, thereby avoiding any impact on the airflow resistance between the heating plates 12. Furthermore, since the total length is equal, the radio frequency intertwining arcing phenomenon caused by abnormal bending due to unequal total lengths of the heating wire core 1231, the adapter wire 16, and the cable 17 corresponding to different layers of heating plates 12 can be effectively avoided.

[0154] In some specific embodiments, the heating wire core 1231 can be led out from the tail end of the heating plate 12. This position does not affect the airflow resistance between the heating plates 12, and this position is also aligned with the vacuum port of the process chamber 5. Thus, during the vacuuming process, the heating wire core 1231, the adapter wire 16, and the cable 17 will not obstruct the airflow. In some embodiments, the heating wire core 1231 can be led out towards a side wall of the process chamber 5, and correspondingly, the vacuum port can be set on this side wall to achieve a matching position.

[0155] To accommodate the arrangement of the heating wire core 1231, the adapter wire 16, and the cable 17, in this embodiment, the first isolation component 31 and the second isolation component 32 can both extend along the surface direction of the corresponding heating plate 12 and be sleeved on the outside of the corresponding metal sleeve 1232 and the adapter wire 16, thereby effectively alleviating the problem of gas flow resistance to the gas in the process chamber 5 caused by the first isolation component 31 and the second isolation component 32.

[0156] Referring to Figure 23, in some embodiments, the carrier boat 1 may further include a thermocouple 15, the detection end of which is disposed on the heating plate 12 for detecting the temperature of the heating plate 12. Furthermore, the thermocouple 15 extends outward from the heating plate 12, and the end of the thermocouple 15 facing away from the heating plate 12 extends outside the process chamber 5 to facilitate signal connection with a signal receiving device, thereby enabling the reading of the temperature of the heating plate 12. In some embodiments, the thermocouple 15 may also be led out of the process chamber 5 via a cable 17 to facilitate connection with a signal receiving device.

[0157] In some embodiments, thermocouple 15 may include a thermocouple core, an outer sheath, and a thermocouple insulating material located between the thermocouple core and the outer sheath, wherein the outer sheath may be an armored metal tube or the like.

[0158] Considering the high temperature inside the process chamber 5 and the fact that the thermocouple 15 is located at the edge of the plasma reaction area, in order to avoid interference with the thermocouple 15 signal by the plasma, or even damage to the thermocouple 15, the isolation device in this embodiment may further include a third isolation component 34, as shown in FIG23. The third isolation component 34 is located on the outside of the thermocouple 15, isolating the plasma outside the thermocouple 15, thereby effectively preventing the plasma from invading the thermocouple 15 and affecting the thermocouple 15 signal, or causing damage to the thermocouple 15; at the same time, the third isolation component 34 can also isolate the thermocouple 15 from the heating plate 12, effectively preventing the radio frequency signal on the heating plate 12 from being transmitted to the thermocouple 15 and leaking into the process chamber 5 through the thermocouple 15.

[0159] In some embodiments, the third isolation component 34 includes a fifth protective sleeve 341, a sixth protective sleeve 342, and a second pressure block 343. The fifth protective sleeve 341 is fitted around the outer periphery and end of the thermocouple 15 located on the heating plate 12, thereby isolating the end of the thermocouple 15 located on the heating plate 12 from the heating plate 12 at its outer periphery and end, respectively, thus blocking radio frequency signals. In some embodiments, the fifth protective sleeve 341 may be made of a ceramic material, such as aluminum nitride, which has good thermal conductivity.

[0160] The second pressure block 343 is connected to the heating plate 12 via the locking member 45. The fifth protective member is located between the second pressure block 343 and the heating plate 12. Thus, under the locking action of the locking member 45, the fifth protective sleeve 341 can be installed onto the heating plate 12 via the second pressure block 343, ensuring the reliability of the installation.

[0161] The sixth protective sleeve 342 is fitted on the outside of the thermocouple 15 and docks with the second pressure block 343. In this way, the sixth protective sleeve 342 can protect the outside of the thermocouple 15 to prevent plasma in the process chamber 5 from entering the thermocouple 15. Furthermore, the sixth protective sleeve 342 can be installed through the second pressure block 343.

[0162] In some embodiments, the fifth protective sleeve 341 and the second pressure block 343 are slidably connected in the extending direction of the thermocouple 15, so that the fifth protective sleeve 341 can move relative to the second pressure block 343. Further, the third isolation assembly 34 may also include an elastic member 344 and a limiting member 345, wherein the limiting member 345 is connected to the thermocouple 15 or the fifth protective sleeve 341, and the elastic member 344 elastically connects the limiting member 345 and the second pressure block 343. Thus, under the elastic force of the elastic member 344, a pre-tightening force can be generated, which is transmitted to the thermocouple 15 or the fifth protective sleeve 341 through the limiting member 345, thereby ensuring the connection stability between the thermocouple 15 and the heating plate 12.

[0163] In some embodiments, the limiting member 345 can be fixedly connected to the thermocouple 15 so that the thermocouple 15 and the fifth protective sleeve 341 can be in close contact with the heating plate 12 under the elastic force of the elastic member 344, so as to ensure the reliability and stability of the connection.

[0164] Considering the potential thermal expansion of the carrier boat 1, which would drag the thermocouple 15, the sixth protective sleeve 342 can include multiple sequentially arranged kit units 3421. Adjacent kit units 3421 can be slidably connected along the extension direction of the thermocouple 15, thus forming a multi-level series structure. This arrangement ensures that when the carrier boat 1 undergoes thermal expansion, adjacent kit units 3421 can slide relative to each other, providing flexibility to the sixth protective sleeve while maintaining plasma isolation to prevent plasma from intruding into the thermocouple 15 and affecting temperature detection accuracy. For example, the connection between adjacent kit units 3421 can employ a labyrinth structure design to ensure both flexibility and isolation while allowing for mutual sliding.

[0165] In other embodiments, one end of the sixth protective sleeve 342 and the second pressure block 343 can be slidably connected along the extension direction of the thermocouple 15. Based on this, when the carrier boat 1 undergoes thermal expansion, the sixth protective sleeve 342 and the second pressure block 343 can also slide relative to each other to form a flexible effect to adapt to the thermal expansion effect.

[0166] Referring to FIG26, in some embodiments, the semiconductor process apparatus may further include a filter 35, which is connected to the heating element 123 and the thermocouple 15 via cables 17. The filter 35 is used to process radio frequency signals leaked through the cables 17 to isolate high-frequency signals in the cables 17.

[0167] In some embodiments, the filter 35 can be fixed to a filter housing with screws. The filter housing serves as a radio frequency isolation protection for the filter 35 and also acts as a mounting bracket. It can be fixed to the side wall of the process chamber 5 with screws and also serves to support the filter 35.

[0168] Based on the above settings, if the radio frequency signal on the heating plate 12 leaks to the heating element 123 and the thermocouple 15, it can be transmitted to the filter 35 through their respective cables 17. The filter 35 filters the high-frequency signal in the radio frequency signal to deal with the safety risk of complex high-frequency signals leaking outside the process chamber 5 through the cable 17, and can also mitigate the impact of high-frequency signals on power supply performance.

[0169] In some embodiments, the semiconductor process equipment may further include a process chamber 5 and a sealing device 4. The carrier boat 1 and the radio frequency isolation device 3 are both disposed within the process chamber 5, and the heating element 123 and the thermocouple 15 extend to the outside of the process chamber 5 via cables 17.

[0170] To prevent radio frequency (RF) signals from the heating plate 12 from being transmitted outside the process chamber 5 via cables 17 connected to the heating element 123 and thermocouple 15, thus causing RF power leakage, in this embodiment, a sealing device 4 is sealed between the cable 17 and the side wall of the process chamber 5. Based on this arrangement, the sealing device 4 can block the RF signals, preventing them from leaking outside the process chamber 5 via the cable 17 and causing safety risks.

[0171] Referring to FIG24, in some embodiments, the sealing device 4 may include a mounting component 41, a third pressure block 42, a top block 43, an isolation sleeve 44, and a locking member 45. The mounting component 41 is connected to the side wall of the process chamber 5, the side wall of the process chamber 5 having a mounting hole. The isolation sleeve 44 is movably disposed on the mounting component 41, and at least a portion of the isolation sleeve 44 is disposed in the mounting hole. The third pressure block 42 is movably disposed on the mounting component 41 and abuts against the isolation sleeve 44. The top block 43 is connected to the mounting component 41 via the locking member 45 and abuts against the third pressure block 42. The cable 17 passes through the mounting component 41 and the third pressure block 42 and exits the process chamber 5.

[0172] In some embodiments, the mounting component 41 can be fixed to the side wall of the process chamber 5 by screws; the isolation sleeve 44 can be located between the mounting component 41 and the side wall of the process chamber 5 and can move relative to the mounting component 41. At the same time, the mounting component 41 can also limit the isolation sleeve 44 to prevent the isolation sleeve 44 from dislodging from the process mounting hole.

[0173] The top block 43 can be locked to the mounting component 41 by the locking member 45, and the top block 43 presses against the third pressure block 42, thereby pressing against the isolation sleeve 44 by the third pressure block 42, thus ensuring that the isolation sleeve 44 can be reliably connected to the side wall of the process chamber 5.

[0174] In some embodiments, the isolation sleeve 44 may be made of ceramic material, and the top block 43 may be made of resin, ceramic or other materials that can isolate radio frequency signals.

[0175] In some embodiments, the sealing device 4 may further include a first seal 46, a second seal 47, and a third seal 48. The first seal 46 is sealed between the isolation sleeve 44 and the side wall of the process chamber 5, thus sealing the space between the isolation sleeve 44 and the side wall of the process chamber 5 to prevent high-frequency signals from leaking outwards from the side wall of the process chamber 5 via the cable 17. The second seal 47 is sealed between the mounting component 41 and the isolation sleeve 44, ensuring that the isolation sleeve 44 and the mounting component 41 do not come into contact, effectively preventing the isolation sleeve 44 from being crushed. The third seal 48 is sealed between the third pressure block 42 and the isolation sleeve 44, serving both as a seal to block signals and as a buffer.

[0176] It should be noted that the first seal 46, the second seal 47 and the third seal 48 can all be in a certain compressed state to form a certain pre-tight sealing effect.

[0177] Based on the aforementioned carrier boat 1, this application also discloses a semiconductor process apparatus, which includes a process chamber 5, a carrier boat 1, a matching unit 6, an RF feed-in device 2, and an RF isolation device 3. The carrier boat 1 is disposed within the process chamber 5 and is used to support a carrier plate on which a wafer is placed, and to provide the thermal and RF environments required for the wafer process. The matching unit 6 is disposed outside the process chamber 5 and connected to an RF power supply for distributing RF power. The RF power adjustment component 23 of the RF feed-in device 2 is disposed outside the process chamber 5 and connected to the matching unit 6. One end of the feed-in connection component 24 is located outside the process chamber 5 and connected to the RF power adjustment component 23, while the other end of the feed-in connection component 24 is located inside the process chamber 5 and connected to the RF feed-in device 2. The RF feed-in device 2 is disposed inside the process chamber 5 and connected to a heating plate 12. Based on this setup, the RF signal output by the RF power supply is first matched by the matching unit 6 for power adjustment as needed. The RF signal corresponding to the adjusted RF power is then sent to the RF power adjustment component 23 to distribute the RF signal on a single RF electrode plate 12a, thereby achieving consistency of RF power within the layer. The distributed RF power is then transmitted to the RF feeder 21 via the feed connection component 24. Multiple RF feeders 21 feed the RF signal corresponding to the RF power adjusted by the matching unit 6 to different RF electrode plates 12a, thereby generating RF signals between the RF electrode plate 12a and the adjacent ground electrode plate 12b, thus providing an RF environment for the wafer process.

[0178] It should be noted that the RF power distribution on a single RF electrode plate 12a can be achieved through the RF power adjustment component 23, i.e., intra-layer RF power distribution; and the RF power distribution on multiple different RF electrode plates 12a can be achieved through the matching unit 6, i.e., inter-layer RF power distribution.

[0179] In addition, the radio frequency isolation device 3 can isolate the radio frequency signal to prevent the radio frequency power on the carrier boat 1 from leaking into the process chamber 5 and causing abnormal radio frequency power. It can also block the plasma in the process chamber 5 to prevent the plasma from damaging components such as the cable 17, the adapter wire 16, and the thermocouple 15, or affecting the detection accuracy of the thermocouple 15.

[0180] The process chamber 5 and the aforementioned carrier boat 1 are included. The carrier boat 1 is located within the process chamber 5, and the potential of the grounding electrode plate 12b within the carrier boat 1 differs from the potential of the process chamber 5. Based on this, the radio frequency (RF) circuit can be adjusted to allow RF signals to be transmitted along the plates of the carrier boat 1, enabling controllable RF signal distribution in multi-layer RF circuits.

[0181] To transfer the wafer carrier to and remove the carrier from the carrier boat 1, the semiconductor process equipment in this embodiment may further include a pick-and-place device 7, as shown in FIG11. This pick-and-place device 7 may include an execution component, a power component, and a sealing component. The execution component may be fixed to the power component and the sealing component via screws; the power component may include a cylinder, motor, or other drive mechanism to achieve vertical movement of the execution component; the sealing component may use a sliding sealing method such as a bellows seal.

[0182] As shown in Figure 12, in some embodiments, the execution component may include a pick-and-place member 71, which may be provided with inclined guide surfaces on both sides to position the carrier plate in the left and right directions during the pick-and-place action, so as to ensure that the position of the carrier plate in the left and right directions is basically without deviation.

[0183] In addition, the actuator can be connected to a robotic arm, which can drive the actuator to move horizontally and lift vertically to pick up and place the carrier plate.

[0184] In some embodiments, the pick-and-place member 71 may be provided with a fixed ramp, which can limit the support plate it supports to ensure that the support plate does not move arbitrarily relative to the pick-and-place member 71 during the movement.

[0185] In addition, the front and rear ramps of the positioning block of the positioning component 14 can be used to position the carrier plate in the front and rear directions to ensure that the position of the carrier plate in the front and rear directions is basically without deviation.

[0186] As shown in Figure 25, in some embodiments, the carrier boat 1 may further include a lifting assembly 18, which is used to lift the carrier plate. The lifting assembly 18 may include a lifting component and a lifting bracket. The lifting component may be electrically driven, pneumatically driven, hydraulically driven, etc. The lifting component is connected to the lifting bracket to drive the lifting bracket to lift and lower, and the lifting bracket drives the carrier plate to lift and lower between the heating plates 12.

[0187] To facilitate the loading and unloading of the carrier plate, the side of the carrier boat 1 may also be provided with a notch so that the execution component can smoothly enter and exit the carrier boat 1.

[0188] In this embodiment, the carrier plate can be placed on the lifting assembly 18 by the pick-and-place device 7, and the carrier plate is lowered by the lifting assembly 18 to approach the heating plate 12. At this time, heating can be started, and plasma can be generated between adjacent heating plates 12 to meet the temperature and radio frequency environment required by the process. After the reaction is completed, the lifting assembly 18 raises the carrier plate, the pick-and-place device 7 removes the carrier plate from the lifting assembly, and moves it out of the carrier boat 1.

[0189] 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 carrier boat, characterized in that, include: Support assembly (11) and multiple heating plates (12); The plurality of heating plates (12) are stacked on the support assembly (11), and there is a receiving space between two adjacent heating plates (12); The plurality of heating plates (12) include at least one radio frequency electrode plate (12a) and at least one ground electrode plate (12b), the radio frequency electrode plate (12a) and the ground electrode plate (12b) being alternately arranged.

2. The carrier boat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heating plate (12) includes a metal plate and a heating element (123) embedded in the metal plate and insulated from the metal plate.

3. The carrier boat according to claim 2, characterized in that, The metal plate includes a first plate (121) and a second plate (122) stacked together; the first plate (121) has a groove on the side facing the second plate (122), and / or the second plate (122) has a groove on the side facing the first plate (121); The heating element (123) is located within the groove.

4. The carrier boat according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The distribution density of the heating element (123) in the region near the edge of the heating plate (12) is greater than that in the region near the center of the heating plate (12).

5. The carrier boat according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The heating element (123) includes a heating wire core (1231), a metal sleeve (1232), and an insulating layer (1233); The insulating layer (1233) is wrapped around the outside of the heating wire core (1231), and the metal sleeve (1232) is fitted over the outside of the insulating layer (1233).

6. The carrier boat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support assembly (11) includes multiple support rods (111), multiple support sleeves (112), and fasteners (113); The heating plate (12) is provided with multiple guide holes; The support rod (111) is sequentially inserted through the guide holes at corresponding positions of the plurality of heating plates (12); The outer side of the support rod (111) is fitted with a plurality of support sleeves (112), and the support sleeves (112) are supported between two adjacent heating plates (12); The fasteners (113) are fastened to both ends of the support rod (111) to limit the two outermost heating plates (12) among the plurality of heating plates (12).

7. The carrier boat according to claim 6, characterized in that, The heating plate (12) has a central region and an edge region surrounding the central region. The plurality of guide holes include a plurality of limiting holes (125) and a plurality of expansion holes (124). The plurality of expansion holes (124) are located in the edge region, and the plurality of limiting holes (125) are located in the central region. The expansion hole (124) is an elongated hole.

8. The carrier boat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier boat (1) also includes shielding plates (131) located on the side of the two outermost heating plates (12) away from the other heating plates (12), the shielding plates (131) being used to shield radio frequency signals.

9. The carrier boat according to claim 8, characterized in that, The carrier boat (1) also includes a shielding strip (132) arranged around the side of the heating plate (12), the shielding strip (132) being used to shield radio frequency signals.

10. The carrier boat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two outermost heating plates (12) of the plurality of heating plates (12) are both ground electrode plates (12b).

11. The carrier boat according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carrier boat (1) also includes a positioning component (14) located in the edge region of the heating plate (12), the positioning component (14) being used to position the carrier plate carried by the heating plate (12).

12. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, include: The process chamber (5) and the carrier boat (1) as described in any one of claims 1 to 11; The carrier boat (1) is located inside the process chamber (5).

13. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 12, characterized in that, The potential of the grounding electrode plate (12b) in the carrier boat (1) is different from the potential of the process chamber (5).

14. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that, In the carrier boat (1), the potential difference between the radio frequency electrode plate (12a) and the ground electrode plate (12b) is greater than or less than the potential difference between the ground electrode plate (12b) and the process chamber (5).

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