Leveling device, semiconductor process equipment and method of installing leveling device

Abstract

The application discloses a mounting and leveling device, a method and a semiconductor process equipment, and relates to the semiconductor field. The mounting and leveling device comprises a base mounting piece, a bearing piece, a plurality of driving mechanisms and a plurality of first detection elements. The base mounting piece is arranged at intervals with the bearing piece, the base mounting piece is provided with a through hole, the process chamber passes through the through hole and abuts against the bearing piece, the plurality of driving mechanisms are distributed on the base mounting piece, the driving end of the driving mechanism is connected with the bearing piece, the plurality of first detection elements are distributed on one of the base mounting piece and the bearing piece, the detection end of the first detection element is arranged towards the other one, and the plurality of driving mechanisms and the plurality of first detection elements are electrically connected with a control device. The semiconductor process equipment comprises the mounting and leveling device. The mounting and leveling method is used for mounting and leveling the process chamber of the semiconductor process equipment. The application can at least solve the problems of the current leveling mode, such as complexity, large working difficulty, low precision and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of semiconductor technology, specifically relating to an installation and leveling device, semiconductor process equipment, and installation and leveling method. Background Technology

[0002] In some vertical furnace equipment, byproducts are generated during heat treatment processes and adhere to the chamber walls. Long-term accumulation of these byproducts can affect product yield. Therefore, it is necessary to disassemble and clean the chamber after each set of processes, such as with SIN furnaces. After cleaning, the chamber needs to be reinstalled before further processing. This makes ease and speed of installation crucial for the machine's productivity. Simultaneously, it is essential to ensure the chamber is not damaged during installation. Leveling the bottom of the chamber is a critical step in the installation process. Leveling ensures a tight fit between the chamber opening and the process door used to seal it. Since the temperature inside the chamber is high, poor fit can create cold spots at the bottom, where byproducts can adhere, directly leading to excessive particle size in the product. Poor fit also causes heat loss, further affecting the quality of the product inside the chamber.

[0003] The installation of process chambers in semiconductor process equipment in related technologies mainly involves structures such as the chamber itself, multiple connecting blocks, process doors, a top plate, flanges, and gaskets. In the actual installation process, the chamber, connecting blocks, and flanges are first connected. Then, the connected mechanism is moved upwards until the chamber passes through the center hole of the top plate. The chamber stops rising when the upper surfaces of the connecting blocks contact the lower surface of the top plate, and then it is secured with screws. However, due to manufacturing dimensional errors and assembly errors, the bottom of the flange is not level after fixing. Therefore, gaskets need to be inserted between the connecting blocks and the top plate, and a level needs to be used to measure the levelness in real time to ensure the bottom of the flange is level.

[0004] The above leveling process is subject to human error, and the leveling process is complex and difficult, which reduces the installation efficiency of the process chamber. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide an installation and leveling device, semiconductor process equipment, and installation and leveling method, which can at least solve the problems of complexity, high difficulty, and low accuracy of current leveling methods.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this application is implemented as follows:

[0007] This application provides an installation and leveling device for installing and leveling the process chamber of a semiconductor process equipment. The installation and leveling device includes: a base mounting component, a carrier component, multiple driving mechanisms, and multiple first detection elements.

[0008] The base mounting component and the carrier component are spaced apart. The base mounting component is provided with a through hole. The process chamber is used to pass through the through hole and abut against the carrier component.

[0009] Multiple drive mechanisms are distributed on the basic mounting component, and the drive end of each drive mechanism is connected to the bearing component.

[0010] Multiple first detection elements are distributed on one of the base mounting component and the carrier component, and the detection end of the first detection element is set towards the other, for detecting the distance between multiple corresponding positions of the base mounting component and the carrier component;

[0011] The plurality of driving mechanisms and the plurality of first detection elements are all electrically connected to the control device of the semiconductor process equipment.

[0012] This application also provides a semiconductor process apparatus, including: a lifting device, a process gate, a process chamber, and the aforementioned mounting and leveling device;

[0013] The process chamber is provided with a first opening, and the support member is provided with a second opening. One end of the process chamber with the first opening passes through the through hole of the base mounting member and abuts against one side of the support member, and the first opening communicates with the second opening.

[0014] The process door is connected to the lifting end of the lifting device and is located on the side of the support member away from the process chamber. The lifting device is used to drive the process door to move toward or away from the base installation member. During the process door moves toward the base installation member, the process door can support the support member so that the support member is close to the base installation member.

[0015] This application embodiment also provides an installation and leveling method for installing and leveling a process chamber of semiconductor process equipment, the installation and leveling method comprising:

[0016] The lifting device moves the carrier and process chamber upward to the first preset position through the process door and then stops;

[0017] The drive ends of multiple drive mechanisms move downward and engage with the carrier, thereby driving the carrier and the process chamber upward to a second preset position and then stopping.

[0018] The distance between the base mounting component and the carrier component at multiple corresponding positions is detected by multiple first detection elements. If the distances between the multiple corresponding positions are not equal, at least part of the drive mechanism is activated to coarsely adjust the level of the carrier component.

[0019] The levelness of the carrier is detected by multiple second detection elements. If the levelness of the carrier does not meet the level standard, at least part of the drive mechanism is activated. The drive mechanism drives the corresponding position of the carrier to make a slight movement to fine-tune the levelness of the carrier.

[0020] In this embodiment, the movement distance of the carrier and the process chamber is detected by multiple first detection elements. This effectively avoids damage to the process chamber and the carrier caused by collisions between the installation components. Furthermore, it effectively avoids errors caused by relying solely on visual observation of the process chamber's position in related technologies, thereby improving the positional accuracy of the process chamber. Additionally, it allows for preliminary leveling of the bottom surface of the carrier, improving its horizontality. Compared to the method of using shims, the leveling method in this embodiment is simpler, faster, and quicker, thus improving the installation efficiency of the process chamber. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the installation and leveling device, process chamber, lifting device, and process door disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a structural schematic diagram of the installation leveling device, lifting device, and process door disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a disassembly diagram of the installation and leveling device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a bottom view of the mounting and leveling device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 5 This is a top view of the mounting and leveling device disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the installation process of the process chamber disclosed in an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0028] 100 - Install leveling device;

[0029] 110 - Basic mounting component; 111 - Through hole;

[0030] 120 - Supporting element; 121 - Protrusion; 122 - Second opening;

[0031] 130 - Drive mechanism; 131 - Support component; 132 - Rotary drive component; 133 - Lead screw;

[0032] 140 - First detection element;

[0033] 150 - Second detection element;

[0034] 161-Photoelectric sensor; 162-Shielding component;

[0035] 170 - Heating element;

[0036] 200 - Process Chamber;

[0037] 300 - Lifting device;

[0038] 400 - Process Door. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0040] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0041] The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific examples and application scenarios.

[0042] refer to Figures 1 to 5 This application discloses an installation and leveling device 100 for installing and leveling a process chamber 200 of a semiconductor process equipment to meet semiconductor process requirements. The semiconductor process equipment can be a vertical furnace, but it can also be other equipment; this application does not specifically limit this. The disclosed installation and leveling device 100 includes a base mounting component 110, a support component 120, multiple drive mechanisms 130, and multiple first detection elements 140.

[0043] The base mounting component 110 serves as the mounting base for the leveling device 100, providing a mounting foundation for components such as the process chamber 200, the support component 120, and the drive mechanism 130. Generally, the base mounting component 110 can be mounted on a mounting bracket of semiconductor process equipment. In some embodiments, the base mounting component 110 has a through hole 111 to allow the process chamber 200 to pass through. Optionally, the base mounting component 110 can be a plate, with the through hole 111 provided on and passing through the process chamber 200. It should be noted that, to enable the process chamber 200 to move relative to the base mounting component 110 for lifting, the diameter of the through hole 111 can be slightly larger than the external dimensions of the process chamber 200, creating a gap between the outer wall of the process chamber 200 and the inner wall of the through hole 111 to prevent the base mounting component 110 from obstructing the movement of the process chamber 200.

[0044] The carrier 120 is a supporting component for mounting the leveling device 100. It supports the process chamber 200, facilitating its movement. The carrier 120 is spaced apart from the base mounting component 110. The process chamber 200 passes through the through hole 111 and abuts against the carrier 120, thus providing support for the process chamber 200. In practice, the carrier 120 can be positioned below the base mounting component 110, with the bottom end of the process chamber 200 passing through the through hole 111 from above the base mounting component 110 and abutting against the carrier 120, thereby supporting the process chamber 200 through the carrier 120. Optionally, the support member 120 can be a plate. Of course, in order to prevent the support member 120 from covering the chamber opening of the process chamber 200, a hole can be made in the area of ​​the support member 120 opposite to the chamber opening (i.e., the first opening below). Alternatively, the support member 120 can be designed as a ring. In this case, the axial end face of the ring can play a supporting role in the process chamber 200, and the through hole of the ring can be opposite to the chamber opening of the process chamber 200 to prevent the chamber opening from being blocked.

[0045] The drive mechanism 130 is a power component for mounting the leveling device 100. It can drive the carrier 120 to move towards or away from the base mounting 110, so that the carrier 120 carries the process chamber 200 to move synchronously, thereby adjusting the position of the process chamber 200. To achieve synchronous movement of all parts of the carrier 120, in this embodiment, multiple drive mechanisms 130 are distributed on the base mounting 110, and the drive end of each drive mechanism 130 is connected to the carrier 120. Optionally, the multiple drive mechanisms 130 can be centrally symmetrically distributed on the base mounting 110. Of course, the arrangement can also be selected according to the actual working conditions. Based on this, multiple drive mechanisms 130 can drive multiple corresponding parts of the carrier 120 to move, thereby adjusting the position of multiple parts of the carrier 120.

[0046] In practice, multiple drive mechanisms 130 move synchronously to bring the support member 120 closer to or further away from the base mounting member 110, thus preventing the support member 120 from tilting and ensuring its levelness to a certain extent. Of course, in special cases, if the support member 120 tilts, the drive mechanism 130 at the corresponding position can move the support member 120 locally to return it to a horizontal state, thereby ensuring its levelness.

[0047] Furthermore, the mounting and leveling device 100 also includes a plurality of first detection elements 140, which are distributed on one of the base mounting member 110 and the support member 120, with the detection ends of the first detection elements 140 facing the other. The plurality of first detection elements 140 can detect the distance between multiple corresponding positions on the base mounting member 110 and the support member 120. In some embodiments, the plurality of first detection elements 140 may be arranged in the same horizontal plane. Optionally, the first detection element 140 may be a distance sensor; of course, it may also be any other component with distance measuring function, which is not specifically limited in this application embodiment. Additionally, the mounting and leveling device 100 may include three first detection elements 140, which are evenly distributed on the edge of the support member 120. Of course, it may also include more first detection elements 140 to further improve measurement accuracy.

[0048] In some embodiments, multiple drive mechanisms 130 and multiple first detection elements 140 can be configured one-to-one. Based on this, the control device can control the corresponding drive mechanism 130 to operate according to the distance information detected by the first detection element 140, thereby achieving targeted leveling and improving leveling efficiency.

[0049] Multiple first detection elements 140 can be used to measure the distance between multiple corresponding positions of the base mounting 110 and the carrier 120. The base mounting 110 can be used as a reference base. When the distances measured by each first detection element 140 are equal, it indicates that the carrier 120 is basically in a horizontal state, that is, the bottom surface of the carrier 120 is in a horizontal state. In this case, when the chamber opening of the process chamber 200 is closed by a sealing element (specifically the process door 400, etc. described below), the sealing element can fit tightly with the bottom surface of the carrier 120 to ensure the sealing of the process chamber 200.

[0050] Multiple drive mechanisms 130 and multiple first detection elements 140 are electrically connected to the control device of the semiconductor process equipment. Therefore, when the distances measured by the multiple first detection elements 140 are equal, it indicates that the carrier 120 is basically in a horizontal state. At this time, the control device controls the multiple drive mechanisms 130 to be in a stopped state, thus not adjusting the position and state of the carrier 120. When the distance measured by at least one of the multiple first detection elements 140 is unequal to the others, it indicates that the carrier 120 is in a non-horizontal state. At this time, the control device sends a start signal to at least some of the multiple drive mechanisms 130. After the at least some of the multiple drive mechanisms 130 are started, they drive each area of ​​the carrier 120 to move closer to or further away from the base mounting 110, ultimately making the distances measured by the multiple first detection elements 140 equal, thereby achieving the adjustment of the position and level of the carrier 120.

[0051] It should be noted that the control device can determine whether the requirements are met based on the distance information detected by the multiple first detection elements 140. When the requirements are met (i.e., the distances at multiple locations are equal), it is determined that no leveling is needed; when the requirements are not met (i.e., the distances at at least one location are unequal), it is determined that leveling is needed. Specifically, the control logic can be as follows: using the equal distances at multiple locations as a reference distance, at least a portion of the drive mechanisms 130 around the first detection elements 140 with unequal distances are activated. This allows for position adjustment and synchronous distance detection of the area around the first detection elements 140 with unequal distances, until all detected distances are equal, at which point the adjustment stops.

[0052] In addition, the synchronous movement of multiple drive mechanisms 130 can also drive the carrier 120 to move closer to or away from the base mounting component 110, thereby realizing the movement of the process chamber 200, such as lifting, to meet process requirements.

[0053] By adopting the above-mentioned leveling method, the moving distance of the carrier 120 and the process chamber 200 can be detected by multiple first detection elements 140. This can effectively avoid the situation where the process chamber 200 and other installation components are damaged due to excessive impact force caused by excessive mass and inertia during the movement of the process chamber 200. Furthermore, it can effectively avoid the error caused by relying entirely on the naked eye to observe the position of the process chamber 200 in related technologies, thereby improving the positional accuracy of the process chamber 200.

[0054] Meanwhile, the multiple first detection elements 140 can also perform a preliminary leveling operation on the bottom surface of the support member 120 to improve the levelness of the support member 120, thereby effectively preventing leakage at the chamber opening of the process chamber 200 and ensuring that the process chamber 200 does not tilt. Compared with the leveling method using shims in related technologies, the leveling method in this embodiment is simple to operate, takes less time, and can quickly complete the leveling action, thereby improving the installation efficiency of the process chamber 200.

[0055] To further ensure the levelness of the bottom surface of the bearing 120, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5 The leveling device 100 may further include multiple second detection elements 150, distributed on the support member 120, for detecting the levelness of the support member 120. For example, the second detection elements 150 may be level sensors to facilitate accurate measurement of the levelness of the bottom surface of the support member 120. Furthermore, the leveling device 100 may include different numbers of second detection elements 150, such as 2, 3, 4, 6, etc., as long as they can measure the levelness of the bottom surface of the support member 120; the specific number is not limited.

[0056] In some embodiments, multiple drive mechanisms 130 and multiple second detection elements 150 can be configured one-to-one. Based on this, the control device can control the corresponding drive mechanism 130 to operate according to the levelness information detected by the second detection element 150, thereby achieving targeted leveling and improving leveling efficiency.

[0057] Optionally, multiple second detection elements 150 can be disposed on the carrier 120, specifically on the upper end face, bottom end face, etc. of the carrier 120. Alternatively, mounting positions (i.e., the protrusions 121, etc., described below) can be provided on the carrier 120 for the multiple second detection elements 150. The second detection elements 150 can be installed to the carrier 120 using methods such as threaded connection, suction cup connection, or bracket connection to facilitate the installation or removal of the second detection elements 150.

[0058] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 130 may include a support member 131 as a drive end, which is movably disposed between the base mounting member 110 and the carrier member 120, and is used to connect with the carrier member 120. By connecting the support member 131 to the carrier member 120 during installation, the support member 131 can apply a driving force to the carrier member 120 to move the carrier member 120 closer to or away from the base mounting member 110. Of course, when the actions of the support members 131 of the multiple drive mechanisms 130 are inconsistent, the levelness of the carrier member 120 can also be adjusted.

[0059] It should be noted that the support member 131 and the carrier member 120 can be fixedly connected so that the power output by the drive mechanism 130 can be transmitted to the carrier member 120 to drive the carrier member 120; of course, the support member 131 and the carrier member 120 can also be detachably connected so that the support member 131 and the carrier member 120 can be engaged or separated from each other.

[0060] Considering that the lifting and lowering of the carrier 120 and the process chamber 200 in this embodiment combines rapid and slow movement, to avoid motion interference, the support 131 and the carrier 120 are detachably connected. This allows the support 131 to separate from the carrier 120 during rapid movement and to engage with the carrier 120 during slow movement. The specific process will be described in detail below. For example, the support 131 and the carrier 120 can be connected by threads, specifically including screw connections, bolt connections, etc. Of course, other detachable methods can also be used. This embodiment does not specifically limit the detachable method.

[0061] Continue to refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3In some embodiments, the drive mechanism 130 may further include a rotary drive member 132 and a lead screw 133. The rotary drive member 132 is disposed on the base mounting member 110, the lead screw 133 is throttle-connected to the rotary drive member 132 and extends between the base mounting member 110 and the support member 120, and the support member 131 is threadedly connected to the lead screw 133. For example, the base mounting member 110 may have multiple mounting holes, and the lead screws 133 of the multiple drive mechanisms 130 are rotatably disposed in the multiple mounting holes in a one-to-one correspondence and extend toward the support member 120. The rotary drive member 132 may be a motor, disposed on the side of the base mounting member 110 opposite to the support member 120, and the rotation output end of the rotary drive member 132 is throttle-connected to the lead screw 133 to drive the lead screw 133 to rotate. Since the support member 131 is threadedly connected to the lead screw 133, when the lead screw 133 rotates forward and in reverse, it will drive the support member 131 to move closer to or away from the base mounting member 110. At the same time, multiple support members 131 drive the carrier member 120 to move synchronously, so as to drive the process chamber 200 to move up and down through the carrier member 120. Alternatively, at least some of the multiple support members 131 can drive the carrier member 120 to move, so as to adjust the levelness of the bottom end surface of the carrier member 120.

[0062] When the rotary drive component 132 is a motor, the motor locking function can be used to prevent the support component 131 from moving, thereby fixing the process chamber 200.

[0063] In other embodiments, the drive mechanism 130 may further include a telescopic drive member and a telescopic rod, wherein the telescopic drive member is disposed on the base mounting member 110, the telescopic rod is fixedly connected to the telescopic drive member and extends between the base mounting member 110 and the bearing member 120, and the support member 131 is fixedly connected to the telescopic member. For example, the base mounting component 110 may have multiple through holes, and the telescopic rods of multiple drive mechanisms 130 extend through the through holes toward the support component 120. The telescopic drive component may be a cylinder, hydraulic cylinder, electric cylinder, etc., and is located on the side of the base mounting component 110 away from the support component 120. The telescopic output end of the telescopic drive component is fixedly connected to the telescopic rod to facilitate the telescopic rod to move in and out. The telescopic rod drives the support component 131 to move closer to or away from the base mounting component 110. At the same time, multiple support components 131 drive the support component 120 to move synchronously, so as to drive the process chamber 200 to move up and down through the support component 120. Alternatively, at least some of the multiple support components 131 can drive the support component 120 to move, so as to adjust the levelness of the bottom end surface of the support component 120.

[0064] To prevent contact between components in the leveling device 100, refer to Figure 2The mounting and leveling device 100 may further include a cooperating photoelectric sensor 161 and a shielding member 162, wherein one of the photoelectric sensor 161 and the shielding member 162 is disposed on the base mounting member 110, and the other is disposed on the support member 131, and the photoelectric sensor 161 is electrically connected to the control device of the semiconductor process equipment. For example, the photoelectric sensor 161 may be mounted on the side of the base mounting member 110 facing the support member 120, and the shielding member 162 may be threaded onto the side of the support member 131 facing the base mounting member 110.

[0065] Based on the above configuration, as the carrier 120 moves toward the base mounting 110 along with the support 131, the blocking member 162 moves toward the photoelectric sensor 161. When the blocking member 162 moves to be opposite the photoelectric sensor 161 and blocks the light emitted by the photoelectric sensor 161, the photoelectric sensor 161 sends a signal to the control device. At this time, the control device sends control commands to multiple drive mechanisms 130 to control the drive mechanisms 130 to stop. This can effectively prevent the carrier 120 and the support 131 from moving excessively and colliding with the base mounting 110, thereby ensuring the integrity of the installation leveling device 100.

[0066] It should be noted that, under normal circumstances, due to the presence of the first detection element 140, the carrier 120 and support 131 will not move excessively and collide with the base mounting 110. However, when the first detection element 140 fails or human error causes the process chamber 200, carrier 120, and support 131 to move excessively, the blocking element 162 will be inserted into the photoelectric sensor 161 to block the light. The photoelectric sensor 161 detects the presence of the blocking element 162, indicating that the process chamber 200, carrier 120, and support 131 have moved to their limit positions. At this time, the photoelectric sensor 161 will feed back a signal to the control device to control the drive mechanism 130 to stop working, so as to prevent the support 131 from colliding with the base mounting 110, thereby avoiding damage to the process chamber 200 and the base mounting 110. In this embodiment, by setting up photoelectric sensor 161 and shielding member 162, the detection signal can be fed back to the control device in real time. When the process chamber 200 rises to the limit position, the control drive mechanism 130 is forced to stop to protect the components from damage.

[0067] In some embodiments, reference Figures 3 to 5 The outer edge of the support member 120 is provided with a plurality of protrusions 121, and at least one of a first detection element 140, a second detection element 150, and a support member 131 is provided on the side of the protrusion 121 facing the base mounting member 110. For example, the protrusion 121 can be a block structure that protrudes from the outer periphery of the support member 120 to prevent it from being blocked by other components.

[0068] Optionally, multiple protrusions 121 for mounting the support member 131 can be provided, and multiple protrusions 121 for mounting the first detection element 140 can also be provided. In addition, multiple second detection elements 150 can share the protrusions 121 with multiple support members 131, or multiple protrusions 121 for mounting the second detection element 150 can be provided separately. The specific arrangement method is not specifically limited.

[0069] The first detection element 140 can be installed on the side of the protrusion 121 facing the base mounting member 110 using methods such as threaded connection, suction cup connection, or bracket connection to ensure the firmness and stability of the installation and facilitate disassembly. Furthermore, the multiple protrusions 121 used to install the first detection element 140 can be evenly located around the outer edge of the carrier member 120, so that the distance between the carrier member 120 and the base mounting member 110 can be measured evenly by the multiple first detection elements 140. This allows for determining whether the drive mechanism 130 at multiple locations is properly driving the carrier member 120 and the process chamber 200 to move up and down. Additionally, the multiple first detection elements 140 can be used to coarsely adjust the levelness of the bottom surface of the carrier member 120.

[0070] Optionally, multiple first detection elements 140 can be centrally symmetrically distributed around the center of the support member 120, and can provide real-time feedback on whether the position of the support member 120 is normal and whether it rises or falls simultaneously by measuring the distance between the support member 120 and the base mounting member 110, so as to avoid the process chamber 200 tilting due to the problem that the support member 120 may not be able to rise or fall normally in one position.

[0071] The second detection element 150 can be installed on the side of the protrusion 121 facing the base mounting 110 by means of threaded connection, suction cup connection, bracket connection, etc., and multiple second detection elements 150 are located on the same horizontal plane to facilitate accurate measurement of the levelness of the bottom surface of the bearing 120.

[0072] To prevent cold spots from forming at the bottom of process chamber 200, refer to Figure 2 The leveling device 100 may further include a heating element 170, which is disposed between the base mounting member 110 and the support member 120 and surrounds the through hole 111 to wrap around the periphery of the process chamber 200. Optionally, the heating element 170 may be a heating belt, which can be fixed to the periphery of the process chamber 200 with buckles to heat the bottom of the process chamber 200. Based on this, the bottom of the process chamber 200 can be heated by the heating element 170 to prevent cold spots from appearing at the bottom of the process chamber 200, thereby effectively alleviating the problem of excessive particle size in the product due to process by-products adhering to cold spots, and thus ensuring product quality.

[0073] Considering that the heating element 170 is located between the carrier 120 and the base mounting 110, and since the carrier 120 can move closer to or further away from the base mounting 110, the carrier 120 will exert a squeezing effect on the heating element 170 when it approaches the base mounting 110. This would prevent the heating element 170 from approaching the carrier 120, thereby hindering the movement of the process chamber 200 and affecting the process. Furthermore, it could potentially cause damage to the heating element 170 or the carrier 120 due to squeezing. Therefore, in this embodiment, the heating element 170 is designed to undergo flexible deformation; that is, the heating element 170 possesses both softness and compressibility. This effectively solves the problem of the heating element 170 hindering the movement of the carrier 120 and the process chamber 200, and prevents damage to components caused by squeezing between the heating element 170 and the carrier 120.

[0074] refer to Figures 1 to 5 Based on the aforementioned mounting and leveling device 100, this application also discloses a semiconductor process apparatus, including: a lifting device 300, a process door 400, a process chamber 200, and the aforementioned mounting and leveling device 100. The process chamber 200 has a first opening (not shown in the figure), and the support member 120 has a second opening 122. The end of the process chamber 200 with the first opening passes through a through hole 111 of the base mounting member 110 and abuts against one side of the support member 120, with the first opening communicating with the second opening 122. The process door 400 is connected to the lifting end of the lifting device 300 and is located on the side of the support member 120 away from the process chamber 200. The lifting device 300 is used to move the process door 400 toward or away from the base mounting member 110. During the movement of the process door 400 toward the base mounting member 110, the process door 400 can support the support member 120, so that the support member 120 is close to the base mounting member 110.

[0075] Specifically, the first opening of the process chamber 200 communicates with the outside through the second opening 122 of the carrier 120, facilitating the movement of products into and out of the process chamber 200. To seal the process chamber 200 and meet process requirements, the lifting device 300 can move the process door 400 to the second opening 122 of the carrier 120, abutting against the bottom surface of the carrier 120 to seal the second opening 122, thereby sealing the process chamber 200 and ensuring its airtightness, thus creating a suitable process environment. Alternatively, the lifting device 300 can also move the process door 400 away from the carrier 120 and from the second opening 122, allowing the process chamber 200 to communicate with the outside for product transfer. Furthermore, the lifting device 300 can move the carrier 120 via the process door 400, and the carrier 120 can move the process chamber 200, thus enabling lifting operations of the process chamber 200 to meet process requirements. It should be noted that when the drive mechanism 130 is connected to the carrier 120, the drive mechanism 130 can support the carrier 120. In this case, the process door 400 can be detached from the carrier 120, and the carrier 120 can also be guaranteed not to fall off.

[0076] Optionally, the lifting device 300 may include components such as a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or an electric cylinder. Of course, other types may also be used. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the type of the lifting device 300.

[0077] In addition, the process door 400, the load-bearing component 120, the foundation mounting component 110, and the process chamber 200 are arranged coaxially.

[0078] Based on the above configuration, the lifting device 300 can move the process door 400, the carrier 120, and the process chamber 200 to initially achieve the lifting and lowering of the process chamber 200. When the process chamber 200 reaches the first preset position, the lifting device 300 stops working and engages the support 131 with the carrier 120. Then, multiple drive mechanisms 130 drive the carrier 120 and the process chamber 200 to move, further achieving the lifting and lowering of the process chamber 200, moving it to the second preset position to meet process requirements. Therefore, the lifting device 300 can quickly lift and lower the process chamber 200 to the first preset position, while the multiple drive mechanisms 130 slowly lift and lower it to the second preset position, thereby increasing the moving speed of the process chamber 200, reducing its moving time, and ultimately improving the installation efficiency of the process chamber 200.

[0079] refer to Figures 1 to 6This application also discloses an installation and leveling method for installing and leveling a process chamber 200 of a semiconductor process equipment. The installation and leveling method includes:

[0080] The lifting device 300 moves the carrier 120 and the process chamber 200 upward to the first preset position through the process door 400 and then stops;

[0081] The drive ends of multiple drive mechanisms 130 move downward and engage with the carrier 120, and drive the carrier 120 and the process chamber 200 upward to the second preset position through the multiple drive mechanisms 130, and then stop.

[0082] The distance between multiple corresponding positions of the base mounting component 110 and the support component 120 is detected by multiple first detection elements 140. If the distance between multiple corresponding positions is not equal, at least part of the drive mechanism 130 is activated to coarsely adjust the level of the support component 120.

[0083] The level of the carrier 120 is detected by multiple second detection elements 150. If the level of the carrier 120 does not meet the level standard, at least part of the drive mechanism 130 is activated to drive the corresponding position of the carrier 120 to make a slight movement in order to fine-tune the level of the carrier 120.

[0084] Based on the above process, the lifting device 300 can raise the process chamber 200 to a first preset position, and multiple drive mechanisms 130 can raise the process chamber 200 to a second preset position. This increases the moving speed of the process chamber 200, reduces its moving time, and thus improves the installation efficiency of the process chamber 200. Multiple first detection elements 140 can be used to coarsely adjust the level of the bottom surface of the support member 120, and multiple second detection elements 150 can be used to finely adjust the level of the bottom surface of the support member 120. This ensures the levelness of the support member 120, allowing the process door 400 to fit tightly against the bottom surface of the support member 120, thus guaranteeing the sealing of the process chamber 200. Simultaneously, this effectively avoids the need for manual adjustment by adding shims, making the adjustment operation simple, time-saving, error-free, and allowing for rapid completion of the process chamber 200 installation, thereby improving production efficiency.

[0085] In this embodiment, the components such as the lead screw 133, support 131, carrier 120, first detection element 140, second detection element 150, shield 162, photoelectric sensor 161, and process chamber 200 are first assembled. After assembly, the support 131 and carrier 120 are not in contact and there is a certain distance between them, and there is also a certain distance between the support 131 and the base mounting 110. Then, the process chamber 200 is rapidly raised by the lifting device 300, and the distance between multiple corresponding positions of the carrier 120 and the base mounting 110 is fed back in real time by multiple first detection elements 140 to determine whether the process chamber 200 is rising or falling normally at the same time. Then, multiple drive mechanisms 1 The support member 131 of the 30 slowly moves down and engages with the carrier member 120; then, the process chamber 200 slowly rises through multiple drive mechanisms 130, while the lifting device 300 drives the process door 400 to descend; once the process chamber 200 rises to the second position, it stops moving, and the level of the bottom surface of the carrier member 120 is coarsely adjusted through multiple first detection elements 140; then, the level of the bottom surface of the carrier member 120 is finely adjusted through multiple second detection elements 150; after the adjustment is completed, the drive mechanism 130 is locked (i.e., the motor is locked) to prevent the carrier member 120 from moving, thereby fixing the process chamber 200. Thus, the installation and leveling process of the process chamber 200 is completed.

[0086] In some embodiments, the lifting device 300 moves the carrier 120 and the process chamber 200 upward to a first preset position via the process door 400 at a first speed, and the multiple drive mechanisms 130 move the carrier 120 and the process chamber 200 upward at a second speed, wherein the first speed is greater than the second speed. This further reduces the rising time of the process chamber 200, thereby improving the installation efficiency of the process chamber 200.

[0087] To prevent collisions between components, the mounting and leveling device 100 may include a cooperating photoelectric sensor 161 and a blocking member 162. One of the photoelectric sensor 161 and the blocking member 162 is disposed on the base mounting member 110, and the other is disposed on the drive end of the drive mechanism 130 (i.e., the support member 131). Thus, when the blocking member 162 blocks the light emitted by the photoelectric sensor 161, the drive mechanism 130 stops operating to prevent the drive end from colliding with the base mounting member 110.

[0088] Based on the above configuration, as the carrier 120 moves toward the base mounting 110 along with the support 131, the blocking member 162 moves toward the photoelectric sensor 161. When the blocking member 162 moves to be opposite the photoelectric sensor 161 and blocks the light emitted by the photoelectric sensor 161, the photoelectric sensor 161 sends a signal to the control device. At this time, the control device sends control commands to multiple drive mechanisms 130 to control the drive mechanisms 130 to stop. This can effectively prevent the carrier 120 and the support 131 from moving excessively and colliding with the base mounting 110, thereby ensuring the integrity of the installation leveling device 100.

[0089] In summary, the embodiments of this application can effectively avoid damage to the process chamber 200 caused by impacts of components during installation, ensuring that all positions of the process chamber 200 rise or fall normally simultaneously, preventing the process chamber 200 from tilting. The segmented rising method of the process chamber 200 allows for rapid rising when it is far from the base mounting component 110 in the early stages, and slow rising when it is closer to the base mounting component 110 in the later stages, improving the installation efficiency of the chamber. In case of over-rising during the installation of the process chamber 200, early warning measures are implemented to maximize the safety of the process chamber 200. Furthermore, it allows for coarse adjustment of the process chamber 200 during the rising installation process, followed by fine adjustment, reducing leveling time and improving leveling efficiency and accuracy.

[0090] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A semiconductor process apparatus, characterized in that, include: The lifting device (300), process door (400), process chamber (200), and installation and leveling device (100) for installing and leveling the process chamber (200) are provided. The installation and leveling device (100) includes: a base mounting component (110), a bearing component (120), multiple drive mechanisms (130), and multiple first detection elements (140). The base mounting component (110) and the support component (120) are spaced apart. The base mounting component (110) is provided with a through hole (111). The process chamber (200) is used to pass through the through hole (111) and abut against the support component (120). Multiple drive mechanisms (130) are distributed on the base mounting component (110), and the drive end of each drive mechanism (130) is connected to the carrier component (120); Multiple first detection elements (140) are distributed on one of the base mounting component (110) and the carrier component (120), and the detection end of the first detection element (140) is set facing the other, for detecting the distance between multiple corresponding positions of the base mounting component (110) and the carrier component (120); The plurality of driving mechanisms (130) and the plurality of first detection elements (140) are all electrically connected to the control device of the semiconductor process equipment; The process chamber (200) is provided with a first opening, and the support member (120) is provided with a second opening (122). One end of the process chamber (200) with the first opening passes through the through hole (111) and abuts against one side of the support member (120), and the first opening communicates with the second opening (122). The process door (400) is connected to the lifting end of the lifting device (300) and is located on the side of the support member (120) away from the process chamber (200). The lifting device (300) is used to drive the process door (400) to move toward or away from the base mounting member (110). During the process of the process door (400) moving toward the base mounting member (110), the process door (400) can support the support member (120) so that the support member (120) is close to the base mounting member (110).

2. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting and leveling device (100) further includes a plurality of second detection elements (150), which are distributed on the carrier (120) for detecting the levelness of the carrier (120).

3. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive mechanism (130) includes a support member (131) as the drive end, and the support member (131) is movably disposed between the base mounting member (110) and the bearing member (120); The support member (131) is used to connect with the carrier member (120).

4. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The drive mechanism (130) further includes a rotary drive (132) and a lead screw (133). The rotary drive (132) is disposed on the base mounting (110). The lead screw (133) is connected to the rotary drive (132) and extends between the base mounting (110) and the bearing (120). The support (131) is threadedly connected to the lead screw (133). Alternatively, the drive mechanism (130) may further include a telescopic drive member and a telescopic rod, wherein the telescopic drive member is disposed on the base mounting member (110), the telescopic rod is fixedly connected to the telescopic drive member and extends between the base mounting member (110) and the bearing member (120), and the support member (131) is fixedly connected to the telescopic rod.

5. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The mounting and leveling device (100) also includes a photoelectric sensor (161) and a shielding component (162) that cooperate with each other. One of the photoelectric sensor (161) and the shielding member (162) is disposed on the base mounting member (110), and the other is disposed on the support member (131). The photoelectric sensor (161) is electrically connected to the control device of the semiconductor process equipment.

6. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The support member (131) and the carrier member (120) are detachably connected by a threaded part.

7. The semiconductor process equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The outer edge of the support member (120) is provided with a plurality of protrusions (121); The protrusion (121) is provided with at least one of the first detection element (140), the second detection element (150), and the support member (131) on the side facing the base mounting member (110).

8. The semiconductor process equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting and leveling device (100) also includes a flexibly deformable heating element (170). The heating element (170) is disposed between the base mounting element (110) and the bearing element (120) and surrounds the through hole (111) to wrap around the periphery of the process chamber (200).

9. A method for installing and leveling a process chamber (200) of a semiconductor process equipment, wherein the semiconductor process equipment is the semiconductor process equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that, The installation and leveling method includes: The lifting device (300) drives the carrier (120) and the process chamber (200) upward to the first preset position through the process door (400) and then stops; The driving ends of multiple driving mechanisms (130) move downward and engage with the carrier (120), thereby driving the carrier (120) and the process chamber (200) upward to a second preset position and then stopping. The distance between the base mounting component (110) and the carrier component (120) at multiple corresponding positions is detected by multiple first detection elements (140), and if the distance between multiple corresponding positions is not equal, at least part of the drive mechanism (130) is activated to coarsely adjust the level of the carrier component (120); The level of the carrier (120) is detected by multiple second detection elements (150), and if the level of the carrier (120) does not meet the level standard, at least part of the drive mechanism (130) is activated, and the corresponding position of the carrier (120) is moved slightly by at least part of the drive mechanism (130) to fine-tune the level of the carrier (120).

10. The installation and leveling method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The lifting device (300) drives the carrier (120) and the process chamber (200) to move upward to the first preset position through the process door (400) at a speed of the first speed. The speed at which the multiple drive mechanisms (130) drive the carrier (120) and the process chamber (200) to move upward to the second preset position is the second speed; The first speed is greater than the second speed.

11. The installation and leveling method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The mounting and leveling device (100) includes a photoelectric sensor (161) and a shielding member (162) that cooperate with each other. One of the photoelectric sensor (161) and the shielding member (162) is disposed on the base mounting member (110), and the other is disposed on the driving end of the driving mechanism (130). When the shielding member (162) blocks the light of the photoelectric sensor (161), the driving mechanism (130) stops working to prevent the driving end from colliding with the base mounting member (110).

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