Wafer carrier device and semiconductor processing equipment

Abstract

The present application discloses a wafer carrier device and semiconductor processing equipment, wherein the wafer carrier device comprises: a lower electrode plate for carrying the carrier, and a window is provided on the lower electrode plate; a first driving unit connected to the lower electrode plate, for driving the lower electrode plate to rise to a first position, or driving the lower electrode plate to descend to a second position; a lifting assembly, which is liftably provided in the window, for opening the window when rising relative to the lower electrode plate, and supporting the carrier when rising to a third position, and capable of transporting the carrier along a first direction; or covering the window when descending to a fourth position relative to the lower electrode plate, and the top surface of the lifting assembly is not higher than the top surface of the lower electrode plate; a second driving unit connected to the lifting assembly, for driving the lifting assembly to perform lifting motion relative to the lower electrode plate. The present application provides a window on the lower electrode plate, and a lifting assembly is provided in the window, and the lifting assembly supports the carrier when rising to the third position to prevent deformation of the carrier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and in particular to a wafer carrier and semiconductor processing equipment. Background Art

[0002] At present, Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) equipment is the main technology used in the solar silicon wafer coating process.

[0003] Before the deposition process begins, the wafer needs to be transferred to the process chamber. In conventional PECVD equipment, the wafer is carried on a carrier plate 1a and transferred between an upper electrode 3a and a lower electrode 4a via rollers 2a. Discharge between the upper and lower electrodes 3a and 4a forms a plasma for the deposition process. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the carrier being transferred in the process chamber in the prior art. Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view of a process chamber during deposition in the prior art.

[0004] After carrier 1a is transferred to the process chamber, lower electrode 4a must rise to contact and lift carrier 1a. Therefore, rollers 2a in the process chamber can only be positioned on either side of the transfer direction. During transfer, carrier 1a deforms due to gravity. This deformation can cause unstable transfer and the risk of wafer cracking. As carrier 1a continues to grow in size to achieve higher production capacity, these issues become increasingly prominent. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In response to the above technical problems, the present application provides a wafer carrier device and semiconductor processing equipment, which can improve the problem in existing equipment where unstable carrier transmission may cause silicon wafer cracking.

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, in a first aspect, embodiments of the present application provide a wafer carrier device for use in a process chamber of a semiconductor processing device, comprising:

[0007] a lower electrode plate, used for carrying a carrier plate transferred into the process chamber along a first direction, and provided with a window on the lower electrode plate;

[0008] a first driving unit connected to the lower electrode plate, and configured to drive the lower electrode plate to rise to a first position, or to drive the lower electrode plate to descend to a second position;

[0009] a lifting assembly, movably disposed in the window, the lifting assembly being configured to open the window when rising relative to the lower electrode plate, and to support the carrier plate when rising to a third position, and to transport the carrier plate along the first direction; or to close the window when descending relative to the lower electrode plate to a fourth position, with the top surface of the lifting assembly being no higher than the top surface of the lower electrode plate;

[0010] The second driving part is connected to the lifting assembly and is used to drive the lifting assembly to move up and down relative to the lower electrode plate.

[0011] Optionally, when the lifting assembly descends to the fourth position relative to the lower electrode plate, the top surface of the lifting assembly is flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate.

[0012] Optionally, the lifting assembly includes:

[0013] a lifting rod, passing through the window and connected to the second driving part;

[0014] a second roller rotatably connected to the top of the lifting rod along the first direction, and configured to provide rolling support for the carrier plate when the lower electrode plate is raised to the second position and the lifting rod is raised to the third position;

[0015] A flip cover assembly is arranged at the window in an openable or closable manner, and is used to open the window when the lifting rod drives the second roller to rise; or to close the window when the lifting rod drives the second roller to descend to the fourth position, and in the closed state, the top surface of the flip cover assembly is flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate, and the second roller is located below the flip cover assembly.

[0016] Optionally, the flip cover assembly includes:

[0017] a first cover, wherein one side of the first cover is hinged to a first edge of the window;

[0018] a first connecting rod, one end of which is hinged to the first cover body, and the other end of which is hinged to the lifting rod, wherein the lifting rod drives the first cover body to flip relative to the first edge through the first connecting rod;

[0019] a second cover, one side of the second cover being hinged to a second edge of the window, the second edge being opposite to the first edge;

[0020] a second connecting rod, one end of which is hinged to the second cover body, and the other end of which is hinged to the lifting rod, and the lifting rod drives the second cover body to flip relative to the second edge through the second connecting rod;

[0021] The first cover body and the second cover body are used to open the window when the lifting rod rises; or to cover the window when the lifting rod descends to the fourth position, and the top surface of the first cover body and the top surface of the second cover body are flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate.

[0022] Optionally, the window includes a first portion facing the top surface of the lower electrode plate and a second portion facing the bottom surface of the lower electrode plate, and an area of ​​the first portion is larger than an area of ​​the second portion, so that the first portion and the second portion form an annular step;

[0023] After the first cover and the second cover cover the first part, they are both supported on the annular step, and the area of ​​the first part is equal to the sum of the areas of the first cover and the second cover.

[0024] Optionally, an annular grounding strip is provided on the annular step;

[0025] After the first cover and the second cover cover the first portion, they both contact the annular grounding strip.

[0026] Optionally, the first cover body and the second cover body are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lifting rod;

[0027] The first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lifting rod.

[0028] Optionally, a plurality of windows are provided and arranged in two rows along a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0029] In the second aspect, an embodiment of the present application also provides a semiconductor processing equipment, including a process chamber, the process chamber including a chamber body, a transmission device and a chip carrier as described in any of the above embodiments, the transmission device and the chip carrier are both arranged in the chamber body, the transmission device is located on both sides of the lower electrode plate along the second direction, the carrier includes two supporting edges parallel to the first direction, the transmission device supports and transmits the carrier along the supporting edges, and the lifting assembly supports and transmits the position between the two supporting edges of the carrier, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

[0030] Optionally, the transmission device includes a plurality of first rollers arranged along the first direction;

[0031] A notch is provided on the lower electrode plate facing the first roller to avoid the first roller.

[0032] Optionally, the semiconductor processing equipment further includes a control module, wherein the control module is connected to the first driving unit and the second driving unit respectively, and the control module is configured to:

[0033] When the carrier plate is being transported, controlling the second driving unit to drive the lifting rod to rise to the third position relative to the lower electrode plate;

[0034] When the carrier plate is transferred to the target position, the second driving unit is controlled to drive the lifting rod to descend to the fourth position relative to the lower electrode plate, and the first driving unit is controlled to drive the lower electrode plate to ascend to the first position.

[0035] As described above, the chip carrier device of this embodiment is provided with a window on the lower electrode plate, and a lifting assembly is provided in the window. When the lower electrode plate is located at the second position and the lifting assembly rises to the third position relative to the lower electrode plate, the lifting assembly supports the carrier plate transferred to the top of the lifting assembly and transfers the carrier plate in the first direction, so that the carrier plate can be stably transferred along the first direction without basically deforming. When the lifting assembly descends to the fourth position relative to the lower electrode plate, the top surface of the lifting assembly is not higher than the top surface of the lower electrode plate, so that the lower electrode plate can directly contact the carrier plate and lift the carrier plate during the process of rising to the first position to carry out the process. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The accompanying drawings herein are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the present application, and together with the specification, are used to explain the principles of the present application. In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following is a brief introduction to the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without inventive work.

[0037] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a carrier plate being transferred in a process chamber in the prior art;

[0038] Figure 2 It is a cross-sectional view of a process chamber during deposition in the prior art;

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a top view of a wafer carrier in a process chamber provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0040] Figure 4 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer carrier provided by an embodiment of the present application in a first state along the Y direction in a process chamber;

[0041] Figure 51 is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer carrier provided by an embodiment of the present application in a second state along the Y direction in a process chamber;

[0042] Figure 6 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer carrier provided by an embodiment of the present application in a third state along the Y direction in a process chamber;

[0043] Figure 7 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer carrier provided by an embodiment of the present application in a fourth state along the Y direction in a process chamber;

[0044] Figure 8 yes Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of part A;

[0045] Figure 9 yes Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of part B;

[0046] Figure 10 yes Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the enlarged structure of part C.

[0047] The purpose of this application, its features, and advantages will be further described in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings illustrate specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and the accompanying text are not intended to limit the scope of the present application in any way, but rather to illustrate the concepts of this application to those skilled in the art by reference to specific embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] Exemplary embodiments will be described in detail herein, with examples illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, when referring to the drawings, identical numerals in different figures represent identical or similar elements, unless otherwise indicated. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments are not intended to represent all embodiments consistent with the present application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatus and methods consistent with certain aspects of the present application, as detailed in the appended claims.

[0049] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "include", "comprises" or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, an element defined by the sentence "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device comprising the element. In addition, components, features, and elements with the same name in different embodiments of the present application may have the same meaning or different meanings, and their specific meanings need to be determined by their explanation in the specific embodiment or further combined with the context of the specific embodiment.

[0050] Depending on the context, as used herein, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless otherwise indicated in the context. It should be further understood that the terms "comprise", "include" indicate the presence of the described features, steps, operations, elements, components, items, kinds, and / or groups, but do not exclude the presence, occurrence, or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, items, kinds, and / or groups. The terms "or", "and / or", "including at least one of the following", etc. used in this application may be interpreted as inclusive, or mean any one or any combination. For example, "including at least one of the following: A, B, C" means "any one of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A and B and C", and for another example, "A, B or C" or "A, B and / or C" means "any one of the following: A; B; C; A and B; A and C; B and C; A and B and C". Exceptions to this definition will only occur when the combination of elements, functions, steps, or operations is inherently mutually exclusive in some way.

[0051] It should be understood that although the terms "first," "second," "third," etc. may be used herein to describe various types of information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are merely used to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, first information may be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may be referred to as first information without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0052] It should be understood that the terms "top", "bottom", "up", "down", "vertical", "horizontal", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0053] For ease of description, the following embodiments are all described using the orthogonal space formed by the horizontal plane and the vertical direction as an example. This premise should not be understood as a limitation to the present application.

[0054] See also Figure 3 , Figure 3 1 is a schematic diagram of a top view of a wafer carrier provided in an embodiment of the present application in a process chamber. The wafer carrier provided in this embodiment is applied to a process chamber of a semiconductor processing device, wherein the process chamber may include a chamber body 101, a transmission device disposed in the chamber body 101, and the wafer carrier of this embodiment, wherein the transmission device is used to transmit a carrier plate 102 along a first direction Y. As an example, the carrier plate 102 may include two supporting edges L parallel to the first direction Y, i.e., the two supporting edges L are arranged along a second direction X, wherein the second direction X is perpendicular to the first direction Y and the two are located on the same horizontal plane. A first roller 103 may be provided on the transmission device. It is understood that a plurality of first rollers 103 are provided, at least one of all first rollers 103 is a drive wheel, and the plurality of rollers 103 are divided into two groups, the two roller groups being disposed side by side on both sides of the wafer carrier along the second direction X, and the rollers 103 in each roller group being spaced apart along the first direction.

[0055] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 4 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a wafer carrier provided by an embodiment of the present application in a first state along the Y direction in a process chamber. The wafer carrier of this embodiment includes a lower electrode plate 10, a first drive unit 20, a lifting assembly 30 and a second drive unit 40.

[0056] The lower electrode plate 10 is used to support the carrier plate 102. The carrier plate 102 is supported on the lower electrode plate 10, that is, the lower electrode plate 10 and the carrier plate 102 are arranged along the third direction Z, wherein the third direction Z is the vertical direction. A window 11 is provided on the lower electrode plate 10, and the projection of the window 11 on the carrier plate 102 is located between the two supporting edges L of the carrier plate 102. That is, the window 11 is preferably located in the middle area of ​​the lower electrode plate 10, and the window 11 can be provided in one or more areas, such as Figure 3 When multiple windows 11 are provided, all windows 11 can be arranged irregularly, or arranged along the first direction Y, and can also be arranged in multiple rows along the second direction X. The shape of the window 11 is not limited, and the window 11 can be a rectangular through hole, a circular through hole, an elliptical through hole, or a through hole of other shapes.

[0057] The first driving unit 20 is connected to the lower electrode plate 10 and is used to drive the lower electrode plate 10 to rise to the first position to perform a deposition process, or to drive the lower electrode plate 10 to descend to the second position to reset. It is understood that when the lower electrode plate 10 rises to the first position close to the upper electrode plate 60, a plasma is formed by discharge to perform a deposition process. After the process is completed, the first driving unit 20 drives the lower electrode plate 10 to descend to the second position to restore it to the starting position.

[0058] The lifting assembly 30 is movably disposed within the window 11. It is configured to open the window 11 when rising relative to the lower electrode plate 10 and, when rising to a third position, support the carrier 102 and transport the carrier 102 along the first direction Y. Alternatively, it is configured to close the window 11 when descending relative to the lower electrode plate 10 to a fourth position, with the top surface of the lifting assembly 30 being no higher than the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10. A second drive unit 40 is connected to the lifting assembly 30 and is configured to drive the lifting assembly 30 to move upward and downward relative to the lower electrode plate 10.

[0059] It should be noted that the third position and the fourth position are not the absolute positions of the lifting assembly 30 in the three-dimensional space (process chamber), but rather the relative positions of the lifting assembly 30 with respect to the lower electrode plate 10. For example, the third position may correspond to the position where the lifting assembly 30 is raised to the position where the distance between the lifting assembly 30 and the upper surface of the lower electrode plate 10 is the greatest, and the fourth position may correspond to the position where the lifting assembly 30 is lowered to the position where the top surface of the lifting assembly 30 is no higher than the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10.

[0060] For example, when the carrier 102 is transferred into the process chamber and the lower electrode plate 10 is at the second position (i.e., the starting position), the second driving unit 40 drives the lifting assembly 30 to rise to the third position relative to the lower electrode plate 10, thereby supporting the carrier 102 transferred to the upper portion of the lifting assembly 30. Figure 4 , when the lower electrode plate 10 is in the first state and is located at the second position (i.e., the starting position), the lifting assembly 30 rises to the third position relative to the lower electrode plate 10. The lifting assembly 30 can transport the carrier 102 in the first direction Y together with the transmission device. For example, a roller or ball structure can be set on the top surface of the lifting assembly 30, so that under the drive of the first roller 103, the carrier 102 can be stably transported along the first direction Y with the support of the first roller 103 and the lifting assembly 30 until the carrier 102 is transported to the target position in the first direction Y. The carrier 102 will basically not be deformed during the entire transmission process.

[0061] Since the carrier 102 is placed on the lower electrode plate 10 during the process, the second drive unit 40 can also drive the lifting assembly 30 to descend to a fourth position relative to the lower electrode plate 10. When the lifting assembly 30 descends to the fourth position, the top surface of the lifting assembly 30 is no higher than the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10, so that the lower electrode plate 10 can rise to contact the carrier 102 and lift the carrier 102. When the carrier 102 is transferred into the process chamber and the lower electrode plate 10 is in the second position (i.e., the starting position), the second drive unit 40 drives the lifting assembly 30 to rise to a third position relative to the lower electrode plate 10, thereby providing support for the carrier 102 transferred above the lifting assembly 30.

[0062] Please refer to the following for details: Figure 5-Figure 7 , Figure 5-Figure 7 The second state, the third state and the fourth state of the wafer carrier in the process chamber along the Y direction correspond to them respectively. Figure 5 When the middle lower electrode plate 10 is in the second state and the lower electrode plate 10 is at the second position (i.e., the starting position), the lifting assembly 30 descends to the fourth position relative to the lower electrode plate 10; Figure 6 The middle lower electrode plate 10 is in the third state (the middle state of the ascending process), the lower electrode plate 10 is ascended to just contact with the carrier plate 102, and the lifting assembly 30 is in the fourth position; Figure 7 The middle lower electrode plate 10 is in the fourth state. The lower electrode plate 10 is further raised to the first position in the third state to lift the carrier plate 102 . The lifting assembly 30 is still in the fourth position.

[0063] It should be noted that a single lifting assembly 30 can be provided, for example, it can be located at the center of the lower electrode plate 10. Alternatively, multiple lifting assemblies 30 can be provided, with the number and location of the lifting assemblies 30 corresponding to the windows 11. When multiple lifting assemblies 30 are provided, more uniform support can be provided for the carrier plate 102, thereby reducing deformation of the carrier plate 102.

[0064] As described above, the chip carrying device of this embodiment is provided with a window 11 on the lower electrode plate 10, and a lifting assembly 30 is provided in the window 11. When the lower electrode plate 10 is located in the second position and the lifting assembly 30 rises to the third position relative to the lower electrode plate 10, the lifting assembly 30 supports the carrier 102 transferred to the top of the lifting assembly 30, and can roll the carrier 102 in the first direction Y, so that the carrier 102 can be stably transferred along the first direction Y without basically deforming; when the lifting assembly 30 is lowered to the fourth position relative to the lower electrode plate 10, the top surface of the lifting assembly 30 is not higher than the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10, so that the lower electrode plate 10 can directly contact the carrier 102 and lift the carrier 102 in the process of rising to the first position to carry out the process.

[0065] Preferably, when the lifting assembly 30 descends to the fourth position, the top surface of the lifting assembly 30 is flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10, and the window 11 is covered, so that the entire surface support of the carrier plate 102 can be formed, and the integrity of the entire surface of the lower electrode plate 10 is maintained (the window 11 is covered), which can form a more uniform plasma and the deposited film thickness is more uniform.

[0066] For example, the lifting assembly 30 may include a lifting roller and a cover that can open or close the window 11, and the technical solution of this embodiment can be realized through coordinated control. This application provides a preferred embodiment of the lifting assembly, please refer to Figure 4 、 Figure 8 and Figure 9 , Figure 8 yes Figure 4 The enlarged structural diagram of part A in the figure is as follows: Figure 9 yes Figure 5 Figure 1 is an enlarged structural diagram of part B. The lifting assembly 30 may include: a lifting rod 31, a second roller 32 and a flip cover assembly 33. The lifting rod 31 is inserted into the window 11 and is connected to the second driving unit 40; the second roller 32 is rotatably connected to the top of the lifting rod 31 along the first direction Y. When the lower electrode plate 10 is in the second position and the lifting rod 31 rises to the third position, a rolling support is formed for the carrier plate 102. At this time, the second roller 32 and the first roller 103 can jointly form a uniform support for the carrier plate 102, and can roll and transport the carrier plate 102 along the first direction Y to prevent the carrier plate 102 from being severely deformed due to its own gravity. The flip-cover assembly 33 can be opened or closed and is arranged at the window 11. When the lifting rod 31 drives the second roller 32 to rise, the flip-cover assembly 33 opens the window 11, or when the lifting rod 31 descends to the fourth position, the flip-cover assembly 33 is in the state of covering the window 11, and in the closed state, the top surface of the flip-cover assembly 33 is flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10, and the window 11 is sealed, and the second roller 32 is located below the flip-cover assembly 33.

[0067] In this embodiment, when the flip cover assembly 33 is in the closed state, its top surface is flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10, and the window 11 is sealed, so that the lower electrode plate 10 remains as a complete capacitor plate, thereby ensuring the uniformity of the plasma and improving the uniformity of the process deposition.

[0068] It should be noted that the flip cover assembly 33 can be a whole cover plate, which can be driven by another driving device to close or open the window 11, but this will increase the cost of parts and the complexity of control. This embodiment provides an example of a flip cover assembly, please continue to refer to Figure 8 and Figure 9The flip cover assembly 33 may include a first cover 331, a first connecting rod 332, a second cover 333, and a second connecting rod 334. One side of the first cover 331 is hinged to the first edge 111 of the window 11; one end of the first connecting rod 332 is hinged to the first cover 331, and the other end is hinged to the lifting rod 31. The lifting rod 31 drives the first cover 331 to flip relative to the first edge 111 via the first connecting rod 332. One side of the second cover 333 is hinged to the second edge 112 of the window 11, and the second edge 112 is opposite to the first edge 111. One end of the second connecting rod 334 is hinged to the second cover 333, and the other end is hinged to the lifting rod 31. The lifting rod 31 drives the second cover 333 to flip relative to the second edge 112 via the second connecting rod 334. When the lifting rod 31 descends to the fourth position, the first connecting rod 332 and the second connecting rod 334 respectively drive the first cover 331 and the second cover 333 to jointly cover the window 11, and the top surface of the first cover 331 and the top surface of the second cover 333 are both flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10. When the lifting rod 31 ascends, the first connecting rod 332 and the second connecting rod 334 respectively drive the first cover 331 and the second cover 333 to jointly open the window 11.

[0069] In this embodiment, the flip cover assembly 33 includes a first cover body 331 and a second cover body 333, which are respectively hinged on two opposite sides (the first edge 111 and the second edge 112) of the window 11 to form a double-door structure. The lifting rod 31 drives the first cover body 331 and the second cover body 333 to flip through the first connecting rod 332 and the second connecting rod 334, respectively, to open or close the window 11. The flip cover assembly 33 of this embodiment can achieve the movement of the flip cover assembly 33 through a simple mechanical structure connection, without the need for a separate driving source, and the flip cover assembly 33 of this embodiment can keep the lower electrode plate 10 as a complete capacitor plate during the process to ensure the uniformity of the plasma, thereby improving the uniformity of the process deposition.

[0070] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first cover body 331 and the second cover body 333 can be symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lifting rod 31, and the first connecting rod 332 and the second connecting rod 334 can be symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lifting rod 31 to simplify the mechanical structure and improve the movement stability of the entire chip carrying device.

[0071] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 8The window 11 on the lower electrode plate 10 includes a first portion 113 facing the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10 and a second portion 114 facing the bottom surface of the lower electrode plate 10. The area of ​​the first portion 113 is larger than the area of ​​the second portion 114, so that the first portion 113 and the second portion 114 form an annular step 115. After the first cover 331 and the second cover 333 cover the first portion 113 of the window 11, they are both supported on the annular step 115, and the area of ​​the first portion 113 is equal to the sum of the areas of the first cover 331 and the second cover 333, so that the lower electrode plate 10 remains as a complete capacitor plate. As an example, the thickness of the first cover 331 and the thickness of the second cover 333 are both equal to the depth of the first portion 113, so that the top surface of the first cover 331 and the top surface of the second cover 333 can be flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10.

[0072] In one embodiment, please refer to Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 10 , Figure 10 yes Figure 3 In the enlarged structural diagram of section C in the middle, an annular grounding strip 50 can also be provided on the annular step 115. After the first cover 331 and the second cover 333 seal the first portion 113, they both contact the annular grounding strip 50. This ensures that the first cover 331 and the second cover 333 are at the same potential as the lower electrode 10, thereby improving plasma uniformity. Considering that the annular grounding strip 50 partially protrudes from the annular step 115, the thickness of the first cover 331 and the second cover 333 can be slightly less than the depth of the first portion 113, so that the top surfaces of the first cover 331 and the second cover 333 are both flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate 10.

[0073] The present application also provides a semiconductor processing device. Figure 7 The semiconductor processing equipment may include a process chamber, which includes a chamber body 101, a transfer device, and a wafer carrier as described in the above embodiments. The transfer device and the wafer carrier are both arranged in the chamber body 101. The transfer device is located on both sides of the lower electrode plate 10 along the second direction X. The transfer device supports and transfers the carrier 102 along the two supporting edges L of the carrier 102. For example, the transfer device may include a plurality of first rollers 103 along the first direction Y to transfer the carrier 102 in the first direction Y. The lifting assembly 30 of the wafer carrier supports and transfers the position between the two supporting edges of the carrier 102, so as to provide auxiliary support and transfer for the carrier when the transfer device transfers the carrier, thereby preventing deformation of the carrier during the transfer process. When transferred to the target position, the projection of the window 11 on the carrier 102 is located between the two supporting edges L.

[0074] As an example, an upper electrode plate 60 may be further disposed within the chamber body 101. The upper electrode plate 60 is connected to a radio frequency source 70, and the lower electrode plate 10 of the wafer carrier is directly opposite the upper electrode plate 60. The semiconductor processing equipment may be a PECVD device. The structural features and corresponding principles of the process chamber of the semiconductor processing equipment have been described in detail above and will not be further elaborated in this embodiment.

[0075] It should be noted that the size of the lower electrode plate 10 in the second direction X can be smaller than the size of the carrier plate 102 to avoid the first roller 103, but in this case the effective area of ​​the process will be reduced. Figure 3 The lower electrode plate 10 is provided with a notch 12 opposite the first roller 103 to allow the lower electrode plate 10 to avoid the first roller 103 during the lifting motion. In this embodiment, the size of the lower electrode plate 10 in the second direction X is larger than that of the carrier plate 102. By providing the notch 12 in the lower electrode plate 10 to avoid the first roller 103, the effective area of ​​the lower electrode plate 10 can be maximized, thereby improving production capacity.

[0076] In one embodiment, the semiconductor processing equipment may further include a control module (not shown in the figure), which is connected to the first driving unit 20 and the second driving unit 40 respectively.

[0077] When transmitting the carrier 102, the control module can control the second driving unit 40 to drive the lifting rod 31 to rise to the third position, so that the first cover 331 and the second cover 333 can be flipped open, and the second roller 32 can be raised to support the carrier 102 and participate in transmitting the carrier 102.

[0078] When the carrier 102 is transferred to the target position, the control module can also control the second drive unit 40 to drive the lifting rod 31 to descend to the fourth position, thereby causing the first cover 331 and the second cover 333 to flip over and cover the window 11, and the second roller 32 to retract below the first cover 331 and the second cover 333. The control module then controls the first drive unit 20 to drive the lower electrode plate 10 to rise to the first position, contacting the entire surface of the carrier 102 and lifting the carrier 102 to the process position.

[0079] The above describes in detail a wafer carrier and semiconductor processing equipment provided by this application. This article uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of this application. It should be noted that in this application, the descriptions of each embodiment have their own emphasis. For portions not described or documented in detail in one embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0080] The various technical features of the technical solution of this application can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the various technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this application.

[0081] The above are only preferred embodiments of the present application and do not limit the patent scope of the present application. Any equivalent structure or equivalent process transformation made using the contents of the description and drawings of this application, or directly or indirectly applied in other related technical fields, are also included in the patent protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A wafer carrier device, used in a process chamber of a semiconductor processing equipment, characterized in that: include: a lower electrode plate, used for carrying a carrier plate transferred into the process chamber along a first direction, and provided with a window on the lower electrode plate; a first driving unit connected to the lower electrode plate, and configured to drive the lower electrode plate to rise to a first position, or to drive the lower electrode plate to descend to a second position; a lifting assembly, movably disposed in the window, the lifting assembly being configured to open the window when rising relative to the lower electrode plate, and to support the carrier plate when rising to a third position, and to transport the carrier plate along the first direction; or to close the window when descending relative to the lower electrode plate to a fourth position, with the top surface of the lifting assembly being no higher than the top surface of the lower electrode plate; The second driving part is connected to the lifting assembly and is used to drive the lifting assembly to move up and down relative to the lower electrode plate.

2. The wafer carrier device according to claim 1, wherein: When the lifting assembly descends to the fourth position relative to the lower electrode plate, the top surface of the lifting assembly is flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate.

3. The wafer carrier according to claim 2, wherein: The lifting assembly comprises: a lifting rod, passing through the window and connected to the second driving part; a second roller rotatably connected to the top of the lifting rod along the first direction, and configured to provide rolling support for the carrier plate when the lower electrode plate is raised to the second position and the lifting rod is raised to the third position; A flip cover assembly is arranged at the window in an openable or closable manner, and is used to open the window when the lifting rod drives the second roller to rise; or to close the window when the lifting rod drives the second roller to descend to the fourth position, and in the closed state, the top surface of the flip cover assembly is flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate, and the second roller is located below the flip cover assembly.

4. The wafer carrier according to claim 3, wherein: The flip cover assembly includes: a first cover, wherein one side of the first cover is hinged to a first edge of the window; a first connecting rod, one end of which is hinged to the first cover body, and the other end of which is hinged to the lifting rod, wherein the lifting rod drives the first cover body to flip relative to the first edge through the first connecting rod; a second cover, one side of the second cover being hinged to a second edge of the window, the second edge being opposite to the first edge; a second connecting rod, one end of which is hinged to the second cover body, and the other end of which is hinged to the lifting rod, and the lifting rod drives the second cover body to flip relative to the second edge through the second connecting rod; The first cover body and the second cover body are used to open the window when the lifting rod rises; or to cover the window when the lifting rod descends to the fourth position, and the top surface of the first cover body and the top surface of the second cover body are flush with the top surface of the lower electrode plate.

5. The wafer carrier device according to claim 4, wherein: The window includes a first portion facing the top surface of the lower electrode plate and a second portion facing the bottom surface of the lower electrode plate, wherein the area of ​​the first portion is larger than the area of ​​the second portion, so that the first portion and the second portion form an annular step; After the first cover and the second cover cover the first part, they are both supported on the annular step, and the area of ​​the first part is equal to the sum of the areas of the first cover and the second cover.

6. The wafer carrier according to claim 5, wherein: An annular grounding strip is provided on the annular step; After the first cover and the second cover cover the first portion, they both contact the annular grounding strip.

7. The wafer carrier according to claim 4, wherein: The first cover body and the second cover body are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lifting rod; The first connecting rod and the second connecting rod are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the lifting rod.

8. The wafer carrier according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: There are a plurality of windows arranged in two rows along a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

9. A semiconductor processing device comprising a process chamber, characterized in that: The process chamber includes a chamber body, a transmission device and a chip carrier as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the transmission device and the chip carrier are both arranged in the chamber body, the transmission device is located on both sides of the lower electrode plate along the second direction, the carrier includes two supporting edges parallel to the first direction, the transmission device supports and transmits the carrier along the supporting edges, and the lifting assembly supports and transmits the position between the two supporting edges of the carrier, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.

10. The semiconductor processing equipment according to claim 9, wherein The transmission device includes a plurality of first rollers arranged along the first direction; A notch is provided on the lower electrode plate facing the first roller to avoid the first roller.

11. The semiconductor processing equipment according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that: The invention also includes a control module, wherein the control module is connected to the first driving part and the second driving part respectively, and the control module is used to: When the carrier plate is being transferred, controlling the second driving unit to drive the lifting assembly to rise to the third position relative to the lower electrode plate; When the carrier plate is transferred to the target position, the second driving unit is controlled to drive the lifting assembly to descend to the fourth position relative to the lower electrode plate, and the first driving unit is controlled to drive the lower electrode plate to ascend to the first position.

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