Thin-film deposition apparatus and method

Abstract

The present invention provides a thin-film deposition apparatus and method. The thin-film deposition apparatus comprises: a gas source, configured for providing at least one gas required for a thin-film deposition process; a process chamber, configured for accommodating a semiconductor device to be processed and depositing a thin film on a surface of the semiconductor device by means of the at least one gas; and a flow stabilization module, located between the gas source and the process chamber and comprising a gas chamber, a magnetic stator, and a helical blade rotor. By adopting the described flow stabilization module, the present invention can control pressure at a valve output port to remain constant, so that a flow rate and / or a pressure of reactant gas flowing into a process chamber remain constant, thereby improving thin-film deposition quality.

Description

A thin film deposition apparatus and method Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and more particularly to a thin film deposition apparatus and a thin film deposition method. Background Technology

[0002] In semiconductor coating processes, the reaction time for gases is typically short. Especially in atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes, to ensure accurate gas flow, a filling tank is usually designed next to the process chamber to store a gas source at a certain pressure, and an ALD valve is used to control the gas flow. However, when the ALD valve opens or closes, changes in flow rate / flow time and other conditions cause dynamic variations in the amount of gas flowing into the process chamber, resulting in an inability to maintain a stable gas pressure entering the process chamber.

[0003] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the existing technology, there is an urgent need in the field for a thin film deposition technology to control the pressure at the valve output end to keep it constant, so as to keep the flow rate and / or pressure of the reaction gas flowing into the process chamber constant, thereby improving the quality of thin film deposition. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0005] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art, there is an urgent need in the art for a thin film deposition apparatus and a thin film deposition method for controlling the pressure at the valve output end to keep constant, so as to keep the flow rate and / or pressure of the reaction gas flowing into the process chamber constant, thereby improving the quality of thin film deposition.

[0006] Specifically, the thin film deposition apparatus provided according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a gas source for providing at least one gas required for the thin film deposition process; a process chamber for accommodating a semiconductor device to be processed and depositing a thin film on the surface of the semiconductor device via the at least one gas; and a current stabilizing module located between the gas source and the process chamber, and including a gas chamber, a magnetic stator and a helical blade rotor, wherein the magnetic stator surrounds the sidewall of the gas chamber, the helical blade rotor is suspended inside the gas chamber under the magnetic force of the magnetic stator, and rotates when the output gas pressure of the gas chamber is less than a preset target gas pressure, so as to push the remaining gas in the gas chamber to the outlet end of the gas chamber to compensate for the output gas pressure.

[0007] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the thin film deposition apparatus further includes a controller configured to: pre-charge the gas pressure in the gas chamber to a target gas pressure via the gas source before supplying the gas to the process chamber; detect the output gas pressure of the gas chamber during the supply of the gas to the process chamber; and, in response to the output gas pressure being less than the target gas pressure, provide an alternating voltage to the magnet stator to drive the helical blade rotor to rotate, thereby pushing the remaining gas in the gas chamber toward the outlet end to compensate for the output gas pressure.

[0008] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the step of providing alternating voltage to the magnet stator to drive the helical blade rotor to rotate includes: determining the difference between the target air pressure and the output air pressure; determining the target frequency of the alternating voltage provided to the magnet stator based on the difference between the target air pressure and the output air pressure; and providing the alternating voltage at the target frequency to the magnet stator to drive the helical blade rotor to rotate at a corresponding target speed.

[0009] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the step of determining the target frequency of the alternating voltage supplied to the magnet stator based on the difference between the target air pressure and the output air pressure includes: performing PID calculation based on the difference between the target air pressure and the output air pressure to determine the target frequency of the alternating voltage supplied to the magnet stator.

[0010] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the current stabilization module further includes an angle sensor, and the step of providing alternating voltage to the magnet stator to drive the helical blade rotor to rotate includes: during the process of providing alternating voltage to the magnet stator, detecting in real time the actual rotation angle of the helical blade rotor relative to an original position via the angle sensor; and performing negative feedback control on the alternating voltage based on the difference between the actual rotation angle and the corresponding target rotation angle.

[0011] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the thin film deposition apparatus further includes: a valve located between the outlet of the flow stabilization module and the inlet of the process chamber, which, after the gas pressure in the gas chamber is pre-charged to the target gas pressure, connects the outlet of the flow stabilization module to the inlet of the process chamber to output the gas to the process chamber in a constant flow and quantitative manner; and a pressure gauge located between the outlet of the flow stabilization module and the valve to detect the output gas pressure of the gas chamber.

[0012] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the valve is a switching valve, and the thin film deposition apparatus further includes an exhaust pipe, wherein the valve connects the outlet of the flow stabilization module to the exhaust pipe before the gas pressure in the gas chamber is pre-charged to the target gas pressure, and after the gas pressure in the gas chamber is pre-charged to the target gas pressure, the outlet of the flow stabilization module is switched to the inlet of the process chamber to output the gas to the process chamber in a constant flow and quantitative manner.

[0013] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the gas source continuously supplies gas to the gas chamber of the flow stabilization module at a relatively small first flow rate, and the flow stabilization module outputs the gas to the process chamber at a relatively large second flow rate in a constant flow, quantitatively and intermittently, according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process.

[0014] Furthermore, in some embodiments of the present invention, the gas source provides at least two reactive gases and at least one purge gas to the process chamber. The thin film deposition apparatus includes at least two flow stabilization modules. A first flow stabilization module is located between the gas source and the process chamber and is used to output a first reactive gas to the process chamber at a constant flow and quantitative rate according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process, at a corresponding third flow rate. After the first flow stabilization module stops outputting the first reactive gas to the process chamber, the gas source outputs the purge gas to the process chamber. A second flow stabilization module is also located between the gas source and the process chamber and is used to output a second reactive gas to the process chamber at a constant flow and quantitative rate according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process, at a corresponding fourth flow rate, after the gas source stops outputting the purge gas to the process chamber.

[0015] Furthermore, the thin film deposition method according to the second aspect of the present invention includes the following steps: placing a semiconductor device to be processed into a process chamber of a thin film deposition apparatus as described in any one of the first aspects of the present invention; pre-charging the gas pressure in the gas chamber of the current stabilization module of the thin film deposition apparatus to a target gas pressure via a gas source of the thin film deposition apparatus; supplying the gas to the process chamber via the current stabilization module according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process, and detecting the output gas pressure of the gas chamber; and in response to the output gas pressure being less than the target gas pressure, providing an alternating voltage to the magnet stator of the current stabilization module to drive its helical blade rotor to rotate, thereby pushing the remaining gas in the gas chamber toward the outlet end to compensate for the output gas pressure. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The above-described features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related characteristics or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0017] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the current stabilization module provided according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 shows a schematic flowchart of a thin film deposition method provided according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0019] Figure reference numerals: 10 Flow stabilizing module; 11 Gas chamber; 12 Magnet stator; 13 Helical blade rotor; 14 Pressure gauge; 15 Gas outlet; 16 Protective cover. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of the invention are limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of the present invention. To provide a thorough understanding of the invention, many specific details will be included in the following description. The invention may also be implemented without using these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of the invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0021] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in the relevant paragraphs and accompanying drawings. These relative terms are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that the described apparatus must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0023] It is understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or parts. Therefore, the first components, regions, layers, and / or parts discussed below may be referred to as second components, regions, layers, and / or parts without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0024] As mentioned above, the reaction time of gases is typically short during the coating process in semiconductor coating equipment. Especially in atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes, to ensure accurate gas flow, a filling tank is usually designed next to the process chamber to store a gas source at a certain pressure, and an ALD valve is used to control the gas flow. However, when the ALD valve opens or closes, the amount of gas flowing into the process chamber changes dynamically due to changes in conditions such as flow rate / flow time, causing the gas pressure entering the process chamber to be unstable.

[0025] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art, there is an urgent need in the art for a thin film deposition apparatus and a thin film deposition method for controlling the pressure at the valve output end to keep constant, so as to keep the flow rate and / or pressure of the reaction gas flowing into the process chamber constant, thereby improving the quality of thin film deposition.

[0026] In some non-limiting embodiments, the thin film deposition method provided in the second aspect of the present invention can be implemented based on the thin film deposition apparatus provided in the first aspect of the present invention.

[0027] Please refer to Figure 1, which shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a current stabilization module provided according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the thin film deposition apparatus includes a gas source, a process chamber, and a current stabilization module 10. The gas source provides at least one gas required for the thin film deposition process. The process chamber contains the semiconductor device to be processed and deposits a thin film on the surface of the semiconductor device via at least one gas. The current stabilization module 10 is located between the gas source and the process chamber and includes a gas chamber 11, a magnet stator 12, and a helical blade rotor 13.

[0029] Furthermore, the magnet stator 12 surrounds the side wall of the air chamber 11, and the helical blade rotor 13 is suspended inside the air chamber 11 under the magnetic force of the magnet stator 12. When the output air pressure of the air chamber 11 is less than the preset target air pressure, it rotates to push the remaining gas in the air chamber 11 to the outlet end 15 of the air chamber 11 to compensate for the output air pressure.

[0030] In some embodiments, the thin film deposition apparatus may further include a shield 16 for surrounding the magnet stator 12 to prevent external impacts from causing displacement and / or changes in the magnetic field.

[0031] Furthermore, the controller is configured to: pre-charge the gas pressure in the gas chamber 11 to the target gas pressure via a gas source before supplying gas to the process chamber; detect the output gas pressure of the gas chamber 11 during the process of supplying gas to the process chamber; and provide an alternating voltage to the magnet stator 12 in response to the output gas pressure being less than the target gas pressure, thereby driving the helical blade rotor 13 to rotate, thereby pushing the remaining gas in the gas chamber 11 to the outlet end 15 to compensate for the output gas pressure.

[0032] In addition, the thin film deposition apparatus also includes a valve and a pressure gauge 14. The valve is located between the outlet 15 of the flow stabilization module 10 and the inlet of the process chamber. After the gas pressure in the gas chamber 11 is pre-charged to the target pressure, it connects the outlet 15 of the flow stabilization module 10 to the inlet of the process chamber, thereby outputting gas to the process chamber at a constant flow rate and in a quantitative manner. The pressure gauge 14 is located between the outlet 15 of the flow stabilization module 10 and the valve to detect the output gas pressure of the gas chamber 11.

[0033] In some embodiments, the valve is a switching valve, and the thin film deposition apparatus also includes an exhaust pipe to effectively avoid the gradual change in flow caused by the slow opening of the valve, further improving the airflow stability, thereby improving the control accuracy of the process gas supply and improving the thin film deposition accuracy. Specifically, before the gas pressure in the gas chamber 11 is pre-charged to the target gas pressure, the outlet 15 of the flow stabilization module 10 is connected to the exhaust pipe, and after the gas pressure in the gas chamber 11 is pre-charged to the target gas pressure, the outlet 15 of the flow stabilization module 10 is switched to the inlet of the process chamber to output gas to the process chamber in a constant flow and quantitative manner.

[0034] In some embodiments, the exhaust duct may be served by a tail gas extraction and emission mechanism for the process chamber.

[0035] The working principle of the above-described thin film deposition apparatus will be described below with reference to some embodiments of thin film deposition methods. Those skilled in the art will understand that these embodiments of thin film deposition methods are merely non-limiting implementations provided by the present invention, intended to clearly demonstrate the main concepts of the invention and provide specific solutions convenient for public implementation, rather than limiting all functions or operating methods of the thin film deposition apparatus. Similarly, the thin film deposition apparatus is also merely a non-limiting implementation provided by the present invention and does not constitute a limitation on the subject or order of execution of the steps in these thin film deposition methods.

[0036] Please refer to Figure 2 for details. Figure 2 shows a schematic flowchart of a thin film deposition method provided according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2, the controller can first execute step S1: placing the semiconductor device to be processed into the process chamber of the thin film deposition apparatus.

[0038] Then, the controller can perform step S2: pre-charge the gas pressure in the gas chamber 11 of the flow stabilization module 10 of the thin film deposition apparatus to the target gas pressure via the gas source of the thin film deposition apparatus.

[0039] Then, the controller can perform step S3: according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process, supply gas to the process chamber via the flow stabilization module 10, and detect the output gas pressure of the gas chamber 11.

[0040] Finally, the controller can perform step S4: in response to the output air pressure being less than the target air pressure, provide an alternating voltage to the magnet stator 12 of the flow stabilization module 10 to drive its helical blade rotor 13 to rotate, thereby pushing the remaining gas in the air chamber 11 toward the outlet end 15 to compensate for the output air pressure.

[0041] Specifically, the controller can first perform step S4.1: determine the difference between the target air pressure and the output air pressure.

[0042] Then, the controller can execute step S4.2: determine the target frequency of the alternating voltage supplied to the magnet stator 12 based on the difference between the target air pressure and the output air pressure.

[0043] Here, the thin-film deposition apparatus can perform PID calculations based on the difference between the target gas pressure and the output gas pressure to determine the target frequency of the alternating voltage supplied to the magnet stator 12, thereby further improving airflow stability. Specifically, this method can both adjust and compensate for changes in output gas pressure quickly, reduce repeated oscillations in output gas pressure, and minimize overshoot caused by adjustment and compensation.

[0044] Alternatively, the thin film deposition apparatus can also adjust the target gas pressure and output gas pressure using only linear negative feedback, thereby reducing the complexity of the apparatus and improving its maintainability.

[0045] Finally, the controller can execute step S4.3: provide an alternating voltage of the target frequency to the magnet stator 12 to drive the helical blade rotor 13 to rotate at the corresponding target speed.

[0046] Specifically, the current stabilization module 10 also includes an angle sensor. During the process of supplying alternating voltage to the magnet stator 12, the controller uses the angle sensor to detect in real time the actual rotation angle of the helical blade rotor 13 relative to an initial position. Based on the difference between the actual rotation angle and the corresponding target rotation angle, negative feedback control is applied to the alternating voltage. Those skilled in the art will understand that this negative feedback control is only one non-limiting implementation. The controller can also preferably use a PID algorithm to correct the difference.

[0047] In some embodiments, the gas source can continuously supply gas to the gas chamber 11 of the flow stabilization module 10 at a relatively low first flow rate (e.g., 10–5000 sccm). The flow stabilization module 10 can output gas to the process chamber at a relatively high second flow rate (e.g., the peak of a pulse waveform) in a constant flow, quantitatively and intermittently, according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process.

[0048] Alternatively, the gas source can also charge the gas chamber 11 using a constant pressure charging method. For example, a pressure gauge can be used to monitor the gas pressure, and the gas flow rate can be gradually adjusted through a regulating valve on the pipeline to continuously charge the gas chamber 11 of the flow stabilization module 10.

[0049] In some embodiments, a gas source supplies at least two reactive gases and at least one purge gas to the process chamber, and the thin film deposition apparatus includes at least two flow stabilization modules 10. Here, a first flow stabilization module 10 is located between the gas source and the process chamber, and is used to output a first reactive gas (e.g., any one of NH3, TiCl4, H2O, O2, and O3) to the process chamber at a constant and quantitative flow rate according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process, at a corresponding third flow rate. After the gas source stops outputting the first reactive gas to the process chamber through the first flow stabilization module 10, it outputs a purge gas to the process chamber. Here, the purge gas can be selected from at least one of He, Ne, Ar, N2, and H2, which do not react with the two reactive gases, depending on the actual thin film deposition process. A second flow stabilization module 10 is also located between the gas source and the process chamber, and is used to output a second reactive gas (e.g., HF, NF3, H2, and TEOS) to the process chamber at a constant and quantitative flow rate according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process, after the gas source stops outputting the purge gas to the process chamber.

[0050] Although the methods described above are illustrated and depicted as a series of actions for the sake of simplicity, it should be understood and appreciated that these methods are not limited by the order of the actions, as some actions may occur in a different order and / or concurrently with other actions from the illustrations and descriptions herein or not illustrated and described herein but which may be understood by those skilled in the art, according to one or more embodiments.

[0051] The prior description of this disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A thin film deposition apparatus, characterized in that, include: Gas source, used to provide at least one gas required for the thin film deposition process; A process chamber for containing a semiconductor device to be processed, and for depositing a thin film on the surface of the semiconductor device via the at least one gas; as well as The flow stabilization module is located between the gas source and the process chamber, and includes a gas chamber, a magnetic stator, and a helical blade rotor. The magnetic stator surrounds the side wall of the gas chamber, and the helical blade rotor is suspended inside the gas chamber under the magnetic force of the magnetic stator. When the output gas pressure of the gas chamber is less than the preset target gas pressure, the rotor rotates to push the remaining gas in the gas chamber to the outlet of the gas chamber to compensate for the output gas pressure.

2. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thin film deposition apparatus also includes a controller, which is configured to: Before supplying the gas to the process chamber, the gas pressure in the chamber is pre-charged to the target gas pressure via the gas source; During the process of supplying the gas to the process chamber, the output gas pressure of the gas chamber is detected; as well as In response to the output air pressure being less than the target air pressure, an alternating voltage is provided to the magnet stator to drive the helical blade rotor to rotate, thereby pushing the remaining gas in the air chamber toward the outlet to compensate for the output air pressure.

3. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The step of providing alternating voltage to the magnet stator to drive the helical blade rotor to rotate includes: Determine the difference between the target air pressure and the output air pressure; Based on the difference between the target air pressure and the output air pressure, the target frequency of the alternating voltage supplied to the magnet stator is determined; and An alternating voltage at the target frequency is provided to the magnet stator to drive the helical blade rotor to rotate at the corresponding target speed.

4. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The step of determining the target frequency of the alternating voltage supplied to the magnet stator based on the difference between the target air pressure and the output air pressure includes: Based on the difference between the target air pressure and the output air pressure, a PID calculation is performed to determine the target frequency of the alternating voltage supplied to the magnet stator.

5. The thin film deposition apparatus as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The current stabilization module also includes an angle sensor, and the step of providing alternating voltage to the magnet stator to drive the helical blade rotor to rotate includes: During the process of providing alternating voltage to the magnet stator, the actual rotation angle of the helical blade rotor relative to an initial position is detected in real time via the angle sensor; and The alternating voltage is subjected to negative feedback control based on the difference between the actual rotation angle and the corresponding target rotation angle.

6. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A valve, located between the outlet of the flow stabilizing module and the inlet of the process chamber, connects the outlet of the flow stabilizing module to the inlet of the process chamber after the gas pressure in the chamber is pre-charged to the target gas pressure, so as to output the gas to the process chamber in a constant flow and in a quantitative manner. as well as A pressure gauge is located between the outlet of the flow stabilization module and the valve to detect the output air pressure of the air chamber.

7. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that, The valve is a switching valve, and the thin film deposition apparatus also includes an exhaust pipe. Before the gas pressure in the gas chamber is pre-charged to the target gas pressure, the valve connects the outlet of the flow stabilization module to the exhaust pipe, and after the gas pressure in the gas chamber is pre-charged to the target gas pressure, the valve switches the outlet of the flow stabilization module to the inlet of the process chamber to output the gas to the process chamber in a constant flow and quantitative manner.

8. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The gas source continuously fills the gas chamber of the flow stabilization module with a relatively small first flow rate. The flow stabilization module outputs the gas to the process chamber at a constant flow rate, in a quantitative manner, and intermittently, according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process, at a relatively high second flow rate.

9. The thin film deposition apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The gas source supplies at least two reactive gases and at least one purge gas to the process chamber, and the thin film deposition apparatus includes at least two of the aforementioned flow stabilization modules, wherein... The first flow stabilization module is located between the gas source and the process chamber, and is used to output the first reaction gas to the process chamber at a constant flow rate and in a quantitative manner according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process and at a corresponding third flow rate. After the first flow stabilization module stops supplying the first reaction gas to the process chamber, the gas source supplies the purging gas to the process chamber. The second flow stabilization module is also located between the gas source and the process chamber. It is used to output the second reaction gas to the process chamber at a constant flow rate and in a quantitative manner according to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process after the gas source stops outputting the purging gas to the process chamber.

10. A thin film deposition method, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The semiconductor device to be processed is placed in the process chamber of the thin film deposition apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 9; The gas pressure in the gas chamber of the flow stabilization module of the thin film deposition apparatus is pre-charged to the target gas pressure via the gas source of the thin film deposition apparatus. According to the gas supply requirements of the thin film deposition process, the gas is supplied to the process chamber via the flow stabilization module, and the output gas pressure of the gas chamber is detected; as well as In response to the output air pressure being less than the target air pressure, an alternating voltage is provided to the magnet stator of the current stabilization module to drive its helical blade rotor to rotate, thereby pushing the remaining gas in the air chamber toward the outlet to compensate for the output air pressure.

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