support device

Abstract

The application discloses a supporting device, which comprises a base with a groove, and a supporting needle capable of being lifted relative to the base in a vertical direction to switch the supporting needle between a supporting position and an initial position, wherein the supporting needle is arranged in the groove when being in the initial position, and the end surface of the top end of the supporting needle is higher than the end surface of the base; at least part of the supporting needle is made of conductive rubber, which is elastic, and the supporting needle abuts against a substrate when the substrate is placed on the base, and the end surface of the top end of the supporting needle is flush with the end surface of the base. The supporting device of the application can effectively avoid forming a high impedance area on the supporting table, thereby affecting the finished product effect of the substrate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of plasma equipment technology, and in particular to a support device. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, in plasma equipment, substrates are placed on a support platform of a support device for processing. When picking up or placing the substrate, a support pin can lift the substrate, and a robotic arm can pick it up or place it. Since the substrate will fall onto the support platform, the height of the support pin after it descends cannot be higher than the support platform; otherwise, the support pin will cause unevenness on the substrate surface.

[0003] In existing support devices, the height of the top of the support pin is typically less than the height of the groove in the support platform after it descends. However, this creates a high-resistivity region in the groove, and the electric field distribution in this region differs from that of the rest of the support platform surface. This indirectly leads to changes in the plasma concentration and energy in the high-resistivity region, resulting in plasma inhomogeneity. Furthermore, during substrate etching or film deposition, this inhomogeneous plasma will result in poor quality (uniformity or film texture) of the finished product. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to at least solve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present invention proposes a support device that can effectively avoid the formation of high-resistivity regions on the support platform, thereby affecting the finished product of the substrate.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a support device includes: a base having a groove; and a support pin in a vertical direction, the support pin being movable relative to the base to switch between a support position and an initial position, wherein when the support pin is in the initial position, the support pin is disposed in the groove, and the end face of the top end of the support pin is higher than the end face of the base.

[0006] At least a portion of the support pin is made of conductive rubber, which is elastic. When the substrate is placed on the base, the support pin abuts against the substrate, and the end face of the top of the support pin is flush with the end face of the base.

[0007] The support device according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: Since the conductive rubber is conductive and elastic, when the substrate is placed on the base, the substrate presses down on the support pin, thereby making the top end face of the support pin flush with the end face of the base. Thus, a high-resistance region will not be formed in the groove of the base, and the support device can effectively avoid the formation of a high-resistance region on the support platform, thus affecting the finished product of the substrate.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the support device has an abutment layer at the top of the support pin, the abutment layer being made of the conductive rubber.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the support pin includes a first body and a second body connected together, the cross-sectional area of ​​the groove gradually decreases from top to bottom, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second body gradually decreases from top to bottom.

[0010] A support device according to a second aspect embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0011] The base has a groove;

[0012] The support pin is vertically oriented and can be raised and lowered relative to the base to switch between a support position and an initial position. When the support pin is in the initial position, it is positioned in the groove, and the end face of the top of the support pin is higher than the end face of the base.

[0013] When the substrate is placed on the base, the support pin can extend and retract against the substrate so that the end face of the top of the support pin is flush with the end face of the base.

[0014] The support device according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: Since the support pin is retractable, when the substrate is placed on the base, the substrate presses down on the support pin, thereby making the top end face of the support pin flush with the end face of the base. Thus, a high-resistance region will not be formed in the groove of the base, and the support device can effectively avoid the formation of a high-resistance region on the support platform, thus affecting the finished product quality of the substrate.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the support pin includes a first body, a second body, and a spring, with the two ends of the spring connected to the first body and the second body, respectively.

[0016] A support device according to a third aspect embodiment of the present invention includes:

[0017] The base has a groove;

[0018] The baffle is capable of closing or opening the groove. When the baffle closes the groove, the upper surface of the baffle is flush with the end face of the base.

[0019] The support device according to embodiments of the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: Since the baffle can block the groove, a high-resistivity region will not form at the groove after the substrate is placed on the base. Thus, the support device can effectively prevent the formation of a high-resistivity region on the support platform, thereby avoiding impacting the final product quality of the substrate.

[0020] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the support device further includes a support pin disposed in the groove, wherein the support pin can extend out of the groove when the baffle opens the groove.

[0021] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the support device further includes a support pin, which is vertically movable relative to the base to switch between a support position and an initial position. When the support pin is in the support position, it passes through the baffle to open the groove. When the support pin is in the initial position, it is disposed in the groove and the baffle closes the groove.

[0022] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the support device has a baffle made of conductive rubber, the baffle including a plurality of fan blades circumferentially surrounding the center of the groove.

[0023] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein:

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a support device according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the support pin in the support position in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the support pin in the initial position in the support device according to some embodiments of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the support pin abutting against the substrate in the support device of some embodiments of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the support pin in the support device according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the support pin in the support device according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the support pin in the support device according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the support pin in the support device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the base and baffle in the support device of some embodiments of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 10 for Figure 9 A diagram from another angle.

[0035] Figure label:

[0036] Support device 10, base 100, groove 110, through hole 120, support pin 200, first body 210, second body 220, abutment layer 221, spring 230, baffle 300, fan blade 310, base plate 400. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0038] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the orientation descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0039] In the description of this invention, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. The use of "first" and "second" in the description is merely for distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0040] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setting," "installing," and "connecting" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0041] In the description of this invention, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0042] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 In some embodiments, the support device 10 includes a base 100 and a support pin 200. Both the support pin 200 and the base 100 are made of metal, and the base 100 has a groove 110. (See attached image.) Figure 1 and Figure 2 The cross-section of the groove 110 can be trapezoidal, conical, square, or frustum-shaped. The support pin 200 is vertical and can rise and fall relative to the base 100 to switch between a support position and an initial position. The support position can be the position where the support pin 200 is raised to abut against the substrate 400. When the support pin 200 is in the initial position, it is positioned in the groove 110, and the end face of the top of the support pin 200 is higher than the end face of the base 100, or the end face of the top of the support pin 200 is parallel to or slightly higher than the end face of the base 100. At least a portion of the support pin 200 is made of conductive rubber, such as the top of the support pin 200, or the entire support pin 200 is made of conductive rubber. The conductive rubber is elastic. When the substrate 400 is placed on the base 100, the support pin 200 abuts against the substrate 400, and the end face of the top of the support pin 200 is flush with the end face of the base 100. The support pin 200 and the base 100 have good electrical contact. Specifically, because the conductive rubber is conductive and elastic, when the substrate 400 is placed on the base 100, the substrate 400 presses down on the support pin 200, so that the top end face of the support pin 200 is flush with the end face of the base 100. In this way, a high-resistance region will not be formed at the groove 110 of the base 100, and the support device 10 can effectively avoid the formation of a high-resistance region on the support platform, which would affect the finished product of the substrate 400.

[0043] Furthermore, in plasma devices, the base 100 is typically made of metal, such as aluminum. Since the base 100 needs to be grounded to generate a potential difference with the electrodes, plasma is produced between the electrodes and the base 100. Therefore, the support pin 200 must also be made of metal or be conductive. When the entire support pin 200 is made of conductive rubber, the elasticity of the conductive rubber allows the tip of the support pin 200 to be designed higher than the end face of the base 100, thus avoiding the generation of high-resistance regions. Then, by pressing the substrate 400 onto the support pin 200, the conductive rubber is compressed, making the tip of the support pin 200 flush with the end face of the base 100.

[0044] Please refer to Figure 5 and Figure 6 In some embodiments, the top of the support pin 200 has an abutment layer 221 made of conductive rubber. Specifically, the abutment layer 221 is made of conductive rubber to avoid creating high-resistance areas. The abutment layer 221 contacts the substrate 400 and is pressed by the substrate 400, so that the end face of the top of the support pin 200 is flush with the end face of the base 100. When the support pin 200 includes a first body 210 and a second body 220, the abutment layer 221 can be the entire second body 220, or it can be the top of the second body 220. It is not necessary to set the entire second body 220 as the abutment layer 221. It is sufficient to set a portion of the top area of ​​the support pin 200 as the abutment layer 221 so that the abutment layer 221 contacts the substrate 400. Furthermore, since the conductivity of conductive rubber is lower than that of metal, the height of the abutment layer 221 can be one-fifteenth or one-twentieth of the support pin 200, etc., which will not be elaborated here.

[0045] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 6 In some embodiments, the support pin 200 includes a first body 210 and a second body 220 connected together. The cross-sectional area of ​​the groove 110 gradually decreases from top to bottom, i.e., the cross-section of the groove 110 can be trapezoidal. Similarly, the cross-sectional area of ​​the second body 220 gradually decreases from top to bottom, i.e., the cross-section of the second body 220 can be trapezoidal. Specifically, in addition to the groove 110, the base 100 also has a through hole 120 communicating with the groove 110, so that a part of the support pin 200 is disposed in the through hole 120 and another part is disposed in the groove 110. For example, the first body 210 can be located in the through hole 120 and the second body 220 can be located in the groove 110. The top of the second body 220 has an abutment layer 221.

[0046] In some embodiments, the support device 10 further includes a drive member connected to the first body 210, which drives the first body 210 to move up and down in a vertical direction. Specifically, the drive member may be a cylinder or a linear motor, thereby driving the support pin 200 to move up and down.

[0047] Please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 In some embodiments, the support device 10 includes a base 100 and a support pin 200. The base 100 has a groove 110, the cross-section of which may be trapezoidal or square. The support pin 200 is vertical and can be raised and lowered relative to the base 100 to switch between a support position and an initial position. The support position is the position where the support pin 200 is raised to abut against the substrate 400. When the support pin 200 is in the initial position, it is disposed in the groove 110, and the end face of the top of the support pin 200 is higher than the end face of the base 100. When the substrate 400 is placed on the base 100, the support pin 200 can be retractably abut against the substrate 400 so that the end face of the top of the support pin 200 is flush with the end face of the base 100. Specifically, because the support pin 200 is retractable, when the substrate 400 is placed on the base 100, the substrate 400 presses down on the support pin 200, so that the top end face of the support pin 200 is flush with the end face of the base 100. In this way, a high-resistance region will not be formed at the groove 110 of the base 100, and the support device 10 can effectively avoid the formation of a high-resistance region on the support platform, which would affect the finished product of the substrate 400.

[0048] Please refer to Figure 7 and Figure 8 In some embodiments, the support pin 200 includes a first body 210, a second body 220, and a spring 230, with both ends of the spring 230 connected to the first body 210 and the second body 220, respectively. Specifically, the base 100 also has a through hole 120 communicating with the groove 110. The first body 210 is disposed in the through hole 120, and the second body 220 and the spring 230 can be disposed in the groove 110, or the first body 210 and the spring 230 can be disposed in the through hole 120, and the second body 220 can be disposed in the groove 110. With the spring 230 connected to the first body 210 and the second body 220, the top end face of the support pin 200 is higher than the end face of the base 100. When the substrate 400 presses against the support pin 200, the spring 230 contracts under pressure, thereby making the top end face of the support pin 200 flush with the end face of the base 100. Furthermore, since the processing substrate 400 acts as a capacitor between the plasma and the support pin 200, adding a suitable spring 230 can act as an inductor to adjust the plasma density.

[0049] In some embodiments, the cross-sectional area of ​​the groove 110 gradually decreases from top to bottom, i.e., the cross-section of the groove 110 can be trapezoidal, and the cross-sectional area of ​​the second body 220 also gradually decreases from top to bottom, i.e., the cross-section of the second body 220 can be trapezoidal. Specifically, in addition to the groove 110, the base 100 is also provided with a through hole 120 communicating with the groove 110, so that a part of the support pin 200 is disposed in the through hole 120 and the other part is disposed in the groove 110. For example, the first body 210 can be located in the through hole 120 and the second body 220 can be located in the groove 110. In this way, when the support pin 200 descends relative to the base 100, it is convenient for the operator to control the support pin 200 so that the support pin 200 is precisely placed in the groove 110.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10 In some embodiments, the support device 10 includes a base 100 and a baffle 300. The base 100 has a groove 110; the baffle 300 is capable of closing or opening the groove 110, and when the baffle 300 closes the groove 110, the upper surface of the baffle 300 is flush with the end face of the base 100. Specifically, since the baffle 300 can block the groove 110, a high-resistivity region will not be formed at the groove 110 after the substrate 400 is placed on the base 100. Thus, the support device 10 can effectively avoid the formation of a high-resistivity region on the base 100, which would affect the finished product quality of the substrate 400.

[0051] Furthermore, the baffle 300 can be disposed on the surface of the base 100, and then, through a driving mechanism, the baffle 300 can be moved laterally above the groove 110, and then lowered to close the opening of the groove 110. The structure of the driving mechanism driving the baffle 300 to move laterally and lower is common in the prior art and will not be described in detail here. Alternatively, the baffle 300 can be manually placed above the groove 110 to close it.

[0052] In some embodiments, the support device 10 further includes a support pin 200 disposed in the groove 110. When the baffle 300 opens the groove 110, the support pin 200 can extend out of the groove 110. Specifically, the support pin 200 can support the substrate 400 to move up and down, thereby facilitating the placement of the substrate 400 on the base 100 for processing. When the baffle 300 is closed, the support pin 200 is located in the groove 110, avoiding the formation of a high-resistance region between it and the base 100.

[0053] Please refer to Figure 10In some embodiments, the support device 10 further includes a support pin 200. The support pin 200 is vertically movable relative to the base 100, allowing it to switch between a supported position and an initial position. When in the supported position, the support pin 200 passes through the baffle 300, opening the groove 110. The support pin 200 then supports the substrate 400. When in the initial position, the support pin 200 is positioned within the groove 110, and the baffle 300 closes the groove 110. Specifically, the baffle 300 is rotatably connected to the top wall of the groove 110, so that when the support pin 200 rises, it can lift the baffle 300, allowing the support pin 200 to support the substrate 400. This method of lifting the baffle 300 with the support pin 200 eliminates the need for a drive mechanism to control the baffle 300, thus saving costs.

[0054] Please refer to Figure 10 In some embodiments, the baffle 300 is made of conductive rubber and includes a plurality of fan blades 310 circumferentially surrounding the center of the groove 110. Specifically, one end of each fan blade 310 is connected to the groove wall of the groove 110, thereby closing the groove 110. When the support pin 200 rises, due to the elasticity of the conductive rubber, the support pin 200 can push open the fan blades 310, thereby supporting the substrate 400. When the support pin 200 descends back into the groove 110, the fan blades 310 automatically reset, closing the groove 110.

[0055] Furthermore, the baffle 300 can also be made entirely of conductive rubber, so that the baffle 300 is connected to the groove wall of the groove 110. When the substrate 400 is placed on the base 100, specifically, the baffle 300 is elastic. After the support pin 200 descends back into the groove 110, the baffle 300 will return to its original position and close the groove 110. The baffle 300 is located between the substrate 400 and the support pin 200. The substrate 400 presses the baffle 300 so that the end face of the baffle 300 is flush with the end face of the base 100.

[0056] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention and the features thereof can be combined with each other unless otherwise specified.

Claims

1. A support device for use in plasma equipment, characterized in that, The support device includes: The base has a groove; A baffle is attached to the wall of the groove, and the baffle can close or open the groove. When the baffle closes the groove, the upper surface of the baffle is flush with the end face of the base. The baffle is made of conductive rubber. It also includes a support pin, which is disposed in the groove, and when the baffle opens the groove, the support pin can extend out of the groove; In the vertical direction, the support pin can be raised and lowered relative to the base to switch between a support position and an initial position. When the support pin is in the support position, it passes through the baffle to open the groove. When the support pin is in the initial position, it is positioned in the groove and the baffle closes the groove.

2. The support device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The baffle includes multiple blades, which are circumferentially surrounding the center of the groove.

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