Wafer processing apparatus and method of cleaning a wafer carrier

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of wafer processing equipment and the cleaning method of wafer carrier, wafer processing equipment includes wafer carrier, gas source providing device and guide tray.Wafer carrier is equipped with blowing passage.The gas outlet of blowing passage is formed in the bearing surface of wafer carrier.Gas source providing device is communicated with the gas inlet of blowing passage.Guide tray is arranged above the bearing surface, the bottom surface of guide tray is oppositely arranged with the gas outlet, and the airflow gap is formed between the bearing surface.Gas source providing device sends gas through blowing passage, and the gas discharged from the gas outlet is swept under the guidance of guide tray, and is swept towards the edge direction of bearing surface through airflow gap, so that the particles on the bearing surface and the edge of wafer carrier can be swept clean.In addition, during the cleaning process of wafer carrier, guide tray can bear the particles falling in chamber, to avoid the particles falling on the bearing surface.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor manufacturing technology, and in particular to a method for cleaning wafer processing equipment and wafer carriers. Background Technology

[0002] Traditionally, wafers are carried in enclosed chambers during manufacturing processes using wafer carriers, such as electrostatic chucks. As polymers are generated and deposited during the chamber process, particulate matter easily accumulates in many areas within the chamber, as well as on the surface and edges of the wafer carrier. This accumulated particulate matter on the wafer carrier affects localized temperature control, leading to defects such as warpage on the wafer and at its edges. Defective wafers exhibit poor etching uniformity, resulting in a significantly lower product yield. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Therefore, it is necessary to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a cleaning method for wafer processing equipment and wafer carriers, which can easily remove particulate matter attached to the wafer carriers and has a better cleaning effect.

[0004] The technical solution is as follows: A wafer processing equipment includes: a wafer carrier, the wafer carrier having an air blowing channel, the air outlet of the air blowing channel being formed on the bearing surface of the wafer carrier; an air source supply device, the air source supply device being connected to the air inlet of the air blowing channel; and a guide tray, the guide tray being disposed above the bearing surface, the bottom surface of the guide tray being opposite to the air outlet, and an airflow gap being formed between the bottom surface of the guide tray and the bearing surface.

[0005] In the aforementioned wafer processing equipment, when cleaning the wafer carrier is required, the wafer is not placed on the carrier's bearing surface; instead, a guide tray is placed there. The air supply device is activated, and gas is introduced through the air blowing channel and discharged through the outlet of the air blowing channel. Guided by the guide tray, the discharged gas is blown towards the edge of the bearing surface through the airflow gap, effectively cleaning particles from the bearing surface and the edges of the wafer carrier. Furthermore, during the wafer carrier cleaning process, the guide tray can withstand particles falling from the chamber, preventing them from falling onto the bearing surface. This facilitates the removal of particles adhering to the wafer carrier, resulting in better cleaning performance. Consequently, it maintains the temperature uniformity of the wafer carrier, improves the process uniformity of the wafers, reduces wafer defects caused by particles adhering to the bearing surface, extends the PM cycle, and increases production capacity.

[0006] In one embodiment, the air source provided by the air source supply device is discharged through the air outlet and blown toward the bottom surface of the guide tray to adjust the airflow gap between the bottom surface of the guide tray and the bearing surface; or, the bottom surface of the guide tray is provided with a plurality of support legs, which are placed on the bearing surface.

[0007] In one embodiment, the air outlet is formed in the middle of the bearing surface; or, there are multiple air channels, and multiple air outlets are spaced around the bearing surface, the mouth wall of the air outlet is an oblique sidewall or an arc-shaped sidewall, and the mouth wall of the air outlet is used to guide the airflow to the edge portion of the bearing surface adjacent to the air outlet.

[0008] In one embodiment, there are multiple air blowing channels, with the air outlet of one air blowing channel formed in the middle of the bearing surface, and the air outlets of the other air blowing channels spaced around the bearing surface. The air outlets of the other air blowing channels have oblique sidewalls or arc-shaped sidewalls, and the air outlets of the other air blowing channels are used to blow airflow toward the edge of the bearing surface adjacent to the air outlet.

[0009] In one embodiment, the air blowing channel includes a main channel and multiple sub-channels; one end of the main channel is connected to the air source supply device, and the other end of the main channel is connected to each of the sub-channels; the ports of the sub-channels are spaced apart and arranged in a ring shape in the middle of the bearing surface; the sub-channels are arc-shaped channels or inclined channels that are inclined relative to the bearing surface.

[0010] In one embodiment, the wafer processing equipment further includes a jetting mechanism disposed above the guide tray, the jetting mechanism being used to blow gas toward the top surface of the guide tray.

[0011] In one embodiment, the jetting mechanism includes a plurality of nozzles, the nozzles being adjustablely positioned above the guide tray.

[0012] In one embodiment, the wafer processing equipment further includes a housing with a chamber and an air extraction device disposed outside the chamber. The air extraction pipe of the air extraction device is connected to the chamber for evacuating the chamber. The wafer carrier and the guide tray are both disposed inside the chamber, and the air supply device is disposed outside the chamber.

[0013] In one embodiment, the wafer carrier includes an electrostatic chuck and an edge ring arranged circumferentially around the electrostatic chuck; the wafer processing equipment further includes a cooling device, the cooler being in contact with the edge ring to reduce the temperature of the edge ring.

[0014] A method for cleaning a wafer carrier, using the aforementioned wafer processing equipment, includes the following steps:

[0015] The guide tray is inserted into the cavity and placed on top of the wafer carrier;

[0016] Turn on the air supply device to introduce gas into the air blowing channel. The gas from the outlet of the air blowing channel blows towards the bottom surface of the guide tray and towards the edge of the bearing surface through the airflow gap.

[0017] The aforementioned wafer carrier cleaning method involves placing a guide tray instead of a wafer on the carrier's support surface during cleaning. The air supply device is activated, delivering gas through a blowing channel and exiting through its outlet. Guided by the guide tray, the gas flows through the air gap towards the edge of the support surface, effectively cleaning particles from both the carrier surface and the wafer carrier's edges. Furthermore, the guide tray can absorb particles falling from the chamber during cleaning, preventing them from landing on the support surface. This facilitates the removal of particles adhering to the wafer carrier, resulting in better cleaning performance. Consequently, it maintains temperature uniformity within the wafer carrier, improves wafer process uniformity, reduces wafer defects caused by particles adhering to the support surface, extends the PM cycle time, and increases production capacity.

[0018] In one embodiment, the specific method for loading the guide tray into the cavity and placing it above the wafer carrier is as follows:

[0019] The guide tray is shaped to match the shape of the wafer, and the guide tray is fed into the cavity using a wafer transfer tray.

[0020] In one embodiment, the air pressure supplied by the air source device into the air blowing channel is controlled so that the gas at the outlet of the air blowing channel can lift the tray to form the airflow gap.

[0021] In one embodiment, the method for adjusting the size of the airflow gap is: adjusting the airflow pressure introduced into the blowing channel by the air source supply device, and / or adjusting the weight of the guide tray itself; after the step of loading the guide tray into the cavity and placing it above the wafer carrier, the method further includes the step of: activating the jet mechanism to spray gas onto the top surface of the guide tray. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer processing equipment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer processing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer processing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer processing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer processing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer processing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a wafer processing equipment according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of a wafer carrier cleaning method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure label:

[0031] 10. Wafer carrier; 11. Air blowing channel; 111. Main channel; 112. Sub-channel; 12. Electrostatic chuck; 13. Edge ring; 20. Air supply device; 21. Air pipe; 22. Control valve; 30. Guide tray; 31. Support leg; 40. Airflow gap; 50. Jet mechanism; 51. Nozzle; 60. Housing; 61. Chamber; 70. Air extraction device; 80. Cooling device. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0033] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0034] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that when an element is considered to be "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be intermediate elements present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as being "directly" connected to another element, there are no intermediate elements.

[0035] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 A wafer processing apparatus includes a wafer carrier 10, an air supply device 20, and a guide tray 30. The wafer carrier 10 is provided with an air blowing channel 11. The air outlet of the air blowing channel 11 is formed on the bearing surface of the wafer carrier 10. The air inlet of the air blowing channel 11 can be formed on the bottom surface of the wafer carrier 10, such as... Figures 1 to 7 As shown in any of the diagrams, the air inlet of the air blowing channel 11 is formed on the bottom surface of the wafer carrier 10. Alternatively, the air inlet of the air blowing channel 11 can also be formed on the side of the wafer carrier 10. In this case, the air source flows in through the air inlet on the side of the wafer carrier 10 and flows out through the air outlet on the carrier surface, thus blowing the gas towards the guide tray 30. More specifically, if the air blowing channel 11 is an oblique or arc-shaped channel extending from the side of the wafer carrier 10 to the carrier surface of the wafer carrier 10, multiple air blowing channels 11 can be used. Under the combined action of multiple air blowing channels 11, on the one hand, the gas in the air blowing channel 11 can support the guide tray 30; on the other hand, each air blowing channel 11 can also quickly guide the airflow to different edges of the carrier surface, achieving a better cleaning effect on the particles attached to the carrier surface.

[0036] The gas supply device 20 is connected to the air inlet of the air blowing channel 11. Specifically, the gas supplied by the gas supply device 20 is an inert gas, such as nitrogen, helium, argon, etc. The gas supply device 20 blows the inert gas into the air blowing channel 11 and sprays it out from the air outlet of the air blowing channel 11, which has a good cleaning effect on particles on the wafer carrier 10. Optionally, the gas supply device 20 is connected to the air inlet of the air blowing channel 11 through, for example, an air pipe 21.

[0037] The guide tray 30 is disposed above the bearing surface, the bottom surface of the guide tray 30 is opposite to the air outlet, and an airflow gap 40 is formed between the bottom surface of the guide tray 30 and the bearing surface.

[0038] In the aforementioned wafer processing equipment, when cleaning the wafer carrier 10 is required, the wafer is not placed on the bearing surface of the wafer carrier 10; instead, a guide tray 30 is placed there. The air supply device 20 is activated, and gas is introduced through the air blowing channel 11 and discharged through the air outlet of the air blowing channel 11. Under the guidance of the guide tray 30, the gas discharged from the outlet is blown towards the edge of the bearing surface through the airflow gap 40, thereby cleaning the particles on the bearing surface and the edge of the wafer carrier 10. Furthermore, during the cleaning process of the wafer carrier 10, the guide tray 30 can withstand particles falling from the chamber 61, preventing particles from falling onto the bearing surface. This facilitates the removal of particles adhering to the wafer carrier 10, resulting in better cleaning performance. This, in turn, maintains the temperature uniformity of the wafer carrier 10, improves the process uniformity of the wafers, reduces wafer defects caused by particles adhering to the bearing surface, extends the PM cycle, and increases production capacity.

[0039] In one embodiment, the air supplied by the air supply device 20 is discharged through the air outlet and blown onto the bottom surface of the guide tray 30 to adjust the airflow gap 40 between the bottom surface of the guide tray 30 and the bearing surface. Thus, on the one hand, when it is necessary to adjust the size of the airflow gap 40, the operation is relatively convenient by adjusting the airflow pressure introduced into the air blowing channel 11 by the air supply device 20 and / or adjusting the weight of the guide tray 30 itself; on the other hand, the structure of the guide tray 30 is relatively simple, and a plate adapted to the shape of the wafer can be selected, thereby allowing the guide tray 30 to be sent into the chamber 61 and placed on the bearing surface using a wafer transfer tray, resulting in a high degree of automation.

[0040] In another embodiment, please refer to Figure 2 The guide tray 30 has several feet 31 on its bottom surface, which rest on the support surface. Thus, under the action of the feet 31, the bottom surface of the guide tray 30 is moved away from the support surface, forming an airflow gap 40. This eliminates the need for the air supply device 20 to discharge air through its outlet to support the guide tray 30; instead, the feet 31 on the bottom surface of the guide tray 30 provide direct support. The air from the air supply device 20, after being discharged through its outlet, is then guided by the bottom surface of the guide tray 30, flowing from the airflow gap 40 towards the circumferential edge of the support surface, achieving a good cleaning effect on particles on the support surface.

[0041] In one embodiment, see Figure 1The air outlet is formed in the middle of the bearing surface. Gas in the air blowing channel 11 is discharged through the air outlet and blown towards the middle of the bottom surface of the guide tray 30. The middle of the bottom surface of the guide tray 30 is subjected to force, thus being relatively stably lifted by the airflow discharged from the air outlet. Furthermore, under the guiding action of the bottom surface of the guide tray 30, the airflow discharged from the air outlet flows from the middle of the bearing surface through the airflow gap 40 towards the circumferential edge of the bearing surface, sweeping particles on the bearing surface from the middle to the surrounding areas, thereby achieving better cleaning of particles attached to all areas of the bearing surface.

[0042] Generally, the edges of the bearing surface have more adhering particles. In another embodiment, please refer to... Figure 3 The blowing channels 11 are multiple, and the multiple air outlets are spaced apart and arranged around the bearing surface. The outlet walls are oblique or arc-shaped sidewalls, which guide the airflow to the edge portion of the bearing surface adjacent to the outlet. Thus, the air supply device 20 supplies air to each blowing channel 11, and each blowing channel 11 discharges the gas outward. As the gas discharged from the outlet of the blowing channel 11 blows towards the adjacent edge portion, it effectively cleans the particulate matter adhering to the edge portion of the bearing surface.

[0043] Specifically, the gas supply device 20 is connected to the air inlets of the multiple air blowing channels 11 one by one via multiple air pipes 21. Each air pipe 21 may be equipped with a control valve 22, for example. Optionally, a merging channel may be provided on the wafer carrier 10, which is connected to each air blowing channel 11 and is connected to the gas supply device 20 via the merging channel.

[0044] In another embodiment, please refer to Figure 4The blowing channels 11 are multiple, with one blowing channel 11 having its outlet formed in the center of the bearing surface. The outlets of the remaining blowing channels 11 are spaced around the bearing surface, and the outlet walls of the remaining blowing channels 11 are oblique or arc-shaped sidewalls. The outlets of the remaining blowing channels 11 are used to blow airflow toward the edge of the bearing surface adjacent to the outlet. Thus, the air discharged from the blowing channel 11 with its outlet in the center of the bearing surface is guided by the guide tray 30 and blown toward the edge of the bearing surface through the airflow gap 40, thereby sweeping particles attached to the center of the bearing surface to the circumferential edge of the bearing surface and ultimately cleaning them off. Furthermore, the air discharged from the outlets of the remaining blowing channels 11 is directed to the edge of the bearing surface adjacent to them, thereby cleaning particles attached to the edge of the bearing surface. In this way, the blowing action of the air channel 11 in the middle part of the bearing surface and the blowing action of the other air channels 11 in the outer part of the bearing surface can achieve a good cleaning effect on the particles attached to the bearing surface.

[0045] In another embodiment, please refer to Figure 5 or Figure 6 The air blowing channel 11 includes a main channel 111 and multiple branch channels 112. One end of the main channel 111 is connected to the air source supply device 20, and the other end of the main channel 111 is connected to each of the branch channels 112. The ports of the branch channels 112 are spaced apart and arranged in a ring shape in the middle of the bearing surface. The branch channels 112 are arc-shaped channels or inclined channels that are inclined relative to the bearing surface.

[0046] In one embodiment, see Figures 1 to 7 In any of the embodiments, the wafer processing equipment further includes a jetting mechanism 50. The jetting mechanism 50 is positioned above the guide tray 30 and is used to blow gas onto the top surface of the guide tray 30. Specifically, the gas ejected by the jetting mechanism 50 is an inert gas, such as nitrogen, helium, argon, etc. Under the action of the jetting mechanism 50, particulate matter in the chamber 61 can be blown onto the top surface of the tray, achieving a better cleaning effect. With the combined action of the jetting mechanism 50 and the gas supply device 20, the particulate matter adhering to the chamber 61 and the wafer carrier 10 can be effectively reduced, thereby maintaining the temperature uniformity of the wafer carrier 10.

[0047] Furthermore, the jetting mechanism 50 includes a plurality of nozzles 51. The nozzles 51 are adjustablely positioned above the guide tray 30. Thus, the nozzles 51 can blow airflow vertically or obliquely toward the guide tray 30, thereby effectively cleaning and removing particulate matter within the chamber 61.

[0048] As an alternative, when the guide tray 30 is not placed on the wafer carrier 10, the tilt angle of the nozzle 51 of the jet mechanism 50 can be adjusted so that the tilt angle of the nozzle 51 is tilted toward the circumferential edge of the bearing surface of the wafer carrier 10. In this way, after the nozzle 51 sprays gas toward the bearing surface of the wafer carrier 10, since the airflow direction of the nozzle 51 is tilted toward the circumferential edge of the bearing surface, it is beneficial to completely clean the particles attached to the bearing surface and the edge of the wafer carrier 10.

[0049] Furthermore, the jetting mechanism 50 also includes a micro motor connected to the nozzle 51 to drive the nozzle 51 to move and change its tilt angle. Thus, the tilt angle of the nozzle 51 can be adjusted automatically by the micro motor without manual intervention, resulting in a high degree of automation.

[0050] In one embodiment, please refer to [the relevant documentation]. Figure 1 and Figure 7 The wafer processing equipment further includes a housing 60 with a chamber 61, and a vacuum pump 70 disposed outside the chamber 61. Specifically, the vacuum pump 70 is disposed on the outer side wall of the housing 60. The vacuum pipe 21 of the vacuum pump 70 penetrates the side wall of the housing 60 and extends into the chamber 61 to evacuate the chamber 61. The wafer carrier 10 and the guide tray 30 are both disposed within the chamber 61, and the gas supply device 20 is disposed outside the chamber 61. To ensure a better vacuuming effect, the vacuum pump 70 is specifically a molecular pump.

[0051] In one embodiment, please refer to [the relevant documentation]. Figure 1 and Figure 7 The wafer carrier 10 includes an electrostatic chuck 12 and an edge ring 13 circumferentially arranged around the electrostatic chuck 12. The wafer processing equipment also includes a cooling device 80, which contacts the edge ring 13 to reduce its temperature. The edge ring 13, also known as a focusing ring, is designed at the cathode edge and its main function is to concentrate the radio frequency current to the wafer surface while protecting the cathode from plasma bombardment. Furthermore, specifically, the air blowing channel 11 in the above embodiment is formed on the electrostatic chuck 12.

[0052] Furthermore, please refer to [the relevant documentation]. Figure 1 and Figure 7The wafer processing equipment also includes a controller. The controller is electrically connected to the air supply device 20, the jetting mechanism 50, the air extraction device 70, the cooling device 80, and the edge ring 13. When particulate cleaning of the carrier and chamber 61 is required, the controller stops the edge ring 13 and the cooling device 80, and starts the air supply device 20, the jetting mechanism 50 and the vacuuming device 70. In this way, the edge ring 13 does not adsorb the guide tray 30, the cooling device 80 does not need to cool at this time, and the vacuuming device 70 continues to maintain the vacuuming operation of the chamber 61 to ensure the normal operation of the machine. The air supply device 20 introduces air through the blowing channel 11, so that an airflow gap 40 is formed between the guide tray 30 and the bearing surface. The introduced air blows towards the circumferential edge of the bearing surface through the airflow gap 40. At the same time, the jetting mechanism 50 sprays gas towards the top surface of the guide tray 30, which can blow the particulate matter in the chamber 61 towards the top surface of the tray. Under the joint action of the jetting mechanism 50 and the air supply device 20, the particulate matter attached to the chamber 61 and the wafer carrier 10 can be effectively reduced, thereby maintaining the temperature uniformity of the wafer carrier 10. After the cleaning steps for particles in the wafer carrier 10 and chamber 61 are completed, the controller controls the air supply device 20 and the jet mechanism 50 to stop working, removes the guide tray 30, and then places the next wafer on the wafer carrier 10 and performs the etching process on the next wafer.

[0053] In one embodiment, see Figure 1 and Figure 8 A method for cleaning a wafer carrier 10, using the wafer processing equipment described in any of the above embodiments, includes the following steps:

[0054] S100. Insert the guide tray 30 into the chamber 61 and place it above the wafer carrier 10.

[0055] S200, the air supply device 20 is turned on to introduce gas into the air blowing channel 11. The gas from the outlet of the air blowing channel 11 blows towards the bottom surface of the guide tray 30 and towards the edge of the bearing surface through the airflow gap 40.

[0056] In the aforementioned cleaning method for the wafer carrier 10, when cleaning is required, the wafer is not placed on the bearing surface of the wafer carrier 10; instead, a guide tray 30 is placed there. The air supply device 20 is activated, and gas is introduced through the air blowing channel 11 and discharged through the air outlet of the air blowing channel 11. Under the guidance of the guide tray 30, the gas discharged from the outlet is blown towards the edge of the bearing surface through the airflow gap 40, thereby cleaning the particles on the bearing surface and the edge of the wafer carrier 10. Furthermore, during the cleaning process of the wafer carrier 10, the guide tray 30 can withstand particles falling from the chamber 61, preventing particles from falling onto the bearing surface. This facilitates the removal of particles adhering to the wafer carrier 10, resulting in better cleaning performance. This, in turn, maintains the temperature uniformity of the wafer carrier 10, improves the process uniformity of the wafer, reduces wafer defects caused by particles adhering to the bearing surface, extends the PM cycle, and increases production capacity.

[0057] Furthermore, the specific method for inserting the guide tray 30 into the chamber 61 and placing it above the wafer carrier 10 is as follows:

[0058] The shape of the guide tray 30 is adapted to the shape of the wafer, and the guide tray 30 is sent into the chamber 61 by the wafer transfer tray.

[0059] Furthermore, a guide tray 30 is placed behind every few wafers on the wafer transfer tray. The wafer transfer tray sequentially feeds several wafers into the chamber 61 of the wafer processing equipment for processing. After processing, the wafer transfer tray then feeds the guide tray 30 into the chamber 61 of the wafer processing equipment, repeating steps 100 and 200 as described above. Thus, during the wafer processing process, after processing several wafers, the wafer carrier 10 is cleaned using the cleaning method described in the above embodiment. This allows for periodic automated cleaning of the wafer carrier 10 and chamber 61 within the wafer processing equipment, ensuring cleanliness and maintaining temperature uniformity within the wafer carrier 10. This improves wafer process uniformity, reduces wafer defects caused by particulate matter adhering to the carrier surface, extends the PM cycle, and increases production capacity.

[0060] Furthermore, the air pressure supplied by the air source supply device 20 into the air blowing channel 11 is controlled so that the gas at the outlet of the air blowing channel 11 can lift the tray to form the airflow gap 40.

[0061] When the air pressure supplied by the air supply device 20 into the air blowing channel 11 is greater, the gas at the outlet of the air blowing channel 11 will lift the tray to form the air flow gap 40, which is more conducive to cleaning the particles attached to the bearing surface and edge of the wafer carrier 10.

[0062] Furthermore, the method for adjusting the size of the airflow gap 40 is to adjust the airflow pressure introduced into the air blowing channel 11 by the air source supply device 20, and / or adjust the weight of the guide tray 30 itself.

[0063] Specifically, when it is necessary to increase the airflow gap 40, on the one hand, the air pressure supplied by the air source supply device 20 into the air blowing channel 11 can be increased, while the weight of the guide tray 30 remains unchanged or decreases. In this way, the guide tray 30 can be blown to a higher position by the airflow, thereby increasing the airflow gap 40. On the other hand, the weight of the guide tray 30 can also be reduced. The air pressure supplied by the air source supply device 20 into the air blowing channel 11 can remain unchanged or increase. Similarly, the guide tray 30 can be blown to a higher position by the airflow, thereby increasing the airflow gap 40.

[0064] When it is necessary to reduce the airflow gap 40, the opposite of increasing the airflow gap 40 is not described in detail.

[0065] Furthermore, when the weight of the guide tray 30 is increased, the air supply device 20 provides a higher airflow velocity in order to enable the airflow ejected from the air outlet to support the guide tray 30. However, as the higher airflow velocity flows through the airflow gap 40, it has a better cleaning effect on the particles attached to the bearing surface and edge of the wafer carrier 10.

[0066] Furthermore, the cleaning method for the wafer carrier 10 further includes the step of:

[0067] S300, activate the jet mechanism 50, and use the jet mechanism 50 to spray gas onto the top surface of the guide tray 30.

[0068] In this way, the jet mechanism 50 sprays gas toward the top surface of the guide tray 30, which can blow the particles in the chamber 61 toward the top surface of the tray.

[0069] Furthermore, the cleaning method for the wafer carrier 10 described above can also be combined with traditional fabless automated cleaning methods. That is, a traditional fabless automated cleaning method can be first used to clean the particles in the wafer carrier 10 and chamber 61, and then the cleaning method for the wafer carrier 10 described in the above embodiment can be used to further clean the particles in the wafer carrier 10 and chamber 61. This achieves a better cleaning effect on the particles in the wafer carrier 10 and chamber 61.

[0070] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0071] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wafer processing equipment, characterized in that, include: A wafer carrier, wherein the wafer carrier is provided with an air blowing channel and the air outlet of the air blowing channel is formed on the bearing surface of the wafer carrier; An air supply device is connected to the air inlet of the air blowing channel; A guide tray is disposed above the bearing surface, with the bottom surface of the guide tray facing the air outlet, and an airflow gap is formed between the bottom surface of the guide tray and the bearing surface. The air source provided by the air source supply device is discharged through the air outlet and blown toward the bottom surface of the guide tray to adjust the airflow gap between the bottom surface of the guide tray and the bearing surface; or, the bottom surface of the guide tray is provided with a plurality of support legs, which are placed on the bearing surface. The air outlet is formed in the middle of the bearing surface; or, there are multiple air channels, and multiple air outlets are spaced around the bearing surface, the mouth wall of the air outlet is an oblique side wall or an arc-shaped side wall, and the mouth wall of the air outlet is used to guide the airflow to the edge part of the bearing surface adjacent to the air outlet. Alternatively, there may be multiple air blowing channels, with the air outlet of one air blowing channel formed in the middle of the bearing surface, and the air outlets of the remaining air blowing channels spaced around the bearing surface. The air outlets of the remaining air blowing channels have oblique sidewalls or arc-shaped sidewalls, and the air outlets of the remaining air blowing channels are used to blow airflow toward the edge of the bearing surface adjacent to the air outlet.

2. The wafer processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air blowing channel includes a main channel and multiple sub-channels; one end of the main channel is connected to the air source supply device, and the other end of the main channel is connected to each of the sub-channels; the ports of the sub-channels are spaced apart and arranged in a ring shape in the middle of the bearing surface; the sub-channels are arc-shaped channels or inclined channels that are inclined relative to the bearing surface.

3. The wafer processing equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that, It also includes a jetting mechanism, which is disposed above the guide tray and is used to blow gas toward the top surface of the guide tray; the jetting mechanism includes a plurality of nozzles, which are disposed above the guide tray with adjustable angles.

4. A method for cleaning a wafer carrier, characterized in that, The wafer processing equipment described in any one of claims 1 to 3 is used, comprising the following steps: The guide tray is inserted into the cavity and placed on top of the wafer carrier; Turn on the air supply device to introduce gas into the air blowing channel. The gas from the outlet of the air blowing channel blows towards the bottom surface of the guide tray and towards the edge of the bearing surface through the airflow gap.

5. The method for cleaning a wafer carrier according to claim 4, characterized in that, The specific method for inserting the guide tray into the cavity and placing it above the wafer carrier is as follows: The guide tray is shaped to match the shape of the wafer, and the guide tray is fed into the cavity using a wafer transfer tray.

6. The method for cleaning a wafer carrier according to claim 4, characterized in that, The pressure of the airflow supplied by the air source device into the air blowing channel is controlled so that the gas at the outlet of the air blowing channel can lift the tray to form the airflow gap.

7. The method for cleaning a wafer carrier according to claim 6, characterized in that, The method for adjusting the size of the airflow gap is as follows: Adjust the air pressure supplied by the air source supply device into the air blowing channel, and / or adjust the weight of the guide tray itself; The step of inserting the guide tray into the cavity and placing it above the wafer carrier further includes the step of activating the jetting mechanism to spray gas onto the top surface of the guide tray.

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