In the complex process of semiconductor manufacturing, gas channel design technology is akin to a sophisticated vascular system, precisely and uniformly delivering reactive gases to the surface of wafers. It directly impacts the quality of thin - film deposition, the precision of etching, and the stability of plasma. As advanced manufacturing processes advance towards the 3nm node and beyond, higher requirements are imposed on gas channel design technology, prompting the industry to continuously explore and innovate to achieve more efficient and precise gas distribution.
Core Elements of Gas Channel Design
The core of gas channel design lies in achieving uniform gas distribution and stable flow to meet the stringent requirements of semiconductor manufacturing processes. This involves careful consideration of multiple key elements.
Firstly, there is the design of micro - holes. The micro - holes on the Showerhead are the terminal outlets of the gas channels, and their parameters directly affect the gas injection effect. The aperture, hole density, hole shape error, and injection angle of the micro - holes need to be precisely controlled. For example, the aperture generally ranges from 30 - 100μm, with high - end processes approaching 30μm; the hole density is 300 - 1200 holes/cm², with about 100,000 holes corresponding to a 12 - inch wafer; the hole shape error needs to be controlled at ≤ ± 2μm to ensure consistent gas flow rates; and the injection angle needs to be precisely controlled to avoid gas turbulence and ensure uniform coverage of the wafer surface. Taking Applied Materials' ALD Showerhead as an example, by optimizing the aperture distribution and flow channel design, it has reduced the thin - film thickness deviation between the edge and the center of the wafer from ± 3% to ± 0.8%, significantly improving the yield.
Secondly, there is the design of flow channels. A reasonable flow channel structure can guide the gas to flow smoothly and uniformly, reducing pressure losses and gas flow fluctuations. The shape, size, and layout of the flow channels need to be optimized according to specific process requirements and gas characteristics. For example, using a diverging or converging flow channel design can regulate the gas flow rate and pressure, ensuring that the gas has a stable state when reaching the micro - holes. At the same time, the surface roughness of the flow channels also needs to be strictly controlled to reduce the frictional resistance during gas flow and improve the gas transmission efficiency.
In addition, the selection of materials for gas channels is crucial. The materials need to have good high - temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, and chemical inertness to withstand the erosion of high - temperature, high - pressure, and corrosive gases in the reaction chamber. Commonly used materials include stainless steel, nickel - based alloys, and silicon carbide. Stainless steel has good corrosion resistance and processing performance and is widely used in mid - to low - end processes; nickel - based alloys have higher strength and high - temperature resistance and are suitable for high - end processes; silicon carbide is widely used in key processes such as extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) due to its excellent high - temperature and corrosion resistance.
Limitations of Traditional Gas Channel Design Technologies
In the development history of semiconductor manufacturing, traditional gas channel design technologies have met process requirements to a certain extent. However, with the continuous advancement of process nodes, many limitations have gradually emerged.
Traditional gas channel design often relies on empirical formulas and simple simulation methods, making it difficult to accurately predict the flow behavior of gases in complex flow channels. This leads to the frequent occurrence of uneven gas distribution in actual production, affecting the quality of thin - film deposition and the precision of etching. For example, in some processes, due to uneven gas distribution, there is a large difference in thin - film thickness between the edge and the center of the wafer, reducing the product yield.
In addition, traditional design methods have limited optimization capabilities for gas channels and are difficult to achieve multi - parameter collaborative optimization. In gas channel design, it is necessary to consider the mutual influence of multiple parameters, such as micro - hole parameters, flow channel structure, and gas flow rate. Traditional methods often only optimize a single parameter and cannot comprehensively consider the collaborative effects of multiple parameters, thus limiting the improvement of gas channel performance.
Applications of Innovative Gas Channel Design Technologies
To break through the limitations of traditional design technologies, the industry has adopted a series of innovative design methods and technologies, bringing new breakthroughs to gas channel design.
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation technology has become an important tool for gas channel design. By establishing an accurate CFD model, it can simulate the flow, heat transfer, and mass transfer processes of gases in the channels and predict the gas distribution and performance indicators. Using CFD simulation, designers can optimize the structural parameters of gas channels, such as adjusting the aperture and distribution of micro - holes and optimizing the shape and size of flow channels, to achieve more uniform gas distribution and more stable gas flow. For example, by optimizing the flow channel design of the Showerhead through CFD simulation, the gas distribution on the wafer surface can be made more uniform, reducing the deviation of thin - film thickness and improving the product yield.
AI simulation optimization technology combines the advantages of artificial intelligence and simulation, further improving the efficiency and accuracy of gas channel design. By using machine learning algorithms to analyze and learn from a large amount of simulation data, a complex mapping relationship between gas channel performance and structural parameters can be established, enabling more accurate prediction of the performance of design solutions. At the same time, AI technology can also achieve automated design optimization, quickly searching for the optimal combination of design parameters and greatly shortening the design cycle. For example, by combining ANSYS Fluent with machine learning, the design cycle of gas flow channels can be shortened by more than 30%, accelerating the research and development and market launch of new products.
The multi - physics field coupling design method takes into account the interactions of multiple physical phenomena during gas flow, such as fluid dynamics, heat conduction, and chemical reactions. In semiconductor manufacturing, the gas flow in gas channels is often accompanied by heat transfer and chemical reactions, and these physical phenomena interact with each other to jointly determine the gas distribution and performance. The multi - physics field coupling design method can comprehensively consider these factors, more accurately simulate the actual working conditions in gas channels, and provide more reliable basis for design. For example, in the atomic layer deposition process, the gas flow, chemical reactions, and heat transfer in the gas channels are interrelated. Using the multi - physics field coupling design method can optimize the structure of gas channels and improve the deposition efficiency and thin - film quality.
Future Trends and Prospects
In the future, gas channel design technology will develop in the directions of higher precision, greater intelligence, and more integration.
As semiconductor manufacturing processes continue to advance, the precision requirements for gas channels will become increasingly high. Future gas channel design will place greater emphasis on precise control at the micro - scale, such as achieving nanoscale machining accuracy for micro - holes and further reducing the surface roughness of flow channels to achieve more uniform gas distribution and more stable gas flow.
Intelligent design will become an important trend in gas channel design. By utilizing artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing technologies, the design process can be automated and intelligent, improving design efficiency and quality. For example, using intelligent algorithms to automatically generate optimal design solutions, using big data analysis to conduct real - time optimization and adjustment of designs, and using cloud computing platforms to perform large - scale simulation calculations, providing stronger support for gas channel design.
Integrated design will enable gas channels to be more closely integrated with other components of semiconductor equipment, achieving overall performance optimization. For example, integrating gas channels with reaction chambers and heating systems to reduce energy losses and pollution during gas transmission and improve the operating efficiency and reliability of equipment.
Gas channel design technology is a key link in semiconductor manufacturing, and its performance directly affects the quality and yield of products. With the continuous emergence of innovative design methods and technologies, gas channel design technology will continue to develop and provide strong support for the upgrading of the semiconductor industry.
AMTD provides high - precision Showerhead (spray shower head/gas distributor/gas distribution plate) services for core components. Its products mainly include Showerhead, Face plate, Blocker Plate, Top Plate, Shield, Liner, pumping ring, Edge Ring, and other core components of semiconductor equipment. These products are widely used in fields such as semiconductors and display panels, with excellent performance and high market recognition.
Content Source: Compiled from industry research reports, professional journal papers, and technical materials from semiconductor companies.
