Semiconductor process apparatus and its carrier device

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a semiconductor process equipment and a bearing device thereof. The bearing device comprises a base assembly and a support structure. The base assembly comprises a bearing disc, and a plurality of lifting holes are arranged through the thickness direction of the bearing disc. The support structure comprises a thimble and a limiting assembly. The thimble is movably arranged in the lifting hole. The limiting assembly comprises an adapter. The top end of the adapter is movably connected with the thimble, and the thimble can swing along the radial direction of the adapter. The bottom end of the adapter is used for being connected with a power source, so as to drive the thimble to move in the lifting hole, and the thimble is lifted relative to the top surface of the bearing disc. Embodiments of the present application not only can reduce the failure rate, but also can greatly improve the process yield.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor processing technology, and more specifically, to a semiconductor process equipment and its carrier device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, in the plasma etching process of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, a vacuum robot transports the wafer from the transfer chamber to the process chamber. Once the wafer reaches the designated position, the ejector mechanism of the carrier device rises, the vacuum robot descends to place the wafer on the ejector mechanism, and then the vacuum robot exits the process chamber. At this point, the ejector mechanism descends again to allow the wafer to fall onto the carrier device. The electrostatic chuck of the carrier device, powered by a high-voltage direct current, attracts the wafer. Process gas is introduced through the center and edge inlet nozzles of the process chamber. A high-voltage direct current is applied to the upper matching coil, causing the process gas to ionize under the inductive coupling of the coil. The resulting plasma moves along the direction of the electric field and bombards the wafer surface, completing the etching process.

[0003] In the prior art, the ejector pin mechanism is located below the electrostatic chuck, and the bottom end of the ejector pin is fixedly mounted on the adapter. The top end of the ejector pin passes through the lifting hole of the electrostatic chuck. Therefore, when the ejector pin is misaligned with the lifting hole, the ejector pin will rub against the lifting hole, causing damage to the surface coating of the electrostatic chuck and the ejector pin. Furthermore, when the misalignment between the ejector pin and the lifting hole is severe, the ejector pin will scratch the wafer during the lifting process, resulting in a decrease in process yield. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application addresses the shortcomings of existing methods by proposing a semiconductor process equipment and its carrier device to solve the technical problems of high carrier device failure rate and low process yield in the prior art.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a carrier device for semiconductor process equipment, disposed within the process chamber of the semiconductor process equipment, comprising: a base assembly and a support structure; the base assembly includes a carrier disk, the carrier disk having a plurality of lifting holes extending through its thickness direction; the support structure includes a ejector pin and a limiting assembly, the ejector pin being movably disposed within the lifting holes; the limiting assembly includes an adapter, the top end of the adapter being movably connected to the ejector pin, and the ejector pin being able to swing radially along the adapter, the bottom end of the adapter being used to connect to a power source to drive the ejector pin to move within the lifting holes, thereby causing the ejector pin to rise and fall relative to the top surface of the carrier disk.

[0006] In one embodiment of this application, the limiting component further includes a clamping member disposed on the adapter. The clamping member has a limiting hole, and the ejector pin passes through the limiting hole. There is a gap between the limiting hole and the ejector pin, which is used to limit the swing range of the ejector pin and limit the position of the bottom end of the ejector pin in the axial direction of the adapter.

[0007] In one embodiment of this application, the top of the adapter is provided with a receiving structure, the receiving structure including a receiving cavity and an opening, the inner diameter of the receiving cavity being larger than the inner diameter of the opening, the bottom end of the ejector pin passing through the opening and located in the receiving cavity, the receiving cavity being used to provide movement space for the bottom end of the ejector pin, and the opening being used to clamp the outer periphery of the ejector pin.

[0008] In one embodiment of this application, the accommodating cavity includes a frustum-shaped inclined surface and a spherical groove arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The smaller end of the frustum-shaped inclined surface is connected to the bottom of the opening, and the larger end of the frustum-shaped inclined surface is connected to the top of the spherical groove.

[0009] In one embodiment of this application, in the longitudinal section of the accommodating cavity, there is a preset included angle between the two frustum inclined surfaces, the preset included angle being 20 degrees to 160 degrees; there is a preset ratio between the diameter of the spherical groove and the diameter of the ball head at the bottom of the ejector pin, the preset ratio being 2 to 3:1.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, the bottom surface of the support plate is provided with a plurality of mounting grooves, which are respectively provided with a plurality of lifting holes; the support device further includes a guide component, which is respectively provided with a plurality of guide components at the mounting grooves. The guide component includes a guide member, which is installed in the mounting groove and has a guide hole. The guide hole has the same diameter as the lifting hole and is coaxially arranged.

[0011] In one embodiment of this application, a guide groove is provided on the bottom surface of the guide member. The guide groove is coaxially arranged with the guide hole. The inner sidewall of the guide groove and the outer periphery of the top of the clamping member are both inclined surface structures that slope outward from top to bottom. When the adapter drives the ejector pin to rise to the highest position, the bottom surface of the guide groove is fitted with the top surface of the clamping member.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, the base assembly further includes an insulating disk, which is stacked on the bottom of the support disk; the guide assembly further includes an isolating member, which passes through the insulating disk and has its top fitted onto the bottom of the guide member; the limiting assembly is movably disposed within the isolating member.

[0013] In one embodiment of this application, a guide ring is provided on the outer periphery of the adapter, and the outer peripheral wall of the guide ring is fitted with the inner peripheral wall of the isolation member, for discharging the gas in the isolation member through the guide hole during the rising process of the adapter.

[0014] In one embodiment of this application, the base assembly further includes an interface disk, which is stacked on the bottom of the insulating disk; the support structure further includes a sealing transmission assembly, which is connected to the interface disk and sealed to the bottom surface of the insulating disk; the bottom end of the adapter protrudes from the bottom of the interface disk and is connected to the power source via the sealing transmission assembly.

[0015] In one embodiment of this application, the sealing transmission assembly includes a central guide rod and a telescopic bellows. The top of the central guide rod is sleeved on the outer side of the bottom of the adapter and is fixedly connected to the adapter. The bottom of the central guide rod is connected to the power source. The telescopic bellows is sleeved on the outer periphery of the central guide rod. The top end of the telescopic bellows is connected to the interface plate, and the bottom end is sealed to the outer periphery of the central guide rod.

[0016] In one embodiment of this application, the limiting component is made of a low dielectric constant material, and the ejector pin is made of aluminum oxide.

[0017] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a semiconductor process apparatus, including a process chamber, a power source, and a support device as provided in the first aspect. The support device is disposed within the process chamber, and the power source drives the ejector pin to move up and down relative to the top surface of the support plate.

[0018] The beneficial technical effects of the technical solutions provided in this application are:

[0019] This application embodiment, by providing multiple lifting holes on the carrier plate and movably connecting the ejector pin of the support structure to the top of the adapter, and by allowing the ejector pin to swing radially along the adapter, effectively avoids scraping between the ejector pin and the lifting hole wall when the ejector pin is misaligned with the lifting hole during its ascent. This protects the coating inside the lifting hole of the carrier plate, thereby significantly extending the service life of the carrier plate and greatly reducing the risk of the ejector pin scratching the wafer during wafer transfer. Consequently, it not only reduces the failure rate of this application but also significantly improves the process yield of this application embodiment.

[0020] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will become apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the following description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0022] Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a process chamber provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 2 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of a support device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0024] Figure 3A A partial cross-sectional view of an adapter and ejector pin assembly provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 3B A partial cross-sectional view of an adapter, ejector pin, and clamping member assembling according to an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 4 A partial cross-sectional view of a support device pin in a bent state, provided as an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram showing the ejector pin of a support device in an extended state, as provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] This application is described in detail below. Examples of embodiments of this application are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar components or components having the same or similar functions throughout. Furthermore, detailed descriptions of known technologies that are unnecessary for the features of this application are omitted. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0029] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have the same meaning as in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless specifically defined as herein.

[0030] The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments.

[0031] This application provides a carrier device for semiconductor process equipment, disposed within the process chamber 100 of the semiconductor process equipment. A schematic diagram of the carrier device is shown below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it includes: a base assembly 1 and a support structure 3; the base assembly 1 includes a bearing plate 11, and a plurality of lifting holes 12 are passed through the bearing plate 11 in the thickness direction; the support structure 3 includes a pin 31 and a limiting assembly 32, the pin 31 is movably inserted into the lifting hole 12; the limiting assembly 32 includes a connector 321, the top end of the connector 321 is movably connected to the pin 31, and the pin 31 can swing radially along the connector 321, the bottom end of the connector 321 is used to connect to a power source (not shown in the figure) to drive the pin 31 to move in the lifting hole 12, so that the pin 31 rises and falls relative to the top surface of the bearing plate 11.

[0032] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the semiconductor process equipment can be used to perform inductively coupled plasma etching (ICP-C), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes. Therefore, the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific type of semiconductor process equipment, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to actual conditions. The support structure can be located within the process chamber 100 of the semiconductor process equipment, and specifically may include a base assembly 1 and a support structure 3. The support disk 11 is specifically a disc-shaped structure, with its top end used to support the wafer. Three lifting holes 12 can be formed in the thickness direction of the support disk 11, and the three support structures 3 are correspondingly located at the lifting holes 12. The ejector pin 31 is movably inserted into the lifting hole 12, and its top end can be located within the lifting hole 12. The adapter 321 can be a cylindrical structure made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK), a material with a certain degree of flexibility. The top end of the adapter 321 is movably connected to the bottom end of the ejector pin 31, allowing the ejector pin 31 to swing radially along the adapter 321. For example, the ejector pin 31 can rotate or swing around the axis of the adapter 321. Furthermore, the bottom end of the adapter 321 can be connected to a power source to drive the ejector pin 31 to move within the lifting hole 12, thereby causing the ejector pin 31 to rise and fall relative to the top surface of the support plate 11.

[0033] This application embodiment, by providing multiple lifting holes on the carrier plate and movably connecting the ejector pin of the support structure to the top of the adapter, and by allowing the ejector pin to swing radially along the adapter, effectively avoids scraping between the ejector pin and the lifting hole wall when the ejector pin is misaligned with the lifting hole during its ascent. This protects the coating inside the lifting hole of the carrier plate, thereby significantly extending the service life of the carrier plate and greatly reducing the risk of the ejector pin scratching the wafer during wafer transfer. Consequently, it not only reduces the failure rate of this application but also significantly improves the process yield of this application embodiment.

[0034] It should be noted that the specific material of the limiting component 32 is not limited in the embodiments of this application, as long as it is made of a material with a low dielectric constant. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0035] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 1 to 3B As shown, the limiting component 32 also includes a clamping member 322, which is disposed on the adapter 321. The clamping member 322 has a limiting hole 3221, and the ejector pin 31 passes through the limiting hole 3221. There is a gap between the limiting hole 3221 and the ejector pin 31, which is used to limit the swing range of the ejector pin 31 and limit the position of the bottom end of the ejector pin 31 in the axial direction of the adapter 321.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 3B As shown, the clamping member 322 can be made of polyetheretherketone (PEEK), a material with a certain degree of flexibility. The clamping member 322 is mounted on the adapter 321. A limiting hole 3221 is centrally located on the top plate of the clamping member 322. The diameter of the limiting hole 3221 is larger than the diameter of the ejector pin 31, allowing the ejector pin 31 to pass through the limiting hole 3221. A gap exists between the limiting hole 3221 and the ejector pin 31 to limit the swing range of the ejector pin 31. When the ejector pin 31 deviates laterally, the free rotation of its bottom and the guiding action of the guide member 21 can reduce the amount of deviation, preventing excessive deviation from causing scratches and abrasions, thereby further improving safety and process yield. Furthermore, since the limiting hole 3221 limits the swing range of the ejector pin 31, it also prevents excessive swing of the ejector pin 31 from causing installation inconvenience. The clamping member 322 can also limit the position of the bottom end of the ejector pin 31 in the axial direction of the adapter 321, preventing the ejector pin 31 from separating from the adapter 321, thereby improving the stability of the embodiments of this application. With the above design, since the ejector pin 31 and the adapter 321 are movably connected, it can prevent the lifting hole 12 from breaking due to bending when it is engaged with the ejector pin 31, thereby improving the stability of the implementation of this application, and thus reducing the failure rate while extending the service life of the ejector pin 31.

[0037] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific structure of the clamping member 322. For example, the clamping member 322 may adopt a ring structure, which can also achieve the effect of clamping the ejector pin 31. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0038] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 2 and Figure 3AAs shown, the top of the adapter 321 has a receiving structure, which includes a receiving cavity 323 and an opening 324. The inner diameter of the receiving cavity 323 is larger than the inner diameter of the opening 324. The bottom end of the ejector pin 31 passes through the opening 324 and is located in the receiving cavity 323. The receiving cavity 323 provides movement space for the bottom end of the ejector pin 31, and the opening 324 clamps the outer periphery of the ejector pin 31. Specifically, the top of the adapter 321 has a receiving structure, wherein the receiving cavity 323 can be a groove formed in the top of the adapter 321, and the opening 324 is formed on the top surface of the adapter 321 and communicates with the receiving cavity 323. Since the inner diameter of the receiving cavity 323 is larger than the inner diameter of the opening 324, the receiving cavity 323 can provide movement space for the bottom end of the ejector pin 31, while the opening 324 can clamp the outer periphery of the ejector pin 31 to limit the axial position of the ejector pin 31 relative to the adapter 321. The above design makes the structure of this application embodiment simple, and also enables the ejector pin 31 to swing relative to the adapter 321, avoiding the ejector pin 31 from rubbing against the lifting hole 12, and preventing the ejector pin 31 from breaking when swinging, thereby improving the service life of the ejector pin 31.

[0039] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific implementation of the receiving structure. For example, the inner diameter of the receiving cavity 323 is the same as the inner diameter of the opening 324, so that the receiving structure is only used to provide movement space for the bottom end of the ejector pin 31, and the ejector pin 31 is locked by the clamping member 322. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0040] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 2 and Figure 3AAs shown, the accommodating cavity 323 includes a frustum-shaped inclined surface 3231 and a spherical groove 3232 arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The smaller end of the frustum-shaped inclined surface 3231 is connected to the bottom of the opening 324, and the larger end of the frustum-shaped inclined surface 3231 is connected to the top of the spherical groove 3232. Specifically, the bottom inner wall of the accommodating cavity 323 can be a spherical groove 3232, and the upper inner wall of the accommodating cavity 323 can be a frustum-shaped inclined surface 3231. The bottom of the frustum-shaped inclined surface 3231 is connected to the top of the spherical groove 3232, and the top of the frustum-shaped inclined surface 3231 is connected to the bottom of the opening 324. That is, the larger end of the frustum-shaped inclined surface 3231 is connected to the top of the spherical groove 3232, while the smaller end of the frustum-shaped inclined surface 3231 is connected to the bottom of the opening 324. In practical applications, the spherical groove 3232 can be used to accommodate the bottom end of the ejector pin 31 and provide space for its movement. The frustum-shaped inclined surface 3231 can be used to limit the left-right swing of the ejector pin 31 within a preset angle when it swings. This preset angle is, for example, 10 degrees, but this embodiment is not limited to this; those skilled in the art can adjust the setting according to actual conditions. By adopting the above design, the accommodating cavity 323 can limit the swing of the ejector pin 31 within a preset range, preventing the ejector pin 31 from swinging too much and affecting installation, thereby significantly improving the disassembly and maintenance efficiency of this embodiment.

[0041] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific structure of the receiving cavity 323. For example, the receiving cavity 323 may be a spherical structure. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0042] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 2 and Figure 3AAs shown, in the longitudinal section of the receiving cavity 323, there is a preset included angle between the two frustum-shaped inclined surfaces 3231, with the preset included angle ranging from 20 degrees to 160 degrees; there is a preset ratio between the diameter of the spherical groove 3232 and the diameter of the ball head at the bottom of the ejector pin 31, with the preset ratio being 2 to 3:1. Specifically, there is a preset included angle between the two opposite sidewalls at the top of the receiving cavity 323, that is, there is a preset included angle between the two frustum-shaped inclined surfaces 3231, and this preset included angle can be 30 degrees, 50 degrees, 80 degrees, 100 degrees, 130 degrees, and 150 degrees. With the above design, the swing range of the ejector pin 31 can be adjusted, thereby improving the applicability and scope of application of the embodiments of this application, that is, the specific value of the preset included angle can be set according to different needs. The diameter of the spherical groove 3232 and the diameter of the bottom end of the ejector pin 31 can have a preset ratio, such as 2:1 or 3:1. Because the spherical groove 3232 has a large space, the bottom end of the ejector pin 31 can rotate around its axis within the receiving cavity 323, thereby enabling the top of the ejector pin 31 to rotate around the axis of the adapter 321. It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific values ​​of the first preset angle and the preset ratio; those skilled in the art can adjust and set them according to actual conditions.

[0043] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 1 to 3B As shown, the bottom surface of the support plate 11 is provided with multiple mounting grooves 13, which are corresponding to multiple lifting holes 12. The support device also includes a guide component 2, which is provided in the mounting groove 13. The guide component 2 includes a guide member 21, which is installed in the mounting groove 13. The guide member 21 is provided with a guide hole 22, which has the same diameter as the lifting hole 12 and is coaxially arranged.

[0044] like Figures 1 to 3BAs shown, three mounting slots 13 can be provided on the bottom surface of the support plate 11. These three mounting slots 13 correspond one-to-one with three lifting holes 12, and each mounting slot 13 can be coaxially arranged with each lifting hole 12. Three guide components 2 are correspondingly provided at the mounting slots 13, and the top of the guide component 21 can be located within the mounting slot 13, for example, the guide component 21 is coaxially arranged with the mounting slot 13. A guide hole 22 can be provided within the guide component 21, the guide hole 22 having the same diameter as the lifting hole 12 and being coaxially arranged. Because of the mounting slots 13, it is convenient to install the guide component 21 so that the guide hole 22 is coaxially arranged with the lifting hole 12. With the above design, since the guide hole 22 of the guide member 21 has the same diameter and is coaxially arranged with the lifting hole 12 on the carrier plate 11, if the ejector pin 31 is misaligned with the lifting hole 21 during the rising process, the guide hole 22 will guide the ejector pin 31 first, so that the ejector pin 31 is concentric with the lifting hole 12 before entering the lifting hole 12. This can effectively avoid the ejector pin 31 rubbing against the inner wall of the lifting hole 12, thereby protecting the coating inside the lifting hole 12 of the carrier plate 11, thus greatly extending the service life of the carrier plate 11, and also greatly reducing the risk of the ejector pin 31 scratching the wafer during wafer transfer. In this way, it can not only reduce the failure rate of this application, but also greatly improve the process yield.

[0045] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific implementation of the mounting groove 13. That is, the mounting groove 13 and the lifting hole 12 can also be set in a way that is not aligned with each other, as long as the guide hole 22 of the guide member 21 is concentric with the lifting hole 12. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0046] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 2 to 3B As shown, the clamping member 322 is a sleeve structure. The clamping member 322 is sleeved on the top of the adapter 321. The inner wall of the adapter 321 is used to deform the adapter 321 so that the opening 324 clamps the ejector pin 31.

[0047] like Figures 2 to 3BAs shown, the clamping member 322 can specifically adopt a sleeve structure. The bottom of the clamping member 322 is sleeved on the top of the adapter 321, and the inner wall of the bottom of the clamping member 322 and the outer periphery of the top of the clamping member 322 can be connected by a thread. However, the embodiments of this application are not limited to this. During the process of gradually pressing down, the inner wall of the clamping member 322 can squeeze the top of the adapter 321. At this time, the top of the adapter 321 will deform so that the opening 324 clamps the outer periphery of the ejector pin 31, thereby limiting the axial position of the ejector pin 31 relative to the adapter 321. When the ejector pin 31 shifts laterally, the ejector pin 31 can reduce the shift by the free rotation of its bottom and the guiding effect of the guide member 21. The shift of the ejector pin 31 swings within the limiting hole 3221 at the top of the clamping member 322, which avoids the excessive shift of the ejector pin 31 caused by the large distance between the bottom of the ejector pin 31 and the guide hole 22, thus further improving safety and process yield.

[0048] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific structure of the clamping member 322. For example, the clamping member 322 may adopt a ring structure, which can also achieve the effect of clamping the ejector pin 31. Therefore, the embodiments of this application are not limited thereto, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0049] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 2 to 3B As shown, the clamping member 322 has an inner inclined surface at its top end, and the adapter 321 has an outer inclined surface on its outer periphery. Both the inner and outer inclined surfaces are inclined outward from top to bottom, and they cooperate to deform the adapter 321. Specifically, the inner peripheral wall of the clamping member 322 is cylindrical and is fitted onto the top of the adapter 321, with the inner peripheral wall of the clamping member 322 fitting snugly against the outer peripheral wall of the adapter 321. The top of the inner peripheral wall of the clamping member 322 has a conical frustum structure, meaning the inner peripheral wall of the clamping member 322 has an inner inclined surface that is inclined outward from top to bottom. This inner inclined surface is used to press the adapter 321 downward, causing the opening 324 to deform and press the locking pin 31. The adapter 321 has a cylindrical structure, and the top of its outer peripheral wall can be a truncated cone, meaning that the outer peripheral wall of the adapter 321 has an outer inclined surface that slopes outward from top to bottom. This surface is designed to mate with the inner inclined surface of the clamping member 322. When the clamping member 322 presses downward, it guides the adapter 321, causing it to deform. This design reduces resistance during the installation of the clamping member 322 and the adapter 321, significantly improving the efficiency of disassembly and maintenance.

[0050] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 2 to 3BAs shown, a guide groove 23 is provided on the bottom surface of the guide member 21. The guide groove 23 is coaxially arranged with the guide hole 22. The inner side wall of the guide groove 23 and the outer periphery of the top of the clamping member 322 are both inclined surface structures that slope outward from top to bottom. When the adapter 321 drives the ejector pin 31 to rise to the highest position, the bottom surface of the guide groove 23 is in contact with the top surface of the clamping member 322.

[0051] like Figures 2 to 3B As shown, the guide member 21 can be cylindrical in shape, and a guide groove 23 is provided on the bottom surface of the guide member 21. The guide groove 23 can be coaxially arranged with the guide hole 22, but this embodiment is not limited thereto. In practical application, when the limiting component 32 drives the ejector pin 31 to rise, the top end of the clamping member 322 extends into the guide groove 23. Under the guiding action of the guide groove 23, the limiting component 32 is coaxially arranged with the guide member 21, that is, the guide groove 23 can limit and guide the outer periphery of the top end of the clamping member 322, thereby guiding the limiting component 32. Furthermore, the guide groove 23 can reduce the guiding height of the ejector pin 31. The guiding height of the ejector pin 31 is specifically the distance between the top surface of the clamping member 322 and the bottom surface of the guide member 21, and the guiding height can be determined by the stroke length of the ejector pin 31. For example, the total stroke length of the ejector pin 31 is 12mm, and the designed guide length is 12mm ± 2mm. When the ejector pin 31 deviates, it can freely rotate and deviate at its bottom end. Furthermore, the ejector pin 31 swings within the limiting hole 3221 of the clamping member 322, preventing the ejector pin 31 from being too far from the guide hole 22, thus avoiding excessive deviance and scratching. This further improves the service life of the carrier plate 11 and increases the process yield. However, this application embodiment does not limit the bottom surface of the guide member 21 to include the guide groove 23; in some embodiments, the guide groove 23 can be omitted. Therefore, this application embodiment is not limited to this, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to actual conditions.

[0052] Furthermore, the inner wall of the guide groove 23 may adopt a frustum-shaped conical structure, that is, the inner wall of the guide groove 23 is an inclined surface structure that slopes outward from top to bottom, for guiding the clamping. The outer peripheral wall of the clamping member 322 may adopt a frustum-shaped conical structure, that is, the outer peripheral wall of the clamping member 322 is an inclined surface structure that slopes outward from top to bottom, for guiding in conjunction with the guide groove 23. The above design makes the guidance between the guide groove 23 and the clamping member 322 smoother and facilitates their coaxial arrangement, thereby ensuring stable operation of the embodiment and reducing the failure rate. Furthermore, when the clamping member 322 rises to its highest position, specifically refer to... Figure 5As shown, the top surface of the clamping member 322 is tightly fitted to the bottom surface of the guide groove 23, so that the clamping member 322 drives the gas to be discharged through the guide hole 22 and the lifting hole 12 during the rising process, that is, the plasma between the guide member 21 and the clamping member 322 is discharged, so as to reduce the phenomenon of radio frequency arcing of plasma, thereby improving the safety of the embodiment of this application and extending the service life of the support structure 3.

[0053] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the base assembly 1 also includes an insulating disk 14, which is stacked on the bottom of the support disk 11; the guide assembly 2 also includes an isolating member 24, which is inserted into the insulating disk 14 and the top of the isolating member 24 is sleeved on the bottom of the guide member 21; the limiting assembly 32 is movably disposed in the isolating member 24.

[0054] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 As shown, the insulating disk 14 can be a disc-shaped structure made of ceramic material. The insulating disk 14 is stacked at the bottom of the carrier disk 11 and is used to isolate the electrostatic chuck from the interface disk 15 when the carrier disk 11 is an electrostatic chuck. However, the embodiments of this application do not limit the specific material of the insulating disk 14, and those skilled in the art can adjust the setting according to the actual situation. The isolating member 24 is made of polyetheretherketone material to form a sleeve structure. The isolating member 24 is nested in the insulating disk 14, and the top of the isolating member 24 can be screwed to the bottom of the guide member 21 with an internal thread structure. However, the embodiments of this application are not limited to this. For example, the two are fixedly connected by an interference fit, that is, the top of the isolating member 24 is sleeved on the bottom of the guide member 21. The limiting component 32 is movably disposed in the isolating member 24, that is, the limiting component 32 can move up and down in the isolating member 24. With the above design, the isolating member 24 can guide the limiting component 32, thereby avoiding a large lateral offset of the ejector pin 31. Furthermore, the isolator 24 is also used to fill the gap between the limiting component 32 and the insulating disk 14 to prevent gas from entering between them, thereby avoiding radio frequency arcing of the plasma that could damage the components and thus improving the service life of this embodiment. Optionally, an annular boss is integrally formed on the outer periphery of the bottom of the guide 21. The isolator 24 is fixedly disposed in the insulating disk 14, and the top of the isolator 24 abuts against the bottom surface of the boss to press the guide 21 into the mounting groove 13, thereby improving the structural stability of this embodiment.

[0055] In one embodiment of this application, as Figures 2 to 4As shown, a guide ring 325 is provided on the outer periphery of the adapter 321. The outer peripheral wall of the guide ring 325 is fitted against the inner peripheral wall of the isolator 24. This guide ring 325 is used to discharge gas inside the isolator 24 through the guide hole 22 during the upward movement of the adapter 321. Specifically, the adapter 321 has a guide ring 325 extending circumferentially on its outer periphery. This guide ring 325 is either integrally formed with the adapter 321 or is a separate component. The outer peripheral wall of the guide ring 325 is fitted against the inner peripheral wall of the isolator 24, and the two cooperate to guide the adapter 321. Furthermore, the guide ring 325 also allows gas inside the isolator 24 to be discharged through the guide hole 22, preventing radio frequency arcing of the plasma inside the isolator 24. Furthermore, the guide ring 325 can provide installation space for the clamping member 322, thereby guiding the adapter 321 while facilitating the installation of the clamping member 322, avoiding friction between the clamping member 322 and the isolation member 24, and thus avoiding excessive resistance to the upward movement of the limit assembly 32.

[0056] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the base assembly 1 also includes an interface disk 15, which is stacked on the bottom of the insulating disk 14; the support structure 3 also includes a sealing transmission assembly 33, which is connected to the interface disk 15 and sealed to the bottom surface of the insulating disk 14. The bottom end of the adapter 321 protrudes from the bottom of the interface disk 15 and is connected to the power source through the sealing transmission assembly 33.

[0057] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4As shown, the interface disk 15 can adopt a disc-shaped structure and be stacked on the bottom of the insulating disk 14. The interface disk 15 can have three through holes 151, which correspond one-to-one with three mounting slots 13. The sealing transmission assemblies 33 of the three support structures 3 are correspondingly disposed within the through holes 151. Specifically, the top of the sealing transmission assembly 33 is nested within the through hole 151, and its top end can be sealed to the bottom surface of the insulating disk 14. The bottom end of the adapter 321 protrudes from the bottom of the interface disk 15, for example, passing through the through hole 151 and connecting to the sealing transmission assembly 33, and is connected to the power source via the sealing transmission assembly 33. The sealing transmission assembly 33 is used to ground the entire bearing device; therefore, the sealing transmission assembly 33 can be made of a metal material with good conductivity. According to the simulation structure, the farther the metal part is from the electric field, the smaller the peak electric field on the surface of the metal part, and the weaker the discharge conditions. By adopting the above design, the top height of the sealing transmission assembly 33 is reduced, which effectively prevents the gas in the gap between the guide hole 22 and the isolation component 24 and the support structure 3 from forming a large electric field, thereby reducing the phenomenon of radio frequency arcing of plasma and extending the service life of each component of the support structure 3.

[0058] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the sealed transmission assembly 33 includes a central guide rod 331 and a telescopic bellows 332. The top of the central guide rod 331 is sleeved on the outer side of the bottom of the adapter 321 and is fixedly connected to the adapter 321. The bottom of the central guide rod 331 is connected to the power source. The telescopic bellows 332 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the central guide rod 331. The top of the telescopic bellows 332 is connected to the interface plate 15, and the bottom is sealed to the outer periphery of the central guide rod 331.

[0059] like Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the top of the central guide rod 331 can be sleeved on the outer side of the bottom of the adapter 321, and can be connected by a thread. However, this embodiment is not limited to this; for example, the central guide rod 331 can also be nested inside the bottom of the adapter 321. The bottom end of the central guide rod 331 is connected to a power source, and drives the adapter 321 to rise and fall under the drive of the power source. The top end of the telescopic bellows 332 can adopt a flange structure and be connected to the interface plate 15 through the flange structure, while the telescopic bellows 332 passes through the through hole 151 of the interface plate 15. The telescopic bellows 332 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the central guide rod 331, and the bottom end can be sealed to the outer periphery of the central guide rod 331, for example, by welding. However, this embodiment is not limited to this. The above design enables the sealing transmission assembly 33 to achieve sealing while simultaneously driving the lifting and lowering of the adapter 321. This not only prevents gas from entering the isolator 24 and guide hole 22, thus avoiding plasma detection and radio frequency arcing, but also prevents dust from entering the isolator 24 and guide hole 22 and contaminating the wafer on the carrier disk 11, thereby improving process yield. However, this application embodiment does not limit the specific structure of the sealing transmission assembly 33; those skilled in the art can adjust and configure it according to actual conditions.

[0060] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 2 As shown, the limiting component 32 is made of a low dielectric constant material, and the ejector pin 31 is made of aluminum oxide. Specifically, the guide component 2 and the limiting component 32 can be made of polyetheretherketone, polyoxymethylene, or polytetrafluoroethylene. These materials not only have the characteristic of low dielectric constant but also have a certain degree of flexibility, thereby reducing the phenomenon of radio frequency arcing during plasma generation and significantly extending the service life. However, this application embodiment does not limit the specific materials of the guide component 2 and the limiting component 32, as long as they meet the characteristic of low dielectric constant. Therefore, those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation. The ejector pin 31 can be made of aluminum oxide, which can not only reduce the phenomenon of radio frequency arcing but also significantly reduce application and maintenance costs. However, this application embodiment does not limit the specific material of the ejector pin 31, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to the actual situation.

[0061] In one embodiment of this application, as Figure 2 As shown, the carrier disk 11 is an electrostatic chuck, which allows this embodiment to be applied to etching equipment in semiconductor process equipment and can significantly reduce the failure rate of electrostatic chucks, thereby reducing the application and maintenance costs of this embodiment. However, this embodiment does not limit the specific type of carrier disk 11, and those skilled in the art can adjust the settings according to actual conditions.

[0062] Based on the same inventive concept, this application provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including a process chamber, a power source, and a support device as provided in the above embodiments. The support device is disposed in the process chamber, and the power source drives the ejector pins to rise and fall relative to the top surface of the support plate.

[0063] By applying the embodiments of this application, at least the following beneficial effects can be achieved:

[0064] This application embodiment, by providing multiple lifting holes on the carrier plate and movably connecting the ejector pin of the support structure to the top of the adapter, and by allowing the ejector pin to swing radially along the adapter, effectively avoids scraping between the ejector pin and the lifting hole wall when the ejector pin is misaligned with the lifting hole during its ascent. This protects the coating inside the lifting hole of the carrier plate, thereby significantly extending the service life of the carrier plate and greatly reducing the risk of the ejector pin scratching the wafer during wafer transfer. Consequently, it not only reduces the failure rate of this application but also significantly improves the process yield of this application embodiment.

[0065] It is understood that the above embodiments are merely exemplary implementations used to illustrate the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the spirit and essence of the present invention, and these modifications and improvements are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0066] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0067] 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 technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0068] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0069] The above description is only a partial embodiment of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A load bearing device for a semiconductor process apparatus, disposed within a process chamber of the semiconductor process apparatus, the load bearing device comprising: include: Base components and support structure; The base assembly includes a support plate, and the support plate has multiple lifting holes extending through it in the thickness direction; The support structure includes a push pin and a limiting assembly. The push pin is movably inserted into the lifting hole. The limiting assembly includes an adapter. The top end of the adapter is movably connected to the push pin, and the push pin can swing radially along the adapter. The bottom end of the adapter is used to connect to a power source to drive the push pin to move within the lifting hole, so that the push pin rises and falls relative to the top surface of the support plate. The top of the adapter is provided with a receiving structure, which includes a receiving cavity and an opening. The inner diameter of the receiving cavity is larger than the inner diameter of the opening. The bottom end of the ejector pin passes through the opening and is located in the receiving cavity. The receiving cavity is used to provide movement space for the bottom end of the ejector pin, and the opening is used to clamp the outer periphery of the ejector pin. The accommodating cavity includes a frustum-shaped inclined surface and a spherical groove arranged sequentially from top to bottom. The smaller end of the frustum-shaped inclined surface is connected to the bottom of the opening, and the larger end of the frustum-shaped inclined surface is connected to the top of the spherical groove.

2. The load bearing device of claim 1, wherein, The limiting component also includes a clamping member disposed on the adapter. The clamping member has a limiting hole, and the ejector pin passes through the limiting hole. There is a gap between the limiting hole and the ejector pin, which is used to limit the swing range of the ejector pin and limit the position of the bottom end of the ejector pin in the axial direction of the adapter.

3. The load bearing device of claim 2, wherein, In the longitudinal section of the accommodating cavity, there is a preset included angle between the two frustum inclined surfaces, the preset included angle being 20 degrees to 160 degrees; there is a preset ratio between the diameter of the spherical groove and the diameter of the ball head at the bottom of the ejector pin, the preset ratio being 2 to 3:

1.

4. The load bearing device of claim 2, wherein, The bottom surface of the support plate is provided with multiple mounting grooves, which are respectively set with multiple lifting holes; The supporting device also includes a guide assembly, with multiple guide assemblies being disposed one-to-one in the mounting groove. Each guide assembly includes a guide member, which is installed in the mounting groove and has a guide hole. The guide hole has the same diameter as the lifting hole and is coaxially arranged.

5. The load bearing device of claim 4, wherein, The bottom surface of the guide member is provided with a guide groove, which is coaxially arranged with the guide hole. The inner side wall of the guide groove and the outer periphery of the top of the clamping member are both inclined surface structures that slope outward from top to bottom. When the adapter drives the ejector pin to rise to the highest position, the bottom surface of the guide groove is in contact with the top surface of the clamping member.

6. The load bearing device of claim 5, wherein, The base assembly further includes an insulating disk, which is stacked at the bottom of the support disk; the guide assembly further includes an isolating member, which passes through the insulating disk and has its top fitted over the bottom of the guide member; the limiting assembly is movably disposed within the isolating member.

7. The load bearing device of claim 6, wherein, The adapter is provided with a guide ring on its outer periphery. The outer peripheral wall of the guide ring is fitted with the inner peripheral wall of the isolation member. It is used to discharge the gas in the isolation member through the guide hole during the rising process of the adapter.

8. The load bearing device of claim 6, wherein, The base assembly further comprises an interface disc, which is arranged on the bottom of the insulation disc; the support structure further comprises a sealed transmission assembly, which is connected with the interface disc and is sealingly connected with the bottom surface of the insulation disc, the bottom end of the adapter protrudes from the bottom of the interface disc and is drivingly connected with the power source through the sealed transmission assembly.

9. The load bearing device of claim 8, wherein, The sealed transmission assembly comprises a central guide rod and an elastic bellows, the top of the central guide rod is sleeved on the outside of the bottom of the adapter and is fixedly connected with the adapter, and the bottom of the central guide rod is connected with the power source; the elastic bellows is sleeved on the outer periphery of the central guide rod, the top of the elastic bellows is connected with the interface disc, and the bottom is sealingly connected with the outer periphery of the central guide rod.

10. The load bearing device of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein, The limiting assembly is made of a material with low dielectric constant, and the thimble is made of aluminum oxide.

11. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized by comprising: The bearing device of any one of claims 1 to 10 is arranged in a process chamber, and a power source is arranged to drive the thimble to move up and down relative to the top surface of the bearing disc.

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