Load chamber with wafer calibration function, semiconductor processing system and method for calibrating wafer

Abstract

The present application relates to a load chamber with a wafer calibration function, a semiconductor processing system, and a method for calibrating a wafer. In one embodiment of the present application, a load chamber with a wafer calibration function includes: a chamber body; a wafer support device located within the chamber body and configured to support a wafer; and a wafer positioning device located within the chamber body and configured to position the wafer supported by the wafer support device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates generally to the field of semiconductor manufacturing and, more particularly, to semiconductor processing systems and calibrating wafers in such systems. Background Art

[0002] Before a semiconductor processing system processes a wafer, due to specific process requirements, it may be necessary to calibrate the wafer first (for example, positioning the wafer or locating the wafer notch) and then proceed with subsequent transmission and processing; after processing is completed, the wafer may need to be calibrated again to facilitate accurate placement back into the wafer carrying container or further processing.

[0003] In the prior art, wafer calibration is usually performed in the atmospheric transfer chamber of the semiconductor processing system. After the calibration is completed, the calibrated wafer is transferred to the load chamber for subsequent processing. This setting has two disadvantages: first, the wafer calibration device requires additional space in the atmospheric transfer chamber; second, this processing method reduces operating efficiency. This is because each wafer calibration needs to go through the following process: the robot transfers the wafer to the calibration device → the calibration device calibrates the wafer → the robot retrieves the wafer from the calibration device → the robot transfers the wafer to the load chamber. Obviously, during the calibration process, the load chamber and the chambers for subsequent processes are always in a waiting state, resulting in low efficiency and affecting the production capacity of the equipment.

[0004] With the advancement of semiconductor manufacturing technology, the industry is striving to increase the production capacity of semiconductor processing systems, improve the efficiency of production tools, and enhance integrated production capabilities. Therefore, improving wafer alignment methods and ultimately increasing the efficiency of the entire semiconductor processing system are key considerations. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present application provides a load chamber with a wafer calibration function. A semiconductor processing system using the load chamber can greatly improve the efficiency of calibrating wafers and transferring wafers, thereby improving the operating efficiency and production capacity of the entire semiconductor processing system.

[0006] In addition, the present application also provides a semiconductor processing system including the above-mentioned load chamber with wafer calibration function and a method for calibrating a wafer in the semiconductor processing system.

[0007] In one aspect, the present application provides a load chamber with a wafer calibration function, comprising: a chamber body; a wafer support device, which is located in the chamber body and is used to support the wafer; and a wafer positioning device, which is located in the chamber body and is used to position the wafer supported by the wafer support device.

[0008] In some embodiments, the wafer supporting device includes a fixed plate, and the wafer positioning device is disposed on the fixed plate.

[0009] In some embodiments, the wafer supporting device further includes a plurality of ejector pins extending upward from the fixed plate for supporting the wafer.

[0010] In some embodiments, the fixed plate includes a rotatable fixed plate that can be driven to rotate around its center in a horizontal plane; the wafer positioning device is fixed together with the rotatable fixed plate so as to be able to rotate synchronously therewith.

[0011] In some embodiments, the wafer positioning device includes a clamping device for clamping the wafer in a desired position.

[0012] In some embodiments, the clamping device includes at least one pair of stoppers, and each pair of the at least one pair of stoppers is substantially symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the wafer support device.

[0013] In some embodiments, the wafer positioning device further comprises an adjusting device for adjusting the distance between each pair of stoppers in the at least one pair of stoppers.

[0014] In some embodiments, the adjustment means comprises a screw connected to a corresponding stop.

[0015] In some embodiments, the loadlock chamber further includes a detection device located in the chamber body, wherein the detection device is used to detect a position of a notch on the wafer supported by the wafer supporting device.

[0016] In some embodiments, the detection device includes a light source and a photosensor and is located substantially at a position corresponding to an edge of the wafer support device.

[0017] In some embodiments, the load chamber further comprises a lifting device, configured to lift the wafer supported by the wafer supporting device and separate it from the wafer supporting device, or to lower the wafer and place it on the wafer supporting device.

[0018] On the other hand, the present application provides a load chamber with a wafer calibration function, which includes: a chamber body; a wafer support device, which is located in the chamber body and is used to support the wafer; and a detection device, which is located in the chamber body and is used to detect the position of the notch on the wafer supported by the wafer support device.

[0019] In some embodiments, the detection device includes a light source and a photosensor and is located substantially at a position corresponding to an edge of the wafer support device.

[0020] In some embodiments, the loadlock chamber further comprises a wafer clamping device for holding the wafer on the wafer supporting device.

[0021] In some embodiments, the wafer supporting device includes a rotatable fixed plate that can be driven to rotate around its center in a horizontal plane; the wafer clamping device is fixed together with the rotatable fixed plate so as to be able to rotate synchronously therewith.

[0022] In some embodiments, the wafer clamping device includes at least one pair of stoppers, and each pair of the at least one pair of stoppers is located on opposite sides of the wafer supporting device.

[0023] In some embodiments, the wafer clamping device further comprises an adjusting device for adjusting the distance between each pair of stoppers in the at least one pair of stoppers.

[0024] In some embodiments, the adjustment means comprises a screw connected to a corresponding stop.

[0025] In some embodiments, the load chamber further comprises a lifting device, configured to lift the wafer supported by the wafer supporting device and separate it from the wafer supporting device, or to lower the wafer and place it on the wafer supporting device.

[0026] In some embodiments, the wafer support device further includes a plurality of ejector pins extending upward from the rotatable fixed plate for supporting the wafer.

[0027] On the other hand, the present application provides a semiconductor processing system, comprising: a load chamber with a wafer calibration function according to any embodiment of the present application; an atmospheric transfer chamber, comprising an atmospheric transfer mechanism for transferring wafers between the atmospheric transfer chamber and the load chamber under an atmospheric environment; and a vacuum transfer chamber, comprising a vacuum transfer mechanism for transferring wafers between the vacuum transfer chamber and the load chamber under a vacuum environment.

[0028] In some embodiments, the semiconductor processing system further includes a reaction chamber for processing a wafer, wherein the vacuum transfer mechanism is further configured to transfer the wafer between the vacuum transfer chamber and the reaction chamber.

[0029] On the other hand, the present application provides a method for calibrating a wafer in a semiconductor processing system, wherein the semiconductor processing system includes a load chamber, an atmospheric transfer chamber, a vacuum transfer chamber, and a reaction chamber, wherein the load chamber includes: a chamber body; and a wafer support device, which is located in the chamber body and is used to support the wafer, and the method includes: (a) transferring the wafer to the wafer support device in the load chamber under an atmospheric environment through an atmospheric transfer mechanism in the atmospheric transfer chamber; (b) closing a first valve between the atmospheric transfer chamber and the load chamber, and then calibrating the load chamber. (c) after the load chamber reaches a vacuum environment, opening a second valve between the load chamber and the vacuum transfer chamber, and then transferring the calibrated wafer from the load chamber to the vacuum transfer chamber via a vacuum transfer mechanism in the vacuum transfer chamber; and (d) transferring the calibrated wafer to the reaction chamber via the vacuum transfer mechanism for processing.

[0030] In some embodiments, the method further includes: (e) transferring the processed wafer to the wafer support device in the load chamber in a vacuum environment by the vacuum transfer mechanism; (f) closing the second valve and then opening the first valve to allow air to flow back into the load chamber, and calibrating the processed wafer in the load chamber during at least a portion of the period of closing the second valve, opening the first valve, and allowing air to flow back; and (g) removing the calibrated processed wafer from the load chamber by the atmospheric transfer mechanism.

[0031] In some embodiments, the load chamber further includes a wafer positioning device located in the chamber body, and calibrating the wafer in the load chamber includes positioning the wafer by the wafer positioning device.

[0032] In some embodiments, the wafer positioning device includes a clamping device for clamping the wafer in a desired position.

[0033] In some embodiments, the clamping device includes at least one pair of blocks, each pair of the at least one pair of blocks is substantially symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the wafer support device, and the wafer positioning device also includes an adjustment device for adjusting the distance between each pair of blocks in the at least one pair of blocks; positioning the wafer by the wafer positioning device includes reducing the distance between each pair of blocks in the at least one pair of blocks by the adjustment device, thereby clamping the wafer and fixing it in the desired position.

[0034] In some embodiments, the load chamber further comprises a detection device located in the chamber body, and calibrating the wafer in the load chamber comprises detecting a position of a notch on the wafer by the detection device.

[0035] In some embodiments, the wafer support device includes a rotatable fixed plate, which can be driven to rotate around its center in a horizontal plane; a wafer clamping device is provided on the rotatable fixed plate; detecting the notch position on the wafer by the detection device includes: fixing the wafer on the rotatable fixed plate by the wafer clamping device; driving the rotatable fixed plate to rotate, thereby driving the wafer to rotate together, and detecting the notch on the wafer by the detection device during this process.

[0036] In some embodiments, the load chamber further includes a lifting device, which is used to lift the wafer and separate it from the wafer support device, or to lower the wafer and place it on the wafer support device; wherein detecting the position of the notch on the wafer by the detection device further includes: if the detection device does not detect the notch on the wafer after the rotatable fixed plate rotates one circle, then the wafer clamping device releases the wafer, the wafer is lifted by the lifting device, and after driving the rotatable fixed plate to rotate an angle, the wafer is placed back on the wafer support device by the lifting device, and the wafer is re-fixed on the rotatable fixed plate by the wafer clamping device, and then the rotatable fixed plate is driven to rotate again to detect the notch on the wafer.

[0037] The load chamber provided in this application has a wafer calibration function, wherein the device for wafer calibration (such as a wafer positioning device, a detection device, etc.) does not need to occupy additional space, making the equipment structure compact and saving the space occupied by the entire system. Moreover, the calibration of the wafer can be carried out simultaneously with other steps. For example, the calibration of the wafer can be synchronized with the valve switching and the exhaust or intake of the load chamber, thereby increasing production capacity. In addition, the calibration of the wafer can rely on the existing cavity structure to save costs.

[0038] The details of one or more embodiments of the present application are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The disclosure in this specification refers to and includes the following figures:

[0040] Figure 1 is a schematic top view of a load chamber with a wafer calibration function according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0041] Figure 2yes Figure 1 A front view of a load chamber with a wafer calibration function is shown (it is not an orthographic projection, so the wafer support device 2 in the figure is shown as an ellipse);

[0042] Figure 3 is a schematic system block diagram of a semiconductor processing system according to some embodiments of the present application;

[0043] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a timing logic diagram of transferring and processing wafers during operation of a semiconductor processing system according to some embodiments of the present application.

[0044] As is customary, various features illustrated in the figures may not be drawn to scale. Therefore, the dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily enlarged or reduced for clarity. The shapes of the components illustrated in the figures are exemplary only and do not define the actual shapes of the components. Furthermore, the embodiments illustrated in the figures may be simplified for clarity. Therefore, the figures may not depict all components of a given device or apparatus. Finally, the same reference numerals may be used throughout the specification and figures to denote the same features. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] The present invention will be more fully described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating specific exemplary embodiments by way of illustration. However, the subject matter claimed herein may be embodied in many different forms, and thus the construction of the claimed or covered subject matter is not limited to any exemplary embodiment disclosed herein; the exemplary embodiments are provided for illustrative purposes only. Similarly, the present invention is intended to provide a reasonably broad scope for the claimed or covered subject matter.

[0046] The use of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "according to an embodiment" in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor does it imply that the claimed technical solution must include all the features described in the embodiment. Furthermore, the use of "in other (some / certain) embodiments" or "according to other (some / certain) embodiments" in this specification does not necessarily refer to different embodiments. The intent is, for example, that the claimed subject matter includes all or part of the combination of the exemplary embodiments. The terms "including" and "comprising" in this specification are used in an open-ended manner and should be interpreted as meaning "including, but not limited to..." The meanings of "upper" and "lower" in this specification are not limited to the relationships directly shown in the figures; they may include other explicit correspondences, such as "left" and "right," or the reverse of "upper" and "lower." The term "wafer" in this specification should be understood to be interchangeable with terms such as "substrate," "wafer," "chip," and "silicon wafer." This specification uses certain terms to refer to specific system components. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, different companies may use different names to refer to these system components.

[0047] Load cell with wafer calibration capability

[0048] The first aspect of the present application is to provide a load chamber with a wafer calibration function. The "wafer calibration function" described herein may include at least one of the following functions: (1) wafer positioning, including adjusting the position of the wafer so that it is fixed in a desired position (for example, substantially concentric with the wafer support device); (2) wafer notch positioning, including detecting the notch on the wafer and adjusting the orientation of the wafer so that the notch is fixed in a desired position (for example, a position corresponding to the detection device). Therefore, from the perspective of the functions implemented, the present application provides three types of load chambers with a wafer calibration function: the first type is a load chamber that can only realize wafer positioning; the second type is a load chamber that can only realize wafer notch positioning; and the third type is a load chamber that can simultaneously realize wafer positioning and wafer notch positioning.

[0049] These three types of load chambers can be applied to different semiconductor processing systems to meet the needs of different application scenarios. For example, the first type of load chamber can be applied to the following scenarios: Scenario 1: The semiconductor processing system uses an adsorption-type robot transmission. The adsorption-type robot has the characteristics of greater compatibility with the thickness, warping, size and other specifications of the transferred object (i.e., wafer), but it has no correction function for the wafer position. Large deviations in the wafer position may cause uncontrollable problems in the process. Therefore, the above-mentioned first type of load chamber can be used to position the wafer; Scenario 2: After the wafer is processed in the process chamber, the position is offset due to process gases, static electricity generated by the reaction, transmission mechanism, etc. When the wafer is transferred out, it may cause the wafer to be unable to be accurately placed in the container carrying the wafer. Therefore, the above-mentioned first type of load chamber can be used to position the wafer, and then the wafer can be transferred to the container carrying the wafer. For another example, the second type of load chamber can be applied to scenarios where the wafer notch needs to be uniformly angled (for example, some special processes require the wafer notch to be set at a uniform angle). The third type of load chamber is suitable for any of the above scenarios, and is also suitable for scenarios where not only the wafer needs to be positioned, but also the wafer notch needs to be aligned at a uniform angle.

[0050] To save space, the embodiments of this application, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, specifically describe a load chamber capable of simultaneously performing both wafer positioning and wafer notch positioning functions, namely, the aforementioned third type of load chamber. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art, based on the disclosure of this specification and the accompanying drawings, are fully capable of implementing the aforementioned first and second types of load chambers (e.g., by omitting or replacing certain components) without departing from the scope of the subject matter claimed herein.

[0051] See also Figure 1 , which is a top view of a load chamber 100 with a wafer calibration function provided by some embodiments of the present application. Figure 1 As shown in , the load chamber 100 includes: a chamber body 1, which can accommodate wafers; and a wafer support device 2, which is located in the chamber body 1 and is used to support the wafer. To achieve the wafer positioning function, the load chamber 100 may also include a wafer positioning device 3, which is also located in the chamber body 1 and is used to position the wafer supported by the wafer support device 2. To achieve the wafer notch positioning function, the load chamber 100 may also include a detection device 4, which is also located in the chamber body 1 and is used to detect the notch position on the wafer supported by the wafer support device 2. In some embodiments, the load chamber 100 may also include a lifting device 5, which is also located in the chamber body 1 and can be used to lift the wafer supported by the wafer support device 2 and separate it from the wafer support device 2, or to lower the wafer and place it on the wafer support device.

[0052] like Figure 1As shown in the figure, the load chamber 100 is usually adjacent to the atmospheric transfer chamber 200 (shown in dotted lines in the figure). The atmospheric transfer chamber 200 is provided with an atmospheric transfer mechanism, such as a robot 201. The atmospheric transfer mechanism can take out the wafer from the wafer carrier (also referred to as a wafer carrier container, not shown in the figure) under an atmospheric environment and transfer it to the wafer support device 2 in the load chamber 100 for subsequent calibration operations. It can also take out the wafer in the load chamber 100 and transfer it to the wafer carrier. The atmospheric transfer chamber 200 and the atmospheric transfer mechanism can adopt any existing design (not limited to the structure and arrangement shown in the figure), so they are not described in detail herein.

[0053] like Figure 1 As shown in FIG, in a semiconductor processing system, two load locks 100 may be provided side by side. Each load lock 100 may include the chamber body 1, wafer support device 2, wafer positioning device 3, detection device 4, and lifting device 5 described above. In this way, the two load locks can operate simultaneously, doubling operational efficiency. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that only one load lock or any other number of load locks may be provided as needed, and these load locks may be arranged side by side or in other configurations without departing from the scope of the subject matter claimed herein.

[0054] The following combination Figure 1 and Figure 2 The specific structure of the load chamber 100 in the above embodiment will be further described. The chamber body 1 may adopt any existing design, which will not be described in detail here.

[0055] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 、 2 As shown in , the wafer support device 2 includes a rotatable fixed disk 21. In other embodiments (such as the embodiment of the first load chamber), the wafer support device 2 may include a non-rotatable fixed disk. In some embodiments, the wafer support device 2 may also include a plurality of ejector rods 22 extending upward from the fixed disk for supporting the wafer. When the wafer is placed on the wafer support device 2, the wafer is supported by the plurality of ejector rods 22, thereby avoiding surface contact with the fixed disk, which is beneficial to protecting the surface of the wafer and preventing warping caused by uneven surface contact. Although only three ejector rods 22 are shown in the figure, those skilled in the art will understand that the number of ejector rods 22 is not limited to three, but can be set as needed. In some embodiments, the wafer support device 2 can also adopt an adsorption-type support device, which has a certain adsorption and fixing effect on the wafer.

[0056] The rotatable fixed plate 21 can be driven by, for example, a motor (not shown) to rotate around its center in a horizontal plane. The wafer positioning device 3 is fixed together with the rotatable fixed plate 21 so as to be able to rotate synchronously therewith. During operation, when the two rotate, they can drive the wafer placed on the wafer support device 2 and held by the wafer positioning device 3 to rotate together. During this process, the detection device 4 can detect the notch on the wafer, thereby performing the wafer notch positioning operation. In some embodiments (such as the embodiment of the second load chamber), the wafer positioning device 3 can also be replaced by other wafer clamping devices, such as a device that can only fix the wafer on the rotatable fixed plate 21 without adjusting the position of the wafer.

[0057] In some embodiments, the wafer positioning device 3 includes a clamping device for clamping the wafer in a desired position. Figure 2 As shown, the clamping device includes at least one pair of stoppers 31, each of which is substantially symmetrically positioned on opposite sides of the wafer support device 2. For clarity, only one pair of stoppers 31 is shown. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the number and position of the stoppers 31 may be adjusted as needed.

[0058] The wafer positioning device 3 may further include an adjusting device for adjusting the distance between each pair of stoppers 31. For example, Figure 2 As shown in FIG, the wafer positioning device 3 may include two relatively movable screws 32, which extend along the radial direction of the rotatable fixed plate 21 of the wafer support device 2 and pass through the interior thereof, and the two can be driven by a lead screw (not shown in the figure) to move closer to or away from each other. Figure 2 As shown in FIG, two screws 32 are respectively connected to corresponding stops 31, and the two stops 31 are respectively located at the ends of the two screws 32. Therefore, when the two screws 32 move closer to or away from each other, the two stops 31 also move closer to or away from each other, thereby clamping or releasing the wafer on the wafer support device 2. As the two stops 31 move closer to each other, they can slightly push the wafer on the wafer support device 2, adjusting it to a desired position. In other embodiments, when the wafer is placed on the wafer support device 2, the wafer can automatically fall into the desired position due to the limiting effect of the stops 31.

[0059] like Figure 1 and 2As shown, the detection device 4 is located within the chamber body 1 at a position generally corresponding to the edge of the wafer support device 2. It may include a light source and a photoelectric sensor (e.g., a through-beam sensor, a reflective sensor) for detecting the notch on the wafer, thereby achieving the function of wafer notch positioning. For example, the light source may emit detection light downward, and the information carried by the reflected light detected by the photoelectric sensor may be used to determine whether the notch on the wafer is in a desired position (e.g., the position below the detection device 4). In some embodiments, after the detection device 4 detects the notch on the wafer, it may also rotate the wafer by a predetermined angle to a desired orientation.

[0060] In some embodiments, as Figure 1 and 2 As shown, the load chamber 100 further includes a lifting device 5, which can be driven by a motor to move up and down. Figure 2 As shown in , in the initial state, the lifting device 5 is lower in height than the upper surface of the wafer support device 2. When the wafer notch cannot be found (for example, no notch is detected during the wafer's rotation), it is likely that the notch on the wafer is blocked by the clamping device. In this case, the wafer needs to be deflected by a certain angle so that the notch avoids the clamping device. This can be achieved with the help of the lifting device 5. For example, the clamping device can release the wafer, and the lifting mechanism 5 can be driven to rise to lift the wafer and separate it from the rotatable fixed plate 21. The rotatable fixed plate 21 can then be rotated by a certain angle, and the clamping device can also be rotated by a certain angle. The lifting device 5 can then be driven to descend to place the wafer back on the rotatable fixed plate 21, and the wafer can be fixed again with the clamping device to continue wafer notch positioning.

[0061] Semiconductor processing systems

[0062] The second aspect of the present application is to provide a semiconductor processing system. Figure 3 In some embodiments of the present application, the semiconductor processing system includes: a load chamber 100 with a wafer calibration function, which may be the load chamber described in any embodiment of the first aspect, wherein the load chamber 100 can realize the conversion between the atmospheric environment and the vacuum environment; an atmospheric transfer chamber 200, which may be adjacent to the load chamber 100 (e.g. Figure 1 The atmospheric transfer chamber 200 shown in FIG. 1 may include an atmospheric transfer mechanism (eg, an atmospheric transfer mechanism) for transferring wafers between the atmospheric transfer chamber 200 and the loadlock chamber 100 under an atmospheric environment. Figure 1The semiconductor processing system may further include a vacuum transfer chamber 300, which may also be adjacent to the loadlock chamber 100 and may include a vacuum transfer mechanism (e.g., a vacuum robot) for transferring wafers between the vacuum transfer chamber 300 and the loadlock chamber 100 under a vacuum environment. The semiconductor processing system may also include a reaction chamber 400 for handling or processing wafers. The vacuum transfer mechanism in the vacuum transfer chamber 300 may also be used to transfer wafers between the vacuum transfer chamber 300 and the reaction chamber 400.

[0063] In the above-described embodiments of the present application, the atmospheric transfer chamber 200, vacuum transfer chamber 300, and reaction chamber 400 can all employ any existing designs, and therefore, this specification does not elaborate on them. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that when a semiconductor processing system employs the load lock chamber 100 with wafer alignment provided herein, a separate wafer alignment device is not required within the atmospheric transfer chamber 200. This significantly simplifies the structure of the atmospheric transfer chamber 200, saving space and reducing costs.

[0064] Method for calibrating a wafer in a semiconductor processing system

[0065] The third aspect of the present application is to provide a method for calibrating a wafer in a semiconductor processing system. Figure 3 The method is described with reference to the semiconductor processing system shown in FIG. 1 , wherein the load chamber 100 may include a Figure 1 and Figure 2 The structure shown or similar structure (for example, some of the components may be omitted or replaced). Figure 3 Only an exemplary system structure block diagram is provided, which is not intended to limit the specific structure of the semiconductor processing system. The method provided in this application can also be applied to other semiconductor processing systems with similar functions.

[0066] According to some embodiments of the present application, a method for calibrating a wafer in a semiconductor processing system may include the following steps:

[0067] (a) The wafer is transferred to the wafer support device 2 in the load chamber 100 by the atmospheric transfer mechanism in the atmospheric transfer chamber 200 under atmospheric environment (for example, the wafer is transferred from the wafer carrier device ( Figure 3 (not shown) grabs the wafer and then transfers it to the load chamber 100 and places it on the wafer support device 2 therein);

[0068] (b) closing a first valve between the atmospheric transfer chamber 200 and the loadlock chamber 100, and then evacuating the loadlock chamber 100. During at least a portion of the period during which the first valve is closed and the loadlock chamber 100 is evacuated, performing wafer calibration (e.g., performing wafer positioning and / or wafer notch positioning) within the loadlock chamber 100. That is, wafer calibration may be performed simultaneously with closing the first valve and evacuating the loadlock chamber 100.

[0069] (c) after the loadlock 100 reaches a vacuum environment, opening a second valve between the loadlock 100 and the vacuum transfer chamber 300 , and then transferring the calibrated wafer from the loadlock 100 to the vacuum transfer chamber 300 via the vacuum transfer mechanism in the vacuum transfer chamber 300 ; and

[0070] (d) The calibrated wafer is transferred to the reaction chamber 400 by the vacuum transfer mechanism for processing.

[0071] In some embodiments, the method may further include a recovery step after the wafer processing is completed, for example, including the following steps:

[0072] (e) transferring the processed wafer to the wafer support device 2 in the load chamber 100 in a vacuum environment through the vacuum transfer mechanism in the vacuum transfer chamber 300;

[0073] (f) closing the second valve between the loadlock chamber 100 and the vacuum transfer chamber 300, and then opening the first valve between the atmospheric transfer chamber 200 and the loadlock chamber 100 to allow air to flow back into the loadlock chamber 100, and calibrating the processed wafer in the loadlock chamber 100 (e.g., performing wafer positioning and / or wafer notch positioning) during at least a portion of the period of closing the second valve, opening the first valve, and allowing air to flow back; and

[0074] (g) The calibrated processed wafer is taken out of the loadlock chamber 100 by the atmospheric transfer mechanism in the atmospheric transfer chamber 200 , for example, and placed in a wafer carrier.

[0075] In embodiments where the loadlock 100 includes a wafer positioning device 3, aligning the wafer within the loadlock 100 (e.g., in steps (b) and (f) above) includes positioning the wafer by the wafer positioning device. The wafer positioning device 3 may include a clamping device for clamping the wafer in a desired position, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 At least one pair of stoppers 31 is shown. The wafer positioning device 3 may further include an adjustment device for adjusting the distance between each pair of stoppers 31. In some embodiments, positioning the wafer using the wafer positioning device 3 includes reducing the distance between each pair of stoppers 31 using the adjustment device, thereby clamping the wafer and fixing it in a desired position.

[0076] In embodiments where the loadlock 100 includes a detection device 4, calibrating the wafer within the loadlock 100 (e.g., in steps (b) and (f) above) includes detecting the location of the notch on the wafer using the detection device 4. In these embodiments, the wafer support device 2 may include a rotatable fixed plate 21 on which a wafer clamping device is disposed. In some embodiments, detecting the location of the notch on the wafer using the detection device 4 includes: securing the wafer to the rotatable fixed plate 21 using the wafer clamping device; and rotating the rotatable fixed plate 21, thereby rotating the wafer, during which the notch on the wafer is detected by the detection device 4.

[0077] In an embodiment where the load chamber 100 further includes a lifting device 5, detecting the position of the notch on the wafer by the detection device 4 may further include: if the detection device 4 does not detect the notch on the wafer after the rotatable fixed plate 21 rotates one circle, then the wafer clamping device releases the wafer, the wafer is lifted by the lifting device 5, and after the rotatable fixed plate 21 is driven to rotate an angle, the wafer is placed back on the wafer supporting device 2 by the lifting device 5, and the wafer is re-fixed on the rotatable fixed plate 21 by the wafer clamping device, and then the rotatable fixed plate 21 is driven to rotate again to detect the notch on the wafer.

[0078] Figure 3 The upward arrow in FIG represents the direction in which the wafer to be processed is transferred between the chambers in the semiconductor processing system, corresponding to the transfer of the wafer in the above steps (a)-(d); Figure 3 The downward arrows in FIG. 5 represent the direction in which the processed wafers are transferred between chambers in the semiconductor processing system, which generally corresponds to the transfer of the wafers in steps (e)-(f) above.

[0079] Figure 4 More specifically, the timing logic of transferring and processing wafers during operation of a semiconductor processing system according to some embodiments of the present application is shown. It should be understood that Figure 4 This is only an exemplary chip transmission timing and is not intended to limit all chip transmission timings of the embodiments of the present application. The steps and timings may be added, deleted or adjusted according to actual process requirements.

[0080] Figure 4It is presented in the form of a table, in which the leftmost column of the table lists the names of the various parts of the system (i.e., wafer carrier, atmospheric transfer chamber, load chamber, vacuum transfer chamber, reaction chamber), and the row containing the name of each part describes the action / step performed in that part. The table represents the order of time passage from left to right in the horizontal direction. Starting from the second column on the left, each column (respectively marked as columns 1-14) describes the action / step performed in the corresponding time period. It should be understood that the width of each column does not represent the actual length of time; the fact that an action / step occupies several time periods in the figure does not mean that the action / step must occupy all of these time periods. In addition, the action / step may also occupy other time periods.

[0081] See also Figure 4 First, atmospheric transfer is performed between the wafer carrier and the atmospheric transfer chamber: the atmospheric transfer mechanism in the atmospheric transfer chamber removes the wafer from the wafer carrier (see column 1). Then, atmospheric transfer is performed between the atmospheric transfer chamber and the loadlock (the first valve between the loadlock and atmospheric transfer chambers is open, i.e., the loadlock is exposed to atmospheric air): the atmospheric transfer mechanism transfers the wafer to the loadlock (see column 2).

[0082] Next, the first valve between the loadlock and the atmospheric transfer chamber is closed (see column 3), and the loadlock is evacuated (see columns 4-6). While the first valve is closed and evacuated, wafer alignment (e.g., wafer positioning and / or wafer notch alignment) can be performed within the loadlock (see columns 3-5). During this process, the second valve between the loadlock and the vacuum transfer chamber is closed. Therefore, concurrently, the following steps can be performed: opening the third valve between the vacuum transfer chamber and the reaction chamber (see column 3); performing a vacuum transfer between the vacuum transfer chamber and the reaction chamber (e.g., if the wafers in the reaction chamber have been processed, the processed wafers can be removed from the reaction chamber via the vacuum transfer mechanism in the vacuum transfer chamber) (see column 4); and then closing the third valve between the vacuum transfer chamber and the reaction chamber (see column 5). The vacuum transfer mechanism can then be rotated (see column 6) to prepare for removal of the calibrated wafer from the loadlock and / or transfer of the processed wafers to the loadlock.

[0083] After the loadlock reaches a vacuum environment, the second valve between the loadlock and the vacuum transfer chamber can be opened (see column 7). Vacuum transfer can then be performed between the loadlock and the vacuum transfer chamber (see column 8): the calibration wafer can be removed from the loadlock and / or the processed wafer can be transferred to the loadlock via the vacuum transfer mechanism. After the vacuum transfer is complete, the second valve between the loadlock and the vacuum transfer chamber is closed (see column 9). The first valve between the loadlock and the atmospheric transfer chamber is then opened to perform air backfill (i.e., allow air to flow back into the loadlock) (see columns 10-12). While the second valve is closed, the first valve is opened, and the backfill is performed, calibration of the processed wafer can be performed in the loadlock (e.g., wafer alignment and / or wafer gap alignment) (see columns 9-11). Then, atmospheric transfer wafer delivery is performed between the load chamber and the atmospheric transfer chamber: the calibrated processed wafer is taken out of the load chamber by the atmospheric transfer mechanism (see column 13); and then atmospheric transfer wafer removal is performed between the atmospheric transfer chamber and the wafer carrier: the calibrated processed wafer is placed into the wafer carrier by the atmospheric transfer mechanism (see column 14).

[0084] In addition, after closing the second valve between the load chamber and the vacuum transfer chamber, while performing air backfilling on the load chamber and subsequent atmospheric transfer wafer delivery and atmospheric transfer wafer removal, the following steps may be performed: the vacuum transfer mechanism may perform a rotation operation (see column 10) to prepare for transferring the calibrated wafer removed from the load chamber to the reaction chamber; the third valve between the vacuum transfer chamber and the reaction chamber may be opened (see column 11); vacuum transfer may be performed between the vacuum transfer chamber and the reaction chamber: the calibrated wafer removed from the load chamber may be transferred to the reaction chamber via the vacuum transfer mechanism (see column 12); the third valve between the vacuum transfer chamber and the reaction chamber may be closed (see column 13); and the calibrated wafer may be processed in the reaction chamber (see column 14).

[0085] As described above, the semiconductor processing system provided herein utilizes a load cell with a wafer calibration function. This eliminates the need for an additional wafer calibration device within the atmospheric transmission mechanism, resulting in a compact structure and reduced space occupied by the entire system. Furthermore, within this semiconductor processing system, wafer calibration can be performed simultaneously with other steps. For example, wafer calibration can be synchronized with the opening and closing of the load cell valve and the extraction or intake of air, significantly improving operational efficiency and production capacity.

[0086] The description in this specification is provided to enable one skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined in this specification may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A load chamber (100) with a wafer calibration function, comprising: Chamber body(1); a wafer supporting device (2), located in the chamber body (1) and used for supporting the wafer; as well as a wafer positioning device (3), located in the chamber body (1) and used for positioning the wafer supported by the wafer supporting device (2); The wafer positioning device (3) comprises a clamping device for clamping the wafer at a desired position; the clamping device comprises at least one pair of blocks (31), and each pair of blocks (31) in the at least one pair of blocks (31) is symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the wafer supporting device (2); the wafer positioning device (3) further comprises an adjusting device for adjusting the distance between each pair of blocks (31) in the at least one pair of blocks (31); Wherein, the wafer supporting device (2) comprises a fixed plate, and the wafer positioning device (3) is arranged on the fixed plate.

2. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 1, wherein the wafer support device (2) further comprises a plurality of ejector pins (22) extending upward from the fixed plate for supporting the wafer.

3. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 1, wherein: The fixed disk includes a rotatable fixed disk (21) which can be driven to rotate around its center in a horizontal plane; The wafer positioning device (3) is fixed together with the rotatable fixed disk (21) so as to be able to rotate synchronously therewith.

4. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment device includes a screw (32) connected to a corresponding stopper (31).

5. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 1 further comprises a detection device (4) located in the chamber body (1), wherein the detection device (4) is used to detect the position of the notch on the wafer supported by the wafer support device (2).

6. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 5, wherein the detection device (4) comprises a light source and a photoelectric sensor, and is located at a position corresponding to the edge of the wafer supporting device (2).

7. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 1 further comprises a lifting device (5), wherein the lifting device (5) is used to lift the wafer supported by the wafer support device (2) and separate it from the wafer support device (2), or to lower the wafer and place it on the wafer support device (2).

8. A load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function, comprising: Chamber body(1); a wafer supporting device (2), located in the chamber body (1) and used for supporting the wafer; as well as a detection device (4), located in the chamber body (1) and used to detect the position of a notch on the wafer supported by the wafer supporting device (2); a wafer positioning device (3), located in the chamber body (1) and used for positioning the wafer supported by the wafer supporting device (2); The wafer positioning device (3) comprises a clamping device for clamping the wafer at a desired position; the clamping device comprises at least one pair of blocks (31), and each pair of blocks (31) in the at least one pair of blocks (31) is symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the wafer supporting device (2); the wafer positioning device (3) further comprises an adjusting device for adjusting the distance between each pair of blocks (31) in the at least one pair of blocks (31); Wherein, the wafer supporting device (2) comprises a fixed plate, and the wafer positioning device (3) is arranged on the fixed plate.

9. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 8, wherein the detection device (4) comprises a light source and a photoelectric sensor, and is located at a position corresponding to an edge of the wafer supporting device (2).

10. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 8, wherein: The wafer supporting device (2) comprises a rotatable fixed disk (21) which can be driven to rotate around its center in a horizontal plane; the wafer clamping device is fixed together with the rotatable fixed disk (21) so as to be able to rotate synchronously therewith.

11. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 8, wherein the adjustment device comprises a screw (32) connected to a corresponding stopper (31).

12. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 8 further comprises a lifting device (5), wherein the lifting device (5) is used to lift the wafer supported by the wafer support device (2) and separate it from the wafer support device (2), or to lower the wafer and place it on the wafer support device (2).

13. The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to claim 10, wherein the wafer support device (2) further comprises a plurality of ejector pins (22) extending upward from the rotatable fixed plate (21) for supporting the wafer.

14. A semiconductor processing system comprising: The load chamber (100) with wafer calibration function according to any one of claims 1 to 13; An atmospheric transfer chamber (200) comprising an atmospheric transfer mechanism for transferring wafers between the atmospheric transfer chamber (200) and the load chamber (100) under an atmospheric environment; and A vacuum transfer chamber (300) includes a vacuum transfer mechanism for transferring wafers between the vacuum transfer chamber (300) and the load chamber (100) under a vacuum environment.

15. The semiconductor processing system according to claim 14, further comprising a reaction chamber (400) for processing wafers, wherein the vacuum transfer mechanism is further configured to transfer wafers between the vacuum transfer chamber (300) and the reaction chamber (400).

16. A method for calibrating a wafer in a semiconductor processing system, the semiconductor processing system comprising a load chamber (100), an atmospheric transfer chamber (200), a vacuum transfer chamber (300), and a reaction chamber (400), wherein the load chamber (100) comprises: Chamber body(1); and a wafer supporting device (2), which is located in the chamber body (1) and is used to support the wafer, the method comprising: (a) transferring a wafer to the wafer support device (2) in the load chamber (100) under an atmospheric environment via an atmospheric transfer mechanism in the atmospheric transfer chamber (200); (b) closing a first valve between the atmospheric transfer chamber (200) and the loadlock chamber (100), and then evacuating the loadlock chamber (100), and calibrating the wafer in the loadlock chamber (100) during at least a portion of the period of closing the first valve and evacuating the loadlock chamber (100), wherein the calibration includes at least one of wafer positioning and wafer notch positioning; (c) after the load chamber (100) reaches a vacuum environment, opening a second valve between the load chamber (100) and the vacuum transfer chamber (300), and then transferring the calibrated wafer from the load chamber (100) to the vacuum transfer chamber (300) via a vacuum transfer mechanism in the vacuum transfer chamber (300); and (d) transferring the calibrated wafer to the reaction chamber (400) via the vacuum transfer mechanism to process the wafer; Wherein: the load chamber (100) further comprises a wafer positioning device (3), which is located in the chamber body (1); calibrating the wafer in the load chamber (100) comprises positioning the wafer by the wafer positioning device (3); Wherein: the wafer positioning device (3) comprises a clamping device for clamping the wafer at a desired position; Wherein: the clamping device comprises at least one pair of blocks (31), each pair of blocks (31) in the at least one pair of blocks (31) is symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the wafer supporting device (2), and the wafer positioning device (3) further comprises an adjusting device for adjusting the distance between each pair of blocks (31) in the at least one pair of blocks (31); positioning the wafer by the wafer positioning device (3) comprises reducing the distance between each pair of blocks (31) in the at least one pair of blocks (31) by the adjusting device, thereby clamping the wafer and fixing it in a desired position; Wherein, the wafer supporting device (2) comprises a fixed plate, and the wafer positioning device (3) is arranged on the fixed plate.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising: (e) transferring the processed wafer to the wafer support device (2) in the load chamber (100) in a vacuum environment through the vacuum transfer mechanism; (f) closing the second valve and then opening the first valve to allow air to flow back into the loadlock chamber (100), and calibrating the processed wafer in the loadlock chamber (100) during at least a portion of the period of closing the second valve, opening the first valve, and allowing air to flow back; as well as (g) removing the calibrated processed wafer from the load chamber (100) via the atmospheric transfer mechanism.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein: The load chamber (100) further comprises a detection device (4) located in the chamber body (1), and calibrating the wafer in the load chamber (100) comprises detecting the position of the notch on the wafer by the detection device (4).

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein: The wafer supporting device (2) comprises a rotatable fixed disk (21) which can be driven to rotate around its center in a horizontal plane; The rotatable fixed disk (21) is provided with a wafer clamping device; Detecting the notch position on the wafer by the detection device (4) comprises: fixing the wafer on the rotatable fixed disk (21) by the wafer clamping device; The rotatable fixed disk (21) is driven to rotate, thereby driving the wafer to rotate together, and during this process, the notch on the wafer is detected by the detection device (4).

20. The method of claim 19, wherein: The load chamber (100) further comprises a lifting device (5), the lifting device (5) being used to lift the wafer and separate it from the wafer support device (2), or to lower the wafer and place it on the wafer support device (2); The detecting device (4) further detects the position of the notch on the wafer, and further comprises: If the detection device (4) does not detect the notch on the wafer after the rotatable fixed disk (21) rotates one circle, the wafer clamping device is made to release the wafer, the wafer is lifted by the lifting device (5), and the rotatable fixed disk (21) is driven to rotate an angle. The wafer is then placed back on the wafer supporting device (2) by the lifting device (5), and the wafer is fixed on the rotatable fixed disk (21) again by the wafer clamping device. The rotatable fixed disk (21) is then driven to rotate again to detect the notch on the wafer.

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