Barrier protection device and maintenance method for semiconductor equipment

Abstract

The application relates to a blocking protection device and a maintenance method of a semiconductor device; the blocking protection device comprises at least one blocking protection structure, and the blocking protection structure comprises a base, an outer supporting shaft fixed to the upper surface of the base, a strip-shaped opening formed on the outer supporting shaft, an inner supporting shaft provided with handles on opposite sides, the inner supporting shaft being partially located in the outer supporting shaft, the handles extending to the outer side of the outer supporting shaft through the strip-shaped opening, and a first adjusting and limiting structure sleeved on the periphery of the part of the outer supporting shaft provided with the strip-shaped opening and located below the handles. The blocking protection device is used for the maintenance of the semiconductor device, can save a large amount of time, improve the production efficiency, and can avoid the problems of the damage of wafer bearing tables, spraying devices, ejector pins and ejector pin rings and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of semiconductor equipment technology, and in particular to a barrier protection device and a maintenance method for semiconductor equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In some existing semiconductor devices, there is a heater and a heater motor for driving the heater to move up and down. The heater is connected to the heater motor via a connecting shaft. The heater is generally located in a chamber, which is generally a vacuum environment. A lift pin is provided in the chamber and is fixed on a lift pin ring located below the heater.

[0003] When the heater drive unit needs to be replaced, because the chamber is a vacuum environment, a pressure difference is formed with the outside atmosphere. When the heater drive unit is removed, the heater will lose the control of the heater drive unit and will rush towards the spray device (Shower Head) located above it due to the pressure difference. At this time, the heater may be damaged by the impact of the connecting shaft due to its own weight and inertia, or the connecting shaft may break. It may even hit the spray device, resulting in damage to both the heater and the spray device. In addition, when the heater rushes upward, the connection between the ejector pin and the ejector pin ring may be pulled and broken due to the weight of the ejector pin ring itself.

[0004] One existing solution to avoid the aforementioned risks is to pre-cool the chamber, then break the vacuum to achieve isobaric conditions between the chamber and the external environment, and finally replace the heater drive. However, this solution has the following problems: cooling typically takes about 3 hours, and for some semiconductor equipment, it can take even longer, up to 6 hours. Furthermore, after replacing the heater drive, the chamber needs to be wet-cleaned and heated before it can be returned to the production department for testing. The testing time varies depending on the process, but it generally takes about 3 hours as well. Therefore, replacing the heater drive takes more than 9 hours from start to finish, resulting in prolonged downtime for the semiconductor equipment and severely impacting production efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a blocking protection device and a maintenance method for semiconductor equipment to address the problems of damage to components such as heaters, spray heads, ejector pins, and ejector pin rings caused by replacing the heater drive device in existing semiconductor equipment, as well as the problem of long downtime of semiconductor equipment in existing solutions, which seriously affects production efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, in one respect, the present invention provides a blocking and protective device, comprising:

[0007] Includes at least one barrier protection structure, the barrier protection structure including:

[0008] Base;

[0009] An outer support shaft is fixed at one end to the upper surface of the base, and the length direction of the outer support shaft is perpendicular to the upper surface of the base; a corresponding strip-shaped opening is formed on the outer support shaft, the strip-shaped opening penetrates the outer support shaft along the thickness direction of the outer support shaft, and extends along the length direction of the outer support shaft.

[0010] The inner support shaft has handles on opposite sides; the inner support shaft is located inside the outer support shaft, and the top of the inner support shaft is higher than the top of the outer support shaft, allowing the inner support shaft to move up and down along the outer support shaft; the handles extend to the outside of the outer support shaft through a strip-shaped opening.

[0011] The first adjustment limiting structure is fitted around the outer periphery of the portion of the outer support shaft with a strip-shaped opening and is located below the handle; the first adjustment limiting structure can move up and down along the outer support shaft.

[0012] The aforementioned barrier protection device is used for the maintenance of semiconductor equipment (e.g., replacement of heater drive). During the replacement of the heater drive, it is not necessary to cool down and break the vacuum in the process chamber, saving a lot of time and improving production efficiency. It can also avoid the problem of the wafer carrier stage rushing towards the spray device due to the pressure difference between the internal environment of the process chamber and the external environment when the heater drive is replaced, which would cause damage to components such as the wafer carrier stage, spray device, ejector pins and ejector pin rings.

[0013] The aforementioned blocking and protection device, by setting an inner support shaft, an outer support shaft, a handle, and a first adjustment limit structure, can adjust the length of the blocking and protection structure as needed, so that the blocking and protection structure can press against the heater base and the hard stop to achieve the best blocking and protection effect.

[0014] In one embodiment, the top of the inner support shaft is provided with a groove.

[0015] In the above embodiment, by providing a groove at the top of the inner support shaft, the hard stop can be placed in the groove before replacing the heater drive device, thus providing better blocking and protection.

[0016] In one embodiment, the blocking protection structure further includes a second adjustment limiting structure, which is sleeved around the portion of the outer support shaft with a strip-shaped opening and is located above the first adjustment limiting structure, with a gap between them; the second adjustment limiting structure can move up and down along the outer support shaft; the handle is located between the first adjustment limiting structure and the second adjustment limiting structure.

[0017] In the above embodiments, the second adjustment limiting structure and the first adjustment limiting structure together limit the distance of the inner support shaft adjustment in order to achieve more precise length adjustment.

[0018] In one embodiment, the outer support shaft includes a bellows, and both the first adjustment limiting structure and the second adjustment limiting structure include fixing screws.

[0019] In one embodiment, the blocking protection device includes two blocking protection structures arranged in parallel and spaced apart; the blocking protection device also includes a connecting structure located between the two blocking protection structures, one end of which is connected to a base in one blocking protection structure, and the other end of which is connected to a base in the other blocking protection structure.

[0020] In the above embodiments, by setting two barrier protection structures and connecting the two barrier protection structures with a connecting structure, it can be ensured that the barrier protection device is more stable when placed in the semiconductor device and will not tip over.

[0021] In one embodiment, the lower surface of the connecting structure is flush with the lower surface of the barrier protection structure.

[0022] In one embodiment, the connection structure includes:

[0023] The first connecting part has one end connected to the base in a blocking and protective structure, and the other end is provided with a receiving groove;

[0024] The second connecting part has one end connected to the base in another blocking and protective structure, and the other end inserted into the receiving groove;

[0025] An adjustment locking structure is located on the first connecting part and the second connecting part; when the adjustment locking structure is loosened, the second connecting part can be inserted and withdrawn into the receiving groove to adjust the distance between the two blocking and protective structures; when the adjustment locking structure is locked, the positions of the first connecting part and the second connecting part are fixed.

[0026] In the above embodiments, the length of the connection structure can be adjusted, making it suitable for various semiconductor devices with different hard stop spacings.

[0027] In one embodiment, adjusting the locking structure includes:

[0028] Several protruding strips are located on the upper surface of the second connecting part; the protruding strips extend along the width direction of the second connecting part, and the several protruding strips are arranged in parallel and spaced along the length direction of the second connecting part;

[0029] The locking structure is located on the upper surface of the first connecting part, and one end extends to the top of the second connecting part. The end of the locking structure extending to the second connecting part is a downward-extending tip. When the locking structure is tightened, the tip contacts the protrusion.

[0030] The present invention also provides a semiconductor device, comprising:

[0031] Process chambers;

[0032] The heater base is located below the process chamber and is spaced apart from the process chamber;

[0033] A hard stop is located on the lower surface of the process chamber;

[0034] The blocking protection device described in any of the above schemes is located between the process chamber and the heater base, and the base of the blocking protection device is located on the upper surface of the heater base, with the inner support shaft of the blocking protection device abutting against the hard stop.

[0035] The wafer carrier stage is located within the process chamber;

[0036] The heater is located inside the wafer carrier stage;

[0037] The connecting shaft is fixedly connected at one end to the bottom of the wafer carrier stage and at the other end to the upper surface of the heater base.

[0038] The spray device is located inside the process chamber and above the wafer carrier stage, with a gap between it and the wafer carrier stage;

[0039] The ejector pin ring is located inside the process chamber and is sleeved around the connecting shaft;

[0040] The ejector pin is located inside the process chamber and is fixed on the ejector pin ring. The ejector pin extends from below the wafer carrier stage to above the wafer carrier stage.

[0041] The heater drive unit is connected to the connecting shaft and is used to drive the connecting shaft to move the wafer carrier stage and the heater base up and down.

[0042] When the aforementioned semiconductor equipment is maintained (e.g., when the heater driver is replaced), the protection device prevents the process chamber from being cooled and the vacuum broken during the replacement process, saving a lot of time and improving production efficiency. It also avoids the problem of the wafer carrier, spray device, ejector pins and ejector pin rings being damaged when the pressure difference between the internal environment of the process chamber and the external environment is present during the replacement of the heater driver.

[0043] This invention also provides a method for maintaining a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes: a process chamber; a heater base located below the process chamber and spaced apart from it; a hard stop located on the lower surface of the process chamber; a wafer carrier stage located inside the process chamber; a heater located inside the wafer carrier stage; a connecting shaft, one end of which is fixedly connected to the bottom of the wafer carrier stage, and the other end of which is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the heater base; a spray device located inside the process chamber and above the wafer carrier stage, spaced apart from it; a ejector pin ring located inside the process chamber and sleeved around the connecting shaft; ejector pins located inside the process chamber and fixed to the ejector pin ring, extending from below the wafer carrier stage to above it; and a heater drive device connected to the connecting shaft for driving the connecting shaft to move the wafer carrier stage and the heater base up and down. The method for maintaining the semiconductor device includes the following steps:

[0044] Provide a barrier protection device as described in any of the above solutions;

[0045] The blocking protection device is placed between the heater base and the heater horizontal plate, such that the inner support shaft abuts against the hard stop;

[0046] Disassemble the heater drive unit.

[0047] The maintenance method for the aforementioned semiconductor equipment uses a blocking protection device based on any of the above schemes to press against the heater base and hard stop components. During the replacement of the heater drive device, it is not necessary to cool down and break the vacuum in the process chamber, saving a lot of time and improving production efficiency. It can also avoid the problem of damage to components such as the wafer carrier, spray device, ejector pins and ejector pin rings caused by the pressure difference between the internal environment of the process chamber and the external environment when the heater drive device is replaced.

[0048] In one embodiment, placing the blocking protection device between the heater base and the heater horizontal plate, such that the inner support shaft abuts against the hard stop member, includes the following steps:

[0049] The blocking protection device is placed on the upper surface of the heater base;

[0050] Adjust the height of the first adjustment limit structure and the inner support shaft until the inner support shaft abuts against the hard stop member. Attached Figure Description

[0051] Figure 1 This is a front view of a barrier protection structure provided in one embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Side view of the barrier protection structure shown;

[0053] Figure 3 for Figure 1 An exploded view of the barrier protection structure shown;

[0054] Figure 4 This is a front view of a blocking and protective device provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Top view of the barrier protection device shown;

[0056] Figure 6 This is a front view of a semiconductor device provided in another embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] Figure 7 A flowchart of a semiconductor device maintenance method provided in another embodiment of the present invention.

[0058] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0059] 1. Barrier protection device

[0060] 11. Barrier Protection Structure

[0061] 111 Base

[0062] 112 External support shaft

[0063] 113 Strip-shaped opening

[0064] 114 Inner Support Shaft

[0065] 115 Handle

[0066] 116 First Adjustment Limit Structure

[0067] 117 Groove

[0068] 118 Second Adjustment Limit Structure

[0069] 12 Connection Structure

[0070] 121 First connecting part

[0071] 122 Second connecting part

[0072] 123 Adjust the locking structure

[0073] 123a Convex bar

[0074] 123b Locking Structure

[0075] 123c Tip

[0076] 21 Heater base

[0077] 22 Process Chambers

[0078] 23 Heater

[0079] 24 Hard Stops

[0080] 25 Connecting shaft

[0081] 26 Spraying device

[0082] 27. Ejector pin ring

[0083] 28 thimbles

[0084] 29 Corrugated sleeve

[0085] 30 lifting rings

[0086] H1 Height of the outer support shaft

[0087] H2 Height of the inner support shaft

[0088] Depth of H3 groove

[0089] D1 Inner diameter of the outer support shaft

[0090] D2 Outer diameter of the outer support shaft

[0091] D3 Groove width

[0092] Width of D4 inner support shaft

[0093] L1 Length of the first connecting part

[0094] L2 Length of the second connecting part Detailed Implementation

[0095] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more complete description will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the application. However, this application may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that the disclosure of this application will be thorough and complete.

[0096] It should be noted that when a component is considered to be "connected" to another component, it can be directly connected to and integrated with the other component, or there may be an intervening component present. The terms "mounted," "one end," "the other end," and similar expressions used in this document are for illustrative purposes only.

[0097] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0098] In one embodiment, such as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the present invention provides a blocking protection device, which includes at least one blocking protection structure 11. The blocking protection structure 11 includes: a base 111; an outer support shaft 112, one end of which is fixed to the upper surface of the base 111, and the length direction of the outer support shaft 112 is perpendicular to the upper surface of the base 111; a corresponding strip-shaped opening 113 is formed on the outer support shaft 112, the strip-shaped opening 113 penetrates the outer support shaft 112 along its thickness direction, and extends along the length direction of the outer support shaft 112; and an inner support shaft 114. Handles 115 are provided on opposite sides of shaft 114; the inner support shaft 114 is located inside the outer support shaft 112, and the top of the inner support shaft 114 is higher than the top of the outer support shaft 112. The inner support shaft 114 can move up and down along the outer support shaft 112; the handles 115 extend to the outside of the outer support shaft 112 through the strip-shaped opening 113; the first adjustment limiting structure 116 is sleeved around the part of the outer support shaft 112 with the strip-shaped opening 113 and is located below the handles 115; the first adjustment limiting structure 116 can move up and down along the outer support shaft 112.

[0099] The aforementioned blocking protection device 1 is used for the maintenance of semiconductor equipment (e.g., replacement of the heater drive device). During the replacement of the heater drive device, it is not necessary to cool down and break the vacuum in the process chamber, saving a lot of time and improving production efficiency. It can also avoid the problem that when the heater drive device is replaced, the wafer carrier stage will rush towards the spray device due to the pressure difference between the internal environment of the process chamber and the external environment, which will cause damage to the wafer carrier stage, spray device, ejector pins and ejector pin rings.

[0100] The aforementioned blocking and protection device 1, by providing an inner support shaft 114, an outer support shaft 112, a handle 115, and a first adjustment and limiting structure 116, can adjust the length of the blocking and protection structure 11 as needed to achieve the best blocking and protection effect.

[0101] In one example, the top of the inner support shaft 14 may be provided with a groove 117; the width and depth of the groove 117 can be set according to actual needs. By providing a groove 117 on the top of the inner support shaft 114, the hard stop can be placed in the groove 117 before replacing the heater drive device, thus providing better blocking and protection.

[0102] In one example, the blocking and protective structure 11 further includes a second adjustment limiting structure 118, which is fitted around the portion of the outer support shaft 112 with the strip-shaped opening 113 and is located above the first adjustment limiting structure 116, with a gap between them; the second adjustment limiting structure 118 can move up and down along the outer support shaft 112; the handle 115 is located between the first adjustment limiting structure 116 and the second adjustment limiting structure 118. The second adjustment limiting structure 118 and the first adjustment limiting structure 116 together limit the adjustment distance of the inner support shaft 114 to achieve more precise length adjustment.

[0103] In one example, the outer support shaft 12 includes a bellows, and both the first adjustment limiting structure 116 and the second adjustment limiting structure 118 include fixing screws. The first adjustment limiting structure 116 and the second adjustment limiting structure 118 move up and down along the length of the outer support shaft 112 by rotation.

[0104] In one example, the height H1 of the outer support shaft 112, the inner diameter D1 of the outer support shaft 112, the outer diameter D2 of the outer support shaft 112, the height H2 of the inner support shaft 114, the width D4 of the inner support shaft 114, the width D3 of the groove 117, and the depth H3 of the groove 117 can be set according to actual needs. For example, in an optional example, the height H1 of the outer support shaft 112 can be 25 mm, the inner diameter D1 of the outer support shaft 112 can be 16 mm, the outer diameter D2 of the outer support shaft 112 can be 18 mm, the height H2 of the inner support shaft 114 can be 30 mm, the width D4 of the inner support shaft 114 can be 15 mm, the width D3 of the groove 117 can be 12 mm, and the depth H3 of the groove 117 can be 5 mm.

[0105] In one example, the materials of the base 111, outer support shaft 112, inner support shaft 113, handle 115, first adjustment limiting structure 116, and second adjustment limiting structure 118 can be set according to actual needs; preferably, in this embodiment, the materials of the base 111 and inner support shaft 112 can be, but are not limited to, Teflon, and the materials of the outer support shaft 112, handle 115, first adjustment limiting structure 116, and second adjustment limiting structure 118 can be, but are not limited to, stainless steel.

[0106] In another example, such as Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the barrier protection device 1 may include two barrier protection structures 11, which are arranged in parallel and spaced apart. The barrier protection device 1 also includes a connecting structure 12 located between the two barrier protection structures 111. One end of the connecting structure 12 is connected to a base in one barrier protection structure 111, and the other end of the connecting structure 12 is connected to a base in the other barrier protection structure 11. By providing two barrier protection structures 11 and connecting them with the connecting structure 12, the barrier protection device 1 can be made more stable when placed in semiconductor equipment, preventing it from tipping over.

[0107] In one example, the lower surface of the connecting structure 12 is flush with the lower surface of the barrier protection structure 11.

[0108] In one example, the length L1 of the first connecting part 121 and the length L2 of the second connecting part 122 can be set according to actual needs; for example, in an optional example, the length L1 of the first connecting part 121 can be 60mm and the length L2 of the second connecting part 122 can be 60mm.

[0109] In one example, the connection structure 12 may include: a first connection portion 121, one end of which is connected to a base 111 in a barrier protection structure 11, and the other end of which is provided with a receiving groove (not shown); a second connection portion 122, one end of which is connected to a base 111 in another barrier protection structure 11, and the other end of which is inserted into the receiving groove; and an adjustment locking structure 123 located on the first connection portion 121 and the second connection portion 122; when the adjustment locking structure 123 is released, the second connection portion 122 can move in and out of the receiving groove to adjust the distance between the two barrier protection structures 11; when the adjustment locking structure 123 is locked, the positions of the first connection portion 121 and the second connection portion 122 are fixed. The length of the connection structure 12 is adjustable and can be applied to various semiconductor devices with different hardstop pitches.

[0110] In one example, the adjusting locking structure 123 may include: a plurality of protrusions 123a, the protrusions 123a being located on the upper surface of the second connecting portion 122; the protrusions 123a extending along the width direction of the second connecting portion 122, and the plurality of protrusions 123a being arranged in parallel at intervals along the length direction of the second connecting portion 122; and a locking structure 123b, the locking structure 123b being located on the upper surface of the first connecting portion 121, and one end of the locking structure 123b extending above the second connecting portion 122, the end of the locking structure 123b extending to the second connecting portion 122 being a downwardly extending tip 123c, and when the adjusting locking structure 123 is locked, the tip 123c contacting the protrusions 123a.

[0111] In another embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the present invention also provides a semiconductor device, comprising: a process chamber 22; a heater base 21 located below the process chamber 22 and having a gap between the heater base 21 and the process chamber 22; a hard stop member 24 located on the lower surface of the process chamber 22; a blocking protection device 1 as described in any of the above embodiments, the blocking protection device 1 located between the process chamber 22 and the heater base 21, and the base 111 of the blocking protection device 1 located on the upper surface of the heater base 21, the inner support shaft 114 of the blocking protection device 1 abutting against the hard stop member 24; a wafer carrier stage 23 located within the process chamber 22; a heater (not shown) located within the wafer carrier stage 23; and a connecting shaft 25, one end of which is connected to the wafer. The bottom of the support stage 23 is fixedly connected, and the other end is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the heater base 21; a spray device 26 is located in the process chamber 22 and above the wafer support stage 23, with a gap between the spray device 26 and the wafer support stage 23; a ejector pin ring 27 is located in the process chamber 22 and is sleeved around the connecting shaft 25; an ejector pin 28 is located in the process chamber 22 and is fixed on the ejector pin ring 27, extending from below the wafer support stage 23 to above the wafer support stage 23; a heater drive device (not shown) is connected to the connecting shaft 25 and is used to drive the connecting shaft 25 to move the wafer support stage 23 and the heater base 21 up and down.

[0112] In one example, when a groove 117 is formed on the top of the inner support shaft 114, the width of the groove 117 can be the same as the width of the hard stop, and the depth of the groove 117 can be the same as or less than the height of the hard stop. Specifically, when the inner support shaft 114 of the blocking protection device 1 abuts against the hard stop 24, the groove 117 of the inner support shaft 114 abuts against the hard stop 24, meaning the hard stop 24 is located within the groove 117.

[0113] In one example, the number of hard stops 24 can be set according to actual needs. Figure 6 The example uses two hard stop components 24.

[0114] In one example, the semiconductor device further includes: a rising ring 30 located within the process chamber 22, the rising ring 30 being fitted around the connecting shaft 25 and located below the ejector pin ring 27; and a bellows 29 fitted around the connecting shaft 25 and located between the process chamber 22 and the heater base 21.

[0115] Taking the barrier protection device 1, which includes two barrier protection structures 11, as an example, the principle of the barrier protection device 1 of the present invention for maintaining semiconductor equipment is as follows: First, the barrier protection device 1 is placed on the upper surface of the heater base 21, and the length of the connecting structure 12 is adjusted so that the two barrier protection structures 11 correspond one-to-one with the two hard stop members 24; second, the first adjustment limiting structure 116 and the second adjustment limiting structure 118 are adjusted to adjust the length of the inner support shaft 114 so that the hard stop member 24 is locked in the groove 117; then, the heater drive device is removed. Since the process chamber 22 is fixed, the wafer carrier stage 23 is connected to the heater base 21. The blocking protection structure 11 is set between the process chamber 22 and the heater base 21, and the blocking protection structure 11 abuts against the heater base 21 and the hard stop 24 at the bottom of the process chamber 22. When the heater drive device is removed, even if there is a pressure difference between the process chamber 22 and the external environment, the wafer carrier stage 23 will not rush towards the spray device 26 due to the supporting and protective effect of the blocking protection device 1, thus avoiding damage to components such as the wafer carrier stage, spray device, ejector pins and ejector pin rings.

[0116] In another embodiment, please refer to Figures 1 to 6 See Figure 7The present invention also provides a method for maintaining a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device comprising: a process chamber 22; a heater base 21 located below the process chamber 22 and having a gap between the heater base 21 and the process chamber 22; a hard stop member 24 located on the lower surface of the process chamber 22; a blocking protection device 1 as described in any of the above embodiments, the blocking protection device 1 located between the process chamber 22 and the heater base 21, and the base 111 of the blocking protection device 1 located on the upper surface of the heater base 21, the inner support shaft 114 of the blocking protection device 1 abutting against the hard stop member 24; a wafer carrier stage 23 located within the process chamber 22; a heater (not shown) located within the wafer carrier stage 23; and a connecting shaft 25, one end of which is connected to the bottom of the wafer carrier stage 23. One end is fixedly connected to the other end, and the other end is fixedly connected to the upper surface of the heater base 21; a spray device 26 is located inside the process chamber 22 and above the wafer carrier stage 23, with a gap between the spray device 26 and the wafer carrier stage 23; a ejector pin ring 27 is located inside the process chamber 22 and is sleeved around the periphery of the connecting shaft 25; an ejector pin 28 is located inside the process chamber 22 and is fixed to the ejector pin ring 27, extending from below the wafer carrier stage 23 to above the wafer carrier stage 23; a heater drive device (not shown) is connected to the connecting shaft 25 and is used to drive the connecting shaft 25 to move the wafer carrier stage 23 and the heater base 21 up and down; the maintenance method of the semiconductor equipment includes the following steps:

[0117] S11: Provide a barrier protection device as described in any of the above solutions;

[0118] S12: Place the blocking protection device between the heater base and the heater horizontal plate, such that the inner support shaft abuts against the hard stop;

[0119] S13: Disassemble the heater drive unit.

[0120] In one example, please refer to the specific structure of the blocking and protection device 1. Figure 4 and Figure 4 The relevant descriptions will not be repeated here.

[0121] In one example, step S12, which involves placing the blocking protection device 1 between the heater base 21 and the heater horizontal plate 22, and causing the inner support shaft 114 to abut against the hard stop member 24, includes the following steps:

[0122] S121: Place the blocking protection device 1 on the upper surface of the heater base 21;

[0123] S122: Adjust the height of the first adjustment limit structure 116 and the inner support shaft 114 until the inner support shaft 114 abuts against the hard stop member 24.

[0124] It should be noted that when the blocking protection device 1 includes the second adjustment limit structure 118, the first adjustment limit structure 116 and the second adjustment limit structure 118 are adjusted simultaneously to adjust the height of the inner support shaft 114.

[0125] It should be further explained that when the blocking protection device 1 includes the connecting structure 12, the step between step S121 and step S122 also includes adjusting the length of the connecting part 12 so that the two blocking protection devices 11 correspond one-to-one with the two hard stop members 24.

[0126] The aforementioned maintenance method for semiconductor equipment uses a blocking protection device 1 to press against the heater base 21 and the hard stop 24. During the replacement of the heater drive device, it is not necessary to cool down the process chamber 22 or break the vacuum, which can save a lot of time and improve production efficiency. It can also avoid the problem that when the heater drive device is replaced, the wafer carrier stage 23 will rush towards the spray device 26 due to the pressure difference between the internal environment of the process chamber 22 and the external environment, which would cause damage to components such as the wafer carrier stage 23, the spray device 26, the ejector pin 28, and the ejector pin ring 27.

[0127] 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.

[0128] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A blocking and protective device, characterized in that, Includes at least one barrier protection structure, said barrier protection structure comprising: Base; An outer support shaft is fixed at one end to the upper surface of the base, and the length direction of the outer support shaft is perpendicular to the upper surface of the base; a corresponding strip-shaped opening is formed on the outer support shaft, the strip-shaped opening penetrates the outer support shaft along the thickness direction of the outer support shaft, and extends along the length direction of the outer support shaft; An inner support shaft is provided with handles on opposite sides; the inner support shaft is partially located inside the outer support shaft, and the top of the inner support shaft is higher than the top of the outer support shaft; the inner support shaft can move up and down along the outer support shaft; the handles extend to the outside of the outer support shaft through the strip-shaped opening. The first adjustment limiting structure is sleeved around the portion of the outer support shaft with the strip-shaped opening and is located below the handle; the first adjustment limiting structure can move up and down along the outer support shaft; The blocking and protective structure further includes a second adjusting and limiting structure, which is sleeved around the portion of the outer support shaft with the strip-shaped opening and located above the first adjusting and limiting structure, with a gap between them; the second adjusting and limiting structure can move up and down along the outer support shaft; the handle is located between the first adjusting and limiting structure and the second adjusting and limiting structure.

2. The blocking and protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the inner support shaft is provided with a groove.

3. The blocking and protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer support shaft includes a bellows, and both the first adjustment limiting structure and the second adjustment limiting structure include fixing screws.

4. The blocking and protective device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The blocking protection device includes two blocking protection structures arranged in parallel and spaced apart; the blocking protection device also includes a connecting structure located between the two blocking protection structures, one end of which is connected to the base of one blocking protection structure, and the other end of which is connected to the base of the other blocking protection structure.

5. The blocking and protection device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The lower surface of the connecting structure is flush with the lower surface of the blocking and protective structure.

6. The blocking and protection device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The connection structure includes: The first connecting part has one end connected to the base in the aforementioned blocking and protective structure, and the other end is provided with a receiving groove; The second connecting part has one end connected to the base in another of the aforementioned blocking and protective structures, and the other end inserted into the receiving groove; An adjustment locking structure is located on the first connecting part and the second connecting part; when the adjustment locking structure is released, the second connecting part can be inserted and withdrawn within the receiving groove to adjust the distance between the two blocking protection structures; when the adjustment locking structure is locked, the positions of the first connecting part and the second connecting part are fixed.

7. The blocking and protection device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The adjustment locking structure includes: Several protruding strips are located on the upper surface of the second connecting part; the protruding strips extend along the width direction of the second connecting part, and the several protruding strips are arranged in parallel and spaced along the length direction of the second connecting part; A locking structure is located on the upper surface of the first connecting part, and one end extends to the top of the second connecting part. The end of the locking structure extending to the second connecting part is a downward-extending tip. When the adjusting locking structure is locked, the tip contacts the protrusion.

8. A semiconductor device, characterized in that, include: Process chambers; The heater base is located below the process chamber and has a distance between it and the process chamber; A hard stop element is located on the lower surface of the process chamber; The blocking protection device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 is located between the process chamber and the heater base, and the base of the blocking protection device is located on the upper surface of the heater base, and the inner support shaft of the blocking protection device abuts against the hard stop; A wafer carrier stage is located within the process chamber; The heater is located inside the wafer carrier stage; The connecting shaft is fixedly connected at one end to the bottom of the wafer carrier stage and at the other end to the upper surface of the heater base. The spray device is located inside the process chamber and above the wafer carrier stage, with a distance between them. The ejector pin ring is located inside the process chamber and is sleeved around the connecting shaft; A ejector pin is located within the process chamber and fixed to the ejector pin ring. The ejector pin extends from below the wafer carrier stage to above the wafer carrier stage. A heater drive device is connected to the connecting shaft and is used to drive the connecting shaft to move the wafer carrier stage and the heater base up and down.

9. A method for maintaining a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device comprising: Process chambers; The heater base is located below the process chamber and has a distance between it and the process chamber; A hard stop component is located on the lower surface of the process chamber; a wafer carrier stage is located inside the process chamber; a heater is located inside the wafer carrier stage; a connecting shaft is fixedly connected at one end to the bottom of the wafer carrier stage and at the other end to the upper surface of the heater base; a spray device is located inside the process chamber and above the wafer carrier stage, with a gap between it and the wafer carrier stage; a ejector pin ring is located inside the process chamber and is sleeved around the connecting shaft. A ejector pin, located within the process chamber and fixed to the ejector pin ring, extends from below the wafer carrier stage to above it; a heater drive device, connected to the connecting shaft, drives the connecting shaft to move the wafer carrier stage and the heater base up and down; characterized in that the maintenance method of the semiconductor equipment includes the following steps: Provide a blocking protection device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7; The blocking protection device is placed between the heater base and the heater horizontal plate, such that the inner support shaft abuts against the hard stop; Disassemble the heater drive unit.

10. The method for maintaining a semiconductor device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The steps of placing the blocking protection device between the heater base and the heater horizontal plate, and ensuring that the inner support shaft abuts against the hard stop member, are as follows: The blocking protection device is placed on the upper surface of the heater base; Adjust the height of the first adjustment limit structure and the inner support shaft until the inner support shaft abuts against the hard stop member.

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