Annealing quartz tube opening process and opening device thereof

Abstract

This invention belongs to the field of semiconductor technology and discloses a tube-opening process and device for annealed quartz tubes. The tube-opening device includes a base and a pressure cap. The base has an arc-shaped groove and includes a hard base and a soft base. A gap is provided between the hard base and the soft base, dividing the arc-shaped groove into a first arc-shaped groove on the hard base and a second arc-shaped groove on the soft base. The pressure cap includes a hard pressure cap that is flipped onto the hard base and a soft pressure cap disposed on the end face of the hard pressure cap. A third arc-shaped groove is provided on the soft pressure cap. When the hard pressure cap flips, it causes the soft pressure cap to press against the hard base. The third arc-shaped groove and the first arc-shaped groove form a cavity to fix the quartz tube. The tube-opening device of this invention has a simple structure, and the tube-opening process of the quartz tube based on this device is simple. It can reduce the difficulty of opening and removing quartz tubes during the annealing process, reduce the breakage rate, reduce surface contamination of semiconductor materials, effectively save labor costs, and improve production efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of semiconductor technology and relates to a tube opening device and method, and more specifically, to a tube opening process and opening device for an annealed quartz tube. Background Technology

[0002] In the closed-tube annealing process of semiconductor materials, a quartz tube is often used to vacuum seal the semiconductor material and complete the annealing. This method has significantly improved annealing efficiency.

[0003] Currently, the tube-opening method in the annealing process involves cutting the quartz tube with a grinding wheel and then removing the sheet. However, the cutting process generates fine quartz powder particles, forming dust. At the moment the quartz vacuum tube is punctured, a large amount of dust particles are drawn in and adhere to the surface of the annealed sheet, causing dust contamination and severely damaging the surface quality of the sheet, resulting in a significant drop in yield. Moreover, subsequent sheet removal is difficult, as the sheet is hard to remove and prone to fragmentation.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to study a tube opening device and opening process for quartz tubes. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems in the existing technology, the present invention aims to provide a tube-opening process and device for annealed quartz tubes. This device has a simple structure and method, reducing the difficulty of opening and removing quartz tubes during the annealing process, minimizing surface contamination of semiconductor materials, and improving production efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0007] A tube opening device includes a base and a pressure cap, wherein the base is provided with an arc-shaped groove for placing a quartz tube, and the arc-shaped groove is horizontally arranged;

[0008] The base includes a hard base and a soft base, with a gap between the hard base and the soft base. The arc-shaped groove passes through the gap, and the gap divides the arc-shaped groove into a first arc-shaped groove located on the hard base and a second arc-shaped groove located on the soft base.

[0009] The pressure cap includes a hard pressure cap that can be flipped onto a hard base and a soft pressure cap disposed on the end face of the hard pressure cap. The soft pressure cap is provided with a third arc-shaped groove. When the hard pressure cap is flipped, it causes the soft pressure cap to press against the hard base. The third arc-shaped groove and the first arc-shaped groove form a cavity for fixing the quartz tube.

[0010] Furthermore, the arc surface of the arc-shaped groove is fitted to the outer surface of the quartz tube.

[0011] Furthermore, the arcuate radius of the third arcuate groove is 10~180°; more preferably, the arcuate radius of the third arcuate groove is 10~150°.

[0012] Furthermore, the rigid base has a stepped structure; the rigid base includes a grooved platform on the higher side and a support platform on the lower side, the soft base is placed on the support platform, a gap is left between the soft base and the grooved platform, and the first arc-shaped groove is disposed through the grooved platform.

[0013] More preferably, the hard cover and the soft cover are detachably fixed to each other by Velcro or cable ties; the soft base and the support platform are detachably fixed to each other by Velcro or cable ties.

[0014] Furthermore, the hard cap is rotatably mounted on the end of the hard base via a rotating shaft assembly or hinge.

[0015] A pipe-opening process, using the aforementioned pipe-opening device, includes the following steps:

[0016] (1) After cutting the annealed quartz tube to a certain depth, place it horizontally in the arc groove on the base. The cut of the quartz tube is above the gap between the hard base and the soft base.

[0017] (2) Flip the hard cap and use the deformation generated by the elasticity of the soft cap material to fix one side of the quartz tube. After fixing, press the other side of the quartz tube to generate a shear force to break the quartz tube and complete the tube opening.

[0018] Furthermore, in step (1), the cutting depth is 80% of the thickness of the quartz tube wall.

[0019] Furthermore, in step (1), the cutting method is laser cutting.

[0020] Furthermore, the soft cap is made of a material with elastic deformation. During the opening and pressing process, the soft cap and the quartz tube contact area experience a deformation of 2~50mm.

[0021] More preferably, during the opening and pressing process, the arc of the third arc-shaped groove is 10~180°.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0023] The tube opening device of this invention has a simple structure, and the tube opening process of quartz tubes based on this device is simple. It can reduce the difficulty of opening and taking wafers from quartz tubes during the annealing process, reduce the breakage rate, reduce surface contamination of semiconductor material wafers, effectively save labor costs, and improve production efficiency.

[0024] This invention first uses a laser tube cutter to cut a quartz tube to a certain depth, and then combines it with a tube opening fixture to create a height difference through the elastic deformation of different materials, resulting in relative displacement, thereby easily breaking the quartz tube. It achieves the tube breaking action stably and effectively, obtaining a flat broken tube opening. The whole process has no major vibration, and there is basically no dust contamination on the surface of the material sheet. The operation process is simple, convenient and effective. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used in conjunction with embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 This is a front sectional view of the pipe-opening device.

[0027] Figure 2 Top view of the pipe-opening device in its deployed state;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a side view of the pipe opening device;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the quartz tube after cutting;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the action of fixing the quartz tube in step (2) of the tube opening process;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the action of pressing the quartz tube in step (3) of the tube opening process;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the action of breaking the quartz tube in the tube opening process step (3). Detailed Implementation

[0033] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, the present invention will be described more fully and in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following specific embodiments.

[0034] Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art. The technical terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

[0035] Example 1

[0036] like Figures 1-4 As shown, this embodiment discloses a tube opening device, which includes a base and a pressure cap. The base is provided with an arc-shaped groove for placing a quartz tube 6 to be opened, and the arc-shaped groove is horizontally arranged.

[0037] A pre-cut groove 4 is provided on the quartz tube 6 to be opened.

[0038] The base includes a hard base 5 and a soft base 7, with a gap between the hard base 5 and the soft base 7. The arc-shaped groove passes through the gap, and the gap divides the arc-shaped groove into a first arc-shaped groove located on the hard base 5 and a second arc-shaped groove located on the soft base 7.

[0039] The pressure cap includes a hard pressure cap 2 that is rotatably mounted on a hard base 5 and a soft pressure cap 1 mounted on the end face of the hard pressure cap 2. The soft pressure cap 1 is provided with a third arc-shaped groove. When the hard pressure cap 2 is rotated, it causes the soft pressure cap 1 to press against the hard base 5. The third arc-shaped groove and the first arc-shaped groove form a cavity for fixing the quartz tube 6.

[0040] In this embodiment, the arc surface of the arc groove is fitted to the outer side of the quartz tube 6, and the arc curvature of the third arc groove is 10~180°.

[0041] In this embodiment, the rigid base 5 has a stepped structure; the rigid base 5 includes a groove platform on the higher side and a support platform on the lower side, the soft base 7 is placed on the support platform, and there is a gap between the soft base 7 and the groove platform, and the first arc-shaped groove is disposed through the groove platform.

[0042] In this embodiment, the hard pressure cover 2 and the soft pressure cover 1 are detachably fixed to each other by Velcro; the soft base 7 and the support platform are detachably fixed to each other by Velcro.

[0043] In this embodiment, the hard cover 2 is rotatably mounted at the end of the hard base 7 via the hinge assembly 3.

[0044] In this embodiment, the preferred parameter ranges for each component are set as follows:

[0045] The soft cover is 200-250mm long, 150-200mm wide, and 10-100mm thick. The third arc-shaped groove penetrates the soft cover. The arc chord length of the third arc-shaped groove is 10-100mm and the depth is 10-100mm.

[0046] The length and width of the hard cap are the same as those of the soft cap, and the thickness is 5~20mm;

[0047] The length and width of the rigid base are the same as those of the soft pressure cap.

[0048] The soft base is 200-250mm long, 150-200mm wide, and 10-100mm thick.

[0049] As one of the preferred embodiments of this invention, a pipe-opening process based on a pipe-opening device is provided, including the following steps:

[0050] (1) such as Figure 4 As shown, the annealed quartz tube is cut to a certain depth and placed horizontally in the arc-shaped groove on the base. The cut of the quartz tube is above the gap between the hard base and the soft base.

[0051] (2) such as Figure 5 As shown in Action 1, Action 2, and Action 3, the hard cap is flipped over, and the deformation generated by the elasticity of the soft cap material is used to fix one side of the quartz tube.

[0052] (3) After fixing, apply slight pressure with your hand to the right side of the quartz tube on the soft base, i.e. Figure 6 As shown in action four, the quartz tube fractures smoothly due to shear force. Figure 7 As shown in step five. This method achieves a smooth fracture while significantly reducing vibration of the material sheet.

[0053] Example 2

[0054] This embodiment discloses a tube-opening process for annealed quartz tubes, using the tube-opening device and process in Embodiment 1. The soft cap is 200mm long, 150mm wide, and 50mm thick. The arc chord length of the third arc-shaped groove is 18mm, the depth is 2mm, and the arc surface curvature is 26°. The hard cap is the same length and width as the soft cap and is 5mm thick. The hard base is the same length and width as the soft cap, and the soft base is 200mm long, 150mm wide, and 50mm thick.

[0055] Includes the following steps:

[0056] (1) The outer diameter of the quartz tube to be broken is 8mm, the wall thickness is 1mm, and the laser cutting depth is 0.8mm. Place the quartz tube horizontally in the arc-shaped groove on the base, and the cutting position of the quartz tube is above the gap between the hard base and the soft base;

[0057] (2) The hard cap is flipped to fix one side of the quartz tube by utilizing the deformation generated by the elasticity of the soft cap material. The soft cap material is a rubber pad with elastic deformation. After fixing, the soft cap generates a deformation of 2.5mm.

[0058] (3) After fixing, press the other side of the quartz tube to generate a stable shear force to break the quartz tube and complete the tube opening.

[0059] Example 3

[0060] This embodiment discloses a tube-opening process for annealed quartz tubes, using the tube-opening device and process in Embodiment 1. The soft cap is 200mm long, 150mm wide, and 50mm thick. The arc chord length of the third arc-shaped groove is 36mm, the depth is 4mm, and the arc surface curvature is 26°. The hard cap is the same length and width as the soft cap and is 5mm thick. The hard base is the same length and width as the soft cap, and the soft base is 200mm long, 150mm wide, and 50mm thick.

[0061] Includes the following steps:

[0062] (1) The outer diameter of the quartz tube to be broken is 15mm, the wall thickness is 1mm, and the laser cutting depth is 0.8mm. Place the quartz tube horizontally in the arc-shaped groove on the base, and the cutting position of the quartz tube is above the gap between the hard base and the soft base;

[0063] (2) Flip the hard cap and use the deformation generated by the elasticity of the soft cap material to fix one side of the quartz tube. The soft cap material is a rubber pad with elastic deformation. After fixing, the soft cap generates a deformation of 3mm.

[0064] (3) After fixing, press the other side of the quartz tube to generate a stable shear force to break the quartz tube and complete the tube opening.

[0065] Comparative Example 1

[0066] This comparative example is basically the same as Example 2, except that:

[0067] In the tube opening device: the soft base and soft gland are replaced with a second hard base and a second soft gland of the same size, structure and hard material.

[0068] During the pipe opening process:

[0069] (1) The outer diameter of the quartz tube to be broken is 15mm, the wall thickness is 1mm, and the laser cutting depth is 0.8mm. Place the quartz tube horizontally in the arc-shaped groove on the base, and the cutting position of the quartz tube is above the gap between the hard base and the second hard base;

[0070] (2) Flip the hard cap to fix one side of the quartz tube;

[0071] (3) After fixing, press the other side of the quartz tube to open the tube.

[0072] The test results showed that: the cap would lift up, the force would be unbalanced, and the quartz tube would easily detach or deviate from its position during the bending process, causing internal materials to spill and become damaged, and the broken ends of the quartz tube could cut the operator. If the quartz tube was misaligned and the squeezing force was too great, the quartz tube would shatter directly.

[0073] Comparative Example 2

[0074] This comparative example uses a conventional method.

[0075] Quartz tubes of the same diameter as in Example 2 were cut using a grinding wheel. The grinding wheel was used to rotate and cut the quartz tube in a circular motion. The cutting depth was 0.5~1mm. The cut was uneven, quartz powder splashed during the cutting process, and the removed material sheet was contaminated. An additional process was required to clean the material sheet, which was time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0076] Comparing Examples 2 and 3 with Comparative Examples 1 and 2, it is easy to see that, by using the present invention, quartz tubes with neat fractures can be obtained; after laser cutting, the breaking force is small, the material sheet has almost no vibration, and it will not damage or generate a large amount of quartz powder to contaminate the material sheet. At the same time, it reduces cleaning processes, saving time and effort.

[0077] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pipe opening device, characterized in that, The tube opening device includes a base and a pressure cap. The base is provided with an arc-shaped groove for placing the quartz tube, and the arc-shaped groove is horizontally arranged. The base includes a hard base and a soft base, with a gap between the hard base and the soft base. The arc-shaped groove passes through the gap, and the gap divides the arc-shaped groove into a first arc-shaped groove located on the hard base and a second arc-shaped groove located on the soft base. The pressure cap includes a hard pressure cap that can be flipped onto a hard base and a soft pressure cap disposed on the end face of the hard pressure cap. The soft pressure cap is provided with a third arc-shaped groove. When the hard pressure cap is flipped, it causes the soft pressure cap to press against the hard base. The third arc-shaped groove and the first arc-shaped groove form a cavity for fixing the quartz tube. Wherein: the arc surface of the arc-shaped groove is fitted to the outer side of the quartz tube; the soft base and the soft cap are made of materials with elastic deformation; the hard base has a stepped structure; the hard base includes a groove platform on the higher side and a support platform on the lower side; the soft base is placed on the support platform; a gap is left between the soft base and the groove platform; and the first arc-shaped groove is disposed through the groove platform.

2. The pipe opening device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The arc of the third arc-shaped groove is 10~180°.

3. The pipe opening device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The hard and soft pressure caps are detachably fixed to each other using Velcro or cable ties; the soft base and the support platform are detachably fixed to each other using Velcro or cable ties.

4. The pipe opening device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The hard cap can be flipped at the end of the hard base via a rotating shaft assembly or hinge.

5. A tube-opening process for an annealed quartz tube, characterized in that, Using the tube opening device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 includes the following steps: (1) After cutting the annealed quartz tube to a certain depth, place it horizontally in the arc groove on the base. The cut of the quartz tube is above the gap between the hard base and the soft base. (2) Flip the hard cap and use the deformation generated by the elasticity of the soft cap material to fix one side of the quartz tube; (3) After fixing, press the other side of the quartz tube located on the soft base to generate shear force and break the quartz tube smoothly from the cutting point to complete the tube opening; In step (3), during the opening and pressing process, the soft base and soft cover are deformed at the contact point with the quartz tube by 2~50mm.

6. The tube-opening process of the annealed quartz tube as described in claim 5, characterized in that, In step (1), the cutting depth is 50-95% of the thickness of the quartz tube wall.

7. The tube-opening process of the annealed quartz tube as described in claim 5, characterized in that, In step (1), the cutting method is laser cutting.

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