DIFFUSER AND SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING SYSTEM USING SAME

• US 20200135513A1
• Filed: 04/26/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: YANG, Sheng-chun, LIN, Yi-Ming, WAN, Chao-Hung
• Granted Patent: US 11,183,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/005 Nozzles or other outlets specially adapted for discharging one or more gases
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/14 with multiple outlet openings B05B1/02, B05B1/26 take precedence; with strainers in or outside the outlet opening
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4402 Reduction of impurities in the source gas
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4408 by purging residual gases from the reaction chamber or gas lines
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45559 Diffusion of reactive gas to substrate
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/45561 Gas plumbing upstream of the reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0676 by action on flow sources G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67196 characterized by the construction of the transfer chamber
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67742 Mechanical parts of transfer devices robots in general in B25J

Abstract

A diffuser for diffusing a gas includes a base portion and a head portion fluidly coupled to the base portion. The head portion includes a diffuser element configured to diffuse a first fraction of the gas through a circumference of the diffuser element and a second fraction of the gas through an end surface of the diffuser element. The head portion further includes a connecting structure having a first connecting portion configured to receive a portion of the diffuser element therein and a second connecting portion protruding outwardly from the first connecting portion and configured to couple to the base portion.

Claims

1. A diffuser for diffusing a gas, comprising:

a base portion; and

a head portion fluidly coupled to the base portion, wherein the head portion comprises;

a diffuser element configured to diffuse a first fraction of the gas through a circumference of the diffuser element and a second fraction of the gas through an end surface of the diffuser element; and

a connecting structure, the connecting structure comprising a first connecting portion configured to receive a portion of the diffuser element therein and a second connecting portion protruding outwardly from the first connecting portion and configured to couple to the base portion.

2. The diffuser of claim 1, wherein the first connecting portion has a dimension greater than a dimension of the second connecting portion.

3. The diffuser of claim 1, wherein the second connecting portion comprises a hollow bolt having a threaded portion.

4. The diffuser of claim 1, wherein the base portion comprises a fitting element configured to mate with the second connecting portion of the connecting structure.

5. The diffuser of claim 4, wherein the fitting element comprises nut.

6. The diffuser of claim 4, wherein the base portion further comprises:

a neck portion; and

a body portion having a first end fluidly coupled to the neck portion and a second end fluidly coupled to the fitting element, wherein the second end is opposite the first end.

7. The diffuser of claim 6, wherein the body portion comprises:

a first body portion fluidly coupled to the neck portion; and

a second body portion fluidly coupled to the fitting element, wherein the first body portion has a dimension greater than a dimension of the second body portion.

8. The diffuser of claim 1, wherein the diffuser element has a cylindrical shape.

9. The diffuser of claim 1, wherein the diffuser element comprises a porous material.

10. The diffuser of claim 1, wherein the first fraction of the gas is greater than the second fraction of the gas.

11. A semiconductor processing system, comprising:

a transfer chamber, wherein the transfer chamber comprises at least one gas inlet port through a wall of the transfer chamber;

a tandem processing chamber connected to the transfer chamber, wherein the tandem processing chamber comprises a first processing chamber and a second processing chamber; and

a diffuser adapted to fit into the at least one gas inlet port and protrude into an interior of the transfer chamber, wherein the diffuser comprises;

a base portion; and

a head portion fluidly coupled to the based portion, wherein the head portion comprises;

a diffuser element configured to diffuse a purge gas substantially uniformly into the interior of the transfer chamber, and

a connecting structure comprising a first connecting portion configured to receive a portion of the diffuser element therein, and a second connecting portion protruding outwardly from the first connecting portion and configured to couple to the base portion.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the diffuser element has a cylindrical shape.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the diffuser element comprises a porous material comprising stainless steel, nylon, polyester, polyethylene, or a ceramic material.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the diffuser element comprises a porous material having a pore size ranging from 0.1 micron (μ

m) to about 50 μ

m.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the base portion comprises:

a neck portion;

a body portion fluidly coupled to the neck portion; and

a fitting element attached to an end of the body portion, wherein the fitting element is configured to mate with the second connecting portion of the connecting structure.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the body portion comprises:

a first body portion configured to be received in the at least one gas inlet port; and

a second body portion configured to protrude into the interior of the transfer chamber.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a first opening at a boundary between the transfer chamber and the first processing chamber; and

a second opening at a boundary between the transfer chamber and the second processing chamber.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a first slit valve adapted to open and close the first opening; and

a second slit valve adapted to open and close the second opening.

19. A semiconductor processing system, comprising:

a transfer chamber, wherein the transfer chamber comprises a plurality of gas inlet ports extending through a wall of the transfer chamber;

a plurality of processing chambers connected to the transfer chamber; and

a diffuser adapted to fit into to a corresponding gas inlet port of the plurality of the gas inlet ports, wherein the diffuser comprises;

a base portion comprising a neck portion, a body portion fluidly coupled to the neck portion, and a fitting element coupled to the body portion; and

a head portion fluidly coupled to the based portion, wherein the head portion comprises;

a diffuser element configured to diffuse a purge gas substantially uniformly into an interior of the transfer chamber, and

a connecting structure comprising a first connecting portion configured to receive a portion of the diffuser element therein and a second connecting portion protruding outwardly from the first connecting portion and configured to mate with the fitting element.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the diffuser element has a cylindrical shape configured to diffuse a first fraction of the purge gas through a circumference of the diffuser element and a second fraction of the purge gas through an end surface of the diffuser element.