Semiconductor apparatus and cleaning method for the semiconductor apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017053783-A1
Application number	US-201514832182-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 21, 2015
Priority date	Aug 21, 2015
Publication date	Feb 23, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A semiconductor apparatus is provided. The semiconductor apparatus includes a process chamber, a wafer chuck disposed in the process chamber, and an exhaust device. The exhaust device includes an exhaust tube that communicates with the process chamber, and a valve mechanism installed on the exhaust tube and configured to control the flow rate in the exhaust tube. The semiconductor apparatus further includes a cleaning-gas-supply device including a first cleaning tube that communicates with the process chamber, and a second cleaning tube that communicates with the exhaust device. When a cleaning process is performed, the cleaning-gas-supply device supplies a cleaning gas into the process chamber via the first cleaning tube, and into the valve mechanism via the second cleaning tube.

First claim

1 . A semiconductor apparatus, comprising:
a process chamber; a wafer chuck disposed in the process chamber; an exhaust device comprising: an exhaust tube that communicates with the process chamber; and a valve mechanism installed on the exhaust tube, configured to control flow rate in the exhaust tube; and a cleaning-gas-supply device, comprising: a first cleaning tube that communicates with the process chamber; and a second cleaning tube that communicates with the exhaust device; wherein when a cleaning process is performed, the cleaning-gas-supply device supplies a cleaning gas into the process chamber via the first cleaning tube, and into the valve mechanism via the second cleaning tube.

2 . The semiconductor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pressure in the process chamber is greater than the pressure in the valve mechanism during the cleaning process.

3 . The semiconductor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a reaction-gas-supply device configured to supply a reaction gas into the process chamber.

4 . The semiconductor apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising a radio frequency device configured to generate an electric field in the process chamber to excite the reaction gas into plasma.

5 . The semiconductor apparatus as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising a gas distribution device, disposed in the process chamber, configured to distribute the reaction gas in the process chamber.

6 . The semiconductor apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the gas distribution device comprises a first shower plate located over the wafer chuck, and the first shower plate comprises a plurality of first dispensing holes for the reaction gas to pass through.

7 . The semiconductor apparatus as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the gas distribution device further comprises a second shower plate located over the first shower plate, and the second shower plate comprises a plurality of second dispensing holes for the reaction gas to pass through, wherein there are more first dispensing holes than the second dispensing holes.

8 . The semiconductor apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the exhaust device further comprises a vacuum device, installed on the exhaust tube, configured to vacuum the process chamber.

9 . A plasma apparatus, comprising:
a process chamber; a wafer chuck disposed in the process chamber; an exhaust device comprising: an exhaust tube that communicates with the process chamber; and a valve mechanism comprising: a connection element that communicates with the exhaust tube; a control valve that communicates with the connection element, configured to control flow rate in the exhaust tube; and a cleaning-gas-supply device, comprising: a first cleaning tube that communicates with the process chamber; and a second cleaning tube that communicates with the connection element; wherein when a cleaning process is performed, the cleaning-gas-supply device supplies a cleaning gas into the process chamber via the first cleaning tube, and into the control valve via the second cleaning tube.

10 . The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the control valve is a throttle valve, and comprises a housing connected to the connection element, and a throttle plate pivoted in the housing.

11 . The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the pressure in the process chamber is greater than the pressure in the valve mechanism during the cleaning process.

12 . The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising a reaction-gas-supply device configured to supply a reaction gas into the process chamber.

13 . The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a radio frequency device configured to generate an electric field in the process chamber to excite the reaction gas into plasma.

14 . The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 12 , further comprising a gas distribution device, disposed in the process chamber, configured to distribute the reaction gas in the process chamber.

15 . The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the gas distribution device comprises a first shower plate located over the wafer chuck, and the first shower plate comprises a plurality of first dispensing holes for the reaction gas to pass through.

16 . The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the gas distribution device further comprises a second shower plate located over the first shower plate, and the second shower plate comprises a plurality of second dispensing holes for the reaction gas to pass through, wherein there are more first dispensing holes than the second dispensing holes.

17 . The plasma apparatus as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the exhaust device further comprises a vacuum device, installed on the exhaust tube, configured to vacuum the process chamber.

18 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A semiconductor apparatus, comprising:
a process chamber; a wafer chuck disposed in the process chamber; an exhaust device comprising: an exhaust tube that communicates with the process chamber; and a valve mechanism installed on the exhaust tube, configured to control flow rate in the exhaust tube; a cleaning-gas-supply device, comprising: a first cleaning tube that communicates with the process chamber; and a second cleaning tube that communicates with the exhaust device; and a reaction-gas-supply device, configured to supply a reaction gas into the process chamber, comprising a reaction-gas container configured to store the reaction gas, and a gas-supply tube communicating with the reaction-gas container and the process chamber, wherein when a cleaning process is performed, the cleaning-gas-supply device supplies a cleaning gas into the process chamber via the first cleaning tube, and into the valve mechanism via the second cleaning tube.

22 . The semiconductor apparatus as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the pressure in the process chamber is greater than the pressure in the valve mechanism during the cleaning process.

23 . The semiconductor apparatus as claimed in claim 21 , wherein the first cleaning tube is connected to the gas-supply tube.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tseng Yin-Bin
• Leu Po-Hsiung
• Liu Ding-I
• Lin Jyh-Nan
• LU Yu-ying

Classifications

• H10P72/0406

  for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like · CPC title

• H10P72/0402

  Apparatus for fluid treatment (H10P72/0441, H10P72/0448 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01J37/32082

  Radio frequency generated discharge (H01J37/32357, H01J37/32366, H01J37/32394 and H01J37/32403 take precedence) · CPC title

• H01J37/32862 Primary

  In situ cleaning of vessels and/or internal parts · CPC title

• C23C16/50

  using electric discharges {(generation and control of plasma in discharge tubes for surface treatment H01J37/32, H01J37/34)} · CPC title