TWI776387B - Substrate processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a processing chamber having a plasma intake wall configured to receive plasma from a remote plasma source (RPS) and a surrounding wall having inner surface defining an interior volume for receiving a substrate; and a substrate support having a substrate supporting surface facing the plasma intake wall and elevatably arranged in the interior volume of the processing chamber. The surrounding wall, in a cross-section of the processing chamber, includes: a first segment having a first width associated with a processing region for the substrate support; a second segment having a width greater than the first width that is further away from the plasma intake wall than the first segment.

Description

Substrate process equipment

The present disclosure relates to process equipment, and in particular to substrate processing equipment utilizing remote plasma sources.

The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) pointed out that the traditional CMOS process is approaching its limit, and the continuous industry growth and the continuous reduction of the cost per unit function will require new device types and new packaging. Architecture and new materials to respond. Especially when Moore's Law may come to an end, Heterogeneous Integration has officially become the development policy of the semiconductor industry. The system-in-a-package (SiP) using the packaging process will be the most critical technology, and it is the best solution to balance performance diversification and cost. In response to this new architecture, including printed circuits, thinner wafers, and active/passive embedded devices will arise, and then the production equipment and process materials used in packaging will also change rapidly to meet the new architecture. need. Over the next 15 years, the layout of heterogeneous integration will focus on assembly and packaging, testing, and interconnection technologies.

Embedded chip substrate (Embedded die in substrate, EDS), embedded passive element substrate (Embedded passive in substrate, EPS), Fan-out panel level package (Fan-out panel level package, FOPLP) and other advanced packaging technologies, generally adopt A composite substrate comprising dielectric insulating materials, semiconductor element chips, and metal wires (Interconnection). In some manufacturing processes using EDS, EPS, or FOPLP packaging technology, diced semiconductor components, passive components, or metal bumps (such as copper pillars) are arranged and embedded with large organic insulation In substrates or build-up materials (such as molding compound, Copper Clad Laminate (CCL), ABF Build-up Film (Ajinomoto Build-up Film), or Dry Film Resist); then by grinding Thinning of unwanted organic insulating substrates or materials to selectively expose chip components or metal wires. However, during grinding, chips, components or copper pillars may be damaged by applied stress.

An aspect of the present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus including a processing chamber and a substrate stage. The process chamber has a plasma inlet wall and a surrounding wall. The plasma inlet wall is configured to receive output from a remote plasma source. The surrounding wall has an inner surface that defines an interior space to receive a substrate. The substrate stage can be lifted and lowered in the inner space of the process chamber, and has a substrate support surface facing the plasma inlet wall. The surrounding wall, in the cross section of the process chamber, has a first section and a second section. The first section corresponds to a process area of the substrate stage and has a first width. The second section is further away from the plasma inlet wall than the first section and has a width greater than the first width.

An aspect of the present disclosure provides a substrate manufacturing apparatus, including a manufacturing chamber and a substrate stage. The process chamber defines an interior space to receive a substrate. The process chamber has a base, a plasma inlet wall and a retaining ring. The plasma inlet wall is configured to enclose the base and receive output from a remote plasma source. The retaining ring is disposed between the base and the plasma inlet wall. The substrate stage can be raised and lowered in the inner space of the process chamber, and has a substrate support surface facing the plasma inlet wall. In the cross section of the process cavity, the width of the substrate carrier process area defined by the inner surface of the retaining ring is narrower than the width of the inner wall of the base.

The following description will refer to the accompanying drawings to more fully describe the present disclosure. Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings. This disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. These exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Like reference numbers refer to the same or similar elements.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Furthermore, when used herein, "include" and/or "include" or "include" and/or "include" or "have" and/or "have", integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components , but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Furthermore, unless explicitly defined in context, terms such as those defined in general dictionaries are to be said and construed as having meanings consistent with their meanings in the related art and this disclosure, and are not to be construed as idealized or overly formal meaning.

Exemplary embodiments will be described in conjunction with the drawings in FIGS. 1 to 8 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The subject matter will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the depicted elements are not necessarily shown to scale and wherein the same or similar reference numerals are designated by the same or similar reference numerals throughout the several views element.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, some details/subcomponents of the exemplary system are not explicitly labeled/shown in this figure.

Substrate processing apparatus 100 may be operable to perform a number of plasma-applied processes, such as the use of plasma to etch and/or thin dielectric insulating materials. Taking EDS, EPS, or FOPLP packaging technology as an example, it is sometimes necessary to thin dielectric insulating materials (such as Epoxy Molding Compound (EMC), Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF) ) and dry film photoresist (Dry Film Photoresist) to achieve the effect of planarization and/or exposure of die, or exposure of copper pillars. In addition to the thinning process applied to the above-mentioned insulating materials, the substrate process equipment 100 It can also be used to remove surface organic or inorganic residues, photoresist stripping and ashing (Ashing), surface modification (Modification) hydrophilic or hydrophobic, surface cleaning (Cleaning), surface activation (Activation), adhesive removal Desmear, Descum, titanium film etching, SiO ₂ or Si ₃ N ₄ film etching, metal oxide film plasma reduction (Plasma Reduction) and other process fields.

The substrate process equipment 100 includes a process chamber 110 , a substrate stage 120 , and a remote plasma source (RPS) 130 . The process chamber 110 defines an interior space V to receive workpieces to be processed (shown in the current illustration). In some embodiments, the workpiece to be processed may be a plate-like object commonly referred to as a substrate/substrate that provides mechanical support for electrical components that are subsequently formed thereon. In some applications, the substrate may be a semiconductor wafer. In some applications, such as panel-level processes (such as the aforementioned FOPLP packaging applications or IC substrates for advanced fine lines), the substrate may be large-scale glass, epoxy molding compound (EMC), copper Foil substrate (Copper Clad Laminate, CCL), coreless substrate (Coreless substrate), etc. The exemplary process chamber 110 has a pedestal 111 and a plasma inlet wall 112 . The base 111 has a bottom wall 113 and a side wall 114 to define an inner space V together. The plasma inlet wall 112 is configured to enclose the pedestal and receive products from the remote plasma source 130. In some embodiments, the products from remote plasma source 130 may be highly reactive free radicals that are electrically neutral. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate processing apparatus 100 includes a baffle ring 140 . A stop ring 140 is configured to be secured between the base 111 and the plasma inlet wall 112.

The substrate stage 120 can be lifted and lowered in the inner space V of the process chamber 110 , and has a substrate support surface 121 facing the plasma inlet wall 112 . The substrate stage 120 (or pedestal) is adapted to support the substrate on a top surface (eg, the substrate support surface 121 ) during processing. In some embodiments, the apparatus 100 further includes one or more lifting devices coupled to the substrate stage 120, the lifting devices are adapted to move the substrate stage 120 at least in a vertical direction (eg, the z-direction) to facilitate the lifting of the substrate. Load, unload, and/or adjust the distance between the substrate and the plasma inlet wall 112 (the showerhead component). When the substrate carrier 120 is lowered, the ejector pins 150 provided in the cavity can support the substrate, which facilitates the loading and unloading operation of the substrate between the workpiece conveying system and the machine. In some embodiments, the substrate stage 120 also has a vent structure (eg, fluid discharge channel 123 ). As shown in this embodiment, the vent structure 123 is arranged near the outer edge region of the carrier 120, while one or more lateral edges of the carrier are held in correspondence with the inner cavity (eg, the edges of the inner cavity walls). upper part) very close to the inner sidewall. When the exhaust/pumping device (not shown) is activated, process by-products (usually in the form of fine particles or gases) can be moved to below the substrate stage 120 through the exhaust structure 123 disposed at the edge of the substrate stage 120 Space. As shown in this embodiment, a positioning ring (or a cover ring) 129 is disposed around the substrate supporting surface 121 and is located between the substrate supporting surface 121 and the exhaust structure 123 . In some embodiments, the material of the positioning ring 129 includes insulating materials, such as Al ₂ O ₃ , ZrO ₂ , Si ₃ N ₄ , AlN, machinable ceramics (such as Macro), Quartz, glass, and Teflon.

The plasma inlet wall 112 is configured to close the susceptor 111 having the groove-like structure, thereby sealing the inner space V of the process chamber 110 . The plasma inlet wall 112 is in fluid communication with the remote plasma source 130 through the inlet 117 located above the central region of the stage 120 so that the output from the remote plasma source 130 can be directed into the cavity 110. In the illustrated embodiment, the plasma inlet wall 112 includes a cover 115 and a plasma distribution member 116 between the inlet 117 and the substrate support surface 121. The outer periphery of the lid 115 (or referred to as the chamber lid) is configured to sealingly engage the top of the surrounding wall of the base 111 . The plasma distribution component 116 (or showerhead component, showerhead) is configured to uniformly supply free radicals from the remote plasma source 130 into the process volume. Showerhead assembly 116 is shown disposed in a generally parallel relationship with respect to substrate stage 120 to facilitate uniformity of free radical distribution across the workpiece. However, the distribution state of the radicals is affected by various factors, such as the geometry of the inner space V, the distance between the plasma distribution member 116 and the substrate stage 120, and the like. In some embodiments, the distance between the plasma distribution member 116 and the substrate stage 120 is approximately in the range of 10-200 mm, such as 30 or 90 mm. In some embodiments, the plasma distribution member 116 and the cover 115 may be of a conductive material (eg, aluminum) and be in electrical communication with each other. The base 111 may also be in electrical communication with the plasma distribution member 116 and the cover 115 using a conductive material (eg, aluminum).

The substrate processing apparatus 100 also includes an exhaust/pump system (not shown) configured to apply a vacuum to the interior space V (or process volume). In some operating situations, the operating pressure can be controlled from 50 mTorr to 5000 mTorr.

In some application scenarios, the use of a remote plasma source allows ions and electrons in the generated plasma to be blocked from the process chamber (eg, the inner space V), while free radicals pass through the inlet Components (eg, plasma inlet wall 112 ) reach the process chamber. Free radicals can be used in lower temperature process conditions. In some application scenarios, when the gas from the gas source 160 reaches a high gas flow rate of several standard liters per minute (SLM), the dissociation degree of the process gas from the remote plasma source can reach 95% or more . Therefore, in some application scenarios, the remote plasma source can be regarded as a Radical Plasma Source. In plasma etching, the etch rate of the substrate is proportional to the density of free radicals in the process chamber. Since the free radicals generated by the remote plasma source mainly react chemically on the surface of the substrate, when performing high-speed etching, ashing, glue removal, glue removal, surface cleaning or modification or activation treatment, the low heat caused by this method Loading and ion bombardment reduces physical damage to the substrate/workpiece.

The remote plasma source is configured to receive various process gases (eg, from the gas source 160 ), such as fluorine _- containing gases (such as CF4, CxFy, _SF6 , _NF3 , _CHF3 , or mixtures thereof) and used for purification of cleaning gas (such as O ₂ , O ₃ , H ₂ O, H ₂ , He, N ₂ , Ar or a mixture thereof). Adding N ₂ can increase the plasma density and prolong the radical lifetime. The gas source 160 can controllably provide the gas in an adjustable manner; when the fluorine-containing gas is provided to the remote plasma source, its flow rate can be roughly controlled in the range of 10 to 6000 sccm, for example, between 10 to 3000 sccm, 10 to 2000 sccm, or 10 to 1000 sccm. Similarly, when the cleaning gas is supplied to the RPS, its flow rate can be roughly controlled in the range of 10 to 6000 sccm, eg, between 10 to 5000 sccm, 10 to 4000 sccm, 10 to 3000 sccm, 10 to 2000 sccm sccm or between 10 and 1000 sccm.

The remote plasma source can be an inductively-coupled (ICP) remote plasma source, a Capacitively Coupled Plasma (CCP) remote plasma source, or a microwave remote plasma source (Microwave RPS). or a combination thereof. In an embodiment using an inductively coupled remote plasma source (ICP RPS), the driving frequency is approximately 0.4 to 13.56 MHz. In an embodiment using a very high frequency (VHF) capacitively coupled remote plasma source, the drive frequency falls around 40 to 100 MHz. In the embodiment using a microwave remote plasma source (Microwave RPS), the driving frequency is about 900 to 6000 MHz. In an embodiment using RPS, the output power (power) may be 1-3 kW, 1-6 kW, 1-8 kW, 1-10 kW, 1-15 kW.

In some operating conditions, radicals from the RPS will undergo a recombination reaction (exothermic reaction) in the delivery line (connected to the RPS and the inlet), raising the temperature of the line. In some cases, a significant increase in the temperature state of the lines can unduly deplete the device hardware. For example, overheating will cause damage to connecting tubes and vacuum sealing units such as O-rings. In some embodiments, the apparatus is further configured with a cooling structure 180. The cooling structure may include a liquid-cooled flow channel configured to receive a cryogenic fluid (eg, water, other liquid, or gas) from a fluid supply system. In some embodiments, the delivery line further includes a valve body configured to regulate the gas flow of the line. In some embodiments, the cooling structure 180 may further comprise or be implemented as a cooling wafer in contact with the valve body.

In some embodiments, in addition to the first plasma generating device (including the remote plasma source 130 ), the apparatus 100 may further include a second plasma generating device (including the intracavity plasma generator described below) disposed in the cavity . In arrangement, in some embodiments, the substrate stage 120 may be configured to be coupled to the electrode member 122 (eg, a cable or electrode rod) and a radio frequency (RF) power source connected thereto. At the same time, the showerhead components, such as the plasma distribution component 116, may be configured to be in electrical communication such that they and the substrate stage 120 form opposing electrodes of a built-in/in-cavity plasma generator.

In the embodiment having both the first and second plasma sources, the remote plasma source can be an inductively coupled remote plasma source (ICP RPS), a capacitively coupled remote plasma source (CCP RPS), and At least one of the microwave remote plasma sources (Microwave RPS). On the other hand, the aforementioned radio frequency plasma source (ie, the aforementioned second plasma source) may employ a device in the form of capacitive coupling. Such plasma generating devices can be used to perform processes such as reactive ion etching (RIE). Exemplary Applications Faced up, reactive ion etching can be applied to photoresist ashing, smear removal, smear removal, surface cleaning, modification or activation treatment, copper film nitrogen or argon plasma or their hybrid plasma treatment processes , to remove copper surface oxide and fluoride, or copper surface micro-roughening treatment. In this embodiment, a high density of active radicals is generated via a remote plasma source (first plasma generating device), while a high frequency bias is applied to the substrate stage (second plasma generating device), during chemical etching Under the dual effect of physical etching, the etching or plasma processing rate can be greatly improved.

Generally speaking, in a device using only the reactive ion etching of the second plasma generating device, it is impossible to adjust the plasma density and the ion bombardment energy at the same time. By increasing the RF power, the plasma density and the dissociation rate of the process gas can be increased, thereby increasing the etching rate. However, when the RF power is set too high, the bombardment energy of the ions will be too large, which will cause damage to the substrate material due to excessive temperature or abnormal arc discharge. To avoid substrate damage, the setting of RF power is limited so that the etch rate of insulating dielectric organic substrates (such as epoxy molding compounds or ABF build-up materials) only falls within about 0.5 to 1 um/min. In contrast, if a composite process equipment including a remote plasma source is used, the free radicals can be synchronously adjusted. The plasma density and ion bombardment energy can be optimized by process parameters, and the etch rate can be increased by 100% to 400%.

In addition, compared with the reactive ion etching equipment using only the second plasma source, the composite plasma equipment using the remote plasma source can adjust the bombardment energy of the ions according to the requirements of the process (for example, small to complete No ion bombardment, up to hundreds of volts bias), process temperature can be rationalized (lowered). Taking the application of packaging substrates as an example, the application of a remote plasma source enables the temperature of the substrate stage to be less than 100°C. In some scenarios, the operating temperature state can be maintained at no greater than 50°C. In some cases, it is not even greater than 30 degrees C. With the demand for miniaturization of electronic components and high frequency and high speed, 5G substrate materials, the requirements for temperature control of tiny circuit technology process materials, and the increase in the size of substrates (such as the aforementioned panel-level processes) require plasma uniformity. More stringent, making the process more difficult. However, with the high etching performance and suitable substrate temperature provided by the substrate processing apparatus 100 in this embodiment, it is beneficial to control the size of thin lines and blind vias, and can replace traditional wet etching in many applications. Or/and the grinding process, thereby avoiding the problem of chip damage, and utilizing the high-density free radicals generated by the high-density plasma can also increase the etching rate, thereby improving productivity and yield.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged area view of a substrate processing apparatus in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, some details/subcomponents of the exemplary system are not explicitly labeled/shown in this figure. In some embodiments, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the part circled by the dashed box (B1) in FIG. 1 .

In some embodiments, the baffle ring 240 of the substrate processing equipment has two parts, a partition wall 241 and a flange 242 . As shown, the flange 242 extends generally laterally (eg, along the x-y plane) and is configured to be secured between the base 111 and the plasma inlet wall 112. In the embodiment shown, the laterally extending face of the flange provides a tight interface between the retaining ring 240 and the cavity 110. The compartment walls 241 extend substantially longitudinally (eg, in the z-direction), and are disposed between the side walls 114 of the base 111 and the substrate stage 120 . In the illustrated embodiment, a gap is maintained between the downwardly extending partition wall 241 of the retaining ring and the inner wall surface of the cavity 110. Viewed as a whole, the sidewall 114 and the inner side of the retaining ring 240 respectively form "surrounding walls/side ring walls" of different height sections in the cavity of the process cavity 110 shown (shown by sections S1 and S2 in the figure) . The inner surface of the aforementioned surrounding wall defines an inner space V, which has more than two width sections (W1, W2 respectively). For example, in the schematic cross-sectional view of the process chamber 110 in FIG. 2 , the surrounding wall (including the sidewall 114 and the blocking ring 240 ) includes a first section S1 and a second section S2 with unequal widths. S1 of the first section is relatively close to the plasma inlet wall 112 , and its inner diameter (ie, the first width W1 shown in the figure) is designed to be slightly larger than the width of the substrate stage 120 to allow the substrate stage 120 to enter within the range of the first section S1. In some embodiments, the upper cavity area corresponding to the first section S1 forms the process area P of the substrate stage 120 , while the wider and lower subspace corresponding to the second section S2 forms The loading area of the inner space V.

In one embodiment, the inner surface of the surrounding wall is circumferentially continuously arranged in the first section S1 to substantially avoid working gas or/and plasma (through the gap between the baffle ring 240 and the edge of the stage 120 ). gap) through/leaks out of the aforementioned process area P. When the substrate stage 120 is located in the process area P (eg, as shown in FIG. 2 ), the working gas from the remote plasma source enters the process area through the plasma distribution component 116 After P, the working gas or/and the plasma will be confined in the process area P. In this way, the working gas or/and the plasma can be prevented from flowing into the lower subspace below the substrate stage 120, so as to be kept in the process area P. As shown in FIG. In the illustrated embodiment, the blocking ring 240/340 continuously surrounds the outer periphery of the substrate carrier 120 to substantially block the passage of working gas or/and plasma through the blocking ring 240/340. In some embodiments, the longitudinal (eg, z-direction) length of the first section S1 is not less than 200 mm. With this arrangement, the height of the process area P (ie, the distance from the substrate support surface to the shower head 116 ) can reach at least 200 mm. In the illustrated embodiment, the inner diameter W1 is approximately maintained at a predetermined value within the range of the first section S1. In the schematic cross-sectional view of the process chamber 110 depicted in FIG. 2 , the inner surface of the partition wall 241 of the retaining ring 240 (as part of the inner surface of the surrounding wall) defines the first section S1 , Its longitudinal (eg, z-direction) length is set to be greater than 200 mm (eg, 220 mm).

In some embodiments, an access port (eg, port 318 of FIG. 3A ) for the substrate to be moved out of or into the process chamber is provided in the second section S2 of the surrounding wall. When the substrate stage 120 moves down to the range of the second section S2, the operations of loading and/or unloading the substrates can be performed. The inner diameter (ie, the second width W2) of the second section S2 is greater than the inner diameter W1 of the first section S1. Such a narrow upper and lower width design facilitates the operations of loading and/or unloading substrates. In the illustrated embodiment, the difference in inner diameter of the inner side walls of the cavity is formed by external retaining rings 240 with different (narrower) inner diameters. In other embodiments, the inner diameter difference between the first section and the second section of the surrounding wall can also be achieved by an integrally formed cavity.

In some embodiments, the substrate carrier 120 further includes a fluid channel structure (eg, the exhaust structures 223/323 shown in FIG. 3B ) disposed in the edge region of the substrate carrier 120 . 3B and 3C at the same time, the exhaust structure 223/323 includes a perforated plate 225/325 and an exhaust port 224/324 distributed in the edge region of the stage and placed under the perforated plate 225/325. When the exhaust/extraction device (not shown in the figure) is actuated, the by-products can be moved to the space below the substrate stage 120 through the exhaust structure 223 (corresponding to the second section S2). In some embodiments, the perforations of the perforated plate 225/325 are substantially uniformly distributed. By-products generated after the reaction flow uniformly to the subspace below. In some embodiments, the aperture of the perforated plate falls approximately in the range of 0.5 to 5 mm, such as 1 mm.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , the process chamber 110 further includes an exhaust port 213a. The by-products can be discharged from the cavity through the exhaust port 213a. The exhaust ports 213a are disposed adjacent to two opposite sides of the process chamber 110, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the exhaust port 213a is located below the perforated plate 225 and overlaps the projection of the perforated plate 224. In some embodiments, the evacuation channel (eg, evacuation port 213a) is approximately in the range of 25 mm to 150 mm in diameter.

Referring to Figure 8, the layout of the number and location of exhaust ports can affect/optimize exhaust uniformity. For example, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 (the aforementioned perforated plate is not shown), the exemplary process chamber 811 is provided with a retaining ring 840, and the substrate carrier 820 is disposed within the retaining ring 840. The process chamber 811 has four exhaust ports 813a, which are arranged to overlap with the four exhaust ports 824 located at the corners of the substrate stage 820, respectively. Such a symmetrical arrangement is beneficial to the uniformity of the exhaust gas.

In the design of the stage position, if the edge of the substrate stage (eg, the stage 120 ) is too close to the inner ring surface of the first section S1 (eg, the inward face 241 of the retaining ring 240 ) without maintaining a proper distance, Then, during the up-and-down movement of the substrate stage 120 , the outer edge of the substrate stage 120 may rub against the inner surface of the first section S1 of the annular wall. Such friction may reduce the life of the equipment and may also generate particles that contaminate the chamber environment. In some embodiments, a gap of appropriate width is reserved between the inner surface of the first section S1 (eg, the inner surface of the retaining ring 241 ) and the outer peripheral edge of the substrate stage 120 . In some embodiments, the width of the gap is approximately in the range of 0.2 to 0.8 mm, such as 0.8 mm.

In some embodiments, the ratio of the aperture width of the perforated plate to the width of the gap is approximately in the range of 0.6 to 25. However, if the above-mentioned gap is significantly larger than the hole diameter of the through hole, most of the working gas may flow into the gap, which may cause the phenomenon of uneven distribution of the reaction gas again. In addition, the impact of the operating temperature on the hardware when the device is operating also needs to be taken into account in the design. For example, the size of the gap between the hard structures depends on the machining accuracy. However, if the gap is too small (for example, less than 0.8mm), the gap may disappear due to the high temperature of the machine during operation. For example, when the apparatus is used for some high temperature processes, the substrate stage 120 is inevitably expanded due to the high temperature, so that the outer edge thereof extends to the inner surface of the first section S1. After testing, it is found that the design with the size of the gap being approximately the same as the size of the aperture of the through hole is beneficial to maintain the uniform distribution of the reaction gas on the substrate carrier 120. In some embodiments, the ratio of the width of the perforated plate 224 to the width of the gap is approximately in the range of 0.7 to 1.3, such as 1.25. At the same time, a corresponding heat dissipation device is provided to keep the substrate on the substrate carrier below 140 degrees Celsius, which helps to ensure the quality of the process and maintain the normal operation of the machine.

On the other hand, the RF return path of the plasma generating device may be obstructed by the aforementioned stage gap. In some embodiments, the substrate carrier 120 may be electrically coupled to the process chamber 110 through one or more flexible conductive members (eg, connectors 270 ) to establish an RF return path. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, one end of the flexible conductive member 270 is electrically connected to the first section S1 of the surrounding wall, and the other end is connected to the substrate carrier 120 . In some embodiments, the substrate carrier 120 is electrically coupled to the retaining ring 240 through a plurality of flexible conductive members 270. In some embodiments, the flexible conductive member 270 may be disposed to avoid the outer periphery of the substrate carrier 120 and the inner surface of the retaining ring 240. For example, the partition wall 241 shown in FIG. 2 is spaced from the cavity side wall 114. One end of the flexible conductive member 270 is fixed to the wall surface of the partition wall 241 facing the outside of the cavity by a fixing member (eg, a screw), and the other end is fixed to the exhaust port 225 in the edge area of the substrate carrier 120 s surface. The flexible conductive member 270 has a sufficient length to maintain a state of physical contact with the substrate stage 120 during the lifting and lowering movement thereof. When the substrate carrier 120 is in the position shown in the figure, the flexible conductive member 270 is located between the side wall 114 and the substrate carrier 120 in a suspended manner.

The flexible conductors 270 may be strips, wires, or cables that provide an RF conductive medium. In some embodiments, the flexible conductive member 270 may be implemented as a flexible strip made of a conductive material, or a flexible strip with a conductive coating. In some embodiments, the material of the flexible conductive member may be metal, such as copper. In some embodiments, the flexible conductive member may adopt a composite structure, for example, the surface of the strip is plated with a dissimilar metal, for example, a copper strip is plated with silver. In some embodiments, the thickness of the flexible conductive member is not greater than 1 mm, for example, less than 0.6 mm. In some embodiments, the thickness of the flexible conductive member is about 0.2 mm. The flexible conductive member 270 can establish electrical connection between the RF power source and the cavity. The return path of the RF current may be determined based on the electrical properties (eg, conductivity) and location of the flexible conductive member 270 . In addition, the positions or spacing distances of the plurality of flexible conductive members 270 can be further designed to optimize the electric field uniformity, so as to improve the process gas/plasma distribution uniformity and process stability.

3A shows a schematic perspective view of a substrate processing apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, some details/subcomponents of the exemplary system are not explicitly labeled/shown in this figure, eg, plasma inlet walls and distal plasma sources are not shown in this figure. 3B and 3C respectively illustrate schematic perspective views of substrate stages according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

The base 311 shown in the figure is implemented as a rectangular groove and has a rectangular bottom plate and four side walls, thereby defining an inner space V for accommodating the substrate carrier 320 . In some embodiments, one of the four sidewalls of the base 311 is provided with an access port 318 for the substrate to enter or move out of the inner space V. The side wall also has a valve configured to close the access port 318. Before using the equipment for thinning or plasma processing (such as etching, cleaning, surface activation, etc.), the substrate stage 320 can be moved to a corresponding position (for example, corresponding to the second section S2 shown in FIG. 2 ). ), and open the valve for the substrate to enter the inner space V, so that the substrate can be placed on the substrate support surface 321 of the substrate stage 320 .

The illustrated substrate support surface 321 is substantially rectangular. The substrate stage 320 in the figure is implemented as a rectangle with rounded corners. Substrate processing equipment employing substrate stage 320 is configured to process generally rectangular, large area substrates using plasma. The substrate may include metals, dielectric insulating materials, photoresist, silicon wafers, glass, and composites thereof. The equipment can handle rectangular substrates of different sizes, such as substrates with side lengths from approximately 200 mm to 650 mm.

In some embodiments, the substrate stage 320 includes a channel structure 323 for the passage of reactive gases. In some embodiments, the channel structure (eg, the exhaust structure) 323 extends along the side of the substrate stage 320, and has a ring-shaped planar pattern formed by strip-shaped contours. The exhaust structure 323 has a plurality of exhaust ports 324 arranged along the side of the substrate carrier 320, so that the substrate support surface 321 and its opposite surface are in fluid communication. The exhaust structure 323 further includes a perforated plate 325 disposed above the exhaust port 324.

The perforated plate 325 covers the exhaust port 324 and is disposed facing the plasma inlet wall (eg, the plasma inlet wall 112 of FIG. 1 ). The perforated plate 325 is provided with a plurality of substantially evenly distributed perforations. In some embodiments, the perforation diameter of the perforated plate 325 is about 0.5 to 5 mm, such as 1 mm. In some embodiments, the exhaust structures 323 are distributed approximately symmetrically to the geometric center of the substrate stage 320. In some embodiments, the exhaust ports 324 may be equally spaced on two opposite sides, or four sides of the substrate carrier 320. The symmetrically arranged exhaust structure 323 is beneficial to the uniformity of free radical/reactive gas distribution. In the illustrated embodiment, the exhaust ports 324 are not only distributed on the four sides of the substrate carrier 320, but also distributed on the four rounded corners of the substrate carrier 320. In other words, the exhaust structure 323 is arranged along the outer periphery of the substrate stage 320 and surrounds the substrate support surface 321; such a configuration can further ensure the uniformity of the extraction and reduce the phenomenon of free radical/reactive gas gathering in corners .

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A , four sides of the substrate carrier 320 are provided with flexible conductive members 370 , so that the potential distribution in the cavity can be relatively uniform. In some embodiments, the flexible conductive member 370 is avoided to be disposed on the front side/loading port side of the substrate carrier 320 (the side closest to the access port 318 in the x-direction), which is beneficial to the loading and/or unloading of the substrate operate. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3C , the rear side opposite to the front side also avoids arranging the flexible conductive member 370, which is beneficial to the uniformity of the potential distribution.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3C , the substrate carrier 320 is further provided with a flow channel structure 326 that is bent and extended and embedded in the substrate support surface 321 . The flow channel structure 326 is configured to receive fluid (in the form of water or other working medium) from a fluid source, so as to adjust the temperature state of the substrate on the substrate support surface 321. For example, in processes that use equipment for thinning or plasma processing, the etch rate of the substrate is roughly proportional to the substrate temperature. In the silicon wafer photoresist ashing process, the temperature state of the substrate is, for example, 250-300°C. In contrast, the glass transition temperature of the dielectric insulating material of the packaging substrate or the photoresist is only about 150°C. The flow channel structure 321 of the substrate stage 320 can be utilized to maintain the temperature state of the substrate to less than about 140°C.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3C , the substrate stage 320 further includes a support plate 327 , which is disposed substantially parallel to the showerhead 116 and is configured to move up and down. The peripheral area of the support plate 327 forms the array of the exhaust ports 324 . The aforementioned plurality of flexible conductive members 370 are correspondingly fixed at the plurality of exhaust ports in a surrounding array. In some embodiments, the support plate 327 includes a conductive material, such as copper. The carrier plate 328 is disposed at the center of the support plate 327 to form the substrate support surface 321 and the flow channel structure 326 . A positioning ring (or a cover ring) 329 is disposed around the substrate support surface 321 and is located between the carrier plate 328 and the exhaust port 324 . In some embodiments, the positioning ring 329 includes insulating materials such as Al ₂ O ₃ , ZrO ₂ , Si ₃ N ₄ , AlN, machinable ceramics (eg Macro), Quartz, glass, Teflon. When the support plate 327 moves, the substrate support surface 321 , the exhaust structure 323 , and the flexible conductive member 370 will move synchronously.

The retaining ring 340 shown in FIG. 3A has an annular structure, and the inner surface 343 thereof is substantially circumferentially continuous (along the inner periphery). The top view profile of the inner surface 343 is substantially rectangular with rounded corners. In some embodiments, the retaining ring 340 has a conductive material, such as aluminum. A sealing member (such as a sealing ring 344) is further provided on the top surface of the flange 342 of the blocking ring 340 to maintain the airtightness of the cavity. The top surface of the flange 342 of the retaining ring 340 may also be provided with an electromagnetic interference (Electromagnetic Interference, EMI) shielding element (such as a conductive gasket 345). Similar or identical sealing members and EMI shielding elements may optionally be provided at the contact interface of the base 311 and the flange 342. In this embodiment, the base is electrically connected to the cover through the blocking ring, so that the base, the blocking ring and the cover are all at ground potential. The annular partition wall 341 shown in the figure is formed by sealingly assembled through a plurality of components, which is conducive to processing rounded corners at the corners.

4 shows a bottom schematic view of a plasma inlet wall according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, some details/subcomponents of the exemplary system are not explicitly labeled/shown in this figure. In some embodiments, FIG. 4 is a top view along section line IV-IV parallel to FIG. 1 .

The plasma inlet wall 412 shown in FIG. 4 has a substantially rectangular cover body 415 and a distribution member 416 provided on the cover body 415 . The dispensing member 416 is generally rectangular with rounded corners. In some embodiments, the plasma distribution member 416 and the cover 415 may be of a conductive material (eg, aluminum) and be in electrical communication with each other. The plasma inlet wall 412 has a distribution hole pattern 412a that is disposed in the chamber toward the substrate stage (eg, the substrate stage 120 of FIG. 1 ). The dispensing hole pattern 412a has a substantially rectangular plan profile. In the illustrated embodiment, the distribution hole pattern 412a has a plurality of distribution holes arranged in a rectangular circle, and the rectangular circles (eg, the rectangular circles marked with dotted lines 417 ) are distributed concentrically. The distribution holes distributed in concentric rectangles facilitate uniform flow of process gases to substantially rectangular substrates (eg, panel-level substrates). In some embodiments, in each circle of dispensing holes arranged in a rectangular arrangement, the spacing between adjacent dispensing holes is approximately in the range of 10 to 25 mm. In some embodiments, the spacing is approximately in the range of 10.5 to 21.3 mm. Fixed spacing is beneficial for process gas uniformity. In some embodiments, the diameter of the dispensing hole is no greater than 2 mm, such as 1.8 mm. The gas outlet angle/drain direction of the distribution hole may be set to be parallel to the direction (eg, the Z direction) of the up-and-down movement of the substrate stage.

In some embodiments, the distribution hole pattern 412a has a central region CR. The central region CR is configured to block ultraviolet light from a remote plasma source (eg, remote plasma source 130 ) from directly hitting the substrate, while preventing free radicals from directly passing through the central region CR to the substrate surface for etching. For example, in some embodiments, the size of the holes in the central region CR is smaller than the size of the holes in the peripheral region PR surrounding the central region CR to reduce UV light and radiation from the remote plasma source 130 . Free radicals are directed to the substrate. In some embodiments, the width range of the hole in the central region CR is designed to be less than about 1 mm, eg, 0.8 mm. In some embodiments, the width of the holes placed in the peripheral region PR may be greater than about 1.5 mm, eg, 1.8 mm. In some embodiments, the density of holes in the central region CR is lower than the density of holes in the peripheral region. In some embodiments, the direction of the holes of the central region CR may be set to be inclined to the lifting direction (eg, the z-direction) of the substrate stage. In some embodiments, the central region CR is substantially rectangular. In some embodiments, the pattern area width W _C of the plasma distribution component 416 is about 8 to 10% of the total pattern area width W . If the central region C is too large, it is not conducive to the uniformity of radicals/process gases; if it is too small, it is not conducive to reducing the ultraviolet light directly on the substrate and the local etching of the central region CR within the projection range of the substrate. In some embodiments, the ratio between overall pattern coverage and center pattern size is in the range of about 60 to 120.

5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a plasma inlet wall according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, some details/subcomponents of the exemplary system are not explicitly labeled/shown in this figure. In some embodiments, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along line V-V parallel to FIG. 1 .

The lid 515 in the plasma inlet wall shown in FIG. 5 has an inlet 517 configured to receive process gases/radicals from the remote plasma source. In some embodiments, the inlet 517 is provided in the central area of the cover body 515. In some embodiments, the central area (eg, corresponding to the central area CR of FIG. 4 ) of the distribution hole pattern (eg, the distribution hole pattern 412 a of FIG. 4 ) is projected to overlap the inlet 517 , thereby making the aforementioned central pattern area The CR is able to block directly projected UV light from a remote plasma source. In some embodiments, the projected profile of the inlet 517 in the Z direction (eg, the profile projected on the XY plane) falls within the aforementioned central region CR. In some embodiments, the inlet has a first geometric plane profile; the central region has a second geometric plane profile, and the first geometric plane profile is different from the second geometric plane profile. In some embodiments, the inlet 517 has a generally circular plan profile and the central region CR has a generally rectangular plan profile.

In some embodiments, the lid 515 of the plasma inlet wall further includes a flow channel 519 disposed away from a central region of the lid 515 , the flow channel 519 being configured to be in fluid communication with the fluid source 580 . In some operating scenarios, when the temperature state of the cover body 515 is not high enough (eg, below 30 degrees C), by-products (eg, CxHyOz, CxFy) may condense on the cover body 515 and/or the sprinkler head (eg, FIG. 1 ). the surface of the plasma distribution component 116). The formation of such condensation is not conducive to maintaining the cleanliness of the cavity and may also affect the service life of the components. By controlling the temperature setting of the fluid source 580, the temperature state of the cover body 515 and/or the sprinkler head can be adjusted to reduce the generation of the aforementioned condensation. For example, in the thinning process using equipment, controlling the temperature setting of the fluid source 580 to maintain the temperature state of the cover body 515 at about 30 to 100 degrees C can reduce the formation of by-products on the cover body 515 and/or or the phenomenon on the surface of the sprinkler head. The flow channel shown in the figure can be formed by drilling technology. In other embodiments, the flow channel 519 formed on the cover body 515 may be manufactured by a computerized numerical control (Computerized Numerical Control, CNC) process.

6 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a plasma inlet wall according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. For simplicity and clarity of illustration, some details/subcomponents of the exemplary system are not explicitly labeled/shown in this figure.

Plasma inlet wall 612 has a hollow structure that defines a plasma distribution space 619 in fluid communication with inlet 617 and distribution hole 616b. Output from a remote plasma source (not shown) may enter plasma distribution space 619 through inlet 617, and through distribution aperture 616b into work area P of a substrate stage (eg, substrate stage 120 of FIG. 1). In some embodiments, the structural design of the top and/or bottom of the hole wall _S22 of the through hole 616b can be further adjusted to reduce the phenomenon of gas disturbance, such as setting chamfers.

In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes a valve body module 690 , which is disposed in a pipeline connected between the remote plasma source (located upstream of the valve body 690 , not shown) and the inlet 617 . The valve body module 690 is configured to control the fluid communication state of the working region P with the remote plasma source. In some operating situations, the substrate loading and/or unloading procedure can break the vacuum in the work area. At this time, if the remote plasma source remains in fluid communication with the working area, it will be easily affected by frequent pressure changes and reduce the service life. Using the valve body module 690 to block the fluid communication state between the working area and the remote plasma source can prolong the service life of the remote plasma source. In some embodiments, the valve body 691 of the valve body module 690 may comprise a metal material, such as aluminum or stainless steel. In some embodiments, the use of stainless steel (SUS) valve body can achieve good material strength, but increase the recombination rate of fluorine radicals after dissociation. Such a recombination reaction (exothermic reaction) increases the temperature of the valve body, making the seal in the SUS valve body more likely to be damaged by being in a high temperature state. In some embodiments, in order to reduce the recombination of fluorine radicals after dissociation and contact with the inner surface of the SUS valve body, the surfaces of the valve body and/or the communication tube exposed to the radical environment (eg inner surface 693 ) may be plated with a layer Teflon (PTFE). This setting can help reduce the recombination rate of fluorine radicals after dissociation, and at the same time slow down the erosion of the valve body by fluorine radicals. In some embodiments, the valve body and the communication tube can be made of aluminum alloy, and the surface is treated with anodization. This surface treatment can help reduce the recombination rate of fluorine radicals. In some embodiments, the valve body module further has a cooling structure. The cooling structure includes a flow channel 692 embedded in the valve body 691, the flow channel 692 being configured to receive cryogenic fluid from a fluid source. In some embodiments, the cooling structure may further include a cooling wafer in contact with the valve body. In some embodiments, the valve body may be a vacuum valve such as a ball valve or a gate valve, which is used to adjust the gas flow (eg, shut off the atmospheric environment and the vacuum environment).

In the illustrated embodiment, the plasma inlet wall 612 has a cover 615 and a plasma distribution member 616 . Lid 615 is configured to establish a closed state of the process chamber. In the illustrated embodiment, a shower head (such as the plasma distribution component 616 ) is detachably mounted on the cover 615 . The plasma distribution member 616 is formed with a distribution hole pattern 616a and is disposed in the flow path of the reactive gas (from the RPS), which is designed to direct the output of the RPS uniformly to the substrate surface. A plasma distribution member 616 may be disposed between the inlet 617 and the substrate stage. In the embodiment shown in the figure, the plasma distribution member 616 is disposed on one side of the inlet 617 (that is, facing the inner side of the plasma distribution space 619 ) and facing the substrate carrier (eg, the substrate carrier in FIG. 1 ). Desk 120). In the illustrated embodiment, the plasma distribution features 616 are narrower than the process area P. Thereby, the boundary between the plasma distribution member 616 and the cover body 615 (eg, the side surface S11 of the shower head) falls within the projection range of the process area P. In some embodiments, the sprinkler head 616 may be set wider than the process area P, so that the boundary between the sprinkler head 616 and the cover 615 avoids the workpiece bearing area. This arrangement reduces the impact of dust particles on the substrate carrier from between hardware components of the device (eg, the fasteners used to hold the showerhead 616 and the cover 615). In the illustrated embodiment, the plasma inlet wall 612 adopts a two-piece design (ie, the plasma distribution member 616 and the cover 615). In other embodiments, the plasma distribution component and the cover may be integrally formed.

In some embodiments, the surface of the showerhead (eg, the plasma distribution member 616 ) may have an oxide layer to inhibit the recombination of adjacent free radicals to maintain the activity of the free radicals. However, the oxide layer generally has a large surface resistance value which is not conducive to the establishment of a radio frequency circuit. In some embodiments, the interface S ₁ between the plasma distribution member 616 and the cover 615 is formed with a surface area S 2 smaller than the surface area S ₂ of the plasma distribution member 616 exposed to the plasma distribution space the surface resistance value it has. This design enables the creation of an RF loop through the sprinkler head, cover, surrounding wall (eg its retaining ring), flexible conductors, substrate carrier, RF power supply. The illustrated interface S ₁ has a side surface portion S ₁₁ and a top surface portion S ₁₂ . In some embodiments, the surface area S ₂ of the plasma distribution member 616 exposed to the plasma distribution space 619 includes the area S ₂₁ of the top surface of the plasma distribution member 616 (not in contact with the cover 615 ), and defines the distribution Area _S22 of the hole wall of hole 616b. In some embodiments, the surface resistance value of the surface area S3 of the plasma distribution member 616 facing the substrate stage is also smaller _than the surface resistance value of the surface area S2 _of the plasma distribution member 616 . This is more conducive to the establishment of the RF circuit.

In some embodiments, the showerhead 616 has a conductive material, such as metal. In some embodiments, the sprinkler head 616 may be machined from aluminum. In some methods of manufacturing sprinkler heads, the aluminum plate can be anodized first, so that the surface of the aluminum plate has an oxide layer. Next, the entire bottom surface (eg surface area S ₃ ), side surfaces (eg surface area S ₁₁ ) and peripheral portion (eg surface area S ₁₂ ) of the aluminum plate with an oxide layer are processed so that the surface resistance value is lower than the top surface of the aluminum plate surface (eg surface area S ₂₁ ). For example, surface treatments such as grinding or etching can be used to cut/remove the oxide layer on the bottom, side, and peripheral parts of the top surface, thereby forming shower heads with different surface properties. In some embodiments, the entire bottom surface (eg, surface area S ₃ ) and sides (eg, surface area S ₁₁ ) of the showerhead 616 may be observed to have a metallic sheen. In some embodiments, a peripheral portion (eg, surface area S ₁₂ ) of the top surface of showerhead 616 has a metallic sheen. In some embodiments, the portion surrounded by the peripheral portion (eg, surface area S ₂₁ ) is non-metallic and has a relatively dark color, such as earth tones.

FIG. 7 shows experimental data according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The left image (a) shows the process results for a sprinkler head without the surface treatment; the right image (b) shows the result for a sprinkler head surface treated as previously described (eg, sprinkler head 616 of FIG. 6 ). process results. The 16-grid blocks presented in the left image (a) or right image (b) correspond to the positions of the etched surfaces of the rectangular substrate, respectively. The relative ratios of the etching rates measured in the experiment are presented by filling in different grayscales in each grid block. Specifically, the percentage range shown on the right side of FIG. 7 represents the obtained percentage range relative to the reference etching rate (um/min), which is expressed in a manner corresponding to different gray levels. It can be observed in the data that using the aforementioned showerheads with different surface properties (eg, showerhead 616 in Figure 6) can significantly reduce the non-uniformity of the substrate surface etch rate compared to the unsurfaced aluminum showerheads. . For example, the dotted box circles marked on the left (a) or right (b) show a region with a relatively small relative etching ratio range (0~20%, that is, a region with a more uniform etching rate distribution). As can be seen from the figure, the circled area of the dashed box in the right figure (b) is larger. After calculation, the non-uniformity of the etching rate on the surface of the substrate can be reduced to less than 15%, and further less than 10%, by using the shower head disclosed in the embodiment of the present application (for example, the shower head 616 in FIG. 6 ).

So far, an aspect of the present disclosure provides a substrate processing apparatus, which includes a processing chamber and a substrate stage. The process chamber has a plasma inlet wall and a surrounding wall. The plasma inlet wall is configured to receive free radicals from a remote plasma source. The surrounding wall has an inner surface that defines an interior space to receive a substrate. The substrate stage can be lifted and lowered in the inner space of the process chamber, and has a substrate support surface facing the plasma inlet wall. The surrounding wall, in the cross section of the process chamber, has a first section and a second section. The first section corresponds to a process area of the substrate stage and has a first spacing width. The second section is further away from the plasma inlet wall than the first section and has a spacer width greater than the first spacer width.

In some embodiments, the substrate carrier includes an exhaust structure having a strip-like planar profile. The exhaust structure has a plurality of exhaust ports, which are distributed and arranged along the outer periphery of the substrate stage, so that the substrate support surface and its opposite surface are in fluid communication; and a perforated plate facing the plasma inlet The wall is disposed above the exhaust port, and the perforated plate has a plurality of substantially uniformly distributed perforations.

In some embodiments, a gap is formed between the outer periphery of the substrate carrier and the first section of the surrounding wall when the substrate carrier is located in the process area. The width of the perforated plate and the width of the gap are approximately the same.

In some embodiments, the substrate carrier is electrically coupled to the first section of the surrounding wall through a plurality of flexible conductive members.

In some embodiments, a retaining ring disposed between the process chamber and the substrate carrier forms the first section, the retaining ring has an inner surface, and the inner surface of the retaining ring forms the first section a portion of the inner surface of the surrounding wall.

In some embodiments, the plasma inlet wall has a pattern of dispensing holes facing the substrate stage, the pattern of dispensing holes having a substantially rectangular plan profile.

In some embodiments, the plasma inlet wall has an inlet configured to receive radicals from the distal plasma source and having a first geometric planar profile. A central area of the dispensing hole pattern is projected overlying the inlet, the central area having a second geometric plane profile. The first geometric plane profile is different from the second geometric plane profile.

In some embodiments, holes in the central region of the dispensing hole pattern are smaller in size than holes located in a peripheral region surrounding the central region.

In some embodiments, the plasma inlet wall has a hollow structure that defines a plasma distribution space. The distribution hole pattern is formed in a plasma distribution member arranged on one side of the inlet and facing the substrate stage. The surface area of the plasma distribution member exposed to the plasma distribution space has a surface resistance value greater than that of the surface area of the plasma distribution member facing the substrate stage.

In some embodiments, the plasma inlet wall has a lid configured to establish a closed state of the process chamber. The plasma distribution part is detachably mounted on the cover body. The interface between the plasma distribution member and the cover has a surface resistance value smaller than that of the surface area of the plasma distribution member exposed to the plasma distribution space.

An aspect of the present disclosure provides a substrate manufacturing apparatus, including a manufacturing chamber and a substrate stage. The process chamber defines an interior space to receive a substrate. The process chamber has a base, a plasma inlet wall and a retaining ring. The plasma inlet wall is configured to enclose the pedestal and receive free radicals from a remote plasma source. The retaining ring is disposed between the base and the plasma inlet wall. The substrate stage can be raised and lowered in the inner space of the process chamber, and has a substrate support surface facing the plasma inlet wall. In the cross section of the process cavity, the process area of the substrate stage defined by the inner surface of the retaining ring has a width narrower than the inner diameter width of the susceptor.

In some embodiments, the substrate carrier includes an exhaust structure configured to surround and move synchronously with the substrate support surface. The exhaust structure has: a plurality of exhaust ports, arranged along the outer periphery of the substrate stage, so that the two opposite surfaces of the substrate support surface are in fluid communication; and a perforated plate facing the plasma inlet The wall is disposed above the exhaust port, and the perforated plate has a plurality of substantially uniformly distributed perforations.

In some embodiments, when the substrate carrier is located in the process area, a gap is formed between the outer periphery of the substrate carrier and the retaining ring. The ratio of the width of the perforated plate to the width of the gap is approximately the same.

In some embodiments, the substrate carrier is electrically coupled to the retaining ring through a plurality of flexible conductive members.

In some embodiments, the plasma inlet wall has a pattern of dispensing holes facing the substrate stage, the pattern of dispensing holes having a substantially rectangular plan profile.

In some embodiments, the plasma inlet wall has an inlet configured to receive output from the remote plasma source. The central area of the dispensing hole pattern is projected over the inlet, and the holes in the central area are smaller in size than the holes located in the peripheral area surrounding the central area.

In some embodiments, the central region has a generally rectangular plan profile. The inlet has a generally circular plan profile.

In some embodiments, the plasma inlet wall has a hollow structure that defines a plasma distribution space. The distribution hole pattern is formed in a plasma distribution member arranged on one side of the inlet and facing the substrate stage. The surface area of the plasma distribution member exposed to the plasma distribution space has a surface resistance value greater than that of the surface area of the plasma distribution member facing the substrate stage.

In some embodiments, the plasma inlet wall has a lid configured to establish a closed state of the process chamber. The plasma distribution part is detachably mounted on the cover body. The interface between the plasma distribution member and the cover has a surface resistance value smaller than that of the surface area of the plasma distribution member exposed to the plasma distribution space.

In some embodiments, the inlet is provided in a central area of the cover. The cover of the plasma inlet wall further includes a flow channel arranged to avoid the inlet.

However, the above are only examples of the present invention, and should not limit the scope of the present invention. Any simple equivalent changes and modifications made according to the scope of the application for patent of the present invention and the content of the patent specification are still within the scope of the present invention. within the scope of the invention patent.

100: Substrate process equipment 110: Process chambers 111, 311: Bases 112, 412: Plasma inlet wall 113: Bottom wall 114: Side walls 115, 415, 615: Covers 116, 416, 616: Plasma distribution components 416a, 616a: distribution hole pattern 616b: distribution hole 117, 617: inlet 318: inlet and outlet 619: plasma distribution space 120: substrate stage 121: substrate support surface 122: electrode members 123, 223, 323: exhaust structure 224 , 324: perforated plate 225, 325: exhaust port 326: runner structure 327: lift table 328: carrier plate 130: remote plasma source 140, 240, 340: retaining ring 241, 341: compartment wall 242, 342 : flange 343 : inner surface 344 : sealing member 345 : EMI shielding element 150 : ejector pin 160 : gas source 270 : flexible conductor 180 : cooling element 690 : valve body module 691 : valve body V : inner space P : Process region CR: central region PR: peripheral region S ₁ : surface S ₁₁ , S ₁₂ : region S ₂ : surface S ₂₁ , S ₂₂ : region S ₃ : surface

For a detailed understanding of the above-described features of the present application, a more specific description of the present application, briefly described above, can be provided with reference to embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be noted, however, that the accompanying drawings illustrate only typical implementations of this case and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the scope of this case, as this case may admit other equivalent implementations. FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a substrate processing apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 2 shows an enlarged area view of a substrate processing apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; 3A shows a schematic perspective view of a substrate processing apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; 3B and 3C respectively illustrate schematic perspective views of a substrate stage according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; 4 illustrates a bottom schematic view of a plasma inlet wall according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a plasma inlet wall according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; 6 shows a schematic partial cross-sectional view of a plasma inlet wall according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; FIG. 7 shows experimental data according to some embodiments of the present disclosure; and 8 shows a schematic top view of a substrate processing apparatus according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only exemplary embodiments of this disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the disclosure may admit to other equally effective embodiments. It should be noted that these drawings are intended to illustrate the general characteristics of the methods, structures and/or materials used in certain example embodiments and to supplement the written description provided below. These drawings, however, are not to scale and may not precisely reflect the precise structural or performance characteristics of any given embodiment, and should not be construed to define or limit the range of values or characteristics encompassed by example embodiments . For example, the relative thicknesses and positions of layers, regions and/or structural elements may be reduced or exaggerated for clarity. The use of similar or identical reference numbers throughout the various figures is intended to indicate the presence of similar or identical elements or features.

100: Substrate process equipment 110: Process cavity 111: Pedestal 112: Plasma Inlet Wall 113: Bottom Wall 114: Sidewall 115: Cover 116: Plasma Distribution Components 117: Entrance 120: Substrate stage 121: Substrate support surface 122: Electrode member 123: Exhaust structure 130: Remote Plasma Source 140: retaining ring 150: jacking pin 160: Gas source 180: Cooling element V: interior space

Claims (9)

A substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a process chamber having a plasma inlet wall, configured to receive output from a remote plasma source, the surrounding wall, having an inner surface defining an interior space to receive a substrate; and a substrate stage, which can be raised and lowered in the inner space of the process chamber, and has a substrate support surface facing the plasma inlet wall; wherein, the plasma inlet wall has an on-board carrier facing the machine a dispensing hole pattern of the stage, the dispensing hole pattern having a substantially rectangular plan profile, and the surrounding wall, in cross-section of the process chamber, has a first section corresponding to the substrate carrier The process area has a first width, and a second section is further away from the plasma inlet wall than the first section and has a width greater than the first width. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate stage includes an exhaust structure having a strip-like planar profile; wherein the exhaust structure has: a plurality of exhaust ports along the substrate stage The outer periphery is distributed and configured to allow fluid communication between the substrate support surface and its opposite surface, and a perforated plate is arranged facing the plasma inlet wall and is arranged above the exhaust port, and the perforated plate There are a plurality of perforations that are substantially evenly distributed. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, when the substrate carrier is located in the process area, a gap is formed between an outer periphery of the substrate carrier and the first section of the surrounding wall; wherein , the width of the perforation of the perforated plate and the width of the gap are approximately the same. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate carrier is electrically coupled to the first section of the surrounding wall through a plurality of flexible conductive members. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first section is formed by a retaining ring disposed between the process chamber and the substrate stage, the retaining ring having an inner surface, the retaining ring having an inner surface. The inner surface forms part of the inner surface of the surrounding wall. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plasma inlet wall has an inlet configured to receive output from the remote plasma source and having a first geometric planar profile; wherein the distribution A central area of the hole pattern is projected over the inlet, and the central area has a second geometric plane profile; wherein the first geometric plane profile is different from the second geometric plane profile. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein holes located in the central region of the dispensing hole pattern are smaller in size than holes located in a peripheral region surrounding the central region. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plasma inlet wall has a hollow structure, the hollow structure defines a plasma distribution space; wherein the distribution hole pattern is formed in a plasma distribution member, the plasma distribution A member is disposed on one side of the inlet and faces the substrate stage; wherein a surface area of the plasma distribution member exposed to the plasma distribution space has a higher surface area than a surface area thereof facing the substrate stage greater surface resistance value. 8. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plasma inlet wall has a cover configured to establish a closed state of the process chamber; wherein the plasma distribution component is removably mountable in the cover body; wherein, the interface between the plasma distribution member and the cover body has a surface resistance value smaller than that of the surface area of the plasma distribution member exposed to the plasma distribution space has a surface resistance value.

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