CN111318151A

CN111318151A - Purification system applied to semiconductor chamber

Info

Publication number: CN111318151A
Application number: CN201911273079.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 金建澔; 具德滋
Original assignee: Xia Tai Xin Semiconductor Qing Dao Ltd
Current assignee: Xia Tai Xin Semiconductor Qing Dao Ltd
Priority date: 2018-12-17
Filing date: 2019-12-12
Publication date: 2020-06-23

Abstract

A purging system for use in a semiconductor chamber for removing reaction byproducts generated in the semiconductor chamber, comprising: the outlet of the semiconductor chamber is connected with the pump through a pipe connector, a purifier is arranged in the pipe connector, the outer wall of the purifier is attached to the inner wall of the pipe connector, and the distance between the outlet and the purifier is not more than 50 cm; the purifier is used for removing the reaction byproducts carried in the gas flowing out of the outlet, the gas after the reaction byproducts are removed flows out of the pipe connector to the pump, and the pump discharges the gas. The purification system applied to the semiconductor chamber can remove reaction byproducts flowing out of the outlet of the semiconductor chamber, so that clean gas is discharged.

Description

Purification system applied to semiconductor chamber

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to cleaning systems, and particularly to a cleaning system for a semiconductor chamber.

Background

When an etching process or a chemical vapor deposition process is performed in a semiconductor chamber, gases with reaction byproducts are generated in the chamber, and the gases are exhausted from a pump and a pipeline connected with the chamber, and if the gases with the reaction byproducts are not removed, the gases are exhausted to the atmosphere and pollute the atmosphere.

Disclosure of Invention

Accordingly, there is a need for a system for purging a semiconductor chamber that is capable of removing reaction byproducts from the gas and exhausting the cleaned gas to the atmosphere.

A purging system for use in a semiconductor chamber for removing reaction byproducts generated in the semiconductor chamber, comprising: the outlet of the semiconductor chamber is connected with the pump through a pipe connector; a purifier is arranged in the pipe connector, the outer wall of the purifier is attached to the inner wall of the pipe connector, and the distance between the outlet and the purifier is not more than 50 cm; the purifier is used for removing the reaction byproducts carried in the gas flowing out of the outlet, the gas after the reaction byproducts are removed flows out of the pipe connector to the pump, and the pump discharges the gas.

In at least one embodiment, the purification system applied to the semiconductor chamber comprises a plurality of purifiers, and the purifiers are arranged in the pipe connector side by side.

In at least one embodiment, the cleaning system applied to the semiconductor chamber includes a plurality of the cleaners which are divided into a plurality of rows and the cleaners of each row are arranged side by side.

In at least one embodiment, at least two adjacent rows of the purifiers in the plurality of rows of the purifiers are staggered.

In at least one embodiment, the purifier is provided with a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, an insulating portion, and a channel, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode being separated by the insulating portion, the channel being provided within the insulating portion.

In at least one embodiment, the first electrode and the second electrode are disposed in parallel on both sides of the purifier, and the third electrode and the channel are disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.

In at least one embodiment, the first electrode and the second electrode include a conductive material therein, and the insulating portion includes alumina.

In at least one embodiment, the electrically conductive material is aluminum.

In at least one embodiment, when the purifier is removing the reaction by-products, the first electrode is grounded, the second electrode is connected to an alternating voltage, and the third electrode is connected to a radio frequency power source.

In at least one embodiment, an adsorbing member is further disposed in the pipe connector, an outer wall of the adsorbing member is attached to an inner wall of the pipe connector, and the purifier is disposed between the semiconductor chamber and the adsorbing member.

The purification system applied to the semiconductor chamber comprises a pump and a pipe connector for connecting the pump and the semiconductor chamber, wherein a purifier is arranged in the pipe connector, the distance between the outlet of the semiconductor chamber and the purifier is not more than 50cm, and the purifier is used for removing gas flowing out of the outlet of the semiconductor chamber so as to remove reaction byproducts in the gas. The purification system applied to the semiconductor chamber can remove reaction byproducts in gas and improve the phenomenon that the reaction byproducts are attached to the inside of a pump or a pipe connector.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a purging system for a semiconductor chamber.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view and a sectional view of the purifier.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a purging system for a semiconductor chamber.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a third embodiment of a purging system applied to a semiconductor chamber.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a fourth embodiment of a purging system applied to a semiconductor chamber.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a fifth embodiment of a purging system applied to a semiconductor chamber.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a sixth embodiment of a purging system applied to a semiconductor chamber.

Description of the main elements

Decontamination system 100 for semiconductor chamber

Semiconductor chamber 10

An outlet 11

Pipe connector 20

Pump 30

Purifier 40

First electrode 41

Second electrode 42

Third electrode 43

Insulation part 44

Channel 45

Distance D

Exhaust pipe 50

Reaction by-product 60

Adsorption member 70

First scrubber 80

Second scrubber 90

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments given herein without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" to another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or intervening elements may also be present. When an element is referred to as being "on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or intervening elements may also be present. The terms "top," "bottom," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," and the like as used herein are for illustrative purposes only.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.

First embodiment

Referring to fig. 1, a purging system 100 for removing reaction by-products 60 generated in a semiconductor chamber 10 is provided. The purification system 100 applied to the semiconductor chamber comprises a pump 30, an outlet 11 of the semiconductor chamber 10 is connected with the pump 30 through a pipe connector 20, a purifier 40 is arranged in the pipe connector 20, the outer wall of the purifier 40 is attached to the inner wall of the pipe connector, the distance between the outlet 11 and the purifier 40 is not more than 50cm, the purifier 40 is used for removing the reaction by-products 60 contained in the gas flowing out from the outlet 11, the gas after removing the reaction by-products 60 flows out from the pipe connector 20 to the pump 30, and the pump discharges the gas.

An etching process (Dry etching) or a Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) process may be performed in the semiconductor chamber 10. In the above process, the reaction by-products 60 are generated in the gas in the semiconductor chamber 10, and the reaction by-products 60 may contaminate the gas in the atmosphere if discharged into the atmosphere along with the gas. In order to exhaust the gas, the semiconductor chamber 10 is provided with an outlet 11, so that the gas flows out through the outlet 11. It is understood that, in other embodiments, the process that may be performed in the semiconductor chamber 10 is not limited thereto.

The pump 30 is used to deliver the gas flowing out of the semiconductor chamber 10 and discharge the gas. In some embodiments, the pump 30 may be a gas transfer pump. It will be appreciated that in other embodiments, the pump 30 may be replaced with other pumps having an equivalent function or effect.

Both ends of the pipe joint 20 are respectively connected with the outlet 11 of the semiconductor chamber 10 and the pump 30, so that the gas in the semiconductor chamber 10 is delivered to the pump 30 through the pipe joint 20. In the present embodiment, the pipe connector 20 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is open at both ends thereof corresponding to the outlet 11 and the pump 30, and the openings communicate with each other.

Referring to fig. 1 and 2, the purifier 40 is used to remove the reaction by-products 60. In the present embodiment, the purifier 40 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the longitudinal direction of the purifier 40 is the same as the longitudinal direction of the pipe joint 20. The purifier 40 is arranged in the pipe joint member 20, and the outer wall of the purifier 40 is attached to the inner wall of the pipe joint member 20, i.e. the width or diameter of the outer wall of the purifier 40 is approximately the same as the width or diameter of the inner wall of the pipe joint member 20. In some embodiments, the purifier 40 is disposed near the outlet 11, and the distance D between the end of the purifier 40 near the outlet 11 and the connection between the outlet 11 and the pipe connector 20 does not exceed 50cm, so that the reaction byproducts 60 in the gas can be removed immediately after the gas is exhausted from the semiconductor chamber 10, and the gas can not flow through the pipe connector 20 with a longer distance, thereby improving the adhesion of the reaction byproducts 60 in the pipe connector 20. In some embodiments, the distance D may be 1cm, 5cm, 10cm, 15cm, 20cm, 25cm, 30cm, 35cm, 40cm, 45cm, and 50 cm.

Referring to fig. 2, the purifier 40 includes a first electrode 41, a second electrode 42, a third electrode 43, an insulating portion 44, and a channel 45. The first electrode 41, the second electrode 42 and the third electrode 43 are separated by the insulating portion 44, the channel 45 is disposed in the insulating portion 44, and the channel 45 has a sufficient channel width to allow the reaction by-products 60 to enter the interior of the purifier 40.

Specifically, in the purifier 40, the first electrode 41 is provided in the purifier 40 at a position close to the upper end surface of the purifier 40. The second electrode 42 is also provided in the purifier 40 at a position close to the lower end surface of the purifier 40, and the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 are substantially parallel. The third electrode 43 and the channel 45 are disposed between the first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42, the third electrode 43 being near the left side of the purifier 40, and the channel 45 being near the right side of the purifier 40. The insulating portion 44 is located between the first electrode 41, the second electrode 42, the third electrode 43 and the channel 45 to separate the electrodes and the channel. In some embodiments, the positional relationship of the first electrode 41, the second electrode 42, the third electrode 43, and the channel 45 is not limited thereto.

The first electrode 41 and the second electrode 42 include a conductive material, and further, the conductive material may be aluminum. The insulating portion 44 contains an insulating material, and further, the insulating material is alumina. When the purifier 40 is disposed in the pipe connector 20 for removing the reaction by-products 60, the first electrode 41 is grounded, the second electrode 42 is connected to an alternating voltage, the alternating voltage may include 100V, 110V, 208V, 220V, 230V, 240V, 250V, and the third electrode is connected to a radio frequency power source. The purifier 40 generates rf power when energized to momentarily heat the channel 45 and the reaction byproducts 60 in the gas flowing through the channel 45 are combusted to remove the reaction byproducts 60 from the effluent gas in the semiconductor chamber 10. In some embodiments, the rf power may range from 10 to 100 watts. In some embodiments, the channel 45 is momentarily heated to 2000 degrees.

In some embodiments, the pipe coupling 20 and the purifier 40 may alternatively be shaped in other ways that achieve the same function and function as described above, such as being cylindrical. In some embodiments, the conductive material is not limited to aluminum as described above, but may also be copper or other metals.

Referring to fig. 1 again, in some embodiments, the cleaning system 100 for semiconductor chamber further includes an exhaust pipe 50, the exhaust pipe 50 is connected to the pump 30, and the pump 30 exhausts the gas from which the reaction by-products 60 are removed to the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe 50. It will be appreciated that the exhaust 50 may be eliminated if the pump 30 can directly vent the gas to atmosphere.

When the cleaning system 100 applied to the semiconductor chamber cleans gas, the gas flows out from the outlet 11 of the semiconductor chamber 10, passes through the cleaner 40, flows through the channel 45 of the cleaner 40, and the channel 45 is heated to combust the flowing gas, so as to remove the reaction by-products 60 in the gas. The gas from which the reaction by-products 60 are removed continues to flow from the pipe joint 20 into the pump 30, and is finally discharged to the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe 50.

Second embodiment

Referring to fig. 3, the second embodiment has substantially the same structure as the first embodiment. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the purification system 100 applied to the semiconductor chamber includes a plurality of the purifiers 40, and the plurality of the purifiers 40 are arranged side by side in the pipe connector 20 so that the gas flowing out of the semiconductor chamber 10 can pass through the plurality of the purifiers 40 at the same time. For example, in the second embodiment, three purifiers 40 are provided, and the three purifiers 40 are arranged side by side. In some embodiments, the outer walls of some or all of the purifiers 40 arranged side-by-side conform to the inner wall of the pipe connector 20. In some embodiments, a plurality of the purifiers 40 can employ purifiers 40 of different sizes. By providing a plurality of purifiers 40, the rate at which the purifiers 40 remove the reaction by-products 60 within the gas can be increased, as can the rate at which the gas flows.

In some embodiments, the number of purifiers 40 can also be replaced by 4 or other numbers.

Third embodiment

Referring to fig. 4, the third embodiment has substantially the same structure as the first embodiment. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the purification system 100 applied to the semiconductor chamber includes a plurality of the purifiers 40, and the plurality of the purifiers 40 are divided into a plurality of rows and the purifiers of each row are arranged side by side. Further, at least one adjacent two rows of the purifiers 40 in the plurality of rows of the purifiers 40 are staggered, so that if the reaction byproducts 60 in the gas passing through the first row of the purifiers 40 are not completely removed, the reaction byproducts in the gas passing through the first row of the purifiers 40 can be further removed by the second row of the purifiers 40. In some embodiments, at least two adjacent rows of the purifiers 40 in the plurality of rows of the purifiers 40 can be staggered, so that the reaction by-products in the gas between the two adjacent rows of the purifiers 40 can be further removed. For example, in the present embodiment, three rows of the purifiers 40 are provided, three of the purifiers 40 are provided in the first row and the third row, and two of the purifiers 40 are provided in the second row, so that the purification efficiency of the gas is improved. In some embodiments, the outer walls of some or all of the purifiers 40 arranged side-by-side conform to the inner wall of the pipe coupling 20. In some embodiments, a plurality of the purifiers 40 can employ purifiers 40 of different sizes.

In some embodiments, a plurality of the purifiers 40 may be provided in 4 rows or other numbers, and the number of purifiers 40 in each row may be replaced.

Fourth embodiment

Referring to fig. 5, the fourth embodiment has substantially the same structure as the first embodiment. The fourth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the purification system 100 applied to the semiconductor chamber further includes an adsorption member 70, the adsorption member 70 is disposed inside the pipe connector 20, and an outer wall of the adsorption member 70 is attached to an inner wall of the pipe connector 20. The pipe connector 20 is arranged at an end of the purifier 40 facing away from the semiconductor chamber 10, i.e. the purifier 40 is arranged between the semiconductor chamber 10 and the adsorption member 70. In some embodiments, the adsorbent member 70 may be a carbon filter. After the gas passes through the purifier 40 to remove the reaction byproducts 60 therein, the gas is adsorbed by the adsorbing member 70 to further remove the reaction byproducts in the gas passing through the purifier 40. In the present embodiment, the purification system 100 applied to the semiconductor chamber is provided with one of the purifiers 40 and one of the adsorption members 70.

In some embodiments, a plurality of purifiers 40 may be disposed in the pipe connector 20, and a plurality of purifiers 40 may be disposed side by side or a plurality of purifiers 40 may be disposed in a plurality of rows, each row being disposed in a plurality. In some embodiments, the suction member 70 may be provided in plurality along the length direction of the pipe connecting member 20.

Fifth embodiment

Referring to fig. 6, the fifth embodiment has substantially the same structure as the first embodiment. The fifth embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the pipe connector 20 of the purification system 100 applied to the semiconductor chamber is not provided with the purifier 40 therein, and the purification system 100 applied to the semiconductor chamber further includes a first scrubber 80. One end of the first scrubber 80 is connected to the pump 30 through the pipe connector 20, and the other end of the first scrubber 80 is connected to the exhaust pipe 50. Further, the first scrubber 80 is a scrubber tower. A chemical agent is provided in the first scrubber 80 to adsorb or condense reaction byproducts by the chemical agent, thereby promoting deposition of the reaction byproducts in the first scrubber 80. After the pump 30 delivers the gas to the first scrubber 80, the first scrubber 80 adsorbs or condenses the reaction by-product 60 in the gas, and then discharges the gas to the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe 50.

Sixth embodiment

Referring to fig. 7, the sixth embodiment has substantially the same structure as the fifth embodiment. The sixth embodiment is different from the fifth embodiment in that the purification system 100 applied to the semiconductor chamber further includes a second scrubber 90, and the second scrubber 90 is provided on an outer sidewall of the pipe connector 20 between the semiconductor chamber 10 and the pump 30. The second scrubber 90 may be heated, and the second scrubber 90 may burn the reaction by-products 60 in the gas by heating as the gas flows through the pipe joint 20 between the semiconductor chamber 10 and the pump 30. Further, the second scrubber 90 is an in-net scrubber. When the gas passes through the pipe connector 20 disposed between the semiconductor chamber 10 and the pump 30, the second scrubber 90 heats the reaction by-product 60 in the combustion gas to the gas, and then transmits the gas to the first scrubber 80 through the pump 30, and the first scrubber 80 adsorbs or condenses the reaction by-product 60 in the gas, and then discharges the gas to the atmosphere through the exhaust pipe 50.

The reaction by-products removed in the above examples are not completely removed, and some residue is inevitably left in the process of removing the gas. The removal is, for example, sixty percent, seventy percent, eighty percent, or ninety percent of the reaction byproducts, and the proportion of removal may be based on the particular configuration of the purifier 40, the adsorbent member 70, or the first scrubber 80.

In summary, the embodiment of the present invention provides a purging system 100 applied to a semiconductor chamber, wherein a purge device 40 is disposed in a pipe connector 20 between a semiconductor chamber 10 and a pump 30, so that after gas flowing out of the semiconductor chamber 10 passes through the purge device 40, the purge device 40 can combust reaction byproducts 60 in the gas. Thereby reducing the amount of atmospheric gas-damaging substances remaining in the gas discharged to the atmosphere and also improving the deposition of reaction by-products 60 in the pump 30 and the pipe joint member 20.

In addition, those skilled in the art should recognize that the foregoing embodiments are illustrative only, and not limiting, and that appropriate changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A purging system for use in a semiconductor chamber for removing reaction byproducts generated in the semiconductor chamber, comprising: the outlet of the semiconductor chamber is connected with the pump through a pipe connector; the device is characterized in that a purifier is arranged in the pipe connector, the outer wall of the purifier is attached to the inner wall of the pipe connector, and the distance between the outlet and the purifier is not more than 50 cm; the purifier is used for removing the reaction byproducts carried in the gas flowing out of the outlet, the gas after the reaction byproducts are removed flows out of the pipe connector to the pump, and the pump discharges the gas.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of purifiers disposed side-by-side within the tube coupling.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system comprises a plurality of purifiers, the plurality of purifiers are divided into a plurality of rows, and each row of the purifiers is arranged side by side.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein at least two adjacent rows of the plurality of rows of the purifiers are staggered.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the purifier is provided with a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, an insulating portion, and a channel, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode being separated by the insulating portion, the channel being disposed within the insulating portion.

6. The purging system of claim 5, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are disposed in parallel on opposite sides of the purge, and the third electrode and the channel are disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.

7. The purging system of claim 6, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode comprise a conductive material and the insulating portion comprises alumina.

8. The decontamination system for a semiconductor chamber of claim 7, wherein the conductive material is aluminum.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the first electrode is coupled to ground, the second electrode is coupled to an ac voltage, and the third electrode is coupled to a radio frequency power source when the purifier is removing the reaction byproducts.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an absorbing member disposed inside the pipe connector, wherein an outer wall of the absorbing member is attached to an inner wall of the pipe connector, and the purifier is disposed between the semiconductor chamber and the absorbing member.