2. Kungani imboni ye-semiconductor idinga ubumsulwa obuphelele

Ukuze uqonde isidingo sokuhlanzeka okuphezulu kakhulu, umuntu kufanele aqonde izinga lokukhiqizwa kwe-semiconductor yesimanje. Ama-chips anamuhla athuthuke kakhulu afaka ama-transistors angama-nanometer ambalwa kuphela ububanzi. Ukuze sikuqonde lokhu, umucu owodwa woboya bomuntu ungama-nanometer angu-80 000 kuya kwangu-100 000.

Lapho wakha izakhiwo ezingeni le-athomu, i-molecule eyodwa yomoya-mpilo noma ithonsi elincane lamanzi lingabangela ukwehluleka okuyinhlekelele.

• I-Oxidation: I-oksijini engadingeki ingasabela nezakhiwo ze-silicon ezintekenteke, iguqule izici zazo zikagesi.

• Ukungcoliswa kwezinhlayiya: Ngisho nezinhlayiyana ezilahlekile zingafinyeza i-nanoscale transistor, zenze ingxenye yonke ye-microchip ingabi namsebenzi.

• Ukunciphisa Isivuno: Endwangu ecubungula izinkulungwane zama-wafers ngeviki, ukwehla kancane kwesivuno ngenxa yokungcoliswa kwegesi kungahumushela emashumini ezigidi zamadola emalini engenayo elahlekile.

Ngakho-ke, I-semiconductor liquid argon okwethulwa endaweni ehlanzekile kumele kungabi nazo zonke izingcolisi ezisebenzayo.

3. Izicelo Eziyinhloko ze-Semiconductor Liquid Argon

Uhambo lwesinkwa esicwecwana se-silicon sisuka ezintweni ezingavuthiwe siye ku-microprocessor esiqediwe sithatha amakhulu ezinyathelo eziyinkimbinkimbi. I-Ultra-high purity liquid argon ihlanganiswe ngokujulile ezigabeni ezimbalwa ezibucayi kakhulu zalolu hambo.

3.1. I-Silicon Crystal Pulling (Inqubo ye-Czochralski)

Isisekelo sanoma iyiphi i-microchip yi-silicon wafer. Lawa mawafa asikwa kusukela kuma-silicon engothi amakhulu, e-single-crystal akhuliswe kusetshenziswa indlela ye-Czochralski (CZ). Kule nqubo, i-polycrystalline silicon ehlanzeke kakhulu incibilika ku-quartz crucible emazingeni okushisa angaphezu kuka-1,400°C. Kwethulwa ikristalu lembewu bese idonswa phezulu kancane, idweba ikristalu eyisilinda ephuma ekuncibilikeni.

Phakathi nale nqubo yokushisa okwedlulele, i-silicon encibilikisiwe isebenza kakhulu. Uma ihlangana nomoya-mpilo noma i-nitrogen, izokwakha i-silicon dioxide noma i-silicon nitride, ibhubhise isakhiwo se-crystalline esihlanzekile. Lapha, i-argon isebenza njengomvikeli omkhulu. Isithando somlilo sihlanzwa ngokuqhubekayo nge-vaporized ultra-high ubumsulwa liquid argon ukwakha umoya ongasebenzi ngokuphelele. Ngenxa yokuthi i-argon inzima kunomoya, yenza ingubo yokuvikela phezu kwe-silicon encibilikisiwe, iqinisekisa ukuthi i-ingot ewumphumela iphelele ngokwesakhiwo futhi ayinazo iziphambeko ezincane.

3.2. I-Plasma Etching kanye ne-Deposition

Ama-chips esimanje akhiwe ngezingqimba ze-3D. Lokhu kuhilela ukufaka izendlalelo ezincane ze-conductive noma insulating ku-wafer bese unamathisela izingxenye ezithile ukuze udale amasekhethi.

• I-Sputtering (I-Physical Vapor Deposition – PVD): I-Argon iyigesi eyinhloko esetshenziswa ekuqhumeni. Egunjini le-vacuum, igesi ye-argon i-ionized ibe i-plasma. Lawa ma-argon ion ashajwe kahle abe esesheshiswa abe into eqondiwe (njengethusi noma i-titanium). Amandla e-kinetic aphelele ama-argon ion asindayo awisa ama-athomu asuka lapho kuhlosiwe, abese ebeka ngokulinganayo ku-wafer ye-silicon. I-Argon ikhethwa ngenxa yokuthi isisindo sayo se-athomu ifaneleka ngokuphelele ukukhipha ama-athomu ensimbi ngokuphumelelayo ngaphandle kokusabela ngamakhemikhali nawo.

• I-Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE): Lapho abakhiqizi bedinga ukufaka imisele ejulile, enembe kakhulu ku-silicon—okubalulekile kuma-memory chips nokupakishwa okuthuthukisiwe—i-argon ivamise ukuxutshwa namagesi asebenzayo ukuze kunzinziswe i-plasma futhi isize ngokuqhumisa i-wafer surface, ishanele imikhiqizo eqoshiwe.

3.3. I-DUV ne-EUV Lithography (Ama-Excimer Lasers)

I-Lithography iyinqubo yokusebenzisa ukukhanya ukuze uphrinte amaphethini esekethe ku-wafer. Njengoba amasekhethi enciphile, abakhiqizi kuye kwadingeka basebenzise ukukhanya ngamaza amaza amafushane. Lapha kulapho i-liquid argon electronics hlangana ne-optical physics.

I-Deep Ultraviolet (DUV) lithography incike kakhulu kuma-excimer lasers e-ArF (Argon Fluoride). Lawa ma-lasers asebenzisa ingxube elawulwa ngokunembile ye-argon, i-fluorine, namagesi e-neon ukuze akhiqize ukukhanya okugxiliswe kakhulu ngobude obungamaza angama-nanometer angu-193. Ukuhlanzeka kwe-argon esetshenziswa kulezi zimbotshana ze-laser kuqine ngendlela emangalisayo. Noma yikuphi ukungcola kungonakalisa i-laser optics, kunciphise ukushuba kokukhanya, futhi kubangele inqubo ye-lithography ukuthi iphrinte amasekhethi afiphele noma angasebenzi.

Ngisho nasezinhlelweni ezintsha ze-Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, i-argon idlala indima ebalulekile njengegesi yokuhlanza ukuze kugcinwe izinhlelo zezibuko ezintekenteke neziyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu zingenakho ukungcoliswa kwamangqamuzana.

3.4. I-Annealing kanye ne-Thermal Processing

Ngemuva kokuthi ama-dopants (afana ne-boron noma i-phosphorus) efakwe ku-silicon ukuze kushintshwe izici zayo zikagesi, i-wafer kufanele ishiselwe kumazinga okushisa aphezulu ukuze kulungiswe umonakalo ku-crystal lattice futhi ivule ama-dopants. Le nqubo, eyaziwa ngokuthi i-annealing, kufanele yenzeke endaweni elawulwa ngokuqinile, engenawo umoya-mpilo ukuze kuvinjelwe ingaphezulu le-wafer ukuthi lingabi ne-oxidizing. Ukugeleza okuqhubekayo kwe-ultra-pure argon kunikeza le ndawo ephephile yokushisa.

4. I-Liquid Argon Electronics: Inika Amandla Isizukulwane Esilandelayo Se-Tech

Igama i-liquid argon electronics ngobubanzi ihlanganisa i-ecosystem yamadivayisi we-high-tech kanye nezinqubo zokukhiqiza ezincike kulokhu kwaziswa kwe-cryogenic. Njengoba singena enkathini ebuswa i-Artificial Intelligence (AI), i-inthanethi Yezinto (IoT), nezimoto ezizimele, isidingo sama-chips anamandla, awonga amandla siyakhula.

1. Ama-Accelerator e-AI nama-GPU: Amayunithi amakhulu wokucubungula izithombe (GPUs) adingekayo ukuqeqesha amamodeli e-AI njengamamodeli amakhulu olimi adinga ukufa kwe-silicon engenasici. Uma ifasi lilikhulu, ayanda amathuba okuthi ukungcola okukodwa kungonakalisa yonke i-chip. Indawo engenasici ehlinzekwa yi-UHP argon akuxoxiswana nayo lapha.

2. I-Quantum Computing: Njengoba abacwaningi bakha amakhompiyutha e-quantum, izinto zokwakha ezinkulu ezisetshenziselwa ukudala ama-qubits zidinga izindawo zokukhiqiza ezinokungcoliswa okuseduze-zero. Ukuhlanzwa kwe-Argon kubalulekile ekulungiseleleni i-cryogenic kanye nokwakhiwa kwalaba baphrosesa besizukulwane esilandelayo.

3. Amandla kagesi: Izimoto zikagesi zithembele kuma-chips amandla e-Silicon Carbide (SiC) kanye ne-Gallium Nitride (GaN). Ukukhulisa lawa makristalu e-semiconductor ayinhlanganisela kudinga amazinga okushisa aphakeme ngisho nangaphezulu kune-silicon evamile, okwenza izakhiwo zokuvikela ezingenasici ze-argon zibaluleke nakakhulu.

5. Ukubaluleka Kochungechunge Lokuhlinzeka Ngempahla kanye Nokuthola Imali

Ukukhiqiza i-ultra-high purity liquid argon kuyisimangaliso sobunjiniyela bamakhemikhali besimanje. Ivamise ukukhishwa emoyeni kusetshenziswa i-cryogenic fractional distillation in massive air separation units (ASUs). Nokho, ukukhiqiza igesi kuyingxenye yempi; ukuyiletha kuthuluzi le-semiconductor ngaphandle kokulahlekelwa ubumsulwa kuyinselele ngokufanayo.

Ukulawula Ukungcola Ngesikhathi Sokuthutha

Wonke ama-valve, ipayipi, nethangi lokugcina elithinta i- ultra-high ubumsulwa liquid argon kufanele ifakwe ngogesi ngokukhethekile futhi ihlanzwe ngaphambili. Uma ithangi lezokuthutha linokuvuza okuncane, ukucindezela komkhathi ngeke kuvele kudedele i-argon; amazinga okushisa e-cryogenic empeleni angadonsa ukungcola komkhathi phakathi kwa-, echitha inqwaba.

Ezingeni le-fab, i-argon ye-liquid igcinwa emathangeni ama-vacuum-insulated ngobuningi obukhulu. Ibe isidluliswa kuma-vaporizer akhethekile kakhulu kanye nezihlanzi zegesi ezisetshenziswayo ngaphambi kokungena endlini ehlanzekile.

Ukuze kugcinwe ukukhiqizwa okuqhubekayo, okungaphazamiseki, abakhiqizi be-semiconductor kufanele babambisane nabahlinzeki begesi bezinga eliphezulu asebeyingcweti yalolu chungechunge lokunikezwa kwempahla. Okwezikhungo ezisezingeni eliphezulu ezibheke ukuvikela ukunikezwa okuqhubekayo, okuthembekile kwalokhu okubalulekile okunamamethrikhi okuhlanzeka okuqinisekisiwe, ukuhlola izixazululo ezikhethekile zegesi yezimboni ezivela kubahlinzeki abathembekile abafana I-Huazhong Gas iqinisekisa ukuthi izindinganiso eziqondile ziyafinyelelwa futhi isikhathi sokukhiqiza siyaqedwa.

6. Ukucatshangelwa Kwezomnotho Nemvelo

Umthamo omkhulu we-argon osetshenziswa i-gigafab yesimanje uyamangaza. Indawo eyodwa enkulu yokukhiqiza i-semiconductor ingadla amashumi ezinkulungwane zama-cubic metres egesi ehlanzekile kakhulu njalo ngosuku olulodwa.

Ukusimama kanye Nokugaywa kabusha

Ngenxa yokuthi i-argon iyigesi ehloniphekile futhi ayisetshenziswa ngamakhemikhali ezinqubweni eziningi ze-semiconductor (isebenza kakhulu njengesihlangu esibonakalayo noma i-plasma medium), kukhona ukukhula okukhulayo ngaphakathi kwemboni yokubuyisela i-argon kanye nezinhlelo zokuvuselela kabusha. Indwangu ethuthukisiwe iya ngokuya ifaka amayunithi okubuyisela endaweni athwebula i-argon exhaust kusukela kumlilo odonsa ikristalu namagumbhu aqhumisayo. Lo gesi ube usuhlanzwa kabusha endaweni. Lokhu akugcini nje ngokunciphisa kakhulu izindleko zokusebenza ze-fab, kodwa futhi kwehlisa i-carbon footprint ehambisana nokucwiliswa kanye nokuthutha i-argon entsha kumabanga amade.

7. Ikusasa le-Argon Ekwenziweni Kwezindawo Ezithuthukile

Njengoba imboni ye-semiconductor iphokophela ku-2nm, 14A (angstrom), nangale kwalokho, ukwakheka kwama-transistors kuyashintsha. Sisuka ku-FinFET siya e-Gate-All-Around (GAA) futhi ekugcineni siya kumadizayini ahambisanayo e-FET (CFET).

Lezi zakhiwo ze-3D zidinga i-atomic layer deposition (ALD) kanye ne-atomic layer etching (ALE)—izinqubo ezishintsha i-silicon ngokoqobo i-athomu eyodwa ngesikhathi. Ku-ALD ne-ALE, ama-pulses alawulwa ngokunembile e-argon asetshenziselwa ukuhlanza igumbi lokusabela phakathi kwemithamo yamakhemikhali, ukuqinisekisa ukuthi ukusabela kwenzeka kuphela lapho kuhloswe khona endaweni ye-athomu.

Njengoba ukunemba kwanda, ukuthembela ku I-semiconductor liquid argon izoqinisa kuphela. Izidingo zokuhlanzeka zingase zedlule ngisho namazinga amanje e-6N, zidlulele endaweni ye-7N (99.99999%) noma ngaphezulu, ziqhubekisele phambili ukuqamba okusha ekuhlanzeni igesi kanye nobuchwepheshe be-metrology.

Ukugcina

Kulula ukumangala nge-microprocessor eqediwe—ucezu lwe-silicon oluqukethe izigidigidi zamaswishi amancane akwazi ukwenza izibalo eziyizigidi eziyizinkulungwane ngomzuzwana. Nokho, lesi siqongo sobunjiniyela babantu sincike ngokuphelele ezintweni ezingabonakali eziwakhayo.

Ultra-high ubumsulwa liquid argon akuyona nje impahla; iyinsika eyisisekelo yemboni ye-semiconductor. Kusukela ekuvikeleni ukuzalwa okuncibilikisiwe kwamakristalu e-silicon kuya ekwenzeni i-plasma eqophe amasekhethi esikali se-nanometer, i-argon iqinisekisa indawo ehlanzekile edingekayo ukuze kugcinwe uMthetho kaMoore uphila. Njengemingcele ye i-liquid argon electronics ukunwebeka ukuze kusekelwe i-AI, i-quantum computing, kanye nokuphathwa kwamandla okuthuthukile, isidingo salolu ketshezi olungenasici olumsulwa luzoqhubeka nokuba yimbangela yentuthuko yezobuchwepheshe emhlabeni wonke.

Imibuzo Evame Ukubuzwa

I-Q1: Kungani i-argon ewuketshezi ikhethwa ngaphezu kwamanye amagesi angenayo njenge-nitrogen noma i-helium kwezinye izinqubo ze-semiconductor?

A: Nakuba i-nitrogen ishibhile futhi isetshenziswa kabanzi njengegesi yokuhlanza evamile, ayingeni ngempela emazingeni okushisa aphakeme kakhulu; ingasabela nge-silicon encibilikisiwe ukwenza amaphutha e-silicon nitride. I-Helium ayisebenzi kodwa ilula kakhulu futhi iyabiza. I-Argon ishaya “indawo emnandi”—ayingeni ndawo ngisho emazingeni okushisa aphakeme, isindayo ngokwanele ukumboza i-silicon encibilikisiwe, futhi inesisindo se-athomu esiphelele sokukhipha ama-athomu ngesikhathi sezinqubo zokufafaza kwe-plasma ngaphandle kokubangela ukusabela kwamakhemikhali okungafuneki.

I-Q2: I-ultra-high purity liquid argon ithuthwa kanjani ezitshalweni zokwenziwa kwe-semiconductor (izindwangu) ngaphandle kokungcola?

A: Ukugcina ubumsulwa ngesikhathi sokuthutha kuyinselelo enkulu yezokuthutha. I-UHP liquid argon ithuthwa ngamaloli ethangi akhethekile, avaleleke kakhulu. Ingaphakathi lala mathangi, kanye nawo wonke ama-valve namapayipi okudlulisa, acwebezeliswe ngogesi aze agcine esibukweni ukuze kunqandwe ukuphuma komoya kanye nokuchitheka kwezinhlayiyana. Ngaphambi kokulayisha, lonke uhlelo luhlanzwa nge-vacuum eqinile. Lapho ifika ku-fab, igesi idlula ezintweni ezihlanza indawo lapho zisetshenziswa khona ezisebenzisa ubuchwepheshe be-chemical getter ukukhumula noma yikuphi ukungcola kweleveli ye-ppt (izingxenye ngethriliyoni ngayinye) ngaphambi kokuba i-argon ifinyelele esilucwecweni.

Q3: Yiliphi izinga lokuhlanzeka elidingekayo ukuze "i-semiconductor liquid argon," futhi ilinganiswa kanjani?

A: Ekwenziweni okuthuthukisiwe kwe-semiconductor, ubumsulwa be-argon kufanele okungenani bube yi-“6N” (99.9999% emsulwa), nakuba ezinye izinqubo ezisezingeni eliphezulu zidinga i-7N. Lokhu kusho ukuthi ukungcola okunjengomoya-mpilo, umswakama, nama-hydrocarbon kukhawulelwe engxenyeni engu-1 esigidini ngasinye (ppm) noma izingxenye ngebhiliyoni ngayinye (ppb). Lawa maleveli okungcola okuncane akalwa ngesikhathi sangempela entanjeni kusetshenziswa okokusebenza kokuhlaziya okuzwela kakhulu, njenge-Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) ne-Gas Chromatography ene-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), eqinisekisa ukulawulwa kwekhwalithi okuqhubekayo.