TWI539489B - A pump and a plasma processing device are provided for the air guide device which can improve the symmetry - Google Patents

Description

a pump with a gas guide for improving symmetry and a plasma processing device

The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, and in particular to a pump and a plasma processing apparatus provided with a gas guiding device capable of improving symmetry.

At present, even though it is well known that symmetrical pumping is a key point in the design of most semiconductor production equipment, the actual design of the symmetrical structure reaction chamber cannot guarantee that the pump is also symmetrical. For example, the pendulum value is widely used for pressure control and Turbo pump (TP) protection. The pendulum valve works by opening and closing the valve through a non-axis-symmetrical pendulum motion. If a pendulum valve is provided in the designed reaction chamber, even if the structure of the reaction chamber is designed to be completely symmetrical, "non-symmetry" is generated inside.

The downstream control valve provided by VAT is a symmetrical pressure control valve. The downstream control valve is disposed below the reaction chamber, and the gas path is connected between the turbo pump and the reaction chamber, and the turbo pump and the downstream control valve realize flow control and pumping of the reaction chamber gas. A cross bar is arranged on the top of the valve body, and the vertical control is used to control the opening and closing of the downstream control valve by adjusting the vertical beam up and down, thereby avoiding the internal "asymmetry" caused by the swinging motion of the pendulum valve. However, this type of valve has the disadvantage that the cross member provided at the top of the valve body has an asymmetry effect on the flow of the gas, resulting in "asymmetry" of the entire semiconductor processing apparatus.

The invention provides a pump and a plasma processing device provided with a gas guiding device capable of improving symmetry, and self-compensating the other asymmetry between the reaction chamber and the pump through a partitioning device of different sizes, thereby realizing the symmetry of the whole device.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a gas guiding device for a plasma processing apparatus, the plasma processing device comprising a reaction chamber, a base disposed at a bottom of the reaction chamber, a pump disposed under the reaction chamber, and an inlet of the pump and The gas passage of the reaction chamber is connected; the gas passage of the gas guiding device is connected between the pump and the reaction chamber, and the electrode region of the reaction chamber is exhausted or evacuated by the gas guiding device; the gas guiding device comprises The outer casing is provided with an air passage communicating with the upper and lower sides, the upper end of the air passage is connected to the reaction chamber, and the lower end air passage is connected to the pump; the central duct is disposed in the air passage in the outer casing, and the upper end of the central duct is connected to the reaction chamber, The lower end is closed; the central duct forms a central air passage, and the outer duct forms an outer air passage; the plurality of partition structures are connected to the inner side wall of the outer casing by the side wall of the central duct, and the outer air passage is divided into a plurality of interconnected outer sub-air passages , the outer sub-airway gas path connects the pump.

The above-described partition structure is provided to be hollow or solid.

The above-mentioned partition structure is provided with an auxiliary air passage which extends from the inside of the central duct to the outside of the outer casing, and the central air passage communicates with the outside through the auxiliary air passage.

A pneumatic switch is provided in the auxiliary air passage.

The axial widths of the respective partition structures are not equal.

The air guiding device is provided with four partition structures, and the four partition structures are equally spaced apart from each other; the four partition structures divide the outer air passage into four outer sub-air passages.

The four above-mentioned partition structures are disposed opposite each other, wherein the axial widths of the pair of partition structures disposed opposite each other are equal.

A symmetric pump assembly provided with the above air guiding device is disposed under the reaction chamber, under the electrostatic chuck and the electrode region, and communicates with the reaction chamber gas path; and the symmetric pump assembly comprises: a pump, a gas path connecting a downstream control valve between the pump and the reaction chamber, and a gas guiding device connecting the gas path between the downstream control valve and the reaction chamber; the top of the downstream control valve is provided with a beam for controlling opening and closing of the valve; The device includes a partition structure that covers the beam of the downstream control valve so that the beam does not pass through the respective outer sub-air passages separated by the respective partition structures, so that the outer sub-air passages are viewed from the wafer level. Same and symmetrical to each other.

The air guiding device comprises four partitioning structures, wherein the four partitioning structures are arranged opposite each other, wherein the oppositely disposed partitioning structures are a group, and the central axes of the two sets of partitioning structures are perpendicular to each other; The beams of the downstream control valve are arranged in parallel and are disposed just above the beam.

A plasma processing apparatus provided with the above symmetric pump assembly, comprising: a reaction chamber, upper and lower electrodes arranged in parallel at the top and bottom of the reaction chamber, and an electrostatic chuck disposed at the bottom of the reaction chamber; The symmetric pump assembly is disposed below the reaction chamber of the plasma processing apparatus and is in communication with the reaction chamber gas path for evacuating the reaction chamber and discharging water and gas.

The utility model relates to a pump provided with a gas guiding device capable of improving symmetry and a plasma processing device. Compared with the prior art, the air guiding device of the invention is provided with a separating device, which can self-compensate the reaction chamber and/or other in the pump. The asymmetry, thereby achieving the overall symmetry of the plasma processing apparatus; the partitioning device of the present invention is provided with an auxiliary air passage for discharging water and gas in the reaction chamber to the outside.

Specific embodiments of the present invention are further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The invention discloses an embodiment of a plasma processing apparatus. The plasma processing apparatus comprises: a reaction chamber, and a source RF power source and a bias RF power source respectively connected to the reaction chamber.

The top of the inner chamber of the reaction chamber is provided with an upper electrode, and the bottom portion is provided with a working table. The working table is provided with a lower electrode (cathode), and an electrostatic chuck (ESC) is arranged on the working table. The plasma processing apparatus of the present invention can also be applied to the field of CVD. If it is used in the field of CVD, the bottom electrode of the bottom of the reaction chamber may not be provided with a lower electrode. When the reaction chamber plasma-processes the wafer, the wafer is placed on the workbench smoothly and is firmly fixed by the electrostatic chuck. The upper electrode circuit is connected to the source RF power source, and the lower electrode circuit is connected to the bias RF power source.

A symmetric pump assembly is provided below the reaction chamber in communication with the reaction chamber gas path for evacuating and/or water and gas discharge to the reaction chamber. The symmetrical pump comprises: a pump, a downstream flow control value between the pump and the reaction chamber, and a gas guide between the downstream control valve and the reaction chamber. ). The gas guiding device realizes gas and water circulation in the electrode region of the reaction chamber, and at the same time asymmetry caused by self-compensation pump, downstream control valve, reaction chamber structure design or working mode.

The top of the downstream control valve is provided with a beam. The beam controls the opening and closing of the downstream control valve by vertically moving up and down.

As shown in FIG. 1 and in conjunction with FIG. 2, the air guide device includes a housing 21, a central duct 22, and a plurality of partitions 23.

The outer casing 21 is a circular duct, and is provided with an air passage that communicates up and down. The upper end of the air passage is connected to the reaction chamber, and the lower end air passage is connected to the pump.

The central duct 22 is a circular duct which is concentrically disposed in the air passage in the outer casing 21, the upper end of the central duct 22 is connected to the reaction chamber, and the lower end is closed; the central duct forms a central air passage 221, and the central duct 22 and the outer casing 21 Form an outer airway.

The partition structure 23 is connected to the inner side wall of the outer casing 21 by the outer side wall of the central duct 22, and the plurality of partition structures 23 divide the outer air passage between the center duct 22 and the outer casing 21 into a plurality of outer sub-air passages 211 that communicate with each other. The number of the partition structures 23 disposed between the center duct 22 and the outer casing 21 may be N, and N is greater than or equal to 1. The upper end air passage of the outer sub-air passage 211 communicates with the reaction chamber, and the lower end air passage communicates with the pump. When the pump starts to operate, the reaction chamber can be withdrawn through the outer sub-air passages 211 to perform a vacuuming process.

The partition structure 23 can be arranged to be hollow or solid. Additional passages 231 may be provided in the partition structure 23, the auxiliary air passages 231 extending from the inside of the center duct 22 to the outside of the casing 21, so that the center air passage 221 communicates with the outside through the auxiliary air passages 231. The water and gas input from the reaction chamber into the central air passage 221 can be discharged to the outside through the auxiliary air passage 231.

At the same time, an air passage switch is provided in the auxiliary air passage 231 for controlling opening and closing of each auxiliary air passage 231. In this embodiment, the air circuit switch is disposed at a junction of the auxiliary air passage 231 and the outer side wall of the outer casing 21.

As shown in FIG. 3, the axial widths of the plurality of partition structures 23 are unequal to each other for artificially causing an asymmetrical structure, thereby achieving a non-symmetry caused by a self-compensating pump, valve or reaction chamber.

In this embodiment, the air guiding device comprises four partition structures 23: a first partition structure A, a second partition structure B, a third partition structure C, and a fourth partition structure D, which separate the outer air passages There are four outer sub-air passages 211. The four partition structures 23 are equally spaced apart from each other by an angle of 90 degrees, such that the four partition structures 23 are disposed opposite each other, wherein the oppositely disposed partition structures 23 are a group, that is, the first partition structure A and the third The partition structure C is a group, and the second partition structure B and the fourth partition structure D are a group, and the central axes of the two sets of the partition structures 23 are perpendicular to each other. Meanwhile, the axial widths of the pair of partition structures 23 disposed opposite each other are equal, that is, the axial widths of the first partition structure A and the third partition structure C are equal, and the axial widths of the second partition structure B and the fourth partition structure D are equal. And the axial width of the first partition structure A is not equal to the second partition structure B.

One of the two sets of partition structures 23 (the first partition structure A - the third partition structure C, the second partition structure B - the fourth partition structure D) is disposed in parallel with the beam of the downstream control valve, and is just right Covering the beam of the downstream control valve, so that the beam does not pass through the respective outer sub-air passages 211 separated by the respective partition structures 23, thereby avoiding the asymmetry caused by the beams, and at the same time not passing through the two sets of partition structures 23 The equal axial width, self-compensating for the asymmetry caused by the beam, makes each outer sub-air passage 211 identical and symmetrical from the wafer level.

The above description and description are only illustrative of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and those having ordinary skill in the art may make other modifications in accordance with the scope of the patent application as defined below and the above description, but such modifications are still It is the creative spirit of this creation and is within the scope of this creation.

21‧‧‧ Shell
211‧‧‧ outer airway
22‧‧‧Central Pipeline
221‧‧‧ Central airway
23‧‧‧Separate structure
231‧‧‧Auxiliary airway
A‧‧‧first partition structure
B‧‧‧Second separation structure
C‧‧‧ third partition structure
D‧‧‧fourth separation structure

1 is a schematic structural view of a gas guiding device of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the gas guiding device of the present invention; and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the gas guiding device of the present invention.

21‧‧‧ Shell

211‧‧‧ outer airway

22‧‧‧Central Pipeline

221‧‧‧ Central airway

23‧‧‧Separate structure

231‧‧‧Auxiliary airway

A‧‧‧first partition structure

B‧‧‧Second separation structure

C‧‧‧ third partition structure

D‧‧‧fourth separation structure

Claims (10)

A gas guiding device for a plasma processing device, the plasma processing device comprising a reaction chamber, a base disposed at a bottom of the reaction chamber, and a pump disposed under the reaction chamber, the inlet of the pump being in communication with the reaction chamber gas path; Wherein the air guiding device gas path is connected between the pump and the reaction chamber, and the electrode region of the reaction chamber is exhausted or evacuated by the air guiding device; the air guiding device comprises: a casing (21), An air passage is provided, the upper end of the air passage is connected to the reaction chamber, and the lower end air passage is connected to the pump; the central duct (22) is disposed in the air passage in the outer casing (21), the central duct (22) An upper end gas path is connected to the reaction chamber, and a lower end is closed; a central air passage (221) is formed in the central duct, and an outer air passage is formed between the central duct (22) and the outer casing (21); and a plurality of partition structures (23) are The side wall of the central duct (22) is connected to the inner side wall of the outer casing (21), and the outer air passage is divided into a plurality of interconnected outer sub-air passages (211), and the outer sub-air passage air passage communicates with the pump. The air guiding device according to claim 1, wherein the partition structure (23) is provided to be hollow or solid. The air guiding device according to claim 2, wherein the partitioning structure (23) is provided with an auxiliary air passage (231) extending from the inside of the central duct (22) to the outer casing ( Outside of 21), the central air passage (221) communicates with the outside through the auxiliary air passage (231). The air guiding device according to claim 3, wherein the auxiliary air passage (231) is provided with an air passage switch. The air guiding device of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the axial widths of the respective partition structures (23) are not equal. The air guiding device according to claim 5, wherein the air guiding device is provided with four partition structures (23), and the four partition structures (23) are equally spaced apart from each other; the four partition structures (23) are The outer airway is divided into four outer sub-airways (211). The air guiding device according to claim 6, wherein the four partitioning structures (23) are disposed opposite each other, wherein the axial widths of the pair of the partitioning structures (23) disposed opposite each other are equal. A symmetrical pump assembly provided with the air guiding device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which is disposed below the reaction chamber, below the electrostatic chuck and the electrode region, and is in communication with the reaction chamber gas path; Wherein the symmetric pump assembly comprises: a pump, a downstream control valve connecting the pump to the reaction chamber, a gas guiding device connecting the gas path between the downstream control valve and the reaction chamber; the downstream control valve The top of the beam is provided with a beam for controlling the opening and closing of the valve; the air guiding device comprises a partitioning structure (23) which covers the beam of the downstream control valve just above the beam, so that the beam does not pass through each Each of the outer sub-air passages (211) separated by the partition structure (23) is such that the outer outer sub-air passages (211) are identical and symmetrical from the wafer level. The symmetric pump assembly of claim 8, wherein the air guiding device comprises four partitioning structures (23), and the four partitioning structures (23) are oppositely disposed, wherein the oppositely disposed partitioning structures (23) are one The central axes of the two sets of partition structures (23) are perpendicular to each other; one of the two sets of partition structures (23) is disposed in parallel with the beam of the downstream control valve and is disposed just above the beam. A plasma processing apparatus provided with a symmetric pump assembly according to claim 8 or 9, comprising: a reaction chamber, upper and lower electrodes arranged in parallel at the top and bottom of the reaction chamber, and an electrostatic chuck disposed at the bottom of the reaction chamber Wherein the symmetric pump assembly is disposed below the reaction chamber of the plasma processing apparatus and is in communication with the reaction chamber gas path for evacuating the reaction chamber and discharging water and gas.