CN109112496B

CN109112496B - Magnetron sputtering equipment and method for removing oxide layer on substrate

Info

Publication number: CN109112496B
Application number: CN201811120608.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 谢晓龙
Original assignee: Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co Ltd
Current assignee: Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-09-26
Filing date: 2018-09-26
Publication date: 2020-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 2038-09-26
Also published as: CN109112496A

Abstract

The present invention provides a magnetron sputtering apparatus including: a vacuum chamber; a substrate supporting member for supporting a substrate having an oxide layer on a surface thereof; the magnetic control component is provided with a first magnetic field unit and a lifting unit and is driven by the lifting unit to move in the area of the vacuum cavity corresponding to the substrate; a gas supply pipe for supplying gas into the vacuum chamber; the external power supply is coupled with the magnetic control component and is used for applying voltage to the first magnetic field unit; and applying the external power source to the first magnetic field unit to enable the gas to form plasma to bombard the oxide layer, so that the oxide layer is broken. The invention also provides a method for removing the oxide layer on the substrate by the magnetron sputtering equipment, which is used for removing the oxide layer on the substrate before the film deposition process is carried out.

Description

Magnetron sputtering equipment and method for removing oxide layer on substrate

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of liquid crystal display, in particular to a magnetron sputtering device and a method for removing an oxide layer on a substrate, which are used for effectively eliminating the oxide layer on the surface of the substrate and improving the quality and the efficiency of a display device.

Background

In many technical fields, the formation of a layer with high uniformity (i.e. uniform thickness over a wide surface) on a substrate is an important issue. For example, in the process of manufacturing a Thin Film Transistor (TFT), it is necessary to form display metal lines or semiconductor interconnections to conduct signals. The control lines required for the TFTs are composed of a plurality of metal thin films and semiconductor lines, and are not completed at once. In many cases, the metal thin film is formed by sputtering in a vacuum chamber, and an oxide film is easily formed on the surface of the substrate exposed to the atmosphere when the next process is performed. The oxide film corresponds to an insulating layer, and thus, the connection with other lines may affect signal transmission and the efficiency of the display device.

In the prior art, the method for processing the oxide film is to etch the oxide layer formed on the surface of the substrate with a low-concentration acid solution in an atmospheric environment before the substrate enters a vacuum chamber for film deposition. However, even after the oxide layer formed on the surface of the substrate in the atmospheric environment is etched away, the oxide layer is formed on the surface of the substrate exposed to the atmosphere during the transportation time of transferring the substrate into the vacuum chamber.

Therefore, it is necessary to provide a sputtering apparatus, which can effectively and completely eliminate the oxide layer on the surface of the substrate, so that the thin film deposition can be directly performed in the vacuum chamber of the sputtering apparatus after the oxide layer treatment is completed.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a magnetron sputtering device and a method for removing an oxide layer on a substrate by the magnetron sputtering device, which can effectively solve the technical problem that the efficiency and the quality of a panel are poor because the oxide layer which can influence signal conduction is formed on the surface of the substrate in the atmospheric environment in the prior art.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides a magnetron sputtering apparatus comprising: the vacuum cavity comprises a top wall and a bottom; the substrate supporting component is arranged at the bottom of the vacuum cavity and used for bearing a substrate, wherein the surface of the substrate is provided with an oxide layer; the magnetic control component is provided with a first magnetic field unit and a lifting unit, the first magnetic field unit is movably arranged on the top wall of the vacuum cavity and is driven by the lifting unit to move in the vacuum cavity corresponding to the area of the substrate; a gas supply conduit for supplying gas into the vacuum chamber; an external power source coupled to the magnetic control component for applying a voltage to the first magnetic field unit; wherein the external power source is applied to the first magnetic field unit, so that the gas forms plasma to bombard the oxide layer, thereby breaking the oxide layer.

According to one embodiment described herein, the gas is argon.

According to an embodiment described herein, the magnetron sputtering apparatus further includes a target chamber including targets arranged in a first direction, the target chamber is disposed between and in communication with the vacuum chamber, and the substrate support member is disposed opposite to the targets.

According to an embodiment described herein, the first magnetic field units are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

According to an embodiment described herein, the substrate supporting member includes a stage for supporting the substrate such that the substrate is disposed perpendicular to the first direction.

According to one embodiment described herein, the substrate support member includes a lift pin for receiving the substrate transferred by an external robot and placing the substrate on the susceptor.

According to one embodiment described herein, the magnetron assembly further comprises a sealing mechanism comprising:

the first magnetic field unit is arranged in the sealed cavity;

and the sealing cover is used for keeping the first magnetic field unit insulated from the sealing mechanism when the sealing cover is closed.

According to an embodiment described herein, the magnetron sputtering apparatus further includes a second magnetic field unit arranged along the first direction and aligned with the target for forming a magnetic field to perform a thin film deposition process.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention further provides a method for removing an oxide layer on a substrate by using the above magnetron sputtering apparatus, comprising: placing the substrate on a bearing table of a substrate supporting component of the magnetron sputtering equipment, enabling the bearing table to be located at a processing position, and fixing a target material arranged along a first direction in a vacuum cavity of the magnetron sputtering equipment and enabling the target material to be arranged opposite to the bearing table; introducing gas into the vacuum cavity by using a gas supply pipeline; driving a magnetic control component of the magnetron sputtering equipment to move towards the bearing table, and simultaneously driving an external power supply to apply voltage to the magnetic control component; and forming a plasma layer composed of the gas on the surface of the substrate, so that the plasma bombards the oxide layer.

According to one embodiment described herein, the gas is argon.

According to an embodiment described herein, the processing position of the susceptor is in a second direction relative to the first direction, and the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other.

According to one embodiment described herein, the magnetron assembly is disposed on a top wall of the vacuum chamber.

According to an embodiment described herein, the magnetron assembly has a first magnetic field unit and a lifting unit, the first magnetic field unit is movably disposed on a top wall of the vacuum chamber and is driven by the lifting unit to move in the vacuum chamber corresponding to a region of the substrate.

According to one embodiment described herein, the substrate support member is disposed at a bottom of the vacuum chamber, and the magnetron member is disposed substantially parallel to the substrate support member.

According to an embodiment described herein, the magnetic control component includes a sealing mechanism, the sealing mechanism includes a sealing cavity, the first magnetic field unit is disposed in the sealing cavity, and the sealing mechanism includes a sealing cover that can be opened and closed, for keeping the first magnetic field unit insulated from the sealing mechanism when the sealing cover is closed.

According to an embodiment described herein, after the step of causing the plasma to bombard the oxide layer, the susceptor is moved to a deposition position facing the target for performing the thin film deposition process.

The invention provides a magnetron sputtering device and a method for removing an oxide layer on a substrate by the magnetron sputtering device. The treatment is to form a plasma layer on the surface of the substrate by using the gas, and to physically bombard the oxide layer by using the plasma layer to break the oxide layer. And then, a subsequent film deposition process is carried out, so that the technical problem that the efficiency and the quality of the panel are poor due to the fact that an oxide layer which can influence signal conduction is formed on the surface of the substrate in the atmospheric environment in the prior art can be effectively solved.

Drawings

In order to illustrate the embodiments or the technical solutions in the prior art more clearly, the drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly described below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the invention, and it is obvious for a person skilled in the art that other drawings can be obtained according to these drawings without creative efforts.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a magnetron sputtering apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2-FIG. 3 are schematic views of a magnetron sputtering apparatus for removing an oxide layer on a substrate according to the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic flow chart of a method for removing an oxide layer on a substrate by a magnetron sputtering apparatus according to the present invention.

Detailed Description

The following description of the various embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings that illustrate specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. The directional terms mentioned in the present invention, such as [ upper ], [ lower ], [ front ], [ rear ], [ left ], [ right ], [ inner ], [ outer ], [ side ], are only referring to the directions of the attached drawings. Accordingly, the directional terms used are used for explanation and understanding of the present invention, and are not used for limiting the present invention. In the drawings, elements having similar structures are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The following describes the implementation of the embodiments of the present invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Generally, thin film deposition as described herein refers to a process of coating a substrate with a sputtered material. Herein, the term "coating" is used synonymously with the term "deposition". The term "target" as used herein refers to a solid body comprising source materials for forming layers of multiple metal and semiconductor lines on a substrate by sputtering the source materials.

Fig. 1 to 3 are schematic diagrams of a magnetron sputtering apparatus and a method for removing an oxide layer on a substrate using the same according to the present invention. The magnetron sputtering apparatus 1 of the present invention includes a vacuum chamber 10, a substrate support member 20, a magnetron member 30, a gas supply line 40, and a power supply 50. The vacuum chamber 10 includes a top wall 101 and a bottom 102. The substrate support member 20 is disposed at the bottom 102 of the vacuum chamber 10 for carrying the substrate 200. The surface of the substrate 200 has an oxide layer 210. The magnet control member 30 includes a first magnetic field unit 31 and an elevating unit 32. The first magnetic field unit 31 is movably disposed on the top wall 101 of the vacuum chamber 10, and is driven by the lifting unit 32 to move in the vacuum chamber 10 in a region corresponding to the substrate 200. The gas supply pipe 40 serves to supply gas into the vacuum chamber 10. The power supply 50 is coupled to the magnetron assembly 30 for applying a voltage to the first magnetic field unit 31. When a voltage is applied to the first magnetic field unit 31, the gas supplied from the gas supply pipe 40 forms a plasma to bombard the oxide layer 210, thereby breaking the oxide layer 210.

The gas used can be inert gas, and the inert gas can be argon, krypton, xenon or radon. For convenience of illustration, the present embodiment uses argon gas as an illustration, but is not limited thereto.

In this embodiment, the vacuum chamber 10 is a rectangular chamber. A target chamber 110 is disposed inside the vacuum chamber 10. The target chamber 110 is provided with targets 111 arranged along a first direction, the target chamber 110 is arranged between the top wall 101 and the bottom 102 of the vacuum chamber 10 and is communicated with the vacuum chamber 10, and the substrate support member 20 is arranged opposite to the targets 111. In more detail, the target 111 is disposed in a vertical direction (first direction), and the first magnetic field units 31 are disposed in a horizontal direction (second direction) perpendicular to the first direction, as shown in fig. 1.

In addition, the target is opposed to the upper surface of the substrate support member 20 located in the vacuum chamber 10. The substrate supporting member 20 includes a carrying stage 201 and a rotating shaft 202, wherein the carrying stage 201 is used for carrying the substrate 200, so that the substrate 200 is disposed perpendicular to the first direction. That is, the substrate 200 and the first magnetic field unit 31 are disposed parallel to each other.

In addition, the substrate supporting member 20 further includes a lift pin 203, and the lift pin 203 is used for receiving the substrate 200 transferred by an external robot 500 and placing the substrate 200 on the susceptor 201.

As shown in fig. 1, the magnetron unit 30 further includes a sealing mechanism 33, and the sealing mechanism 33 includes a sealing cavity 331 and a sealing cover 332. The first magnetic field unit 31 is disposed in the sealed chamber 331. The sealing cover 332 is used to keep the first magnetic field unit 31 insulated from the sealing mechanism 33 when the sealing cover 332 is closed.

Referring to the process flow diagrams of fig. 2-3, before performing the film deposition in the vacuum chamber of the magnetron sputtering, an oxide layer formed by contacting a metal on a substrate with oxygen in an atmospheric environment is pre-treated by using a gas (e.g., an inert gas such as argon) used in the film deposition process. In brief, the treatment is to form a plasma on the surface of the substrate by using a gas, and bombard the oxide layer with the plasma to break the oxide layer. And then carrying out the subsequent film deposition process. Thus, the magnetron assembly 30 may directly treat the oxide layer with the gas (e.g. argon).

More specific operation is as follows. The external robot 500 places the substrate 200 on the lift pins 203, and the substrate 200 is lowered by the movement of the lift pins 203 and placed on the stage 201. At this time, the substrate 200 is exposed to a normal atmosphere, and an oxide layer 210 is formed on the surface of the substrate, wherein the oxide layer 210 corresponds to an insulating layer. Next, the gas (e.g., argon gas) is introduced into the gas supply pipe 40, the lifting unit 32 drives the magnetic control component 30 to move toward the region of the substrate 200 along the first direction (vertical direction) and to stop at a predetermined position, and at this time, the power source 50 applies a voltage to the first magnetic field unit 31, it should be noted that the first magnetic field unit 31 generates magnetism when the voltage is applied, and the applied voltage can make the first magnetic field unit 31 form a negative potential. When no voltage is applied, the sealing cap 332 is closed, and the first magnetic field unit 31 is kept insulated from the sealing mechanism 33, and the sealing cap 332 is insulated from the outside of the sealing mechanism 33 to form a 0 potential. Thus, a voltage difference is formed with the first magnetic field unit 31 to form an electric field.

Next, after applying a voltage to the first magnetic field unit 31, plasma is formed on the surface of the substrate 200 to bombard the oxide layer on the surface of the substrate 200, as shown in fig. 2, so as to destroy the oxide layer.

The first magnetic field unit 31 is then moved back to the initial position away from the substrate 200 along the first direction (vertical direction). The magnetron sputtering apparatus 1 further includes a second magnetic field unit 112 disposed in the target chamber 110 and aligned with the target 111 along the first direction to form a magnetic field. The rotation shaft 202 drives the susceptor 201 to move the substrate 200 to the position in the first direction (vertical direction) along with the susceptor 201, that is, the rotation shaft 202 is used to rotate the substrate 200 to move the substrate 200 from the position perpendicular to the first direction (vertical direction) to the position parallel to the first direction to face the target 111, so as to start a thin film deposition process on the substrate 200 after the oxide layer 210 is removed, as shown in fig. 3. The film deposition process is the existing film deposition process and is not described in detail herein. Thus, the oxide layer treatment and the film deposition process are completed in a vacuum chamber.

Referring to fig. 4 in conjunction with fig. 1-3, fig. 4 is a schematic flow chart illustrating a method for removing an oxide layer on a substrate by a magnetron sputtering apparatus according to the present invention.

The invention also provides a method for removing the oxide layer on the substrate by the magnetron sputtering equipment, which comprises the following steps: step S01: the substrate is placed on a bearing table of a substrate supporting component of the magnetron sputtering device, the bearing table is located at a processing position, and a target material arranged along a first direction is fixed in a vacuum cavity of the magnetron sputtering device and is arranged opposite to the bearing table. Step S02: and introducing gas into the vacuum cavity by using a gas supply pipeline. Step S03: driving a magnetic control component of the magnetron sputtering equipment to move towards the bearing table, and simultaneously driving an external power supply to apply voltage to the magnetic control component; and step S04: and forming a plasma layer consisting of the gas on the surface of the substrate, and enabling the plasma to bombard the oxide layer.

In one embodiment, in step S01, the processing position of the susceptor 201 is a position where the substrate 200 is placed on the susceptor 200 and the oxide layer 210 thereon is to be processed. The processing position of the susceptor 201 is in a second direction relative to the first direction, and the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other. That is, when the stage 201 is at the processing position, the substrate 200 and the first magnetic field unit 31 are disposed parallel to each other.

The magnetron 30 is disposed on a top wall 101 of the vacuum chamber 10. The magnetic control component 30 has a first magnetic field unit 31 and a lifting unit 32, the first magnetic field unit 31 is movably disposed on the top wall 101 of the vacuum chamber 10, and is driven by the lifting unit 32 to move in an area of the vacuum chamber 10 corresponding to the substrate 200.

The substrate 200 is lowered and placed on the stage 201 by the movement of the lift pins 203. Next, in step S02, the gas supply line 40 is filled with the gas (e.g., argon gas). Then, in step S03, the lifting unit 32 drives the magnetic control member 30 to move toward the area of the substrate 200 along the first direction (vertical direction) and stop at a predetermined position, and the external power source 50 applies a voltage to the first magnetic field unit 31.

In step S04, after applying a voltage to the first magnetic field unit 31, a plasma is formed on the surface of the substrate 200 to bombard the oxide layer on the surface of the substrate 200, so as to destroy the oxide layer.

The first magnetic field unit 31 is then moved back to the initial position away from the substrate 200 along the first direction (vertical direction). The magnetron sputtering apparatus 1 further includes a second magnetic field unit 112 disposed in the target chamber 110 and aligned with the target 111 along the first direction to form a magnetic field. The rotating shaft 202 drives the susceptor 201 to move the substrate 200 to the position in the first direction (vertical direction) along with the susceptor 201, that is, the rotating shaft 202 is used to rotate the substrate 200 to move the substrate 200 from the position perpendicular to the first direction (vertical direction) to the position parallel to the first direction to face the target 111, so as to perform a thin film deposition process on the substrate 200 after the oxide layer 210 is removed. Thus, the oxide layer treatment and the film deposition process are completed in a vacuum chamber.

While the foregoing is directed to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A magnetron sputtering apparatus, comprising:

the vacuum cavity comprises a top wall and a bottom;

the substrate supporting component is arranged at the bottom of the vacuum cavity and used for bearing a substrate, wherein the surface of the substrate is provided with an oxide layer;

the magnetic control component is provided with a first magnetic field unit and a lifting unit, the first magnetic field unit is movably arranged on the top wall of the vacuum cavity and is driven by the lifting unit to move in the vacuum cavity corresponding to the area of the substrate;

a gas supply conduit for supplying gas into the vacuum chamber;

an external power source coupled to the magnetic control component for applying a voltage to the first magnetic field unit;

wherein the external power source is applied to the first magnetic field unit, so that the gas forms plasma to bombard the oxide layer, thereby breaking the oxide layer;

wherein the magnetron sputtering apparatus further comprises a target chamber including; the target chamber is arranged between the top wall and the bottom of the vacuum cavity and communicated with the vacuum cavity, the substrate supporting component and the target are oppositely arranged, and the first magnetic field units are arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

2. The magnetron sputtering apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the substrate supporting member comprises a susceptor for supporting the substrate such that the substrate is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the substrate supporting member comprises a lift pin for receiving the substrate transferred by an external robot and placing the substrate on the susceptor.

3. The magnetron sputtering apparatus of claim 1 wherein the magnetron assembly further comprises a sealing mechanism, the sealing mechanism comprising:

the first magnetic field unit is arranged in the sealed cavity;

4. The magnetron sputtering apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second magnetic field unit aligned with the target along the first direction for forming a magnetic field to perform a thin film deposition process.

5. A method for removing an oxide layer on a substrate by a magnetron sputtering device, the method comprising:

placing the substrate on a bearing table of a substrate supporting component of the magnetron sputtering equipment, enabling the bearing table to be located at a processing position, and fixing a target material arranged along a first direction in a vacuum cavity of the magnetron sputtering equipment and enabling the target material to be arranged opposite to the bearing table;

introducing gas into the vacuum cavity by using a gas supply pipeline;

driving a magnetic control component of the magnetron sputtering equipment to move towards the bearing table, and simultaneously driving an external power supply to apply voltage to the magnetic control component; and

forming a plasma layer composed of the gas on the surface of the substrate, and enabling the plasma to bombard the oxide layer;

the substrate support member includes a susceptor for supporting the substrate such that the substrate is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the first direction.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the magnetic control assembly is disposed on a top wall of the vacuum chamber, and the magnetic control assembly has a first magnetic field unit and a lifting unit, the first magnetic field unit is movably disposed on the top wall of the vacuum chamber and is moved by the lifting unit in a region corresponding to the substrate in the vacuum chamber.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the magnetron includes a sealing mechanism, the sealing mechanism includes a sealing cavity, the first magnetic field unit is disposed in the sealing cavity, and the sealing mechanism includes a sealing cover that is openable and closable to keep the first magnetic field unit insulated from the sealing mechanism when the sealing cover is closed.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the magnetron sputtering apparatus further comprises a second magnetic field unit arranged along the first direction and aligned with the target for forming a magnetic field to perform a thin film deposition process.