Wafer lifting device and semiconductor apparatus

Abstract

This invention provides a wafer lifting device and semiconductor equipment. The lifting device includes: a base plate with multiple lifting pins passing through it, the lifting pins supporting and driving the wafer on top of the base plate to lift and lower; a support portion at the bottom of the base plate to support the base plate; a locking ring sleeved on the support portion of the base plate, the locking ring being fixed in relative position to the base plate so that the locking ring is lifted and lowered together when the base plate is lifted and lowered; and multiple levers, one end of each lever being locked and fixed to the locking ring, and the other end being in contact with the connecting seat at the bottom of the corresponding lifting pin, so that when the base plate and the locking ring are lifted and lowered, the lever rotates to drive the lifting pin to lift and lower in the opposite direction to the locking ring, thereby driving the wafer on top of the lifting pin to lift and lower.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the construction of semiconductor equipment, and more particularly to a wafer lifting device in semiconductor equipment. Background Technology

[0002] In existing semiconductor process equipment, the lifting and lowering of the wafer pedestal or heating plate and the wafer are mostly controlled independently. For example, in common CVD coating processes, the lifting and lowering of the heating plate and the wafer are controlled separately, each with its own height control parameters. Consequently, two independent and complex motion mechanisms are required to control the height of the wafer and heating plate lifting pins respectively.

[0003] It is evident that the existing independent height control method complicates the mechanical design of the equipment and requires two independent motor control systems, increasing both cost and operational complexity. Furthermore, in semiconductor processes such as repetitive coating, the height of the heating plate lifting pin is relatively fixed, and during wafer coating, the wafer needs to be adjusted to a relatively fixed height. In other words, for some repetitive processes, the relative height of the wafer and its base plate has a relatively fixed relationship, and this independent lifting control undoubtedly increases operational difficulty and equipment cost.

[0004] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the existing technology, there is an urgent need in the field for a wafer lifting device to control the height of the wafer base disk and the wafer, so as to simplify the mechanical structure of the equipment while meeting the lifting requirements in the process, simplify the operation process, and improve the production efficiency in the semiconductor process. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The following provides a brief overview of one or more aspects to offer a basic understanding of them. This overview is not an exhaustive summary of all conceived aspects, nor is it intended to identify key or decisive elements of all aspects, nor to define the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form to prepare for the more detailed descriptions that follow.

[0006] To overcome the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art, the present invention provides a wafer lifting device, comprising: a base plate on which a plurality of lifting pins are mounted, the lifting pins supporting and driving the wafer on top of the base plate to lift and lower; a support portion at the bottom of the base plate supporting the base plate; a locking ring fitted onto the support portion of the base plate, the locking ring being fixed in relative position to the base plate so that the locking ring is lifted and lowered together with the base plate; and a plurality of levers, one end of each lever being locked and fixed to the locking ring, and the other end being in contact with a connecting seat at the bottom of the corresponding lifting pin, so that when the base plate and the locking ring are lifted and lowered, the lever rotates to drive the lifting pin to lift and lower in the opposite direction to the locking ring, thereby driving the wafer on top of the lifting pin to lift and lower.

[0007] In one embodiment, preferably, in the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention, the lever is provided with multiple rotating fulcrums so as to adjust the control amplitude of wafer lifting by selecting rotating fulcrums at different positions.

[0008] In one embodiment, preferably, in the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention, the plurality of levers select the same lifting amplitude fulcrum in each lifting control to ensure smooth lifting of the wafer.

[0009] In one embodiment, preferably, in the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention, the side cross-section of the lever is a broken line segment, wherein the front half of the lever is engaged with the locking ring and is placed horizontally, and the plurality of rotation fulcrums are located on the horizontally placed front half.

[0010] In one embodiment, preferably, the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention further includes a controller, which controls the lifting of the base disk and the selection of the plurality of rotation fulcrums.

[0011] In one embodiment, preferably, in the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention, the plurality of lifting pins are evenly distributed on the base plate near the outer circumference.

[0012] In one embodiment, optionally, in the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention, three lifting pins are provided on the base plate.

[0013] In one embodiment, preferably, in the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention, the support part is a column located at the center of the bottom of the base disk.

[0014] In one embodiment, optionally, in the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention, the base plate is a heating plate.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention provides a semiconductor device comprising a wafer lifting device as described in any of the preceding claims. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The above-described features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood after reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, components are not necessarily drawn to scale, and components having similar related characteristics or features may have the same or similar reference numerals.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the device structure of a wafer lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the lever mechanism in a wafer lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0019] Figure 3 This is a top view of the device structure of a wafer lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] For clarity, a brief explanation of the reference numerals in the accompanying drawings is provided below:

[0021] 1 base plate

[0022] 2 lifting pins

[0023] 3 wafers

[0024] 4 Support sections

[0025] 5-position ring

[0026] 6 levers

[0027] 7 connectors

[0028] 8 First pivot point

[0029] 9 Second pivot point

[0030] 10 Third Rotational Pivot

[0031] 11 pivot points Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Although the description of the present invention is presented in conjunction with preferred embodiments, this does not mean that the features of the invention are limited to these embodiments. On the contrary, the purpose of describing the invention in conjunction with the embodiments is to cover other options or modifications that may be derived based on the claims of the present invention.

[0033] To provide a thorough understanding of the invention, numerous specific details will be included in the following description. The invention may also be practiced without these details. Furthermore, to avoid confusion or obscuring the focus of the invention, some specific details will be omitted in the description.

[0034] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0035] Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "top," "bottom," "horizontal," and "vertical" used in the following description should be understood as the orientations shown in the relevant paragraphs and accompanying drawings. These relative terms are for illustrative purposes only and do not imply that the described apparatus must be manufactured or operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the invention.

[0036] It is understood that although terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used herein to describe various components, regions, layers, and / or parts, these components, regions, layers, and / or parts should not be limited by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish different components, regions, layers, and / or parts. Therefore, the first components, regions, layers, and / or parts discussed below may be referred to as second components, regions, layers, and / or parts without departing from some embodiments of the present invention.

[0037] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the prior art, the present invention provides a wafer lifting device for linkage control of the height lifting between the wafer base disk and the wafer, thereby simplifying the mechanical structure of the equipment while meeting the lifting requirements in the process, simplifying the operation process, and improving the production efficiency in the semiconductor process.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the device structure of a wafer lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Please refer to Figure 1The wafer lifting device provided by the present invention includes: a base plate 1, on which a plurality of lifting pins 2 are provided, the lifting pins 2 being used to support and drive the wafer 3 on its top to lift and lower, and a support portion 4 being provided at the bottom of the base plate 1 to support the base plate 1; and a locking ring 5, which is sleeved on the support portion 4 of the base plate 1, and the relative position of the locking ring 5 and the base plate 2 is fixed so that when the base plate 2 is lifted and lowered, the locking ring 5 is driven to lift and lower along the support portion 4.

[0040] like Figure 1 As shown, the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention further includes: a plurality of levers 6, one end of each lever 6 being snapped and fixed on the locking ring 5, and the other end being in contact with the connecting seat 7 at the bottom of the lifting pin 2 corresponding to the lever 6, so that when the base plate 1 and the locking ring 5 are lifted, the lever 6 rotates to drive the lifting pin 2 to lift in the opposite direction to the locking ring 5, thereby driving the wafer 3 at the top of the lifting pin 2 to lift.

[0041] exist Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, preferably, the support portion 4 is a column located at the center of the bottom of the base plate 1. The locking ring 5 is sleeved on the column and moves up and down along the column and together with the base plate 1.

[0042] It should be noted that the structure and position of the support part are only described illustratively here, and are intended to more clearly illustrate the device structure and lifting control working principle of the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention, rather than to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0043] Other similar support structures that can achieve the same height linkage control between the base disk and the wafer as described in this invention can also be applied to the wafer lifting device provided by this invention, and should all be included within the protection scope of this invention.

[0044] In fact, the support part of the base plate can also adopt other shapes and structures, and its position is not located at the bottom center. However, with different support part positions, it is necessary to adapt the length, angle and other device structures of the lever connected to it, which undoubtedly increases the complexity of the device. Therefore, the embodiment provided in this invention is the preferred device structure scheme of the wafer lifting device.

[0045] In one embodiment, preferably, the lever is provided with multiple rotation fulcrums to adjust the control amplitude of wafer lifting by selecting different rotation fulcrum positions.

[0046] For example, in Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, lever 6 is provided with a first rotation fulcrum 8, a second rotation fulcrum 9, and a third rotation fulcrum 10. The control amplitude of wafer lifting and lowering varies at different rotation fulcrum positions, which will be discussed below in conjunction with... Figure 2 Detailed explanation.

[0047] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the lever mechanism in a wafer lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Can be combined Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, the side cross-section of the lever 6 is a broken line segment, wherein the front half of the lever 6, which engages with the locking ring 5, is placed horizontally, and the plurality of rotation fulcrums (i.e. Figure 1 The first rotation fulcrum 8, the second rotation fulcrum 9, and the third rotation fulcrum 10 are located on the front half of the horizontally placed section.

[0049] like Figure 2 As shown, with the rotation fulcrum 11 of lever 6 as the boundary, the length of the first half of lever 6, i.e. the horizontal half, is set as L1, and the length of the second half, i.e. the half that lifts the lifting pin upward, is set as L2. The lifting height of the left end of the lever, i.e. the lifting height of the locking ring or the base plate, is set as ΔH1; the lifting height of the right end of the lever, i.e. the lifting height of the lifting pin or the wafer, is set as ΔH2, and the angle between the second half of the lever and the horizontal direction is set as α.

[0050] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above structure can satisfy the following quantitative relationships of physical quantities:

[0051] ΔH1×L2=ΔH2×L1×cosα

[0052] As can be seen from the above relationships, changing the position of the pivot point actually changes the ratio between ΔH1 and ΔH2. By selecting different pivot point positions, the control amplitude of wafer lifting can be adjusted. For example, please refer to... Figure 1 When comparing the first rotation fulcrum 8 with the third rotation fulcrum 10, the former controls the wafer's lifting range to be greater. In other words, when the base plate or the positioning ring lifts to the same height, the former allows the wafer to lift to a greater extent than the latter.

[0053] It is easy to understand that in each lifting control, the multiple levers can select the same fulcrum for lifting to ensure the smooth lifting of the wafer.

[0054] It should be noted that the structure of the lever device described here is merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. In fact, the lever structure is not necessarily a broken line segment structure; it can also be a curved segment with a certain curvature. Any similar lever structure that can achieve linkage lifting control between the base disk and the wafer can be applied to the wafer lifting device provided by this invention and should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0055] In one embodiment, preferably, the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention further includes a controller, which controls the lifting of the base plate and the selection of the plurality of rotation fulcrums, thereby enabling automatic control of the height of the base plate and the wafer. Through the linkage control of the height of the base plate and the wafer, the operation process is simplified and the production efficiency of the semiconductor process is improved.

[0056] Furthermore, the controller can automatically select the position of the rotation pivot point to adjust the wafer lifting range, thereby meeting the diverse wafer lifting requirements in different process flows.

[0057] In one embodiment, preferably, in the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention, the plurality of lifting pins are evenly distributed on the base plate near the outer circumference.

[0058] The following is combined with Figure 3 The embodiments are described in detail below.

[0059] Figure 3 This is a top view of the device structure of a wafer lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, three lifting pins 2 are evenly distributed along the outer circumference of the base plate 1. A lever 6 is correspondingly matched with each lifting pin 2.

[0061] It should be noted that the number and position of the lifting pins described here are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. In practice, the number of lifting pins can be two or more, and they can be distributed along the upper edge of the base disk near the outer circumference, or in other positions. Any structure that can achieve a lever structure to enable lifting and linkage control between the base disk and the wafer, as implemented in this invention, can be applied to the wafer lifting device provided by this invention and should also be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0062] The lifting pin quantity and position settings shown in the embodiments of this article are preferred examples. With these quantity and position settings, the device structure can be simplified, the device cost can be reduced, and the production efficiency can be improved while ensuring smooth and stable lifting linkage control between the base disk and the wafer.

[0063] As will be readily understood by those skilled in the art, if multiple lifting pins are located at different radial positions on the base plate, then each matching lever also needs to adaptively adjust its length and bending angle to ensure that all levers control the lifting of the wafer with the same lifting amplitude. This undoubtedly increases the complexity of the device. Therefore, in the embodiments of the present invention, it is preferable to arrange multiple lifting pins in the number and position described above.

[0064] In one embodiment, optionally, in the wafer lifting device provided by the present invention, the base plate is a heating plate.

[0065] It is readily understood that the type of base plate is merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention. For example, in common CVD coating processes, it is necessary to achieve linkage lifting control between the heating plate and the wafer. In other devices, the base plate can also be a wafer carrier plate, etc., and is not limited to the heating plate type. Other similar base plate types that require linkage lifting control with the wafer can be applied to the wafer lifting device provided by this invention and should all be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0066] Another aspect of the present invention provides a semiconductor device including a wafer lifting device as described in any of the preceding claims. This semiconductor device can be used in semiconductor processes such as CVD deposition. In this semiconductor device, the height adjustment between the wafer pedestal and the wafer can be controlled in a coordinated manner, thereby simplifying the mechanical structure of the equipment while meeting the lifting requirements of the process, simplifying the operation process, and improving the production efficiency of the semiconductor process.

[0067] The prior description of this disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples and designs described herein, but should be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A wafer lifting device, comprising: a base plate, a plurality of lifting pins are arranged on the base plate, the lifting pins are used to support and drive the wafer on the top of the lifting pins to lift, a supporting part is arranged on the bottom of the base plate to support the base plate; a clamping ring, the clamping ring is sleeved on the supporting part of the base plate, the relative position between the clamping ring and the base plate is fixed so that the clamping ring is lifted together with the base plate when the base plate is lifted; and a plurality of levers, one end of each of the levers is clamped and fixed on the clamping ring, the other end is in contact with the connecting seat at the bottom of the corresponding lifting pin of the lever, so that when the base plate and the clamping ring are lifted, the levers rotate to drive the lifting pins to lift in the opposite direction of the clamping ring, thereby driving the wafer on the top of the lifting pins to lift, wherein a plurality of rotating fulcrums are arranged on each of the levers, and the rotating fulcrums at different positions are selected to adjust the control amplitude of the wafer lifting.

2. The lift device of claim 1, wherein, The rotating fulcrums of the plurality of levers are selected to have the same lifting amplitude in each lifting control to ensure that the wafer is lifted stably.

3. The lift device of claim 1, wherein, The side section of the lever is a broken line segment, wherein the part clamped with the clamping ring is horizontally placed, and the plurality of rotating fulcrums are arranged on the horizontally placed part.

4. The lift device of claim 1, wherein, A controller is further included, and the lifting of the base plate and the selection of the plurality of rotating fulcrums are controlled by the controller.

5. The lift device of claim 1, wherein, The plurality of lifting pins are uniformly distributed along the position close to the outer circumference on the base plate.

6. The lift device of claim 5, wherein, Three lifting pins are arranged on the base plate.

7. The lift device of claim 1, wherein, The supporting part is a column arranged at the center of the bottom of the base plate.

8. The lift device of claim 1, wherein, The base plate is a heating plate.

9. A semiconductor device, characterized by comprising: The wafer lifting device comprises the wafer lifting device according to any one of claims 1-8.

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