TWI820472B - Warm-up method of physical vapor deposition chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber. A shielding unit is placed between a carrier plate and a target material of the physical vapor deposition chamber, and a process gas is provided to the reaction cavity of the physical vapor deposition chamber. The power supply provides voltage to the target material, so that the process gas forms plasma, and the plasma will be attracted by the voltage on the target material and hit the target material. A voltage measurement unit measures the voltage on the target material to generate a target voltage, where the target voltage includes an initial voltage and a stable voltage. Then, the target voltage and a threshold voltage are compared, and when the stable voltage of the target voltage is greater than the threshold voltage, it is determined that the physical vapor deposition chamber has been warmed up. Through the warm-up method of the present invention, the warm-up time can be saved, and the energy consumed during the warm-up process can be reduced.

Description

Warming-up method of physical vapor deposition chamber

The invention relates to a method for warming up a physical vapor deposition cavity, which can save time for warming up and reduce the energy consumed by the warming up.

Physical vapor deposition (PVD) is a technology that uses physical mechanisms to deposit thin films. The physical mechanism mainly refers to the phase change of substances. For example, the target is heated at high temperature to vaporize the target and then deposit it on the substrate. A thin film is formed on the surface of the substrate. In addition, high-energy particles can be used to bombard the target, causing the atoms on the target surface to leave the target. The atoms leaving the target will be deposited on the substrate and form a thin film on the substrate surface.

Specifically, the process temperature of physical vapor deposition is lower, which can greatly reduce the use of toxic solutions and reduce the waste of water resources during the deposition process. Therefore, it is more environmentally friendly than other thin film deposition processes. In addition, thin films of almost all materials All can be produced through physical vapor deposition.

However, compared with other deposition processes, physical vapor deposition also has problems such as poor step coverage and difficulty in controlling the uniformity of film thickness.

When performing the physical vapor deposition process, how to improve the uniformity of film thickness on the substrate has always been the goal of each process factory. To this end, the present invention proposes a heating system for a physical vapor deposition chamber. The machine method can detect the process conditions of the physical vapor deposition chamber in real time and determine that the physical vapor deposition chamber has completed warming up. After the physical vapor deposition chamber has completed the warm-up, thin films are deposited on the substrate through the physical vapor deposition chamber, which is beneficial to improving the deposition on the substrate. Film uniformity on the surface.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber, which mainly measures the target voltage on the target during the warm-up process of the physical vapor deposition chamber, and then compares the target voltage and A threshold voltage to determine whether the physical vapor deposition chamber has completed warming up. Through the warm-up method of the present invention, the time spent on warm-up can be reduced, and the energy consumed in the warm-up process can be reduced.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber, in which the target is electrically connected to a first power supply and a voltage measurement unit. The first power supply provides voltage to the target, and the voltage measurement unit is used to measure the voltage on the target to generate a target voltage.

The voltage measurement unit is electrically connected to a computer and transmits the target voltage to the computer. The computer is used to process the target voltage and remove the starting voltage from the target voltage to obtain a stable voltage from the target voltage. The computer can then further compare the stable voltage in the target voltage with a threshold voltage. When the stable voltage is greater than the threshold voltage, it is determined that the physical vapor deposition chamber has completed warming up.

In practical applications, after completing the manufacturing or assembly of the physical vapor deposition chamber, the physical vapor deposition chamber can be tested or commissioned to obtain the threshold voltage, and then the threshold voltage is stored in the computer, where each physical vapor deposition chamber is The threshold voltage of the phase deposition chamber may vary.

In order to achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber, which includes: placing a shielding unit between a carrier plate and a target in the physical vapor deposition chamber; providing a process gas to a reaction chamber of the physical vapor deposition chamber; through a first The power supply provides a voltage to the target, causing the process gas to form a plasma, in which the plasma is attracted by the voltage on the target and hits the target; the voltage on the target is measured through a voltage measurement unit to generate a target The target voltage includes a starting voltage and a stable voltage; and comparing the stable voltage with a threshold voltage, when the stable voltage is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, it is determined that the physical vapor deposition chamber has completed warming up.

The invention provides a method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber, which includes: placing a shielding unit between a carrier plate and a target material in the physical vapor deposition chamber; and providing a process gas to the physical vapor deposition chamber. In a reaction chamber of the body; a voltage is provided to the target through a first power supply, so that the process gas forms a plasma, in which the plasma is attracted by the voltage on the target and hits the target; measured through a voltage measurement unit Measure the voltage on the target after a first time interval to generate a stable voltage; and compare the stable voltage with a threshold voltage. When the stable voltage is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, it is determined that the physical vapor deposition chamber has completed warming up. .

The warm-up method of the physical vapor deposition chamber includes: when the stable voltage is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, the shielding unit leaves between the carrier plate and the target; and driving the carrier plate and at least one substrate carried toward the target. direction displacement, and a physical vapor deposition is performed on the substrate.

In the method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber, the starting voltage is the target voltage measured within a first time interval.

The method of warming up the physical vapor deposition chamber includes subtracting the starting voltage of the target voltage, and then comparing the stable voltage and the threshold voltage.

In the method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber, the shielding unit is placed on the carrier tray and used to shield the carrier tray.

In the method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber, the target voltage includes a plurality of pulse voltages, and the plurality of pulse voltages respectively include a starting voltage and a stable voltage.

In the method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber, the voltage measurement unit measures the voltage of a plurality of pulse voltages after the first time interval to generate a stable voltage.

10:Physical vapor deposition chamber

11:Reaction chamber

112:Open your mouth

115: Substrate import and export

12: Accommodation space

121:Reaction space

13: Carrying tray

131:Substrate

14:Block

141: Annular flange

143: Cover ring

15:Target

161:First power supply

163: Voltage measurement unit

165: Second power supply

17:Shading unit

18: Pulse voltage

180:Target voltage

181: Starting voltage

183: Stable voltage

T1: first time interval

S1: first cycle

S2: Second cycle

S3: Third cycle

[Fig. 1] is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a physical vapor deposition chamber for warming up according to the present invention.

[Fig. 2] is a step flow chart of an embodiment of a method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber according to the present invention.

[Fig. 3] is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of a physical vapor deposition chamber for warming up according to the present invention.

[Fig. 4] shows the target voltage measured by the voltage measurement unit of the physical vapor deposition chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 5] shows the stable voltage of the target voltage measured by the voltage measurement unit of the physical vapor deposition chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 6] is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a physical vapor deposition chamber for thin film deposition according to the present invention.

Please refer to Figures 1 and 2, which are respectively a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a physical vapor deposition chamber for warming up according to the present invention and a step flow of an embodiment of a method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber. Figure. As shown in the figure, the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 mainly includes a reaction chamber 11, a carrier plate 13, a target material 15 and a shielding unit 17, wherein the carrier plate 13, the target material 15 and the shielding unit 17 are located in the reaction chamber. In the accommodation space 12 of the body 11.

The carrying tray 13 is used to carry at least one substrate 131 , and the target 15 faces the carrying tray 13 and the substrate 131 it carries. Specifically, the reaction chamber 11 may be provided with an opening. For example, the opening is located above the reaction chamber 11 , and the accommodating space 12 is connected to the outside through the opening. The target 15 and/or the top plate can be disposed or covered on the opening of the reaction chamber 11 , where the target 15 and/or the top plate are connected to the accommodation space 12 of the reaction chamber 11 , so that the target 15 and/or the top plate are in contact with the reaction chamber 11 . The cavity 11 forms a closed accommodation space 12 .

The bearing plate 13 can be displaced relative to the target 15 and change the distance between the bearing plate 13 and the target 15 . Specifically, the carrier tray 13 can be displaced in a direction away from the target 15, and a robot arm can be used to transport the substrate 131 into the reaction chamber 11 through the substrate inlet and outlet 115 and be placed on the carrier tray 13, or through a robot handpiece. The substrate 131 on the carrier tray 13 is transported to the outside of the reaction chamber 11 via the substrate inlet and outlet 115 . The carrier tray 13 can drive the carried substrate 131 closer to the target 15 to reduce the distance between the substrate 131 carried by the carrier tray 13 and the target 15 and deposit a thin film on the substrate 131 .

In one embodiment of the present invention, a stopper 14 can be disposed in the accommodation space 12 of the reaction chamber 11 , one end of the stopper 14 is connected to the reaction chamber 11 , and the other end of the stopper 14 forms an annular flange 141 . In another embodiment of the present invention, a cover ring 143 can be further placed on the annular flange 141 of the stopper 14 .

In one embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 1, the shielding unit 17 is located in the accommodation space 12 of the reaction chamber 11. For example, the reaction chamber 11 can be connected to a storage space (not shown), and the shielding unit 17 It can be displaced between the storage space and the accommodation space 12 of the reaction chamber 11 . When the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 is warming up, the shielding unit 17 will enter the accommodation space 12 of the reaction chamber 11 and be located between the carrier plate 13 and the target 15 to shield the carrier plate 13 and/or Substrate 131, as shown in step 21 of Figure 2 . During thin film deposition, the shielding unit 17 will enter the storage space, so that there is no shielding unit 17 between the target 15 and the carrier plate 13 .

In another embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 3, the shielding unit 17 can be placed directly on the carrier tray 13, where the shielding unit 17 is also located between the carrier tray 13 and the target 15, and is used to shield the carrier tray. 13.

A process gas is provided and transported into the accommodation space 12 of the reaction chamber 11, as shown in step 23. In actual application, step 21 can be performed first and then step 23, or step 23 can be performed first and then step 21.

The physical vapor deposition chamber 10 includes a first power supply 161, where the first power supply 161 is electrically connected to the target 15 and provides voltage to the target 15. For example, the first power supply 161 can provide a DC voltage or an AC voltage to the target 15. Target 15. The process gas in the accommodation space 12 of the reaction chamber 11 is affected by the voltage to form plasma. The plasma in the accommodation space 12 will be attracted by the voltage on the target 15 and impact the target 15, as shown in step 25. Show.

The physical vapor deposition chamber 10 usually needs to be warmed up before performing the thin film deposition process. During the warm-up process, the first power supply 161 will continue to supply voltage to the target 15 so that the plasma or high energy in the accommodation space 12 The particles impact the target 15 to clean the target 15, and the temperature of the accommodation space 12 of the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 and/or the target 15 will also increase. If the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has not been completely warmed up, the substrate 131 in the accommodating space 12 is processed through the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 . Thin film deposition often results in uneven thickness of the film deposited on the surface of the substrate 131 due to unstable process conditions.

Generally speaking, the time for the first power supply 161 to supply voltage to the target 15 is used as the criterion for determining whether to warm up or not. For example, when the time for the first power supply 161 to supply voltage to the target 15 reaches a preset time, it is determined The physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has completed warming up. Then, the thin film is deposited on the substrate 131 in the accommodation space 12 through the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 to improve the uniformity of the thin film deposited on the surface of the substrate 131 .

However, in actual applications, the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 may operate repeatedly between the deposition state and the idle state. Each time before entering the deposition state from the idle state, the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 needs to be warmed. machine, and continuously supplies voltage to the target 15 through the first power supply 161 within a preset time.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the voltage supplied by the first power supply 161 to the target 15 may include a plurality of pulses. The preset time for which the first power supply 161 supplies voltage to the target 15 may also be the number, period or cycle of pulses that the first power supply 161 supplies to the target 15 . For example, one cycle of voltage provided by the first power supply 161 may include seven pulses, and after the first power supply 161 supplies three cycles of voltage, it is defined as that the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has completed warming up.

Although the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 can be warmed up through the above warm-up method, the above-mentioned warm-up method lacks a monitoring mechanism and only judges the physical vapor deposition chamber through the time when the first power supply 161 provides voltage. Whether the body 10 has completed warming up may reduce the efficiency of the process and cause a waste of energy. For example, when the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 is idle for a short time, the first power supply 161 may not supply voltage to the target 15 for a preset time, and the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has completed warming up.

To this end, the present invention further proposes to electrically connect a voltage measurement unit 163 to the target 15, and measure the voltage on the target 15 through the voltage measurement unit 163 to generate a target voltage 180, as shown in step 27.

Please refer to FIG. 4 , the target voltage 180 includes a plurality of pulse voltages 18 , where each pulse voltage 18 includes a starting voltage 181 and a stable voltage 183 . The starting voltage 181 is the voltage measured by each pulse voltage 18 within a first time interval T1, and the stable voltage 183 is the voltage measured by each pulse voltage 18 after the first time interval T1. The starting voltage 181 is greater than the stable voltage 183 , wherein the time the stable voltage 183 acts on the target 15 is greater than the starting voltage 181 , and is the voltage that actually acts on the target 15 .

The target voltage 180 is further compared with a threshold voltage, for example, the stable voltage 183 of the target voltage 180 is compared with the threshold voltage to determine whether the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has completed warming up, as shown in step 29 .

After many experiments and observations, the inventor found that the target voltage 180 and/or the stable voltage 183 measured by the voltage measurement unit 163 will slowly increase over time and gradually become stable. When the stable voltage 183 of the target voltage 180 is greater than or equal to a threshold voltage, the process conditions of the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 tend to be stable.

In practical applications, different physical vapor deposition chambers 10 can be tested. For example, the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 can be tested after the manufacturing or assembly of the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 is completed, and the threshold voltage of the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 can be found. , where the threshold voltage of each physical vapor deposition chamber 10 may be different.

To this end, when the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 is being warmed up, the target voltage 180 measured by the voltage measurement unit 163 can be compared with the threshold voltage. When the stable voltage 183 of the target voltage 180 is greater than the gate When the threshold voltage is reached, it is determined that the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has completed warming up and can be used to perform a thin film deposition process.

In an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 5 , the voltage measurement unit 163 can be set to start measuring the voltage on the target 15 after the first time interval T1 to obtain a stable voltage 183 on the target 15 . Then, the stable voltage 183 measured by the voltage measurement unit 163 is compared with the threshold voltage. When the stable voltage 183 is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, it is determined that the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has completed warming up.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the voltage measurement unit 163 is used to measure the target voltage 180 on the target 15, and then subtract the pulse voltage 18 from the target voltage 180 within the first time interval T1. voltage 181 to produce a stable voltage 183.

In practical applications, the voltage measurement unit 163 can transmit the measured target voltage 180 to a computer (not shown), and subtract the starting voltage 181 from the target voltage 180 through the computer to obtain the stable voltage 183 . In addition, the computer can also store the threshold voltage and compare the stable voltage 183 with the threshold voltage to determine whether the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has completed warming up. Through the method of warming up the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 of the present invention, the time spent on warming up can be reduced, and the energy consumed by the warming up can be reduced.

In one embodiment of the present invention, one cycle of the target voltage 180 provided by the first power supply 161 to the target 15 may include seven pulse voltages 18 . The warm-up method in the prior art provides three cycles for the first power supply 161 Or after the target voltage 180 of the cycle (S1, S2, S3) is given to the target 15, it is defined that the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has completed warming up. In other words, after the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 is idle, the first power supply 161 needs to provide three periods or cycles (S1, S2, S3) of the target voltage 180 to the target 15 before the physical vapor deposition can be completed. Warming up of the deposition chamber 10 . S1, S2 and S3 are respectively the first cycle, the second cycle and the third cycle of the target voltage 180 provided by the first power supply 161.

In comparison, this case proposes to measure the target voltage 180 on the target 15 through the voltage measurement unit 163, and further compare the stable voltage 183 of the target voltage 180 with the threshold voltage to determine whether the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 Warm-up completed. Through the warm-up method of the present invention, the first power supply 161 may only need to provide the target voltage 180 for two periods or cycles (S1, S2) to the target 15, and then the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has been completed. Warm up the machine, thus saving the time and cost of warming up the machine. For example, when the idle time of the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 is short, the first power supply 161 only needs to provide a shorter time or less cycle voltage to the target 15 and can complete the warm-up of the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 .

In the warm-up method of the present invention, whether the physical vapor deposition chamber 10 has actually completed the warm-up can be determined through the target voltage 180 measured by the voltage measurement unit 163 . As shown in FIG. 6 , when the stable voltage 183 is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, the shielding unit 17 will leave between the carrier tray 13 and the target 15 . For example, the shielding unit 17 can enter the storage space and drive the carrier tray 13 and the substrate 131 toward The direction of the target 15 approaches and enters or contacts the opening 112 formed by the stopper 14 . The reaction chamber 11 , the carrier plate 13 , the target 15 , the stopper 14 and the cover ring 143 will separate a space in the accommodation space 12 . The reaction space 121 is used to perform physical vapor deposition on the substrate 131 on the carrier tray 13 in the reaction space 121 to form a thin film with uniform thickness on the surface of the substrate 131 .

In practical applications, the carrier tray 13 can be electrically connected to a second power supply 165 and provide voltage to the carrier tray 13 through the second power supply 165 to form a bias voltage on the carrier tray 13 . The atoms leaving the target 15 will be attracted by the bias of the susceptor 13 and deposited on the surface of the substrate 131 placed on the susceptor 13 .

The above is only one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. That is, all changes in shape, structure, characteristics and spirit described in the patent scope of the present invention may be equal to those described above. Modifications should be included in the patentable scope of the present invention.

Claims (6)

A method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber, including: placing a shielding unit between a carrier plate and a target material in the physical vapor deposition chamber; providing a process gas to the physical vapor deposition chamber In a reaction chamber; a voltage is provided to the target through a first power supply, so that the process gas forms a plasma, wherein the plasma is attracted by the voltage on the target and hits the target; through a voltage The measurement unit measures the voltage on the target to generate a target voltage, wherein the target voltage includes a plurality of pulse voltages, and the plurality of pulse voltages respectively include a starting voltage and a stable voltage, wherein the starting voltage is the pulse voltage measured within a first time interval; and compares the stable voltage with a threshold voltage. When the stable voltage is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, it is determined that the physical vapor deposition chamber has completed warming up. The method of warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber as described in claim 1, including: when the stable voltage is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, the shielding unit leaves between the carrier plate and the target; and driving the carrier The disk and at least one substrate carried are displaced toward the target, and a physical vapor deposition is performed on the substrate. The method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber as claimed in claim 1 includes subtracting the starting voltage from the target voltage, and then comparing the stable voltage and the threshold voltage. The method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber as claimed in claim 1, wherein the shielding unit is placed on the carrier tray and used to shield the carrier tray. A method for warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber, including: placing a shielding unit between a carrier plate and a target material in the physical vapor deposition chamber; providing a process gas to the physical vapor deposition chamber in a reaction chamber; A voltage is provided to the target through a first power supply, and a target voltage is formed on the target, wherein the target voltage includes a plurality of pulse voltages, so that the process gas forms a plasma, wherein the plasma being attracted by the voltage on the target and impacting the target; measuring the voltages of the plurality of pulse voltages after a first time interval through a voltage measurement unit to generate a stable voltage; and comparing the stable voltage with a Threshold voltage. When the stable voltage is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, it is determined that the physical vapor deposition chamber has completed warming up. The method of warming up a physical vapor deposition chamber as described in claim 5, including: when the stable voltage is greater than or equal to the threshold voltage, the shielding unit leaves between the carrier plate and the target; and driving the carrier The disk and at least one substrate carried are displaced toward the target, and a physical vapor deposition is performed on the substrate.

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