Lifting device for wafers in epitaxial apparatuses

Abstract

The application discloses a lifting device for wafers in an epitaxial device. The lifting device comprises a base, a wafer lifting assembly, a mounting seat and a bellows assembly. The base is used for carrying wafers, and a plurality of through holes are arranged on the base. The wafer lifting assembly is arranged on the mounting seat and comprises a lifting shaft and a plurality of thimbles. The thimbles are arranged at the top end of the lifting shaft and pass through the through holes one by one from bottom to top and abut against the bottom of the wafers to realize wafer lifting. The bellows assembly comprises a bellows and a bellows-cavity connecting piece. The bellows-cavity connecting piece is connected with the top end of the bellows to realize sealed connection of the reaction chamber. The lifting device provided by the application is convenient to operate and accurate to adjust. The wafer is supported by the integral base. In the epitaxial process, the process gas received by the lower surface of the wafer is more uniform, the interference in the epitaxial growth process of the substrate is weaker, and the yield of the epitaxial growth is greatly improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of semiconductor technology, and in particular to a lifting device for wafers in an epitaxial device. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the rapid rise of intelligent manufacturing, electronic equipment and other industries and the development of semiconductor technology, the demand for chips is increasing, and the requirements for chip cost and quality are also more stringent. In the application of silicon epitaxy, larger diameter silicon wafers and more uniform epitaxial layers are also pursued, which also puts higher requirements on large-diameter silicon epitaxial equipment. In order to meet the transmission requirements of large-diameter wafers, a split base is proposed in the related art, that is, the base is composed of an inner ring base and an outer ring base. The wafer inserting mechanism inserts the wafer from the box and carries the wafer to the top of the base. The inner ring base rises to lift the wafer, the wafer is loaded on the inner ring base after being separated from the inserting mechanism, and the inner ring base with the wafer is lowered until it is placed in the outer ring base. During the reaction, the inner and outer ring bases with the wafer rotate at the same time. After the reaction is completed, the inner ring base with the wafer is raised, the inserting mechanism is inserted into the reaction chamber between the inner and outer ring bases, the inner ring base is lowered to place the wafer on the inserting mechanism, and the inserting mechanism with the wafer exits the reaction chamber. However, such a split base has strong interference with the substrate epitaxial growth process, affecting the yield of epitaxial growth. SUMMARY

[0003] The present application aims to at least solve one of the technical problems in the related art. To this end, embodiments of the present application propose a lifting device for wafers in an epitaxial device, which has less interference with the epitaxial growth process and can ensure the yield of epitaxial growth.

[0004] The lifting device for wafers in an epitaxial device according to an embodiment of the present application comprises: a base for carrying wafers, a plurality of through holes are provided on the base; a wafer lifting assembly and a mounting seat, the wafer lifting assembly is arranged on the mounting seat, and the wafer lifting assembly comprises: a lifting shaft, a plurality of thimbles, the lifting shaft extends vertically and is movably arranged in the vertical direction, and the thimbles are arranged at the top end of the lifting shaft and pass through the through holes one by one from bottom to top to abut against the bottom of the wafer for lifting the wafer; a bellows assembly, the bellows assembly comprises a bellows and a bellows-cavity connecting piece, the bellows-cavity connecting piece is connected with the top end of the bellows for sealingly connecting a reaction chamber, and a part of the lifting shaft is located in the bellows and extends out of the bellows and the bellows-cavity connecting piece and then extends into the reaction chamber.

[0005] The wafer lifting device provided by the embodiment of the present application is convenient to operate and accurate to adjust, adopts an integral base to support the wafer, and then uses passive lifting of the ejector pin to achieve the purpose of lifting the wafer. Compared with a split base, the integral base has a simple structure and the same surface structure, the contact area of the ejector pin and the wafer is small, in the epitaxial process, the process gas received by the lower surface of the wafer is more uniformly arranged, and the interference in the epitaxial growth process of the substrate is weaker, so that the yield of epitaxial growth is greatly improved.

[0006] In some embodiments, the wafer lifting assembly comprises a first driving member, a first screw rod, a first sliding block and a lifting shaft driving block, the first screw rod extends in a vertical direction, the first driving member is connected with the first screw rod for driving rotation thereof, the first sliding block is fixed with the lifting shaft driving block and threadedly cooperates with the first screw rod to move up and down with rotation of the first screw rod, and the lifting shaft driving block comprises a bellows mounting portion which is connected with the bellows in a sealed manner and is fixed with the lifting shaft in the vertical direction.

[0007] In some embodiments, the bellows mounting portion is annular, the bellows comprises a first bellows and a second bellows, the top end of the first bellows is connected with the bellows-cavity connector in a sealed manner, the bottom end of the first bellows is connected with the top end of the bellows mounting portion in a sealed manner, the top end of the second bellows is connected with the bottom end of the bellows mounting portion in a sealed manner, and the bottom end of the second bellows is sealed.

[0008] In some embodiments, the wafer lifting assembly further comprises a lifting shaft fixing block which is sleeved with the lifting shaft and is fixed with the lifting shaft in the axial direction, and is located at the inner side of the bellows mounting portion and is fixed therewith, and a lifting shaft fixing pin, the bellows mounting portion is provided with a pin shaft hole extending in the radial direction, and the lifting shaft fixing pin passes through the pin shaft hole from the outside to the inside and abuts against the outer side surface of the lifting shaft fixing block.

[0009] In some embodiments, the bottom of the bellows assembly is connected with a rotating module in a sealed manner, the lifting device further comprises an integral lifting assembly, the integral lifting assembly is arranged on the mounting seat, and the integral lifting assembly comprises an integral lifting driving block which is movably arranged in the vertical direction, the integral lifting driving block is fixed with the rotating module in the vertical direction for lifting the rotating module.

[0010] In some embodiments, the bellows assembly further comprises a horizontal support plate and a vertical support plate, the bellows-cavity connecting member is adjustably arranged on the horizontal support plate along an X-axis direction, the horizontal support plate is adjustably arranged on the vertical support plate along a Y-axis direction, and the vertical support plate is adjustably arranged on the mounting base along a vertical direction, wherein the X-axis and the Y-axis both extend along a horizontal direction and are perpendicular to each other.

[0011] In some embodiments, the lifting device further comprises a connecting member lifting assembly arranged on the mounting base for adjusting the position of the vertical support plate along a vertical direction, comprising: a second driving member, a second screw rod, and a second sliding block, the second screw rod extends along a vertical direction, the second driving member is connected with the second screw rod for driving the rotation thereof, and the second sliding block is threadedly engaged with the second screw rod to move up and down relative to the second screw rod as the second screw rod rotates, and the second sliding block is fixed with the vertical support plate or is fixed with the mounting base.

[0012] In some embodiments, the vertical support plate is provided with one of a first sliding rail and a first sliding groove, the horizontal support plate is provided with the other of the first sliding rail and the first sliding groove, the first sliding rail and the first sliding groove both extend along the Y-axis direction, and the first sliding rail is fitted in and can slide along the first sliding groove; the horizontal support plate is provided with one of a second sliding rail and a second sliding groove, the bellows-cavity connecting member is provided with the other of the second sliding rail and the second sliding groove, the second sliding rail and the second sliding groove both extend along the X-axis direction, and the second sliding rail is fitted in and can slide along the second sliding groove.

[0013] In some embodiments, the vertical support plate is arranged to surround three sides of the horizontal support plate and is open on a side facing the Y-axis direction, the inner side of the vertical support plate is provided with the first sliding rail, and the outer side of the horizontal support plate is provided with the first sliding groove.

[0014] In some embodiments, the horizontal support plate is arranged to surround three sides of the bellows-cavity connecting member and is open on a side facing the X-axis direction, the inner side of the horizontal support plate is provided with the second sliding groove, and the outer side of the bellows-cavity connecting member is provided with the second sliding rail.

[0015] In some embodiments, the lifting device further comprises three photoelectric sensors, the three photoelectric sensors are arranged on the mounting seat in a vertical direction, and at least the photoelectric sensor in the middle is adjustable in the vertical direction, the wafer lifting assembly further comprises a sensor paddle that is lifted along with the lifting shaft, the sensor paddle corresponds to each photoelectric sensor in the vertical direction, so that the photoelectric sensor senses the position of the sensor paddle, the photoelectric sensor at the top is used to determine the upper limit position of the sensor paddle, the photoelectric sensor at the bottom is used to determine the lower limit position of the sensor paddle, and the photoelectric sensor in the middle is used to determine the initial position of the sensor paddle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of a lifting device provided by an embodiment of the application Figure 1 .

[0017] Figure 2 is a structural diagram of a lifting device provided by an embodiment of the application Figure 2 .

[0018] Figure 3 is a sectional view of a lifting device provided by an embodiment of the application.

[0019] Figure 4 is a bottom view of a base provided by an embodiment of the application.

[0020] Figure 5 is a top view of a base provided by an embodiment of the application.

[0021] Figure 6 is a partial structural diagram of a lifting device provided by an embodiment of the application Figure 1 .

[0022] Figure 7 is a partial structural diagram of a lifting device provided by an embodiment of the application Figure 2 .

[0023] Figure 8 is a partial structural diagram of a lifting device provided by an embodiment of the application Figure 3 .

[0024] Figure 9 is a connection diagram of a lifting device and a rotating module provided by an embodiment of the application.

[0025] REFERENCE SIGNS:

[0026] Lifting device 100, base 1, through hole 11, waist-shaped blind hole 12, mounting seat 2, guide rail 21,

[0027] Wafer lifting assembly 3, lifting shaft 31, top pin 32, first screw rod 33, first sliding block 34, lifting shaft driving block 35, bellows mounting portion 351, stepping motor 36, motor base 361, lifting shaft fixing block 37, lifting shaft fixing pin 38, lifting tripod 39, guide rail sliding block 310,

[0028] Bellows assembly 4, bellows 41, first bellows 411, first flange 4111, second bellows 412, second flange 4121, bellows-cavity connecting piece 42, bellows connecting piece 421, second sliding rail 4211, cavity connecting piece 422, horizontal support plate 43, first sliding groove 431, second sliding groove 432, vertical support plate 44, first sliding rail 441,

[0029] Connecting piece lifting assembly 5, second driving piece 51, second screw rod 52, second sliding block 53, linear bearing 54, mounting plate 55, support plate 56, fixed handle 57,

[0030] First photoelectric sensor 61, second photoelectric sensor 62, third photoelectric sensor 63, sensor switch 64, sensor base 65, sensor mounting plate 66,

[0031] Integral lifting assembly 7, integral lifting driving block 71, third driving piece 72, third screw rod 73, third sliding block 74, locking block 75, bearing seat 76, locking handle 77,

[0032] Rotary module 200, rotary shaft 210, rotary tripod 211, dynamic sealing assembly 220, rotary motor 230, mounting bracket 240. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments described below by reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended to explain the present application, and cannot be understood as a limitation of the present application.

[0034] The embodiments of the present application are described below according to Figures 1-9 The lifting device 100 for wafers in an epitaxial device proposed by the embodiments of the present application includes a base 1, a mounting seat 2, a wafer lifting assembly 3 and a bellows assembly 4.

[0035] The base 1 is used to carry wafers, and a plurality of through holes 11 are arranged on the base 1. The wafer lifting assembly 3 is arranged on the mounting seat 2, and the wafer lifting assembly 3 includes a lifting shaft 31 and a plurality of top pins 32. The lifting shaft 31 extends along the vertical direction and is movably arranged in the vertical direction. The top pins 32 are arranged at the top end of the lifting shaft 31 and pass through the plurality of through holes 11 one by one from bottom to top and abut against the bottom of the wafers, so as to realize the lifting of the wafers.

[0036] During the reaction, the base 1 is located in the reaction chamber of the reaction chamber. The lifting shaft 31 of the wafer lifting assembly 3 pushes out the ejector pin 32. The top of the ejector pin 32 is higher than the upper surface of the base 1. The wafer lifting assembly 3 places the wafer on the ejector pin 32. The lifting shaft 31 drives the ejector pin 32 to descend until the wafer falls onto the base 1. After the reaction, the ejector pin 32 passes through the through hole 11 on the base 1 to lift the wafer and remove it from the base 1, so that the wafer transfer assembly can take the wafer away.

[0037] In some embodiments, the wafer transfer assembly is a wafer insertion mechanism. The wafer insertion mechanism inserts a wafer from the cassette, transports the wafer above the base, and the lifting shaft 31 drives the ejector pin 32 to rise. The top of the ejector pin 32 abuts against the bottom of the wafer and continues to lift the wafer, causing it to detach from the wafer insertion mechanism. The wafer insertion mechanism then exits the reaction chamber, and the lifting shaft 31 drives the ejector pin 32 back down until the wafer lands on the base 1. After the reaction is complete, the lifting shaft 31 drives the ejector pin 32 from bottom to top through the through hole 11 to abut against the bottom of the wafer and lift the wafer, causing it to detach from the base 1. The wafer insertion mechanism extends into the reaction chamber and is positioned vertically between the wafer and the base 1. The lifting shaft 31 drives the ejector pin 32 back down to place the wafer on the wafer insertion mechanism, and the wafer insertion mechanism exits the reaction chamber with the wafer.

[0038] The bellows assembly 4 includes a bellows 41 and a bellows-cavity connector 42. The bellows-cavity connector 42 is connected to the top end of the bellows 41 for sealing connection to the reaction chamber. A portion of the lifting shaft 31 is located inside the bellows 41 and extends upward through the bellows 41 and the bellows-cavity connector 42 before entering the reaction chamber.

[0039] The wafer lifting device provided in this invention is easy to operate and precisely adjustable. It uses an integral base to support the wafer, and then uses the passive lifting of the ejector pins to achieve the purpose of lifting the wafer. Compared with a separate base, the integral base has a simple structure and a uniform surface structure. The contact area between the ejector pins and the wafer is smaller. During the epitaxial process, the process gas received by the lower surface of the wafer is more uniform, and the interference with the epitaxial growth of the substrate is weaker, which greatly improves the yield of epitaxial growth.

[0040] The bellows assembly of the lifting device is used to prevent leakage of reactive gases from the gap between the lifting shaft and the reaction chamber. Purifying gas can be introduced into the bellows to further prevent reactive gases from flowing into the lower pipe of the reaction chamber and the area below it, and also to prevent gas deposition in the lower pipe and the area below it. The deformation characteristics of the bellows allow for vertical displacement of the lifting shaft.

[0041] In some embodiments, the wafer lifting assembly 3 includes a first driving member, a first lead screw 33, a first slider 34, and a lifting shaft driving block 35. The first lead screw 33 extends vertically, and the first driving member is connected to the first lead screw 33 to drive its rotation. The first slider 34 is threadedly engaged with the first lead screw 33 to move up and down as the first lead screw 33 rotates. The first slider 34 and the lifting shaft driving block 35 are fixed to each other, and the up and down movement of the first slider 34 drives the lifting shaft driving block 35 to move up and down. In order to drive the lifting shaft 31 located inside the bellows 41 to move up and down, the lifting shaft driving block 35 also includes a bellows mounting part 351. The bellows mounting part 351 is sealed and connected to the bellows 41 and is fixed to the lifting shaft 31 located inside the bellows 41 in the vertical direction. Therefore, the rotation of the first lead screw 33 ultimately drives the lifting shaft 31 and the ejector pin 32 at its top to move up and down, realizing the lifting of the wafer.

[0042] Optionally, the first driving element is a manual driving element or an electric driving element (e.g., a motor).

[0043] As an example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first driving mechanism is a stepper motor 36, which is mounted on the side of the mounting base 2 via a motor base 361. The stepper motor 36 is connected to the bottom end of the first lead screw 33 to drive the first lead screw 33 to rotate. The lifting shaft drive block 35 is located on the side of the mounting base 2, and the first slider 34 is mounted on the upper surface of the lifting shaft drive block 35 and fixed to it by bolts. The first lead screw 33 passes through the lifting shaft drive block 35 and the first slider 34 from bottom to top and is threadedly engaged with the first slider 34. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, a handwheel is also connected to the top of the first lead screw 33, so the first lead screw 33 can also be rotated by rotating the handwheel. When the first lead screw 33 rotates, the first slider 34 drives the lifting shaft drive block 35 to move up and down. The lifting shaft drive block 35 drives the lifting shaft 31 to move up and down through the bellows mounting part 351, which is sealed to the bellows 41, ultimately realizing the lifting and lowering of the wafer.

[0044] In some embodiments, the bellows mounting portion 351 is sealed to the bottom of the bellows 41, or sealed to the middle of the bellows 41, or may be sealed to the top of the bellows 41.

[0045] In some specific embodiments, the bellows mounting portion 351 is annular to better fit with the bellows 41. For example... Figures 1-3In the illustrated embodiment, the annular bellows mounting portion 351 is sealed to the middle of the bellows 41. Specifically, the bellows 41 includes a first bellows 411 and a second bellows 412. The first bellows 411 is located above the second bellows 412, and the annular bellows mounting portion 351 is vertically positioned between the first bellows 411 and the second bellows 412. The bottom of the lifting shaft 31 is located inside the second bellows 412, and its top extends upward from the bellows assembly 4.

[0046] The top end of the first bellows 411 is sealed to the bellows-cavity connector 42, and the bottom end of the first bellows 411 is sealed to the top end of the bellows mounting portion 351. The top end of the second bellows 412 is sealed to the bottom end of the bellows mounting portion 351, and the bottom end of the second bellows 412 is also sealed. In some embodiments, the bottom end of the second bellows 412 may be sealed to other modules of the epitaxial device (e.g., a rotary module), as described below.

[0047] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, the first bellows 411 is connected to a first flange 4111 at both its top and bottom ends, and the second bellows 412 is connected to a second flange 4121 at both its top and bottom ends. The bellows-cavity connector 42 includes a bellows connector 421 and a cavity connector 422. Both the bellows connector 421 and the cavity connector 422 have through holes for the lifting shaft 31 to pass through. The cavity connector 422 is connected to the top end of the bellows connector 421 for connection to the reaction chamber. The first flange 4111 at the top of the first bellows 411 is bolted to the bellows connector 421 and the two are sealed at the end face by an O-ring. The first flange 4111 at the bottom of the first bellows 411 is bolted to the bellows mounting part 351 and the two are sealed at the end face by an O-ring. The second flange 4121 at the top of the second bellows 412 is bolted to the bellows mounting part 351 and the two are sealed at the end face by an O-ring. The second flange 4121 at the bottom of the second bellows 412 is bolted to other components and the two are sealed at the end face by an O-ring.

[0048] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the wafer lifting assembly 3 further includes a lifting shaft fixing block 37. The lifting shaft fixing block 37 is sleeved on the lifting shaft 31 and is fixed to the lifting shaft 31 in the axial direction. The lifting shaft fixing block 37 is located inside the bellows mounting portion 351 and is fixed to it.

[0049] Optionally, such as Figure 3As shown, the inner ring of the bellows mounting part 351 is interference-fitted with the outer ring of the lifting shaft fixing block 37. Several O-rings are fitted between the lifting shaft fixing block 37 and the lifting shaft 31 to achieve sealing between the first bellows 411 and the second bellows 412, and to limit the vertical movement between the two.

[0050] To further improve stability and prevent relative rotation between the bellows mounting part 351 and the lifting shaft fixing block 37, such as Figure 1 As shown, the wafer lifting assembly 3 also includes a lifting shaft fixing pin 38. The bellows mounting part 351 is provided with a pin hole extending radially, and the lifting shaft fixing pin 38 passes through the pin hole from the outside to the inside and abuts against the outer side of the lifting shaft fixing block 37.

[0051] Optionally, the base 1 is made of graphite. For example, as shown... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, three through holes 11 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the base 1. Figure 3 As shown, the top of the lifting shaft 31 is provided with a lifting tripod 39, which includes three ejector pins 32. The ejector pins 32 extend vertically, and the three ejector pins 32 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the three through holes 11. When the lifting shaft 31 rises, the ejector pins 32 pass through the through holes 11 to lift the wafer; when the lifting shaft 31 falls, the ejector pins 32 support the wafer and place it on the base 1.

[0052] In order to better guide the lifting of the lifting shaft drive block 35, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the mounting base 2 is also provided with a guide rail 21 extending in the vertical direction. The wafer lifting assembly 3 also includes a guide rail slider 310 provided on the side wall of the lifting shaft drive block 35. The guide rail slider 310 cooperates with the guide rail 21 and slides along the guide rail 21 to guide the lifting shaft drive block 35 and prevent it from deviating during the lifting process.

[0053] In some embodiments, to facilitate precise connection between the bellows-cavity connector 42 and the reaction chamber, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the bellows assembly 4 also includes a horizontal support plate 43 and a vertical support plate 44. The bellows-cavity connector 42 (bellows connector 421) is adjustablely mounted on the horizontal support plate 43 along the X-axis, the horizontal support plate 43 is adjustablely mounted on the vertical support plate 44 along the Y-axis, and the vertical support plate 44 is adjustablely mounted on the mounting base 2 in the vertical direction. The X-axis and Y-axis both extend horizontally and are perpendicular to each other.

[0054] The bellows 41 allows for displacement of the bellows-cavity connector 42 in both the horizontal and vertical directions, enabling the bellows assembly 4 to achieve a precise and sealed connection with the reaction chamber.

[0055] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, the lifting device 100 also includes a connecting member lifting assembly 5, which is mounted on the mounting base 2 for adjusting the position of the vertical support plate 44 in the vertical direction. It includes a second driving member 51, a second lead screw 52, ​​and a second slider 53. The second lead screw 52 extends in the vertical direction. The second driving member 51 is connected to the second lead screw 52 to drive it to rotate. The second slider 53 is threadedly engaged with the second lead screw 52 to move up and down relative to it as the second lead screw 52 rotates. The second slider 53 is fixed to the vertical support plate 44 or to the mounting base 2.

[0056] Optionally, the second drive unit 51 is manually driven or electrically driven. Figures 1-3 In the embodiment shown, the second drive element 51 is a manually driven handwheel.

[0057] In some alternative embodiments, the second slider 53 is fixed to the mounting base 2. As an example, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the connecting member lifting assembly 5 includes a mounting plate 55 and a support plate 56. The support plate 56 is fixedly connected to the mounting base 2, and the mounting plate 55 extends horizontally and is fixedly connected to the support plate 56. The second slider 53 is fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the mounting plate 55. The second driving member 51 is mounted on the second lead screw 52, ​​the top end of the second lead screw 52 is fixedly connected to the vertical support plate 44, and the second lead screw 52 passes downward through the second slider 53 and the mounting plate 55. The second driving member 51 drives the second lead screw 52 to rotate, and the second slider 53 moves up and down relative to the second lead screw 52. Since the mounting plate 55 and the second slider 53 are relatively fixed, the second lead screw 52 drives the vertical support plate 44 to rise and fall.

[0058] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, the connecting member lifting assembly 5 also includes a linear bearing 54. The linear bearing 54 is connected to the vertical support plate 44 and the mounting plate 55, serving as a support to prevent the second lead screw 52 from becoming eccentric.

[0059] Furthermore, after adjusting the position of the vertical support plate 44, the circumferential movement of the second lead screw 52 is restricted by tightening the fixing handle 57.

[0060] In other alternative embodiments, the second slider 53 is fixed to the vertical support plate 44. For example, the bottom end of the second lead screw 52 is fixed to the mounting plate 55, and the second slider 53 is fixed to the vertical support plate 44. The second lead screw 52 is rotated by the second driving member 51, and the second slider 53 moves up and down relative to the second lead screw 52. Since the vertical support plate 44 is relatively fixed, the second slider 53 drives the vertical support plate 44 to rise and fall.

[0061] In some embodiments, the vertical support plate 44 is provided with one of a first slide rail and a first slide groove, and the horizontal support plate 43 is provided with the other of a first slide rail and a first slide groove. Both the first slide rail and the first slide groove extend along the Y-axis. The first slide rail is fitted in the first slide groove and can slide along the first slide groove, thereby making the position of the horizontal support plate 43 relative to the vertical support plate 44 along the Y-axis adjustable.

[0062] In some embodiments, the horizontal support plate 43 is provided with one of the second slide rail and the second slide groove, and the bellows-cavity connector 42 is provided with the other of the second slide rail and the second slide groove. Both the second slide rail and the second slide groove extend along the X-axis direction. The second slide rail is fitted in the second slide groove and can slide along the second slide groove, thereby realizing that the position of the bellows-cavity connector 42 relative to the horizontal support plate 43 along the X-axis is adjustable.

[0063] As an example, such as Figures 1-3 As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a vertical support plate 44 surrounds a horizontal support plate 43 on three sides and is open on one side facing the Y-axis. A first slide rail 441 is provided on the inner side of the vertical support plate 44, and a first slide groove 431 is provided on the outer side of the horizontal support plate 43. The first slide rail 441 and the first slide groove 431 cooperate to allow the horizontal support plate 43 to slide relative to the vertical support plate 44 along the Y-axis, thereby driving the cavity connector 422 to move in the Y-axis direction.

[0064] like Figures 1-3 As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a horizontal support plate 43 surrounds the bellows connector 421 on three sides and is open on one side facing the X-axis. A second sliding groove 432 is provided on the inner side of the horizontal support plate 43, and a second sliding rail 4211 is provided on the outer side of the bellows connector 421. The second sliding rail 4211 cooperates with the second sliding groove 432 to allow the bellows connector 421 to slide relative to the horizontal support plate 43 along the X-axis, thereby driving the cavity connector 422 to move in the X-axis direction.

[0065] In other words, the bellows-cavity connector 42 adjusts its position through the horizontal support plate 43 and the vertical support plate 44, and adjusts its height through the connector lifting assembly 5, so as to achieve precise docking with the reaction cavity.

[0066] exist Figures 1-9In the illustrated embodiment, the lifting height of the lifting shaft 31 can be determined by the number of rotations of the stepper motor 36. To avoid excessive lifting of the lifting shaft 31, in some embodiments, such as... Figure 8 As shown, the lifting device 100 also includes a first photoelectric sensor 61, a second photoelectric sensor 62, and a third photoelectric sensor 63.

[0067] A first photoelectric sensor 61, a second photoelectric sensor 62, and a third photoelectric sensor 63 are arranged vertically from top to bottom on the mounting base 2 at intervals. At least the second photoelectric sensor 62 is vertically adjustable. The wafer lifting assembly 3 also includes a sensor lever 64 that moves with the lifting shaft 31. The sensor lever 64 corresponds vertically to each photoelectric sensor, allowing the photoelectric sensors to sense the position of the sensor lever 64. The first photoelectric sensor 61 determines the upper limit position of the sensor lever 64, the third photoelectric sensor 63 determines the lower limit position of the sensor lever 64, and the second photoelectric sensor 62 determines the initial position of the sensor lever 64. That is, when the first photoelectric sensor 61 senses the sensor lever 64, it indicates that the lifting shaft 31 has reached its upper limit position; when the third photoelectric sensor 63 senses the sensor lever 64, it indicates that the lifting shaft 31 has reached its lower limit position. Before the lifting shaft 31 begins operation, the second photoelectric sensor 62 is adjusted to a position where it can sense the sensor lever 64, serving as the origin of the displacement.

[0068] As an example, the first photoelectric sensor 61, the second photoelectric sensor 62, and the third photoelectric sensor 63 are all vertically adjustable. Specifically, the first photoelectric sensor 61, the second photoelectric sensor 62, and the third photoelectric sensor 63 are all movably mounted on the mounting base 2 via a sensor base 65 and a sensor mounting plate 66. The sensor base 65 is fixedly mounted on the mounting base 2, and the sensors are fixedly mounted on the sensor mounting plate 66, which is vertically adjustable on the sensor base 65.

[0069] like Figure 8 As shown, the sensor base 65 has a groove extending vertically, and the sensor mounting plate 66 has a corresponding boss. The boss extends into the groove of the sensor base 65 and slides along the groove. The sensor mounting plate 66 has an elongated hole extending vertically, and the connecting bolt passes through the elongated hole and connects to the sensor base 65. When the position of the photoelectric sensor needs to be adjusted, the connecting bolt can be loosened manually, the position of the sensor mounting plate 66 can be moved manually, so that the boss slides along the groove, and the connecting bolt can be tightened after adjustment.

[0070] like Figure 2 and Figure 8As shown, the sensor lever 64 is connected to the lifting shaft drive block 35 of the wafer lifting assembly 3 and moves with the lifting shaft drive block 35. The sensor lever 64 extends horizontally and corresponds to three photoelectric sensors in the vertical direction. When the sensor lever 64 extends into the test end of one of the photoelectric sensors, the photoelectric sensor senses it and can determine the relative position of the lifting shaft 31 in the vertical direction at this time.

[0071] In some embodiments, the bottom of the bellows assembly 4 is sealed to the rotating module 200, and the lifting device 100 further includes an integral lifting assembly 7, which is disposed on the mounting base 2. The integral lifting assembly 7 includes an integral lifting drive block 71 that is movably disposed in the vertical direction. The integral lifting drive block 71 and the rotating module 200 are fixed to each other in the vertical direction for lifting the rotating module 200.

[0072] In some specific embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, the rotating module 200 includes a rotating shaft 210, a dynamic sealing assembly 220, a rotating motor 230, and a mounting bracket 240. Both the dynamic sealing assembly 220 and the rotating motor 230 are fixedly mounted on the mounting bracket 240. The mounting bracket 240 is fixed to the overall lifting drive block 71 to drive the entire rotating module 200 to rise and fall. The second flange 4121 at the bottom end of the second bellows 412 is sealed to the top of the dynamic sealing assembly 220. The rotating motor 230 drives the rotating shaft 210 to rotate. The rotating shaft 210 extends vertically and passes through the dynamic sealing assembly 220 from bottom to top, extending into the bellows assembly 4, forming a dynamic seal between the rotating shaft 210 and the dynamic sealing assembly 220. The lifting shaft 31 is a tubular structure that sleeves the rotating shaft 210 with a gap between them; their functions do not affect each other.

[0073] A rotating tripod 211 is provided at the top of the rotating shaft 210. The rotating tripod 211 and the rotating shaft 210 are mutually limited in the circumferential direction. The rotation of the rotating shaft 210 drives the rotating tripod 211 to rotate. Figure 4 As shown, the base 1 has three waist-shaped blind holes 12 spaced apart along its circumference at its bottom. The rotating tripod 211 has three waist-shaped pins, which fit into the waist-shaped blind holes 12 to provide rotational driving force to the base 1, thereby enabling the rotating shaft 210 to drive the base 1 to rotate stably.

[0074] The overall lifting drive block 71 and the overall lifting rotation module 200 enable the rotating tripod 211 to act on the base 1, thereby achieving the lifting and lowering of the base 1.

[0075] In some specific embodiments, such as Figure 2As shown, the overall lifting assembly 7 also includes a third drive member 72, a third lead screw 73, a third slider 74, a locking block 75, a bearing seat 76, and a locking handle 77. The third drive member 72 is connected to the third lead screw 73 to drive the third lead screw 73 to rotate, and the third lead screw 73 extends vertically. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the third drive element 72 is a handwheel; in other alternative embodiments, the third drive element 72 may be a drive motor.

[0076] The third lead screw 73 and the third drive component 72 are rotatably connected to the mounting base 2 via a locking block 75 and a bearing seat 76. The third slider 74 is threadedly engaged with the third lead screw 73 and moves up and down as the third lead screw 73 rotates. The overall lifting drive block 71 is fixed to the third slider 74. The third drive component 72 drives the third lead screw 73 to rotate, which in turn drives the third slider 74 and the overall lifting drive block 71 to move up and down, thereby driving the overall lifting of the rotating module 200. After adjusting the axial displacement, the locking handle 77 on the locking block 75 is tightened to restrict the circumferential rotation of the third lead screw 73, thus achieving locking.

[0077] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and are not intended to 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 limitations on this invention.

[0078] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between them; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0079] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0080] In this invention, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is 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. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0081] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wafer lifting device for use in epitaxial equipment, characterized in that, include: The base is an integral base used to support the wafer, and the base is provided with several through holes; A wafer lifting assembly and a mounting base are provided. The wafer lifting assembly is mounted on the mounting base. The wafer lifting assembly includes a lifting shaft and several pins. The lifting shaft extends vertically and is movably arranged in the vertical direction. The pins are located at the top of the lifting shaft and pass through several through holes from bottom to top to abut against the bottom of the wafer to realize wafer lifting. A bellows assembly includes a bellows, a bellows-cavity connector, a horizontal support plate, and a vertical support plate. The bellows-cavity connector is connected to the top end of the bellows for sealing the reaction chamber. A portion of the lifting shaft is located inside the bellows and extends upward through the bellows and the bellows-cavity connector before entering the reaction chamber. The bellows-cavity connector is adjustable along the X-axis on the horizontal support plate, and the horizontal support plate is adjustable along the Y-axis on the vertical support plate. The vertical support plate is adjustable in the vertical direction on the mounting base. The X-axis and Y-axis both extend horizontally and are perpendicular to each other. A connector lifting assembly, mounted on the mounting base, is used to adjust the position of the vertical support plate in the vertical direction, comprising: The second drive member, the second lead screw, and the second slider are arranged in a vertical direction. The second drive member is connected to the second lead screw to drive its rotation. The second slider is threadedly engaged with the second lead screw to move up and down relative to it as the second lead screw rotates. The second slider is fixed to the vertical support plate or to the mounting base.

2. The wafer lifting device for epitaxial equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wafer lifting assembly includes a first driving component, a first lead screw, a first slider, and a lifting shaft driving block. The first lead screw extends vertically, and the first driving component is connected to the first lead screw to drive its rotation. The first slider is fixed to the lifting shaft driving block and threadedly engaged with the first lead screw to move up and down as the first lead screw rotates. The lifting shaft driving block includes a bellows mounting portion, which is sealed to the bellows and fixed to the lifting shaft in the vertical direction.

3. The wafer lifting device for epitaxial equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The corrugated pipe mounting part is annular, and the corrugated pipe includes a first corrugated pipe and a second corrugated pipe. The top end of the first corrugated pipe is sealed to the corrugated pipe-cavity connector, and the bottom end of the first corrugated pipe is sealed to the top end of the corrugated pipe mounting part. The top end of the second corrugated pipe is sealed to the bottom end of the corrugated pipe mounting part, and the bottom end of the second corrugated pipe is sealed.

4. The wafer lifting device for epitaxial equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The wafer lifting assembly also includes: A lifting shaft fixing block, wherein the lifting shaft fixing block is sleeved on the lifting shaft and axially fixed to the lifting shaft, the lifting shaft fixing block is located inside the bellows mounting part and fixed thereto; and The lifting shaft fixing pin has a radially extending pin hole on the bellows mounting part. The lifting shaft fixing pin passes through the pin hole from the outside to the inside and abuts against the outer side of the lifting shaft fixing block.

5. The lifting device for wafers in an epitaxial device according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The bottom of the bellows assembly is sealed to the rotating module. The lifting device also includes an overall lifting assembly, which is mounted on the mounting base. The overall lifting assembly includes an overall lifting drive block that is movably arranged in the vertical direction. The overall lifting drive block and the rotating module are fixed to each other in the vertical direction for lifting the rotating module.

6. The wafer lifting device for epitaxial equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical support plate is provided with one of a first slide rail and a first slide groove, and the horizontal support plate is provided with the other of a first slide rail and a first slide groove. Both the first slide rail and the first slide groove extend along the Y-axis direction. The first slide rail is fitted in the first slide groove and can slide along the first slide groove. The horizontal support plate is provided with one of a second slide rail and a second slide groove, and the bellows-cavity connector is provided with the other of a second slide rail and a second slide groove. Both the second slide rail and the second slide groove extend along the X-axis direction. The second slide rail is fitted in the second slide groove and can slide along the second slide groove.

7. The wafer lifting device for epitaxial equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The vertical support plate is arranged around the horizontal support plate on three sides and is open on one side facing the Y-axis. The first slide rail is provided on the inner side of the vertical support plate and the first slide groove is provided on the outer side of the horizontal support plate. The horizontal support plate is arranged around the bellows-cavity connector on three sides and is open on one side facing the X-axis. The second slide groove is provided on the inner side of the horizontal support plate and the second slide rail is provided on the outer side of the bellows-cavity connector.

8. The wafer lifting device for epitaxial equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes three photoelectric sensors, which are arranged vertically at intervals on the mounting base. At least the photoelectric sensor located in the middle is vertically adjustable. The wafer lifting assembly also includes a sensor lever that moves up and down with the lifting shaft. The sensor lever corresponds to each photoelectric sensor in the vertical direction so that the photoelectric sensor can sense the position of the sensor lever. The photoelectric sensor located at the top is used to determine the upper limit position of the sensor lever, the photoelectric sensor located at the bottom is used to determine the lower limit position of the sensor lever, and the photoelectric sensor located in the middle is used to determine the initial position of the sensor lever.

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