Disclosure of Invention
The invention aims to provide a lower electrode assembly, a plasma processing device and a working method thereof, which are used for reducing the temperature of a base, reducing the damage of cooling gas to a contact part and improving the sealing property of the lower electrode assembly.
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a bottom electrode assembly for a plasma processing apparatus, comprising: a base having a predetermined operating temperature and a cooling channel therein, the cooling channel including a cooling input and a cooling output; a cooling gas having a liquefaction temperature lower than the preset operating temperature; the cooling device is used for cooling the cooling gas; a first gas delivery conduit for delivering the cooling gas to a cooling device; the second gas conveying pipeline is communicated with the cooling input end and is used for conveying the cooled cooling gas into the cooling channel, and the cooled cooling gas cools the base to reach the preset working temperature; and the third gas conveying pipeline is communicated with the cooling output end and is used for outputting the cooling gas after the base is cooled.
Optionally, the cooling gas comprises: at least one of nitrogen, helium, methane, or oxygen.
Optionally, the cooling device is a liquid nitrogen device.
Optionally, the method further includes: a first control valve for controlling the flow rate of the cooling gas into the cooling device.
Optionally, the method further includes: and the recovered gas pipeline is communicated with the third gas conveying pipeline and is used for conveying the cooling gas which is output after the temperature of the base is reduced to the cooling device.
Optionally, the method further includes: the gas output pipeline is communicated with the third gas conveying pipeline and used for outputting the cooling gas after the temperature of the base is reduced; and the second control valve is used for controlling the third gas conveying pipeline to be communicated with the gas output pipeline or the recovered gas pipeline.
Optionally, the number of the cooling devices is 1 or more.
Optionally, a plurality of said cooling devices are arranged in series between the first gas delivery conduit and the second gas delivery conduit.
Optionally, a plurality of the cooling devices are arranged in parallel between the first gas conveying pipeline and the second gas conveying pipeline.
Optionally, a plurality of the cooling devices are arranged between the first gas conveying pipeline and the second gas conveying pipeline in a combination of series connection and parallel connection.
Optionally, the material of the base comprises titanium.
Correspondingly, the invention also provides a plasma processing device, which comprises: a reaction chamber; the lower electrode assembly is positioned at the bottom in the reaction cavity. Optionally, the plasma processing apparatus includes a capacitively-coupled plasma processing apparatus or an inductively-coupled plasma processing apparatus.
Correspondingly, the invention also provides an operating method of the plasma processing device, which comprises the following steps: providing the plasma processing apparatus; providing cooling gas, conveying the cooling gas to a cooling device through a first gas conveying pipeline, and cooling the cooling gas by using the cooling device; the cooled cooling gas is conveyed to the cooling channel through a second gas conveying pipeline to cool the base; and outputting the cooling gas after cooling the base through a third gas conveying pipeline.
Optionally, the preset working temperature is-110 to 25 ℃.
Optionally, the temperature of the cooling gas before entering the cooling device through the first gas conveying pipeline is as follows: 10-30 ℃; the flow rate of the cooling gas is as follows: 0 ml/min-1000 ml/min.
Compared with the prior art, the technical scheme of the embodiment of the invention has the following beneficial effects:
in the lower electrode assembly provided by the technical scheme of the invention, the cooling gas is conveyed to the cooling device through the first gas conveying pipeline, the cooling device cools the cooling gas, and the cooled cooling gas is conveyed into the cooling channel through the second gas conveying pipeline. And the cooled cooling gas is cooled in the flowing process of the cooling channel so as to reach the preset working temperature. Because the liquefaction temperature of the cooling gas is lower than the preset working temperature of the base, the cooling gas does not need to be cooled to be in a liquefied state by a cooling device, namely: the cooling gas is still in a gaseous state after being cooled by the cooling device, and the temperature of the cooled cooling gas is not too low, so that in the process of conveying the cooled cooling gas in the cooling channel, parts in contact with the cooling gas are not easy to be damaged due to too low temperature, and the sealing performance of the lower electrode assembly is improved.
Detailed Description
As described in the background art, the conventional base is easily damaged by cooling the lower electrode assembly.
The research finds that: in some semiconductor manufacturing processes, for example: in the deep silicon etching process, low-temperature conditions (the temperature of minus seventy degrees centigrade or lower) are needed to improve the etching depth-to-width ratio and reduce the roughness of the side wall, and researches show that a good etching effect can be achieved at the temperature of minus 110 degrees centigrade. The existing base is refrigerated by adopting low-temperature liquid such as circulating liquid nitrogen, and although the low-temperature requirement can be met, the low-temperature liquid has great challenge on the low-temperature tolerance/sealing performance of contact parts.
In view of the above, the present invention provides a lower electrode assembly, a plasma processing apparatus and a method for operating the same, wherein the lower electrode assembly includes: a base having a predetermined operating temperature and a cooling channel therein, the cooling channel including a cooling input and a cooling output; a cooling gas having a liquefaction temperature lower than the preset working temperature; the cooling device is used for cooling the cooling gas; a first gas delivery conduit for delivering the cooling gas to a cooling device; the second gas conveying pipeline is communicated with the cooling input end and is used for conveying the cooled cooling gas into the cooling channel, and the cooled cooling gas cools the base to reach the preset working temperature; and the third gas conveying pipeline is communicated with the cooling output end and is used for outputting the cooling gas after the base is cooled. Utilize when electrode subassembly cools down the base, be favorable to reducing cooling gas and cause the damage to contact member, improve electrode subassembly's leakproofness down.
In order to make the aforementioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.
Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a lower electrode assembly for a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention.
Referring to fig. 1, abase 100 having a predetermined operating temperature and acooling channel 101 therein, wherein thecooling channel 101 includes a cooling input end A1 and a cooling output end B1; acooling gas 102 having a liquefaction temperature lower than the preset operating temperature; acooling device 103 for cooling thecooling gas 102; a firstgas delivery duct 104 for delivering saidcooling gas 102 to acooling device 103; the secondgas conveying pipeline 105 is communicated with the cooling input end A1 and is used for conveying the cooledcooling gas 102 into thecooling channel 101, and the cooledcooling gas 102 cools thebase 100 to reach the preset working temperature; and a thirdgas delivery pipeline 106, which is communicated with the cooling output end B1 and is used for outputting thecooling gas 102 after cooling thesusceptor 100.
Thebase 100 is used for bearing a substrate to be processed, the preset working temperature of thebase 100 is different in different processes, and in some semiconductor manufacturing processes, such as a deep silicon etching process, a lower preset working temperature is required to improve the etching depth-to-width ratio and reduce the roughness of a side wall.
In this embodiment, the preset operating temperature range is: 110 ℃ to 25 ℃.
In the present embodiment, thecooling gas 102 is nitrogen. In other embodiments, the cooling gas comprises: at least one of helium, methane, or oxygen, or a combination of nitrogen and at least one of helium, methane, or oxygen.
In the present embodiment, the significance of selecting nitrogen as thecooling gas 102 is: on one hand, the nitrogen is low in price, and on the other hand, the nitrogen is inert gas and is safe in the using process.
In this embodiment, thecooling device 103 is a liquid nitrogen device. In other embodiments, the cooling device may be other devices having cooling capabilities. Thecooling gas 102 is delivered to thecooling device 103 through a firstgas delivery pipe 104, and thecooling device 103 is used for cooling thecooling gas 102.
In this embodiment, the method further includes: afirst control valve 107, wherein thefirst control valve 107 is used for controlling the flow rate of thecooling gas 102. When the preset working temperature of the susceptor is lower, the flow rate of thecooling gas 102 can be reduced, so that the time for thecooling gas 102 to flow through thecooling device 103 is longer, thecooling gas 102 is cooled by thecooling device 103 more sufficiently, and the temperature of thecooling gas 102 flowing out of thecooling device 103 is lower, which is beneficial for enabling the temperature of the susceptor to reach the lower preset working temperature; conversely, when the preset operating temperature of the susceptor is higher, the flow rate of thecooling gas 102 can be increased to make the time for thecooling gas 102 to flow through thecooling device 103 shorter, so that thecooling gas 102 is not cooled sufficiently by thecooling device 103, and the temperature of thecooling gas 102 flowing out of thecooling device 103 is higher, which is beneficial to make the temperature of the susceptor reach the higher preset operating temperature.
Thecooling gas 102 cooled by thecooling device 103 is input to the cooling input end A1 of thecooling channel 101 through the secondgas transmission pipeline 105, and thecooling gas 102 cools thebase 100 in the process of being transmitted in thecooling channel 101 so as to reach the preset working temperature.
Since the liquefaction temperature of thecooling gas 102 is lower than the preset working temperature, thecooling gas 102 only needs to be cooled to the preset working temperature when being cooled by thecooling device 103, and thecooling gas 102 is still gas at the preset working temperature, that is: the temperature of thecooling gas 102 is not too low, so that thecooling gas 102 is not easy to damage the cooling gas contact part, which is beneficial to improving the sealing performance of the lower electrode assembly.
In the present embodiment, the material of thesusceptor 100 includes titanium, and titanium is selected as the material of thesusceptor 100, so that when thecooling gas 102 cools thesusceptor 100, the temperature of thecooling gas 102 is too low, which may cause cracking of thesusceptor 100.
Thecooling gas 102 flows out through the cooling output end B1 and is output through the thirdgas delivery pipe 106.
In the present embodiment, since thecooling gas 102 is nitrogen, which is a harmless gas, thecooling gas 102 output from the cooling output terminal B1 can be directly discharged to the atmosphere.
In other embodiments, further comprising: the recycling gas pipeline is communicated with the third gas conveying pipeline and is used for conveying the cooling gas output after the temperature of the base is reduced to a cooling device; the gas output pipeline is communicated with the third gas conveying pipeline and used for outputting the cooling gas after the temperature of the base is reduced; and the second control valve is used for controlling the third gas conveying pipeline to be communicated with the gas output pipeline or the recovered gas pipeline.
In the present embodiment, the number of thecooling devices 103 is described as 1. In other embodiments, the number of cooling devices is greater than 1.
Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the structure of another lower electrode assembly for a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention.
In this embodiment, the number of the cooling devices 203 is two, and the two cooling devices 203 are connected in parallel.
In other embodiments, the number of the cooling devices is multiple, and the multiple cooling devices are connected in parallel.
In this embodiment, the coolinggas 202 is branched during the transportation process through the first gas transportation pipeline 204, wherein a part of the coolinggas 202 is cooled by thecooling device 203a, and another part of the coolinggas 202 is cooled by thecooling device 203b, compared with the coolinggas 202 cooled by one cooling device 203, the contact area between the coolinggas 202 and thecooling device 203a and thecooling device 203b is larger, therefore, when the flow rates are equal, the temperature of the coolinggas 202 after passing through thecooling device 203a and thecooling device 203b is lower, which is beneficial to improving the cooling efficiency.
Fig. 3 is a schematic view of a lower electrode assembly for a plasma processing apparatus according to still another embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, the number of thecooling devices 303 is two, and the twocooling devices 303 are connected in series. In other embodiments, the number of the cooling devices is more than two, and the more than two cooling devices are connected in series.
In this embodiment, because twocooling devices 303 are connected in series, so that the coolinggas 302 is sequentially cooled by each coolingdevice 303, so that the temperature of the coolinggas 302 is continuously reduced, and when the flow rate of the cooling gas is equal to the flow rate of the cooling gas in the case of only onecooling device 303, the temperature of the cooling gas conveyed to thecooling channel 301 is lower, therefore, when the preset working temperature is not changed, the preset working temperature can be realized by increasing the flow rate of the coolinggas 302, which is beneficial to improving the cooling efficiency.
In other embodiments, a plurality of the cooling devices are arranged in series and parallel combinations.
FIG. 4 is a schematic structural diagram of a plasma processing apparatus according to the present invention.
Referring to fig. 4, areaction chamber 400; and alower electrode assembly 401 disposed at the bottom of thereaction chamber 400.
In this embodiment, the plasma processing apparatus is described as a capacitively-coupled plasma processing apparatus. When the plasma processing apparatus is a capacitively-coupled plasma processing apparatus, the method further comprises: agas shower head 402 positioned in thereaction chamber 400, wherein thegas shower head 402 is arranged opposite to thelower electrode assembly 401;
in other embodiments, the plasma processing apparatus includes: an inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus, the inductively coupled plasma processing apparatus further comprising: the reactor comprises an insulating window positioned at the top of the reaction chamber and an inductance coil positioned on the insulating window.
Referring to fig. 5, step S1: providing the plasma processing apparatus; step S2: providing cooling gas, conveying the cooling gas to a cooling device through a first gas conveying pipeline, and cooling the cooling gas by using the cooling device; and step S3: the cooled cooling gas is conveyed to the cooling channel through a second gas conveying pipeline to cool the base; and step S4: and outputting the cooling gas after cooling the base through a third gas conveying pipeline.
In this embodiment, the preset operating temperature is-110 to 25 ℃.
In this embodiment, the temperature of the cooling gas before entering the cooling device through the first gas delivery pipe is: 10-30 ℃; the flow rate of the cooling gas is as follows: 0 ml/min-1000 ml/min.
And the cooling gas is conveyed to the cooling device through the first gas conveying pipeline, the cooling device is cooled under the action of the cooling device, and the cooled cooling gas is conveyed into the cooling channel through the second gas conveying pipeline. And the cooled cooling gas is cooled in the flowing process of the cooling channel so as to reach the preset working temperature. Because the liquefaction temperature of the cooling gas is lower than the preset working temperature of the base, the cooling gas does not need to be cooled to be in a liquefied state by a cooling device, namely: the cooling gas is still in a gaseous state after being cooled by the cooling device, and the temperature of the cooled cooling gas is not too low, so that the parts in contact with the cooling gas are not easy to be damaged due to too low temperature in the process of conveying the cooled cooling gas in the cooling channel, and the sealing performance of the lower electrode assembly is improved.
Although the present invention is disclosed above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.